The Lost Element
by XD-385
Summary: Equestria has long been known as the land of ponies. However, the name of Equestria is misleading. For far too long, a certain element has been missing from the world. And now, that element has been brought back. But for better or for worse?
1. A Human in Equestria

You are probably wondering where I am writing this from. I could not honestly answer that, as even I do not know where I am. One moment I am in my home. The next, I'm stranded out in the wilderness somewhere. It happened without my knowing, probably when I blinked or closed my eyes during a sneeze. When I opened them, I was in a place I did not recognize. Plenty of trees and greenery with birds chirping. Not the slightest hint of human activity or automobile noises. There was an obvious path along the ground, leading me to believe that civilization was somewhere nearby. With nowhere else to go, I chose one direction of the path and took it.

I probably walked for around ten minutes before something came into view. Up ahead, past a small bridge stretching over a brook seemed to be a humble village. Surrounding it were many hills and a great mountain to the northeast with what seemed to be a town or fortress jutting out of the side higher up. The buildings of the village ahead seemed to be of an older design, complete with hay or straw covering the rooftops. I also could not see or hear any modern technology, complete with a total lack of power lines spanning the structures. With no other possible location in mind, I suspected that I had somehow ended up in a remote area of Europe and that these locations were historically preserved towns. With some hope that I may be able to get back home, I headed for the bridge that led into town. But I had hardly crossed it when I froze in my tracks. Even from the outskirts of town, I could see enough into it to see the locals going about their business. However, I could see no people. Only…ponies.

Yes, you read that right. There were no humans to be seen. Only many ponies. I had seen ponies and horses before, but never any so….colorful. No two ponies looked alike. Their coats and manes were a variety of colors, from blues to reds to yellows to purples to gray. Some even had a single horn on their foreheads and others had a pair of feathered wings. Unicorns and pegasi. Each of these ponies had a unique tattoo-like image on their flanks with no two being alike. Is that the correct term for an equine's hindquarters? Flank? If not, I apologize. I am not an expert on equine anatomy. Regardless, one had bubbles, another had a feather and book, and another had a pink six-pointed star. Do not ask me what the others were as there were too many to count. These unique appearances were strange enough, but what puzzled me more was that many appeared to be SPEAKING to each other. While I was too far away to make out any words, their jaws and lips were moving in ways that I had never seen an equine do before. What was more, some were making various movements with their forelegs in the same way one would make hand gestures to add emphasis to words. It was then that a thought occurred to me. Could these ponies be the inhabitants of this town and not mere work animals?

As I had nowhere else to look for help, I wandered into town. The ponies almost immediately detected my presence, many of them staring while whispering to each other. I could feel myself become the center of attention, a position I admit to not being fond of. I became tense with nervousness as I felt the ponies staring and observing me. A thought came to mind as I suspected that the lack of humans in this town meant that humans are generally not welcome. I did not make eye contact and walked stiffly, fearing that I would be attacked soon with one of the unicorns gouging me on its horn. Rather than loiter for too long in town, I focused on making my way to the other side so I could merely pass through.

A minute or two passed as I tried to pass through the town as quickly as possible. Along the way, I came across a pair of buildings that caught my eye. Actually, I am not certain if they qualified as real 'buildings'. The first I saw looked as if it was nothing more than a large tree with a door at the base of the trunk. The trunk itself was very stout, bringing to mind a great redwood. As there were numerous windows carved into the woodwork and even a pair of balconies emerging from the branches, the tree could most certainly be converted into a house if it was hollowed out enough. There was an image of a candle on the door with a sign next to it showing an open book, leading me to believe this house may in fact be a library. I could have asked one of the ponies, though I was too apprehensive at the time to interact with either of them at all.

The second oddly designed structure I found was like something out of a child's fantasy. While the walls looked the same as the others, the roof looked like that of a gingerbread house baked in time for Christmas complete with icing. There was even a banner of a cupcake with pink icing hanging off the side, leading me to suspect that either this building was a bakery or just a product produced by the bakery the banner represented. The spire that rose out of the middle of the roof strongly resembled a pair of cupcakes stacked on top of each other with a trio of large candles sticking out of the top. However, the flames at the tips seemed to just be light bulbs. I can distinctly remember thinking "Looks good enough to eat…" as I stopped in front of the building. I was also tempted to laugh at the seemingly edible design, but restrained myself for fear of inciting an attack from the locals.

"Excuse me, but you're a human, aren't you?"

I froze while gritting my teeth in fear. The voice came directly from behind me and sounded like that of a young woman. (This is it… I'm in trouble.) I remember thinking as I slowly turned to face the source of the voice. I stared directly ahead, rooted to the spot.

"Um… Down here."

I tilted my head down to see a unicorn looking up at me. I recognized her as the pony with the pink six-pointed star marking on her flanks I had seen minutes earlier. Her coat was a faded purple while her large intelligent eyes were a shade of violet. What surprised me was that her mane seemed to be styled into more of a human woman's hairstyle instead of an ordinary mane. It was straight and well kempt and shared its coloration with her equally tidy dark blue, pink, and purple tail. I suppose she could sense my fascination and nervousness as she quickly gazed at me with a look of what I believed was concern.

"Are you OK? Did you steal something and are afraid someone's going to find out?"

I was still too nervous and scared to say anything, so I simply shook my head. The unicorn then asked, "Well, why are you acting so uptight? Are all humans as shy as you? Or are you even a human at all?"

Feeling that this unicorn was not a threat to me, I muttered softly in response, "I am… And I'm not a…thief."

The unicorn nodded with a slight smile in an effort to seemingly reassure me. "Then there's nothing to worry about. I mean, it's not like everyone here is going to skin you alive and eat you just because you're not a pony…"

I took a step back at her apparent joke. At least I was hoping that was a joke. "Is that…what you did to this town's human population?"

The unicorn seemed to understand that I mistook her attempt at humor as a subtle threat since she suddenly raised her forelegs and shook her hooves from side to side frantically with a nervous expression. "Oh, no! Of course not! It's just that humans have never been seen around here before. I honestly thought that they only appeared in myth."

The fact that humans had never been seen in this town to the point that they were thought of as mythical beings caused me to fear the worst. I feared what I would hear if I asked the unicorn, but I felt I had to know. "Miss… Where am I?"

The unicorn dropped back down on all fours and replied promptly, "You're in Ponyville. It's pretty much right in the middle of Equestria."

Equestria. Ponyville. They sounded like names out of a child's storybook. And there was no way this could be Earth if humans have never once been encountered here.

(I must be dreaming… But this feels too real to be a dream…) I tried pinching myself to see if I would wake up. But I still found myself in the middle of the town with many ponies of many colors watching me. (I guess it has to hurt more than this to work.)

I gazed down at the unicorn and asked, "I don't want to be any trouble, but could you please kick me?"

The unicorn clearly did not expect my question since she took a step backwards with a somewhat shocked expression on her face. "Kick you? Really?! But won't that hurt?"

I nodded sincerely, understanding her concern. "I know it's a…weird request. But I really need it."

Before the unicorn before me could even agree to carry out my request, we both jumped at the sound of someone yelling from above us. "LOOK OUT BELOW!"

I did not even know what hit me as something crashed onto me from above, sending me chin-first into the ground. I will never know how my glasses escaped damage from that incident. I groaned in discomfort, the impact having inflicted more than enough pain to wake up anyone from an unpleasant dream. I heard the unicorn's voice ask with both a hint of concern and annoyance. "Rainbow Dash! What was that for?!"

The next voice I heard came from right next to my head. It was also the voice of a young woman, but had a much more boisterous tone to it. "Sorry about that, Twilight. Tried out another trick just now. Didn't work out at all. I didn't get you, did I?"

As I felt the weight of whomever fell on me shift, I could hear the jeering laughter of the other ponies around us. Apparently the sight of someone falling out of the sky and using me as a landing cushion was rather amusing to them. And in hindsight, I suppose it was funny to watch too. But it was no fun to experience. I heard the unicorn ask with a gentle genuinely concerned tone, "Are you OK? I'm sure Rainbow Dash meant no harm. You're not hurt, are you?"

The sympathetic words of the unicorn did nothing to help soothe my humiliation. Lost, afraid, nervous, and now embarrassed, I climbed to my feet and rushed inside the closest building I could find while holding back tears. Which happened to be the gingerbread house I was observing a moment ago. As I slammed the door behind me, I could hear the unicorn scolding 'Rainbow Dash' and everyone who had laughed. "That's no way to welcome a new visitor! Be quiet!"

I hardly looked around at my surroundings as I took a seat at a table in the corner of the room I had just entered. I took off my glasses, buried my face in my arms, and just let my frustration simmer. I did not want to move. Just sit there and brood. I tried to not make a sound since I did not want to draw attention to myself. A few minutes passed before I heard the door open again. The faint clopping of hooves approached me before the same voice of whoever fell on me spoke up, but in a much more reserved tone from before.

"Hey… Uh… You all right after that? I didn't have enough time to right myself before hitting the ground, so… I guess I should say thanks for breaking my fall… No hard feelings, right?"

I was certain she was being sincere and I really did not have enough time to react at the time it occurred, so I did not really hold a grudge. But I was still feeling bitter and turned my head away from her. "No hard feelings…"

The owner of the voice asked while letting out a sigh of relief, "Phew, I was a little worried you were gonna snap at me for that. You're a good sport. Is there anything I can do to make it up to ya?"

I was silently grateful for her willingness to help cheer me up, but my response to her was blunt and honest. "You can start by leaving me alone to rest."

She asked with a tone of concern in her voice, "You sure? I can get you a cupcake or something."

My only response was brief. "Not hungry…"

I was not aware that some of my tears were leaking down the sides of my arms onto the table. She must have noticed because she then asked, "Oh man… Are you crying? Is there anything I can do?"

By this point, I was too distressed to really say anything. All I could do was turn my head away and hope she would leave. I heard an audible sigh and the sound of hooves clopping followed by the sound of a door opening then closing.

My moment of peace did not last very long as I heard the door open and close about five minutes later. I sighed, hoping it was not the same pony again. I then heard a bell ring, followed by a woman's voice speaking in a motherly tone. "Oh, hello Fluttershy. What can I get you, dear?"

The next voice I heard was vastly different from all other voices I had heard so far. It was a very quiet voice that was almost a whisper. I could sense great gentleness in the tone of the young woman it belonged to. "Oh, I'm not here to buy anything today, Mrs. Cake. I'm here to…um…give a pep talk to someone. Is there somepony here who isn't having a good day?"

I remained perfectly still, hoping 'Mrs. Cake' would not notice me or at least mistake me for a pile of clothes. My hopes were quickly dashed when she replied, "Is that him over there?"

The sound of clopping hooves approached me while I held my breath, hoping she would overlook me. Soon, I felt something hard tap my leg. "Um… Excuse me, but are you OK?"

I remained silent and still as stone in the hopes that she would think I was just an inanimate object. But I heard the sounds of her footsteps go past me followed by the chair beside me being pulled out. I braced myself for pain, expecting to be bashed over the head with it. Instead, I heard the chair squeak and creak slightly as if someone had just sat on it. "Um… I'm not going to bite. Can you tell me what's wrong? I can at least lend an ear."

The voice sounded far too gentle to hint at even the slightest possibility of malice. Feeling some of my nervousness fade away, I cast my caution to the wind and turned my head to look at the owner of the voice. Like everyone else I had seen so far, she was a pony. But unlike the unicorn, she lacked a horn and had a pair of folded wings at her sides. Her coat was a pale yellow, possibly even a shade of gold, and her mane and tail were a pale pink. Her mane was draped mostly to her right with it parting in two large bangs that curled at the ends. Her tail was the same, being somewhat longer than most others with her mane even reaching past her knees. The markings on her flanks were a trio of butterflies with pink wings and turquoise bodies and antennae. She was somehow entirely seated on the chair without falling off, something I found surprising about the ponies of this land. Her strong cyan eyes gazed at me with great concern, but also with great shyness as well. I sighed and spoke after scanning her for a moment. "You're…..cute."

The pegasus pony blushed deeply at my compliment, turning away with her eyes closed. "I…uh…I'm flattered…"

Feeling that I may have offended her, I buried my face in my arms again. Perhaps she would go away. A moment of silence passed before I heard the pony speak up again in her quiet voice, "Wha…. What's your name?"

Without even looking at her, I replied, "James."

The pegasus pony probably smiled as she retorted with a slightly more upbeat tone, "James… That's a unique name. I'm Fluttershy."

"I overheard." I muttered bluntly, having heard the brief conversation she had with Mrs. Cake.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I forgot you might have been listening…" Fluttershy whispered, seemingly embarrassed. After a moment of silence, she asked with a bit of hesitation in her tone, "So…James… Are you OK? Rainbow Dash told me you were crying… Did someone hurt you?"

I replied bluntly once more, still feeling bitter. "So what if I was? Everyone cries at some point."

I believe I may have intimidated Fluttershy with my straightforward answer since she remained silent for a moment. She eventually asked, "Um… I hope I'm not interrupting anything… Should I leave you alone?"

In my mind at the time, I truly wanted to be left alone. However, I found Fluttershy's presence and gentle voice to be calming. After thinking my answer over in my head, I replied with as gentle a tone as I could manage considering my mood at the time. "I… Please stay… Your voice is soothing to hear."

While I could not see it, Fluttershy was blushing once again. "OK… I'll stay. Um… So, what brings you to Ponyville? I never knew humans existed."

I answered frankly, "I don't know. I closed my eyes and found myself on the outside of town. I don't know how I got here, I'm lost, alone, afraid, and then I was humiliated just a little while ago when that 'Rainbow Dash' used me as a safety cushion. And no, this is not a dream. That impact hurt too much for me to still be asleep after that."

Fluttershy sighed deeply before speaking with a hint of contempt in her voice, "So that's why everypony was laughing… How awful. Laughing at the misfortune of others…"

I sighed before replying, "I don't blame them. When I think about it, I probably would've laughed too if I saw it happen. I'm just glad my glasses were OK after that."

Fluttershy and I conversed for a few more minutes, lost in conversation. I never once raised my head to look at her again, although I felt Fluttershy gently rubbing my back with her hoof every now and then. Eventually, she asked, "You do sound like you've been through a lot today… Would a hug help you feel better?"

Halfheartedly, I nodded. "Sure… If you want."

I suddenly felt two strong legs wrap around me and hold me in a gentle embrace. I raised my head and found Fluttershy embracing me with her forelegs while reared up on her hind legs. I can recall my vision becoming blurred as I began to tear up, as it was the first genuine act of kindness I had received since arriving in this strange land. In response, I draped my right arm across her back and held her close as I whispered softly, "Thanks….."

Fluttershy whispered quietly, "All better now?"

I wiped my tears away and smiled slightly. "I don't know about 'all', but I'm better now than I was a minute ago."

Fluttershy gave me a surprise nuzzle before letting go and dropping back down onto all fours. "I'm glad I could help. If you see me around, feel free to say hi."

I watched quietly as the pegasus pony left the bakery. Still feeling slightly down, I rested my head on my arms once again and muttered to myself without worrying if anyone heard me. "I think I just made my first friend…"

Moments later, I heard the voice of Mrs. Cake humming a tune that was steadily getting closer. When it felt that she was right next to me, I looked to my left and found a pony setting three cupcakes on the table that were the size of my fist. Her coat was a light shade of blue while her mane and tail were two shades of pink. The combination of blue and pink brought to mind cotton candy. Her eyes were just as pink and the styling of her tail and mane brought to mind icing on a cake, a style befitting of her profession. The markings on her flanks showed three cupcakes, each with a cherry on top. When she noticed that I was looking her way, she gave me a reassuring, almost motherly, smile. "Oh, hello dear. Did Fluttershy help cheer you up?"

No longer feeling nervous, I sat up and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Mrs. Cake smiled comfortingly, "That dear is just the sweetest little thing you'll ever see in Ponyville. No one can match her kindness. But since you're new in town, how about trying out some of Sugarcube Corner's wares?" She motioned her hoof towards the three cupcakes. The cake was probably made of dark chocolate mix and the icing was white, probably vanilla.

"Vanilla or cream cheese icing?" I asked, not having much of a taste for cream cheese.

Mrs. Cake giggled and replied, "Neither. That icing is buttercream."

My eyes went wide at the mention of buttercream. "That sounds fantastic. How much? And do you take debit or credit?" The only form of money I had with me was my debit card. And I had no way of returning home to get paper money.

"Oh, we only take cash, dear. Not many businesses in Ponyville accept credit. But don't worry. Those three are on the house. Nothing cheers ponies up quite like Sugarcube Corner cupcakes!" Mrs. Cake gave me a pat on the back, trying to reassure me.

"The only problem is that I'm not a pony… But thanks anyway." I removed the wrapping from one and took a bite, chewing slowly to enjoy this new treat to the fullest. The flavor of the buttercream complimented the cake very well.

"Fabulous…" It was all I could say as I enjoyed my first cupcake.

"I expected nothing less, dear. Those are for you to enjoy at your leisure. But I recommend you finish them soon. They're the last three from the first batch I made this morning. Wouldn't want them to get stale now." Mrs. Cake pushed the next one closer to me before heading back into the kitchen.

Two cupcakes of that size is usually my limit as I was unable to start on the third. Deciding to hold onto it until later, I put my glasses back on and headed out the door with cupcake in hand. I immediately felt the eyes of the town's ponies once again staring at me, though I did not feel as nervous as before. As I walked around the outside of Sugarcube Corner, I came across Fluttershy, the unicorn I first met, and another pegasus. The unicorn and pegasus seemed to be busy chatting with each other since they did not seem to notice my presence. I recognized the pegasus' voice as the one who first entered the bakery to apologize to me, leading me to identify her as Rainbow Dash. Her name matched her appearance, as her tail and mane were rainbow-striped, both unkempt and wild in form. Her coat was a shade of cyan and her eyes rose-colored. The symbol on her flanks seemed to be a white cloud with a rainbow-colored lightning bolt being emitted from its underside. I remember muttering under my breath, "Wild woman, most likely…"

As I observed the three ponies, I noticed that Fluttershy was not as immersed in the conversation as the other two. I lightly tapped her back to get her attention. When she turned to face me, I held out the spare cupcake to her.

"F…for me?" Fluttershy asked with a blush on her face. I shyly nodded, knowing that many of the other bystanders were watching my every move. With a tiny grin, she whispered, "Thank you, James." She then reached out with her forward right hoof facing up, allowing me to set the cupcake on it. Already starting to lose my nerve, I quickly waved farewell and headed in the opposite direction as quickly as I could.

My nervousness began to resurface as the many ponies around me whispered to each other, likely gossiping about me. I was so focused on avoiding eye contact; I nearly did not notice a pony wander right into my path. I narrowly stopped myself from tripping over her at the last second. "Sorry." I said promptly.

The pony seemed to be rather curious about me as she gazed at me for a moment. Her big eyes were a dark blue while her coat was a bright pink. Her tail and mane were more of a magenta hue, but seemed to be abnormally…..poofy. I could find no better term to describe it. If I did not know better, I would have guessed they were full of air like balloons. My guess would likely have been supported by the symbols on her flanks, which consisted of three balloons with two blue and one yellow. Finding her constant stare awkward, I attempted to casually break the silence. "Um… Hi?"

I was not prepared for her reaction. The pony jumped into the air and let out a loud gasp before dashing past me at speeds I never knew could be reached by an equine. When I turned around to see where she had went, she was already gone. "Um… Xenophobic, maybe?"

I decided to explore outside of town, curious of what there was to see and wanting to get away from the prying eyes of Ponyville. My first discovery was what seemed to be a farm to the southwest. Upon drawing closer, I found a large red barn with a shiny purple roof that seemed to have been recently refurbished. I noticed some chickens milling about nearby and a few sheds in the distance. But more than anything, I saw apple trees. Hundreds of apple trees covering the hilly landscape. There were even various apple images all over the place, from a wood panel with an apple shape cut out hanging over the gate I passed through to a bright red apple weathervane on top of the barn. "Apple orchard… What else could it be?"

Having had very few encounters with farms in my life, I decided to take a look around out of curiosity. But I had already reached the barn before a voice spoke up from behind me, "What brings ya 'round these parts? And what are you? Yer way too big ta be a pony."

I tensed up immediately and turned to face the owner of the voice. "A might funny-lookin', ain't ya? Never seen one of you 'round before. Where ya from, pardner?" The owner of the voice was yet another pony. She spoke with a southern accent befitting a farm girl. Her coat was orange and her mane and tail were blond. She had a few freckles under her green eyes, a trait I found rather charming. A brown stetson hat rested atop her head. I also noticed that her mane and tail were tied at the ends with her mane hanging past her shoulders. Lastly, the symbols on her flanks consisted of three red apples.

This pony seemed more curious than hostile to me, so I let myself relax somewhat. Remembering her question, I answered while trying to not seem suspicious in the slightest. "Um… Well, I'm not from around here. I'm a human. And I don't think humans are native to Equestria."

The pony laughed upon hearing my response. "Human? Y'all are pullin' my left hind leg! They're just stuff from old ponytales! Now seriously, what are you?"

I frowned at the farm pony's stubbornness. "You asked an honest question and I gave you an honest answer. If you don't believe me, I can't help that."

The pony seemed to detect the slight amount of frustration in my voice since she stopped smirking immediately. "Oh… Didn't mean ta strike a nerve. It's just that humans only show up in old folklore and that sorta stuff. Ya don't sound like yer lyin' either, so sorry if I ticked ya off. Anyway, I'm forgettin' my manners. The name's Applejack. And this here lovely patch of red and green is Sweet Apple Acres. So, what's yer name, pardner?"

Relieved to find someone who was more hospitable than the majority of the ponies I had passed earlier, I smiled wholeheartedly as I spoke my reply. "The name's James. And nice farm you got here, Miss Applejack."

Applejack chuckled and shook her hoof in a dismissive manner. "No need ta use the honorifics with me. Just keep it simple, if ya don't mind."

I nodded at Applejack's request, but my eyes once again fell upon the apple symbols on her flanks. "AJ, may I ask you something?"

The farm pony smiled at my use of her initials in preference of her full name. "Now that's keepin' things simple! And sure! Whatcha need ta know?"

I pointed at her flank and asked, "I've been seeing those markings on every pony I've come across today. And they're all different. What are they? Tattoos?"

Applejack glanced at her markings and laughed, "Oh, that?! That's my cutie mark! Every pony gets one eventually."

I raised an eyebrow at the name of the markings I had seen so many times that day. Cutie mark. Yet another term that sounds like something out of a child's storybook. "Cutie…? Seriously?"

Applejack tried to keep a straight face, as she seemed to find my expression amusing. "What's wrong? You got somethin' against anythin' cute? Even the men get 'em! And it's not a joke. Every cutie mark is unique. They show or represent the unique talents or gifts of the pony that wears 'em."

I pondered Applejack's explanation in my head for a moment. "They're all different? And they show what a pony is really skilled at? If that's the case, what does yours mean?"

Applejack smirked at me. "Well, if you wanna keep it simple…" She then spoke rather proudly with her accent being slightly stronger than before, "Ah like apples!" I could not help laughing at her exclamation. She likes apples, she works with apples, and she even lives around apples. What else could her cutie mark be but apples? And if you ask me, I suspect she dreams apples.

"Well, I better get back ta lunch. I've got a lotta apples ta harvest once I finish." Applejack said as she walked over to an upside-down pail. A sandwich sat atop it.

Seeing Applejack's sandwich made me ponder what the diet of these ponies consists of. "AJ, what kind of sandwich is that?"

The farm pony turned to face me after taking a bite. "It's a grass and daisy sandwich. Good stuff! Wanna bite?"

I was hardly surprised that even these ponies eat grass and flowers. "Sorry, but that doesn't sound very appetizing to me. You got any meat?"

My request for meat seemed to shock Applejack somewhat as she gasped and took one step away from me. "Meat?! Wait… Are you a…carnivore?"

I rolled my eyes and frowned, "No. I'm an omnivore. Humans eat all sorts of foods from fruits to meats to veggies. And I have no desire for pony meat, if that's what you think I'm getting at."

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew. Ya had me goin' there for a minute. Well, sorry. We ponies are strictly vegetarian."

I sighed with a lack of enthusiasm as I thought of having to survive on such a limited variety of food choices. Once Applejack finished her sandwich, she walked past me. "Well, I better get back ta work. See ya around, James." I waved goodbye and left the way I came.

Curious of what else there was to see around Ponyville, I headed east crossing over a small river that snaked through the town. On the outskirts of town, I came across a cluster of tents with designs that I would likely find in a Renaissance festival. However, there was also a house of sorts near them. It was quite cylindrical in shape with a spire that seemed to function as a second floor. The design was surprisingly elegant with large windows on the ground floor with pink and purple and azure and white colorations all over it. Above the doorway was what seemed to be an emblem depicting a carousel horse complete with the support bar standing vertically through it. "A carousel house?" I remember speaking aloud.

"Not quite. Carousel Boutique." A very refined woman's voice spoke to me from behind. I turned to face the owner of the voice and found another pony that seemed to be wearing a pair of saddlebags. Like the first pony I spoke to, she was a unicorn. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of azure and she seemed to be wearing light blue eye shadow and had very feminine and elegantly styled eyelashes. Her coat was the purest shade of white I had seen all day and her mane and tail were an indigo hue. They were both styled in the same way with her hair being styled into a curl at the ends. Her cutie mark consisted of three light blue diamonds, leading me to suspect that this pony was of a very high social class.

"Darling, I do believe you could use some sprucing up. That attire is so unsophisticated." The unicorn spoke with a very noticeable upper-class accent that I found comparable to those used by film actresses from the 60s. But after closer examination, she then asked, "Wait a moment… What exactly are you? You seem rather bare for a pony."

I was feeling the calmest I had felt all day since meeting Fluttershy, as this unicorn pony seemed to be far from hostile or even aggressive at all. I answered her question calmly, "I'm not a pony at all, ma'am. I'm a human."

The unicorn looked just as shocked as almost everyone else I had said that to so far. "A human?! The creature of myth?!"

I rolled my eyes at her exclamation and dryly replied, "Humans really aren't all that special. I find you ponies to be more fascinating than humanity."

The pony seemed flattered by my admittance to being so fascinated with her kind as she blushed slightly. "Oh, you are too kind. And where are my manners? I am Rarity and the proprietor of this fine boutique."

Rarity's display of manners to someone of a much lower social class like myself took me aback slightly. Someone of her grace and style being courteous of those below her without being conceited or snooty was truly, as her name implied, a rarity. "Rarity… That name suits you. My name is James."

I could see Rarity blush at my compliment. "You are too kind, dear. But now that you're here, allow me to craft something more fitting for you." I had no time to refuse as she grabbed my wrist in her mouth and dragged me inside the house. Not without smashing my forehead into the top of the doorway, that is.

"AUGH!" I hunkered over and clutched my forehead, gritting my teeth in sharp pain. Rarity let go of me the instant I yelled and looked back at me.

"Oh my goodness, did I hurt you?!" Rarity asked, a hint of panic in her voice.

"No… The dang doorway was too low." I replied, trying to endure the pain however I could. "I think this will leave a lump…"

Rarity shook her head while seemingly trying to think quickly. "Oh no, I shall not allow such a blemish to be left on your face! Wait right here. I know just what will do the trick." I watched the unicorn pony run off through a doorway nearby that lacked a door.

While I waited, my eyes scanned my surroundings. Much to my surprise, the building looked less like a house and more like an indoor studio. The room was also rather spacious. The walls were light pink with purple floral patterns. Various pony mannequins stood about, full-length mirrors hung on walls with very low dressers beneath them, and many dark pink curtains hung everywhere. I also noticed a flight of stairs leading upwards next to the hall Rarity went down that had a very barebones look to it with very dark indigo coloration. There were also numerous grid-based shelves containing various colored cloth and a sewing machine right beside me. "A seamstress?"

Moments later, Rarity came trotting back with what seemed to be a first aid kit with it hanging from her mouth by its handle. But when she set it down, I stared in surprise as the box seemed to open on its own. "Now dear, I need you to remove your hands from your head. Leave it all to me."

I was in too much pain to argue, so I did as I was told. But I jumped slightly when I saw bandages, ointment, and tape float out of the box. "Just hold still. This shouldn't take long at all." Rarity appeared to be merely staring at the medicinal tools and me while an unseen force began to make the bandages unravel. But as some ointment was squeezed from its tube, I noticed that Rarity's white horn was engulfed in a billowing light blue aura while shimmering. The levitating medical supplies were also surrounded by a faint blue glow. I felt the cool touch of the ointment being applied to the bruised area of my forehead by invisible fingers. A cotton pad was then set over the area where the ointment had been applied before the bandages were wrapped tightly around my head. "Hmmmm… Oh, one last thing!" Rarity looked towards a desk as a draw slid open. Two marker pens floated out of the drawer, or were they highlighter pens? Regardless, they were red and green. The cap on the green one popped off before the tip was applied to my bandage. "Don't move, James. I'll make this as quick as possible."

The sound of scribbling markers reached my ears while I sat perfectly still, wondering what Rarity was doing to my bandages. After a minute or two, she swapped to the red marker. However, I only heard it being used on the center of my forehead for a brief moment. "There we are! Oh, you look quite dashing now. Functional and stylish in one package!" A hand….or should I say hoof mirror floated over to me to show my reflection. The bandages had been colored green, but a red star had been drawn right in the middle of them on the front. "Red and green go so well together, do they not?"

I lightly touched the bandages, finding that the ink was already dry. At a glance, it seemed that I was wearing a headband. I turned to Rarity and nodded before replying, "Well, red and green are complimentary colors. Green's even one of my favorite colors."

Rarity beamed as she 'set' the mirror down, "My choice of color was perfect as always. I settle for nothing but the best in my work. But truly, are you all right? I'm terribly sorry about that."

I nodded, impressed by how quickly and sincerely she treated my injury. "I'm fine now. I can hardly feel the pain at all. That ointment works fast. And now I know to always duck when I use a door here."

Rarity smiled with an uneasy grin, apparently being reminded that it was she who caused me to get hurt. "Not only is it a painkiller. It will also help the swelling recede. But I still feel I must make it up to you somehow. Perhaps I can weave you a new outfit to replace those old rags?"

I was about to turn down her offer, but I then remembered that the only clothes I had with me in Equestria were the ones on my back. "Well… All right, Miss Rarity. But please keep them casual." As she jotted down a note, I asked, "Wait… Weave new clothes? You can do that?"

With a giggle, Rarity faced me and smiled. "But of course! I am the leading fashion designer of Ponyville. I only use the finest materials and make everything to bring out the inner beauty of the pony who wears them….. Well, you're not a pony, but you understand."

I smiled slightly, suspecting that Rarity had every right to boast. But I then asked, "But what is this place? Your home?"

Rarity proudly explained to me, "As I said before, this is the Carousel Boutique. It is where I live and do my work. This room right here is where I conduct business and perform the bulk of my job. In the back is the kitchen and living room while the second story contains the bedroom and bathroom."

We conversed for a few minutes, I finding Rarity to be a very likeable host. "Rarity, how did you make those things float and work without touching them? Telekinesis?"

The unicorn seemed baffled by my guess. "Teleki what now? Whatever it is, that is not what I did. I simply used magic. See?" Her horn once again began to shimmer as a billowing aura engulfed it. I suddenly felt myself float in the air for about two seconds before being set back down on the bench. "Every unicorn possesses magical abilities. Our horns contain and channel the energies for various uses."

I bowed my head in thought as I learned that the horn of a unicorn is not just for show. "Unicorns can use magic and pegasi can fly. You all have it easy compared to humans."

Minutes passed before I looked out the window. The sun was starting to get low in the sky as night began to draw near. "Rarity, is there a hotel or anything like that in Ponyville? I need to find a place to stay tonight."

The unicorn gaze me a slightly perplexed gaze. "Well... There are a couple, if memory serves. But even so, why would you ever need to find one? Don't you have a place of your own?"

I sighed, worried that I may have to camp in some bushes for the night. "I only just showed up in Equestria today and I have no idea how it happened. All I have are the clothes on my back, the glasses on my face, and the stuff in my pockets. Nothing else."

Rarity frowned, clearly showing sympathy for me. But she soon smiled and spoke jovially, "What a shame! No knowledge of how you arrived? And no way to return home? Then you need a new place to stay! By all means, stay here! My home is your home."

My eyes opened wide and my jaw nearly dropped. I could hardly believe a pony would allow me, a complete stranger, to reside in her house. "Well, what's the rent? A hundred a month? Two hundred?"

My question only prompted a giggle from Rarity as she replied, "No, I ask for no such thing. You may stay for as long as you need. Everyone needs a place to rest at night. And don't try to change my mind! I won't accept cash in return. You are welcome here, James. And that's that."

I felt a complex mix of relief, gratitude, and guilt as I listened to Rarity voice her generosity. "…..Rarity…. I… I don't know what to say… Just… Thank you."

Before we could speak longer, there was a knock at the door. "Hm? I seldom get visitors at this hour." I heard Rarity mutter as she answered the door. The door was split into two halves, with Rarity only opening the top half. "No one here? Oh, wait." Her horn glowed again before an envelope floated up into view. The envelope opened as the note inside was lifted out. I watched while Rarity read it in silence.

"Oh, that Pinkie Pie. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." Rarity chuckled before she crumpled up the note and flung it into a wastebasket.

"Pinkie Pie? Something important?" I asked, not sure if the name I just heard was the name of another pony or some type of dessert.

Rarity chuckled as she headed towards the front door and opened both halves with magic again. "It was nothing important. But I need to head into town for a little while. Make yourself at home, darling." The door closed behind her, leaving me alone in the Carousel Boutique.

Curious of what else there was to see, I decided to look down the hall where Rarity had retrieved her first aid kit. I found the kitchen on the right with the living room on the left. Both rooms were rather small, which was understandable considering the fairly small statures of ponies. The living room contained a sofa that was long enough for me to lie down on, an equally long table in front of it, an end table next to the sofa that held a desk lamp, and a small pile of various fashion magazines. With nothing else to do at the time, I picked them up and started to look through them. "Fashionista Monthly? Boutique le Chic? Fillies of Fashion? Equestria's Finest…. Wait a minute…" At the bottom of the pile was a magazine that stood out from the rest. I read the title aloud. "Play…mare…" On the cover was a pure white stallion with a black mane and tail smirking whimsically. I snickered under my breath, "I guess even ponies have guilty pleasures at times."

I sat down on the sofa and began to look through Rarity's newest copy of Equestria's Finest to pass the time. "Short tails are in this year?" I flipped a page. "Uproar over Wonderbolt's Spitfire on her new flight pattern. Original or Plagiarized?" Right as I read that, I heard a tapping on the window. Curious, I took a peek. When I looked outside, I saw a slab of cardboard floating in the air with an arrow painted on it pointing in the direction of the front door. "The heck…?"

Thinking that it was just Rarity playing a prank on me, I opened the front door and spoke, "You have my attention, Miss Rarity…. Wait…. What?" Floating before me was another slab of cardboard. Written on it were the words 'Follow Me'. The slab then began to float away from me. Not sure if I should leave Rarity's home unattended, I held up my hand. "Just a moment." I ran back inside and wrote a note for Rarity explaining that I had been called away by a floating sign. I know it sounds ridiculous, but if unicorns can use telekinesis-like magic with their horns, she would probably believe me.

I ran back outside and closed the door behind me, finding the sign waiting patiently for me where I last saw it. As I approached, it floated away from me with the side with 'Follow Me' written on it constantly facing me. "Where exactly are you taking me?" I asked the sign. I suppose that was a pointless question since cardboard cannot speak. Even in Equestria. It led me back into the center of Ponyville, though there were not as many ponies out at these later hours. I remember hearing cicadas hissing all around me, even the occasional mournful cry of a Higurashi cicada. As the sun was beginning to descend over the horizon and night was starting to move in, the call of this particular cicada was all the more fitting for the moment.

Before long, the delicious gingerbread roof of Sugarcube Corner came into view. "There?" I asked as my eyes trailed upwards. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed what I thought was a pony looking out of one of the second story windows. Whoever it was probably saw me since it suddenly ducked out of sight. Since the lighting was becoming poor, I could not make out the details of the body. However, I distinctly remember seeing a glowing horn on the head. "Was that Rarity? Or…someone else?"

My gut instinct was beginning to tell me to walk away before it was too late. But since no one in Ponyville had tried to harm me during my first day there, I felt I had no reason to doubt them yet. Against my better judgment, I followed the cardboard sign to Sugarcube Corner's front door. I could see through the window that there was only a lit candle resting on the main counter providing light in the shop. "Nobody's even here. Why did you lead me here if the place has already closed for the night?" I turned to walk away, but the sign floated in front of me and rammed my chest a few times as if it was trying to tell me something. I turned to face the door again and watched as the sign tapped the door. It was then I noticed that this door did not even have a doorknob. "Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to…" I found that the door pushed inward when I nudged it. "How did I not remember how it… Oh. Right…" I remembered then how I was too distraught to really pay any attention to my surroundings at the time I first entered the bakery. I pushed the door open entirely and followed the sign inside, pleased that the doorway was barely high enough for me to not have to duck very much at all.

The door swung shut behind me on its own once I was inside Sugarcube Corner. "OK, I'm here. Now what?" The sign turned around. On the other side was the word 'Upstairs'. I looked around and saw a flight of stairs behind the counter. "I hope this isn't a prank to get me arrested for trespassing…" The sign suddenly fell on the counter, apparently having fulfilled its use. I then stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked up. While the stairwell itself was slightly lit from the candle's flame, the top was almost pitch-black. Now just as nervous as I was when I first arrived in Ponyville, I slowly climbed the stairs while being very careful to mind my head.

I remember thinking to myself as I neared the top, (Something's wrong here. It's not that dark out just yet. Why can't I see anything at all?) At the top of the stairs, I looked around and found I could not see the windows. (Are they covered?) I faced the wall on my right and felt along it for a light switch. I did not have to look for long as I found it right in front of me. But as soon as I flicked on the lights, several voices shouted behind me, "SURPRISE!"

Scared out of my wits, I immediately turned off the lights without turning to face the owners of the voices. "S-sorry! I…uh… I didn't see anything! Sorry for…um…walking in uninvited! I-I-I-I'll just be going now." However, I then froze as I heard the voices of several girls laughing. Before I could turn to face the stairs, something nudged my lower back.

A young woman's voice spoke from right behind me in a high-pitched energetic tone, "James, you silly! This is YOUR party!" I felt whoever was nudging me reach past me and flip the light switch on again. Once I could see again, I looked down and saw the very same pink pony who had run off at absurd speed earlier that day when I merely said 'Hi' to her.

"A party? MY party?" I asked in bewilderment.

The pink pony replied with an excited grin, "Yup! When someone new comes to Ponyville, we always make sure they get a warm welcome! Oh, and all your friends are here too!"

I turned to my left and found five familiar ponies standing at the center of the room. "Rarity? Applejack? Fluttershy? Rainbow Dash? And…" My gaze fell upon the purple unicorn mare I had met earlier that day. "Um….. Twilight, was it?"

The purple unicorn nodded and smiled at me while speaking her reply. "Twilight Sparkle, to be precise. And how've you been since we met? You feeling better by now?"

I looked around the room before responding. There were many balloons and streamers hanging from an upper balcony, confetti was scattered everywhere, there was a wooden tub filled with water that seemed to have apples floating in it, and a table with a bowl of punch and an impressive cake that was more than half my size. I then faced my hosts and asked, "You did all this for me? You hardly even know me…"

Rainbow Dash spoke up in her enthusiastic voice, "Yeah, we don't know you all that well yet. But from what we've seen from you so far, you're pretty cool. At least as far as shy guys get. And besides that, you seem like you've had a pretty rotten day. So think of this party as a way to cheer you up!"

I took off my glasses as I honestly felt tears building up again. I was genuinely touched by this powerful show of unconditional hospitality. "Uh oh… Do you need a hug again?" Fluttershy asked in her adorably quiet voice. I was only able to nod as I rubbed my fingers against my closed eyes. I felt Fluttershy rear up on her hind legs and embrace me with her forelegs with her head resting against my ribs. I held her against me with my spare arm as the other five ponies let out an aww.

"Ain't that the cutest thing y'all ever saw, girls?" I heard Applejack speak up.

"Cute? I would say they are simply DARLING." Rarity's accent made her voice instantly recognizable.

Fluttershy eventually whispered, "Feel better, James?" I looked down at her and silently nodded with a smile.

Once Fluttershy had released me from her embrace, I turned to face the five other ponies. "Girls… I really don't know what to say to all this… When I ended up here today, I was scared, lost, and alone. And I am truly grateful you've given me your support."

Applejack chuckled with a humble smile. "Aw shucks, James… Just don't forget ta thank Pinkie Pie. She set up the whole party herself."

I glanced around, finding the pink pony standing next to a phonograph. "Enough waiting! Everypony's here now, so let's PARTY!" She then nudged the needle with her muzzle, pushing it into place as music began to play.

Right after kicking off the party, the pink pony ran right over to me and grinned while speaking with very brief pauses between each sentence. "Hi, James! I'm Pinkie Pie! I got this party set up just for you! Did we surprise you? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Pinkie Pie had reared herself up on her hind legs and pulled me close to her in a very chummy fashion, her left foreleg holding me around my waist. "Surprise me? I very near jumped outta my skin. Does that tell you anything?"

Pinkie Pie then began to speak very VERY quickly to me. "It sure does! It means you were very surprised! Hey, what would happen if you DID jump out of your skin? Would you just be a skeleton? Would you walk around with your bones creaking like EEYEH or maybe CRRRECK? Ooh! That would be so awesome for Nightmare Night! You wouldn't even need a costume! You'd just walk up to the door and they'd be like YAAAAHHHH! And then maybe they'd jump out of their skins too! You could lead a whole skeleton pony parade! Then maybe we'd join your parade as skeletons too! Cause now we're your friends too! And friends do all sorts of fun things together!"

Due to the very fast speed of Pinkie Pie's chattering, I could hardly keep up with anything she said. Hoping someone knew what she said, I turned to the other five ponies and asked, "Um…. Translation?" Each of them burst into hysterical laughter, as did I.

The party started without a hitch. Twilight and Pinkie Pie started by dancing to the music, though I never knew ponies could dance well at all and I am not certain exactly how to describe how quadrupeds dance at this moment. Rarity and Fluttershy started with friendly chatter while trying out the cake and punch. But what caught my eye the most was Rainbow Dash and Applejack bobbing for apples.

The last time I ever saw bobbing for apples at a party was way back when I was either three or four years old, so I felt a significant nostalgia rush as I approached the two bobbers. Applejack dunked her head into the tub, and then pulled it out with an apple in her mouth, which she chomped down with a single bite. Rainbow Dash noticed me approach them and waved at me. "You up for bobbing for apples, James?"

I took off my glasses and set them near the punch bowl. "I haven't seen this at a party in ages, so sure thing." I got down on my knees and gripped the sides of the tub for balance. I then dunked my face into the tub and felt around for anything to grab onto. After a few seconds, I felt something drift between my jaws and bit down on it. When I pulled myself out of the tub, a red apple was in my teeth.

"Nice one, James! And on your first try too!" Rainbow Dash applauded me while I removed the apple from my jaws.

"What's wrong? Ya don't want it?" Applejack asked, probably wanting it for herself since she…well…is all about apples.

"Not really. Red apples always leave my mouth feeling dried out. You can have it, AJ." I handed the apple to the farm pony, who chomped it down vigorously.

"Found any of the special surprises in there yet?" Pinkie Pie asked as she came trotting over to check on us.

At the mention of something special, I asked, "What kind of surprises you talking about?"

The party animal pony merely giggled before replying, "I can't tell you that, silly. It wouldn't be a surprise if you knew!"

I looked back at Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who then looked at each other and back at me. "You game?" Rainbow Dash asked me with a smirk.

"Let's do it." I replied with a smirk of my own. In unison, the three of us dunked our heads into the tub. Rainbow Dash and Applejack both pulled out apples, but I was having trouble with whatever I ended up grabbing.

Applejack noticed that I was pulling myself out of the tub too slowly and asked once my ears were above water, "Whatcha got there, pardner? A lead weight?"

I groaned through my teeth the best I could. "I don't know! But I'm not letting go!" I had no way of knowing that what I grabbed was a yellow apple (my favorite kind) with a spring stuck into it that had been glued to the bottom of the tub.

Once the spring was visible to her, Rainbow Dash gulped nervously. "Uh, James? I think you better let this one go."

My only response to the pegasus pony was a growl as I struggled to pull it until it stopped pulling back. My efforts were drawing attention from the other ponies since they had stopped what they were doing to come over and watch. All the while, I had no real idea of what they were so fascinated by.

"James, let it go! You're not supposed to win when you get that one!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed with a hoof raised.

I think the thing that was keeping the spring from pulling me back in was that I was using my arms on the tub for extra leverage. Eventually, I had pulled so far back, I was almost to a standing position and the spring was almost completely straightened out. At that point, the spring came loose and was suddenly yanked out of the apple and I was sent stumbling backwards and falling flat on my back without knowing what happened.

"Oh dear, are you all right?!" Rarity asked as she and the other girls came to my side. I replied by removing the apple from my mouth and laughing.

"Man, why didn't you let that go?" Rainbow Dash asked with a baffled expression.

"Why? Because golden delicious apples are my favorite, that's why." I chuckled before I took a bite. The ponies laughed in unison as well.

Once I had eaten my apple, I turned to Pinkie Pie. "Any other surprises in there?"

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes mischievously while speaking in an annoyingly dismissive tone, "Maaaaaybe."

My first guess was that there were other fruit in the tub. I once again went to the apple tub and dunked my face in. But I was in for quite a surprise when I felt something soft clamp onto my face. (What the hell…?) I distinctly remember thinking at the strange feeling.

I immediately pulled my head out of the tub and opened my eyes. But to my shock, I could see nothing. I turned around and tried to ask what was on my face, but my voice was heavily muffled. I could hear Rainbow Dash snickering under her breath, struggling to keep herself from bursting into laughter.

Not getting a response from my friends, I tried feeling what was on my face. It felt wet, slightly slimy, and bumpy. I felt my blood chill as I immediately thought it was a piranha. I let out a muffled yell as I frantically tried to pull it off. My antics were clearly amusing to my friends since I could hear them all laughing at me. But when I began to have trouble breathing, I started to feel absolutely furious at Pinkie Pie for placing a live piranha in the tub.

Pinkie Pie seemed to notice that I was starting to suffocate since she loudly called out, "OK, that's enough! Let him go, Gummy!" Right at those words, whatever was clamped onto my face let go and fell at my feet. But when I looked down, I saw not a piranha, but a baby alligator.

"A…..gator?" It was all I could say.

Pinkie Pie giggled and grinned at me. "Don't worry, James! That's just my pet alligator, Gummy! He's got no teeth! See?" The alligator suddenly started biting my legs repeatedly. But each time, his toothless fleshy gums inflicted no pain.

"I think I've had enough applebobbing for today…" I said dazedly, slightly shell-shocked from the experience. I cut myself a slice of cake, poured myself a glass of punch, and took a seat while watching my friends enjoy themselves.

While I enjoyed my cake and punch, I silently thought of a way to get back at Pinkie Pie for putting me through one of the biggest scares of my life. My eyes soon fell upon the cake and I smirked slyly. I finished my plate and waited for Pinkie Pie to approach the cake for another slice before putting my plan into action.

"Hey, Pinkie Pie. I have something important to tell you." I casually said while I approached her.

"Important? Oki doki loki! What's up?" Pinkie Pie asked in her happy-go-lucky manner.

I smirked as I asked, "You sure love cake, don't you?"

The pink pony laughed once before replying, "I love to party! It's what I live for! And you can't have parties without cake!"

I shook my head while not once losing my smirk. "Well then, you'll love to hear this." I then leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "The cake is a lie."

At my words, Pinkie Pie froze. She then muttered, "The cake is a lie?" I nodded in silence. Right then, her mane suddenly let out a strange deflating sound as it…well…deflated. Like a balloon. Yes, I am not joking. Her hair LITERALLY deflated like a balloon. Where it was all puffy and full, it was now long and straight. The same occurred to her bushy tail, which was now similar in form to Twilight's. I also noticed that her coat had become a darker hue. She then sobbed lightly as if she was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. "If the cake is a lie, the party is a lie. And if the party is a lie…" She then broke down into tears, literally crying a river of them. "My whole life has been a liiiihihiiiiiiieee!"

Pinkie Pie's wailing got everyone's attention since they immediately came rushing to her side. "What's the matter, sugarcube? Nopony likes ta cry at a party." Applejack said in an attempt to try to lighten Pinkie's spirits.

"It's all a lie… The cake is a lie… The cake I made… It's not even really there! That big chocolate cake is all in my head! Heheheh… I've been living a lie all these years! Cakes don't exist! So parties don't exist either! They're all just a bunch of sugary fluffy tasty nothings!" I steadily became increasingly intimidated by Pinkie's rapid decline in mental stability.

By the time Pinkie Pie had started to foam at the mouth, I had seen enough. I pulled her up to a sitting position and spoke in a loud tone, "Pinkie Pie. I was joking. It's just a prank some people came up with back where I'm from." When she still did not listen, I cut another slice of cake and jammed it into her mouth. "Tastes good, right?"

Pinkie Pie's tirade suddenly ended as she tasted the cake. "Can you feel it? Can you taste it? Can you EAT it? Then the cake is no lie." I explained, hoping she would calm down.

Once she swallowed the cake, Pinkie Pie smiled brightly as her mane and tail suddenly 'inflated' back to their previous forms. "You're right! If I can touch it, taste it, and eat it, there's no way it's a lie! The cake's not a lie! The cake is the truth! Long live the cake!" We all watched as the enlightened pony bowed before the cake in worship.

Twilight turned to me and asked with a truly perplexed stare, "What did you…?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Don't ask. Seriously. Don't ask." I then muttered under my breath, "Good grief, that girl is a roller coaster. She's either on top of the world or at rock bottom. There's no in-between with her!"

"Later, girls! And love the headband, James! Looks awesome on ya!" Rainbow Dash called out before she flew off for home while mistaking my colored bandages for headwear. Or at least she would have if she had not suddenly stopped and came back as if she had forgotten something. After a full two hours, we decided it was late enough and decided to head home. But before we all parted ways for the night, I was subjected to my very first group hug when all six of my new friends gathered around me and embraced me all at once. It was an experience I simply could not describe. To have gone from a simple misfit vagabond in Ponyville to an honored guest in one evening was a momentous experience for me.

Since I was staying with Rarity, the two of us walked back to the Carousel Boutique together. I was not familiar with Ponyville's layout, so I let Rarity lead.

"A stellar party, wouldn't you say?" Rarity asked as she led me to her home.

I nodded in agreement. "A great party, to say the least. And Pinkie Pie is truly a party animal."

Rarity giggled briefly before looking over her shoulder at me. "Oh, she's been like that for most of her life. Don't let it get to you."

I rolled my eyes while retorting, "Get to me? I'm not sure if I should be annoyed or entertained. Though I guess it's never dull with her around."

The two of us continued to converse while we walked. Before I even knew it, we were at the Carousel Boutique's front door. This time, I made sure to duck as I went inside.

"Now then, let me show you where you will be staying. Come with me." Rarity led me upstairs as I wondered if there was a guest room on the second floor. At the top of the stairs, we stepped into a short hallway. "On the right here is the bathroom. And at the end down here is…" We looked into the room on the left at the end of the hall. "This is your new bedroom! Fabulous, is it not?"

The bedroom had an impressive canopy bed on one side befitting Rarity's fancy tastes. There were also rolled up fabrics on shelves with a table holding a sewing machine next to it. There was also what seemed to be a drawing board with pins holding notes against it, probably orders from some of Rarity's clients. But while I looked at the bed, I asked, "Wait… Where will you sleep?"

Rarity smiled as she replied, "I will sleep on the sofa downstairs."

I could hardly believe that someone of Rarity's standards would give up her own bed to someone she had only just met. I sighed in guilt before speaking, "Miss Rarity… I can't let you do that. Don't worry. I'll sleep on the sofa. I've done it many times before, so it's no trouble."

Despite my insistence, Rarity continued to try to persuade me to use her bed. After a moment of thought, I approached the bed and measured its width. "Miss Rarity, this bed is wide enough for both of us to sleep in at one time. Should we just share it?"

Rarity's response to my question was rather humorous as she suddenly began to fluster. "Together?! Well, I… I mean… It wouldn't be…proper and…I have my…eh…reputation to think about… I mean…what would the others say?" I could tell that she was blushing. I am sure now that as much as she probably would not mind some company and probably would prefer her bed to her sofa, there would definitely be a lot of explaining to do if someone were to catch us sharing one bed.

"I see your point. And I guess we shouldn't. I wouldn't want a scandal to mar your name." I replied in agreement before Rarity giggled nervously while giving a few frantic nods. A scandal for someone of her class would likely be devastating if the paparazzi picked up on it. Assuming Equestria even has any, of course. I walked over to the unicorn and smiled reassuringly. "Really, the sofa downstairs will be enough. Do you have a blanket I could use?"

Rarity sighed in defeat, "If that is what you want, I will respect that." She then used her magic to levitate a quilt over to me that had floral patterns all over it. "This seems large enough. I made it myself."

I took the quilt in hand and smiled before letting out a yawn. "It's lovely. Now, I'll go wash up before bed."

Rarity smiled and nodded towards me. "Then I will see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams, James."

After taking the quilt downstairs and leaving it draped over the sofa, I made my way into the bathroom to bathe before bed. I was hardly surprised to find that the bathroom has a very elegant design that is reminiscent of bathrooms found in upper-class houses back home. Due to the limited space on the second floor, the bathroom is fairly small. Not wanting to wait any longer, I undressed and turned on the shower.

Once I had finished, I left the bedroom with only a towel around my waist. Before heading downstairs, I peeked into Rarity's bedroom. Tucked under the covers on the bed was the generous unicorn, fast asleep as the moonlight shone on her face. I whispered quietly, "Thank you, Rarity. Good night." I think she may have heard me since I noticed a smile spread across her muzzle.

Downstairs, I removed the towel and slipped my boxers back on. I then gathered a pair of pillows at one end of the sofa and rested my head on them. With Rarity's hoof-made quilt covering me, (yes, I really said hoof-made) I closed my eyes as I tried to fall sleep.

As I rested, I thought over all that had happened to me today. And now I am chronicling this day in a journal. My first arrival in Ponyville was initially stressful, but the ending was better than I could have ever hoped for. At first, I was worried if I would ever find a way to return home. But now I am starting to hope I will never have to leave. I wonder how long that feeling will last before I decide that I would prefer Earth to this world.

This marks the end of my first day in Equestria. What will the next day have in store for me? I can only wait and see.


	2. Finding my Place

I awoke to the sound of what sounded like purring and the distant sound of conversation. Having a habit of turning my head to the right when I sleep, I was facing the back of the sofa I had slept on. When I glanced around at my surroundings, I noticed what seemed to be a white Persian cat curled up on my blanket. It had a purple bow on its head and an opal-studded collar with an especially large opal on the front. "I have a cat?" I remember asking out loud.

I glanced around, not recognizing my surroundings. While I tried to listen to the voices that were coming from outside my room, I shooed the cat off me and stood up. I then spread out the blanket, allowing the cat to curl up on it again. "Where are my clothes?" Clad in only my boxers, I walked outside and into the main room where I found a pair of ponies talking to each other. "Wait a minute….. Pinkie Pie and Rarity…" I muttered as I remembered the events from yesterday and my newest friends. I was initially nervous about approaching them while wearing only undergarments until I realized that they were not wearing clothes at all. "I guess they won't mind much. And I need to find my clothes anyway."

"You have no idea how hard it was to get that tub downstairs without spilling all that water! I'm amazed I pulled it off!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in her cheery tone. I smiled as I listened to her. But when she looked in my direction, she let out a sudden gasp. "Hey! You… You're… AHHHHHH!" Pinkie Pie shrieked while I jumped back. "I know who you are! You're that bear Rainbow Dash told me about! You're Harry! And don't try to deny it! I know you're Harry because you ARE hairy! And you're wearing James' headband?!" I gulped nervously as Pinkie Pie started to cry in rage while displaying a shocking amount of emotion. "You must've eaten him just now and took that headband as a trophy! Cough him up!" I froze while the crazed pony charged me. But just before she could reach me, she suddenly levitated off the ground while running in place.

"Pinkie Pie, that's quite enough! He's wearing James' headband because he IS James!" Rarity called out, her horn engulfed with a billowing light blue aura as she restrained Pinkie Pie with magic.

The silly pink pony froze in midair while her big blue eyes gazed at me. "Wait, really? You're James?! But you're so….hairy! You look kinda like a bear!"

I grumbled at her while I raised my hands, "So what if I am?! It's not like I can help it! It runs in my family! On my grandfather's side, at least."

Pinkie Pie, misunderstanding the concept of genetics, let out an apologetic giggle. "Aw, it's OK! I'm sure we can find you some coat restoration stuff at the pharmacy! You'll have your whole coat back in no time!"

I winced at the idea of having a full-body coat of hair covering me. "The last thing I need in summer is an extra layer of insulating material! No thanks."

Rarity giggled at our argument as she set Pinkie Pie down, "Having a coat of hair isn't all bad! Pony coats are rather thin and do not trap in excess heat very well. Though it is because of this that we wear jackets in winter." She then glanced up at me and winked, "And those bandages still look strapping on you, darling."

At the mention of bandages, Pinkie Pie let out a gasp and asked, "Huh?! Bandages?! What happened?! Did you hurt yourself?!"

I smirked at the pink pony and replied with a question of my own. "Have you ever walked full-speed into a wall head-first?" Pinkie Pie shook her head in disagreement. I then added, "You don't want to."

Pinkie Pie thought my explanation over in her head for a moment before wincing. "Oooooh, that had to hurt. You feeling any better today?"

I tried applying pressure to the center of my forehead, where the impact struck. To my surprise, there was no pain at all. "Wow, that ointment really worked fast. Maybe I'll take these off tonight. Thanks again, Rarity."

The unicorn shook her head with a modest grin instantly creeping across her mouth. "There's no need to thank me, dear. It was because of my eagerness that you got hurt in the first place."

Just as I remembered that I needed to find my clothes, Pinkie Pie spoke up, "That's right! You've still got some healing to do! And that's why I'm here!" She pushed me over to a white box that seemed to be the type used in bakeries. "You need to get lots of nutrition to speed up your recovery! So I baked you some fresh blueberry muffins!" I could smell them the instant I opened the box. They were so fresh; they had likely only just been taken out of the oven less than an hour ago.

I remember feeling my mouth water at the sight and scent of the muffins. As I had eaten fairly little the previous day, I was feeling rather hungry. But before I could start on my breakfast, Pinkie spoke up again, "Just remember, some of those are for Rarity too."

I handed Rarity a muffin while Pinkie Pie bid us farewell. The two of us enjoyed breakfast together, Rarity using magic to levitate her muffin since she does not have hands. As we ate, I remarked to her, "I never knew you had a cat."

Once Rarity finished her muffin, she replied, "You met Opal? She's so precious, is she not?"

I looked over at the hall leading into the back area and saw the cat, named Opal, walk out and curl up on a cloth that was spread out on a desk. "Well, Persian cats are the most popular breed of cat in the world."

Upon finishing my share of the muffins, I asked, "Rarity, have you seen my clothes?"

The unicorn smiled and explained, "Oh, I'm just borrowing them for a bit. I need something to use for reference if I'm going to make some new clothes for you. Though I am almost done!" Her horn shimmered again as my clothes levitated over to me, which were concealed behind her sewing machine. The only clothing I had at the time was a red t-shirt and a pair of bluish gray cargo pants. "Now I just need to take some measurements." She then levitated a type of measuring strip over to me. In response, I stood up straight and held my arms out to my sides. While the measuring tape floated about me, I could see Rarity taking down notes with a writing quill. "You have a rather pudgy build, don't you?"

I sighed at Rarity's remark about my weight, "Sorry about that. I'm not as big of an eater as I used to be, but I don't lose weight easily. Although I am glad to say I have lost weight recently."

Rarity surprised me with a giggle, "That's quite all right, darling. Even if your body is somewhat unappealing, I can craft ensembles that truly bring out your inner beauty. It's what I excel at! But you asked for casual attire, so casual it is."

While Rarity worked her scissors and sewing machine, I proceeded to put on my clothes. I then headed upstairs to retrieve my socks and shoes from the bathroom. When I came back downstairs, I could hear Rarity muttering a song under her breath. "Thread by thread. Stitching it together…" I took a seat behind her, finding the tune to be rather catchy. "Always got to keep in mind my pacing. Making sure the clothe's correctly facing. I'm stitching Twilight's dress." She really drew out Twilight's name near the end.

Hearing the mention of a dress for Twilight Sparkle, I asked, "Um… I thought you were working on something for me. Is Twilight expecting something too?"

The unicorn flustered as she turned to face me. "Oh, don't worry. This IS for you. That little tune was just a song I came up with a while back. I sing it sometimes while working. You could say it's my variation of 'whistling while you work'. Does it annoy you? I'll stop if you wish."

I smiled in response before replying, "Actually, I was listening closely. That's quite a catchy tune." Now that Rarity was facing me, I noticed that she was wearing a pair of stylish glasses with a red frame. They lacked temple arms, being securely balanced on her muzzle. "I never knew you wore glasses. Near-sighted or far-sighted?"

Rarity chuckled heartily at my assumption. "Oh, there is no such thing wrong with my vision. The lenses in these glasses are for magnification during stitching. This way, I can see every tiny detail on the fabric without having to get too close. I can easily look over them for normal vision when needed. I decided to get these after I ended up stitching my muzzle to a layer of fabric a few years back while using this sewing machine."

Finding the thought of such an accident amusing, I joked, "I'm sure the client was like 'Miss Rarity, I asked for brass buttons with this jacket. Not a white unicorn's head.' Something like that?" Rarity laughed wholeheartedly at the joke, myself snickering at the thought of her annoyed client and how absurd she must have looked with a garment hanging from the bottom of her jaw.

Rarity managed to stop laughing after a moment, adjusting the glasses on her snout. "Oh, James… You're as witty as you are charming. I do believe we're going to be fine housemates. Now, I have a few more things to add to your trousers. Could you wait just a moment more?" I nodded, tapping my foot in rhythm to her song.

"Yard by yard, fussing on the details. Jewel neckline. Don't you know a stitch in time saves nine? Aaaaannndddd…..done!" I glanced upward, Rarity's horn beginning to shine.

"I…. Oh dear… Um… It seems I made you a…." Rarity sheepishly grinned as she levitated my 'pants' over to me. They seemed to be made of denim. "It seems I made you….a bag."

Rarity's first attempt at stitching a pair of pants meant for a human had ended rather humorously. She got everything done right…..with the sole exception of the legs. With the lack of even leg holes, my 'pants' were nothing more than a shallow bag without straps to carry it with. Rather than criticize her blunder, I laughed. "Add a couple of straps to it and I can use it to carry groceries."

The unicorn giggled loudly in response. "Oh, I can do that easily. And sorry for forgetting the legs. Ponies normally don't wear anything over their hind legs, so it's a new style for me. I'll add the straps and get back to making your REAL clothes. This may take some time though."

I nodded and handed the 'bag' back to Rarity. "OK then. Don't rush yourself. I'll go for a walk to pass the time." But just before I could leave, I turned to her and asked, "Pardon me, Rarity. But I have a request. May I see some of your other works? I'd like to see just what some of your best creations are."

Rarity suddenly beamed in excitement at my request. "The best, you say? Oh, then I have a treat for you! Right this way!" She quickly took off her glasses and led me upstairs. She opened the door to her bedroom and directed me to a pony-shaped mannequin near her bed. "This is my life's work. Though I must admit it was really the others who finished it, thanks to Fluttershy's extensive knowledge of sewing. But they followed my design down to every detail, so it was really a joint effort. But enough of my banter. Isn't it fabulous?"

The dress that was draped over the mannequin was truly a work of art from what I could tell. The lower flowing half was mostly pink with three sets of pale yellow strips stretching horizontally across it. Between each stripe were what seemed to be gemstones sewn into the fabric. Along the very back of the dress was a wavy strip of fabric that brought to mind Rarity's tail that reached past the dress itself. The edges were a darker shade of pink with the rest being the lighter hue, but the fabric completely became the darker hue around 2/3 the way down. The waist of the dress was the same darker shade of pink as the end of the 'tail'. The upper half had two short sleeves for her forelegs with dark pink cuffs. The collar was also a dark pink, the majority of the top half being a brighter pink than any other part of it. And resting atop the mannequin's head was a gold tiara that seemed to be studded with an amethyst. As I approached it, I muttered softly, "Fabulous indeed…"

Rarity waited in eager anticipation while I circled the dress. "This looks like something a princess would wear. Did you make this for one?"

I noticed that Rarity seemed to be blushing while she giggled, "Oh, that is actually my own personal dress! Granted, I would love to craft dresses for Princesses Celestia and Luna, though I've yet to receive a request from either of them. But after seeing the dresses I've woven for the participants of the Grand Galloping Gala year after year, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before they come knocking!"

I was somewhat surprised to hear that the dress in fact belonged to Rarity alone. As I glanced back at it, I asked, "Rarity. May I see you wear this?"

The unicorn seamstress trotted past me in glee. "It would be my pleasure! One moment please." I waited with my back turned to respect her privacy while she slipped into her outfit. "You may look now."

I turned to face Rarity at her command. My gaze fell upon her, the dress complimenting her beauty well. Yes, I just called a pony beautiful. While certainly not human, she has the character of one and therefore I could not possibly label her an animal. After a moment, Rarity smirked and batted her gorgeous eyelashes at me. "Dear, I do believe you are blushing."

I jumped a bit, not even aware that my face was red. "S-sorry, Miss Rarity. It's just that you're very beautiful in that dress. What else am I supposed to say? You look like a princess in it."

Now it was Rarity's turn to blush. She giggled with a slight bit of a nervous tone to her voice, "You are too kind, James. But you do not need to use honorifics with me. We are friends now, correct?"

I nodded in agreement, unsure of what else to say. "Well then, I do believe it is time I get back to work on your new attire. Come back later and I should have it ready for you." I thanked Rarity again for her generosity before heading downstairs and out the door.

While I strolled towards Ponyville proper, I frowned to myself. "Wait… What am I even supposed to do?" I crossed my arms and looked down as I walked, lost in thought. "This is only my second day here. So what do I do?" My thoughts went back to Rarity. She is allowing me to live in her house without having to pay for rent. The more I thought about it, the guiltier I felt. "Well, I guess I should start by trying to find a means to earn some income. I doubt Equestria accepts any of Earth's currency…"

Many ponies were still staring at me and whispering to each other as I passed by. I took note of their gazes, but by then I was somewhat more used to it than the previous day. I looked around, wondering if there were any 'Help Wanted' signs in any shop windows. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Applejack pulling a cart of apples towards a food stall. "Farms always need manual labor." I recall muttering as I approached her.

Applejack was quick to notice my approach since she looked my way and smiled. "Howdy, James!" Another pony was busy sorting the apples in the cart before placing them in the food stalls for sale.

"Morning, AJ. Whatcha up to?" I asked; feeling relaxed in the company of the farm pony.

"Just bringin' more apples into town for sellin'. But I got plenty more ta harvest now that Applebuck Season is here." Applejack replied while wiping some sweat from her brow.

"Applebuck? That some kind of harvesting season?" I asked while eyeing the many apples she had brought into town.

"It's what the Apple family calls harvestin' time. So my brother and I have ta get all the apples outta the trees in the whole Sweet Apple Acres." Applejack explained while snacking on an apple, having likely worked up quite an appetite by then.

I watched as the last of the apples were sorted before asking, "Picking apples sounds simple. Mind if I help out? I could use some income."

Applejack, apparently not expecting me to offer help, replied with an enthusiastic grin. "Really?! Well, sure! We could always use a few extra hooves around at this time! You just mosey on over ta Sweet Apple Acres in an hour or two. If ya don't see me, just ask Big Macintosh for advice. He'll set ya up."

I snickered at the name of her brother. "Wait a sec….. Big… Macintosh? Really?" I expected her brother to be a frail geeky type of pony obsessed with computers and the like. If you lived where I came from, you would know why.

"Yup. That's his name. He's the tall red guy. You'll know him when ya see 'im. Now, I gotta get back to the farm ta get some more applebuckin' done. See ya there, James." Applejack waved goodbye before she turned and pulled the cart out of sight.

Unsure of what to do to pass the time for the next two hours, I just decided to explore. But I did not go far before coming across a strange building with a design that was reminiscent of a jester's floppy hat. "The…..prank parlor?" I read the name on the door. Curious of what types of pranks ponies like to pull, I decided to enter and investigate. But I stopped short when I remembered that most businesses in Equestria do not accept credit, meaning my debit card could not be used. And since I had no cash that could be used in Equestria, I could not make a purchase.

I turned to leave, but noticed something at my feet. A few golden coins of some sort were scattered on the ground after having likely been dropped by a careless pony. "Three coins, huh? Better than nothing." I snatched them up and slipped them into my pocket. They were of an unusual design, being surprisingly thick. Hoping they would be enough to get me at least something, I stepped inside the 'prank parlor'.

The layout was similar to old country-style stores back home with no actual aisles. I saw the clerk reading a magazine behind the counter, a stallion with a cutie mark depicting a catapult launching a cream pie. I chuckled under my breath, finding his cutie mark more than fitting for his profession. I then began to browse the merchandise. "Disappearing ink… Squirting turtles… Water-soluble paint… Sneezing powder… Hang on. What's this?" One prop caught my eye. "Cutie mark removal tape?" I played the idea over in my head. I remember snickering as I imagined taking away Pinkie Pie's balloon cutie mark to make her freak out. "Sold."

The tape cost me every single coin I had just picked up. As I walked through Ponyville afterwards, I read the instructions. "To 'remove' cutie mark, apply to mark and pull off. To return cutie mark, apply other side of tape to area and pull off. So it just makes it look like the mark has disappeared. Good enough for me."

I decided to look south of Ponyville near where I had first arrived. As it turned out, the area I had ended up in was really a public park. Many ponies were strolling about, playing simple games, or reclining on benches. I once again felt myself become the center of attention, my body becoming tense. Rather than stick around, I began searching for an area more secluded.

After several minutes of dodging stares, I found a large pond with a small strip of land extending into it like a peninsula. As I approached it, I noticed a sack on the peninsula that seemed to be filled with fish food pellets. Curious, I stood at the edge of the pond to see a few sizeable fish swimming just under the surface. I think they knew I was there since their swimming motions became excited. Knowing what they wanted, I took a seat by the sack, grabbed a handful of pellets, and scattered them over the surface of the water. To my surprise, the fish leapt out of the water to catch some before they could hit the surface. Whatever they did not catch, they ate while in the water.

I waited for the fish to finish consuming the pellets before tossing them anymore. Once every last one was gone, I reached into the sack for more. But before I tossed them, I heard the sound of wings flapping. "A bird? Maybe a swan?" I tilted my head back slightly while gently turning my head to look around. I then heard the sound of hooves clopping right behind me. "Wait a minute…" I looked over my shoulder and smiled to find Fluttershy standing behind me.

"Have you been feeding the fish, James?" She asked me in her signature quiet tone. I nodded before tossing some more pellets to the fish, who once again caught what they could before they could reach the water. Fluttershy giggled before she stuck her muzzle into the sack, then suddenly raised it out, flinging some of the pellets towards the fish by using her snout like a shovel. "I stop by here now and then to feed the fish. They always love the attention."

I smiled as Fluttershy walked beside me and lied down. "You really have a gift with animals, don't you?" I asked, curious of her cutie mark's meaning.

The pegasus nodded while replying softly, "Oh, yes. Working with animals is my passion. I love all little creatures, great and small."

Hearing Fluttershy's words, I reached over her and rested my hand on her shoulder. "I'm an animal lover too. I've even had pets before. Dogs, goldfishes, a few birds, lizards, a snake, a few turtles, and some frogs and toads. And I loved them all."

Fluttershy giggled quietly once I ceased speaking. "I wish I could meet them. It sounds like your home has a lot of interesting fauna."

I nodded in agreement. "Oh, yeah. Earth has plenty of different animal species. I couldn't even tell you how many, to be honest."

The two of us continued to chat while I would occasionally toss some more food pellets to the fish. I told Fluttershy everything I could about Earth's wildlife, but was careful to withhold any information about poaching, animal cruelty, and extinctions from human intervention, as it would surely upset her to no end. Eventually, I began to stroke her long pink mane with my hand.

"James, what are you doing?" Fluttershy asked as she felt me running my fingers through her hair.

"Oh, sorry. Started doing that out of impulse." I returned my hand to her shoulder out of reflex.

I noticed Fluttershy had started blushing. She then asked, "Actually… That felt nice. Could you keep doing that, please?" I hesitated for a moment before complying with her wishes. I slowly dragged my fingers through her beautiful pink mane down to her neck and scalp. I heard her let out a sigh as she soon began to lean against me. "No one's ever done this for me before."

I replied in an attempt to be slightly witty. "Probably because they never had opposable digits." The two of us lightly chuckled, knowing that ponies lack fingers and cannot do what I was doing.

The two of us cuddled for some time. I am sure at least thirty minutes passed with us leaning against each other. "This almost feels like a dream…" I heard Fluttershy mutter. I held her close to me, my hand grasping her shoulder. But a moment later, I began to hear what sounded like faint snoring.

"Fluttershy…?" I asked quietly. When I heard no response, I looked down at her face. To my amusement, the pegasus pony was fast asleep. "Feel like a dream? It looks like you ARE dreaming now, Fluttershy." I stroked her mane as I chuckled quietly. I very slowly moved myself out from under her head, gently setting her down on her side. "Sweet dreams, little angel." I turned to walk away, but soon turned around to look back at Fluttershy's sleeping form. "She looks so precious… If there's an angel in Equestria, it's her." I then remembered that I had a camera with me built into my DSi handheld game system, which I often carry with me. As fate would have it, I had it in my pocket when I ended up in Equestria. I pulled it out and turned it on before activating its camera function. I then stood over Fluttershy, trying to get as much of her body in the shot as possible. Once I felt I had the best view possible, I pressed one of the shoulder buttons. There was a click as the photo was taken. "Thank you, Fluttershy." I then saved the picture to memory, happy that I now had something to look back on if I ever wanted to remember good times in Equestria.

I turned to leave again, but stopped before I looked back at Fluttershy once more. I had promised to meet up with Applejack in another ninety minutes or so, but I felt it would be rude to leave Fluttershy alone in her current state. "AJ can wait a bit." I walked back over to Fluttershy and tried to lift her head up without waking her. I have no idea how I did it, but I managed to get back into the same position I was moments ago with Fluttershy sound asleep while leaning against me. With a yawn, I felt myself growing drowsy as well. No matter how hard I tried, the sound of Fluttershy's light snoring was steadily putting me to sleep. "Oh, why not…" I muttered as I leaned against her, holding her close to me while I closed my eyes.

I remember awakening to the sound of Rainbow Dash chuckling, "Well, what's this? You two out on a date?" My eyes shot open at Rainbow's guess, Fluttershy equally embarrassed as she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.

"This isn't what it looks like, Rainbow Dash…" I muttered while trying not to blush. The two of us scooted apart nervously.

"Oh, no need to hide it, you two! Go ahead! Give her a big wet one, James!" Rainbow Dash jeered at me, trying to get me to approach Fluttershy while hovering a couple of feet off the ground.

I silently thought over a response in my head that would make Rainbow back off. Finally, I glared at her and spoke dryly, "I'd rather not. I don't want to be arrested for bestiality."

I was not expecting the response I got from both pegasi. Fluttershy seemed to be hurt since she started to tear up. But Rainbow Dash seemed to be stunned by my words. However, she soon landed and glared at me. "Bestiality? Are you serious?"

The pegasus began to slowly approach me as I started to feel a sinking feeling in my gut. "You know what that is, right? Bestiality?" I nodded silently in confirmation. Rainbow Dash then got right up in my face as she growled, "So, does that mean we ponies are just animals to you? Mindless beasts that hang out in stables all day and graze on grass and nothing else?! Whatcha gonna do next? Throw a bit in my mouth and ride me home?!"

I had practically been pushed to the ground with Rainbow Dash glaring down at me. But I completely understood her anger, as she probably felt that I had insulted her with the use of such a term. With a sigh, I muttered, "That came out wrong…"

Rainbow Dash lifted her head with a frown. "Really, now? Then would you mind rephrasing that?"

I sat up and looked at her and Fluttershy. "I didn't mean to refer to you as animals. I know full well that you ponies are not animals. You're people, just like I am. It's just that….. Humans and ponies are very different. If a human like me were to have that kind of relationship with a pony, would the rest of Equestria condemn it?"

Both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash calmed down as I explained myself to them. Fluttershy was the first to respond. "I don't really see what's wrong with that. Sure, we're completely different, but that doesn't mean we can't love, right?"

Rainbow Dash nodded with a defiant grin. "Hey, if everyone else doesn't like it, that's their problem! I won't let anyone else tell me what to do with my love life! If I had one, that is." She then nudged my shoulder with her hoof. "And honestly, if you were a bit more assertive, I would probably date you, James." I blushed deeply at her teasing, Fluttershy giggling softly behind her.

Fluttershy approached me and asked, "James… When you used that term… It kind of hurt… What exactly are we to you?"

It was understandable for Fluttershy to question me after that. I stroked her mane and nodded with a smile. "When I look at you and Rainbow Dash, I don't see a couple of lowly animals. I see a pair of pretty girls with lots of personality. But more than anything, I see two great friends I want to support."

I could see Fluttershy blush with a smile at my words. Rainbow Dash chuckled, "Heheheh… That's really sweet of you, James. But were you just saying that?"

I shook my head. "I'm being dead serious. Do you forgive me for using such an ugly term?"

Fluttershy replied with another one of her tender embraces. "I forgive you." I held her against me, feeling somewhat guilty for almost making her cry.

Once Fluttershy released me, I turned to Rainbow Dash. She smirked and raised one of her forelegs. Her hoof was extended, causing me to understand what she wanted. I closed my hand into a fist and bumped it against her hoof. "Were you serious about dating me if I showed a little more guts?" I asked, wondering if a wild woman like her could have any interest in a softy like me.

Her reply did not answer my question at all. "Maybe. That's all I'm gonna say."

Starting to become nervous of Rainbow Dash's intentions, I began to back away. "I just remembered that I'm supposed to meet up with Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres in a little while, so I better get going before I'm late. See ya!" I turned and ran back through the park while my ears picked up the sound of Rainbow Dash laughing at my escape.

Once I had returned to Ponyville, I took an estimate of how much longer I had before needing to meet up with Applejack. "I think I have another hour or so to go… More than enough time." Not sure of how else to spend my time, I decided to head to the house tree I had passed yesterday. If my hunch was correct, I could read about Equestria when I got there.

Along the way, I noticed Pinkie Pie seemingly taking shelter under a nearby shop's awning. Her pink fluffy tail was quivering rapidly. She seemed to notice me since she called out, "James! Get under something! My tail's twitching!"

I replied while feeling genuinely baffled, "I can see that! But why should I have to take cover?!"

Before Pinkie Pie could explain, I suddenly was knocked to the ground as something crashed onto me. Once again, my glasses somehow escaped damage. Just after I collapsed, a young woman's voice spoke, "Muffins!"

The impact was not as painful as the last time, leading me to suspect that the pegasus who had fallen on me had dropped from a lower altitude. Remembering the only word she spoke, I asked, "What do muffins have to do with a crash landing?! And get off!"

The pegasus stood up and allowed me to stand. To my surprise, I recognized her cutie mark as the one with seven bubbles from yesterday. Her coat was gray while her mane and tail were a faded yellow with a hint of green to them. What caught my attention most were her yellowish eyes, which were cross-eyed. "Oh, hey! I saw you yesterday! The name's Derpy Hooves. You new here?"

I stared at the odd pegasus while she gazed at me with her strange eyes. "Um… Yeah. I only showed up here yesterday… And….wait. Derpy? Your name is DERPY?" I snickered under my breath, knowing that 'derp' is a slang term that originated on the Internet back in my world.

"Yup! That's my name! Now, where are the muffins? I can smell them!" Derpy asked while she glanced around.

I pointed past her and replied, "If it's muffins you want, Sugarcube Corner is right over in that direction." The pegasus turned and ran towards the bakery, shouting 'muffins' all the while. "She must have muffins on the brain."

Pinkie Pie trotted over to me with a smile. "So I see you met the mailmare. You OK after that?"

I brushed myself off and groaned, "That was the most random thing to happen to me since I got here!" I heard Pinkie Pie giggle at my remark. I then asked, "So, what's the deal with your tail? Is it like a dowsing rod or something?"

The pink pony explained, "Not really. It's kinda like a sixth sense. I call it my Pinkie Sense since only I seem to have it. For example, when my tail twitches, it means something's gonna fall! And something fell, all right!"

I glanced at Pinkie's tail, seeing that it was still. "So, your whole body is like a hazard alarm? What other warnings do you get?"

Pinkie Pie explained further, "Well, let's see… When my back is itchy, it means it's my lucky day! And when my knee gets pinchy, something scary is about to happen! Oh! And I sometimes get 'combos'."

"You mean like more than one warning sign at once?" I asked, intrigued by this unique talent.

"Yeah! Like ear flop, then eye flutter, then knee twitch? That means to watch out for opening doors." Pinkie Pie replied, acting out the signs with the mentioned body parts.

"OK, I'll remember that one." I cracked my neck to help relieve some of the soreness from being used as a landing cushion again while approaching the library's front door.

"Uh oh… Ear flop… Eye flutter… Knee twitch!" I thought I heard Pinkie Pie mutter behind me. I now know at this moment of writing that is exactly what she said.

"Huh? What was that, Pinkie?" I asked as I turned around right in front of the door, not certain of what she said. A second later, I remember something suddenly pushing me from behind and smashing me against the tree. "Whoaaaph…" I groaned as I felt the wind get knocked out of me.

As the door closed, I noticed what seemed to be a small purple reptile walking backwards with a stack of books in his hands. He must have seen me past the books while he stopped and tilted his head to his left. "Huh? What're you?" I was rather surprised to see someone in Ponyville who is not a pony at all. When I noticed his spaded tail, I was immediately enthralled at seeing a live dragon before me. His underside was a faded green while the rest of him was a shade of purple. The spines that lined his back, tail, and head were green while his large eyes were the same shade of green as a lime with narrow pupils.

"Spike, did you slam the door into somepony again?" I heard the voice of Twilight Sparkle as the door to the library opened once more.

The small dragon replied, "It's not like I knew he was in the way! I can't see through walls!"

I saw Twilight look around the door to see who had just been walled. She seemed rather shocked since she let out a gasp before exclaiming, "Oh! James! I'm sorry about this!" She helped keep me from falling since I was somewhat dazed from the force of the impact. "Here, let me help you." The unicorn pony led me inside, leaving the dragon outside to carry on with whatever his current task was.

"Never had that happen to me before… Something straight out of a cartoon." I muttered as I took a seat on a stool.

"Hehee… That happened to me once too. And I never saw it coming." Twilight giggled, trying to brighten my mood. She brought me a glass of fruit punch, levitating it with magic since she is a unicorn. "By the way, that was Spike. He's my assistant here."

I gazed around at my surroundings. As I suspected, this house tree is indeed a library as shelves packed with books stood against the walls all around me. "You work here, Miss Sparkle?"

Twilight giggled while replying with a grin, "I'm not the librarian, James. This library doesn't even really have one. In fact, I live here."

I sipped my punch casually and asked, "You LIVE in a library? Is that legal?"

The unicorn smiled and spoke, "Princess Celestia arranged it for me. And I really do like it here. Plenty of books to read. Come on! I'll show you around." I followed her upstairs while taking care to not spill my drink.

I was led past the second floor to the top floor, which seemed to serve as Twilight's bedroom. "This is where I sleep. Of course, since this is a library, I get all sorts of guests every now and then looking to borrow books."

Looking at her bed, I was somewhat surprised to see that her bed was only an ordinary bed and not shaped like a book. "I was expecting your bed to look like a book, Twilight."

She was clearly puzzled by my remark as she asked, "Why does that surprise you so much, James?"

I answered wittily, "Because bookworms sleep in books, not beds."

Twilight laughed loudly at my pun while I smirked. "That's a good one! I need to remember that joke. And you're right. I guess I am a bookworm of sorts. I do love to read."

"I wouldn't call myself a bookworm, but I like to read too. Mind if I help myself to some of the books here?" I asked while scanning a bookshelf.

"Go right ahead. Let me know if you need help finding anything." She went back downstairs, leaving me to the many books before me.

I eventually found an encyclopedia and decided I should start with that since I knew virtually nothing about Equestria at that moment. Once I finished my drink, I climbed a ladder nearby that led to a balcony on top of the library. Some leafy branches provided partial shade as I found a telescope perched upon the handrails. Or should I say hoofrails? Regardless, I took a seat while leaning against the rails and opened my book.

"This encyclopedia looks as if it was published recently…" I muttered, noting the pristine condition of the book. I took off my glasses since I do not need them to see anything near me. "Equestria. Co-ruled by the princesses Celestia and Luna. They work together as a duo to raise the sun and moon each day… Wow. Such a feat must require god-like power."

I continued to read as I muttered some of the text under my breath. "Nightmare Moon… Recently converted back to Princess Luna… Elements of Harmony… Hm. Never knew Equestria was such a magical realm." I flipped the page as I read on.

"Read any good books lately, James?" I heard Twilight ask as she emerged through the hatch in the floor.

"Just catching up on what there is to know about Equestria. I've only been here for one day, you know." I replied while glancing over at her.

"Well, that book was published just a month or two ago. You can't get much more up-to-date than that." Twilight giggled as she took a seat by me with a book of her own.

"I figured as much. This encyclopedia is in too good shape to be very old at all… Wait a minute. How long have I been here, Twilight?" I asked, remembering my schedule for the day.

Twilight looked up at me and replied, "I'd say about fifteen minutes. Why? You have somewhere to be?"

I nodded as I closed my book with a leaf acting as a bookmark, "Actually, yeah. I was looking for a job and Applejack hired me. I should probably start heading over to her place now. Could you hold onto this book for me?"

The unicorn nodded as I set the book beside her, "Sure thing, James. And tell AJ hi for me." I waved goodbye before climbing back inside the library and heading out the front door.

Since I still had some spare time, I decided to explore parts of Ponyville I had not yet seen before. I headed directly west, coming to what seemed to be an old-fashioned red schoolhouse. "I guess even ponies have to go to school at some point." I could hear what sounded like children shouting and laughing as I drew near. On the left side of the schoolhouse was a simple playground. About a dozen or so fillies and colts were playing and having fun, though there seemed to be more fillies than colts. I smiled a little while I watched the pony children playing, wondering what it must be like to grow up in Equestria instead of my world.

After a moment of observing the children, I noticed five that seemed to be in an argument of sorts. There were three normal ponies, one unicorn, and one pegasus. Two of the ponies were facing the other three, seemingly as a duo. Both were normal ponies without horns or wings. One's coat was a faded pink and her cutie mark showed a tiara. Her mane and tail were styled in a very prim and proper design, the colors being thick stripes of white and faded violet. The other's coat was a shade of gray while her cutie mark was a silver spoon with a red gem embedded in the end. Her mane and tail were a lighter shade of gray, also styled into an elegant form. She also wore blue-rimmed glasses and a pearl necklace. Since they both had their backs turned, I could not make out their eye colors. The other three fillies surprised me as they each lacked a cutie mark. The pegasus was giving the two upper-class fillies a defiant glare, her mane and tail being a fuchsia hue. Her coat was a bold shade of orange while her eyes were a faded purple. The unicorn filly seemed to be only mildly annoyed, her coat being almost as white as Rarity's, though leaning slightly towards the color gray. Her mane and tail were two colors, being both faded hues of rose and purple. They were also styled into curls here and there. Her eyes were a darker than average shade of green. The last of the fillies, standing between the unicorn and pegasus, seemed to be an ordinary pony while also seeming unhappy with the two haughty fillies before her. Her eyes were a strong shade of orange while her coat was a faded olive hue. Her tail and mane were a brilliant rose color and she wore a large pink bow on her mane. Curious of what they were arguing about, I slowly drew closer while trying to avoid drawing attention.

"I don't know why you even keep trying, Apple Bloom. It's been over a year since you founded the so-called 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' and you STILL haven't found your cutie mark! Just accept it. You're blank flanks for life." I heard the pink filly boast, immediately disliking her tone.

I saw the pegasus speak up, "What do you know?! Maybe we just haven't found our special talents yet! EVERYPONY gets a cutie mark at some point! It's just a matter of time before we find ours!" Judging by her tone and initial response, I suspected the pegasus was a tomboy.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. I've seen one pony who doesn't have a cutie mark. And he's an old guy. Don't you think he would've gotten a cutie mark by now?" I heard the bespectacled gray filly speak in a taunting manner.

"No way. Who could possibly not have a cutie mark when they're old?" I heard the unicorn ask with a disdainful scowl.

"It's Mr. Greenhooves. I'm sure you've seen him. Old guy? Wears an old floppy hat? He's the one. I'm sure you've seen him sometime." I felt myself becoming steadily disgusted by the actions of the two bullies since there are few things in the world that anger and disgust me more than bullying, especially from children.

The pony with the pink bow almost looked like she was going to cry. "Yer lyin'! There's no way that's true, Diamond Tiara! Every single pony gets a cutie mark eventually! They always do!" I heard a noticeable southern accent in her voice, leading me to suspect she may be a cousin of Applejack.

"Oh, I can tell you've seen him. Maybe you can add him to your group as a new Crusader. Right, Silver Spoon?" The two schoolyard bullies giggled in unison as the pegasus gritted her teeth.

Under normal circumstances, I would silently report such behavior to the proper authorities at the school. But being a victim of bullying at points in my life, and actually being much bigger and stronger than these two bullies, I felt that this time I could do something about it. I walked up behind the filly who likely was Diamond Tiara and gently placed my foot squarely on her back.

"Wha…" She immediately stopped laughing and looked up at me. The other four fillies were equally surprised as they all turned their attention to me. With a sneer, I placed greater pressure on her, pushing Diamond Tiara into the ground with her legs spread out to her sides. "Ow! What's this for?!" She yelled, clearly not expecting me to intervene.

The other four other fillies backed away, having never seen something like me before and probably being somewhat intimidated. I kept my foot on Diamond Tiara, making sure she could not escape while also taking care to not apply enough pressure to cause harm. "So, you have something against blank flanks, huh?" I asked without losing my scowl.

"What's it to you?! I was just telling them the truth!" The filly yelled, drawing attention from the other children on the playground.

"Do you think they really need to be reminded that they don't have cutie marks? I'm sure they see their flanks at least once a day. Besides, you didn't have a cutie mark before either. Right?" I began to smirk, already knowing what I was going to do to her.

"Don't remind me." She grumbled in clear frustration.

"Well, I think you do need to be reminded of what it's like to not have a cutie mark. You need a lesson in humility." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the cutie mark removal tape I had picked up at the prank parlor that day.

"What're you doing?! Tell me!" Diamond Tiara screamed as she looked at the tape being stretched.

"Just giving you a taste of your own medicine." I smirked while I applied the tape over both of her cutie marks. Once applied, I stripped the tape off. "Welcome back to reality…blank flank."

There was a loud gasp as all of the foals around me looked on. The tape worked like a charm, both of Diamond Tiara's cutie marks nowhere to be seen. I heard one of the colts shout, "Wow! Now she's a blank flank too!" With the exception of Silver Spoon, all of the foals burst into laughter.

Knowing that Silver Spoon was just as guilty for bullying, I adjusted the glasses on my face so that they were on a crooked slant. I then looked down at the gray filly with a twisted grin and the most menacing gaze I could make. "You wanna be next?" I said in a creepy tone.

Clearly frightened, Silver Spoon turned and ran. "NO! NO! PLEASE! NOT MY CUTIE MARK!" I watched as she disappeared into the schoolhouse while trying not to laugh.

I watched Diamond Tiara glance around at her schoolmates as they laughed at her. Since the punishment had been dealt, I felt it was unnecessary to keep restraining her. I removed my foot to allow her to stand. But she soon screamed, "SHUT UP! I KNOW I STILL HAVE A CUTIE MARK! IT'S JUST INVISIBLE NOW!" Her screams did nothing to stop the laughter, some of the foals shouting 'blank flank' at her. Seemed like she had built up quite a reputation and it was satisfying to see karma coming back to bite her on the rump. Finally she glared at me and demanded, "GIVE IT BACK!"

With a smug smirk, I shook my head. "No can do. It's permanent. You're a blank flank for life."

Diamond Tiara kicked my leg with her hind hooves and shouted, "You're lying! I know it! Now, give it back!"

I winced from the feel of her hard hooves striking my shins. "Ow! OK, I guess I can give it back. But only on the condition that you stop pestering 'blank flanks' about them lacking cutie marks. No one likes a bully."

It was a reasonable enough bargain, but Diamond Tiara turned her snout up at it. "Stop telling them the truth? No deal. I refuse to make a deal that involves those losers."

I frowned at her stubbornness. What a wretched child. "You're one to talk, especially now that you're on the same level they are. But my deal still stands. You are NOT getting your cutie mark back until you learn the errors of your ways. And that's final!"

Diamond Tiara began to look absolutely furious at my denying returning her cutie mark. "I….. I'll kill you….."

Before the argument could continue, the bell on top of the schoolhouse rang. Diamond Tiara glared at me and growled, "This isn't over, blank flank. You better sleep with one eye open from now on."

As I watched her run back inside the schoolhouse, I scoffed at her threat. "Yeah, so what if I am? Humans don't get cutie marks, dummy."

I found that the three fillies Diamond Tiara had been harassing had stayed behind. All three were gazing up at me. "Um… I didn't go too far, did I?" I asked, worried that I may have been too harsh in my methods.

The pegasus filly jumped and grinned before shouting enthusiastically, "Are you kidding?! That was awesome! I didn't know you could take away cutie marks!"

I looked around to see if anyone was within earshot before whispering, "Actually, it's just a prop I picked up at the prank parlor today. The cutie mark isn't gone. Just covered. But the only way to make it visible again is to use the other side of the strip."

The unicorn grinned and asked, "That's a neat trick! And who are you, mister? Some kind of giant pony?"

I snickered at her endearing ignorance, "Actually, no. I'm a human. And the name's James."

The ordinary filly spoke up in her southern accent, "Ooh! I remember Applejack talkin' about you yesterday! The name's Apple Bloom. And this is Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. But if ya want, you can call us…"

The three fillies suddenly got very close together and shouted in unison, "THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!"

I took a moment to think over their title in my head. "So… Let me get this straight. You three are on a crusade to discover your unique talents so you can acquire your cutie marks?"

Apple Bloom grinned and replied, "Yup! We try everythin' we can ta see what'll bring out our cutie marks!"

Sweetie Belle then spoke up, "But we can't talk now. That was the last bell for the day, so we need to go get our stuff and go home."

I nodded and replied, "That's OK. I'll just wait out here." I watched the three 'crusaders' run back inside the schoolhouse. I then took a seat on the very low wooden fence and just watched my surroundings to pass the time.

After no more than five minutes, the pony children started to emerge from the schoolhouse while wearing saddlebags. I noticed Diamond Tiara glare at me before running off with Silver Spoon. The last students to emerge were the Crusader trio, each of them saying goodbye before heading off in their own directions. However, Apple Bloom approached me and asked, "So, whatcha up to, Mr. James? Ya want me ta introduce you to big sis Applejack?"

Apple Bloom's words answered a question I was pondering for the past few minutes. "Applejack is your sister? I thought you sounded a lot like her. I was actually on my way over to her place when I met you. Would you like me to walk you home?"

The filly jumped in glee. "Sure! Let's go! I'll lead the way." Knowing that she knew her way around better than I did, I followed Apple Bloom while chatting with her along the way.

"So, what brought ya to Ponyville in the first place, Mr. James? I didn't even know humans lived in Equestria." Apple Bloom asked, trotting alongside me.

"I don't think they do, to be honest. I'm not from this world. And before you ask, I have no idea how I got here. And another thing. You don't have to call me mister. Just James will be fine." I replied, not being accustomed to being called 'mister' by someone younger than me.

"OK then. So, what brings you over ta Sweet Apple Acres?" Apple Bloom asked while looking up at me.

I replied after a few seconds of thought. "Well, I have no real money right now as I only showed up in Ponyville yesterday. So I volunteered to help out. I need money to pay my rent at Rarity's place."

The two of us continued to converse while we walked. Before I knew it, we had entered Sweet Apple Acres. "We're here!" Apple Bloom jumped before running towards the farmhouse in the distance. I chuckled as I watched the little filly run off, finding her to be undeniably adorable.

"OK then… No sign of AJ, so I should look for Big Macintosh." I muttered as I looked around. "Though I have to wonder why such a geeky kind of stallion would be working on a farm anyway….. Hang on… THAT is him?!"

I could see a red stallion pony approaching the barn with a bushel of apples hanging off each side of him. Even from my current distance, I could tell that he was the largest pony I had seen so far. His coat was a brilliant shade of red and his mane and tail was the same shade of orange as Applejack's coat. His coat extended somewhat down his hooves, which were more easily noticeable than on any other pony I had seen. His tail was also cropped, probably to prevent tangling when pulling a plough or other type of heavy farming gear as he was wearing a harness collar. His eyes were half closed and very gentle and soulful, being the same shade of green as Sweetie Belle's. Like Applejack, he had a few freckles under his eyes. "How in the world did a big burly guy like him get the name 'Macintosh'? Some things I'll never understand…" I can recall muttering as I approached him. "Excuse me, but are you Big Macintosh?"

Despite having never seen anything like me before, the stallion calmly replied, "Eeyup."

His one-word response gave me the impression that he is a man of few words. "I see. Well, I'm here to provide my services. Applejack sent for me."

Big Macintosh nodded and replied, "I heard we would have some extra help today. Lemme offload these apples and I'll go let 'er know yer here." I watched as he entered the barn before sliding the two bushels off himself. He then came back outside and stood before a pair of cellar hatches on the ground. He tapped his hoof three times on them rather loudly.

I listened closely just after Big Macintosh knocked. "I'll be right there!" A voice from inside the cellar called. The two doors flew open to reveal a familiar orange pony with a stetson hat on her head. "Well, howdy! Ya have any trouble findin' yer way here, James?"

I nodded while I shook Applejack's hoof. "I had no problems. Especially since Apple Bloom showed me the way."

Applejack let out a brief chuckle upon hearing the name of her sister. "Y'all met my sister, huh? Sweetest little thing you ever laid eyes on, right?" I heard Big Macintosh chuckle lightly too somewhere behind me.

"In my honest opinion, I would say Fluttershy gets that title. But Apple Bloom is definitely the runner-up." I replied with a smile of my own.

"Well, I'll respect that. In any case, let's get ta work. Follow me." Applejack spoke before leading me towards the vast apple orchard that surrounded the farm.

"So, what do I do out here?" I asked while surveying the many apple trees around us.

"Couldn't be simpler! All ya gotta do is take the apples and set 'em in the barn! And if there's not enough room in there, we put 'em in the apple cellar." We stopped in front of one tree that had a few wooden tubs around it that strongly resembled the one used to hold the water and apples at my welcoming party. Each had two handles to lift with.

"Well, simple isn't always easy. What's the best way to get the apples down?" I asked, starting to have a bad feeling about my new job.

"All ya gotta do is shake 'em loose! Like this!" Applejack turned her back to the tree and kicked it with both hind legs. Every last apple fell from the branches and into the bushels without a single one missing.

I looked over my glasses at the bushels of apples, hardly able to believe what I just saw. "It's that easy?"

Applejack nodded while crossing her two left hooves in front of her right with a prideful stance. "Yup! That's the way we do it!" I then noticed that she was wearing a special saddle with a hook extending from each side. She then got low to the ground and hooked two of the three bushels on them with each one hanging off her sides. "I'll handle these two. You get the third." I nodded and grabbed the third bushel by the handles. Although it was not very large, the apples in it made the bushel rather heavy.

"OK. Lead on, AJ." I grunted while I waddled after her with my load. As we walked, I grumbled under my breath, "I can tell I'm not gonna like this job…"

Once we delivered the bushels to the barn, Applejack and I headed to the next tree. Three more bushels had already been set out under them. "OK then, James. It's your turn ta try."

I cracked my knuckles as I approached the tree. "Can't be that hard…" I then threw a kick, striking the trunk with the bottom of my shoe. However, not one apple fell.

"What the hay…?" Applejack muttered, clearly surprised that I was nowhere near as strong as her. "Are all humans as flimsy as you?"

I grumbled to myself, "Maybe I didn't do it right…" I turned around and got down on all fours in what I am sure was a very awkward stance for me. Mimicking Applejack's kick the best I could, I struck the tree with both feet at the same time. I felt a slight boost in confidence as a single apple fell into one of the bushels, although I was also beginning to feel somewhat annoyed with my overall lack of progress as well.

"One… Really? How much harder do I have to hit it?" I grumbled while dusting my hands off. Somewhat frustrated, I rammed the tree with a shoulder barge.

"Ahaoo!" I groaned in pain as several apples fell from the branches and into the bushels. I rubbed my shoulder to soothe the soreness from the impact. "That was as hard as I could hit it…"

Seeing that I was not going to get all the apples out of the tree anytime soon, Applejack finished the job with a kick from one leg. The remaining apples fell and piled up in the bushels neatly. "James, are ya sure yer up for this?" I could feel a hint of concern in her voice.

"Sorry, AJ. I'm just not as physically fit as I could be right now. What's more, humans don't have the same kind of muscle you ponies do. You're probably at least ten times stronger than I am." I explained while feeling rather disappointed in myself.

Applejack smiled reassuringly and patted my side with one hoof. "Well, not everypony is cut out for this line of work. Tell ya what. I'll kick the apples loose and you help carry 'em back ta the barn. Deal?" Feeling slightly better, I nodded and lifted a bushel to my chest.

One by one, Applejack, Big Macintosh, and myself went back and forth, harvesting and transporting apples to the barn and cellar. However, I could not keep up, waddling along at only half the speed my two workmates were moving. I have no idea how much time passed since I started. Two hours? Three? I honestly lost count and merely tuned out almost everything going on around me while waiting for Applejack or someone else to tell me to stop. Regardless, I could not handle the strain of carrying so many heavy bushels. After god knows how many trips, I collapsed to my knees mid-transport, nearly spilling my load of apples.

"Whoa! You all right there, James?!" I heard Applejack call out before hearing her run to my side.

"That's it… I'm done. I can't keep going…" I panted while propping myself up on the bushel's handles, dehydrated and exhausted. My clothes were completely drenched in sweat. "Sorry… I'm just not cut out for this line of work…"

I expected Applejack to be disgusted with my poor endurance. But she surprised me by helping me to my feet. "That's all right, pardner. Y'all did quite a bit of work. I'm pretty sure ya got at least a hundred of them bushels into the barn and cellar on your own. Go wait by the barn and I'll go grab yer pay." I silently nodded, not expecting much for my lousy services.

I sat down next to the barn, resting my back against the wall. A few minutes later, I noticed Applejack and Apple Bloom heading my way. Apple Bloom seemed to be carrying a small sack in her mouth while Applejack was carrying a tin bucket. Once they had reached me, Applejack set down the bucket. I looked down at it and saw that it was filled to the brim with water. "To help freshen ya up after all that there work. Drink up, James. You earned it." I did not refuse and dunked my face into the water and drank deeply. Even when I started to run out of breath, I kept drinking. The bucket was over half empty by the time I took a breather.

Apple Bloom gave me the sack she was holding and spoke with a rather cheerful tone. "It's yer pay! Plus a lil' extra."

Despite its size, I found the sack to be rather heavy. "It's all yours, James. Thanks again for the help. I threw a lil' extra in there as a bonus for how hard ya worked." Applejack said with a smile.

I sighed as I caught my breath from the long drink I took. "Thanks, AJ. I appreciate it." I climbed to my feet rather shakily before bidding her farewell. "I'll be going now… And thanks for letting me help." I waved goodbye to my friends and headed back towards Ponyville.

Being too tired to really have any drive to search for another job at the time, I decided to head straight home. I knocked on the front door of the Carousel Boutique, waiting to see if Rarity was home. She soon answered the door, but immediately backed away from me. "Good gracious, what happened to you?! You smell hideous!"

I sighed, apparently not able to passively notice my own odor. "I was hired to help out at Sweet Apple Acres. Enough said."

"Enough indeed! March right upstairs and take a bath! Now!" Rarity spoke loudly while she pointed towards the stairs.

"You read my mind." I muttered as I headed for the stairs. A shower was exactly what I needed.

The warm flowing water washed away all the sweat and grime I had accumulated during the day. But as my clothes were saturated with my odor, I dare not put them back on. Not even my undergarments. "This could be a problem…" Once I finished bathing, I wrapped a towel around me and headed back downstairs hoping my new clothes were finished.

When I returned to the ground level, I found Rarity using a marker to draw out a client's commissioned design before actually starting on it. "Yes, I do believe that's what she wanted… Now for the hat…" I noticed her ears flick when I drew near. "Ah! Just who I was hoping to see! Oh, I just know you're going to love your new attire, James!"

"You seem quite sure of yourself, Rarity. Now I'm really curious of what you came up with." I said with a smile. She then led me over to some hangers that held the clothes she had promised me.

"As requested, I crafted you clothing that could not be more casual. Is it to your liking?" Rarity asked while I examined the clothing. The pants were a pair of new blue jeans made of denim while the shirt was a Hawaiian-style t-shirt that was mostly blue.

"Yup. Doesn't get much more casual than that. Many thanks, Rarity. I'll try them on right now…..wait." I turned to the unicorn and hesitantly asked, "I hate to be a bother, but could you also craft me some…..underwear too? I only have one pair and it's…..pretty tainted with body odor right now…"

To my surprise, Rarity chuckled, "Yes, I thought you might need a new pair. So I took the time to weave one for you on the side." She reached into a drawer nearby and lifted a pair of checkerboard boxers out.

"But… But you never took the measurements for those! How are you so sure those will fit me?!" I asked, afraid they might be too small.

"Nonsense! I simply took an estimate from the measurements on your pants and made a few minor adjustments. Now, please do try them on!" She 'handed' my clothes to me and nudged me behind a screen for privacy.

"Well… OK then." I muttered as I dropped my towel. Much to my surprise, I found that the boxers fit me perfectly. "She really knows her stuff…" I then slid on my jeans and buttoned my shirt. "OK, how do I look?" I stepped out from behind the screen, displaying my new attire to the fashion designer.

Rarity brought a hoof to her chin while she gazed at me. "Mmmm… For attire so casual, you look quite dashing in it! The two shades of blue really compliment each other well."

I chuckled as I grinned, "I never knew dashing and casual could go together." I then remembered my payment from Applejack. "Wait just a moment, Rarity. I need to give you something." I ran back upstairs to the bathroom and retrieved the sack containing my payment. Upon coming back downstairs, I opened the sack while I approached Rarity and asked, "How much do I owe you for rent?"

The unicorn glanced down at the sack, many gold coins packed inside. But she shook her head and spoke softly, "Darling, I made it quite clear to you that you are free to stay here at your own will. I desire nothing in return. Your company is payment enough."

I lowered the bag, once again amazed by Rarity's generosity. "Really…? Not even one coin?"

Rarity nodded sincerely at me and gave me a rather thankful smile. "Yes, I am quite sure. I normally live alone with only dear Opal to keep me company. And such an interesting human fellow like you is a rare guest. Please, James. Don't bring this up again. I will not be accepting any rent from you, as I quite simply do not want it or need it. Besides, I am sure you need the finances more than I do."

As grateful as I was for her generosity, I could not help but feel an immense sense of guilt weighing on my shoulders. "I understand, Rarity… Thank you again…"

That night, I relaxed on the sofa with a blanket covering me like the night before. This was my second day in Ponyville. And like the first, it ended well. But I still felt guilty for not having to give Rarity anything in return for allowing me to live in her house. As I looked at the stars out the only window in the room, I made a silent promise to repay Rarity for her kindness. Somehow.

I closed my eyes, wondering what other careers I could pursue in Ponyville the next morning. And as I drift off to sleep, my second day in Equestria ends. I eagerly wait to see what the third day has in store for me. Wait, I cannot write this with my eyes closed. I had best put this down before trying to sleep.


	3. Sweet Deals

The first thing I felt upon waking up was the feel of something jumping up and down on me. I tried to go back to sleep, but the stomping prevented me from doing so. Whatever was doing it felt about as heavy as a puppy that is a few months old, I wager. All the while, a familiar voice pleaded, "Wake up, Mr. James! Let's play!"

I finally opened my eyes to see a familiar unicorn filly perched upon my covered belly. Her green eyes looked down at me with slight excitement. "Um… Who are you again?"

Before the filly could reply, I heard Rarity's voice call out. "Sweetie Belle, leave James alone! He worked very hard yesterday and needs his rest!"

Hearing Rarity's words, I remembered the filly's name. "Sweetie Belle? Now I remember. What brings you over here?" I sat up, feeling rather refreshed. However, a part of me was telling me to go back to sleep.

"I came here to visit my big sister before going to school! Are you staying with Rarity, Mr. James?" Sweetie Belle asked, her big green eyes staring at me.

"I am, actually… Wait. Rarity is your sister?" I asked, my eyes scanning her carefully. "Now that I think about it… I do see the resemblance." I spoke with a smile while I reached out and stroked her elegantly styled mane.

"Sweetie Belle! You'll be late if you don't hurry!" I heard Rarity call once again.

"Coming!" Sweetie Belle replied as she hopped off me. "Bye, Mr. James! Give Rarity a hug for me!" I watched the little filly run out of the room, her hooves clopping all the while in a very quick rhythm with her short legs.

I sat up as I heard the front door of the boutique slam shut. I tried not to stretch too strenuously since my muscles were still somewhat sore from working at Sweet Apple Acres yesterday. When my hand brushed my forehead, I felt the bandages I was wearing. "Huh? Oh… Almost forgot about these." I managed to undo them and set them upon the table in front of me. I found that not even a lump had been left behind. Pleased that I was healed, I started to get dressed.

Once I was fully clothed, I stepped out into the main workroom. "Looking fabulous in those new clothes, darling. And did you sleep well?" I heard Rarity say as I remembered that I was clad in the new clothes she had weaved for me the previous day.

"I slept pretty well… Though I kinda want to go back to bed… What's for breakfast? More muffins?" I asked, expecting to hear that Pinkie Pie had delivered more muffins while I slept.

"I'm afraid it's a little late for breakfast, James. It's past 11." Rarity replied while looking over at me from her sewing machine.

"11? Whoa. I really was tired." I muttered, surprised to have slept as late as I did. "Then I guess I should forget about breakfast and go for some lunch. At least now I have a means to pay for it."

Rarity nodded with a smile. "You do that, James. I'll be here should you need anything." I thanked her, took my pay from the previous day, and headed outside and into Ponyville.

The first place I could think of to find food was Sugarcube Corner, but the idea of eating nothing but sweets and cake everyday was sure to be bad for my body. "I need to find a place that has a healthier variety…"

As I looked around for a place that sold produce or any other sort of food, I realized that I was not wearing my shoes. "Oh… Right. No shoes means no service." But when I turned to return to the Carousel Boutique, a thought crossed my mind. "Wait… Ponies don't wear anything on their feet most of the time… Will they not mind?" After some debating, I decided to at least wait and see if anyone would refuse me service.

I looked around Ponyville for a short while before coming across an outdoor café. Numerous ponies were seated around tables, a very refined stallion pony tending to the customers. His coat was a creamy white and his navy blue mane was slicked back. I could also make out a tiny moustache on his face. His cutie mark seemed to be a covered serving dish. He was also one of the few ponies I had seen so far who wore any clothing at all. He wore white cuffs around each hoof and a small white vest around the base of his neck with a red bow tie. While I was disappointed to see that the only seats were piles of hay, I was too hungry to complain and took a seat at one of the empty tables.

"I still don't get why these tables have to be so darn low…" I remember grumbling under my breath. Even with me sitting nearly parallel to the ground, my position with the table was undesirably uneven. "If I stand, I'm too tall. If I sit, I'm too low…" Rather than debate over what to do about my situation, I took my menu in hand and looked to see what was available.

"Grass pancakes… Flower sandwiches… Grilled vegetables of your choice?" After looking through the menu for a moment, I felt relieved to find something that I am fond of. "Mmmm… Grilled carrots are always awesome…"

"Hey, James!" My gaze left the menu while I glanced around at the call of my name. When I looked to my left, I saw Twilight Sparkle approaching me with Spike riding on her back. She smiled as she greeted me. "Is it all right if I join you?"

Pleased to see a familiar face, I nodded. "Absolutely. Be my guest." I motioned for the unicorn to have a seat beside me, a small pile of hay serving as her seat.

Twilight opened the menu that rested on the other side of the table while Spike borrowed one from an unused table. I soon noticed Twilight gazing at me, her head slowly tilting up and down. She then asked, "I like your new clothes. Did Rarity make them?"

I nodded with a smile and replied, "Yep. All I need now are some clean socks."

While we examined the menus, Twilight looked at me out of the corner of her eye. "You know, James… You seem a lot calmer now than you did when you first came here."

I nodded, a sigh of calmness escaping my lips. "I know. Only two days and I feel right at home here. In fact, I almost think feel like I fit in Equestria better than I did back home."

Twilight closed her menu, apparently having decided what she wanted to order. "Well, that's good to hear. It's hard to fit in anywhere if you constantly feel uncomfortable." I nodded in silent agreement.

The waiter of the café approached our table and asked in a strong French accent, "Have you made your decision?"

I glanced at Twilight, trying to tell her she should go first. She nodded and looked towards the waiter. "I would like a daffodil and daisy sandwich."

I winced at the mention of daffodils, knowing that they are mildly poisonous. But I decided to withhold any questions until our orders were taken. The waiter turned to Spike, who asked, "Do you have any rubies?" The waiter remained silent while he gave the young dragon a stern gaze. "No? What about sapphires? Emeralds?" When the waiter still did not give a reply, Spike sighed in disappointment while closing his menu. "All right then, I'll have the hay fries. Extra crispy."

The waiter then turned to me. I then spoke, "I would like a tossed salad with French dressing and an order of grilled carrots with a side of barbeque sauce."

I watched as the waiter silently acknowledged my order and turned to leave. Once we were alone, I asked, "Twilight, why are daffodils on the menu? Aren't those mildly poisonous?"

The unicorn seemed rather surprised by my question. "They are? I've never felt sick after eating any."

I frowned while I pondered this fact. "Are they just a new edible breed? Or are ponies immune to any toxic substances in the plant?"

When I noticed that Twilight had not answered my question, I looked over at her. Both she and Spike were staring at me with blank expressions. Puzzled by their stares, I asked, "What?"

Spike spoke up first. "And I thought Twilight was the only pony in town who uses that kind of logic."

Twilight took a moment longer to find the right words to speak. "Um… Yeah, what he said. You really think things out, don't you?"

I crossed my arms and replied honestly, "Well, I try. I wouldn't call myself a genius though."

The three of us chatted for a moment before the waiter brought out our orders. His method of carrying four plates surprised me since he was balancing a tray on his head with our orders on top. "Let me help." Twilight spoke up while her horn was engulfed in a billowing aura. The four plates floated off the tray and were set on the table.

Spike wasted no time in getting started on his food. The hay fries were…..well…..pieces of hay fried to a golden brown. There were also quite a few of them, the pile of fries extending up past his head. Curious, I took one and crunched down on it. "Mmmm….. I guess it's true what they say. Anything deep-fried is always tasty." The hay was actually rather soft under the layer of batter.

I watched as Twilight took a bite out of her sandwich. Not wanting to keep myself waiting, I dipped one of my carrots into the barbeque sauce and took a bite. "You like grilled vegetables, James?" Twilight was looking at my carrots, which had dark grill lines here and there.

"Not all of them. But I do love grilled carrots. The best grilled veggies anywhere. You should try them sometime." I replied honestly, having always had a taste for grilled carrots.

While we conversed, I suddenly heard Spike belch out of nowhere. "Spike, was that necessary?" I asked, mildly annoyed by the sound. But I then noticed the green flame that emerged from his mouth suddenly condense into a tiny ember, then burst in a flash of green light. In its place was a paper scroll held together by a red ribbon that bore a gold emblem that seemed to have a horseshoe design engraved into it. It floated in the air while surrounded by a glittering white glow, probably the result of a magic spell preset into it.

"A message from Princess Celestia?" Twilight asked while Spike took the scroll in hand.

The baby purple dragon removed the ribbon and held it open. But as he opened his mouth to speak, he paused while appearing to quickly read it over. "Oh, you've already heard this." He then reached into the scroll and held up what seemed to be eight golden slips of paper. "Tickets to…" He then whispered in a show of caution, "The Grand Galloping Gala."

Twilight glanced around, seemingly hoping that no one had heard Spike. Thinking it would be best to remain quiet, I whispered, "Something special about the Gala?"

The unicorn replied quietly, "You have no idea. Pretty much everypony wants to go there at least once in their life. It's only held once a year. And the only way to get tickets is to be directly invited by Princess Celestia herself. So when you get a ticket in Ponyville, you should be careful to make sure nopony knows you have an extra."

I looked at the eight tickets in Spike's hand. "Those are eight… Which means that there's one for Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and both of you. So who's the eighth one for?"

"Um… Maybe in here?" Spike replied while rereading the scroll. "Oh, this is new. Ahem… The royal sisters also extend an invitation to Ponyville's new human resident. They request that he attend if possible." He then handed the ticket to me. "I guess that means this one's for you."

I was initially excited to be invited to such a grand event, but I soon frowned in puzzlement. "Wait… How do they know about me? I've never even seen the princesses before."

Twilight seemed puzzled too, but soon smiled and explained, "Oh, I remember now. I mentioned you in a report right after your welcoming party. I guess Princess Celestia and Princess Luna want to meet you."

Somewhat excited to meet the rulers of Equestria, I slid the ticket into my pocket. "Sounds like it'll be a good time. Where does it take place?"

Twilight pointed to the northeast with her hoof and spoke, "It'll be held right up there in the capital city." My eyes gazed up at the great mountain in the distance that I had seen when I first entered Ponyville. "You can see it from here. That city jutting out of the mountainside? That is the capital city of Canterlot."

My eyes went wide as I realized what I was looking at. "THAT is a city? I thought it was a mountain fortress!"

I heard Twilight giggle at my shock. "Well, it's really a city. I used to live there, so I know for sure. And don't worry. We attended the Gala last year, so I can tell you what to expect. To be honest, it's kinda boring and dull, but it should be much more enjoyable if you go with friends."

Seeing the truth in my friend's words, I smiled with some gratitude. "Very true. And since all seven of you will be attending with me, I have nothing to worry about." Once we had finished our meals, we left our payment on the table and headed towards Twilight's house.

Once we were inside the library, I asked, "Twilight, do you remember where I left that encyclopedia yesterday?" My eyes glanced around while I marched upstairs.

"Right over here, James." Twilight spoke while she led me to her bed. The same encyclopedia was on a table near it. I could see the leaf I had stuck in it as a bookmark sticking out.

"Thanks for keeping it out for me." I said with a smile. I sat down on a stool and flipped to the page I last left off at. "Pony types… Unicorn, pegasus, and earth ponies… Wait. You call ponies without horns or wings earth ponies?"

Twilight nodded and replied, "Yes, we do. And before you go thinking that they're inferior to unicorns and pegasi, they are known for their close connection to the earth, making them skilled at agriculture while having strong bodies."

I pondered this fact for a moment before replying, "So, there are three categories. Earth ponies are the muscle, pegasus ponies are the agility, and unicorn ponies are the intellect. They all come together as a whole."

My eyes gazed at Twilight as she gave me an unusual stare. "I never really thought of it like that… I guess you're right. Each of the three types usually excels in one area more than the other two. That's a clever concept, James." I chuckled before I went back to reading. I would occasionally glance over to Twilight while she seemed to be writing a note.

"Unicorns are able to use magic by channeling their focus through their horns… Pegasi are able to walk on and manipulate clouds… Wait, really?" I turned to Twilight and asked, "Is it true? Pegasi can interact with clouds?"

The unicorn faced me and nodded. "That's right. In fact, most pegasi originate from Cloudsdale. It's a city in the sky that is made entirely out of clouds."

I could only stare at her, finding it hard to believe that an actual city was floating in the sky somewhere. "But… Just how can they interact with objects made of water vapor as if they were solid? Are their hooves made of a special material that repels water vapor like a magnet, allowing them to push it? Wait, any part of their bodies can interact with clouds as if they were solids... Is the secret in their coats? Does each individual hair secrete a substance that causes the vapor to compact into a solid as long as they are making direct contact? Has anyone ever experimented to…. Uh… Twilight? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Twilight was staring at me with a peculiar expression on her face as I pondered the pegasus ponies' abilities to interact with clouds out loud. She did not blink once. With those wide eyes and what I believed to be a faint blush on her face, I suspected that I had unwittingly said something extremely offensive. "Twilight, if I said anything that offended you, I apologize."

The sound of my voice seemed to snap Twilight out of her trance since she shook her head frantically. "Oh, uh… You didn't say anything offensive. I was….just blown away by how logically you questioned the ability of a pegasus pony to interact with clouds… I don't think I've ever met a guy with that kind of intellect before."

Not certain if I understood Twilight's fascination, I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not a geeky kind of guy… And I'm not a genius. In fact, science is one of my weaker departments."

Twilight shook her head and explained, "It has nothing to do with your intelligence or your aptitude in a specific field. You think things out and debate things logically… I actually like that in a man."

That last comment gave me a bad feeling in my gut. Trying to avoid seeming suspicious, I inched towards the stairs that led down to the lower levels. "Well, I appreciate the compliment. But I really should be going now. I'll stop by another time to read some more of that encyclopedia. See ya around." I then made my way to the door as quickly as I could.

"She likes guys who are logical in their thought processes? I hope that didn't mean what I think it did…" I muttered to myself while I walked away from the library at a brisk pace. Despite seeing the ponies of Equestria as people and not animals, the thought of forming an intimate relationship with one still made me uneasy. "What would the princesses say? Would I be chased out of town? Are humans and Equestrian ponies even compatible?" Numerous questions passed through my head as I shuffled through Ponyville.

"James! Twitchy tail!" My head jerked up suddenly as I heard Pinkie Pie scream my name. "Get under something sturdy!"

I immediately stopped dead in my tracks and glanced around, seeing Pinkie Pie motioning for me to approach her at the front door of Sugarcube Corner. Before I could reply, a flowerpot dropped right in front of me and shattered upon hitting the ground. I took a step back, startled. I then looked up and jumped to the side as an anvil, of all things, fell right where I used to be standing. "Are you kidding me?! What is this, a cartoon show?!" I remember shouting, finding it impossible to comprehend an anvil falling right out of the sky.

"My tail's still twitching! Stay on your toes!" I heard Pinkie Pie scream. I looked up, seeing what seemed to be a 'moving trailer' being pulled through the air by a pair of pegasus ponies. However, it seemed that the rear hatch of the trailer was open. I yelped as a wooden cart full of hay rolled out of it and fell near me. I then jumped out of the way just before an old piano crashed into the ground where I used to be standing while letting out a sound as if all the keys had been pounded on at the same time.

The sheer randomness of the situation was pushing my nervousness to the limit. Fearing that a bomb would fall on me next, I made a mad dash for Sugarcube Corner. I can distinctly remember screaming, "HEEEEELLLLLPPPPP!"

Pinkie Pie closed the door behind me right as I got inside. The sound of what might have been a wooden crate crashing into the ground right outside the door was heard immediately afterward. "First Derpy and now this?! What's next?! Raining cats and dogs?! Or hammer handles and pitchforks?!" I growled in frustration, utterly freaked out by my close brush with grave injury.

"You're telling me! I almost never get multiple things falling out of one twitch! You OK?" Pinkie Pie asked while I regained my composure.

"I'll live. But dang, that was close…" I muttered, still somewhat apprehensive that I would soon fall victim to the 'Pinkie Sense' again.

As I tried to relax, a thought came to mind. "Pinkie Pie, do you know if Sugarcube Corner is hiring right now?"

The pink pony replied with quite a bit of enthusiasm. "Hiring? Oh, sure! You wanna work here? There's plenty of yummy perks!"

"Well, I need to earn some cash if I'm gonna stay in Ponyville." I replied, hoping that I would not need much experience to work at a confectionary.

"Oki doki loki! Just let me go talk to Mrs. Cake and we'll get you set up!" Pinkie Pie trotted back into the kitchen while I watched, wondering if she is even allowed in there to begin with.

A minute or two later, I watched as Mrs. Cake emerged from the kitchen's twin swinging doors. "Oh, I heard the news. You need a place to earn some bits, dear? Well, we could always use an extra pair of hooves around here."

I was puzzled by the term 'bits' and asked, "Bits? Is that the term used for currency in Equestria?"

"You don't know? Well then, let me show you." I followed Mrs. Cake behind the counter and saw a cash register hidden under it. Due to ponies having shorter bodies than humans, it was very low to the ground. She then pressed down on a small latch, causing the money tray to pop out with the chime of a bell that I rarely heard back home. Inside were more of the thick golden coins I had seen yesterday.

"These are bits. They're what we ponies use as currency." Mrs. Cake explained to me. "But in any case, when can you start?"

I replied with a nod. "I can start now, if you're OK with it."

Mrs. Cake grinned warmly in response. "Then now it is! It's good to have you with us, dear. Come with me. I'll show you to the kitchen." I followed her into the kitchen where Pinkie Pie was apparently making taffy.

"Pinkie Pie! You have a new workmate!" I watched as the pink pony turned to face Mrs. Cake. "I'll leave you to show him to his new duties. Teach him well, all right?"

Pinkie Pie beamed excitedly with that grin of hers reaching wider than usual. "Yes, ma'am! I'll show him the ropes!" Mrs. Cake then left me alone with her, entering a side room that likely contained various baking supplies.

"OK, James! It's just you and me today! Ready to get started?" I looked down at Pinkie Pie, wondering if she happened to be an employee at this bakery.

"Why are you even allowed back here at all? Do you work here?" I asked, half-expecting her to say yes.

The pink pony giggled before she replied, "I sure do! It's my dream job! Mr. and Mrs. Cake are my bosses and landlords. They rent me the loft upstairs. That's where your welcoming party was held!"

I snickered to myself, suspecting that Pinkie Pie consumes more Sugarcube Corner products than all other customers combined. "Just make sure you balance your diet a little. In any case, where do I start?"

Pinkie Pie replied while walking to the side of the room while never taking her eyes off me. "Oh, your first day is just an orientation. You know, to get you used to your role. Since I'm your superior, I'll be taking you through everything step-by-step! First, let's see how good you are at baking." She then went over to what seemed to be an open cookbook and flipped through a few pages. I had to get down on a knee to read it since the counters (not to mention just about everything else in the building) were on a lower elevation than I was used to.

"These look good enough! Let's start things off with some vanilla cupcakes!" Pinkie Pie spoke out loud after looking over one page. "Can you get all the ingredients together?"

I read through the list of ingredients. "Two eggs, a quarter cup of vanilla extract, flour, sugar, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Got it." I went searching through the kitchen for the listed ingredients, finding the eggs and vanilla extract in the refrigerator and the rest in ceramic jars placed on the counters. But as I looked in the cabinets for a saltshaker, I came across a bag of chocolate chips. I know that I should probably have gone by the book, as this was a test of sorts, but the idea of chocolate chips in vanilla cupcakes sounded absolutely delicious to me. I glanced around to see if Pinkie Pie was watching. She was nowhere to be found, probably tending to her pet alligator upstairs.

By the time Pinkie Pie had returned to the kitchen, I had combined the ingredients and was in the process of mixing them together. "Everything going OK, James?"

I looked to my left while on my knees and replied, "So far, so good. Just need to mix this a little more." Once the batter had been thoroughly mixed, I read the next step. "Preheat oven to 300 degrees and bake for twenty minutes… Simple enough." I turned on the oven and set the temperature to the stated level. While waiting for the temperature to rise, I placed paper cupcake holders in a tin and filled each one with batter. There was enough to fill all twelve slots. I then used an oven mitt to place the tin inside the oven before setting an egg timer to twenty minutes. As I closed the oven's hatch, I muttered, "Even the ovens are small in Equestria…"

"Now those are gonna be delicious!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as the egg timer ticked away. "While we wait for them to finish baking, wanna chat?"

I leaned against the wall and raised my hands to the height of my shoulders. "Sure thing. Whatcha wanna know?"

Pinkie Pie then asked, "Well, how're you feeling today? This is your third day in Equestria, right?"

I nodded and replied, "I've been feeling much more secure lately thanks to you girls. I'm grateful for your hospitality."

The pink pony grinned broadly and replied, "Aww, it was no problem at all. We couldn't just leave you alone without any friends! And now I feel really good that you're feeling right at home in Ponyville!"

The two of us talked and laughed together for a while, totally lost in conversation. The sound of the egg timer going off actually startled us. Not wasting any time, I grabbed an oven mitt and pulled the cupcakes out of the oven and placed them on the counter to cool. They seemed to be properly baked, the surface of each being a light golden brown. "Man… That DOES look delicious." I can remember feeling my mouth water at the aroma coming from the baked goods.

"Aren't they always?! Now, let's see how you did." I watched as she took a bite. But right after that, she noticed the chocolate chips in the rest of the cupcake now that its interior had been exposed. I snickered as she looked at me with an expression that seemed to say 'Did you really mess up the recipe?' all over it.

"Before you go criticizing me, tell me how that cupcake tastes." I told Pinkie Pie with my arms crossed. She continued chewing and soon swallowed.

I became concerned as I watched her eyes open very wide. "WOW! Who knew chocolate chips and vanilla go so well together?!"

The two of us enjoyed our cupcakes together, both of us finding the chocolate chips to compliment the rest of the cupcake well. The pink pony then grinned at me. "OK, I say you're ready for this job! Let me go get your pay." I watched her leave the kitchen for a moment before hearing the sound of a cash register opening and closing. She then came back in with a vertical stack of coins in her mouth.

Pondering if ponies have difficulty carrying things in their mouths due to lack of hands, I asked, "Do you ever have problems carrying stuff like that?"

Pinkie Pie set the coins on the counter and turned to face me. "Nopey lopey! We ponies have big jaws, so we can carry a lot of stuff in them. We can hold some things with our hooves too if we can grip it just right." She demonstrated by putting the bottom of her hoof down on top of a cupcake and lifting it straight up before snacking on it.

"Right, the hoof only surrounds the front and side edges of the foot. The center is still uncovered. And you can flex it enough to grab some things, huh?" I asked while I watched.

Pinkie Pie nodded after chomping down the unfinished cupcake. "Yup! But we gotta be careful. Our grip isn't very strong. Anyway, here's your pay! Twelve bits! Do you think you could start at around 11 tomorrow?"

I took my payment and added it to the bag of bits I had. "11 sounds just right. And may I take these cupcakes with me? Two is pretty much my limit for one time."

Pinkie Pie nodded before she placed the remaining cupcakes in a box. "Oh sure! You can consider these as part of your payment!" I took the box in hand, said my goodbyes, and headed out the back door.

"So I've got a job at Sugarcube Corner now… Is there anything else I can do to earn some bits?" I muttered to myself while glancing around. A moment later, I noticed Rarity out of the corner of my eye carrying what seemed to be a basket of clothes on her back. "Are those…my old clothes?"

I ran over to Rarity while being careful not to scuff my bare feet on the rough ground. "Hey, Rarity. What're you doing with my old clothes?"

The unicorn turned to face me rather abruptly, apparently not expecting to see me. "Oh, these? I just retrieved them from the laundry mat. I couldn't just leave them stinking up my home, could I?" I chuckled, remembering how smelly they were after working at Sweet Apple Acres yesterday.

"Well, that was very kind of you. But are my socks and shoes in there?" I asked, starting to grow weary of walking barefoot on Ponyville's roads.

Rarity nodded and motioned her head towards the basket. "They should be. I had them deodorized thoroughly." I looked into the basket and found my socks and shoes at the bottom. But when I removed them, I found a familiar golden ticket under them.

"Did Twilight give you a ticket for the…um…Grand Galloping Gala?" I asked, checking my pockets to make sure that I still had mine.

The unicorn beamed happily and explained, "Why, yes she did! We crossed paths when I was on my way to the laundry mat. And I heard you received an invitation too!" I nodded in response, but Rarity then looked at my shoes. "But…you don't have any sort of attire suited for such a grand occasion, do you?" My shoes were a pair of well-worn black shoes with Velcro straps. I had been wearing them for years.

"Yeah, I guess I don't…" I muttered, feeling somewhat disheartened that I might not be permitted to attend.

However, Rarity giggled reassuringly. "Oh, don't look that way now, darling. I'll make a brand new suit just for you! And a new pair of shoes too! And don't try to stop me! I'm quite inspired to make something for a human. All I need now is the measurements for your feet if I'm going to make you some new shoes."

Once again, I found myself blown away by Rarity's generosity. "I'm sure something for a formal event doesn't come cheap. Do I owe you anything for it?"

I was certain Rarity would ask for at least a few bits in return for her efforts. But to my shock, she smiled and shook her head. "Oh, all I ask in return is that you wear your formal attire with pride. In such a manner that screams 'Only Lady Rarity could craft ensembles this divine'! Can I ask that of you, James?" I could only nod in silence. "Then it's settled! I'll get started as soon as I return home! But first, is there a particular style you'd prefer?"

To be honest, I have never had a preferred style in clothing. Just as long as the clothing is comfortable and not embarrassing to wear in public, I will wear anything. "Well…all I can say is that I do not enjoy wearing suits. They're always too stuffy for me. Something that is not as restricting would be best. I'll leave the details up to you, Rarity. Surprise me."

"Not a big fan of suits, are we? No matter. I'm sure I can come up with something you will adore. Now, hurry home when you can so I can take measurements for your feet. Ta-ta!" Rarity smiled and waved before she trotted away, leaving me feeling both grateful and ashamed for her generous offer.

I took a seat on a bench nearby and dusted off my feet before sliding my socks and shoes on. "Much better." I then decided to rest a moment, snacking on a cupcake in the process. I seemed to be in the center of town, several food stalls lining the streets. I recognized a stall that contained nothing but apples, leading me to suspect that Applejack was in charge of it.

Just as I was about to stand up, I noticed something in the sky. Resting on what seemed to be a low altitude cloud right above the center of the market was Rainbow Dash. "She's lounging around on a cloud… I guess what that book said is true then." Curious if she could set me up with a job, I stood up and walked over towards the market's center.

Once I was right under the cloud, I pondered how I was going to get her attention. I am not fond of raising my voice in public and did not want to draw attention. I was considering throwing something at her, but I feared hurting her or missing and hitting another pony. Before I could think about it further, a familiar voice spoke up behind me. "Any muffins here?"

I turned to face the owner of the voice and found a gray pegasus browsing a stall that was selling fruit tarts. "Derpy Hooves? Well, why not?" I muttered under my breath before I began to approach her.

"Hey there, Derpy. Could I ask you a favor?" I asked after tapping her on the back. The pegasus turned around, but I noticed something was different. Her eyes were not…well…derped. They were both looking directly at me. "Um… Are you Derpy Hooves?"

"Yup! I'm Derpy! Is it my eyes that threw you off? Those are just an on and off thing. I'm not always wall-eyed." The pegasus explained, laughing in the process. "So, you needed my help?"

I pointed to the cloud above me and explained, "Yeah, could you let Rainbow Dash know I'd like to speak with her?"

Derpy looked upwards before nodding. "Sure thing! Just a sec." I watched as she flew up to the cloud and reached over it. She seemed to say something before backing away a bit. I then saw Rainbow Dash poke her head out and look down. When I waved at her, she turned to Derpy Hooves, probably thanked her, and swooped down to me in a matter of seconds before landing right in front of me.

"Hey there, James! What's up?" The rainbow-maned pegasus asked me while rubbing some sleep out of her eyes.

"Well… Uh… I just wanted to know if I could help out to earn some bits." I was actually rather curious of what Rainbow Dash's job was since I had not seen her doing anything productive since my arrival in Equestria.

"Doing a little job hunting, huh? Sure, you can help! I just need you to help me clear up the sky. A good kick should get rid of each cloud." Rainbow Dash flapped her wings as she began to hover.

I looked up at the sky, which had quite a bit of cloud cover, and asked, "Um… I'm supposed to clear the sky of clouds?" When Rainbow Dash nodded, I raised my hands. "And just HOW am I supposed to do that?!"

Rainbow Dash let out a laugh and replied, "Couldn't be easier! All you gotta do is flap your…wings and…oh…" I crossed my arms and grumbled while scowling as she realized that I am not capable of flying, let alone interacting with clouds using my bare hands. She blushed while scratching her head, chuckling nervously. But she suddenly gasped, "Oh! I know how you can help! Right over here!"

I followed Rainbow Dash over to what seemed to be a wooden tower that was about twenty feet tall with a flat platform at the top. Just below it was a catapult of sorts with a square wooden platform on each end. I gazed up at the tower and asked, "Um… What am I supposed to do with this?"

Rainbow Dash pointed up at the top and explained, "Well, you gotta jump off from the top and land on the other end. That'll launch me into the air faster than I can take off on my own. And if I start fast, I finish faster!"

As Rainbow Dash explained what I was supposed to do, I scanned the height of the tower. While I am not prone to vertigo, the idea of jumping from such a height worried me. "Are you sure I'll be OK from that height? It's not like I have hard hooves to absorb the impact." I grumbled out loud.

The pegasus pony grinned enthusiastically. "Nah. You'll be fine. Besides, the raised end will take a few feet outta the drop. C'mon! Those clouds aren't gonna move themselves!" She then flew over to the platform furthest from the tower and sat on it.

Knowing I had nothing better to do at the time, I decided to take Rainbow Dash up on her offer. I climbed a ladder that was affixed to the back of the tower and slowly approached the edge of the platform. I looked down, finding that the platform I was supposed to land on was just under me. All I had to do was hop off and fall straight down. Even though the task was simple, I felt very unsure of myself as I feared getting hurt from the fall.

"Whatcha waiting for?! You'll be fine! Just jump already!" Rainbow Dash called out to me, appearing ready to leap off of her side as soon as I dropped. Not wanting to disappoint her, I put my faith in the pegasus pony and jumped. My aim was perfect as I landed right in the center of the platform on my side. I watched as Rainbow Dash let out a shout of excitement the instant she was launched skyward.

I stood aghast while I watched Rainbow Dash blaze across the sky, leaving a rainbow-colored vapor trail in her wake. She shot through each cloud like a bullet, breaking them up upon impact. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I could swear she was flying at near supersonic speed. She was moving so fast; the entire skyline was free of clouds in less than fifteen seconds. I watched with my mouth hanging open as Rainbow Dash dropped out of the sky and landed before me. "Ha! I told you I'd get the job done faster with a little boost! I just broke my old record!"

I steadily regained my composure while I watched the rainbow vapor trails fade away. "Um… Rainbow? Are you sure your full name is Rainbow Dash and not Rainbow Flash?"

The pegasus pony laughed at my question. "You're not the first pony…er…person to say that! I know Rainbow Dash sounds more like an earth pony name, but that's what my name is. I don't think I can change it. Though I guess Rainbow Flash DOES sound cooler…"

We chuckled together for a moment before Rainbow Dash spoke up, "Oh, right! I almost forgot your pay! You're staying at Rarity's place, right?" I nodded in silence. "OK then. I'll drop it off there later. I'd give it to you right now, but I don't normally carry a purse or wallet with me."

I looked her over, not finding a single scrap of clothing on the pegasus. "Unless you have pockets built into your own coat, I don't see how you could carry anything with you." .

Once I had parted ways with Rainbow Dash, I decided to explore some more outside of Ponyville. I decided to look north of Sweet Apple Acres since I had yet to see what was over there at the time. I came across a meadow with what seemed to be a cottage off in the distance. "Someone lives all the way out here?" I can remember muttering to myself.

When I drew closer, I found that a shallow stream ran near it. A small arched bridge crossed the stream, allowing me to reach the other side without getting my feet wet. Numerous birdhouses and nests could be seen hanging from a few trees nearby with plenty of birds flitting to and fro. There were also many small woodland animals skittering about. They were also surprisingly tame, as they would pass right by me without showing any sign of fear or wariness. One of them, a squirrel, climbed up my pants and sat on my shoulder. Finding such a charming creature to be irresistible, I reached out and stroked its head with a finger. It seemed to enjoy the attention since it soon nuzzled my face. "This is too good to be true…" I remember speaking out loud.

Now that I was closer to the cottage, I could make out all the details. The roof was covered in grass and bushes, leading me to suspect that a layer of soil had been placed on the roof. I can distinctly remember saying, "I've heard of going green, but that is just ridiculous." To the left, I noticed what seemed to be a doghouse with a white rabbit napping at the entrance. A carrot-shaped banner hung over the entrance. Just as I was starting to wonder who lived here, I heard what sounded like footsteps splashing through water. I turned around and watched as Fluttershy walked out from under the bridge.

I watched silently as the pegasus jumped out of the stream. When she noticed me, she gave me a calm smile and spoke, "Oh, hello James. What brings you out here?"

The squirrel that was standing on my shoulder hopped down and ran over to Fluttershy. I chuckled lightly while watching the squirrel scamper over to her. "Well, I'm mostly just exploring. Though I could use a job to earn some bits…" I then asked, "Um… Fluttershy? Are all these animals your pets? They seem a little too…..tame to be wild."

The timid pegasus pony smiled and explained while nuzzling the squirrel, "Oh, they're not my pets… Well, OK. One of them is. He's right over there. His name's Angel." She pointed over to the white rabbit in the 'dog' house. "He's taking a nap right now, so it's best we don't disturb him."

I watched while Fluttershy tended to the many animals surrounding us. Since she was the only pony there, I deduced that the cottage was her home. I decided to lean against a tree nearby while I waited for Fluttershy to finish tending to her little friends. As I watched, I noticed that she seemed less uptight than usual and her timid eyes were brighter as well. It almost seemed as if she felt more at ease around animals than her own kind.

Once it seemed that Fluttershy had finished feeding the animals, I spoke, "You seem to really enjoy being around animals."

She turned to face me and nodded with a meek smile. "Oh, yes. I actually prefer their company over the company of other ponies."

Hearing this gave me the impression that Fluttershy would prefer that I leave her be for a while. "Oh… Well then, I'll be going now so you can enjoy their presence in peace."

When I turned to leave, I stopped as Fluttershy ran to my side. "But…why? It's not like I don't enjoy your company."

I looked down at her and asked, "But didn't you just say…"

Fluttershy then proceeded to explain. "There are exceptions. I'm completely open around my friends and anyone else I know well. And I don't feel scared of you at all since you're not a pony. I'm actually really…curious about you."

As I listened to Fluttershy's explanation, I found myself greatly relating to her. "To be honest… That's exactly how I was back home. I preferred the company of animals to most other humans. At least animals are cuddly and never yell at you or use unnecessarily mean words."

Fluttershy and I sat on the bridge overlooking the stream, our reflections looking back at us from the surface of the gently flowing water. Soon, she asked, "Well, do you feel nervous or uneasy around us ponies?"

I replied after a few seconds to think out my response. "No… It's strange. You ponies are just like humans from my home, but I feel more at ease around you than them. I think it's because I have never been given reason to fear or dislike you."

I felt Fluttershy lean against me before she spoke softly, "That's how I feel towards you. I've had a few bad experiences with some ponies in my life, so I'm a little wary of ponies I don't know well. But you're the first human I ever met. And you gave me a good first impression, so I don't feel wary of you." She then asked, "James… Are all humans as gentle as you?"

Lying to a friend as dear as Fluttershy would be a bad idea. So I sighed, "I would be lying if I said they are… If you ever meet another human, be very cautious until you are certain they are trustworthy. Many are not."

I felt Fluttershy embrace me tightly with her forelegs once I finished speaking. "If that's true, then I'm glad you were the first human I ever met. Because you've shown me that humans can be good people." I sighed before draping my arm over her back and gently gripping her shoulder. If only she knew what things are like where I came from… It would be best to leave her innocence intact.

A moment later, we both glanced around at the sounds of birds chirping and screeching. In the largest tree nearby were various birds that were in a frenzy. At the base of the tree were a few snakes that seemed to have curled up in the shade. "I'm guessing the birds are a little apprehensive about snakes getting so close to their nests." I muttered out loud.

"Yes… Snakes are known to eat eggs, so I'm not surprised. I'm sure they can't reach the nests, but I guess the birds are still afraid of them." Fluttershy added. She then asked, "Wait… Did you say you were looking for a job? I think you can help out." I watched while the pegasus ran inside the cottage. She soon returned with a flute in her mouth that was made of either glass or crystal.

When she handed the flute to me, Fluttershy explained, "Play that flute and the snakes will follow you. Try leading them over there." She pointed to what seemed to be a small den under a rock in the ground.

As I looked the flute over, I recalled something about snake anatomy. "Fluttershy… Snakes don't have ears. They can't hear anything, not even the sound of a flute."

I looked on while Fluttershy seemed surprised by my revelation. "They are? But they always follow me when I play it…" I looked down at the sleeping snakes and back at the flute. Could it be that snakes in Equestria CAN hear sound? Well, if Equestrian ponies evolved into sentient creatures with human-level intelligence, perhaps snakes developed ears over time. Or perhaps they can feel the sound waves coming from the flute. Regardless, I took Fluttershy's claims seriously and approached the snakes.

"I haven't played a recorder in ages… I just hope those snakes aren't venomous…" I recall muttering to myself. I placed my fingers over a few of the holes and blew into the flute. After playing only a few notes, I noticed that the snakes began to uncoil and rise up as if to look at me. "I have no idea what I'm playing, but hey. If it works, it works."

I steadily walked backwards while playing different notes. The snakes seemed to like whatever I was playing since they followed close behind me. I looked over at Fluttershy while I played. She smiled and spoke softly, "Keep going. You're doing fine." The birds seemed pleased as well since they had stopped screeching at the snakes.

It did not take me long to reach the snake's den. I slowly turned around, guiding the snakes towards the entrance. Once they were right in front of the entrance, I ceased playing. I watched as all but one of the snakes slithered into their den. The one that remained looked up at me with a somewhat unhappy expression… Wait. Snakes can display emotions? Well, regardless, I could tell exactly what the snake wanted. "Someone wants an encore."

I brought the flute to my mouth and began to play again. In response, the snake reared up and began to sway from side to side. I tried making the tune livelier by changing notes rapidly. After around a minute or so of playing the flute, I stopped to catch my breath. Apparently satisfied, the snake slithered into its den. "You're welcome." I muttered after taking a deep breath.

When I turned around, I saw Fluttershy entering her cottage. "Well, where is she going?" I headed on up to the front door and waited, certain that she would soon come back out. I did not wait long as she soon opened the door with a small sack in her mouth.

Fluttershy set the sack down at my feet. "That's your pay for helping move the snakes away from the bird nests. And that was a catchy tune you played too."

I chuckled as I handed the flute back to her. "To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing." We both laughed lightly together while I picked up the sack. When I opened it, I found it was full of bits. But I felt a twinge of guilt as I looked down at Fluttershy. Even though I knew I had earned them, it still felt wrong to take money from someone like her. With a sigh, I reached into the sack and took out one bit before closing it. "Thank you, Fluttershy. This is all I need."

The pegasus seemed surprised by my refusing most of my payment. "Are you sure that's all you want? You can have the whole bag…"

I shook my head with a smile. "It's OK, Fluttershy. One's all I need. But are there any other jobs you might need some help with?"

Fluttershy was silent for a moment as she looked around the area. "Well… I think I could use some help Sunday. It's the official bunny census. We count up all the baby bunnies that were born this season. Could you stop by then sometime?"

The thought of interacting with absurdly adorable baby rabbits made me very eager to start. "Baby bunnies that don't run away from you? Now that sounds like a special treat. I'll be here Sunday afternoon." I bid Fluttershy goodbye and started on my way back to Ponyville.

As I strolled through town, my thoughts turned to Rarity. She had been allowing me to stay at her home for free, not to mention crafting me new clothes without asking for anything in return. "I can't keep doing this… I need to give her something in return."

The first place that came to mind was Sugarcube Corner. "Can't go wrong with tasty treats." I stepped inside the bakery and found Applejack in the process of finishing up a delivery of apples.

"Got everythin' ya need?" The farm pony asked Pinkie Pie, who was looking at a sheet of sorts on the counter.

"One bushel of apples! Check! Thanks again, AJ!" The pink pony crossed something off on the sheet with a writing quill in her mouth after speaking her thanks.

When Applejack turned to face me, her mouth curved into a grin. "Well, howdy James! Y'all still feelin' sore from yesterday? Or are ya feelin' fine and dandy?"

I replied with a brief chuckle, still feeling rather sore in a few spots. "I wouldn't say I'm back up to 100%, but the soreness is pretty much gone for the most part. Thanks for asking though."

Applejack patted me on the lower back lightly. "Glad ta hear that, James. I know yer not cut out for that kinda work, but if ya ever feel like helpin' out again, y'all just give Big Macintosh and me a holler."

Not thrilled at all about working for long hours in hot summer heat, I shrugged my shoulders. "I'll keep that in mind next time I feel like getting a serious workout." I waved goodbye before Applejack headed out the door.

Remembering why I was there, I turned to Pinkie Pie and asked, "Are you still open? I'd like to place a special order if you are."

"We don't close until 6, so we're still open! What can I get you, James?" The pink pony replied with her cheery tone.

Keeping Rarity in mind, I asked, "Well, I'd like to get something special for Rarity. Do you know what she likes?"

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes while she tried to think. "Well… She always did like some of the more refined pastries we make. Usually ones with fancy names… How does le tarte du crème avec le poisson sound?"

I had no idea what it was she said since I am not fluent in French, at least I assume that was French, but it certainly sounded like something someone of Rarity's lifestyle would like. "That does sound pretty tasty. I'll take one of those."

Pinkie Pie showed me her big toothy grin and replied, "Oki doki loki! I'll get on it right away!" She then trotted back into the kitchen. I know I should have probably stayed out front, but I was very curious of what this treat was. After some debating, I followed Pinkie into the kitchen to observe.

I saw Pinkie Pie setting out a piecrust that seemed to be made of cookie dough. She glanced over at me and smiled. "Couldn't stay away, huh?" I nodded as I watched her fill the crust with a type of chocolate cream. But I gasped when I watched her pull out a whole carp from the fridge.

"Whoa! What're you doing?!" I rushed over to Pinkie Pie before she could set the fish into the pie, trying to make her set it aside until I had a firm grasp of what she was doing with it.

Once she had set the fish down, Pinkie explained, "Don't you know? Le tarte du crème avec le poisson means 'pie with cream and fish'! And this carp is the fish!"

I felt slightly sick to my stomach at the thought of eating a sweet pie with a whole uncooked fish in it. "Uh…er….. I think Rarity would prefer that you leave the fish out of it this time… Actually, leave it out for ALL future orders of this dish. Please!"

"OK then! But I can't let this fish go to waste! So…" I watched as Pinkie Pie gulped the fish down whole, leaving me frozen in disbelief. "Yummy! Now for…. Uh, James? What's with that look?"

I shuddered a bit while I muttered under my breath, "I thought…ponies are…strictly herbivorous…" I began to feel that Pinkie Pie might be criminally insane if she ate meat, although I hoped it was all in my head.

Pinkie Pie topped the pie off with some whipped cream and colorful sprinkles. She also added strips of vanilla icing crisscrossing the center of the pie. "She's gonna love this! Are you asking her out for a date?"

I blushed at her question and stammered out a reply. "Um… I'm not sure that's legal. This is just a gift for her allowing me to stay at her house. Kinda like paying off some of my rent."

I handed Pinkie Pie a few bits in exchange for the pie while she boxed it up for transport. "OK then, it's all ready! Tell Rarity I said hi!" Pinkie said with a smile as she placed my bits in the cash register. I thanked her again and set off for home with the pie under my arm.

It was around 6 pm by the time I reached the Carousel Boutique. Finding the door unlocked, I opened it and stepped inside. "Ooooh, making human clothing is so cumbersome on these pony dress forms. I suppose I'll have to improvise for now…" I found Rarity hard at work on something; probably whatever she was making me for the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Are we making progress, Rarity?" I asked as I walked up behind her.

The unicorn turned around abruptly, startled by my entrance. "Oh! You're just in time! I finished part of your attire for the gala!" She led me over to her sewing machine. A black pair of pants rested upon it. "I did your pants first. Are they to your liking?

I had great faith in Rarity's skill as a seamstress, so I felt it was unnecessary to test my new pants out. "It looks fine to me, Rarity. Thank you. But what do you have in mind for the top?"

She smiled while she adjusted the stylish glasses on her muzzle, "Well, you asked for something that is not as stuffy as a suit. Correct? I was thinking a robe would suit you best."

The mention of a robe intrigued me, as I could not imagine one being worn to a gala. "A robe, you say? Sounds like an interesting alternative. I say go for it." It was then I remembered what I was carrying. "Oh right, I also got this for you." I set out the box that contained the pie and opened it. "It's all yours, Rarity."

The unicorn seemed taken aback by my offer. "James… Darling, you did not have to give me this. I made it quite clear that I do not want any payment for allowing you to stay here! Your company is enough!"

I smiled and replied, "I know. But this isn't money, is it? Besides, my conscious wouldn't leave me alone. You've given me a lot in these last three days. I wanted to repay you in some way, so I got you this. Is it OK?"

I could swear I could see Rarity blushing while I explained my actions to her. "You… I… Now I feel bad. Are you sure this was no trouble to you?"

I nodded reassuringly. "No problem at all. Pinkie Pie didn't charge me much for this. Now go on. Enjoy it. I've got my own treats to enjoy." I pulled a leftover cupcake out of the other box I was carrying and took a bite.

"Well… Thank you, James. I will enjoy this delectable pastry." Rarity said with a faint smile. While she went to the kitchen to retrieve a knife, I headed upstairs to bathe for the evening. The great deal of walking I had done that day had tired me out somewhat.

When I reached for the doorknob for the bathroom, I felt the strange feeling that I was being watched. I closed the door behind me after I entered to prevent Rarity or any guests from seeing me undress. I stepped into the shower and pulled the curtains closed after I removed my socks and shoes. But just as I was about to pull my shirt off, the lights went out. "What the… A dead bulb?"

I felt for the curtains, but froze when I heard what sounded like someone tripping over something. "Ow! Stupid towel…" The voice sounded vaguely familiar, and I began to suspect I was in danger. Being as quiet as I could, I snuck out of the shower and felt for the doorknob. I then quickly opened the door, got outside, and wedged a chair under the doorknob to prevent it from being opened from the inside. I heard the voice yell, "HEY! LET ME OUTTA HERE! I'LL KILL YOU!"

I ran downstairs as quickly as I could to warn Rarity of the intruder. She was busy enjoying a slice of her pie while looking over designs she had sketched. "Rarity, you better come quick. We've got an intruder in the bathroom and she threatened to kill me."

The unicorn turned my way with an alarmed expression. "Kill you?! Who would dare?! Show me this intruder. I'll show her not to harm my guests!" I swiftly led Rarity upstairs to the bathroom, the chair still keeping the door jammed.

"When I open the door, you restrain the intruder with your magic. Ready?" I whispered to Rarity, who gave me a nod. I then removed the chair and opened the door before jumping to the side.

"Got you!" I heard Rarity shout while her horn was engulfed in a billowing aura. A familiar filly floated out of the bathroom, squirming in midair while trapped in Rarity's magic clutches. I recognized her mane and coat coloration right away, as did Rarity. "Diamond Tiara? What are you doing out here in my home?!"

The angry filly growled as she flailed about in a futile attempt to break free, "I'm gonna kill that human! He stole my cutie mark!"

Rarity glanced over at me and asked, "You? Steal a child's cutie mark? Why would you do such a thing?"

I crossed my arms and replied, "It was to teach her a lesson. She was bullying Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle because they lacked cutie marks. So I decided to make her walk a mile in a 'blank flank's' horseshoes to understand what it's like to be them."

At the mention of her sister's name, Rarity glared at Diamond Tiara. "You would dare harass my little sister over the fact that she does not have a cutie mark yet?!" I took a step back as her face was displaying a most frightening expression of anger. Even Diamond Tiara cringed in intimidation. Rarity then dropped the filly rather forcefully onto the floor and screamed, "OUT!"

Clearly too frightened to argue, Diamond Tiara dashed down the stairs and out the front door. Rarity and I followed her to make sure she actually left. "What a wicked child. Trying to commit murder just for being punished? Why do they never learn?" Rarity said with a frustrated sigh.

I shook my head in disgust as well. "I didn't think she'd actually try to follow through with her threats. But she's not getting her cutie mark back until she stops being such a jerk. And I suspect that's not gonna happen for a looong time."

However, Rarity smiled at me in a rather endearing fashion. "Even so, it was sweet of you to defend Sweetie Belle. Thank you, James." I smiled warmly, feeling rather proud of myself for putting a schoolyard bully in her place. "Oh! Before you go upstairs, come over here for a moment. I need to measure your feet so I can make you some new shoes for the Grand Galloping Gala!"

About an hour later, I came downstairs with only a towel around my waist. I headed straight for the room I was to sleep in and found my old clothes neatly folded on the sofa. I then slipped my boxers on, glad to have a clean pair. However, I recalled that Rarity was not in her bedroom when I emerged from the bathroom. Curious of where she might be, I left my room to look for her.

My search ended almost instantly as I found Rarity slumped over the table that held her sewing machine. She was fast asleep, apparently having succumbed to exhaustion while in the middle of a job. Right beside her was a pair of black leather shoes with brass buckles similar to one I would see on a belt. "That's an old-fashioned design. Just right for something so formal."

Certain that sleeping in such a position would likely result in a very sore back in the morning; I decided to carry Rarity up to her bedroom. I reached under her and lifted the lovely unicorn onto my shoulders, finding that she was slightly lighter than I expected. But as I walked upstairs, she began to stir. "Ugh… What's happening… I need to finish that robe…"

Trying to help her go back to sleep, I spoke softly, "Oh, but you are. Your sewing machine is sewing away on it. Just stay focused and it will be done soon."

The drowsy unicorn seemed to believe my words as she muttered, "Oh, good… I need to finish it soon… Must…hurry…" I think she fell asleep right there since I could hear light snoring beside my head.

Once inside her bedroom, I pulled the covers of her bed down and set Rarity in the middle. I made sure to set her head on one of the pillows before covering her up. She seemed to be smiling in her sleep. I then reached out and placed a kiss on her muzzle, "Sweet dreams, Rarity."

While I walked away, I froze as I realized what I just did. "Did I just…" I turned around and looked down at Rarity. Even in the poor lighting, I could tell that she was smiling. I felt a cold sweat trickle down my body, as I believe I saw a faint blush on her face as well. "Oh man… It was just an impulse… I didn't mean…" I quickly, yet quietly, made my way out of the room and downstairs while many thoughts swirled through my head.

As I rest on the sofa in my room, I ponder the events of my third day in Ponyville. Starting tomorrow, I will be working at Sugarcube Corner. I can only pray I am up for the job. But while I write this, my thoughts keep going back to Rarity.

I cannot help asking myself. Do I love her? What does she think of me? Can a human and an Equestrian unicorn pony really…

No, I will not go there. Such a relationship would never work. We are too different. She is just my friend and landlord and it would be best if it stays that way.

But even so… The thought of such possibilities intrigue me… Regardless, I am too sleepy to continue writing. I shall end this journal here as my third day in Equestria ends. What does the following day hold for me? There is only one way to find out.


	4. Ups and Downs

I awoke to the sound of a cat purring. When I opened my eyes, I found Opal pawing at my hand. I still felt very groggy, my hand stroking her fluffy head. The Persian cat bounded up onto the blanket where my belly was located and curled up on me. "Great minds think alike." I muttered. Still feeling tired, I turned my head to the right and went back to sleep.

Another hour or so passed before I awoke again. This time to the sound of singing. I instantly recognized the voice as Rarity's. Too curious to go back to sleep, I sat up and got dressed.

When I peeked out into the main room of Carousel Boutique, I found Rarity hard at work with numerous work materials floating about. I could also clearly hear her singing. "Piece by piece, snip by snip. Croup, dock haunch, shoulders, hip. Thread by thread, primmed and pressed. Yard by yard, never stressed. And that's the art of the dreeeeess!"

I applauded as I approached my landlord. Her voice sounds lovely on its own, but makes for some fabulous singing. "Lovely tune, Rarity."

The unicorn turned to face me with a blush while seemingly embarrassed. "Oh, I didn't mean for you to hear that. I tend to tune out everything around me when I'm in the zone, as it were. Did I wake you up too soon, dear?"

The various floating objects were gently set down while I watched. "Nah. I slept long enough. But that was by far the best alarm clock I've ever woken up to." Rarity giggled and grinned at my compliment while also taking a bow.

"Oh, James… And to think I came up with that song on the spot!" Rarity then glanced around and pointed to one of her grid-shaped shelves. "Now that you're here though, could you bring me that clutch of thread over there?"

I looked in the direction she was pointing and saw what she was looking for. "Sure thing." I then walked over to the shelves and pulled it out. But I nearly dropped it upon finding that it was far heavier than it looked. It seemed to be gold-colored as it shimmered in the light, but no fabric could possibly be that heavy. A thought then crossed my mind as I held it in both hands. I turned to Rarity and asked, "Rarity… This thread… Is this made of REAL gold?!"

My landlord giggled at my bewilderment. "But of course! I told you, didn't I? I settle for nothing less than the highest quality in my work!"

I knew that Rarity's designs are of the highest caliber in both form and material, but I never expected that she used precious metals in some of them. "Rarity, are you certain that you don't want anything in return for that robe? Nothing at all?" I asked while suspecting that she was planning on using some of the gold threads in my robe.

Rarity shook her head in disagreement. "All I ask is that you wear this robe proudly when you attend the Grand Galloping Gala. Nothing more."

All I could do was sigh at Rarity's seemingly limitless generosity. "I…understand, Rarity… Thank you…"

It seemed that Rarity could sense my guilt since she soon approached me with a concerned expression. "James, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with what I am doing? Did you change your mind about what you would like me to make?"

I set the bundle of gold thread by her sewing machine and took a seat nearby. "It's just… How do I say this…" I then explained after letting out a long sigh, "You've been giving me so much since I arrived here in Equestria. And I actually feel really awful that you do not want anything from me in return. I truly appreciate your generosity, but… I just feel so guilty…"

The unicorn sighed as she walked over to me before speaking softly and reassuringly. "James… Darling, I want you to understand something. I'm not being generous to you so you can pay me back in full later. I'm doing all this for you because I simply WANT to. Is that really so wrong?" All I could do was bow my head. But she surprised me with a kiss on the cheek. "Still, you're very sweet to be so concerned about me. I'm just grateful you're not taking advantage of me. There are too many ponies in this world who would do just that if given the opportunity, so I'm grateful that you have such great restraint."

I touched my cheek, finding it hard to believe that a pony would kiss me. Understanding Rarity's appreciation of me, I felt somewhat better. But I could still feel some guilt in my heart for not being able to repay her for providing me with so much in so little time. "Thanks, Rarity… I think I understand now…"

"I'm glad to hear that, dear. If there is anything else you need, feel free to ask me." Rarity said with a lovely smile. She then nuzzled me gently, prompting a smile from me.

I glanced over at a clock and saw that the time was around 10:30 AM. "Oh, right. I need to be over at Sugarcube Corner at 11. I better get going." I stood up and made my way to the front door. "We'll talk later, Rarity. See you soon." I waved goodbye, but the unicorn 'tossed' me what seemed to be a polished yellow gemstone. I caught it, believing it to be plastic or glass.

"For Spike. Just in case." Rarity said to me before turning to go back to focusing on her work. I shrugged my shoulders and placed the gemstone in my pocket before heading on my way.

As I headed into town, I noticed some of the ponies whispering to each other. They would often glance over at me from time to time. I was curious of what they were saying, but felt it rude to pry into others' business. However, I soon noticed Applejack pulling a cart of apples to the market. Since I still had time before work, I decided to say hello. I approached the farm pony and smiled while speaking, "Morning, AJ."

Applejack turned my way and while chuckling, "Hey there, lover boy. Y'all on yer way to pick up some flowers?"

I raised an eyebrow at her question. "Wait… What? Lover boy? What makes you say that?"

The farm pony grinned in a cheeky fashion. "I heard it straight from the source. Y'all got the hots for Rarity, huh?"

I can remember feeling a surge of heat as I began to sweat. "What?! But…how…when… She was asleep when that happened! And it was just a reflex action! How'd she know?!"

Applejack burst into laughter at my spazzing. "She was just testin' ya, pardner. But don't you worry none. It's not like she's plannin' on jumpin' your bones tonight." After laughing some more, she asked, "Come ta think of it, what do ya think of Rarity anyhow?"

It was a question I was not expecting. I crossed my arms and thought over my response for a moment. "Well… She's very sweet. She has an amazing sense of fashion, yet is not conceited or snooty. She's very beautiful. And she's impossibly generous."

Applejack and I continued to converse about Rarity for a minute or more before I remembered where I was supposed to be. "Oh, right. I really need to get to Sugarcube Corner. I'm needed at 11."

The farm pony nodded and waved goodbye. "Oh, sorry then. Didn't mean ta distract. Y'all say hi ta Pinkie Pie for me!" We said our goodbyes and went on our ways.

Along the way, I passed by the library. I glanced around for a clock of any sort to check the time. When I could not find one, I estimated that no more than fifteen minutes had passed since leaving the Carousel Boutique. "I guess I can afford to pay a visit." Feeling it was tedious to go back and forth to read a book at the library, I decided it would be more practical to simply borrow the encyclopedia I had been reading from time to time.

As I approached the door to the library, I noticed Pinkie Pie out of the corner of my eye. "Uh oh… Is her Pinkie Sense gonna act up?" I remember muttering under my breath. She suddenly stopped when her ears flopped. Her eyes fluttered next, followed by her forelegs trembling. "That means…opening door!" I jumped back from the library door, expecting it to open forcefully.

The sound I heard next was a distant door opening loudly. I looked around and saw a pony emerge from a house nearby. "Oh… Wrong door." I breathed a sigh of relief. But when I reached for the library's doorknob, I was bashed in the face as the door opened forcefully, slamming me into the side of the building…tree…whatever you want to call it.

"What…the crap…" I groaned as the door slowly swung shut. I fell to my knees, dazed by the force of the impact. "Note to self… Stay away from doors until Pinkie Sense stops detecting."

Just like the previous time, Spike stepped out the door with a stack of books in his hands. The little dragon peeked behind the door to check who he had hit this time. "Huh? You again?" I nodded while adjusting my glasses, expecting an apology. However, Spike instead glared at me "Heh, serves you right for making a move on Rarity."

Spike's hostile tone took me by surprise since I had never done anything to make him angry with me. Or did I? "Wait… Rarity? What about her?"

The baby dragon growled and pointed a finger right at my face. "Look, let me make something clear with you since you're new around here. Rarity's MY girl. No one lays a hand on her but me. Got it?"

Suspecting that this was what Rarity had given me that gemstone for earlier, I reached into my pocket and pulled it out. "Um… This is for you, Spike."

I watched in surprise as the baby dragon's expression brightened immediately. "For me?! Awesome! Thanks!" He dropped his books and snatched the gem from my hand. I looked on in bewilderment while he chomped down on it like a piece of candy, the sound of the crunching coming from his mouth being rather loud.

"Spike… Does that…hurt?" I asked, amazed that none of his teeth were being broken.

The dragon licked his fingers while grinning broadly. "Nope! Gemstones are a dragon's favorite food! And thanks again for that one! You're an OK guy, James! Now I need to get back to work. See ya around." He picked up the pile of books again and wandered off, having forgotten everything he was angry about.

I was still awestruck while I watched Spike walk away. "Dragons…can eat…and digest…gemstones…" I then shook my head to discard the thought since it was clearly not something I should think too hard about. "Well, I guess that explains the legends of dragons hoarding gems and other precious minerals." I shuffled to the library's front door, still dazed from being slammed into the tree structure. However, I noticed Pinkie Pie glancing around in a panic again while her knees were twitching. "…Crud." I remember muttering a second before the door opened and slammed me into the side of the library AGAIN.

"Spike? Are you out here?" I heard the voice of Twilight Sparkle speak up from behind the door.

"No, but I'm here." I replied, now fairly sore from the two impacts I had received.

I saw Twilight peek around the door and gasp at the sight of me. "Oh no, I'm sorry! Are you all right?" She asked, an expression of guilt on her face.

Feeling somewhat bitter, I grumbled, "How would you feel if you were slammed into a tree twice in two minutes?"

Twilight took a step back while wincing. "Twice? I'm so sorry! Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

I replied while flexing my neck to loosen it up and get rid of some of the soreness that had set in. "Yeah… I'd like to borrow that encyclopedia I was reading yesterday."

Twilight nodded and ran back inside. She returned a moment later with the encyclopedia in her mouth. When she gave it to me, she asked, "Is there anything else I can do? Anything at all?"

While I pondered her question, I noticed that Twilight seemed like she was on the verge of crying. Her lips were quivering slightly, a sure sign that she was trying to restrain her emotions. Feeling somewhat guilty that I almost made a girl cry, I reached out and stroked her mane. "Hey, sorry if I snapped. I just got a little grumpy, that's all. I'm not mad at you, Twilight. Really."

My words seemed to reassure the unicorn as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "OK… I was just afraid I hurt you. I don't like upsetting my friends. So…I felt bad when I thought I might've hurt you. Do you forgive me?"

Trying to throw a little humor into the moment, I adjusted my glasses. "Let's see… No broken bones. No cuts or scrapes. And my glasses are still intact. Yup, I forgive you." I was especially grateful that my glasses were still fine since they are the only pair I have in Equestria and it would likely be costly to replace them.

My attempt at humor seemed to work since Twilight Sparkle let out a giggle. "You're sweet, James. You go ahead and keep that book as long as you want. I won't mind. And I'm sorry again for smashing you against my house." I nodded with a smile while I stroked her mane. But I became puzzled when I noticed what seemed like a blush on her face.

Not wanting to ponder Twilight's blush too deeply, I discarded the thought. "Not to be rude, but I need to hurry on over to Sugarcube Corner. I'm needed there at 11."

Twilight smiled and gave me a nod of confirmation. "Oh, OK! Say hi to Pinkie Pie for me!" I waved goodbye and went on my way.

I managed to catch up to Pinkie Pie while she trotted through town. "Morning, Pinkie. What's happening?"

The pink pony giggled while she looked up at me. "I was just placing an order for Mr. and Mrs. Cake. We have to get our baking supplies from somewhere, you know! You on your way into work?"

I nodded and replied, "Yeah. I'm not late, am I?" Pinkie Pie shook her head and pointed ahead. Sugarcube Corner was right before us. "OK. No way I'll be late now."

Pinkie Pie led me inside the confectionary, where I found an earth pony stallion minding the front counter. His coat was a brilliant shade of yellow while his mane and tail were a vibrant orange. His eyes were green and he wore an orange and white striped bowtie at the base of his neck. He also wore a hat with the same color scheme, the round shape bringing to mind a cookie tin. His cutie mark consisted of three square slices of cake topped with white icing. I also noticed that his lower jaw seemed to jut forward slightly, the first stallion I had seen with such a jaw structure. He spoke up, "Ah, so you're our new hired hand? Pinkie Pie's been telling us good things about you."

I looked away out of nervousness, not used to such praise. Pinkie Pie nodded with a big toothy grin and spoke, "Yes he is, Mr. Cake! And he's already come up with a new recipe! Who knew chocolate chips go so well with vanilla cupcakes?"

My employer smiled and looked towards me. "That does sound tasty. Mr. James, if I may ask a favor, could you provide us with any recipes you know?"

I nodded and replied promptly. "Sure thing. I know of a few recipes you may like."

Mr. Cake was clearly pleased by my agreement. "Good to hear, James. Now then, you'll be Pinkie Pie's assistant for today. If you have any questions, feel free to ask." I then followed Pinkie Pie into the kitchen.

"OK then, James! We need to make some more of those cupcakes from yesterday! Can you get the sugar and the eggs?" Pinkie Pie asked while she checked the cabinets.

"Will do." I replied while I checked the refrigerator.

While I helped mix the ingredients together a few minutes later with a whisk, Pinkie Pie asked, "So, James? Any other recipes you wanna share?"

I thought the question over in my head while adding a pinch of salt to the batter. "Well… Do you know how to make blueberry muffins?"

The pink pony grinned widely at me and spoke with her characteristic enthusiastic voice, "Yup! Nopony I know doesn't like those!"

I then added, "Well, I know of a twist on that recipe. Instead of muffins, put all the batter into a pound cake tin. Then you'll have a blueberry pound cake. Also, try sprinkling a little sugar on top right after you take it out of the oven."

Pinkie Pie gasped before giggling, "Pound cakes?! Why didn't I think of that?! I gotta write this down." I looked on while she opened a notebook and jotted something down in it with a pencil in her mouth.

"OK, that little reminder's been taken care of. Any other recipes you know that we don't?" Pinkie Pie asked while I turned on the oven.

I tried thinking my answer over in my head for a moment. "Um… Well, you ever heard of chocolate drops?"

The mention of chocolate instantly excited the pink pony. "Chocolate drops?! Is it like gumdrops, but with chocolate?!" She began hopping up and down repeatedly, almost as if she had springs in her legs.

"Um… No. It's not a candy. It's a pastry. You take dough and drop it on a baking sheet. That's drop, not set. The impact causes it to flatten out a bit. When done baking, you have a flat plain cake. Then you spread chocolate on it. But it doesn't have to be only chocolate. You can use icing, coconut, caramel, whatever. It's a pretty versatile treat." I explained, having enjoyed the treat many times in my life, especially during my elementary school days. I still remember when I would wake up after 5 AM and visit the place by going in through the backdoor and buying my breakfast before the place had even opened. Good times…

To my surprise, I found that Pinkie Pie was already gathering the ingredients needed to make chocolate drops. "All we need is cake dough, right?!" I nodded with a chuckle, finding her enthusiasm amusing.

As I watched Pinkie Pie prepare the dough for baking, she asked, "Did Rarity like the pie you gave her yesterday?"

I nodded and replied, "Yup. It seemed to be to her liking." I then paused as I thought about the gossip I had been told by Applejack and Spike. "Um… Was Rarity in today?"

Pinkie Pie smirked while rolling her eyes at me. "Ooh, I know what you're getting at. Rarity told me all about it!" I blushed, understanding that Rarity had told her as well.

"Well… Did she say why she tested me like that?" I had become very curious about my landlord's intentions, but felt it would be a bad idea to ask her personally.

The cheeky pink mare grinned at me. "Oh, don't worry too much! She just said it was to see how sweet you could be. But she did say the kiss was unexpected. You really surprised her!"

I bowed my head while I blushed. At least I suspect I blushed. "I'm not sure why I kissed her… I think it was just a reflex of some sort."

The pink pony approached me and gave me a playful nudge. "You planning on asking her out sometime? I know a great place for a date!"

Although I am a romantic and do find romance and the like beautiful, I was hesitant to ask a pony out on a date. "I don't know if that's a good idea… She's a pony. I'm a human. Would that kind of relationship really work out? And besides, I don't think I have the kind of social stature to woo her anyway."

Pinkie Pie surprised me with a laugh before speaking, "Oh, I'm sure you have a pretty good chance with her! Rarity's not nearly as shallow as she seems! She's very sweet and generous. I'm pretty sure even the poorest pony could win her heart if their character was good enough! And just between you and me, she really does wanna get married someday."

I was surprised to find that Rarity is more into substance than style. "Is that so? Well, I hope I get invited to the wedding."

After a couple of hours, Pinkie Pie and I had baked a couple dozen cupcakes, maybe a dozen blueberry pound cakes, and around forty 'drops'. Due to only having a single oven like you would find in the average kitchen and not one of those massively wide ones found in traditional bakeries, we could only bake so many things at one time. And due to being new on the job, I had not yet worked myself into a routine and had no experience in the art. Fortunately, Pinkie Pie really knows her stuff in the kitchen and made sure we stayed on schedule while guiding me along. For being such a happy-go-lucky girl, she certainly does not mess around too much when on the clock. I have no idea what I would have done without her.

One dozen of those drops were topped with chocolate, another dozen was topped with vanilla icing, and the other dozen or so was topped with a combination of chocolate and…..hot sauce. Please do not ask. I honestly was afraid to know why. Pinkie and I did sample our finished works a bit now and then during the baking process, but I stayed far away from the stuff that involved hot sauce. I have already tasted chocolate mixed with chili peppers and the like. Unpleasant combination. Pinkie Pie eventually spoke with a hungry gaze focused upon our creations, "Those turned out awesome!"

I remember muttering, "Awesome… Right… As long as your tongue is lined with asbestos." Pinkie Pie took one of the spicy pastries and took a bite. I winced, finding it hard to believe anyone would like hot sauce on anything sweet.

"Wow! This is great!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she gulped down her first chocolate…hot sauce…drop… I really have no idea what to call that one. But before she started on another, Pinkie Pie glanced towards the wall. "Wow. Past noon already? Guess we better get some lunch then."

I then asked while glancing over at her, "Lunch? Are we allowed to do that?"

Pinkie Pie giggled at me once again and replied, "Don't worry! Mr. and Mrs. Cake are taking their lunch breaks right now! They always stay here during business hours, so we can go out to get some food! But we have to be back in one hour. Do you know a good place for some good munchies?"

The first place that came to mind was the outdoor café I had visited the previous day. "How about that restaurant with the outdoor seating? It's pretty close to Sugarcube Corner, right?"

The pink pony hopped in place with glee. "Perfect! You go on ahead. I'll let our bosses know we'll be right back!" She trotted out of the room to look for Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Knowing I would not need my glasses to eat, I took them off and set them on the counter before heading out through the back door.

I knew where the café was, so I made a beeline for it without stopping in order to conserve time. I did not get far before Pinkie Pie caught up to me. "You know what you're gonna get?" She asked while hopping alongside me.

"I'm sure I'll get a salad, but I also think I'll try something new." I replied, curious of what else was on the menu.

When we arrived, we found that the outdoor seating had only a few customers. "Looks like our orders shouldn't take too long with this many customers." I said before we took a seat at a table. Once again, I found the table to be uncomfortably low. Not wanting to be uncomfortable by the time my order arrived, I went and borrowed a small stool that was nearby.

Pinkie Pie was unusually quiet while she looked through the menu. I suppose even someone as hyper as her needs to focus when reading. As I looked through my menu, I found an item that raised my spirits. "Pasta… Awesome."

While I read over the list of pasta dishes on the menu, the sound of hooves came from near the table I was seated at. It was fairly loud, likely a pegasus setting down from a great height. A voice then asked, "Hey there, James. Pinkie Pie. What's happening?" The two of us looked towards the source of the voice and found Rainbow Dash standing at the table.

"Hi, Rainbow Dash! Wanna join us for lunch?" Pinkie Pie asked with a joyful smile. The rainbow-maned pegasus grinned while she nodded as she took a seat on a pile of hay below the table.

"So, any luck with that job hunting?" Rainbow Dash asked me, a hoof holding her head up with her elbow on the table.

I replied with a nod and spoke, "Yup. Got a job at Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie and I are currently on our lunch break." Rainbow Dash congratulated me before bumping 'fists' with me. She then grabbed a menu from an unused table nearby and started looking through it.

"Anything you recommend?" She asked, looking over at me out of the corner of her eye.

"I really must recommend the grilled carrots. You won't be disappointed." I replied while showing a small grin.

While the three of us chatted, the same waiter from my previous visit approached us. "Have you made your decision?"

Pinkie Pie ordered a sandwich, Rainbow Dash ordered the grilled carrots, and I ordered a house salad and an order of fettuccine with broccoli and alfredo sauce. We decided to chat to pass the time while waiting for our orders.

A few minutes later, the waiter brought out my salad. I felt it was rude to start eating before my friends had received their orders, so I asked, "Should I wait for the rest to arrive?"

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie looked at each other, whispered something, giggled, and then smiled at me. "Sure! Go right ahead."

I thanked my friends before taking a fork in hand. But Rainbow Dash then stood up and spoke, "I just remembered I've got something to do. I'll be back in a few minutes." The pegasus trotted away, leaving me and Pinkie Pie alone.

For some reason, Pinkie Pie was giggling nonstop. Knowing her, she could be off in her own little world. But right as I was about to take a bite of my salad, I saw Rainbow Dash rocketing towards our table. "What the?! Hey!" I yelped as she blazed past us at great speed, creating a powerful gust that sent my salad and bowl flying into my face.

"Bwahahahaha! That was awesome!" Rainbow Dash laughed as she returned to the table. Pinkie Pie was laughing just as hard, having likely discussed the prank. I took the bowl off my face, the dressing smeared all over me. Having never felt so offended since I first arrived in Ponyville, I trembled in a fusion of anger and pain.

Pinkie Pie giggled loudly, "Pulling pranks is the best! It never gets old!" Rainbow Dash had fallen on her back while laughing. I was tempted to kick her, but at the same time I did not want to hurt someone I cared about. Settling for a less painful type of revenge, I gathered up what I could of my salad and placed it in the bowl.

I approached Rainbow Dash and stood above her while holding my salad bowl in my hand. "That was real funny, Rainbow. But how about this?" I slammed the bowl down onto her head, returning the favor as the salad was pushed into her face. "I never took you for the town bully. Jerk." I placed my hands in my pockets and walked away, not paying any heed to the ponies' calls.

Having lost my appetite, I went straight back to Sugarcube Corner. I wiped the salad dressing off my face with a towel once I was back in the kitchen. Just as I was about to get back to work, I heard a knock at the back door. I opened it without a second thought and found Pinkie Pie waiting for me.

"Um… James? Sorry we pra-" I interrupted her by slamming the door in her face. In hindsight, it was a very rude action. But at the moment, I was too upset to care. As I retrieved my glasses from the counter, I heard the door creak open. I did not even look in its direction while I read over the next list of goods that still needed to be baked.

"James….. I'm sorry. I didn't know you don't like to be pranked." Pinkie spoke uncharacteristically softly as she apologized. She sounded more like Fluttershy at the time.

"Is that your attempt at a Fluttershy impersonation?" I asked while fetching some eggs from the refrigerator.

I heard Pinkie Pie sigh before muttering, "No… I'm really sorry… I didn't know."

Annoyed, I then asked, "Did you even bother to ask? Did you ever ask me if I don't mind being pranked like that?" Pinkie Pie did not offer a reply. I cracked some eggs and mixed them with sugar and flour, "I don't mind being joked with or being the victim of harmless pranks. But pranks that have results like the one you and Rainbow pulled on me really do not sit well with me. Keep that in mind next time you want to risk ticking me off."

There was a moment of silence as I awaited a reply. After a moment, she sighed once more. "You're right… I didn't ask. I should've checked with you to learn what your level of tolerance is." She then approached me and looked up at me before speaking, "I'm sorry… I'll never play another prank on you again. I hate upsetting my friends. Can you ever forgive me?"

I could tell just by looking at her that Pinkie Pie was showing true remorse for her actions. With a sigh, I nodded. "OK. Apology accepted. But I'm still feeling pretty bitter right now. So I'd appreciate it if you give me some time to recover."

Pinkie Pie hopped once before smiling calmly. "Oki doki loki. If there's anything I can do to help make it up to you, let me know." I nodded silently in response. She then asked, "You know, you still have a while before your lunch break ends. You wanna head back out for some grub?"

I sighed, not feeling hungry in the slightest. "No thanks… I lost my appetite from that little 'prank' you pulled on me. What about you? Didn't finish your sandwich?"

The pink pony shook her head. "No… I felt too bad afterwards to eat anything… I wrapped it up to go for later."

The two of us did not speak much for the next hour. Pretty much the only time we did communicate verbally was when exchanging baking instructions. Just after I had placed another batch of cupcakes into the oven for baking, Pinkie Pie asked, "James, would it be OK if I let you leave work early? You know, as part of my apology? I'll make sure you get a full day's pay."

I looked over at the clock on the wall. The time was a little past 2 PM. "Are you sure that's OK? Closing time is almost four hours away."

Pinkie Pie nodded and smiled calmly. "It's OK, James. Go ahead. Take the rest of the evening off. It's the least I can do for making you feel so bad." With some reluctance, I decided to take her up on the offer. I said my goodbyes and headed out the back door.

Even with hours of free time to myself, I was still feeling very rotten. As I tried to think of what to do to help lift my bad mood, the thought of feeding the fish at the local park came to mind. Seeing as how feeding fish in general is usually a relaxing activity, I made my way south without paying any mind to the ponies around me.

I was pleased to find that the park had few visitors at the time I reached it. Even more so when I found the pond deserted. The sack of fish food pellets had been restocked as I found it to be filled to the brim. I took a seat by it, opened the sack, and scattered some pellets over the pond. Like before, a few fish leapt out of the water to catch some of them. While I watched the fish jump, I could feel a slight smile creep across my face.

A few minutes passed before I heard the sound of wings flapping. I immediately thought it was Fluttershy arriving to feed the fish like before. The sound of the flapping steadily grew louder before being replaced by the sound of hooves clopping. I was still feeling bitter, so I did not offer a greeting. What happened next surprised me. The pegasus behind me walked up beside me and set a large paper bag down that was emitting a delectable aroma. I looked down at the bag before looking up at whoever had brought it to me. To my disappointment, I found Rainbow Dash looking at me with a somber expression on her face.

"It's your lunch. I handled the payment for you. We're still cool, right?" Rainbow Dash asked, clearly trying to repay me for the unwanted prank she had pulled earlier.

Although the offer was sincere, I was feeling especially bitter towards Rainbow Dash since it was she who carried out the prank directly. I looked away from her and spoke dryly, "I don't want to see you right now. Leave me alone."

I heard Rainbow Dash groan in apparent frustration. "Man, this sucks! This is the second time in a week that I hurt you! Am I really such a klutz?!"

I replied bluntly, "Maybe you should ask next time you plan on pulling a prank on someone. Most people don't take kindly to the more aggressive types of pranks."

The pegasus sighed and held her hoof to her face while shaking her head. "…..You're right. I should've checked if you don't mind being pranked. You're like a combo of Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy. You're really smart and logical, but you're also pretty sensitive."

At the mention of being sensitive, I scowled. "You got a problem with me not being as tough as you?"

Rainbow Dash replied while taking a step back and shaking her hoof through the air in a nervous fashion. "Whoa, easy there. I didn't mean it like that. Sensitive ponies are cool. They're pretty nice to have around…" She then cleared her throat and walked up next to me. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… I like you, James. And I feel bad that I really struck a nerve with you. I'm sorry. Really. I won't ever prank you again. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

I looked at the pegasus out of the corner of my eye. Her eyes were pleading so intently, I almost felt sorry for her. After a moment of thought, I nodded silently to express my acceptance of her apology. Rainbow Dash then surprised me by embracing me tightly around my upper body. "I was afraid you were gonna sock me one. But really, I'll never do something like that again. I promise.'

I gently placed my hand on Rainbow Dash's hoof. "I wouldn't do that… The thought of hurting my friends is unpleasant to me. Even if they have hurt me before."

Rainbow Dash sighed long and deep. "Man… You really are just like Fluttershy. You're a total softy. But I mean that in a good way." The rowdy pegasus nuzzled my cheek gently, prompting a calm smile from me.

"I'm gonna let you enjoy your food in peace, OK?" Rainbow Dash asked as she backed away. I nodded in silence and waved goodbye. "See ya around, James!" I watched as my friend flew away, my faith in her restored.

Not wanting to wait too long, I opened the bag that contained my lunch. Inside were two covered plastic bowls. One contained a house salad with French dressing and the other contained shell-shaped pasta in a white cream sauce with broccoli. "Thanks, Rainbow…" I muttered while I removed my meal from the bag.

After no more than twenty minutes, I had finished my lunch. The pasta was every bit as tasty as I had hoped. While I ate, I would occasionally toss more pellets to the fish in the pond. I placed my empty containers inside the bag that held them earlier. Still feeling slightly sore, I decided to remain at the pond a while longer to relieve more of my stress.

I soon heard the sound of wings flapping and suspected that it was Rainbow Dash returning. The pegasus landed behind me before walking up alongside me. I turned my head to look at her, but instead of Rainbow Dash, I found Fluttershy looking at me. "You really like this place, don't you?" She asked me with her calming quiet voice.

I responded sincerely, "I do. It's a great place to relax and let go of the bad things on your mind." I tossed a few more pellets, watching the fish feed on them.

Fluttershy took a seat beside me and asked, "Bad things? Did something happen?" Her face showed genuine concern.

"It's not important. I'm almost all better now anyway. A good meal helped with that." I explained, not wanting to make her feel angry towards Rainbow Dash.

The mention of food seemed to interest Fluttershy since she then asked, "You had lunch? That reminds me. Applejack told me that humans eat all sorts of things. What do you like to eat?"

I looked over at her, not entirely surprised that Applejack had passed that tidbit of information along. "She told you that, huh? Well, she's right. As for what I like… I enjoy pasta dishes, certain veggies, but I dislike spicy foods. I also love seafood, especially sushi."

Fluttershy asked with a show of very slight surprise on her face, "You eat fish? Well…I can't say we ponies eat much meat. We're strictly herbivores. But some ponies sell fish at the market. Though they're usually for certain pets. You could probably buy some if you want to cook it."

The knowledge that there was some form of meat I could eat in Equestria lifted my spirits. "Awesome. I'll make a mental note of that. But what do ponies do with fish anyway?"

"Well… We don't actually eat fish. We just use it to feed animals that do eat it." Fluttershy explained, although I now realize that I had practically caused her to repeat herself...

We continued to chat for a while, my hand stroking Fluttershy's mane. "I like it when you do that…" She cooed softly in response to my touch.

"I'll keep doing it as long as you want." I replied, my fingers reaching her scalp.

After a moment more, I asked, "Are you feeling drowsy?"

Fluttershy replied with a relaxed sigh, "Yes… It's so soothing…" I soon heard faint snoring, the pegasus once again having fallen asleep while leaning against me.

"Fluttershy… You're too cute for words." I can recall muttering. Hoping to sleep off the rest of my bad mood, I closed my eyes while leaning against her.

I suspect two hours had passed by the time I awoke. A tender familiar voice whispered, "Wake up now, sleepyhead." I slowly opened my eyes and found Fluttershy looking down at me with a tender grin.

"What a pleasant sight to wake up to. Did you have a good nap?" I said with a chuckle. Fluttershy's only response was a faint giggle while appearing to blush slightly.

"Um… I hope I didn't keep you for too long. Is there somewhere you have to be?" Fluttershy asked with a look of slight worry.

I shrugged and replied, "Not really. I don't think I have to be anywhere right now. Though I am curious. Do you still want me to show up tomorrow in the afternoon?"

The pegasus nodded with a noticeably excited grin. "Oh, yes. It's not easy gathering up all those baby bunnies by myself. Please remember to stop by."

I nodded while I stood up to stretch my legs. I then decided to take a walk around the pond. Fluttershy joined me by trotting alongside me. "So, how have things been with you and Rarity lately?" She asked quietly.

"She's been hard at work making something for me to wear to the Grand Galloping Gala. I think she should be done with it by the time I return home." I replied, still very curious of what the end result would look like.

"You were invited to the Gala?! Why…that's wonderful! I'm looking forward to seeing you there!" Even when she was excited or raised her voice, Fluttershy somehow made it sound like a loud whisper when she spoke.

"Not fond of raising your voice, huh?" I asked. Fluttershy looked away with an embarrassed expression. "Me neither. I don't shout unless I really need to. I guess Rainbow Dash was right. You and I are pretty similar."

Fluttershy smiled at me before replying, "I'm glad to see I'm not the only quiet pony in Ponyville… Well, you're not a pony, but… You understand, right?" I nodded with a smile of my own.

Once we finished circling the pond, I looked down at Fluttershy. "I should probably head back to Rarity's place now. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, OK?"

"OK then. Take care on your way back." Fluttershy waved at me while I gathered up my trash before heading back towards Ponyville.

I dropped my garbage into the first trash bin I saw in the park. But before I could leave, I heard what sounded like a small motor buzzing like one on a motorized scooter. "Equestria has automobiles?" I muttered aloud while I glanced around.

"Whoa, heads up, Mr. James!" I looked around just in time to see a familiar pegasus filly coming my way while riding a small purple scooter. I yelped in surprise as I jumped out of the way. She went a short distance before performing a quick 360 spin before riding back over to me and coming to a screeching halt right in front of me. She gazed up at me with an elbow on the handlebars. She was wearing a safety helmet that was purple with two bold white vertical stripes reaching from front to back. The filly grinned at me and spoke, "So, what's up? I haven't seen you in two days!"

The pegasus filly's voice sounded familiar to me. I looked her over carefully while thinking back to what happened to me two days earlier. "A scooter… Wait… Scootaloo?"

She beamed at me and replied, "Yup! I'm glad you remembered me! So, what's been happening these last two days?"

I smirked at the rowdy filly in amusement. "Well, I just have one thing to say. You've got some mad skills on that scooter, girl."

Scootaloo laughed in response to my praise. "That's a new one! I've never heard anyone compliment me in such a rad way before!"

As we laughed, a thought occurred to me. "Hey, Scootaloo. Shouldn't you be at school right now? Or are you playing hooky?"

The filly chuckled briefly and explained, "School's usually out at this hour. And besides that, it's Saturday!" I groaned in embarrassment as I facepalmed. Wait, is that even a real word? Facepalm? In any case, Scootaloo merely laughed at my forgetfulness.

"Well, if this is the weekend, where are your fellow crusaders? Out crusading somewhere?" I asked, curious of what Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were up to at the time.

Scootaloo replied promptly, "Oh, we're supposed to meet up at our clubhouse! I was just out here practicing on my scooter before heading on over."

I nodded, but then looked down at her scooter. Even though it sounded like it was motorized, I could see no motor anywhere on it. Scootaloo seemed to notice me examining her ride since she asked, "What's wrong? Is something on my scooter?"

In response, I asked, "Are scooters in Equestria always that noisy? It sounded like your scooter had a motor running when you got here, but I don't see one."

To my surprise, Scootaloo merely laughed a bit and explained, "I don't need a motor to make this baby go! Just watch!" I jumped back as she began to flutter her wings extremely rapidly. The sheer speed of the flapping was giving off the sound of a small motor. She leaned back, pulling the scooter up on its rear wheels. After only a second, she took off at max speed. I could only watch as she zoomed all over the park. She then made her way towards a board that reached up to a bench, forming a ramp. I held my breath when Scootaloo went airborne. I think my heart skipped a beat as I watched her perform a kick flip, a stunt that is especially difficult to successfully pull off with a scooter due to the handlebars extending up from the board. She landed safely, then came to a screeching halt right in front of me again.

"Did ya see that?" Scootaloo asked, not the slightest bit frazzled by the danger involved with the kick flip stunt.

I could only mutter, "Girl… Either you know some sick tricks on that scooter…or you have a death wish. I've never seen a stunt like that with a scooter before." The two of us laughed together, albeit rather softly.

All of a sudden, Scootaloo glanced over to her left. "What's wrong? Thought you saw something?" I asked, curious of her wary glare.

"Uh… Yeah, I think I saw someone looking at us from behind that fountain. But maybe it's just me." Scootaloo spoke while she shrugged. I nodded, but I suspected there really was someone spying on us. I looked down at Scootaloo and held a finger to my lips. She nodded with a smile, understanding that I wanted her to stay quiet. I then quietly approached the fountain. When I drew closer, I could barely make out what seemed to be the top of a tiara sticking above it.

"Is that…" I muttered to myself. I then looked behind the fountain, finding a familiar earth pony filly gazing up at me in surprise. "Diamond Tiara. What do you want?"

The schoolyard bully growled, "I told you, didn't I?! I'm gonna kill you unless you give my cutie mark back!"

I crossed my arms as Scootaloo rode her scooter over to us. "Just a second, kid. I need to know if you've improved first." I then looked down at Scootaloo and asked, "How was she in school yesterday? Any less of a bully than before?"

The pegasus filly frowned and replied, "Not even close. She kept acting all high and mighty, saying that we 'blank flanks' aren't special. But it didn't help that everypony laughed at her every time she said that stuff since she's a blank flank too."

I glared down at Diamond Tiara and gave my answer. "Well then, it looks like I can't give it back yet. You're gonna have to stop being such a witch if you want to see your flanks not blank again."

This did nothing to coerce the bully into cooperating as she yelled, "I'M NOT MAKING ANY BARGAINS INVOLVING THOSE LOSERS! NOW GIVE IT BACK!"

She tried to kick my exposed legs, but I snatched her up by the mane while she flailed defiantly. "I'll kill you! Just you wait, blank flank! I swear I will!"

I could feel my already great disgust with Diamond Tiara become even greater as I listened to her yell. "You're the most unpleasant child I have ever known, Diamond Tiara. Your name should've been Muddy Pebble." Scootaloo laughed at my suggestion. I then held her over the fountain and dropped her in.

"Gah! You jerk! I'll get you for that!" Diamond Tiara shouted as she climbed out while soaked to the skin. After she shook herself off, she glared at Scootaloo. "If I can't kill you, I'll kill those losers!"

Despite having been threatened, Scootaloo laughed at the hopeless bully. "Yeah right. I'd like to see you try!" Diamond Tiara then charged her with an angry yell. But the filly gave her a hard head butt made even harder by the helmet she was wearing.

I watched as Diamond Tiara held her head in pain, ready to step in if things got anymore intense. The bully looked at us both, appearing slightly intimidated. "This isn't over… I'll get my cutie mark back…or else!" She then ran off, leaving Scootaloo and I shaking our heads in pity.

"Why do some ponies never learn?" I asked, finding it hard to believe a child could be so impossibly stubborn.

Scootaloo sighed before speaking with a groan, "Beats me. I'd say she's a totally lost cause. But it's cool. She won't be able to call us blank flanks once we get our cutie marks. It's gonna happen someday. Just you wait."

She took off her helmet and looked it over, apparently checking if the head butt had damaged it. Taking advantage of the moment, I reached down and scratched her ear with one finger. She giggled in surprise, "Mr. James, that tickles."

I smiled as I scratched her before speaking softly, "You don't have to call me that. Just James is good enough. We're friends now, right?"

Scootaloo grinned up at me. "You bet! It was really cool the way you handled Diamond Tiara. It's awesome to have somepony like you around. Almost like a big brother."

I blushed at the mention of being like a big brother to Scootaloo. "That's a…pretty big role to live up to… I feel honored." I stroked her mane for a moment before letting her put her helmet back on. "If anyone gives you or the other crusaders trouble, you just let me know. OK?"

Scootaloo nodded readily and spoke, "You'll be the first to know! I'll let Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom know you said hi. See ya later…James!" I waved goodbye just before the filly took off on her scooter towards the northwest, leading me to suspect that the CMC's clubhouse is located somewhere in Sweet Apple Acres. I watched until Scootaloo was out of sight before turning to leave the park. I can remember smiling brightly as I recalled Scootaloo comparing me to a big brother.

Once I was back in Ponyville, I went straight home to the Carousel Boutique. Upon entering, I found Rarity speaking to Applejack. "Yeah, it could use a lil' TLC after last time. Don't wanna go back ta the gala with tears and rips all over it." The farm pony explained, apparently discussing her attire for the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Oh, it wouldn't do for your dress to be in that condition! I'll get started on it first thing on Monday." Rarity said with a broad smile.

Applejack turned to leave and saw me standing at the front door. "Howdy, James! Whatcha been up to?"

I was expecting her to bring up the fact that I had kissed Rarity last night, but she never once mentioned it in front of the fashion designer. "Well, I started my new job at Sugarcube Corner. Went pretty well."

Rarity spoke up at once. "Good to hear! I'm glad you've started to find your calling, darling!" I smiled and nodded at her while trying to not give the impression that I knew she had spread the word about last night.

"Well, I'm not so sure about it being my calling, but at least now I have a means to earn some bits. And I don't have to work myself to the bone." I chuckled, prompting a laugh from Applejack.

"Like I said, yer more than welcome ta help out at Sweet Apple Acres if ya ever feel up to it again. But anyway, I gotta get back ta work. I'd like to get one more haul of apples inta town before sundown. See y'all later!" Applejack waved at us before she headed out the door.

I waved goodbye as the farm pony left. But when I turned around, Rarity motioned for me to approach her with an excited gaze. "Now that it's just us, I have something to show you. It took me quite a bit of work and a few redoes here and there, but I finally completed your attire for the Grand Galloping Gala! Now, don't hold back! Tell me how it is!"

I watched as Rarity used her magic to levitate a robe over to us. As I expected, it was truly a work of art. However, I was blown away by the sheer quality of it. The robe had long sleeves and the body of it reached down to my knees. The coloration strongly resembled the night sky with a greenish blue nebula taking up most of the middle and lower sections of it. The rest was a dark blue or purple with numerous white dots representing stars. The collar, cuffs, and very bottom of the robe were composed of the same gold thread I had seen earlier and had been styled into bars with spiral patterns. What was more; the precious gold thread had been sewn into the robe all over, literally making the robe shimmer with thin lines of gold.

Rarity waited patiently for my input. She was giving me a toothy grin, probably feeling very proud of her work. However, I was anything but happy. Quite the contrary. I felt absolutely awful. Once again, Rarity had given me something without asking for anything in return. And this robe, with threads of pure gold woven into it, was by far the most extravagant and expensive gift I had ever received from anyone in my life. It had no flaws I could see from a glance. It was truly magnificent. And now, my guilt was stronger than ever. I could not allow her to give me something like this without receiving anything in return. I had to do something to return the favor.

"James, you've been quiet for a while. Is it to your liking or not?" Rarity asked inquisitively. I looked at her and tried to find the right words, but I kept fumbling them before I could speak them. "Darling… Did I make a mistake? I thought the vast deep visage of the night sky suited your calm demeanor well…"

After a moment more, I finally managed to speak. "No, it's fine. Honestly, Rarity. This robe is more than I ever expected. To be honest…I feel guilty for accepting it. It's just that amazing."

The unicorn giggled and waved her hoof dismissively. "Nonsense, James. You needed something to wear to the gala and I was happy to provide you with it! Oh, I can't wait to see how stunning you'll look in it!"

I admired the robe for a moment more before I muttered, "Excuse me, Rarity. I remembered that I have something to do… I'll be back in a while." I waved goodbye and headed out the front door.

The guilt was gnawing at me more than ever. I had to give Rarity something for her hospitality. Something much more than just a chocolate pie. But what could I give her? What does she adore most? The first thing that came to mind was jewelry. Every woman loves gemstones, especially someone of Rarity's standards. However, there must be a type of gemstone and precious metal that she prefers. And I knew just who to ask.

I headed straight for the library, knowing that Twilight Sparkle is a very knowledgeable pony. And being a fellow unicorn, she probably knows more about Rarity than her other friends. But when I drew near, I made sure to peek through the window to make sure no one would slam the front door into me a third time that day. From what I could see, there was not a soul on the first floor. I rushed to the front door and opened it gently. When I closed it behind me, I called out, "Twilight? Are you home?"

"Who?" A voice to my right asked. I looked down and found a tawny owl perched upon a podium that seemed to be made out of a tree stump.

"Well, aren't you a cutie? You don't bite, do you?" I asked as I reached out to pet the owl. He did not seem to mind at all while I caressed his feathers. Just then, I heard the clopping of hooves coming from the staircase that led to the second floor. A second later, I saw Twilight come into view.

"Oh, hey there, James! What brings you back here today?" The unicorn asked with a cheerful smile. But before I could answer, she looked at the owl and spoke with a slight giggle, "Oh, I see you've met Owlowiscious. Did he say hi?"

"Owlow…iscious? That's a mouthful. And no, he didn't say hi. He said 'who' when I walked in." I replied, not surprised to find the owl's vocabulary to be rather limited. "In any case, I came here to ask you for advice. It's about Rarity."

The unicorn smiled and began to draw closer. "I know quite a bit about her, so you came to the right place. What can I help you with?"

I took a seat on a wooden stool nearby before continuing. "Well, I'm thinking of getting her a gift. I was thinking jewelry, but I'm not sure what she likes. Do you know if she has any preferences?"

Twilight replied after a few seconds of silent pondering. "Oh, when it comes to Rarity, she isn't picky about jewelry. Although I think for her, the more extravagant and complex, the better the item. But she loves all forms of jewelry, so you'll have a hard time disappointing her."

I nodded with a smile, surprised that my landlord is so easy to please. "Any kind of jewelry will do, huh? That's good enough for me. Thanks, Twilight." We said our goodbyes and I headed on my way.

Although I had been living in Ponyville for a few days now, I had never once noticed anything that looked like a jewelry store. I tried asking around, the various ponies more than willing to point me in the right direction. The local jewelry shop did not look like much from the outside. But when I stepped inside, I found that it was just as elegant and orderly as any jewelry emporium on Earth. The clerk standing at the counter seemed to be a very refined earth pony mare who was wearing a pair of tiny glasses on her muzzle. However, her coloration was eerily similar to that of Diamond Tiara. Her coat was a bolder shade of pink while her mane and tail were the same shade of faded purple, but without any white on them. Her eyes were azure while her cutie mark seemed to be a gold ring with a ruby on top. Suspecting her to be Diamond Tiara's mother, I was very careful to not bring up the local bully in her presence.

When I approached the counter, the clerk looked up from what she was doing and smiled at me. "Hello, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?" Her polite manners were a stark contrast to the stuck-up attitude of Diamond Tiara. I immediately suspected she knew nothing of the filly's actions at school.

"Um…I'm looking to purchase a gift for someone. Perhaps a...bracelet to go around her hoof? As for materials…um….." I paused for a moment to try and decide on which gemstone Rarity would enjoy. "Something with opals, maybe?"

"Hmmm… Oh! I have just the thing!" She reached under the counter and pulled out a bracelet that seemed to be the right size. "This is one of our limited stock items. Does it fit your tastes?"

I closely examined the bracelet. The design was fairly modest, consisting of a simple silver bracelet with a line of opals embedded into it. While certainly modest in design, there is something to be said about keeping silver jewelry simple. That, and the opals would surely remind Rarity of her cat. "Perfect. I'll take it."

The clerk smiled as she set the bracelet in a small box filled with cotton. "Wonderful. Now, will that be cash or credit?"

I was about to say cash, but the mention of credit surprised me. "Wait… You accept credit cards?"

"Yes, we do. You want to use credit?" The clerk replied with a nod.

I could not believe my luck. Some businesses in Equestria actually accept credit cards. I reached in my pocket, finding that my debit card was still there. The bracelet was probably fairly expensive and would likely result in my account being overdrawn. But if I had no way to return to Earth, and that the people of Earth could not reach Equestria, then I had no reason to fear debt collectors coming after me. "Yes. I want to use credit."

I handed my debit card to the clerk, but she then asked, "Wait. Are you sure about this? While certainly not our priciest merchandise, I can't say it's exactly cheap either. Would you prefer a slightly more affordable item?"

I shook my head and replied, "No, it's OK. Go ahead. But please don't tell me the price." However, I suddenly became worried that the card would not work here since Equestria has no access to Earth's banking companies.

Much to my amazement, the clerk handed my card back without showing any sign that something had gone wrong. "Do you want your receipt… Oh yes, you don't want to know the price. I can't say I blame you though." The clerk chuckled with a smile.

"Yeah… I'd like to keep my sanity, please." I joked, being somewhat afraid to know what the cost was. But considering the bracelet is just silver, which is less costly than gold, and that opals are mere semi-precious gemstones and are rather soft, I doubt the price was quite that high. Regardless, I finally had a means to pay Rarity back for her generosity. I said my goodbyes and headed back to Carousel Boutique with a bit of a spring in my step and a velvet-coated jewelry box in my pocket.

I waited until nightfall before making my move. Once I had bathed for the night, I took the bracelet and snuck into Rarity's bedroom. The moonlight provided just enough light for me to clearly make her out. The unicorn was sound asleep, her forelegs' hooves resting over her covers.

"OK…" I muttered softly as I carefully approached her. I had undone the clip that held the bracelet together beforehand, allowing it to open wide. Being extremely careful to not wake her, I closed the bracelet over her right foreleg just above the hoof. When it clicked upon locking the two halves together, I held my breath as I was afraid Rarity would wake up. Fortunately, she remained fast asleep. With a sigh of relief, I tiptoed out of her bedroom. But before I closed the door, I looked back inside and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Rarity."

While I write this, I am resting on the sofa downstairs with a blanket over me. Now that I have given Rarity something valuable, all of my guilt has vanished. I feel as if a heavy burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I can only imagine how Rarity will react to her new gift when she wakes up in the morning. It will be an interesting way to start my fifth day in Equestria. But for now, I must sleep.


	5. Hearts Set Afluttershy

I awoke to the feel of someone tapping my face gently. The hardness of the object that was touching me made me realize that it was a hoof. When I opened my eyes, I found that the hoof in question had the same opal-studded silver bracelet that I had purchased the previous day clipped on above it. And looking down at me was none other than Rarity.

"James… This bracelet… I know I did not fall asleep while wearing it. Do you know where it came from?" Rarity asked me without taking her big azure eyes' gaze off me.

I smiled shyly, remembering that I had purchased it for her the previous evening as a means to repay her for making such an amazing robe for me to wear to the Grand Galloping Gala in a few months. "You're welcome. I hope opals are OK with you."

Rarity looked back at her bracelet and held it up to look at it from other angles. "Just silver with a ring of opals embedded in it… A simple design, but there's something to be said about keeping silver jewelry simple." She said with a smile.

"My mom told me that once." I replied, recalling the saying about silver jewelry.

She then asked while smiling in gratitude, "Well, I certainly appreciate this fine gift. But may I ask why you got this for me? And was there a particular reason why you chose opals?"

I nodded as I sat up before explaining. "It was to repay you for everything you've given me since I came to Equestria. And I felt bad that I had given you almost nothing in return. Especially for that robe. So I picked that up yesterday evening to return the favor. As for opals, I chose them because they have the same name as your cat. So all you have to do is look at it to think about her."

Rarity blushed slightly before looking at her bracelet once more. "Oh, James… Even after making it clear that I wanted nothing from you, you got me this lovely little item. Such a gentleman you are." She then surprised me with a kiss on the cheek. "I'll wear this all the time. And in return, I'll weave you any clothing you want. Don't be shy about it. I'm not taking no for an answer."

Even after receiving a gift for something valuable she had made for me, Rarity was STILL insisting on giving me something for free. Her generosity truly knows no bounds. "Well…thanks again, Rarity. I'll try to not go overboard." I replied with a uneasy grin.

"Oh, you don't need to hold back. I enjoy the challenge of weaving clothing for the human body. But I really must get busy. Applejack's dress could use quite a bit of patching up!" I watched as Rarity trotted out of my room, leaving me alone.

Now that I was wide-awake, I got dressed in the clothes that Rarity had made for me earlier. She also gave me a new pair of socks she had woven as well. "I forgot how nice it is to have clean clothes everyday." I muttered, grateful that Rarity took my dirty clothes to be cleaned each day.

The first thing I found upon stepping out into the main workroom was Opal batting around a small ball of yarn. A thought occurred to me as I called out, expecting Rarity to be somewhere in the room. "Rarity, has Opal been fed this morning?"

Rarity's voice came from behind me. "Not just yet, but she will be soon! Opalescence! Time for your breakfast!" Opal responded with a purr as she left the ball of yarn alone and walked into the kitchen.

I peeked into the kitchen and found Rarity opening what seemed to be a can of tuna with a can opener by using magic. She then turned it upside-down, shaking the meat inside into a small bowl before setting it on the floor. As Opal started on her meal, I asked, "When should I feed Opal tonight?"

Rarity replied while raising her head to look at me, "Perhaps around 5 or 6. It will take her some time to regain her appetite." I nodded reflexively, making a mental note as I did so.

I turned towards the front door on the far side of the main workroom, but froze when I noticed the bottom half had been left open. "Rarity, did Spike just come in to visit?" I called while looking over my shoulder, not knowing of many short enough to only have to use the bottom half of the door.

My landlord entered the main workroom to see what I was referring to. "Strange… I wasn't expecting any visitors this morning. And Spike always says hello once he comes in."

While we pondered what may have happened, Rarity suddenly let out a yelp. I turned to face her and found Diamond Tiara trying to stand on her back. "I've got you nooowwowww! Whoa… I'm OK… I can do this…. Yah!" The filly seemed to be having great difficulty maintaining her balance just before she leapt at me. She climbed onto my shoulders and started lightly stomping her front hooves onto my head. "Does it hurt yet?! Are you gonna give my cutie mark back?!"

Despite the fact that hooves are quite hard, her stomps lacked impact and my thick hair absorbed most of it to begin with. I smirked while I crossed my arms. "That actually feels kinda good. Could you try rubbing it in a minute?"

Diamond Tiara growled loudly in frustration while she stomped faster. I looked at Rarity and asked, "Are you seeing this?" The unicorn laughed loudly, clearly amused by Diamond Tiara's futile attempts to harm me.

After a moment, I decided to make things tough for the bully. I walked over to a wall, turned around, and leaned against it with my head pressing Diamond Tiara against it. "Oof! Let me go! I can't breathe!" I smirked triumphantly as the filly squirmed behind me, not able to escape.

Rarity giggled while she listened to Diamond Tiara demand that I release her. "Darling, I think it's time you let the little imp be on her way." I shrugged and took a step forward, letting the filly drop to the floor before landing on her rump.

"Ow! You jerk!" Diamond Tiara groaned as she regained her footing. "This isn't over! I'll just keep coming back until you give my cutie mark back! Got it?!"

Rather than be intimidated, I was looking forward to whatever new futile antics Diamond Tiara had in store for me. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now get outta here, blank flank. Or do I have to introduce your flanks to my boot?" The filly needed no further encouragement as she dashed out the door. I closed the lower half of the door once she was gone. "She's actually proving to be fairly entertaining, isn't she?"

Rarity grinned with a rather sly expression. "I suppose even lowly bullies can be good for something. But now that you mention it, I should make a pair of boots for you sometime!" I chuckled, knowing that I was not really wearing boots when I made my threat to Diamond Tiara, nor did I really have any intention of striking her. It was just a means to get her to leave me alone for a while.

Remembering my daily job, I was on the verge of walking out the front door to head to Sugarcube Corner, but remembered at the last second that they close at noon on Sundays. And since they are not open long and that Sundays are known to be quiet, it would be unnecessary for me to go in. It was then that I remembered that I was supposed to meet up with Fluttershy in the afternoon to help her with an official…..bunny census? I could not quite recall what she called it at the time, but I was certain it involved working with baby rabbits.

When I turned around, I saw that Rarity was wearing a very exotic hat with a fluffy light blue brim and long peacock feathers. "Whoa, where are you going dressed like that?" I asked, finding the hat's appearance to be like something from a fashion show.

Rarity replied while giggling briefly at my praise, "Oh, I only wear this on occasion. In any case, I'm off to rendezvous with Fluttershy at the local spa. It's that time of the week again."

I nodded in understanding as I bid her goodbye. "OK then. Say hi to Fluttershy for me." I waved goodbye while my landlord headed out the front door.

With only Opal to keep me company, I just decided to look around to help pass the time. I found various unfinished dresses and vests hidden behind curtains that were draped over mannequins. Even though they were not complete, I could tell that they were still of high caliber and was curious of how they would look when finished.

I watched Opal play with a stuffed toy mouse, but soon began to find myself becoming bored. "It's not so fun in Carousel Boutique if you have nothing to do, I guess." I remember muttering out loud. More than anything, I just wanted to go outside and wander around Ponyville. However, I could not leave Rarity's home since there was the possibility of customers arriving at any given time.

"Ugh… What is there to do around here if you can't sew?" I grumbled, just wandering back and forth across the main workroom. Feeling there would be no harm in just going right outside the Carousel Boutique, I shrugged my shoulders and opened the front door for some fresh air.

Much to my surprise, I found a small wooden sign hanging from the upper doorknob on the outside. "Out to lunch. Be back soon?" I shook my head, knowing that Rarity had not left to get lunch. But in hindsight, I doubt stores sell signs that say 'Gone to beauty salon' very often if at all. Even so, if any customers were presented with that sign at the door, they would likely return in a few hours. Certain that it would be fine for me to leave for a while; I closed the door behind me and headed into town.

As I entered Ponyville proper, I found that fairly few ponies were walking the streets compared to other days of the week. Some businesses were still open, but it seems that Sundays in Equestria are generally days of rest like Sundays on Earth. Due to this, I was mildly surprised to see Applejack carting a load of apples to market. "There's no rest during Applebuck Season until every last apple is picked, I guess." I chuckled while I watched the farm pony hauling her produce through the streets.

I decided to say hi and walked over to Applejack, who seemed a bit too tired to notice my approach. "Morning, AJ. How's the applebucking coming along?"

Applejack let out a yawn as she turned to face me. "Oh… Howdy, James. The applebuckin's comin' along just fine. Although…I reckon I didn't sleep enough last night… But I'll manage with Big Macintosh coverin' me."

I patted Applejack on the shoulder, but then examined the cart she was pulling. Thinking I could use some exercise, I attempted to ask if I could pull the cart for her. However, I stopped as I noticed it was too low since it was only as tall as Applejack herself. If I were to try to pull it from the front, it would tilt backwards on an angle and spill some of the apples. Even though I restrained myself from speaking, it seemed that Applejack had noticed me looking at the cart. "What's the matter? Y'all wanna help pull this?"

I nodded and replied, "Yeah… But I realize that I'm too tall. If I pull, the cart will tilt and spill some of the cargo."

Applejack's expression became one of someone thinking deeply. A moment later, she asked, "Well, once I unload all these apples at market, would you like ta pull it back over ta Sweet Apple Acres for me?"

Knowing I would not have to worry about spilling anything while pulling an empty cart, I nodded readily. "Sounds like a plan to me."

The farm pony grinned before retorting, "Then it's settled. I'll leave the cart at the market for ya. It'll probably be ready in about, say, twenty minutes. You know where the market is, right?" I nodded, having visited it two days ago. With the time decided, I saw Applejack off and began to look around some more.

The first thing I did was try asking around for the location of the local spa since I had no knowledge it even existed until this day. Eventually, I noticed a familiar gray pegasus pony going from door to door with a mail satchel over her shoulder. "If she goes to each address everyday, she must know exactly where the spa is."

I walked over to the pegasus and tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me, Derpy. I could use some directions." She turned to face me after placing some letters in a mailbox. Once again, her eyes were crossed.

"Oh, hey there! I didn't see you yesterday! Where've you been?" Derpy Hooves asked, clearly happy to see me.

"Oh….. I've been around. But in any case, could you point me towards the spa?" I replied, certain a professional mailmare knew the location of every building in Ponyville by heart. Even someone like Derpy.

The walleyed pegasus grinned and pointed in one direction. "All you gotta do is head over to the town square. You'll find it right next door to the prank parlor."

I thanked Derpy and was about to leave. However, I then asked, "Um… Derpy? Just what exactly are you doing?"

She moved over to the next house and deposited a few letters into the mailbox. "Just doing my job. These letters don't deliver themselves, you know."

I stared in silence for a moment before frowning. "Derpy. I don't know if you've looked at a calendar today, but this is a Sunday. Postal services don't run on Sundays!"

The pegasus stared at me with her goofy eyes for a moment in silence. She then asked briskly, "They don't?" All I could do was facepalm at her response. Once again, I am not certain if that is a real word, but it matches what I did accurately.

Once Derpy went back to work, I headed towards the town square. I had no trouble locating it since I usually pass right through it just after leaving the Carousel Boutique. I first located the prank parlor, its floppy jester hat roof making it easy to spot. I suspected the building on the left was the spa. It had a light fuchsia roof that almost looked like a curtain draped over it. Three needle-like spires jutted up from the roof as well. Two large windows were at the sides of the front door, one of them being open a crack. A mostly sea green banner hung above the door depicting an image of a pony with a flowing golden mane and tail. However, I froze when I noticed Pinkie Pie heading my way. When she noticed me, the pink pony waved at me.

I approached her cautiously, fearing that her 'Pinkie Sense' would soon detect something about to happen. She seemed to notice my wariness since she asked, "What's wrong, James? You sprain your ankle or something?"

Once I was right next to Pinkie Pie, I replied, "No. I'm just minding my step in case your tail starts twitching. Wouldn't want an anvil to crush my skull and send my brains oozing all over the ground while scaring the living daylights out of everyone who sees it."

Pinkie Pie giggled with a reassuring grin. "My tail's not twitching, silly! Though my shoulder is a bit achy… That means there's an alligator in the tub!"

I stared at Pinkie Pie after hearing the most absurd prediction I had ever heard in my life. "An alligator? In a bathtub? And just where are you gonna find that?! Who would be taking a bath outside?!" As if to answer my question, a scream was heard from the open window of the spa behind me.

"Was that…Rarity?" I asked quickly. Fearing for my landlord's safety, I rushed through the spa's front door. Upon entering, I found an earth pony seated at what was likely the front desk. Her coat was cyan while her mane was a bright pink. I could not see her tail from my location, but I assumed it was also pink. She was also wearing a white headband and a white collar with a pink button keeping it in place. After glancing around to make certain Rarity was not in the room, I turned to the receptionist and asked, "Excuse me, but is a Miss Rarity here?"

The receptionist replied with a very strong accent that seemed to be European. Possibly Scandinavian or Greek, I could not honestly say. Do not worry about what those places are if you have no idea what I am referring to. "Why yes, she and Miss Fluttershy are resting in the hot tub. Are you here to make an appointment?"

I did not reply as I rushed into the spa. I found a large hot tub in the center of the main room, Rarity splashing about while shrieking in panic. The tub was fairly tall for ponies, but I found it to be just below my shoulders in height. Rather than run up the stairs, I reached out to Rarity and asked, "What's wrong? Is there a gator in the tub?"

The panicking unicorn replied without really looking at me, "I don't know! Something has my tail and it won't let go!" I reached down into the tub and felt around. Sure enough, I soon felt something bumpy and slick. I grabbed hold and yanked it out of the tub.

"I'll be darned… There really WAS an alligator in the tub." Gummy was dangling from my hand by his tail, his big purple eyes staring at nothing in particular. I made him face me before raising my finger to his face. "Listen, Gumball. You really shouldn't go swimming in other pony's bathtubs. Besides, hot tubs are too hot for cold-blooded critters like you. You could've ended up…" I stopped as Gummy snapped his jaws over my hand. The baby alligator was now dangling from the end of my arm.

"You're like a bear trap without barbs." I grumbled, doubting Gummy was going to release his grip anytime soon. I turned to leave, but suddenly felt Rarity tap me on the shoulder. "Yes, Rarity?" I asked, curious of what she needed.

My landlord replied with a very grateful smile, "Well, when you see Pinkie Pie again, tell her that I would appreciate it if she keeps Gummy on a leash when out and about." I looked out of the corner of my eye, seeing Fluttershy giggle at me from the opposite side of the tub. After making a mental note, I stroked Rarity's face gently to help calm her further from that unnerving ordeal and left the spa with Gummy still clamped onto my hand.

I did not have to go far to find Pinkie Pie since she was browsing a food stall right outside the spa. "Looks like your 'Pinkie Sense' proved correct again, Pinkie Pie. The only alligator in Ponyville was munching on Rarity's tail in a hot tub." I spoke as I held her pet out to her.

When Pinkie Pie turned to face me, she giggled goofily. "Wow, this is the first time he ended up in a bathtub that isn't mine! I wonder how he got this far away from me." She then approached Gummy and shook her poofy mane at him. Gummy responded by suddenly letting go of my hand and clamping his jaws onto Pinkie Pie's mane. "He won't be letting go anytime soon! Thanks again for finding him for me, James! See ya around!" I watched with a bemused smirk while shaking my head as Pinkie Pie trotted away while singing a casual song. Mostly just la la la and the like. However, I then snapped my fingers as I remembered that I had forgotten to forward Rarity's complaint to her. Oh well. Perhaps another time.

It was then that I remembered I had promised to pull Applejack's cart home and started to head towards the market. When I arrived, only a handful of stalls lined the streets. My eyes scanned the area, looking for any apple stalls. I soon spotted what I was looking for. An apple stall filled to the brim with red and yellowish apples while an empty cart stood next to it. An earth pony with a cutie mark depicting three wrapped candies who I had come to know as Bon Bon was standing near the stall while waving at me, probably to get my attention.

I approached the apple stall while weaving around other wandering ponies. "Applejack told me everything. I'm leaving the cart to you." Bon Bon said with a smile. I stood between the two handles and gripped them both firmly. I then thanked Bon Bon and headed on my way.

As I pulled the cart, I noticed that it seemed unusually heavy for something so small. I looked over my shoulder and found the harness Applejack had been wearing resting in the cart's empty body. I did not mind much. The extra weight would make for a harsher workout.

The trek to Sweet Apple Acres took longer than usual due to being careful to not let the cart tip over. When I arrived, I found Big Macintosh hauling a pair of bushels of apples towards the barn. I approached the burly red stallion and asked, "Just returning the cart. Where do you want it?"

Big Macintosh tilted his head towards the front of the barn and spoke briefly, "Right over there's fine." I nodded and released the cart where instructed.

I glanced around, expecting to see Applejack carrying a few bushels of apples as well. But there was no sign of the mare. I turned to Big Macintosh and asked, "Where's Applejack? Taking a nap somewhere?"

He replied with one word. "Eyup." I was hardly surprised, remembering how sleepy she seemed that morning.

I chuckled lightly before asking, "You don't say much if a simple 'yes' will suffice, do you?"

"Eyup." Big Macintosh replied once again. I found his brevity to be rather likeable. He is probably quite popular with the fillies in Ponyville.

"Well, I'm just gonna take a look around. Is that OK with you, Mac?" I asked, curious of what I would find out in the vast forest of apple trees.

"Eyup." Big Macintosh said again. I had to restrain myself from laughing since it was the third time he had said that in a row. Wanting to get out of earshot so as to not offend him, I ran off in one direction before allowing myself to laugh.

I wandered fairly far from the main area of Sweet Apple Acres. No matter where I looked, every single tree was an apple tree. "I'm amazed they don't get sick of apples. I'd probably be unable to stomach them if I had to live around them all year round." I muttered out loud to myself. And as you may have noticed by now, I do have a habit of talking to myself when no one is around me.

After a good deal of wandering, I came to a secluded spot on the orchard that caught my eye. In a rather stout apple tree ahead of me was what seemed to be a tree house. It was rather small as the ponies who constructed it are smaller than humans. The design was more like that of a real house complete with a slanted roof. A ramp led up to it with a small deck extending out to the side. A single window was on the side with two shutters open. Since I rarely saw tree houses back home, I was naturally curious about it.

I carefully walked up the ramp, worried that it would not support my weight. The door to the house was shut, so I went around to the side to look through the window. I found that it was open and bent down low to peek inside. Inside were three familiar fillies chatting with each other while looking over what seemed to be a book of activities.

"OK then. What should we try out next? One of these is bound to lead to one of us finding our talents!" The small pegasus pony spoke up while her tiny wings fluttered. I immediately recognized her as Scootaloo.

"We've tried comedy, scuba divin', mountain climbin', makin' taffy, hairdressin', psychic trainin', pig sloppin', bein' librarians… What else can we try?" The earth pony filly with a large pink bow on her mane asked. The southern accent made me remember her as being Apple Bloom. She then gasped and spoke up, "Ooh! I know! We can try skydivin'!"

The unicorn filly, who I recognized as Sweetie Belle, seemed hesitant about Apple Bloom's suggestion. "Um… That sounds kinda dangerous… How about we try painting or hula hoops?" I understood Sweetie Belle's unwillingness to try skydiving. That sport is too extreme for any kind of children.

After listening to the Cutie Mark Crusaders discuss a few other professions they could try out, I finally spoke up. "Sounds to me like you crusaders have been busy lately. I'm surprised that brainstorming doesn't qualify as a talent."

The three fillies turned to face me abruptly, apparently not expecting someone to be eavesdropping on them. But their expressions of surprise turned into gazes of glee. "Hey, James! It's great to see you!" Scootaloo shouted before she ran out the door, looped around the deck, and leapt into my arms. It was then I recalled from the previous day on how she commented that I was almost like a big brother to her.

"Howdy, James! Whatcha doin' out here?" Apple Bloom asked when she came to the window.

"Oh, just looking around." I replied while stroking Scootaloo's mane.

Sweetie Belle walked over to the window as well and asked, "How'd you find this place? Only Applejack and Big Macintosh know where our clubhouse is."

In response, I asked, "Clubhouse? This place belongs to you three?"

Scootaloo grinned while she looked up at me. "It's more than just our clubhouse. You could say that it's the Cutie Mark Crusaders headquarters!" Curious, I peeked in through the window while Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle stepped out of the way. Pink curtains with a reddish floral pattern hung over the window itself. I could see a small table holding a vase of flowers with a couple of framed pictures hanging near it. On another wall was what seemed to be a hand…or rather hoof drawn map showing some familiar locations in Ponyville. There also seemed to be a small sewing machine with a rolled up sheet of dark red fabric near it. Aside from a box that seemed to contain a variety of snacks in a far corner and a desk against the far wall, the rest of the tree house was relatively bare.

"Pretty sweet pad you girls have here. And this is your base of operations?" I spoke with a smile on my face.

Apple Bloom grinned brightly while I turned to face her. "Yup! This is where we come up with new things to try ta find our hidden talents!"

I reached out and stroked the farm filly's head, prompting a faint giggle from her. "Sounds like things are never dull with you three. Are there other members in your club?"

Sweetie Belle replied while looking somewhat unhappy before quickly brightening her expression. "Um… Not right now. It's just us. But we're always accepting new members! Anypony without a cutie mark can join!" However, she then began to gaze at me while circling me after climbing out the window. "Mr. James, don't you have a cutie mark too? Why are you keeping your flanks covered?"

I winced at the thought of dropping my pants. "Girls, humans don't have 'flanks', per se. Besides, it's considered indecent for humans to walk around in public without anything covering the lower body." The three fillies only stared at me with blank expressions, clearly not understanding what I was getting at. With a sigh, I grumbled, "OK, I admit I don't have a cutie mark."

The three fillies gasped loudly in unison. Apple Bloom frowned as she too jumped through the open window, "You don't have one?! But yer all grown up! Don't all adults have cutie marks?!"

Scootaloo stomped her hoof in determination. "Well, if you don't have one yet, we'll just have to help you figure out what your special talent is! Come on, James! You're more than welcome to join!"

I was flattered to be invited to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders, even though I would normally be considered to be well over the age limit. "Girls… From what I know, humans DON'T get cutie marks. I'm not sure if we would…"

I was interrupted when Scootaloo ran up to me, reared up on her hind legs, and planted her forelegs against my chest while gazing up at me with her big adorable purple eyes. "Come on! It'll be fun! Whaddya say, big brother? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Once again, I felt myself blush as Scootaloo compared me to being a big brother…no. She did not just compare me to one. She actually called me 'big brother' out loud. I lowered my glasses to look over them and asked, "Scootaloo… What did you call me?"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle also seemed to be looking on in anticipation. However, Scootaloo continued to smile up at me with an uneasy grin. "I called you 'big brother'. Um… Is that OK with you? I'll stop if you want…" Her grin dissolved into an ashamed frown as she tried to avoid eye contact with me.

I closed my eyes for a moment while I thought it over. In actuality, having such an adorable pegasus filly for a little sister sounded like a likeable position to me. I snatched up Scootaloo in my arms and embraced her with her head against my cheek. "I've never had a little sister before. Especially one so cute and cool." I can remember Scootaloo giggle excitedly as she threw her forelegs around my neck.

The other two fillies applauded together, apparently displaying their approval of me as a big brother figure. Sweetie Belle then asked, "So, will you join?"

I began to fluster while stroking Scootaloo's mane. "Well…I'm not… I think I'm too… Is it really OK for… Ah, what the heck. Sure, I'll sign up to be a 'crusader' with you girls." The three fillies cheered in unison, clearly ecstatic that they had a new member.

"All right! Our first human member!" Scootaloo jumped out of my grasp and started hopping around the deck. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle cheered loudly too while they effectively started prancing about. All things considered, I am amazed they did not jump off the deck in the process.

"Now that you're a member of the Cutie Mark Crusader's, you get your own cape!" Sweetie Belle spoke with a smile before she ran back inside the clubhouse. I cocked my head to one side while I watched her through the window, wondering why I would need a cape. The unicorn filly reached into the desk and pulled out a cape that was made of the same dark red fabric leaning against the sewing machine. On each side near the corners was a blue emblem sewn into the fabric that depicted a rearing caped foal. Sweetie Belle then trotted out to me with it hanging from her mouth. But as she looked up at me, she glanced down at the cape. "Um… I think I need to make you a custom one…" I chuckled in response, the cape being several sizes too small for me. I probably could have used it as a reusable napkin.

As Sweetie Belle trotted over to the sewing machine, Apple Bloom tugged on my pants leg. "C'mon, Mr. James! Let's get ta work on thinkin' of what ta try next!"

I followed her and Scootaloo into the clubhouse while ducking through the surprisingly low door. "You don't have to use honorifics with me. I'm not your boss or a stranger." But when I stood up once inside, I bashed the top of my head against the ceiling. "Ow! Dang it!" I grumbled loudly while rubbing my scalp. The ceiling was so low; I could not even stand up straight.

Scootaloo stayed by my side while I took a seat in the middle of the floor. "You OK, James? I guess the clubhouse is a bit small for humans."

I grumbled in response while still rubbing my head, "Hopefully this will make me remember to mind my head. In any case, what do you have so far on the list of stuff to try?"

Apple Bloom dragged over a notebook with a list of activities to try out. Around three dozen had been crossed out. One activity made me wince. "What the… Hydra wrestling? Are you outta your minds?!" The very thought of hydras existing in Equestria made me feel that this land is not nearly as safe as I had originally suspected.

Scootaloo chuckled nervously at my reaction. "Heheh… Uh…yeah. That one didn't even make it off the ground. None of us had the guts to go into the Everfree Forest. That's the closest place we know of where a hydra lives."

Until then, I had never heard of the Everfree Forest before. "Everfree? Never heard of it."

Apple Bloom proceeded to explain. "It's that big forest ta the west of Ponyville. It's kinda creepy, so most ponies never go there. But Zecora lives there, so it can't be all that bad."

I have hiked through forests a few times in my life and not one of them struck me as creepy. Although I am sure any heavily forested area can be frightening at night when the canopy prevents any light from the stars and moon from reaching the forest floor. "Doesn't sound like a place I'd want to steer clear of…unless that hydra wanders it."

Scootaloo chuckled reassuringly, "Oh, you'll only find that hydra around Froggy Bottom Bog. If you stay away from there, I don't think it'll bother you. But anyway, whatcha think we should try next on the list?"

I turned my gaze to the notebook on the floor and read through the list of activities that had not yet been crossed out. "Um… How about trying out selling food at the local market?"

Apple Bloom gulped nervously for some reason while trying to avert her eyes. "Um… Just as long as it's not apples. Last time I tried that, Applejack had ta give away freebies." I felt it was wise not to ask for the details of what she was talking about.

"I didn't mean just one product. It might be best if you try selling a variety of goods. That way, you'll end up selling at least one product." I explained to the fillies.

Scootaloo grinned as she comprehended my words. "Ooh! I never thought of that! Sounds like a good idea too!" But before we could discuss it further, Sweetie Belle trotted over to us while dragging what seemed to be a large cape.

"I finished your cape, James. Is it the right size?" She asked while I took the cape in hand. It was then that I realized that she had never measured my height. When I asked her about it, the unicorn filly replied, "I just measured the distance between the floor and ceiling! Since you hit your head on the ceiling, the cape just had to be a little shorter than that." The overall design of the cape was the same as the smaller ones, but there was only a single large emblem on the backside right in the middle. I stood up to put it on, but ended up bumping my head on the ceiling again.

"For the love of…" I growled while I made my way to the door, the fillies giggling behind me. Once outside, I tied the cape around my neck. The cape reached fairly low, stopping just above my ankles. A breeze began to blow; lifting my cape and making it wave in the air.

"Whoa… You look much better in a cape than we do! Kinda like a superhero!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she came outside. I suspected that Equestria publishes comic books if 'superhero' can be in a pony's vocabulary.

"It's that good?" I asked, not really thinking I looked all that impressive.

"Yeah! You look awesome standin' tall with that cape wavin' behind ya!" Apple Bloom exclaimed while emphasizing my height by reaching high with her hooves.

Flattered by the fillies and their admiration, I crossed my arms to take a more heroic stance with two fingers gripping the rim encircling one of my glasses' lenses. Sweetie Belle let out a giggle and spoke, "That looks beyond amazing! I wish Rarity could see this!"

At the mention of my landlord's name, I remembered that she was likely still at the spa. In an attempt to dazzle my fellow crusaders, I jumped the railing on the deck and dropped down to the ground below. I could hear the three fillies cheer at my stunt. While they looked down at me, I grinned back at them. "Thanks again for allowing me to join and for making this awesome cape. But I have some things to do with Fluttershy at her place pretty soon. I'd also like to check up on Rarity before she leaves the spa. Could we meet up again sometime later?"

Sweetie Belle nodded with a bit of a dreamy smile on her face. "With Rarity? Are you asking her out to a candlelight dinner today? Or are you going to…um…"

Scootaloo interrupted the unicorn filly's train of thought with a disdainful groan. "Ewww! Don't bring up mushy stuff like that! You know I don't like that kinda thing!" I snickered at Scootaloo's response, realizing that she is more of a tomboy than even Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, sorry. It's just that I got kinda excited when I thought about that." Sweetie Belle spoke apologetically.

"Thought about what?" Apple Bloom asked while looking quite curious. I gazed up at the fillies, as I was also curious of what Sweetie Belle was referring to.

"It's just that… If Mr. James and Rarity were to get married, he would be my uncle!" Sweetie Belle explained while she hopped in place a few times with an excited grin.

I felt myself become hot when I heard Sweetie Belle's words. A human and a pony? Getting MARRIED? The idea sounded impossible, but at the same time, I could feel a slight crooked smile creep across my face. "Well…uh… That's a very tender thought, Sweetie Belle… But I really should be going now. Later!" I waved and ran off as quickly as I could. Before I was out of earshot, the fillies called out as they watched my cape wave in the wind while I ran.

Once I felt I was out of sight, I slowed to a walk. "Uncle James….. Heh… Has a nice ring to it, I guess." I muttered to myself out loud while I walked through the great apple orchard, although I would actually become Sweetie Belle's brother-in-law instead of uncle if I married her sister. I did indeed find Sweetie Belle to be adorable and likeable, and the thought of having her as a niece or even sister-in-law made me chuckle under my breath. But when I thought about her sister, Rarity, I also thought about my five other friends.

The more I thought about the six mares who had come into my life, the more I pondered if it was possible for one of them to become more than just a friend to me. There is Applejack, the hard-working earth pony with a country girl's charm. Then there is Twilight Sparkle, the wise and knowledgeable unicorn who I could always count on for sound advice. There is also Pinkie Pie, the lively party lover whose crazy antics are just plain cute and entertaining. There is also Rainbow Dash, known for being athletic and tough while still being surprisingly attractive. Of course, there is also my landlord, Rarity. Generous to a fault and quite beautiful and elegant too. And then there is Fluttershy, the timid pegasus pony with a heart of gold and looks to match.

While I walked, I considered my options. "Pinkie Pie is fun, but she's a little too crazy for me. If I somehow got involved with Applejack, I'd have to work myself to the bone on a daily basis… Ugh. That doesn't sound like a lifestyle I want. Rainbow Dash… I'd have to be an adrenaline junkie to win her heart. Not my style. Twilight Sparkle does sound like a good match…..but she's probably frequently too busy with her studies from Celestia to have time for a relationship. Not sure if it would work. I know it won't work with Rarity. She'll only settle for a prince. That leaves…" I then came to a stop. "Fluttershy…"

The thought of Fluttershy made me think deeply about her as a person. I recall speaking to her by the pond in the local park and on the bridge near her home. Her personality is fairly similar to mine, although I am not quite as soft-spoken as her. But I then remembered that she was the first pony in Equestria to come to my aid when I was under extreme mental duress when I first arrived in Ponyville. In my state of confusion and fear, she became my first friend. Perhaps she and I could…..

My train of thought was interrupted when I walked headlong into a tree. The impact snapped me out of my trance. However, I then pondered if such a relationship would ever work. Is it even legal for a human and a pony to have that kind of relationship? What was more, Fluttershy is extremely timid and shy. If I were to ever try to ask her out on a date or confess my feelings for her, she would probably turn me down. But no matter how many times I thought over my six friends, I kept coming back to Fluttershy. Of the six, she was the one I felt closest to.

I paused, uncertain of what to do. I certainly adore Fluttershy and cherish her friendship with me, but I also felt she would be a very sweet girlfriend. But I was also afraid of what the rest of Equestria would do if we…..

There was only one pony who could have the answer I needed. I then set a course for Ponyville's library.

As I approached the main area of Sweet Apple Acres, I noticed Applejack leaving the barn. I suppose she had just woken up from her nap and had delivered a few bushels to the barn. I called out, "Hey there, AJ! Just woke up?"

The farm pony turned to face me and opened her mouth to speak, but she froze as she stared at me. "What in tarnation… Where'd ya get that?!"

I glanced at my cape. "Oh, this? Sweetie Belle made it for me. I was told all members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders get one."

Applejack laughed wholeheartedly at my response. "Member?! Aren't you a little old for bein' part of a kids' gang?!"

I blushed at Applejack's remark. "Well… I'm a special case. I don't have a cutie mark, so they insisted that I join. Although I doubt I'll ever get one…"

The farm pony managed to stop herself from laughing any further. "Heheh… Well, that's all fine and dandy ta me. Might do the fillies some good to have a man in their ranks."

I chuckled, knowing full well that I am the only male member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders at this time. "Yeah, I'm surprised all the other members are girls. You'd think that there would be a few colts mixed in."

Applejack grinned while letting out a brief chuckle. "You got a point there, pardner. But in any case, I need ta get back to applebuckin'. See y'all later!" I waved goodbye while Applejack hauled a pair of empty bushels out into the forest of apple trees.

As I headed back into Ponyville, I noticed that quite a few ponies were staring in my direction. More than likely 'admiring' my new cape. However, I hardly paid them any mind while I shuffled about while thinking to myself. A part of me was still telling me that I should go with Fluttershy. To escalate our bond. Yet at the same time, another part of my mind was holding me back. Afraid that her timid nature would reject me. But more than anything, we were vastly different. Would such a relationship even work?

I eventually passed by the library. Looking at it, a feeling of hope built up inside me. Twilight Sparkle is a very knowledgeable sort and could surely provide me with sound advice. Hoping she could help put my fears to rest, I walked inside. But not before peeking through the nearest window and making certain Spike was not about to slam the front door into me again.

Much to my surprise, I found that Spike was nowhere to be seen. On the other side of the first floor was Twilight with her back turned. She seemed to be reading a book that was resting on a podium. I then stepped inside and asked, "Excuse me, Twilight… Do you have a moment?"

The unicorn looked over her shoulder at me and smiled. "Oh, hello! Good afternoon, James!" As she approached me, she grinned brightly. "I saw the bracelet you got for Rarity. Very nice choice in jewelry. She's been showing it off to everypony today."

I chuckled shyly; surprised that my landlord would show off a gift from me to anyone she met. "I didn't think it would be that big a deal. But seriously, I came here to ask you for some advice." I took a seat on a stool while Twilight followed me. "I…need some advice regarding…..romance."

It seemed that my request surprised Twilight, since she seemed mildly shocked. "Romance…? Well…I can't say I'm an expert on that subject… But I'll do anything I can to help. What exactly do you need to know?" My friend took a seat before me, waiting for my question.

I took a moment to find the right words. "Well… How do I put this… Do you think it's possible for a human and a pony to develop a true lasting bond? Even though they are vastly different? And even if they can, would the rest of Equestria respect that bond?"

Twilight seemed to take a moment to think over her response. "Um… Well, love is a difficult thing to describe. It's not really something you can learn about from research. But…in my honest opinion…I do think that such a bond is possible. As for the rest of Equestria… I don't think that needs explaining. We've already accepted you as a resident here. I'm sure other ponies would respect it if you fell in love with a pony."

Twilight's words helped soothe some of my worries. But I still had a few questions left to ask. "OK… Next question… If such a bond was formed…" I began to sweat as my body temperature spiked, the thought entering my mind.

"What's wrong? You can ask me. I don't mind giving advice." Twilight asked, apparently noticing my distress.

With some hesitation, I muttered, "This is a difficult question to ask… But do you think…a human and a pony could…" I covered my face with one hand as I spoke quietly, "Re…reproduce…"

When Twilight did not offer an immediate reply, I peeked between my fingers. Her face was frozen in surprise, a very deep blush on her face. Eventually, she muttered, "You mean…..having children together? Starting a family?" I am not sure why, but I am certain I heard a hint of excitement in her voice. In any case, I nodded. She then replied, "Well… I honestly don't know about that. Humans and ponies can certainly bond, but I don't know if their genetic code would be compatible. I mean…we both have the same level of intellect, but as for the rest…" She then let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry… I can't really answer that question. There has never been an attempt like that, so no information has ever been recorded that could explain this…"

I sighed in disappointment, not really surprised that even Twilight could not answer my question. "It's OK, Twi… I wasn't expecting a real answer. Humans have never existed in Equestria before me, so I'm not surprised at all."

Before I could stand up, I noticed that Twilight was blushing once more. "James… May I ask you something?"

There was a nagging feeling in my gut telling me to be cautious as I nodded. Twilight then asked, "Um… Why were you curious about those subjects in the first place? Is there…somepony you like?"

As I stated earlier, I had developed an attraction towards Fluttershy. So I would be lying if I denied that I did. "Well… They were only hypothetical questions I've had on my mind for a while."

The unicorn nodded with a satisfied smile. "All right then. If you have anymore questions on your mind, I'd be glad to provide you with advice. Oh, and one more thing?" She blushed slightly while she spoke after a brief delay, "Don't worry too much about bonding with ponies, James. Who knows? Somepony right here in Ponyville just might have their eyes on you."

I saw the wisdom in Twilight's words. There was no sense in worrying about developing a romantic bond with someone. Such things only occur gradually over time and should not be rushed. I could only be patient and wait for the time to arrive. "Thank you, Twilight. I'll be sure and stop by if I need advice about something."

I said my goodbyes and headed out the front door. But before I could close the door, I heard Twilight say, "And one last thing. Nice cape." All I could do was chuckle lightly as I closed the door behind me.

I immediately headed towards the spa to check on Rarity and Fluttershy. Along the way, quite a few ponies continued to gawk and stare at me. The only explanation I could think of was my cape. (What's next? They gonna expect me to go airborne and fly?) I thought to myself, starting to become more annoyed than nervous from the unwanted attention.

Before I could reach the town square, I noticed a shadow pass over me. When I glanced up, I saw the soaring form of Rainbow Dash curving back towards me. She swooped down before me and landed with a clop. "What's up, James?" Before I could reply, she noticed my cape. "Whoa, love the cape! Makes ya look pretty heroic!"

I smiled awkwardly while glancing at the cape on my back. "I guess so… Sweetie Belle made it for me." I had stopped paying attention to the ponies who were staring now that I was in the company of a familiar face.

Rainbow Dash walked behind me to examine the cape up close. "Isn't that the Cutie Mark Crusaders' emblem? Did they actually let you join?"

With a snicker, I explained, "They kinda talked me into it. Since I don't have a cutie mark, they said I was eligible to be recruited. Although it was really Scootaloo who convinced me to join."

The pegasus let out a laugh. "Man, Scootaloo sure does seem to like you after what you did to Diamond Tiara on the playground and at the park! I wonder what she's gonna tell me next time I see her?"

At the mention of Rainbow Dash knowing Scootaloo personally, I took a closer look at my friend. Her mane and tail's styling was somewhat reminiscent of Scootaloo's, even though the coloration was completely different. "Rainbow Dash, I need to ask you something. Is Scootaloo your sister?"

I was not expecting Rainbow's reaction. She laughed loudly, "You're not the first to guess that!" I then waited for her to catch her breath before she could continue. "Phew… Man, that always cracks me up. But seriously, no. Scootaloo isn't related to me at all. She's just kinda… How do I say this… She just looks up to me. Ya know, like a role model! So we hang out every now and then."

I crossed my arms as I replied, "Hero worship, huh? Can't say I blame her. You two have a lot in common, it seems."

"Yep, you can say that again. I can't wait for her wings to grow so we can go flying together. But in any case, whatcha up to today?" Rainbow Dash asked while she hovered before me.

"Well, I was on my way over to the spa to check up on Fluttershy and Rarity. Gummy got into the hot tub and gave Rarity a good scare, so I just want to see if she's feeling better by now." I explained, still wondering if Rarity was truly fine after that incident and if Fluttershy had been hurt either.

Rainbow Dash snickered in response, "Gators in the tub again, huh? I'm glad I never have to worry about that." She then asked, "I'm gonna go check on Scootaloo. Do you know where she might be?"

I replied after taking a moment to think of their current location, "If memory serves, she and the other crusaders are going to try their hands…er…hooves at being produce merchants. They'll probably be set up in the market soon."

The pegasus nodded before asking, "Thanks for the tip. Oh, and would you like to meet me at the café for lunch in an hour? It'll be on me."

Remembering what had happened the previous day during my lunch break, I gave her a stern glare. "Under the condition that you do not pull any pranks on me, sure."

Rainbow Dash gulped while seeming rather nervous. "You don't forget stuff like that, huh? I know you were mad about that. And I promised to never prank you again. Don't worry. But anyway, see ya there, James!" I watched as the pegasus took off at her trademark speed, making me wonder if she is capable of breaking the sound barrier.

I entered the spa as soon as I returned to the town square. Seated at the desk was the same cyan and pink pony I had met before. She seemed to remember me since she asked, "Oh, welcome back, sir. Can I help you?"

I replied promptly while removing my cape and hanging it on a hat rack nearby. "I'm here to see Miss Rarity and Miss Fluttershy. Have they left yet?" I was hoping that I had not missed them after returning Gummy to Pinkie Pie.

"Oh no, not yet. They are currently getting the facial treatment and a horn filing. Right this way." I then followed the pony into the main chamber. Along the way, I saw that her cutie mark was a blooming lotus flower with a pinkish hue to the petals. She then led me over to a pair of risen platforms where Rarity and Fluttershy were relaxing while another pony was using a file on the unicorn's horn. She had the same eyes as my escort, but the rest of her colors were swapped with hers. Where my escort had a cyan coat and a pink mane and tail, the one who was tending to Rarity had a pink coat and a cyan mane and tail. Her cutie mark was identical too, being a blooming lotus flower. However, it had a faint bluish hue to it as opposed to pink. Since their eyes, bodies, hairstyles, and clothing were identical to each other's, I assumed that the two 'spa ponies' are twin sisters.

I was about to speak up, but paused when I saw Rarity's face. It had been covered with a thick pale green goop while two cucumber slices were placed over her eyes. I was literally at a loss for words as I could only stare at the bizarre state of her face. My escort spoke, "Miss Rarity, Miss Fluttershy, this gentleman wishes to see you."

My landlord replied, her mouth's movements unaffected by the goopy mask she was wearing. "Ah yes, Hoity Toity. I have not forgotten our appointment today, but you are a few hours early. Can we rendezvous at 3 PM as scheduled?"

I had no knowledge of who this 'Hoity Toity' fellow could be, but I replied regardless. "Actually…it's me, Rarity." Fluttershy let out a giggle at the case of mistaken identity.

"J-James?! Oh dear, I'm sorry! I could not see you through these slices!" Rarity gasped as she realized that she had mistook me for someone else.

"It's OK, Rarity. I didn't think you could see me through those pickles anyway." I replied with a suppressed chuckle.

"Pickles?! I thought these were fresh cucumber slices! Aloe, please replace these with cucumber slices!" Rarity pleaded while waving her hoof at nothing in particular. I shook my head, not expecting her to take what I said literally.

The pink spa pony spoke through the file she grasped in her teeth, "Miss Rarity, those ARE fresh cucumber slices. We never use pickled cucumbers." Her voice had the same accent I had heard from the other pony.

"Really…? Oh… Never mind then…" Rarity sighed in a defeated tone, probably blushing under the cream on her face.

While Rarity remained quiet for the duration of her…hornicure or whatever you call the trimming of a unicorn's horn, I noticed that Fluttershy only had two spots of the green goop on her face right under the eyes. She also did not have any pillows under her forelegs while Rarity had two. Judging by the expression of her face, she seemed rather disappointed by the lesser treatment. I turned to the pony who had escorted me in and asked, "Excuse me, Miss…um…"

The spa pony smiled while she spoke, "Lotus, sir. I am Lotus and my sister is Aloe."

I nodded and continued, "OK. Miss Lotus, would you mind applying more of that facial cream to Fluttershy's face? The amount you've used so far seems…..inadequate."

Lotus looked over at Fluttershy for a brief second before speaking, "Oh, I see. So sorry, Miss Fluttershy. I will get to you right away." While she went over to a cabinet to fetch the cream, I slid a pair of pillows under Fluttershy's forelegs.

Fluttershy whispered while smiling at me, "Thank you, James. I almost never get the full treatment since they tend to focus on Rarity more than me."

I attempted to stroke her mane, but found that it was wrapped up in a towel. "No problem, Fluttershy. They shouldn't skimp on quality for someone as beautiful as you."

My words seemed to unnerve Fluttershy somewhat since she let out an adorable squeak while a very deep blush shone through her yellow coat. She stared at me constantly until Lotus returned and covered her face in the pale green cream. She did not look away until Lotus placed two cucumber slices over her eyes. "Um… Sorry?"

As Aloe continued to file away at Rarity's horn, I took a seat between Fluttershy and my landlord. I then noticed Rarity was still wearing the bracelet I had purchased for her the previous day. "I hear you've been showing that off to just about everyone today." I spoke while I patted her on the back. She was clad in a white bathrobe with golden yellow frills around the collar, cuffs, and bottom. Fluttershy was wearing the same thing with the only difference being that the frills were purple.

Rarity giggled despite being unable to see me at the time. "Oh, how could I not? This is a most darling gift you got for me. I only take it off to bathe so I don't tarnish its brilliance." I could hear Lotus and Fluttershy giggling behind me, making me uneasy. However, I think I heard Fluttershy let out a sigh.

While we chatted, I felt very relaxed in the presence of Fluttershy. A feeling of peace came over me that I had felt when she came to my aid when I took shelter in Sugarcube Corner after Rainbow Dash had fallen on me when I first arrived in Ponyville. She is just so precious. I did not see how it would be possible for anyone to dislike her. As I looked at her, I felt a desire to be with her. And more than anything, I wanted to protect her from anyone who would try to take advantage of her. If there is an angel in Ponyville, it is she.

After several minutes of chatting, Aloe set the file down. Rarity's horn was perfectly smooth with not the slightest hint of uneven surfaces on it. Rarity then asked, "Is Quake here? I'm ready for my massage."

Aloe replied with a slight frown, "Oh, I'm afraid she is currently on vacation. She won't be back for a few more days."

Rather than being disappointed, Rarity sounded rather thoughtful at the revelation. "Is that so? Hmmm…" She then smiled while looking in my general direction. "James, would you be so kind as to be my masseuse today?"

I was not expecting her request at all. Even Aloe seemed shocked by it. "Miss Rarity, he is not trained to be…"

Rarity then proceeded to interrupt the spa pony. "Oh, my intuition tells me that he is qualified for the job."

Even though Rarity had faith in me, I had no professional experience in giving massages. Granted I have given a few amateur ones to elders in my family, but I digress. "I don't think I'll be able to satisfy you, Rarity… I have no real experience in the field."

My words did nothing to discourage my landlord since she then pleaded, "Please?"

I glanced over my shoulder and saw that even Lotus and Fluttershy were looking in our direction. I could not make out Fluttershy's expression under the facial cream, but I am sure she was intrigued. "Um… I really don't think that's a good idea… I might do more harm than good." I explained again in the hopes of getting her to back down.

"Please, James? For me?" Rarity once again pleaded, sounding all the more insistent.

Before I could refuse again, Rarity asked, "Aloe, I think now would be a good time to remove this cream." The pink spa pony nodded and fetched a warm wet towel and began to rub her client's face with it.

"Sorry, Rarity. I'd like to, but I don't think I…" I stopped short of what I was going to say as Rarity's unobstructed face smiled at me.

"Please please please please!" She said quickly while holding her hooves together. Her mouth was curved into a toothy grin as her eyes pleaded with me.

I was utterly baffled by Rarity's insistence that I massage her instead of using the professional skills of the spa sisters. Regardless, that pleading gaze was difficult for me to say no to. "Oh… All right, I'll do it. Just don't complain if I pinch a nerve." I said with a sigh, hoping I would not regret going along with my landlord's wishes.

"Oh, don't be so modest! I'm sure those delicate flexible fingers of yours will do the job just fine." Rarity said while she stood up and led me over to a few massage tables that were right next to the hot tub.

"I'll be able to do a better job if you remove your robe, Rarity." I said, knowing the fabric would absorb some of the pressure.

"Oh, of course. Wouldn't want to miss anything, would we?" Rarity replied with an excited giggle as her horn was covered in a billowing aura. She stood on her hind legs while she 'pulled' her bathrobe off over her head. She then removed the towel that covered her mane and shook her head a few times. Her mane fell back into place, almost completely dry. Even the elegant curls were intact. I watched as my landlord climbed atop one of the tables and rested her head on the raised end where a few pillows sat. "I'm ready, darling." She spoke to me while giving me an unnervingly inviting gaze.

I pondered what would be the best way to massage the delicate pony. I normally have the easiest time from behind, but a pony's posture is different from a human's. "Don't move, Rarity. I need to try something." I climbed onto the table and straddled her on my knees, being careful to not apply any weight to her.

"Do whatever you have to, James. I'm certain you'll do just fine." Rarity replied, her forelegs stretched out for easy access.

I hesitated for a moment, as I had no knowledge of a pony's anatomy. Where should I start? What spots needed attention? Unsure of what was the best choice, I decided that I should focus on the joints. I placed both hands on the base of Rarity's neck and began to knead it as firmly as possible without being too harsh. I dug my fingers into her silky smooth white coat, amazed by how silken it felt at the touch.

"Mmmm… This is a new sensation…" I heard Rarity mutter with a sigh. There was a small clock on the wall nearby. I glanced at it every now and then to keep track of how long I was tending to one spot. Once three minutes had passed, I reached forward and began to massage Rarity's cheekbones.

I heard Rarity gasp lightly at my touch, probably because she had never received a massage on her face. "My jaw joints? I never thought it was possible to reach that spot."

"I guess not. At least when you have hooves." I replied while kneading her flesh and muscles as tenderly as possible. I heard Rarity giggle in response.

Once another three minutes had passed, I moved back down to Rarity's shoulders. As I applied pressure to them, she let out a sigh. "Now that's the spot that needs it most. Could you focus on those a little longer this time?"

I glanced back over to the clock before replying, "Sure thing, Rarity." I decided to go for five minutes on the shoulders instead of three. They felt particularly tense, possibly having something to do with her profession and having to constantly use just her forelegs to work a sewing machine. It must put a fair amount of strain on her shoulders due to having to prop herself up with them. I made certain to apply extra pressure on them. Every now and then, I would feel Rarity shiver harshly.

"Is that long enough?" I asked once five minutes had passed.

"Oh, much better. Thank you, darling." Rarity replied with a groan of release while she slightly flexed her shoulders. I then moved down to her knees. It was a fairly long reach, but I had little trouble. I made certain to get both sides. Once another three minutes had passed, I climbed down from the table and began to knead the center of her back. Her vertebrae were quite strong and the muscle around it was very firm, which I suppose I should have expected from an equine.

I spent a good five minutes on Rarity's vertebrae due to its length. Once finished, I straddled her once again. Only this time I was facing the opposite direction so I could reach her flanks and hind legs. I started on her flanks first, my hands gripping each one firmly. But I heard her loudly gasp and shudder under me when my fingertips dug into her cutie marks. "Ooh…! What… What are you doing?!"

Rarity's sudden outburst startled me, prompting me to release my grip on her immediately. "I was just starting on your flanks. Did I do something wrong?"

I watched while Rarity looked back at me. A faint blush was on her face as she watched my every move. "I… I don't know. I've never felt such a thing before. What did you touch?" I reached out and poked one of her cutie marks, prompting another gasp from the unicorn. "Oh…my…"

Worried that I may have hit a pressure point, I asked, "Does it hurt?"

Rarity's response puzzled me greatly. "No, there was no pain…. It's just… Please refrain from touching that spot unless I request it. Which I doubt I will. All right, dear?" I raised an eyebrow at her request. Unless she requested it? Was it a ticklish spot? Regardless, I agreed and started massaging her flanks again while taking care to not touch her cutie marks.

Once I had finished with her flanks, all that remained were her hind knees. As I started on them, Rarity sighed, "James, you truly are a natural at this… I've never had a massage that balances firmness with gentleness so well."

I replied while I kneaded the flesh around her knees, "Really? I have hardly any experience. Am I really that good?"

Rarity giggled softly in response. "More than good. You are simply marvelous." I think I may have blushed at her compliment.

Once I climbed down from the table, Rarity stood up and stretched. "Mmmmm! Such relief! I can't remember the last time I felt this limber!"

I took a step back as she hopped down from the table. "James, that was a most fabulous massage debut. You really should consider working here. I'm certain many ponies will come around to feel your magic touch." I snickered in embarrassment, flattered by her praise.

Before I could do anything else, Fluttershy walked over to the massage tables. The facial cream had been removed from her face while her hair had been let down. She smiled shyly and asked, "I overheard Rarity's praise for you, James. If it's not too much trouble, could you give me a massage too? Um… If that's all right with you, that is…"

I smiled warmly at Fluttershy's timidity and modesty. "It would be my pleasure, Fluttershy. Remove your robe and we'll get started."

Fluttershy grinned widely before she slid out of her bathrobe and hopped up onto the massage table. Rarity levitated both robes with her magic and smiled at us. "I'll take care of your robe, Fluttershy. Now, I must be getting back to Carousel Boutique. I have a few appointments that begin soon. Same time next week, dear?"

The timid pegasus looked over at my landlord and nodded with a grin on her face. "Definitely. Take care, Rarity." I waved goodbye with her as Rarity moved out of sight.

I climbed onto the table and straddled Fluttershy the same way I had positioned myself above Rarity. "Just relax, Fluttershy." Like before, I started on her neck before moving to her cheeks. Fluttershy did not seem to be accustomed to others touching her face since she winced slightly at my touch. "I'm just being thorough, Fluttershy. Don't panic." I spoke softly, trying to keep her calm. It was a struggle for me to resist the urge to be more affectionate to her.

"I… I know. I trust you, James…" She replied with a whisper. I felt her relax again as I started on her shoulders. But once I had climbed down from the table and started on her back, I took note of Fluttershy's folded wings.

"Fluttershy, would you like me to do your wings next?" I asked, wondering what a pegasus' wings felt like.

She replied while glancing at her right wing, "Oh… That sounds lovely. Go right ahead, please."

Once I finished massaging her back, I spoke, "OK. Right wing, please." She responded by extending her right wing only. I felt along the top of the wing, feeling the bone structure under the skin. There were two joints in all. I started on the one closest to the body, being very careful to not apply much pressure since I suspected the bones in Fluttershy's wings are hollow and fragile.

"You don't have to hold back, James. Pegasus wing bones are much denser than bird bones. They don't break easily." Fluttershy spoke up, likely detecting the lack of firmness in my kneading. I took her words to heart and began to apply the same amount of firmness as before. I heard Fluttershy let out a sigh as she muttered, "Rarity is right… You really are amazing at this."

Once I had finished with both joints, I walked over to the other side of the table. "OK. Left wing now, please." Fluttershy responded by folding her right wing while extending her left. I started by kneading the joint closest to the body for three minutes before moving onto the next. Once the left wing had been tended to, I climbed atop the table and straddled Fluttershy again while facing her rear. I was certain that Fluttershy's cutie marks were not as sensitive as Rarity's. It would be highly unlikely that two ponies have the same ticklish spot…..right?

My guess proved false since Fluttershy let out a suppressed gasp when my fingertips dug into her flanks. "J-J-James…! N-not there!" Fluttershy squeaked as I kneaded her flanks and the cutie marks on them.

I released my grip at once. "What's wrong? Did it hurt? Are you ticklish there?" I asked, fearful that I may have hurt her in some way.

Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at me, her face flushed red with the deepest blush I had ever seen on her. "N-no, it doesn't hurt. And I'm not ticklish there… It's just a… Um…I'm not comfortable saying it out loud…"

Judging by her hesitation and the blush on her face, I began to fear that the cutie marks of some ponies are sensitive enough to function as a pleasure point. I began to feel my body temperature spike as I began to sweat. "Oh man… So sorry, Fluttershy…" I then went back to massaging her flanks, weaving my fingers around her butterfly cutie marks without letting a single word escape my lips for the rest of the massage. After that incident, I was very certain that Fluttershy would never accept me for a potential boyfriend. I even felt disappointed in myself that I had offended her in front of the spa sisters.

Once I had finished with her flanks and hind knees, I climbed down from the table. "I think I got everything…" When Fluttershy stood up and turned to face me, I froze as she gazed at me with an uneasy expression. "Did I…make any mistakes?"

To my surprise, Fluttershy smiled at me. "Not at all. Rarity was right. That was the most delicate and soothing massage I've ever had. You really have skill at this." I think I blushed when she reached out to me with her head and nuzzled my face. "Thank you again, James. You're sweet."

I saw Fluttershy out the front door. "See you again in an hour or two." I said while I waved goodbye. Now alone with just the spa sisters, I turned to find Lotus seated at the front desk again. "Excuse me, Miss Lotus. Are you hiring?"

The spa pony replied with a wide grin. "Oh, I was hoping you would say that. Aloe and I saw everything. Your fingers have the kind of precision and tenderness that our hooves do not. What would be the best days for you to work here?"

Since I already have a job at Sugarcube Corner, I had to think up a way to balance two jobs. "Well… How do Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays sound?" I asked, hoping I could work out a deal with the Cake couple to work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

"That would do nicely. Just fill out this application and we will see you on Tuesday, Mr. James." Lotus said in her strong accent. She then gave me a job application that was surprisingly simple in comparison to those used by American businesses. There were only a few things to fill out. I signed my name at the end, handed the sheet back to Lotus, and then retrieved my cape from the corner of the room before heading on my way to get some lunch.

I went straight to the local café as promised, hoping to find Rainbow Dash waiting for me. For the first time, my dining partner had beaten me to the location as I saw her looking through a menu. I approached her and took a seat at the opposite end of the table after borrowing a small stool from nearby. "Let me guess. You got from the market to this table in ten seconds flat?" I asked while trying to be witty to the athletic mare.

Rainbow Dash looked over her menu and smiled at me. "Hey there, James! And you're right! Ten. Seconds. Flat." The two of us chuckled in unison. Is that a catch phrase of hers?

"So, how were the crusaders doing? Any sales?" I asked, wondering if they had made any progress in the activity I had suggested that day.

"Ya know, they surprised me! They're actually doing pretty well! They had only just set up shop when I got there. But they started making sales in only a few minutes. I guess having such a wide variety of stuff really does catch customers' eyes." Rainbow Dash replied while showing a grin.

"I guess my suggestion paid off." I spoke softly while I adjusted the cape around my neck. I had almost forgotten I was wearing it.

After a moment, Rainbow Dash closed her menu after having apparently decided on what to order. She then looked at me and spoke, "Scootaloo wouldn't stop talking about you. Even said you're like a brother to her. You two hit it off or what?"

I blushed at her remark and replied, "She told you, huh? Well…yeah. She even started calling me 'big brother' today for some reason. Can't say I'm not flattered though."

Rainbow Dash snickered briefly before she spoke up. "She told me about how cool you were when you stole Diamond Tiara's cutie mark. And how you made her look like a joke in the park yesterday. I never knew you could be tough too."

I did not think too highly of my actions and replied bluntly, "I was not being tough. I was just giving a pathetic bully what she deserved. That's all there was to it. Nothing more."

Despite my claims, Rainbow Dash smirked at me. "Yeah, I hear ya. But that still sounds like you were being tough when you needed to be. And you remember what I said about dating you if you were a bit more assertive, right?"

I froze while I looked over my menu at Rainbow Dash. She was giving me a sly smirk, making me sweat as I felt myself becoming extremely nervous. However, she suddenly burst into laughter. "Bwahaha! Gotcha! Sorry, I just had to do that. It was worth it to see the look on your face."

Despite Rainbow's attempt at humor, I was not amused. I glared at her for a moment before looking through the menu again. "Good thing you were kidding. I have my eye on someone else anyway."

Rainbow Dash stopped snickering abruptly. She gazed at me with an expression that seemed to have 'Wait... Seriously?' written all over it. All I could do was nod.

"So… You actually have feelings for somepony? And that's a pony and not a human?" Rainbow Dash asked, clearly interested in the unlikely idea of a human developing feelings for a pony.

I sighed before I explained, "Yeah… Only problem is I know it won't work out… She's too shy and would probably turn me down… What's more, I think I offended her today at the spa. So we can only just be friends."

Rainbow Dash inched over to my side of the table and glanced around for a second. "Can you tell me who she is? I promise I'll keep it a secret. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a cupcake in my eye."

I glanced at Rainbow Dash and asked, "Stick a…CUPCAKE in your eye?"

Rainbow shrugged her shoulders before replying, "Pinkie Pie came up with it. But you know what I mean. So, can you tell me?"

After a moment of hesitation, I lowered my head and muttered, "Fl…Fluttershy…"

Rainbow Dash stared at me with a look of silent shock for a moment. "Whoa… Fluttershy? Really?" I nodded silently, somewhat embarrassed from revealing my crush to her. She then asked, "Um… I don't want to sound like I think that's a bad idea, but what do you see in her exactly? She never seemed like the kind of pony who's looking for a sweetheart. To me, at least."

I sighed and looked away. "I'm not sure if I can explain this very well… I guess it started just after I came to Ponyville when you crashed onto me."

The rainbow-maned pegasus mare winced as she recalled that day. "Oh… Sorry about that. I really didn't mean to fall on you… But anyway, what happened?"

I went on while still browsing my menu. "She was very supportive in my time of need… I think she was my very first friend in Ponyville… Heck, maybe even in Equestria as a whole."

Rainbow Dash smiled in understanding. "Ya know, she normally has a very hard time opening up to ponies…..I mean people she's not familiar with. Did she really not have any trouble opening up to you?"

That sounded just like Fluttershy to me since she had even confessed to me that she is wary around ponies she does not trust or know well. And yet, she came right over to me with little hesitation. "No… She walked over to me and took a seat at my side. But maybe the reason she wasn't that nervous was because I'm not a pony… And that I was far too distressed to really pay any mind to her…" I explained, knowing that she had never met a human before, let alone be hurt by one.

Rainbow Dash nodded before replying. "Yeah, I see whatcha mean. First impressions are really important to Fluttershy." She then placed an elbow on the table and asked, "So, it started there? Like she was your first friend in Ponyville? What else draws you to her?"

Her question was not easy for me to answer. But I tried. "I… When… I'll put it like this. Whenever I think of her, I feel…a warm tingly feeling inside me… She's so sweet, yet so beautiful. I don't think I've ever met a girl as sweet as her in my life. Even before I ended up in Equestria….. Sorry. That's the best I can describe myself."

I looked over at Rainbow Dash, who was looking back at me. She then muttered, "Well… I'm no expert in this kinda thing… I've never had a crush in my life, so I can't relate. But…I know Fluttershy really likes you. I mean, she likes all of her friends, but she really likes you for sure. I guess what I'm saying is to just be careful to not rush it. And another thing…" She placed a hoof on my shoulder before speaking uncharacteristically softly, "She could really use somepony like you. Someone who can always be there to support her."

I could see the wisdom in Rainbow's words, which is weird coming from a jock like her. Fluttershy had told me she had always been wary of ponies she is not familiar with. This led me to believe she has been bullied in the past. Rather than feel pity for the timid pegasus, I felt my desire to support her increase as I felt the urge to help soothe the pain she had endured in her earlier years. "I will, Rainbow… I won't ever leave her."

My friend patted me on the back. "Awesome. Don't forget those words, OK? She needs you." The two of us shared a hug before she moved back over to her side of the table just as the waiter arrived.

"Welcome back, sir. Have you made your decision?" The waiter asked, apparently having come to recognize me.

"Yes, I will have the house salad with French dressing and an order of spaghetti and…meat…balls?" I could hardly believe that there was actual meat on a menu in a town of herbivorous ponies.

The waiter turned to Rainbow Dash, who spoke, "I'll go for the sub. Extra tomatoes." The waiter nodded and walked back inside the café.

"Rainbow… Are the meatballs in the pasta made of REAL meat?" I asked, wondering if Equestrian ponies are actually omnivores.

The pegasus snickered at my apparent bewilderment. "Nah. It's not real meat. Just fake meat made of soy bean stuff." I chuckled for a second, having completely forgotten about the likes of tofu hotdogs and veggie burgers.

It did not take long for our orders to arrive. The meatballs in my spaghetti appeared to be made out of actual meat and probably tasted the part too, but I was certain they were not what they seemed. A layer of tomato sauce covered the whole dish. Rainbow Dash's order was a long submarine sandwich with various vegetables clamped between the slices of bread. "Aw yeah, let's chow down."

I watched while Rainbow Dash planted her hooves at the sides of the sandwich and lifted it before taking a bite. Not wanting to be left out, I started on my food. The tomato sauce was zesty and had just a hint of spiciness to it.

Not surprisingly, Rainbow Dash finished her meal first. "Mmm. Good stuff. You almost done, James?" I had finished my salad and was halfway done with my entrée.

"I should be another minute or two. And sorry that I can't finish all this in ten seconds flat." I replied, not wanting to scarf down my food. Rainbow Dash could only snicker at the reference I made to her speed record.

Once we had finished, Rainbow Dash flew away suddenly and returned less than a minute later with a stack of bits in her mouth. Once she set them down on the table, she turned to me and explained, "As promised, I'll handle the bill." I nodded, but then reached into my pocket and pulled out a few bits of my own.

"A tip for the waiter." I explained while I set the money down.

Rainbow Dash began to hover while I put the stool I was sitting on back where I found it. "I'm gonna go check on Scootaloo and the other crusaders. Say hi to Fluttershy for me!" I waved goodbye as the pegasus took to the sky and flew south. Remembering what I had promised to do, I started to head west towards Fluttershy's cottage.

When I began to press into the meadow that bordered Fluttershy's home, I noticed an unusually high number of rabbits milling about. There were various hues of white, black, brown, gray, and the like. They would often watch me as I passed by, probably because they had never seen a human before. "I guess it's rabbit season. Or is it duck season?" I could not help muttering out loud.

When Fluttershy's cottage came into view, I found the timid pegasus resting upon the bridge that crossed the creek in front of her house. Once she saw me coming, Fluttershy stood up trotted right over to me. "Hello again, James. You're right on time. And thanks again for that wonderful massage today."

I stroked Fluttershy's mane with a smile while replying, "Next time you come in, try to make it a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. Those are the days I work there now."

Fluttershy smiled softly and nodded. "I'm glad to hear that. Next time Rarity and I meet up at the spa, I'll ask for you by name. But now that you're here, shall we get started?" I followed Fluttershy a short distance away from her home, finding many of the same rabbits I had seen on my way in still milling about.

"Fluttershy… Are all of these rabbits just babies?" I asked, finding their close proximity to be making me mildly giddy.

"Oh yes. These are the baby bunnies I need help rounding up. But remember, they're a timid bunch and need to be handled gently." She replied with her soft voice.

I have caught wild baby rabbits before with just my hands without being forceful, so I have experience in handling young rabbits. Only this time, it seemed that they would not have any fear of me. "OK then. Where should I set them as I gather them up?"

Fluttershy pointed towards a partially fenced-in area that was bordered by a very low white wooden fence. "Just place them over there. I'll keep them from wandering off."

Eager to get started, I calmly approached a trio of grazing baby rabbits and got down on one knee. They looked at me when I drew near, their big adorable eyes showing curiosity instead of wariness. "Hello there, little guys." I spoke softly while slowly outstretching my hand. I ran one finger between one rabbit's ears. That area seemed to be a soft spot since the baby bunny immediately warmed up to me by nuzzling my finger. The other two also drew closer.

"OK, little fellas. Just hold still." I spoke before I carefully scooped them up in my arms. The rabbits seemed very calm in my grasp as they nuzzled my chest. This was one such experience I would never forget and hopefully would not be the last.

"Very good, James. Just set them down right here." Fluttershy tapped her hoof in one spot as I approached her with the bunnies in my arms. I carefully released them from my grasp as low to the ground as I could get. I petted each bunny on the head to reassure them before going off to find some more.

I repeated the same process over and over for the next thirty minutes at least. But I never got bored. In fact, I cherished every minute with the baby bunnies. After making one last trip to the bundle of bunnies I had rounded up, I made a quick sweep of the area to see if I had overlooked anyone. When I found that no baby bunnies had been left behind, I returned to Fluttershy. "I think that's everyone."

Fluttershy nodded with a pleased grin. "Thank you again, James. Will you do the honors?" I smiled and gazed down at the many baby bunnies at my feet. I silently counted them while Fluttershy did everything she could to keep them from moving.

"Whoa… Sixty bunnies. That's quite a few." I spoke out loud as I finished counting them in my head.

"Sixty? Wow… We seldom have that many in one season." Fluttershy remarked while the bunnies looked up at us. But when I looked down at them, a thought popped into my head.

"Fluttershy, could you keep them all together for a bit longer? I'd like to get a picture of this." I asked before I pulled my DSi game system out of my pocket and turned it on.

"James, what is that? I've never seen anything like it." Fluttershy asked me while trying to not get too excited.

"It's a camera. Well, it's more than just a camera, but I'm using it as a camera for now." I replied as I activated the camera feature. I got down on one knee while adjusting the top half of the DSi to get the best angle.

"If you're going to take a picture, make sure the flash is turned off. It might scare them… Oh? Hello, Angel." Fluttershy spoke before apparently being distracted by something. In actuality, the DSi's camera does not have a flash function. But at the mention of Angel, I looked behind me to find the same white rabbit I had seen resting in the 'dog' house next to Fluttershy's cottage.

Before I could say anything, Fluttershy gasped lightly. "Oh, I know! Angel, could you take the picture so James could be in the shot too?" As ridiculous as it sounded, the rabbit nodded his head in agreement. I froze for a moment as I tried to comprehend how a rabbit could use such a complex gadget. I was also hesitant to let someone other than myself use my DSi, but it was the only way I could be in the picture too.

When Angel came over to me, I set the DSi down and adjusted the top half, as well as the camera lens on it, so that it was standing up on a ninety-degree angle. "Thanks, Angel. Just press this button here to take the picture when we're ready. And watch the top screen to see how we look before the picture is taken." I explained, hoping he would understand. I then approached the pile of baby bunnies and got down on one knee beside them while Fluttershy stood at the other side. The two of us smiled while Angel seemed to adjust the DSi's location to try and get us all in the shot.

Eventually, I heard a familiar click when Angel pressed the button. I then stood up and went over to see how the picture had turned out. There was no motion blur and the lighting was just right. It also captured us all at just the right angle. For the DSi, it was of the highest quality. "Thank you, Angel." I spoke as I saved the picture and returned the DSi to my pocket. I then scratched Angel between the ears, coaxing a content smile from him.

"May I see the picture before you go?" Fluttershy asked while she approached me, the baby bunnies beginning to wander off behind her. I nodded and pulled the DSi back out, opened the photo album, and brought up the picture before turning the screen to her. "Oh my… That turned out lovely. Now we have something to remember this day by." Fluttershy spoke softly while she observed the photo.

I stood up before I returned my DSi to my pocket. "Thanks again for inviting me to help you with this. Just interacting with baby bunnies is a treat in itself." I smiled while I stroked Fluttershy's mane.

"Hehee… You're very welcome, James. Feel free to stop by if you're ever in the area. You're always welcome here." Fluttershy spoke before we embraced each other gently in a tender cuddle.

A moment passed, as I did not let go of my friend. While we embraced, I ran my fingers through her beautiful flowing pink mane. I heard Fluttershy sigh happily, clearly enjoying my touch. But we both froze when Angel momentarily tapped Fluttershy's leg with one foot. We both looked down to see him giving her a stern gaze.

"Something wrong, Angel?" I asked while I let Fluttershy down.

Fluttershy meekly replied, "Oh, it's nothing important. He just wants a snack." For some reason, the white rabbit glared at her as he tapped her on the leg again several times.

What was this rabbit doing? Was he trying to persuade Fluttershy to say something? Fluttershy then lowered her head down to him and whispered, "I can't tell him, Angel. I want to…but I can't…"

I suspect Fluttershy thought I would not hear her. But I was close enough to hear every word. I then asked, "Tell me what?"

Fluttershy blushed as her head jerked up suddenly. "You… You heard that? Oh dear… Um… Well…" I crossed my arms while looking down at her, puzzled by what it was Angel was trying to get her to say.

After a minute of stammering and incoherent muttering, Fluttershy finally asked, "Um… Well… May I ask you for some advice, James?" She was shyly looking at me from between her long bangs with one eye, a gesture I found utterly adorable.

"Sure thing, Fluttershy. Whatcha need help with?" I replied earnestly. I noticed that Angel had raised his paws and was shaking his head as if to say 'Close enough'.

The timid pegasus blushed while she spoke, "Well… There's this boy… I mean stallion… I mean… There's somepony I really…like… But I don't have the courage to tell him… What would be a good way to…confess my feelings to him?"

I felt immense disappointment upon finding that Fluttershy had already developed feelings for another person… Or rather, another pony. However, in my heart, all I really wanted was for Fluttershy to be happy. Even if it meant being happy without me. And if that meant losing her to someone else, so be it.

I was careful to hide my disappointment as I thought over a response. "You have a crush on someone and are afraid to tell the guy in person? Well… Why not just write him a love letter?"

My suggestion seemed to surprise my friend since she stared blankly at me for a moment. "A love letter…? I'm surprised I didn't think of that earlier…" She then smiled faintly and spoke softly with a very deep blush. "Tha… Thank you, James… That's all I needed. See you later. I have a letter to write." I watched while she trotted up towards her cottage and went inside. I looked down at Angel, who seemed to sigh in disappointment while looking at the ground and shaking his head. With nothing else to do, I said goodbye to Fluttershy's pet and headed back towards Ponyville.

I was fairly tired from all the walking I had done that day and decided to return home. It was late in the afternoon at the time. When I entered the Carousel Boutique through the front door, I found Rarity talking to Twilight Sparkle. "Yeah, what a coincidence. I guess we all got a little messy at the end of the Grand Galloping Gala, didn't we?" Twilight spoke before letting out a chuckle. Near her was a pony mannequin with a dazzling dress draped over it that was mostly shades of blue with many stars embroidered into it. However, it had rips and tears here and there.

"Oh yes, and it certainly wouldn't do for your lovely gown to be in this state when the next Gala arrives! I will make certain it is back to normal within the week." Rarity replied with some enthusiasm. It was then that she noticed me at the door and trotted over to me. "Hello, James! Still looking dashing in that cape. Is there anything I can get you?"

"No thanks. I'm good. Just a bit tired from all the walking around I did today. All I wanna do is relax on the sofa and read some more of that encyclopedia." I replied, remembering that I had borrowed the book from the library.

Twilight approached me with a smile. "Hey there, James. I was just dropping off my dress for some fixing. And I saw your robe. Very impressive. I can't wait to see you in it at the Gala!"

I replied while trying to hide my real mood, "Thanks, Twilight. It was more than I expected too. But come to think of it, where's Spike? I haven't seen him all day."

The purple unicorn giggled while she replied, "Oh, he's been busy with his chores. That's why he wasn't home when you visited today. Although I think he was a little jealous when Rarity showed us that bracelet you bought for her. Probably because he wanted to eat it. I think I even saw him drool a little." I could only chuckle while wondering if he would have been able to digest the silver as well.

Once we said our goodbyes, Twilight headed out for home. But I then turned to Rarity and asked, "Excuse me, Rarity. May I ask you something about Fluttershy?"

My landlord smiled wholeheartedly. "But of course! Since she's my best friend, I'm sure I can answer anything you want to know."

While making certain to hide my emotions, I then asked, "Well… She told me today that there is this guy she has a crush on. Do you know who it is?"

Rarity brought a hoof to her chin and seemed to ponder my words for a few seconds. "Hmmm… Fluttershy has found love? That's odd… She never once mentioned such a thing to me. Are you certain it was not a joke?"

I shook my head before replying, "I think she was serious. She asked me for advice on how to confess to him, so I suggested she write a love letter to him."

At my claim, Rarity nodded with a rather serious expression. "Yes, writing a letter is certainly more like Fluttershy's style. But who is this dashing gent who could've won Fluttershy's heart? I must remember to ask her tomorrow." I nodded in agreement, still feeling an unpleasant bitterness in my heart from being rejected. With nothing else to ask, I went to my room to read some more articles from the encyclopedia I had borrowed from Twilight.

"OK… Next page…" I muttered to myself as I removed the bookmark. "Ponyville….. Founded by earth ponies long ago. Now home to all three species of ponies… Canterlot… Capitol of Equestria… Home of unicorns… Like Ponyville, has become home to all three pony types over time… Cloudsdale… Home of pegasus ponies… Made entirely out of clouds, unicorn and earth ponies cannot reside there…" Each description included illustrations of the locations described in the articles.

The next article contained details on various flora and fauna of Equestria. As it turned out, many animal species that could be found on Earth also resided in Equestria. With a few notable exceptions. The first to be mentioned was the cockatrice, having the body of a snake and the head of a rooster. As I expected, its gaze could turn whoever it looked at into stone. Another was the hydra, but I had already heard of it from the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Next was the manticore, a creature with the body of a lion, a pair of wings, and a scorpion's tail complete with a stinger. Another entry mentioned the Ursa, colossal bear-like creatures with bodies that share the coloration of the night sky dotted with stars. But the last entry on the page puzzled me. "Parasprites…? Tiny and cuddly, but have ravenous appetites… Infestations can lead to catastrophic food shortages…" An illustration was provided, showing me a round insect of sorts with big eyes. Like the article claimed, it seemed to be quite adorable and far from menacing.

By the time I looked up from what I had been reading, it was nearly 8 PM. "Whoa… Time sure flies when wrapped up in a good book." I muttered out loud. Outside the window, I could see that the sun was setting over the horizon. I was still feeling full from lunch, so I decided to skip dinner. But as I looked back at the encyclopedia, I remembered that while it did offer great detail about some of the more colorful creatures of Equestria, it was a bit lacking in other areas of flora and fauna. I decided to head back to the library to borrow another book that may have more information on the subject. As I headed to the front door, I found Rarity 'in the zone', as she likes to say it, while working on repairing Twilight's dress. Rather than interrupt her, I left as quietly as I could.

It got dark out fairly quickly while I walked through Ponyville. I had not been out this late since my first night in Equestria. The cicadas were hissing loudly all around me, lending a familiar atmosphere to the moment. Few ponies were out and about at the time, which was not surprising to me. I was only hoping that Twilight was not asleep yet.

To my relief, I found that there were still lights on inside Twilight's house when I arrived. I peeked in the window and found Twilight tidying up on the first floor. I knocked on the door gently to let her know I was coming in.

Twilight turned to face me as I closed the door behind me. "Good evening, James! I wasn't expecting to see you this late." She spoke while trotting over to me with a smile.

"Well, when I looked up from reading, it was almost 8. I'm sure you can relate." I replied with a shrug of my shoulders. Twilight chuckled heartily since she is an avid reader too. But before I could ask for her help in finding a certain kind of book, there was a thumping sound at the door.

"Another visitor at this hour?" Twilight asked as she used her magic to open the front door from a distance. Once it was open, Angel ran inside with a scroll in his mouth.

"Angel? What're you doing out here?" I asked, puzzled why Fluttershy's pet would come all the way into Ponyville without her. He looked up at me with a gaze that seemed to show irritation. Whether it was to me or someone else, I could not say.

Twilight spoke while pointing with her hoof, "I think that scroll's for you, James. Should I let you read it first?" I nodded in agreement while I took the scroll from the white rabbit. Twilight went back to straightening up the library as I leaned against the wall to read it.

"Let's see here…" I muttered before I opened the scroll. I began to read it silently, but I soon began to sweat as I beheld its contents.

The note read, "To my beloved James. I'm sorry for not telling you this in person, but I can at least express my true feelings to you with this scroll. I have never met anypony like you. Somepony who never judges or shuns others despite their flaws. Whenever I see your face, I feel as if I am standing on a cloud of butterflies. And when I hear your voice, I feel as if I just heard an angel sing. I wish I could tell you just how much I adore you, but words alone can't describe it. It goes beyond just mere friendship. But please believe me when I say this. I love you, James. And I hope you will continue to remain in my life for the rest of our lives. With love, Fluttershy."

I felt somewhat dizzy by the time I finished reading the scroll. Was this for real? Was it a prank? I could hardly even think straight. "Twilight…" I stammered out.

My friend looked over at me before asking, "Something wrong, James? And why is your face red?"

I held out the scroll as she approached me. "Is this…a prank from Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash?"

Twilight's horn was engulfed in a billowing aura as the scroll floated over to her. "Let's see… Beloved James…..express my true feelings…. Oh…my…" Twilight said with an unusually loud tone as she blushed deeply. She read in silence for a moment before speaking, "This is…just so poetic! And it's in Fluttershy's handwriting! She didn't hold back when she wrote this!"

I could hardly believe it. The pony I have a crush on is actually in love with me. Or is she? I had my doubts if this love letter was real or forged. But it is far easier to express one's feelings through text than through voice, so I am certain even Fluttershy could get quite expressive in written form.

"If that's really Fluttershy's handwriting…" I muttered lightly. I then looked down at Angel and asked, "Did Fluttershy really write that?" The white rabbit nodded in response. It was real. Fluttershy…was…is in love with me.

Twilight rolled up the scroll and gave it back to me. "Wow… I never knew Fluttershy could be so artistic with love letters… But are you all right?"

I took the scroll in hand and nodded. "Yeah… Just a little dizzy and overheated… It's a lot to take in."

I then looked down at Angel again. "Did Fluttershy ask you to deliver this to me?" To my surprise, he shook his head with an annoyed expression. It was then that I suspected that Fluttershy had finished writing the scroll hours ago but had chickened out on sending it to me. Certainly something I would expect from her. Angel must have snuck it out of her cottage without her noticing.

Twilight asked quietly, "James… What are you going to do about this?" She almost sounded afraid.

I replied while I approached the front door with Angel, "I'm gonna ask her about this. Can I come back tomorrow for the book I was looking for?"

The purple unicorn nodded with a frown. "Sure… Have a nice night, James." I had never seen Twilight look so sad before. Probably because she was worried that the confrontation with Fluttershy would not end well. Regardless, I said my goodbyes and followed Angel back towards Fluttershy's home.

By the time Fluttershy's cottage came into view, the sun had very nearly vanished over the horizon for the night. While I walked up the slope to the front door of her house, I could hear Fluttershy's voice from an open window. Out of curiosity, I walked over to it and peered inside. Curtains were hanging in the way, but they were sheer enough for me to see through. But since that meant she could see through it too, I remained still to avoid detection.

Fluttershy was frantically looking about for something while constantly talking to herself. "Ooooh, where is it? I know I left it on that desk when I was done writing! I hope it didn't somehow make its way to James… Did I put it in the mailbox? Hopefully the mailmare didn't stop by after I did… I better go check." As she ran to the front door, I hurried over to it to meet her. As soon as the door opened, Fluttershy yelped in a surprisingly high pitched tone. "Ah! James!" I had to restrain myself from laughing at her skittish reaction to my unexpected presence.

"Uh… Good evening, Fluttershy. Expecting anyone?" I asked, trying not to sound like I knew what she was searching for.

Fluttershy blushed while trying to regain her composure. "Um… No, not really… I was just looking for a….. Oh…my…" Her gaze rested upon my hand. In my grasp was the love letter she had written. "You… You didn't happen to read that…did you?"

I could not bring myself to lie towards someone as tender as Fluttershy, so I replied honestly. "Yeah… I'm the guy you wanted advice on confessing to, right? So… Is this real? Or did you just send it to me as a test to see how well you could convey your feelings in text? And please be honest."

I watched as Fluttershy backed away from me with a very deep blush on her face. I could see tears welling up in her eyes. "That scroll… I wrote it… The guy I like… I love…" She curled up in a corner in the room and covered her face with her hooves as she sobbed, "It's you, James… Please don't hate me…"

The sight of Fluttershy sobbing in fear and shame was truly one of the most pathetic sights I have ever seen. She looked so miserable, I felt sorry for her. Hoping to put her fears to rest, I slowly approached her and ran my fingers through her beautiful pink mane once I dropped to my knees. "I don't hate you, Fluttershy. Please don't cry. It hurts when I see you this scared."

Ever so slowly, the timid pegasus removed her hooves from her face. I slowly stroked her face just under the eyes to wipe away her tears. "You… You're not angry? Not offended at all? Not even a little?" She asked shyly in her signature quiet tone.

I nodded with the softest smile I can make. "I could never hate you. I can't even see any real flaws in your behavior. If there is someone in this world who doesn't like you, then there's something wrong with that person."

Fluttershy sighed while she leaned against the hand that was stroking her mane. "There are a few…but many more do like me…"

With a smile, I spoke, "Only I like you the most."

I watched as Fluttershy blushed deeply while she let out a light squeak. Her modesty and shyness made my heart melt. I wanted to protect her. To always be there for her. I helped her climb to her feet before I lifted her up in my arms. "You look tired. Let's get you somewhere to rest." I carried her over to a green sofa of sorts and lied down on it with Fluttershy atop me. The length was fairly short, so I had to raise one leg over the back while letting the other hang off the side.

Fluttershy rested her head next to mine as she lay upon my chest. I held her against me with my hands on her back. "Have you stopped crying?" I asked softly.

"Yes… I'm OK now…" Fluttershy replied with a whisper.

I continued to stroke my friend's mane. At my touch, Fluttershy cooed softly, "I love it when you do that…"

"Is that why you came to love me?" I asked, curious of how she came to develop feelings for me.

Fluttershy blushed deeply while she muttered, "I don't know…if I can put it into words… You've just…always been so kind to me… You showed me how gentle you are with animals… And… And…" She began to tear up once again while pausing briefly. "I'm sorry… That's the best I've got… I can't describe it anymore than that…"

She was probably expecting me to reject her feelings if she could not explain them properly. But I understand that love is not something that can always be explained. I could tell that her feelings were sincere. And I wanted to be with her always. Because she…was… No. She IS the girl I love.

Fluttershy closed her eyes, afraid to look at me. However, I brought my lips to her ear and whispered, "I love you, Fluttershy."

Her eyes shot open instantly at my words. She gazed at me with a deep blush on her face. "You mean… Re…really?"

I replied with a question of my own. "May I kiss you?"

Fluttershy's blush only deepened further. But she soon smiled meekly and whispered, "Ye…yes… I would like that."

I stroked her face before I brought my lips to hers. When they touched, I felt a tear drip onto my neck. Our kiss was brief as Fluttershy began to sob quietly. She was likely overwhelmed with emotion since she had never received love of this magnitude before. "Fluttershy…?" I asked while I placed my hand over her hoof.

She gasped for breath as she sobbed, "Please… Hold me…" She threw her forelegs around my neck as she held her face against the side of my head as she wept quietly. For all I know, she was likely releasing years of pent-up loneliness from being so withdrawn.

I gently caressed the pegasus pony's back, trying to make her know that she was loved. "Don't cry, Fluttershy… I won't ever leave you… I promise."

To my surprise, Fluttershy muttered, "I'm not…hurt. I'm just…so happy to have…somepony like you…" After a moment more, she asked, "James… May I…kiss you? If that's all right with you…"

Even though I had expressed my feelings towards her, I was flattered by Fluttershy's modesty. I had her look at me before I smiled and whispered, "You don't ever have to ask me that, Fluttershy. You may kiss me whenever you want."

Fluttershy smiled timidly before pressing her lips against mine. We both closed our eyes, my hand behind her head. Before I knew it, we had parted our lips and allowed our tongues to touch. This more intimate kiss did not last long since Fluttershy soon pulled away from me suddenly. "What's wrong? Did I…go too far?" I asked, seeing that she appeared a little dazed.

"N… No… I just…felt a sudden rush when we…" Fluttershy muttered as she shook her head to get her bearings. But she then asked with a blush, "May we do that again?" I nodded and we began to kiss again. Fluttershy made the first move to make the kiss more intimate. I felt her tongue touch my lips before I could open them for her. The strange sensation of our tongues touching was new to me, but I enjoyed every second of it. By the time we broke the kiss, I think we were both blushing while lightly panting from a spike in body temperature.

"Did you like it?" I asked, somewhat concerned for my lover.

Fluttershy groggily replied, "I…loved it…" She then surprised me by nuzzling my face, "But I love you most of all…"

Her words touched me deeply. To me, Fluttershy was the most precious and loveable pony in Ponyville. Maybe even in all of Equestria. To know that she had chosen me over all others made me feel like the luckiest man alive. I held her in my arms tightly as I whispered, "And I love you more than anything, Fluttershy…"

The two of us just continued to cuddle and kiss for… I do not know. Forty minutes? An hour? Regardless, by the time we looked out the window, it was nightfall. The moon was high in the sky and the stars could be seen.

"Time flies when you're with someone you love, huh?" I muttered, surprised by just how late it had gotten.

Fluttershy blushed as she whispered, "Um… I'm sorry if I kept you…"

Sweet little Fluttershy. Always so modest and submissive. It only made me love her more. I stroked her mane while I smiled. "Don't be. I don't have anything planned for tonight. I loved every minute with you."

My words did the trick since Fluttershy smiled brightly. "So did I… I'm so glad to have you as my boyfriend, James."

I felt a very warm sensation come over me when I heard that word. Boyfriend. She had actually acknowledged me as her lover. It felt as if nothing could go wrong. I then placed my hand over Fluttershy's hoof and asked, "Fluttershy. If it's all right with you, may I move in with you tomorrow?"

I expected Fluttershy to be nervous. Instead, she beamed brightly at me. "You mean… Us living together? Like a couple?" She went airborne while flapping her wings as she smiled, "That sounds…so wonderful… I'd love to have you here with me!"

Looking forward to tomorrow, I sat up from the sofa and climbed to my feet. "Then I'll pack my bags as soon as I get home from work tomorrow."

I stepped outside Fluttershy's cottage and looked around at the untouched natural landscape bathed in moonlight. Many fireflies would glow every few seconds. I was already looking forward to living with Fluttershy while surrounded by nature. "I'm gonna love it here." I remember muttering out loud.

"Do you think it would be OK for me to visit you while you're on the job tomorrow?" Fluttershy asked while she closed the bottom half of the front door behind me.

I thought over my response for a moment before replying, "Actually, how about you meet me during my lunch break? I think I'll take it at a little past noon."

Fluttershy smiled and gave me a nod. "Some time for just us? That sounds lovely. How does the café sound for a place to meet up at?"

"That's where I always go for lunch on work days. So it's decided?" I asked, looking forward to our first meal together.

"Absolutely." Fluttershy said with a smile. However, she then frowned and spoke with a rather disappointed tone. "I…guess this is goodbye then…"

I could understand why Fluttershy seemed unhappy. I did not want to leave her either, even if it was just for one night. But I placed my hand on her cheek and smiled. "Yeah… But just for tonight. Starting tomorrow, we'll be living together. So please be patient. All right, honey?"

Fluttershy blushed deeply when I called her 'honey' just then. It was clearly the first time she had ever been called something so tender before. "O…K… I hope I dream about you tonight. Have a safe walk back to Rarity's place, James." She then gave me a kiss on the cheek, prompting me to smile as she had learned that she did not have to ask permission to do so.

I casually walked along the path that led from Fluttershy's cottage out into the meadow that separated it from Ponyville. But every moment, I would look over my shoulder to see if Fluttershy had gone to bed. To my pleasant surprise, she was still standing at the doorway while watching me. Just before I was completely out of view, I waved back at her. She clearly must have seen me since she raised one of her forelegs and waved back. With a spring in my step, I hurried on through Ponyville to return to Carousel Boutique.

When I arrived, I found that no light was shining through the windows. I suspected that Rarity had gone to bed and locked me out before doing so. Fortunately, I found that the back door was unlocked. "Thanks, Rarity." I muttered, grateful that she had left a way back inside for me.

I am writing this from the sofa in the room where I sleep. I have just finished bathing for the night and am happier than I have been in a long time. I have found my very first girlfriend in the unlikeliest of ponies. Fluttershy. While I do have some doubts about the future, I still feel the desire to protect and support her however I can. Tomorrow will be our first day as lovers. I wonder if I will have enough time when I wake up to visit her before work.

Thank you, Fluttershy. Thank you for coming into my life. I love you.


	6. From Bud to Bloom

"Darling, you have a visitor. Wake up, please." Those were the first words I heard as I was awakened by Rarity. I groggily opened my eyes before I looked up at her.

"What time is it…?" I asked as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

"Oh, a little past 10. And please do get up. It is rude to keep a lady waiting." I watched as my landlord left the room. With a shrug, I sat up while wondering who would want to see me in the morning. I then put on the clothes Rarity had made for me and walked out into the main workroom to meet my visitor. This marked the beginning of my sixth day in Equestria.

"Oh yes, I'm actually surprised by how torn up it got… Though I guess I kinda deserved it after how forceful I was to the animals…." My eyes fell upon Fluttershy as she chatted with Rarity. I think I felt myself blush while I watched her, remembering what had happened the previous night.

It did not take long for Fluttershy to notice me standing at the entrance to the hallway. The instant her timid eyes looked in my direction, they brightened up with excitement. "Oh, James!" I braced myself as she suddenly ran towards me and leapt into my arms. I had to drop down on one knee so I was the same height as her.

"My oh my, am I missing something here?" Rarity asked while Fluttershy nuzzled my face lovingly with her eyes closed. For some reason, Fluttershy did not seem to notice Rarity's words as she cuddled with me.

"Uh… Fluttershy? Rarity asked you something." I muttered into her ear. Fluttershy then finally opened her eyes and looked over at her friend.

Before Fluttershy could say anything, Rarity gasped before asking, "Oh, I see now! The dashing gent who won your heart. It was James, was it not?!" The unicorn seemed to be very excited as she inched closer to us.

We were both hesitant to admit our feelings to anyone. I could feel my body temperature increase as I became nervous. Fluttershy then asked with a painfully timid tone of voice, "Can you…keep a secret, Rarity?"

Rarity winked at us and grinned brightly. "Oh, but of course! Any secret from you is safe with moi!"

Fluttershy looked up at me with an uncertain gaze. We both then silently looked at Rarity before looking back at each other and nodding. Fluttershy then muttered, "Well… James and I… We…"

I held Fluttershy's head to my chest as I finished the sentence for her. "We're…lovers now."

Neither of us was certain of what Rarity's reaction would be. However, the unicorn beamed brightly and hopped in place once. "Really? Truly?! Well, congrats to both of you! Am I invited to the wedding?! Ooh! Leave the tuxedo and dress to me! I can hardly wait to get started!"

Rarity's bravado flattered me to no end. Fluttershy and I had only been together since last night, yet Rarity already believed we were going to get married someday. Granted, the idea excited me, but it was far too soon to say for sure.

"You…really don't have a problem with us being together?" Fluttershy asked with a deep blush on her face.

Rarity grinned and spoke with great enthusiasm, "Oh, not only do I not have any trouble with you. I absolutely support your bond! But truly, when is the wedding?"

I chuckled lightly, though more out of being flattered by her words. "We haven't decided on a wedding date yet… Besides, we only started seeing each other just last night. It's way too soon to say if we'll ever…"

Fluttershy interrupted me with a smile on her face and spoke, "Actually, we would appreciate it if you did make our wedding clothes when we've decided on when it happens….." She then looked up at me with an uneasy expression and asked, "Um… If that's all right with you, that is…"

It is understandable that Fluttershy would be concerned about my thoughts on the matter, as we had only been lovers since the previous night. However, I could tell that her love for me is true and powerful if she had already asked Rarity to make our clothes for the wedding if I ever proposed to her. I replied with a smile while I stroked her mane, "That's fine with me, honey. No one makes better garments than Rarity."

At my words, Fluttershy smiled softly as she leaned against me. Rarity then let out an adorable giggle. "Oh, you two are simply darling together. Your wedding will be so grand, even the princesses will want to attend!"

It was then that a question popped into my head. "Come to think of it, what brings you here today, Fluttershy?"

The timid pegasus smiled shyly and explained, "I came to see you, James. I wanted to walk with you on your way to work. Your shift starts at 11 AM, right?"

Before I could answer, I felt something climbing up my back as I was on my knees. "What the… Is that Opal?"

A familiar voice spoke out while I felt a pair of small hooves on top of my head. "I got you this time, blank flank!" I then felt the hooves stomping on my head, although my thick hair absorbed most of the impact to the point where it actually felt pleasant.

"Is it Diamond Tiara again?" I asked the two ponies before me. They both nodded with amused expressions. I then crossed my arms and asked, "Would you mind doing that a little harder? And maybe some rubbing?" I heard the filly growl as she intensified her efforts to no avail.

After a moment of stomping, I yelped when I felt Diamond Tiara kick me in the back of the neck. To my surprise, I saw Fluttershy glare at the filly and fly up to her. "Stop it, now!" The timid pegasus spoke in an unusually loud tone. She then grabbed the filly's mane by her teeth, flew over to the front door and tossed her outside. I heard the ever-softening sound of galloping hooves as I assume Diamond Tiara made a run for it.

"Whoa… That's the most assertive I've ever seen you get, Fluttershy." I muttered, having not expected her to come to my aid.

Fluttershy seemed rather embarrassed by her outburst while she shyly approached me. "I'm sorry… It's just… When I heard you were hurt, I… I think I just snapped…" She looked away in shame, probably thinking that her outburst had disappointed me.

Before I could speak my opinion, Rarity spoke up first. "Come now, Fluttershy. There is no shame in coming to the defense of those you hold dear. In fact, it was very noble of you to protect James like that. You should be proud of yourself."

I nodded as I approached my lover. "I'm actually flattered that you helped me, Fluttershy. Thank you." I stroked her mane gently in an attempt to calm her.

At my touch, Fluttershy blushed with a meek smile. "Oh, James… You really don't mind it when I get assertive?"

I snickered in response. "I actually find it more endearing than frightening. You're cute when you get serious like that." Fluttershy could not really offer a retort, as she was too flattered to speak.

Rarity approached us and asked in a more urgent tone of voice, "James, shouldn't you be on your way to work now? Only twenty minutes left before 11." She pointed at a clock on the wall to prove her statement.

"Whoa. I better get going then. Thanks for alerting me, Rarity." I said while I headed for the front door.

"Wait for me, James! Let's go together!" Fluttershy called as she trotted up alongside me. The two of us waved goodbye to Rarity before closing the door behind us.

As we headed into the town square, Fluttershy looked over towards the spa and asked, "You start working there tomorrow, right?"

I looked over at the elegant building and nodded while replying, "Yup. Not sure how well I'll do on my first real day, but I won't know until I try."

Fluttershy smiled as she looked up at me. "I'll be your first client tomorrow. So you can practice on me before other customers show up." She then blushed while speaking in a whisper, "And…you can massage my cutie marks too, if you want…"

I winced as I recalled that her cutie marks are sensitive enough to function as a pleasure point. "Is that really a good idea? I thought you didn't want me to touch it last time." I replied, worried that it would draw attention to her, something that I know Fluttershy dislikes.

My girlfriend then explained, "That was before you and I became…closer…" She then smiled shyly and spoke, "And to be honest, I'm curious of how gentle you can be with me. Besides, it's not like I'm new to that stuff. Just recently, after the first few days you started living in Ponyville, I would…sometimes…"

Fluttershy's blush only deepened as she spoke. There was clearly something she wanted to tell me, but her shyness would not let her. "Is it something personal?" I asked out of concern.

She nodded rather reluctantly and replied, "Not just that… I don't think it would…be a good idea to say it in public…"

This only piqued my curiosity further. "Well, could you give me a hint?"

Fluttershy glanced around, probably to make certain no one was looking our way. "OK…" She began to slowly raise and lower her forelegs, making a clopping sound with each step. "Do you hear that sound?"

I nodded and asked, "The sound of clopping. Right?"

Fluttershy then continued while blushing, "It's not only a noun, though… It's also a verb. And not just the term associated with walking…" She could hardly even look at me while she spoke.

"You mean…you would recently clop after meeting me?" I could not understand what could be so embarrassing about clopping in place, and even more so as there does not seem to be much point in doing it unless for exercise. "How is that hard to talk about? It's pretty much just walking in place."

At my words, Fluttershy looked up at me with an amused expression while she giggled at my ignorance. "I don't mean that kind of clopping. It's a…slang term… The kind of clopping I mean is…"

She paused for a moment, clearly too embarrassed to say it out loud. "Um… Could it wait until we're alone at my place today?"

I felt it would be a bad idea to inquire further until we were alone. "Sure thing. But just remember that you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Fluttershy giggled while she blushed at my words. "Thank you, James. I love you." I was still getting accustomed to hearing her say those words as I could only chuckle nervously.

The two of us continued to chat casually as we headed towards Sugarcube Corner. But when we drew near, Pinkie Pie came out of nowhere and ran over to us. "James! Fluttershy! Twitchy twitch! Twitchy twitch!" She was standing on just her forelegs with her rump in the air, her poofy tail twitching furiously.

"Twitchy tail?! Oh no… Is there anything above us?" Fluttershy asked as she slunk up against me.

Fearing that a moving trailer was above us, or possibly the ever-unpredictable Derpy Hooves making her rounds, I looked skyward while taking care to not move. My eyes scanned the sky above us, but found nothing passing overhead. "Are you sure that 'Pinkie Sense' of yours is 100% accurate? Has it ever failed before?"

Pinkie Pie promptly replied while still looking fearful, "No! It's never been wrong before! Something's gonna fall! I just don't know when!"

At this, Fluttershy moved away from me and began to head towards Sugarcube Corner. "Then we should get inside before something does fa… Wah?!" Before she had gone even one foot from us, Fluttershy stumbled and was about to plummet face first into the hard ground. Without even really thinking, I quickly reached down and grabbed the timid pegasus before she could fall.

"Huh… So Fluttershy fell this time?" Pinkie Pie muttered, her tail having stopped twitching.

Until then, I had always believed that the twitchy tail sign meant that something ABOVE Pinkie Pie was going to fall. Not something that was already on the ground. Regardless, I asked, "You OK, Fluttershy?"

In my arms, she blushed while looking up at me. "Y-yes… I'm OK now, James… Thank you. You're my hero." She surprised me by placing a soft kiss on my cheek. All I could do in response was blush.

Pinkie Pie was quick to notice Fluttershy's display of affection and smirked at us. "Ooh, is something going on here? Should I get a heart box full of assorted chocolates?"

Both Fluttershy and me froze as we looked at Pinkie Pie out of the corners of our eyes. I muttered softly, "Not now, Pinkie. And besides, is that tail of yours still acting up?"

The pink pony looked at her tail and grinned. "Nopey Dopey! The twitching stopped. For now, at least."

The term 'for now' made me feel uneasy. The twitching could start again at any given time. Which meant the risk of Fluttershy falling. "Hang on a minute, Fluttershy." I spoke before I scooped her up in my arms.

"I'm fine, James. Really… You can put me down." Fluttershy muttered with a blush as I walked along with her in my arms.

Even though Sugarcube Corner was just ahead, I was getting a lot of awkward stares from various ponies nearby. I began to feel that carrying Fluttershy in public was not a good idea after all. As we approached the front door, Pinkie Pie ran ahead. "I got it!" She then held the door open for me.

"Thanks, Pinkie Pie." I said while I walked inside with her close behind me.

As I set her down, Fluttershy spoke, "I could've just stayed off the ground by flying. You didn't have to carry me."

I remained silent for a moment before placing a few fingers on my forehead. "Eheheh… Uh, whoops?"

Pinkie Pie merely giggled at my forgetfulness. But Fluttershy smiled warmly and replied, "But it was still very sweet of you to make sure I wouldn't trip again. Thank you, dear….." However, Fluttershy brought a hoof to her mouth as she gasped upon realizing that she had let that pet name slip in front of her friend.

"Dear…? I've never heard you call anypony…that…" Pinkie Pie muttered before she suddenly froze and smirked at me.

"It's not what it looks like, Pinkie. We're just friends." I retorted at my friend's smug gaze. When she did not stop, I raised my voice slightly. "Don't you look at me like that! You've got it all wrong!"

Pinkie Pie then spoke in a calm voice and asked, "You two are sweethearts now, aren't you?" Fluttershy looked at me while I looked at her. We then both faced her and nodded without saying a word. At this, Pinkie Pie grinned and barked, "AH HA! I knew it!"

"You… You did?" Fluttershy asked with a blush on her face.

I was puzzled as well. I could not recall telling Pinkie Pie anything about my feelings for Fluttershy. However, the silly pink pony giggled and retorted, "Nah! Not really. But are you two really sweethearts now? Because you're sure acting like it!"

"I don't think that's any concern of yours…" I replied, somewhat annoyed by Pinkie Pie's prying into my personal life.

However, Fluttershy nodded and quietly pleaded, "We are… Please don't tell anypony, OK?" I froze; mildly shocked that Fluttershy would openly admit our bond to someone. Even if it was one of her closest friends.

I was half expecting Pinkie Pie to run out the door and shout out her discovery to the world. To my surprise, her response was nothing of the sort. "No problem! My lips are sealed! But before I forget…" Fluttershy and I watched while she trotted back into the kitchen, leaving the two of us alone. A moment later, she came back out with what seemed to be…..a curved stick of chocolate on her head?

"I really hope that's not what I think it is…" I muttered out loud, afraid that what Pinkie Pie had in mind was perverted.

"James, I think that's a chocolate-covered banana." Fluttershy replied while Pinkie Pie set it on the front counter.

"That's exactly what it is! And it's a really popular dessert with couples. So, help yourselves! You'll see what I mean!" The pink pony said with a giggle. I noticed a ring of what seemed to be white chocolate around the very middle of the treat, probably to show where the very center is.

"Well, I haven't had breakfast yet, so thanks for the snack." I said before I took the banana in hand.

As I was about to take a bite, Pinkie Pie spoke up. "Hold on! That's for you AND Fluttershy! You gotta share it!"

I froze, embarrassed that I had forgotten that it was for couples. "Whoops… Well, would you like to share it with me, Fluttershy?" I asked as I looked down at my girlfriend.

Fluttershy nodded while giving me a smile. "I'd love to. Chocolate-covered bananas are one of my favorite fruit treats."

I held the banana by the middle as Fluttershy flapped her wings so she was high enough to take a bite. "Ladies first." I said calmly. Fluttershy smiled before she took a bite. I then took a bite of the same size. The chocolate was probably milk chocolate, judging by its sweet and creamy flavor. It went very well with the flavor of banana. Back and forth, we took bites.

When there were only two bites worth of banana left, Fluttershy smiled and asked, "Shall we take the last bite together?"

I nodded and replied promptly. "Sure. Just don't bite me." At the same time, we reached forward and took a bite. However, when we closed our mouths, our lips touched. Our eyes stared at each other while Pinkie Pie burst into laughter.

"And that's why it's so popular with couples!" The silly pink pony laughed while she rolled on the floor.

I could see how the chocolate-covered banana became known as a couple's treat. If both sides take the same number of bites and take the last bite simultaneously, their lips would touch and form a kiss once their mouths had closed. A simple but clever trick, to say the least. Fluttershy was blushing, but she soon smiled and pressed into the kiss. I did the same as I held her in a warm embrace.

"Wow. So you really ARE together now, huh?" Pinkie Pie spoke with a giggle while she watched us kiss.

I soon broke the kiss and nodded shyly. "Yeah… I hope that's all right with you."

Pinkie Pie grinned with obvious approval. "Oh, it's more than just all right. It's super fabulously awesome! You and Fluttershy have so much in common, I just know you'll live happily ever after! Only this isn't a fairytale, right?"

Fluttershy blushed at her friend's enthusiasm and nodded before asking, "Yes… This isn't fiction. It's reality. And…it'll last forever. Right, James?"

She looked at me with her big beautiful cyan eyes, awaiting my response. In all honesty, the thought of losing either of my beloved pony friends, either by separation or death, frightened me. But the thought of losing precious little Fluttershy scared me more than anything. "Yeah… Forever." I held her tightly in my arms while Pinkie Pie awed at our affection towards each other.

"Cute couples always get me! But anyway, we should get to work! We've got some special orders to bake!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she moved towards the swinging doors that led into the kitchen.

I nodded while I looked at my workmate before looking back at Fluttershy. "12:15 sound good?"

Fluttershy smiled and whispered, "That sounds great. See you then, James." She gave me a kiss on the cheek before turning and heading out the front door.

With nothing else to do, I entered the kitchen and found Pinkie Pie looking over a list of orders that needed to be filled. "Anything special for today?" I asked while looking over her shoulder.

She glanced over her shoulder and explained, "Those chocolate drops have really caught on lately! We need a big batch of them for a birthday with the words 'Happy Birthday' written on them with icing."

"Never knew a recipe I brought with me from home would be the talk of the town." I muttered, surprised by just how popular the simple chocolate drop had become.

I got to work mixing some of the dough for baking. But while I did so, I noticed Pinkie Pie swallowing a leftover cake whole. Do not ask me how she managed to fit the whole thing in her mouth. Though I should probably get around to reading about Equestrian pony anatomy sometime. "Did you buy that?" I asked, wondering if our bosses would mind if she consumed Sugarcube Corner products while on the job.

Pinkie Pie giggled lightheartedly at my question. "Oh, that was just one of our leftovers from yesterday. If we don't sell something at least one day after it's been baked, I eat it before it goes bad! Nopony likes stale cakes, you know." She then proceeded to eat a few cupcakes that were likely under the same rules.

As I watched her eat the day old pastries, an unpleasant thought popped into my head. From what I had seen since I had first arrived in Equestria, Pinkie Pie's diet seems to consist of an absurd amount of sugary sweets. Such a high level of sugar intake could not possibly be healthy, even for her. And while I watched her consume some muffins, a sense of dread came over me as I imagined what would happen to my cheerful and happy friend if she developed diabetes. I know for a fact that horses on Earth can develop the disorder, so it would not surprise me if Equestrian ponies can too.

Just as she was about to consume some cookies, I spoke out. "Pinkie Pie. You got a minute?"

My voice got her attention since she looked away from the cookies and directed her gaze towards me. "Sure, James! What's up?"

I then asked, "I need to ask you something important. Do you have diabetes?"

My question seemed to baffle my friend since she then asked, "Dye a bee tease? What's that? A board game? I love games!" She then hopped in place with her signature springy jump in excitement.

I facepalmed while I let out a sigh. "It's not a game. This is serious. I'm talking about diabetes. A very serious medical condition."

My serious tone seemed to cause Pinkie Pie to realize that I was not trying to be amusing. She stopped hopping in place immediately. "Oh… Well, what about it? Is it something that only happens where you're from?"

I replied with as serious a tone I could muster. "I don't know. And you sound like you've never heard of it before. But judging by your diet….. I'd say you're at risk of getting it."

To my surprise and disappointment, Pinkie Pie giggled at my words. "My diet? Oh, I get it. You started getting ideas when you saw me eat that cake! Well, I'm still perfectly healthy, so that dye a whatever thing probably isn't gonna get me."

Her enthusiasm was beginning to annoy me as I grumbled, "Just listen. Diabetes is a medical condition that occurs when your body is no longer capable of producing insulin due to prolonged excessive sugar consumption. And judging by how much sugar you eat every single day, you are extremely at risk."

My words seemed to be sinking in since Pinkie Pie began to look noticeably unnerved. She then asked, "Is it…really that bad? What happens if I get it?"

I paused for a moment while trying to find the best way to put the explanation into words. "I'll put it this way. Where I'm from, thousands if not millions of people have it all over the world. As for what happens, you can't eat very much sugar anymore without becoming weak or even collapsing. And you have to give yourself an insulin injection every single day. You know, needles that you stick in yourself." The mention of needles seemed to frighten my friend since she gasped and backed away while shivering. I could not say I blame her though since I too strongly dislike injections. But I then added, "And worst of all, there's currently no cure. If you get diabetes, you're stuck with it for the rest of your life. Of course, if you don't take proper and meticulous care of yourself once you get it, you can die."

This revelation seemed to shock Pinkie Pie to her core since she merely stared at me for a moment. I truly felt bad for discussing such a depressing topic with her, but I felt I had to warn her instead of just watching her gamble with her health everyday. After a moment of silence, I saw that Pinkie Pie was starting to tear up. She then asked, "James… Could you watch the place for me? I need to go do something important…" I could hear her voice breaking as she spoke.

I nodded while trying to crack a slight smile to reassure her. "Sure, Pinkie. Go do what you have to do. And take your time. I'll tell the bosses you're out making a delivery if they ask." Pinkie Pie smiled thankfully before running out the back door.

I think around half an hour passed before I heard a knock on the back door. I had just placed some dough into the oven for baking when I heard it. The door creaked open a notch before I heard Pinkie Pie ask, "Everything OK in there, James?" Her voice sounded calm and cheery, just like it always does.

"Yeah, it's cool. No problems." I replied, wondering where she had gone. The pink pony pushed the door open all the way and walked inside. To my shock, I found that she had a small bandage around her upper left foreleg that had a noticeable red stain in it. "Wha… Where did you go?"

Pinkie Pie replied rather calmly, "I went over to the hospital to have some tests done to see if I have dia…um…whatever you called it. They had to draw some blood to check." She then breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm clean… I'm not in danger of getting it."

I smiled in relief. The thought of Pinkie Pie developing diabetes is a truly depressing thought indeed. However, she began to tear up once again while looking up at me. "James…"

I saw what was coming, so I got down on one knee. My friend sailed into my arms and embraced me tightly while lightly sobbing, "Thank you for warning me… I don't wanna be unable to eat my favorite foods anymore…"

It was surprising to see just how seriously Pinkie Pie was taking this matter. She normally just takes even the direst situations in stride. For her to be breaking down like this, the fear of developing diabetes must be prevalent in her mind.

"It's OK, Pinkie. You don't have it and you're not in the danger zone. You don't have to cry." I muttered as I held her gently in my arms. I even felt myself tearing up. Seeing Pinkie Pie so unhappy is truly not easy to keep a straight face with.

"I know… But… The thought still scares me. And I'm not just scared…" She looked me in the eye and showed a tearful smile. "I'm also happy… James, I think you just might've saved me. I'm glad to have a friend like you."

I saved her? By explaining the subject of diabetes to her? Who knew such a simple chat with her could have such an impact. Pinkie Pie smiled at me while continuing to speak softly. "If you never showed up in Equestria, I probably would've just kept on eating myself to death. And to be honest… Twilight's scolded me a few times on eating too many sweets. But I always blew her off thinking that something so tasty couldn't be bad for you… But…was everything you said about diabetes true? That lots of ponies have it where you're from?"

She had good reason to question me, as Pinkie Pie has no knowledge of my homeland. But I nodded and replied, "I would never lie about something so grim. Plenty of humans have it all over the world. And not just them. Various other creatures get it too. Including ponies."

I cuddled with Pinkie Pie for a moment longer as she tightened her grip on me. "Was I too harsh in my use of words?" I asked, worried that my blunt and down-to-earth explanation of diabetes may have seemed harsh.

Much to my surprise, Pinkie Pie let out a giggle as she pushed away from me so we were looking right at each other. "It's OK! I'm actually really glad you told me about this! Now I know I have to be more careful with how many sweets I eat in a day. If I could only eat just a little each day, that would be super duper lame! And don't get me started on the insulin injections! I hate hate HATE needles! That's the last thing I ever want!" I chuckled under my breath, relieved to see that my friend was already back to her silly energetic self.

Once she had finished talking, I tried to get a word in. But Pinkie Pie then asked, "Come to think of it, what should I do to avoid getting diabetes? Can you tell me?"

I replied as honestly as I could. "Well, the best way to do it is to balance out your diet. You should eat sweets the least. It's OK if you eat some everyday, but you should be careful to not overdo it. I'd say the equivalent of half a dozen cupcakes a day should be your limit. I guess it's all right if you go overboard once in a really long time, but that's it. Keep your sugar intake under control and you should be fine."

To my surprise, Pinkie Pie was jotting down every word I said into a notebook. "You're taking this really seriously, huh?" I asked, impressed that she was taking my advice to heart.

Pinkie Pie set her pencil down before nodding at me. "Yup! I want to be able to enjoy my favorite foods without any restrictions! I mean… If I had to watch what I eat for the rest of my life… You might as well call me 'Blandy Pie' if that happened. I would be soooo depressed."

When she went to the oven to check on the baking dough, I thought over what she meant. I recalled right there when I told her the infamous 'the cake is a lie' joke at my welcoming party on my first night in Ponyville. I could remember just how upset and delusional she became. While I found it to be mildly entertaining at first, now that Pinkie Pie and I have become closer, the thought of her being that way 24/7 for the rest of her life…..quite literally had me feeling like I was going to tear up. Pinkie Pie had become an important part of my daily life, not only as a friend and workmate, but also for adding a healthy kick of excitement to my life on a daily basis. Life without her would be, as she put it just a moment ago, 'blandy'.

I watched as the pink pony carried the tray of baked dough circles to the central counter to cool with a potholder in her mouth to protect her from the heat. "Looks like they're ready for the icing!" She then went over to a metal container that held the chocolate meant for the dough. But before she could grab it, I walked up behind her, got down on my knees, and embraced my friend from behind. "Um… James? Is something wrong?" She asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

I sighed as I whispered into her ear. "Pinkie Pie… Never ever change. Please."

Pinkie Pie looked over her shoulder at me, apparently having trouble processing what I had just told her. But she soon smiled and spoke in an unusually calm tone, "Don't you worry about that. I'll always be Pinkamena Diane Pie." She then surprised me with a kiss on the cheek. "And I have a request too. Don't ever change either, James. OK?"

I was genuinely touched by Pinkie Pie's show of affection while I took off my glasses just in case I would start to cry a little. "That's a promise, Pinkie…" I replied as I tightened my embrace on her. She managed to turn herself around and embrace me as well.

But our moment together was interrupted when we heard the swinging doors to the storefront open. "Oh my… Am I interrupting anything, dearies?"

We both looked out of the corner of our eyes to see Mrs. Cake standing in the doorway. We then silently looked at each other before nervously backing away from each other. Both of us began to nervously stammer simultaneously, trying to explain ourselves. However, neither of us could speak coherently.

"Well…. Uh… I see that everything is coming along smoothly. I'll just…um…be tending to the customers out front. Don't make a mess now, dearies." Mrs. Cake chuckled before she left us alone together.

"Do you think she thought we were…" I asked without even taking my eyes off the swinging doors.

"Yep." Pinkie Pie replied bluntly.

"She's gonna ask everyone who comes in if we're dating, isn't she?" I asked blankly.

"Yep… I mean, no… I mean…maybe?" Pinkie Pie replied with a blush in her cheeks, although it was difficult to tell with her coat already being pink. I honestly hoped that Mrs. Cake would keep quiet about what she saw. Granted, I do adore Pinkie Pie and she certainly loves me as a friend. But Fluttershy is the girl I love. And that would never change. At least I hope it will not ever change.

"Maybe we should just get back to work." I muttered as I carried the tin of chocolate over to the 'drops' for spreading.

"Yep." Pinkie Pie replied once again. I watched as she went into the storeroom at the side of the kitchen, probably to fetch the icing to be used once the chocolate had settled.

After topping all the dough, I looked over to the doorway that led into the storeroom. Pinkie Pie was taking a while to come out, as a few minutes had passed. If she had come out while I was busy spreading the chocolate, I would have surely heard her footsteps. Curious, I peeked inside the storeroom. But she was nowhere to be seen.

"Um… Pinkie Pie? You having trouble finding something?" I asked without moving from the doorway.

"Nope! I found what I was looking for!" Her voice replied from right behind me.

I jumped slightly as I turned around to face her. "Wait a sec… How'd you get outta there without using this doorway?!"

The silly pink pony giggled and replied, "I can't tell you that! It's a secret!"

I suspected that perhaps there was another door in the storeroom that led out front. But when I went inside to check, I found no other means to get into the room. I raised an eyebrow as I pondered this. Is Pinkie Pie able to teleport? Can she walk through walls like a ghost? It was then that I decided this was a question better left unanswered. I wanted to remain sane. "Some things about Pinkie Pie are not meant to be understood…"

After an hour or so of preparing treats, I took the time to look at the closest clock. "12:05…" I then looked at Pinkie and asked, "Is it OK if I take my lunch break now?"

She replied with a grin, "Sounds good to me! I know this is supposed to be a private meal with Fluttershy, but may I tag along too? I wanna start my new healthier diet now."

It did my heart good to hear that Pinkie Pie was quite serious about improving her diet. Not wanting to deny her company, I nodded. "OK then. Just don't bother Fluttershy, all right?"

Pinkie Pie grinned and hopped once in place. "Oki doki loki! I'll go let Mrs. Cake know we're taking our lunch break now. You go on ahead!" I smiled as she ran out to the storefront while I slipped out through the back door.

I had walked for less than a minute before Pinkie Pie caught up to me. "What's the meeting spot? The café?" Once she was walking alongside me, Pinkie Pie began to perform her characteristic springy hop instead of walking.

"Yup. That's where we agreed to meet up. Anything you planning on ordering?" I replied while watching her hop.

"I hear spinach is a really healthy food, so I'll get some spinach pie or something." Pinkie Pie said with a smile. Spinach is also one of my favorite vegetables, so the mention of a pie with it got me feeling hungrier than usual.

The café was fairly busy that day. All but one table was taken outside. I recognized a few ponies among the customers. Namely Bon Bon, Lyra, Berry Punch, Daisy, Carrot Top, and even Derpy Hooves. We were quick to grab the last table and request a third menu from the waiter. As usual, I borrowed a stool from nearby so Fluttershy could use the stack of hay below the table as a seat.

While Pinkie Pie browsed her menu, I kept a constant eye out for any sign of Fluttershy. Knowing that she is a pegasus, I watched the sky. I did not wait long as a familiar yellow pegasus mare with a long pink mane and tail flew towards the café. I waved up at her to get her attention. She immediately made a shallow dive and landed right beside me. "Right on time, Fluttershy." I said with a smile.

My girlfriend grinned brightly as she took a seat next to me. "I didn't keep you waiting, did I?"

I shook my head and smiled at her. "Nope. You arrived right on schedule. And besides, even if you were late, Pinkie Pie here would've kept me company."

Fluttershy looked across the table to see Pinkie Pie smiling while waving at her. "I hope you don't mind me tagging along. I needed to get some healthier fare into my system."

Pinkie Pie's explanation seemed to surprise my lover since she asked, "Healthier…fare? That's… I'm amazed, Pinkie. I never knew you would actually believe Twilight's warnings."

Our friend giggled before explaining, "Actually, it was James who got through to me. He told me all about this nasty little disease or something called diabetes. Lots of people all over where he comes from have it, and even us ponies can get it! So, starting today, I'm gonna start eating healthier!" She then grinned at Fluttershy with her lips spread wide to show her shining white teeth. "You're so lucky to have such a sweet guy as your boyfriend, Fluttershy. I'm kinda jealous, to be honest!"

I saw Fluttershy blush at Pinkie Pie's compliment. "Yes… I'm very blessed to have met him…"

In response, I chuckled and spoke while averting my eyes, "I'm not all that special. Really."

Pinkie Pie looked as if she was about to say something, but paused when Fluttershy leaned against me. "Maybe… But you're special to me." Fluttershy whispered without looking at me.

"Awww… You two are such a great couple! Am I invited to the wedding?" Pinkie Pie asked with a grin.

I replied promptly, "Well… If we do get around to planning the date, we'll be sure to pass you an invite. Right, dear?" I looked down at Fluttershy and awaited her response.

"Oh, yes. And we could ask you to plan the after party since that's your special talent." Fluttershy said with a nod.

At the mention of the word 'party', Pinkie Pie grinned brightly. "Ooh, that'll be a fun challenge! I've only had to plan a wedding party once so far. It'll make for an interesting change of pace! I just hope I've still got the touch!"

After we conversed a while longer, the waiter approached our table. "Have you made your decision?"

Pinkie Pie spoke up while I looked through the pasta section of the menu. "I'll have a slice of spinach pie. What about you, Fluttershy?"

My girlfriend replied without taking much time to think, "I think I'll have the same thing."

When the waiter turned to me, I found a pasta dish that had a butter, olive oil, and garlic sauce with spinach, diced tomatoes, and even scallops in it while being topped with shaved parmesan cheese. The very thought of such a delicious combination made my mouth water. "I'll have one of these, please." I do not recall the name of the entrée, but the waiter nodded and headed back inside to place our orders.

Pinkie Pie gave me an odd stare while she asked, "Um… Did you just order something with MEAT in it?"

I replied while giving her a whimsical smirk, "You're one to talk. You gulped down a whole carp a few days ago when making that pie for Rarity."

Fluttershy stared at Pinkie Pie with an expression that seemed to say 'Are you serious?' before the silly pink pony chuckled nervously, "Touché". The two of us laughed in unison.

"So, whatcha planning on after work, lovebirds?" Pinkie Pie asked with a smirk.

Fluttershy seemed too shy to offer a reply as she began to blush and stammer without offering a real answer. I placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her and explained, "Well, I'm gonna pack my bags and move in with Fluttershy once I get off work. I mean, if we're lovers now, shouldn't we live together?"

Pinkie Pie nodded before gasping suddenly, "That's what couples are supposed to do…. Ooh!" I swear I thought I saw a glowing lightbulb above her head for an instant. But as I said earlier, some things about Pinkie Pie are not meant to be understood. It was for the best that I did not ask. "That just gave me an idea! I gotta plan a special party for somepony in a few days!"

"A…party? For who?" Fluttershy asked while looking puzzled. I was also curious of where this sudden plan came from.

"It's. A. Se. Cret." Pinkie Pie replied with a mischievous grin.

Rather than try to pry further into something that probably did not concern me, I decided to change the subject. "So, Pinkie… Have any of those new recipes I've shared caught on besides the chocolate drops?"

She replied right away. "Oh, yeah! The blueberry pound cakes are really popular now! Most customers say the sugar on top gives it a satisfying crunch. And those chocolate drops are so versatile! Our most popular types are those with chocolate topped with icing. I've been getting all sorts of requests for other types of toppings too, like coconut and buttercream!"

Fluttershy then added, "I've heard about those lately. And they're from where you come from, James?"

I nodded while thinking back on the pastries the discussion was revolving around. "Yeah. Can't say I've ever made them myself while back home, but I pretty much grew up with them. I would often get my breakfast from a local bakery that sold the stuff during my school days."

"Then I'd love to try some. May I buy a few once we're done here?" Fluttershy asked with that soft smile of hers.

Pinkie Pie grinned while nodding. "Of course you can! We should have some fresh ones too!"

Not much time passed before the waiter returned with our orders. The slices of spinach pie looked appetizing, but my pasta dish made my mouth water with its aroma. Even my dining companions could not help staring at it. "Whoa, that looks awesome! I wish I ordered that instead!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she literally began to drool a river over her side of the table.

"Good grief, Pinkie. Get a towel!" I grumbled as I lifted mine and Fluttershy's entrees up to prevent the drool from reaching them. Fluttershy backed away from the table as well while wincing at the sight of the drool dripping off the table.

"Uh… Oops?" Pinkie Pie muttered with a blush. Fortunately, another table had opened up while waiting for our meals. So we moved over to that one instead.

"OK, now can we enjoy our food without anymore drool leakage?" I asked once we had made ourselves comfortable.

Pinkie Pie could only chuckle nervously, clearly embarrassed that she let her appetite get the better of her. Without further delay, the three of us started on our meals.

My entrée tasted every bit as delicious as I had expected. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie seemed to be enjoying their entrees as well. "Mmmm, who knew eating healthy could be so tasty?" Pinkie Pie said as she took another bite of her pie. Wait….. A Pie eating a pie. What delightful irony.

Fluttershy said little while she ate. Probably as a means to avoid distracting us from enjoying our food. We all finished less than a minute apart from each other. "Boy, that was yummy. Not sweet, but still really yummy!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she rubbed her belly.

"Food doesn't have to be sweet to be good, ya know." I replied, equally satisfied with my meal.

"I enjoyed my time with you two. And the food was great too." Fluttershy said as she pulled some bits out of her mane. I had to wonder just how ponies carry money around without the aid of bags or purses. Well, yes. I remember that Rainbow Dash cannot carry bits with her unless she has a bag or something. But how does everyone else do it? I was tempted to ask, but chose not to as it was not necessary to know.

The three of us placed our payments on the table and turned to walk back to Sugarcube Corner together. However, Fluttershy spoke up, "Could you go on ahead? I need to talk to Derpy Hooves for a minute."

"OK, you do that. We'll walk slow so you're not left behind." I replied. Pinkie Pie and I began to make our way back to work while Fluttershy trotted over to the walleyed pegasus who was dining nearby.

We were probably around halfway to Sugarcube Corner by the time Fluttershy caught up to us. "What'd you need to chat with Derpy for? Needed a letter mailed right away?" Pinkie Pie asked as Fluttershy trotted alongside me.

"I just needed to place an order for delivery. She doesn't just work with letters, you know." The timid pegasus replied.

I was curious of just what other lines of work Derpy Hooves is involved in, but I felt it was not my place to ask. We arrived at Sugarcube Corner in a matter of minutes. Although she was not an employee, Fluttershy followed us into the kitchen.

"Right, you wanted a chocolate drop and blueberry pound cake?" I asked as I turned to Fluttershy. When she nodded, I went to fetch some fresh ones for her. "Here we go. Baked just this morning."

Fluttershy grinned excitedly as she looked at the two pastries. "And to think that these came from another land. I feel like I'm buying some exotic candy."

However, I replied, "Buying? Not this time. It's on me." I could not bring myself to ask for any money whatsoever from the love of my life. Even if I would not end up keeping the money.

"But… It's OK, James. I can afford it no problem. You don't have to buy it for me." Fluttershy replied with a blush. Her modesty truly made my heart melt.

"It's OK, Fluttershy. These don't cost much anyway. It won't be a big loss. I can handle it. Really. So please. Take them and enjoy them." I explained, hoping that she would accept my gift without an argument.

After a brief moment of silence, she finally gave in. "OK… But please don't treat me to everything, James. I don't want to be a burden."

I replied while I boxed up her order, "Don't worry. You're never a burden to me." I then placed a kiss on her cheek as I handed the box to her. "See you after work, honey." Fluttershy giggled quietly as she blushed, the box resting on her back. I then saw her off with a smile while holding the door open for her.

Pinkie Pie and I chatted casually with each other to help pass the time as we worked, although I often fell silent to focus more on some tasks. It is just how I am. Before I even knew it, the clock struck 6 PM. Right as I was putting on the finishing touches of a few cakes; there was a pop as a stream of confetti flew over my head.

"Congratulations, James! You just finished your first full day on the job!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she held a party popper in her mouth.

"Ugh… So what if I did? It's all because nothing came up that could've resulted in me being called away." I replied, not finding Pinkie Pie's enthusiasm to be very appropriate.

My light scolding seemed to work since Pinkie Pie giggled, "OK, OK, sorry. Just couldn't help myself in celebrating."

However, it was then that I realized that it was closing time. "Wait, it's time to close up shop already? Time sure flew by fast today. What do I do before I punch out?"

As if to answer me, Mr. Cake walked into the kitchen from the storefront. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. The Mrs. and I handle closing time. You two are free to head on home whenever you're ready."

I nodded and replied, "Thanks, Mr. Cake. I guess this means I'll see you Wednesday." I waved goodbye as I headed out the back door. I knew Pinkie Pie did not have to go anywhere since she lives right upstairs in the loft.

Now that I was free for the evening, I knew exactly what I was going to do. I wasted no time and took the most direct route I could back to Carousel Boutique. But along the way, I remembered that I still needed to borrow a certain book from the library. Certain that it would not take long; I made a detour for Twilight's home.

As usual, I peeked in through the window to make certain no one was near the front door. The only person near it was Owlowiscious. I then hurried to the door and rushed inside before anyone could beat me to it. "Who?" Owlowiscious hooted once he saw me.

"You should've been named Dr. Who, if you ask me." I replied as I stroked his feathers. But I then looked towards the stairs leading to Twilight's living quarters as the sound of hooves clopping drew near. In seconds, I saw the purple unicorn come into view.

"Oh… Good evening, James." She spoke softly. I noticed a distinct lack of her usual enthusiasm in her tone. Every time I had seen her until that day, she had always been very happy to see me.

"Are you OK, Twilight? You don't sound too good." I asked, concerned as I drew near.

My friend took a step back as her ears drooped. She was clearly upset about something and was probably not willing to tell me why. "Twilight… Is there something wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?"

She sighed while she motioned for me to follow her upstairs. "I'd like to get comfortable first…" I followed her upstairs without a word.

When we reached the second floor, I took a moment to actually study the layout. There was a fireplace on one side and a small flight of stairs that led up to a higher floor in the room. Right next to the stairs was a glass door that led out to a balcony. There were a few bookcases around, but not nearly as many as on the first floor. There was even a large telescope extending through an open window on the upper floor. In all honesty, this floor did not bring to mind a library at all.

I watched as Twilight took a seat on the stairs that led to the upper floor. "OK then… Can I help you with anything?" She asked calmly.

I replied, "I should be asking that. You don't seem like yourself at the moment, Twilight. Are you feeling OK?"

My friend sighed, as she once again looked very distraught about something. "How did things turn out when you went to Fluttershy last night?"

I nodded in response, but was careful to not smile. "It went very well. It started out awkward, but in the end, we became lovers… Is that all right? A human and pony falling in love with each other?"

Twilight nodded halfheartedly. "Yeah… It's all right… And I'm glad you two worked things out…"

I knew there was something she was not telling me as I noticed that Twilight was starting to tear up. "…But there's something you don't like about it, isn't there?"

It took a moment for Twilight to speak. "Yeah… I know Fluttershy is my friend and I would never want to hurt her… But…I envy her…"

From what I could see, it seemed that Twilight had become lovelorn over time and seemed to unwillingly resent the fact that her friend had found love. "You mean you wish it was you who found a boyfriend first?" I asked, curious of what she truly meant.

Her answer shocked me as she looked at me while a tear fell from her eye, "No… I envy her because…..I was hoping…you would turn her feelings down so that I could have you…as a boyfriend."

I felt my body temperature spike as I began to sweat. "Twilight… You really mean that?"

She nodded slowly. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner… But…in hindsight, I think it was best that it happened yesterday than today. I was planning on asking you out to a picnic for lunch today so I could confess my feelings for you in private…" She then gave me a very faint smile. "I'm actually kinda grateful that she decided to tell you about her feelings for you last night instead of today. It would've hurt more if you had told me at the picnic when I confessed to you."

As I watched, Twilight's smile dissolved into a crooked grimace as her tears began to fall more fluidly. "But… Why does it hurt? I know we can't be together, but….I can't accept it…"

I felt a twinge of guilt in my heart as I thought back to the time I was walking through Sweet Apple Acres. I remembered thinking about my six friends before settling on trying to win Fluttershy over. Before I had made my final decision, I remembered strongly considering Twilight Sparkle as a potential girlfriend since she felt like a great match for me. But now…

As I approached my friend, I felt as if I had made a terrible mistake. I took a seat by her and gently held her in my arms. "I'm sorry…" I whispered as I felt myself beginning to tear up.

Twilight's sobbing slightly weakened as I held her against me. "James… I know we can't be together… But…will we still see each other everyday?"

In response, I whispered, "I wouldn't have it any other way, Twi… You're like the big sister I never had." It was true, after all. I have never had a sister in my family.

I felt Twilight's sobbing rapidly slow. She spoke softly, "Big sister… But I thought you were older than me…" She then giggled a little for a moment.

"Twi…?" I asked, worried that she may hold a grudge against Fluttershy or me for breaking her heart.

"James… I think what I was most worried about was the thought of Fluttershy taking you away from me entirely. But if we can still see each other on a daily basis… I think I can live with that." I felt her embrace me with her forelegs, her face against my shoulder.

"Are you sure you're OK with this, Twilight?" I asked, amazed that she would be willing to give up her future with me as long as we could keep seeing each other everyday.

She nodded before she wiped her tears away. "I'm sure… Besides, I think Fluttershy needs you more than I do. Somepony who understands her quiet and benevolent nature. Somepony like you. Please. Never leave her."

I smiled warmly as I placed my hand over her hoof. "I promise. Thank you for supporting us, Twilight."

We continued to embrace each other for a moment before Twilight suddenly gasped, "Actually, this gives me an idea!" She released her grip on me and ran over to a podium that had an ink quill and a blank scroll on it. "I think I learned something important from all this."

Curious of what she was doing, I walked up behind Twilight and looked over her shoulder as her horn was engulfed with a billowing aura. The quill rose out of its ink container and began to write. Twilight spoke aloud as she wrote. "Dear Princess Celestia. Today, I learned a very important, yet painful, lesson about both friendship and the concept of love. I have recently developed romantic feelings for my new friend, James. However, his feelings are directed towards my other friend, Fluttershy. I learned that rejection hurts, especially when you lose that special somepony to a friend of yours. And while you may feel anger or envy towards them, you must put aside your feelings and accept their new bond in order to keep your friendship with each of them. I shall honor their bond and support them however I can, because while their bond may have become stronger and more intimate, they will always remain my friends. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's handling of the situation truly amazed me as she was showing wisdom beyond her years. She then rolled up the scroll and set it on the podium. "I'll ask Spike to send this first thing in the morning. I doubt Princess Celestia will be expecting a report on such a deep subject." I nodded silently, still surprised by her levelheaded response.

My friend looked up at me and showed a cautious smile. "I'm sorry if I made you feel bad, James… I was just afraid of losing you as a friend more than anything. But you're not going to abandon me, right?"

The thought of losing any of my six pony friends was actually very disheartening to me. I reached out and stroked her mane. "No way. I'm never leaving you girls. Without you….. Actually, I don't even want to think about that."

My hesitation seemed to pique Twilight's curiosity since she asked, "Without us… James, what are we to you? Just how important are we in your eyes?"

I took a moment to think deeply on my answer. Once I knew what I was going to say, I took a seat on the stairs that led to the upper floor. "I'll say it like this… When I first arrived in Equestria, I literally had nothing but the clothes on my back and the stuff in my pockets. I was completely lost and alone. I was scared and not sure of what was going to happen to me. But then you six…"

I smiled warmly as I closed my eyes and remembered my welcoming party during the evening of my first day in Equestria. "You girls had never even met me before. You knew nothing about me, and yet you still helped me. That day, each of you became important parts of my life." I then sighed, "Twilight… I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. Applejack. Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy. Rarity. Rainbow Dash. And you. The six of you…have made my life worth living."

My words seemed to touch Twilight deeply as she began to tear up with a smile. "You…really mean that?"

I nodded and explained, "Before I ended up in Equestria, I was very uncertain of my future. But now, I feel at ease about my place in this world. And it's all thanks to you girls." I then frowned, "If I lost either of you… Or worse, if I lost all of you…"

Twilight spoke up and completed my sentence for me. "Your life would be as empty as possible, wouldn't it?"

I sighed in response, "Not just empty. It would be… I would essentially be dead. My life would be virtually over." That may sound like an overly dramatic response, but think about it. If you lost what has been most important to you since day one, how would you feel?

My unicorn friend approached me and rested her hoof on my shoulder. "I promise that will never happen. Because…I know each of us can't bear the thought of losing you either. Life without you would never be the same. Sure, we would still have each other. But…it would be like a piece of a puzzle that has been lost forever. No matter how enjoyable our lives are, it will never be complete." She then embraced me and whispered; "I don't know who or what brought you to Equestria, James. But I'm grateful you did come here."

I muttered lightly as I embraced her as well, "So am I…"

After a moment more, Twilight giggled lightly. "OK, I think that's enough sentimental subject matter for one day. We shouldn't dwell too long on stuff like that. Now then, is there anything I can help you with?"

It was only then that I remembered why I had even come to the library in the first place. "Oh, right. I was looking for a book that has detailed information on the flora and fauna of Equestria. That encyclopedia you lent me is good, but…"

Twilight nodded and replied, "But you need something with a little more, right? I think a copy of 'Natural Wonders of Equestria' is what you need. Right this way." I followed her downstairs, where she picked out a book from the many rows that lined the wall.

"Many thanks, Twi." I said with a smile as I took the book in my hands. "I'll return this once I'm done with it."

"Feel free to bring it on back whenever you wish. There are no late fees, you know." Twilight replied as she nuzzled me.

Before I left, I asked, "Come to think of it, where's Spike? I don't think I've seen him today."

The purple unicorn smiled and glanced over at the window. "Oh, he's been out and about with his chores. He's a pretty busy little guy. He should be back soon since his bedtime is in a couple of hours."

"OK then. Tell him I said hi." I said before making my way towards the front door.

"James… Before you go?" Twilight spoke up as I reached for the doorknob. When I turned to face her, she smiled warmly. "No matter what happens, I'll always love you. OK?"

I felt an immense feeling of reassurance at Twilight's words. Something in my gut told me that even if the entire world were to turn against me, I would still have Twilight Sparkle at my side. I think I was blushing as I replied, "Thank you, Twilight… Sweet dreams." I waved goodbye and headed on my way home.

The sun was just on the verge of setting when I reached Carousel Boutique. Upon stepping inside, I found Applejack talking to Rarity while wearing a pair of saddlebags. "Much obliged, Rarity. And how're the other dress repairs comin' along?" Applejack asked my landlord.

"Oh, they're coming along steadily. I have other orders to fill, so I can't work on them all the time. But don't worry! They'll all be in pristine shape by the time the Grand Galloping Gala arrives." Rarity replied with a confident smile.

I did not want to interrupt the two mares, but I did not go undetected for long. Rarity noticed me behind Applejack almost immediately and trotted over to me. "Welcome home, James! I don't believe you've ever come home this late before. You stay for a full day at work?"

I nodded and replied, "Yeah, but it was a pretty good day. Pinkie Pie kept things fun for me."

Applejack then approached me and asked, "Ya know, I never saw ya this mornin'. Sleep in today?"

She was right. With the exception of Rarity, Applejack is usually the first friend I see everyday. It was rather unusual that I did not see her that morning. "Yeah, sorry about that. I had a feeling something was a little off this morning. And now I know what. I never saw my favorite country girl hauling her prized apples through town."

The farm pony chuckled in response, "So, I'm yer favorite now? Well, I must be, seein' as how there ain't any other farm fillies in Ponyville. Well, unless ya count Apple Bloom and Granny Smith, that is."

Until then, I had no knowledge of Applejack's grandmother. I wanted to ask her to tell me more about her, but I did not want to keep her, as it seemed she was on the verge of leaving. "I'll have to say hi to them next time I wander into Sweet Apple Acres. Please give them my regards."

Applejack nodded and began to make her way to the door. "I sure will. But now I gotta head on back ta lock up the barn for the night. See y'all later!" Rarity and I bid Applejack farewell as she trotted out the door.

Before I could say anything, Rarity approached me with a smile. "Now that you're here, there is something I must show you." Her horn began to shimmer as something was levitated over to us. I recognized it as her failed attempt at making a pair of blue jeans for me. The only difference was that it now had a long strap bolted to the sides, allowing it to be worn over the shoulder. "Remember how you said you could use it to carry groceries if I added a strap to it? Well, that is exactly what I did!"

I chuckled as I slipped the strap over me so the 'bag' was resting against my side. "Thanks again, Rarity. But now I need to pack my bags. I promised I would move in with Fluttershy after work today."

My revelation seemed to surprise Rarity, but she then solemnly nodded. "I understand. She is your betrothed, after all. I'll go gather up your old clothes."

As Rarity headed for the edge of the main workroom, I asked, "Rarity, is something wrong? You sounded…..displeased."

The beautiful unicorn turned to face me and smiled. "Oh, it's not what you think, darling. I know that Fluttershy is most precious to you. Although…I confess that I will miss your company. You truly have been a likeable guest to me."

I approached my landlord and stroked her lovely mane. "That doesn't mean you won't ever see me again. I promise I'll stop by here as often as I can just to say hello. You've done a lot for me, Rarity. And I'm grateful for your generosity."

Rarity giggled with an endearing smile spreading across her lips. "I know that. It's just… With the exception of visits from Sweetie Belle, the only company I have is Opal. And let's just say she isn't always the sociable type."

I nodded, knowing Opal has a habit at swiping at others with her claws when not in the mood to be approached. "Well… How about you drop by the spa tomorrow? That's when I start working there. And my work days are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."

Rarity looked up at me and grinned. "Ooh, then I will certainly stop by just to feel your magic touch. When do you head into work tomorrow?"

I thought back to the previous day. "Um… I think at 11 AM… Do you know if there's a dress code?"

"Oh, I doubt it. Most ponies don't wear much to begin with, so I'm sure you can wear whatever you deem fit for the job." Rarity replied as she gathered up my clothes.

As I fetched the encyclopedia I had borrowed from Twilight days earlier, I asked, "Rarity, would it be OK with you if I left my formal clothes here?"

My landlord replied without looking over her shoulder at me, "That is fine. I will make sure they stay in pristine condition for you."

In a matter of minutes, I checked the contents of my bag. "My t-shirt, shorts, a few pairs of socks, that encyclopedia, a copy of 'Natural Wonders of Equestria', my camera… Is there anything I'm forgetting?"

Rarity replied, "I do not believe so. But if you do happen to forget something and I happen across it, I will send it along to you."

I nodded and got down on one knee. "Thanks again, Rarity. I really enjoyed my time here with you, but it's time I change homes. But I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

The unicorn placed a sweet kiss on my cheek and spoke softly, "Definitely. Expect me around 2 PM tomorrow. And do take care on your way over to Fluttershy's, darling." I sighed happily as I embraced her gently. Once we had said our goodbyes, I headed out the door with my belongings at my side.

The sun had just started to set as I passed through the town square. Fairly few ponies were walking the streets at the time. Summer was on its last legs as August was nearly over. As a result, night had begun to come sooner. But while I walked through Ponyville, I took a moment to take in the sights and sounds around me. The air was calm and warm as the hissing of cicadas filled the air. I closed my eyes as I took in the scent of evening meals being prepared. Tomorrow will be the last day of my first full week in Equestria. And strangely enough, I feel more at home here than I have ever felt back on Earth. These ponies are nothing like me. And yet, I… "Equestria is the closest thing to paradise I've ever heard of." I muttered quietly. It is true. While this world certainly has some problems, there are far fewer than those that plague my home world. How many other worlds out there can brag about being anywhere near as wonderful and universally peaceful as this one?

I casually resumed my walk towards Fluttershy's cottage, glancing around at my surroundings as the sky bathed the area in a gentle orange light. But my eyes then glanced upwards when I saw a moving trailer being pulled through the air by a pair of pegasi. To my surprise, Derpy Hooves was flying alongside it. "She deals with packages too?" I muttered out loud. But right then, I noticed Rainbow Dash pass by the trailer before she swooped down towards me.

"Whoa, this is an all-time late for me meeting you in a day. Where ya been?" Rainbow Dash asked while descending. She was right. I was talking to her for the first time that day and it was almost nightfall.

"I've been around. Mainly just doing my job over at Sugarcube Corner. I didn't get out until closing time today, which probably explains why we didn't meet earlier in the day." I replied, feeling very glad to see my boisterous friend.

"That reminds me. What are your work hours?" She asked upon landing before me.

I replied, "Well, I work at Sugarcube Corner on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Starting tomorrow, I start working at the spa on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. For my days at Sugarcube Corner, I work from 11 AM until closing time. I'm also allowed a one-hour break for lunch. I usually take it at 12:15. As for the spa, I think I start at…uh…10:30, I think? Not sure when I get out though. I'm not even sure if I'm allowed to have lunch breaks yet."

Rainbow Dash began to hover around me while speaking. "Oh, I'm sure the spa sisters take lunch breaks everyday. They'll probably let you take a break too if you ask." She then draped herself across my shoulders, her upper body hanging over one with her lower body over the other.

I looked at the rainbow-maned pegasus, finding our faces were now barely an inch apart. "You know… You're a lot lighter than you look."

She snickered at my observation on her weight. "Well, duh. Pegasi have to be light in order to fly. If we were as heavy as earth ponies and unicorns, we wouldn't even be able to get our hooves off the ground!" After the two of us chuckled together for a moment, Rainbow Dash asked, "Come to think of it, what're you doing out here at this hour? Taking an evening walk?"

I began to walk with my friend draped across my shoulders. "Well, I guess you can say that. I'm taking an evening walk, but my destination is Fluttershy's cottage since I'm moving in once I get there."

Rainbow Dash gave me a surprisingly naughty smirk. "Ooh, your first night together, huh? You gonna do IT with her?"

It? What was she referring to? A game of 'spin the bottle'? "Not sure I follow. Care to enlighten me?" I asked in return.

I felt a twinge of uncertainty as Rainbow Dash jumped down from my shoulders. "You're a pretty modest guy, aren't you? You ever hear of innuendoes?" I nodded silently. "Then you probably know what I mean by 'plough her corn field' or let her 'climb your ladder'. Right?"

Rainbow Dash's straightforward references to…that particular activity made me wince. However, I was not entirely surprised. With her being as wild as she is, I had long suspected that Rainbow Dash was slightly perverted as well. I replied with a suppressed chuckle, "I'm not sure if humans and ponies even work like that. Besides, Fluttershy's way too reserved for that kind of stuff. She would probably faint if I asked her to…..do THAT with me."

As anyone would know, human and pony anatomy are vastly different. I doubt that Fluttershy and I are even compatible. However, my claims did nothing to dissuade Rainbow Dash. "Oh, come on. I know you think us fillies are easy on the eyes." She then turned her back to me and began to sway her hindquarters at me. "I'll bet you want some of Fluttershy's smoking-hot flank. Dontcha?" I facepalmed at her brazen display, not able to understand why she would do such a thing in the middle of town. Fortunately, her tail prevented me from seeing anything too explicit. And, though I am embarrassed to admit this, her display was proving to be rather arousing.

"Rainbow Dash… Not in public. Please." I grumbled out loud. I suspect it was only then that she realized that others were staring at her.

My pegasus friend regained her composure with a nervous grin on her face. "Eheheheh…. Um… Don't mind me. Just lost my balance for a second." The other ponies around us continued to stare for a moment as they went about their business.

"Rainbow Dash… Just how unladylike can you possibly get?" A familiar voice spoke in a disgusted tone from behind me.

"Oh boy….. You saw that, Rarity?" Rainbow Dash replied, clearly embarrassed that one of her friends had witnessed her more promiscuous side.

"Oh, hey there, Rarity. Um… Not to be rude, but was that normal behavior for Rainbow Dash?" I asked upon seeing my former landlord approaching us.

Before she could reply, Rarity was interrupted by Rainbow Dash. "Whoa, don't go thinking I'm really like that! I'm not some cheap whore! I'm still a virgin! I was just having some fun with him! Uh…. Just not THAT kinda fun." It was rather entertaining to see Rainbow Dash flustering over such a sensitive subject like that.

"Yes, I know. As naughty as you can be, I know that you are not at all like a prostitute. But that is beside the point." Rarity then turned to me and smiled. "I came here to bring you something, James. It turns out you left just one little thing behind." Her horn was engulfed in a billowing aura as a slip of golden paper emerged from her mane.

I recognized the slip of paper almost immediately. "I had a hunch I was forgetting something. That's my ticket to the Triple G, isn't it?"

Rarity nodded and placed the ticket in my palm. "If you mean the Grand Galloping Gala, yes. Take great care not to lose it. I doubt replacements are ever given."

I nodded while sliding the ticket into my pocket. "I'll keep it together with Fluttershy's. What about you, Rainbow? You still have yours?"

Our pegasus friend nodded promptly. "You're kidding, right? There's no way I would lose something that important. It's still safe and sound in my house."

Rarity nodded before looking back at me and smiling. "Well, that was all I needed to do. You enjoy your first night with Fluttershy, darling." I thanked her and watched as she headed back home.

Rainbow Dash accompanied me while I headed towards the western edge of Ponyville. She asked, "Ya know, speaking of the spa, I think I'll let Applejack and Twilight know. I'm sure they'd like to get some of your magic touch. At least, that's what Rarity called it."

I shrugged my shoulders at that remark. "What is it with ponies and my fingers? Am I really all that special because I have hands instead of hooves? Even Spike has hands with fingers."

My pegasus friend snickered lightly. "Don't ask me. I'm not really into beauty stuff, so spas aren't one of my preferred hangouts."

Before long, we reached the meadow that spanned the area between Ponyville and Fluttershy's home. "Well, this is as far as I go. Since this night's gonna be all about you and Fluttershy, I probably should leave you two be." Rainbow Dash explained as she began to hover.

"Thanks, Rainbow. I'll try to see you earlier tomorrow." I replied while I stroked her mane.

"Heheh, no problem. And before I forget, just remember that Fluttershy does NOT like it rough. See ya around!" Rainbow said with a grin before she took off for home.

As I watched my friend fly away, I grumbled loudly, "Rainbow Dash… How the hell did you even get that information?!"

I tried to not think about anything perverted as I approached Fluttershy's home. But when it came into view, I found the same moving trailer from before hovering above the cottage. Right outside the front door was Fluttershy and Derpy Hooves. My girlfriend seemed to be signing a piece of paper on a clipboard that was hanging from the mailmare's mouth. "Fluttershy ordered something big?" I asked out loud as I quickened my pace.

Just as Derpy Hooves was about to fly back up to the moving trailer, she and Fluttershy looked my way. "Oh, hello! You're just in time to try it out!" Derpy said as she placed the clipboard in the satchel hanging from her shoulder.

Of course, I had no knowledge of what she meant. "Try what out? I didn't order anything."

Fluttershy then explained while smiling meekly at me. "It's what I ordered today after lunch. Since we're going to be living together as a couple, I thought we should share the same bed. The only problem was that it wasn't big enough for both of us. So I ordered a bigger one today and sold my old one."

I had not even seen her previous bed, but I took Fluttershy's word for it. "Oh, I get it. It's good that you thought ahead, honey." I blushed as Derpy giggled at my use of a pet name towards Fluttershy. But can you blame me for using it?

"OK, I should let you two lovebirds get 'cozy'. Bye now!" Derpy Hooves waved as she flew back up to the trailer and spoke to the two pegasi who were pulling it. They then flew back towards Ponyville, leaving the two of us alone.

"So… It's just us now, huh?" I asked, slightly nervous that this would be my first time spending the night with Fluttershy.

Fluttershy nodded with a blush. "Yes… I'm pretty excited about it…" I would not know it just by looking at her since Fluttershy did not show her excitement very well.

Before we went inside, I took a look at the area outside Fluttershy's home. "If it's all right with you, may I take a look around out here first?"

She nodded, but then asked, "Oh, you're very welcome to. But may I go too?"

I turned to her and cracked a smile. "It's your house, Fluttershy. I can't tell you what to do around it." I then began to walk to the left side of the cottage with Fluttershy trotting alongside me.

Just to the side of the cottage, we found Angel sleeping soundly in his dog…or rather rabbit house. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't he kinda picky about who he's nice to?" I asked, since Angel would often look at me with a stern expression.

Fluttershy replied while looking up at me, "Well, I have gotten some complaints from my friends about him. But I think he kind of likes you." She then asked, "Wait… Was it Angel who brought you that love letter yesterday?"

I nodded and retorted, "Yeah, but he seemed kinda annoyed about it. Almost like it was a bother for him to do it."

In response, Fluttershy blushed. "Maybe he got tired of waiting for me to send it to you. He does have a habit of trying to help me be more honest with my friends."

I paused for a moment while I looked at the sleeping rabbit. "If he hadn't brought me that note…"

Fluttershy completed my sentence. "We might not have been brought together… Oh, Angel… It's like he's our own little cupid."

I chuckled at the thought of Angel hovering over us with white wings and a little bow and arrow in hand while giving us an annoyed scowl. "Yup. But I'll be darned if that white rabbit led me to Equestria through a rabbit hole just so I could meet you." The two of us laughed lightly together.

When we reached the area behind Fluttershy's cottage, I paused as I found a penned area with a few chickens milling about. There were six in all, with three being white, two being a golden hue, and one being brown. A coop stood at one end of the pen just under a tree. It was not quite nighttime yet, so the hens had good reason to not be roosting at the time. "You keep chickens?" I asked before I approached the pen.

Fluttershy nodded with a smile. "Oh, yes. They're very sweet girls and they give me plenty of eggs to sell to Sugarcube Corner."

I know not all people find farm animals to be cute, but I personally find chickens to be adorable. When I stepped into the pen, the chickens distanced themselves from me. I was hardly surprised since chickens can be…well…chickens. By which I mean timid. Fluttershy seemed to notice this before she jumped the low fence and made a familiar clicking noise with her mouth. The kind of noise people make to try and earn an animal's trust. "It's OK, girls. James here is my boyfriend. And he's really sweet with animals."

Fluttershy's steady coaxing caused the chickens to steadily approach us. She remained close to me to insure that for them to approach her, they would have to get near me as well. One of the white hens walked over to me and clucked softly while pecking at the ground. I reached out and gently caressed her feathers.

"Aww, I think Elizabeak likes you now." Fluttershy said with a smile. Tickled that such a cute little hen would open up to me, I gently reached down and picked her up in my arms. 'Elizabeak' did not struggle and even seemed to nestle in my arms as if to take a nap.

I brought my face close to Elizabeak and nuzzled her while one hand stroked her back. "Pet the chicken… Pet the chicken…" I muttered in a quiet yet goofy tone. If you who are reading this happen to know where that quote came from, congratulations.

Once I had spent enough time getting to know Fluttershy's feathered friends, the two of us looped around the side of her house and stepped inside. However, I turned and looked out through the open top half of the door at the natural landscape. "Man… This brings back memories." I muttered aloud.

Fluttershy approached me and asked, "Memories? But I thought you haven't been in Equestria for very long."

I nodded and proceeded to explain. "True, but I was referring to memories from my past. Seeing this place reminds me of my grandmother's house. I used to spend every weekend of my childhood out at that place. It was nestled in a little cul-de-sac out in the county. It was a tiny and quiet little neighborhood with plenty of greenery and even a little forest nearby that I would sometimes take a peek in. She eventually had a patio and fishpond constructed in the backyard. When that happened, I spent more time hanging out there than playing video games indoors. God, I loved that place. It's a crying shame she had to move away from there after my grandfather died… I mean, sure. She moved in right next to me at home, but…" I then let out a sigh. "My days out there were some of the best days of my childhood and teenage years…"

I remained silent for a moment as Fluttershy leaned against the lower half of the front door with her forelegs resting over the top. "It sounds like a place I would've liked to live."

"To be honest, the location of the house was kinda like this one. Away from the hustle and bustle of the urban landscape." I then smiled at my girlfriend and spoke softly, "Your home is my dream house. This is the kind of house I've always wanted to live in."

Fluttershy giggled with a slight flattered blush on her face. "I'm glad to hear that. I was actually a little worried that my house wouldn't be to your liking. Is it really that perfect?"

I placed my hand over her hoof. "Well, it is in my eyes. In all honesty, Rarity's place wasn't entirely to my liking. The living room and bathroom was nice, but the rest was…I dunno. Maybe I didn't spend enough time there to fully appreciate it. Although I certainly wouldn't prefer living in a house that also functions as a workplace. With customers coming and going all the time, I would not have much privacy."

"Well, I really hope you enjoy your time here, James. But now that it's getting late, is there anything you'd like to do?" Fluttershy replied as she moved me back so she could close the door.

While I thought of something to do, I remembered a question I wanted to ask. "Oh, right. You remember earlier today? On how you wanted to wait until we were alone?"

Fluttershy looked at me with a baffled expression. "Until we are alone? Well, we're alone now. But what did you….. Oh…my…" She blushed deeply, probably because she just remembered what I was referring to.

"Is it really that embarrassing to talk about? You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable." I spoke, concerned that she felt I was trying to force her into explaining.

She replied while stammering slightly, "No, I'll tell you. Lovers shouldn't keep secrets from each other." Fluttershy then took a deep breath to calm herself. "It's about 'clopping', right?"

I nodded, remembering what it was called. She then explained, "Well… It's a slang term, as I said before… It involves…touching yourself somewhere on your body… Usually between the legs…"

I froze as I suddenly realized what 'clopping' is. "You mean…masturbation?"

The timid pegasus mare nodded with a deep blush. She did not even speak and tried to avoid eye contact. I then asked, "And…what do you think about when you…clop?"

She replied with a barely audible squeak. "Y-you…"

I was both flattered and shocked at Fluttershy's revelation. How could she even find a human male physically attractive when she knows nothing of how one looks without any clothing? Granted, I know she loved me at the time. But…was that really enough? Can love alone really arouse someone?

"Um… Bathroom?" I asked while feeling rather flustered. I felt myself becoming hot, so I felt the need for a cool shower.

"It's upstairs… Just use the first door you see…" Fluttershy muttered in response. I silently went up the stairs, still reeling from Fluttershy's confession.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, I found the new bed Fluttershy had purchased. It was fairly wide, just wide enough for both of us to sleep in. A window that overlooked the area behind the cottage was just behind one side of it. "Looks just right." I muttered softly. I then noticed the only door in the room and peeked inside.

Fluttershy's bathroom was a little more spacious than Rarity's, but it had a humbler feel to it. The bathtub was in an unusual location, positioned right up against the only window in the room. Fortunately, teal curtains hung near the window to provide cover if needed. It almost looked like a modified wooden tub like the kind used for bobbing for apples during my welcoming party. While smaller than the bathtubs back home, it was wide enough for me to sit down in. The showerhead was also of a lower elevation than desired, so the only way for me to use it effectively would be to sit down. The faucet looked more like one you would see outdoors, but the showerhead could be attached easily. Yellow shower curtains hung from a wooden half circle affixed to the wall above the bathtub that went all the way around the edge of the tub to provide privacy. They were decorated with a floral pattern, something I would expect from Fluttershy. Not wanting to wait any longer, I turned on the shower and began to undress while waiting for the water to heat up.

Just as I was about to take off my shoes, I took another look at my surroundings. The walls were mostly shades of green while there was even a wooden green cabinet in one corner. Various small shelves stuck out from the walls, holding either bottles of soap or conditioner or flowers in vases. But what caught my eye the most was an old-fashioned humidifier against one side of the bathroom. "Whoa… Haven't seen one of those since my elementary school days." I muttered out loud. There were also…a pair of…birdhouses hanging from the ceiling…

"Oh, for the love of… How am I supposed to get any privacy?" I grumbled as I looked inside them. The ceiling was low enough for me to peer inside them without having to get up on a stool. To my relief, I found that they were unoccupied. "I guess they're just for décor… Birds must be some of Fluttershy's favorite animals." Not wanting to stall any longer, I slid off my shoes.

Just after I had removed my shoes and socks, I heard a knock at the door. I did not leave it locked, so I waited for Fluttershy to enter. I mean the only other person in the cottage at the time was Fluttershy, so who else could it have been? The door soon creaked open before my girlfriend peeked through the opening. "Um… James? If it's all right with you… May I…wait in here for you to finish? I promise I won't peek."

I nodded while glancing over at her. "OK. But wait three minutes so I can undress first. I don't think you want to see what a male human looks like under his clothes." Fluttershy replied with a light squeak before backing away and out of sight. She pulled the door shut, but left it open a tiny crack. Probably just so she could hear me when I was behind the curtain.

Once I had undressed and stepped into the bathtub, I closed the curtains around me. After another minute or so, I heard the door close when Fluttershy entered the room. The shower curtain was fairly sheer, so I could make out her form behind it. "Is the shower to your liking, James?" The timid pegasus mare asked from behind the curtain.

"Actually, it feels just right. But do I have to be careful about how much hot water I use?" I asked, having a habit of taking long showers and being afraid of running her water and gas bills through the roof.

I heard her giggle lightly before replying, "No, you don't have to worry about that. The hot water tank is heated by dragon fire that never goes out. It runs out slowly and reheats quickly. And don't worry about the water. Mine comes from an underground stream. But everything that goes down the drain goes to a water treatment plant in Ponyville for conversion into fertilizer."

The mention of dragon fire as a heat source surprised me, not expecting a renewable energy source to be in use instead of natural gas. "Wow… Sounds like Equestria is a friend to the environment. I'm loving this place even more now."

I watched as Fluttershy's silhouette took a seat right beside the bathtub. I paid her no mind as I took a seat in it. I then browsed the soap and shampoo that was stacked at the front of the tub. Not surprisingly, they were all a type of natural bathing supplies that seemed to have a lovely flowery fragrance. "No wonder she always smells so pretty." I muttered under my breath.

The first thing I did was wash my hair. I bowed my head to make certain it was right in the middle of the falling water before lifting it out of range. I scrubbed the shampoo into my soaked hair while allowing the water to wash over the rest of me. But as I rinsed my hair out, I thought I heard a whisper of sorts over the sound of the water crashing down on me.

At first, I thought I had been mistaken. How could I hear a whisper over the sound of splashing water to begin with? But when I turned to face Fluttershy, I could see her silhouette very slowly rocking back and forth. Judging by the fact that her mouth has hanging open slightly, she seemed to be panting. "J-James…" I could barely hear her mutter over the sound of the water.

I initially thought she was trying to get my attention. But if that was the case, why was she not looking in my direction? I noticed her wings suddenly spread wide, puzzling me further as I pondered what she was doing. I then brought my eye as close to the curtain as possible while keeping the other closed. From such close range, I could see through the sheer fabric somewhat. I could make out the pink coloration of Fluttershy's mane and tail and even the movement of her forelegs as one was…reaching between her…

I froze as I realized what she was doing. One of Fluttershy's hooves was reaching down low while she remained seated. Knowing what was down there between her legs, I came to the conclusion that she was masturbating. But what was she thinking about? Did she borrow Rarity's copy of 'Playmare' earlier and was imagining a fantasy involving a handsome stallion? What she muttered next answered my question. "James… Ooh… I…love you…"

I could hardly believe what I had just heard. She was not thinking about some random stallion. She was thinking about ME! While I indeed felt flattered that she adored me so, I was also mentally overwhelmed that she felt that strongly for me. I returned to a sitting position as I moved my face away from the curtain. (She…really…REALLY loves me…) I can remember thinking to myself. At that moment, I felt immensely lucky that I was in a relationship with sweet and beautiful little Fluttershy. But at that instant, I realized that I had become…quite aroused.

My…manhood, if you will, was standing straight up as I found that seeing and hearing my girlfriend masturbate while whispering my name was very enticing. I was no stranger to masturbation myself, so I knew how to deal with this situation. But first, I had to think of something arousing to help.

I closed my eyes and began to think as my left hand gripped my…you know. My first thoughts were of Rainbow Dash from just a short while earlier. The way she swayed her rump at me was surprisingly arousing, even though she obviously lacked some of the traits a human woman would have. I tried to imagine Fluttershy in her place; her mane and tail becoming longer and pink while her cyan coat became a bright yellow. I felt a slight smile creep across my face as I imagined Fluttershy moving her tail aside as she granted me a perfect view of what it had been obstructing. "Fluttershy…" I muttered out loud.

My voice must have gotten my girlfriend's attention since she suddenly spoke, "Huh…? James, did you say something?"

I froze as I snapped out of my train of thought. "Uh… Um… Not really…" I spoke in reply. The last thing I wanted was for her to push the curtain aside and see me completely nude.

There was a moment of awkward silence as neither of us was sure of what to say next. Fluttershy was the first to speak. "James… If it's…um…all right with you, may I…join you? It's OK if you…want to finish first…"

It took me a few seconds to actually process what I had just heard. "Um… There's nothing covering me right now… You'll see how I look… I'm not a pretty sight." I have never been fond of my physical appearance and I was very certain that the sight of me would revolt her.

However, she replied softly, "Actually… I think you're…c-c-cute… Like a big teddy bear…"

I froze as those words reached my ears. She saw me? When? Before I could even ask, she explained, "I…watched you through the…opening in the doorway… I wanted to know how you really look and…" I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was struggling to speak honestly. "I… I really do…think you're cute… Please believe me…"

I took a moment to think over my response to Fluttershy. She certainly did not sound like she was lying. "Well… If you really want to, I guess that's OK." I replied while still having doubts about my body.

I remained perfectly still as Fluttershy pushed the curtain aside. Her big strong cyan eyes slowly scanned my body, but they stared at my crotch more than anything else. My erection was still there, my arousal having not diminished.

A deep blush spread across Fluttershy's face, leading me to believe she was either embarrassed or horrified. I closed my eyes and turned away, afraid she was going to stomp me there. But instead, I felt her lie down on me with her back against my chest. "Um… Is this OK?" She asked shyly.

I looked over Fluttershy's shoulder and found that my erection was sticking up right between her legs. "Um… Is it OK with you? I don't want to…uh…touch you anywhere you don't want me to."

Fluttershy replied with a meek smile. "It's OK… You can touch me, if you want… But could you please pass the soap for now?"

I was about to do what she asked, but then pondered how a pony could rub soap onto themselves without the use of hands. I suppose they could hold the bar in their mouths, but it would certainly taste bad. "Um… How do you normally use it?"

The pegasus pointed upwards toward the windowsill behind the showerhead. Resting on it was a dried sponge attached to a long stick. "Oh… I was wondering how you could reach all over you." I replied, surprised that I had overlooked the tool. I then asked, "Well, is it OK if I wash you myself?"

Fluttershy paused for a moment before replying meekly, "OK… Just be gentle."

I nodded before I started to rub the soap all over her underside. The feel of her coat was very soft and silky. But as my hand reached lower, I noticed a pair of round mounds on Fluttershy's lower belly. "Um… Are those what I think they are?"

My girlfriend blushed deeply as I reached out to touch one. In the middle of each mound was a firm bump. "Um… Those are my teats…" She muttered quietly.

I immediately pulled my hand away, afraid I had offended her. However, Fluttershy whispered, "If it's all right with you… Could you…please do that some more? It felt…nice."

"Are you sure about that? I won't do it unless you really want me to…" I replied, suspecting Fluttershy was asking me to continue just because she thought I was enjoying it.

Fluttershy blushed deeply and nodded. "But…I do want you to… It really felt…nice. Pretty please?"

I did not say a word as my hand reached down and caressed Fluttershy's teats. She shuddered at my touch while letting out a sudden gasp. However, she showed no signs of discomfort, so I did not stop. Her teats felt soft to the touch, her wet coat only adding to the softness. I had never actually touched a woman's breasts before, but I knew a pony's teats were no different. "They're very soft, dear… And they're pretty big too." I muttered softly.

"They…are? I thought Rainbow Dash was joking when she said they're pretty big…" Fluttershy replied with a blush.

I winced at Fluttershy's words. I knew Rainbow Dash is somewhat perverted, but was she also a lesbian? How else could she have found out about Fluttershy's…..teat size? "Um… How did she ever find out? Were you in a relationship with her once?"

Fluttershy blushed while becoming mildly flustered. "You don't mean… Oh no, of course not. Rainbow Dash may be brash, but she's not homosexual. She just happened to…see me down there once. I think she was a little jealous when she said mine are bigger than hers."

I chuckled at the thought of Rainbow Dash looking envious at Fluttershy for being more endowed than herself. "Well, large or small, you're still very lovely." I continued to rub her soft teats. All the while, I felt my erection throb every now and then.

"James… Do you…want to…" Fluttershy squeaked as she pointed at my erection. It was very clear that I was aroused. And I would be lying if I said I was not thinking about mating with her, even though we are two completely different species.

I paused for a moment before finding the words to speak. "I would…never do such a thing to you… Not unless you wanted me to…" I knew full well that Fluttershy was far too reserved to even consider mating with anyone. Maybe soft-core stimulation, but never going all the way.

Neither of us spoke for a moment before Fluttershy broke the silence. "But… I…" She then turned and looked at me with a fearful gaze. "I…want to…"

She wanted to mate. I could hardly believe what I had just heard. "Re…really?" I asked nervously. Fluttershy replied with a slight nod. I then asked, "Are you sure? You don't absolutely have to do this."

Fluttershy smiled very faintly while blushing deeply at me. "My mind is saying I shouldn't, but…my heart is saying I should… I do want to… It's something only two lovers do together, right…? I… I want to make sure that…you really love me just as much as I love you…"

This was certainly not what I would ever expect to hear from Fluttershy, of all ponies. I suspected that she was in heat and that her hormone levels were affecting her judgment. "Um… Not to be rude, but are you just in heat and that it's the hormones talking?"

At my question, Fluttershy blushed deeply while showing an awkward grin. "Um… No. Ponies only go into heat at the start of spring and autumn and very rarely at other times. I haven't gone into season yet… But…" She then turned around so we were facing each other. "I… I would like to mate with you when I do…"

I knew enough about heat cycles to understand what would happen if we were to mate while she was in season. I asked, "Why…? Don't you know what would happen if we did?"

Fluttershy replied with a deep blush while smiling warmly, "Yes… I'm not just good with animals, James… I'm also good with kids. And…I would love to have a foal or two of my own someday. I would teach them all about being kind to nature and to respect other ponies despite their flaws….. And we could…"

I was lost in thought as Fluttershy continued to speak. She wanted to have a child someday. Not just any child. She wanted MY child. The concept of parenthood intimidated me, as I was uncertain of how I would fare as a father. But at the same time, the thought excited me. Having an adorable little foal with Fluttershy… It sounded so wonderful to me. Granted, I doubt we were anywhere close to being ready for parenthood. And I have seen what it is like when a young couple has a child long before they are ready. Even so, maybe… Perhaps a couple of years from this day… Just maybe.

"James, are you listening?" I heard Fluttershy ask as I began to come out of my trance.

I replied while rubbing my eyes to clear my vision. "Sorry… I kinda zoned out for a minute… The thought of having children kinda overwhelmed me for a moment."

Fluttershy blushed as she averted her eyes. "Oh… I'm sorry. I think I got too excited about having kids someday… We don't have to have children if you don't want to…"

Dear little Fluttershy. Even though I did not show any anger or fear, she was quick to apologize for any wrongdoing she suspected to have caused. I reached out and stroked her mane, "Don't be. I'm not sure if our genes are even compatible, but… I would love to have some foals with you someday, honey… Maybe not just yet, but possibly someday. We should plan it out carefully if we really want to."

My girlfriend blushed very deeply, but she also smiled brightly. "I know… It's just that the thought really gets to me sometimes and… You… You mean it?"

I responded with a kiss. I felt Fluttershy gasp as our lips touched, but she soon relaxed with a sigh. I was pushed against the back of the tub as the beautiful pegasus leaned against me. I felt our lips part as our tongues touched. That sweet warm flavor… I doubt I could describe it even if I tried. All I can say is that she tasted like…..herself. And I loved it.

My eyes shot open as I felt a strange softness rubbing against my erection. It felt like two…soft folds taking…me into…

It was then that it hit me. Fluttershy was preparing us for our first time. The two soft folds I felt rubbing against me was Fluttershy's vulva. She felt moist, but not from the water falling from the showerhead. It felt different somehow. Do not ask how I could tell the difference. But I knew that it was some of Fluttershy's own fluids as an indication of her own arousal.

"Honey… Are you…?" I asked once we ended the kiss. Fluttershy seemed dazed, yet happy too. She seemed to be in a trance as she continued to rub herself against me. "F-Fluttershy…"

She soon came out of her trance as she softly moaned. "James… Please be gentle… I've never done this before…"

I reached down past her and gently gripped her flanks. "So this is your first time… It might hurt if this is your first, but all future times will be painless. Are you sure you wanna do this?" I asked, fearful of inflicting any pain on her at all.

"Will it…be brief? If it's only temporary, I think I can handle it…" Fluttershy replied with a nervous blush.

"OK, honey. Just relax for now." I whispered into her ear. I then carefully lowered her hips onto me as I felt myself pushing into her. The soft warm flesh enveloping me brought an intense shiver to my body. We were not even the same species, yet it felt so amazing. I am not certain how to explain how sex feels. All I can say is that it is truly an experience for the senses.

I did not go very far into her before I felt an obstruction of sorts against the tip of my length. It was more than likely her hymen. "Fluttershy, I'm going to push all the way. This might hurt. Are you sure you want me to go through with this?" I asked, not looking forward to hurting such a precious mare.

She replied with a calm smile, her face flushed with a blush. "I'm sure… I don't think I've ever been more sure about something before. I really…really want to do this with you, James… So, please. Do it. Even if it hurts, as long as you're with me, I can endure it."

I was utterly amazed by Fluttershy's faith in me. "Fluttershy… Do you really trust me that much?"

She nodded and whispered, "I've never felt so much confidence in somepony before… You've never given me reason to doubt you. I've never even felt this calm around a man before. Most other boys were mean to me, but you've always been so sweet… I love you, James. I'm very grateful that you came to me." She followed-up her claim with a sweet kiss on my lips.

This destroyed any remaining doubts I had of Fluttershy's faith in me. I knew she loves me for certain now. And I wanted to not disappoint her. "OK then, honey… Just relax. I promise that if this does hurt, it'll only be for a moment." I pushed in as deep as I could, the feel of the obstruction suddenly giving way.

Fluttershy yelped loudly an instant later, her forelegs tightly clinging to my shoulders. Her eyes were pinched shut as she gritted her teeth while shuddering violently. Even though I knew there was no way around it, I still felt guilty for having hurt the girl I loved. I held her in my arms while gently caressing her soaked mane. "I'm sorry…"

After a moment of us being drenched by the falling water, Fluttershy whispered, "I… I think most of the pain is gone… Please, keep going…" I nodded without releasing my grip on her body. I pulled out of her before pushing back in as deeply as I could. "Oh…my… I don't even…feel the pain now…"

I gently kissed my lover's cheek before I whispered, "Just relax, honey. I'll do all the work this time." Fluttershy sighed as she melted in my grasp. I then began to thrust up into her at a slow rate. I wanted to make this occasion last as long as possible.

"James… I…love you…" Fluttershy muttered as we mated. Her body had gone limp from the pleasure from our coupling. And with the extra weight of the water in her hair, she felt rather heavy on top of me. But I did not relent in my efforts to pleasure her. After a minute or two, I began to thrust into her more vigorously and with more force.

The level of pleasure I was feeling as we mated was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Not even masturbation could compare. And the level of joy I was feeling was grand as well. Perhaps mating with someone you love most of all only adds to the pleasure. And I have no doubt in me that Fluttershy is the most precious person in my life. I can only pray that this fact never changes.

I began to feel my length throb from time to time as Fluttershy's inner folds began to quiver. "I…feel something… What is it…" The beautiful pegasus asked while her eyelids quivered.

I replied while also feeling a pressure building within my loins, "I think…you're about to have an orgasm. Don't worry; it's not a bad thing. Just let it happen." I then held onto her body as firmly as I could.

My thrusting sped up, the force of each movement making Fluttershy yelp in bliss. Then it happened. Her insides clamped down onto me as they quivered rapidly in orgasm. Fluttershy's eyes shot open as they rolled back in her head. She was clearly not used to such levels of pleasure. I was just behind her as I pushed in as far as I could and groaned her name. My length throbbed as I injected my human sperm into her equine womb. Even though she is a pony and I a human, it felt so…right. Like we were meant for each other.

"Fluttershy… How was it?" I asked while I panted for a moment. I had to hold back a laugh as I saw that her eyes were rolling around in her head.

"So…wonderful… Wanna…do it again…" Fluttershy muttered to my face, clearly out of her senses from the sheer pleasure rush she had felt a moment earlier.

"Oh, honey… You just take it easy for now. You did great." I said before I kissed my half-conscious lover on her nose.

Around half an hour later, I carried Fluttershy into her bedroom while clad in just my boxers. She had finally regained her senses and was unusually clingy as she constantly nuzzled me. "Feeling better, Fluttershy?" I asked while she leaned her head against my chest.

"I feel…wonderful… It almost feels like nothing can possibly go wrong now…" She said with a calm smile. My lover then looked up at me and blushed cutely. "I love you, James… Oh so much. I just wish I knew how to express it….."

Once we were at the bed, I set her down on one side and pulled the covers down on the other. "Well… I can sum up how I feel about you like this." I then explained, "With all the conveniences and technology my homeland has, I would still choose living with you over having them."

She then asked while looking mildly surprised, "But….. But aren't things here in Ponyville a little primitive compared to where you're from? Wouldn't you rather live back home?"

I replied as I pulled the covers over her, "No. You're far more important to me. And…I really hope I don't have to go back. Because I found someone who truly makes me happy to be alive." I then kissed her on the forehead.

Fluttershy stared at me with a smile before tears began to form in her eyes. "You…make me feel so special… So complete… I don't even want to think about life without you, James…" She reached out and embraced me with her forelegs as her tears spilled over.

"I won't ever leave, Fluttershy… The only way I'll ever leave you is through death." I whispered while cuddling with her.

"I… I hope that day doesn't come for a very long time…" The beautiful pegasus whispered in response. I could feel her grasp on me tighten.

I am writing this entry while resting in bed beside Fluttershy. Our first night together has ended splendidly and I am feeling happier than I have ever felt in a very long time… Fluttershy, I know you are looking over my shoulder. I am sorry if the sound of the quill scratching against paper is keeping you awake. I will be done soon.

All right, she has set her head back down to sleep. Now then, time to finish up this journal. As I said, Fluttershy and I are now officially lovers. And….. Excuse me. I just teared up for a moment as I thought about what will happen once we have a foal together. Will it be a healthy little colt? A beautiful charming filly? I suppose it is far too early to say. It will definitely take some time before we are properly prepared for that endeavor. But a part of me is actually looking forward to it.

So much can happen now, but I will look toward the future with a smile. As long as I am with the woman I love, it feels like everything is better. And now, I am off to sleep with my beautiful girlfriend by my side.

Fluttershy… I only wish I could effectively describe how much you mean to me. I hope I can someday soon.


	7. Risks of Exotic Romance

"Wake up, little sleepyhead." Those were the first words I heard as I slowly awoke inside Fluttershy's cottage. "It's kind of late in the morning, James. You must be a heavy sleeper." Fluttershy spoke softly as she looked down at me while standing on the bed.

At the sight of Fluttershy's adorable face looking at me, I smiled warmly. "That's the best sight I've woken up to all week." My girlfriend giggled as a faint blush added some red to her face.

"Speaking of a week, this is the last day of your first full week in Equestria. How do you feel now that you've been living here for several days?" Fluttershy asked while she hopped down from the bed.

I replied honestly, "I feel…..amazing. I've got wonderful friends. The air is clean and refreshing. I have a steady job. And now I've got the best girlfriend I could ever ask for. Life here is far better than life back home… Oh, wait. Equestria IS my home now, isn't it?"

The timid pegasus mare before me bowed her head while only barely smiling. "Am I really that perfect to you? I know I have a lot of flaws…"

I stood up from the bed and approached her before getting down on one knee. "I have flaws too. No one's perfect, honey. But you're perfect to me." It is true. If Fluttershy has any flaws, I felt that they are minor at most.

Fluttershy responded to my words of encouragement with a brief kiss on the lips. "I'm so glad to have met you, James… I…love you…" She then nuzzled me gently while barely blushing at all.

Before I could forget, I asked, "What time is it anyway? Am I late for work?"

Fluttershy glanced over at a small clock that was resting on a shelf. "It's just a little past 10 AM. Did you say you had to be at the spa at 11?"

I nodded as I went over to a wooden wardrobe to get some clean clothes. "Yup. It's my first day on the job. Is there anything you'd like me to pick up on my way home from work?"

She paused for a moment in thought before replying, "Well, could you pick up some apples from the market? Preferably golden delicious ones. I was thinking of making a pie today."

Fluttershy surely knows her stuff when it comes to baking. Golden delicious apples are ideal for the job. "I'll make a mental note. Actually, I'll stop by on my way to work to ask Applejack to bring a bundle by. Just in case she's closed up shop for the evening by the time I get off work." I replied as I slid my pants and t-shirt on.

Just before I could put my shoes and socks on, Fluttershy came up behind me and embraced me with her face against my back. "Um… Fluttershy?" I asked, puzzled by this display of affection.

"I love you." She replied softly while peacefully breathing deeply.

Her words touched me, almost as if proving that my memories of the previous night were true. "May I turn around, please?" I asked quietly while my fingers rested on her foreleg. Fluttershy released her grip on me, allowing me to turn around. I then threw my arms around her and whispered into her ear, "I love you too."

I smiled as I felt Fluttershy embrace me with her forelegs. "I'm so glad you came to Equestria… I only wish I knew who brought you here so I can give them my thanks."

I nodded in wholehearted agreement. "Same here. Don't know who did it, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't grateful." I stood up and looked out the window that overlooked the area behind Fluttershy's cottage. "Coming to Equestria was one of the best things to ever happen to me. This world is the closest thing to a utopia I've ever seen."

Fluttershy propped herself up on the windowsill with her forelegs and nodded. "It is a very peaceful land. But I wouldn't say it's a true utopia. We have our share of troubles and not everypony is without sin. Even I've done some things I still regret…"

I draped my arm over her shoulder and pulled her close to me. "Likewise… Nopony can truly say they're free of sin… Huh?" I winced as I realized what I just said. "Fluttershy… Did I just say 'nopony' instead of 'no one' a second ago?"

My girlfriend giggled at my obvious nervousness. "I think you did. But there's nothing wrong with that. I think it's cute when you say it."

I rolled my eyes before I retorted, "But it's not funny when other ponies say it? How does that work?" We both chuckled in unison at that question. Neither of us had a real answer.

I watched in silence as Fluttershy went downstairs. I then slid on some clean socks and shoes and followed her. But before I could leave the house, I noticed some odd…..decorations? All across the living room near the walls and spiraling around the fireplace were numerous tiny stairways. There were also a few birdhouses near them. There were even a few narrow walkways hanging from the ceiling. At the end of each stairway and walkway was a hole in the wall or ceiling that seemed just large enough for a squirrel to pass through. "Um… Honey? What exactly are up with these…er…knickknacks?"

Fluttershy was just about to head out the front door herself when I asked. She looked at where I was pointing before looking at me with a smile on her face. "Oh, that? Those are for all my little friends who come and go as they please… Oh, there's one now!" A chipmunk came out of one hole in the ceiling and scampered across one of the walkways that seemed to lead towards the kitchen. I cracked a smile as the little critter disappeared through the hole in the wall at the end.

"I hope you don't mind us having some guests at times. All of the animals that live in my house are well-behaved and never cause any trouble." Fluttershy explained with her beautiful cyan eyes gazing up at me.

I replied while glancing back at the hole in the wall, "Actually, I think that's pretty cool. I've heard of houses where I'm from that have similar stuff that allow cats to go wherever they want throughout the house without getting in the way of their owners. Never thought I'd ever live in one."

My lover smiled slightly brighter than she normally does, probably due to being intrigued with the thought. "So I wasn't the only one who thought of using that design? I guess great minds think alike." She then turned and opened the front door for me. "But anyway, I shouldn't be keeping you. I'll get out of your way so you can hurry to work. Tell Lotus and Aloe I said hi please."

"Will do, honey. See you this evening." I replied just before kissing her goodbye. I then followed the path across the bridge that spanned the brook in front of her cottage and headed towards Ponyville. But before I went too far, I turned and waved at Fluttershy. She was standing at the doorway and waved back at me. I then turned around again and made my way into the meadow that separated my home from Ponyville.

Upon entering Ponyville, I saw many familiar faces going about their daily routines. Derpy Hooves was delivering letters, Rainbow Dash was napping on a cloud, and Applejack was pulling a cart of apples to market…. Wait. Applejack? "Just who I wanted to see." I muttered as I quickened my pace to catch up to her.

"Morning, AJ. Still in the middle of harvest season?" I asked once I was right behind her.

The farm pony looked over her shoulder at me and grinned. "Howdy, James! What can I do ya for?"

I looked over the cart she was pulling. It was filled to the brim with red and yellow apples. "Well, I don't have enough time to make a roundtrip. If you have time, could you deliver…say…a dozen golden delicious apples to Fluttershy's cottage today? She wanted…um….. Yeah, I guess a dozen will do."

The farm pony nodded right away. "Sure thing, James. It'll be easy since she lives just north of my place. I'll save a dozen for 'er. Y'all buyin' now, or would ya like me ta bill you?"

I nodded while I reached into my pocket. "I'll handle the payment right now. How much for a dozen?"

Applejack replied promptly, "Six bits for a dozen. Just slip 'em under my hat."

I cracked a smile as I pulled out six bits and placed them under Applejack's hat. But not before I took the opportunity to tussle her hair. "Much obliged, pardner. I'll stop on by Fluttershy's once I sell the rest of this haul. Wanna just chat for now on the way ta market?" Applejack asked once she made certain that her hat was on tight to prevent the cash from sliding out.

Having nothing better to do for the time being, I nodded. "Sure thing. Just lead on." I walked alongside Applejack as she headed towards the marketplace in Ponyville.

After a moment of friendly chatter, Applejack asked, "Come ta think of it, how'd y'all get all the way over to the west side of town? Dontcha work at Sugarcube Corner? You went right past it if ya came this far."

I chuckled, not the least bit surprised she was unaware. "I didn't come into town from the southeast. I came into town from the west. I moved out of Rarity's house yesterday and moved in with Fluttershy."

Applejack stared for a moment before asking, "Um… And just why did ya wanna do that? Granted, it's away from the hustle and bustle of Ponyville, but I thought ya were right at home at the Carousel Boutique. And last I checked, Fluttershy doesn't have any guest rooms."

I replied with a slight smirk, "That's why she sold her old bed and bought a bigger one yesterday. So we could share it."

My friend paused for a moment, apparently trying to comprehend what I told her. But she then smirked, "Fluttershy ain't the kinda girl who would share a bed with some guy, even if they're friends. For 'er to share a bed with ya…" She then stopped and stared me right in the eye. "Y'all got the hots for 'er, dontcha?"

I looked around to make certain no one was listening in. If word got around of Fluttershy being in a relationship with the only human in Equestria, it would certainly bring the two of us a mountain of unwanted attention. Since nopony was nearby (drat, I said nopony again) I replied quietly, "In all honesty, Fluttershy made the first move."

Applejack took a step back, clearly not expecting that timid little Fluttershy would make the first move in a relationship. "Well, don't that beat all… For Fluttershy to… How'd she do it? Did she tell ya herself?"

"With a love letter, if you can believe that. Although I think she chickened out in sending it since Angel snuck it away from her and brought it to me." I explained, trying to suppress a laugh as I remembered how flustered she was when I arrived at her cottage two nights ago with the love letter in hand.

The farm pony snickered as well. "That sounds like Fluttershy, all right. She'd never have the guts ta confess to a guy in person. But how's it been with 'er? You two the talk of the town?"

I replied after briefly recalling my day yesterday, "I sure hope not. I don't like being in the spotlight that much and I know for certain that Fluttershy doesn't either. We've been trying to be subtle about our affection in public so far."

Applejack nodded with a rather serious expression on her face. "I getcha. Well, I'll keep quiet about it too then. But what about the other girls? Do they know?"

I thought my response over for a moment. Did one of them not know yet? There was Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Rarity. "Um… Nope. They all know about us being together. I think even Derpy Hooves might be onto us by now too. But we don't necessarily want EVERY pony in town to know."

My friend nodded while letting out a light snicker. "Yeah, Fluttershy wouldn't like that. The paparazzi would be all over that stuff. I'll be careful who I tell. That all right with ya?"

I thought over the risk of Applejack spreading the news of my relationship with Fluttershy. "Well… I guess that's OK. Just be certain that whoever you tell it to can keep a secret. I have no idea if that kind of bond between a human and pony is even legal."

This only caused Applejack to laugh. "Legal?! Humans have never been seen in Equestria before you came along! I'll bet my left hind leg that Princess Celestia has no plans on makin' that lil' thing taboo. Land sakes! If she even did try ta pass that law, I'd vote against it!"

We had only just arrived at the marketplace as I asked, "You'd really do that?"

Applejack nodded without hesitation. "I might not be keen on romance and the like, but I'd say yer just right for Fluttershy. I mean she did make the first move, right? Doesn't that say enough on whatcha mean to 'er? There's nothin' right 'bout keepin' two perfect sweethearts away from each other."

I watched while Applejack set up her stall. Although I confess that I am not as close to her as my five other loved ones, I felt touched by Applejack's devotion to Fluttershy and me. "AJ… Thanks for sticking with us. It feels good to know somepony like you has my back."

The farm pony chuckled while she glanced at me, "Anytime, James. If anypony gives you or Fluttershy trouble, y'all come tell me about it. I'll bring the thunder!" Knowing just how strong Applejack is for her size, I am fairly certain it would be very unwise to incur her wrath.

As I pondered if there was anything else I needed to discuss with her, I took a look at myself. While the diet of Equestria was very healthy, I felt I could use some exercise. "AJ, are you still hiring at Sweet Apple Acres?"

My friend replied while looking noticeably baffled, "Hirin'? But I thought y'all weren't cut out for that line of work."

I nodded and proceeded to explain my reasons. "Well, not for extended periods of time at least. I was thinking that with most days you harvest apples, you could leave a certain number of bushels out for me to carry to the barn. I earn a little extra pocket change and get a decent workout in the process."

Applejack smirked while her eyes glanced down at my midsection. "Oh, I see whatcha mean. Tryin' ta lose some of that flab, huh? Well, sure. I can set up some bushels for ya. How many a day we talkin'?"

I paused for a moment to think of a proper number. "Let's start with ten. Once I can carry all those without breaking much of a sweat, let's increase the number."

My friend nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan. Feel free ta stop on by sometime today. I'll leave out the bushels for ya."

"Thanks again, AJ. And tell Fluttershy hi for me when you deliver those apples." I waved goodbye before I headed towards the spa for my first day of work.

Upon arriving in the lobby, I found one of the spa sisters seated at the front desk. "Morning, Lotus…. Or was it Aloe? Hang on, I can remember this…" I spoke as my eyes scanned the coloration of her coat and mane. "Blue coat. Pink mane… Lotus, right?"

She replied in her strong accent, "Good memory, Mr. James. And you're right on time. Let me show you to your workstation." I followed my employer into the spa's main chamber. Aloe was restocking various cosmetics and other supplies near some of the platforms where ponies receive facials and pedicures.

"Before I get started, is there a dress code?" I asked, afraid that I would need a uniform since t-shirts are not normally proper attire for working at such a high-end spa.

"Um…" Lotus turned to look at me before her eyes glanced up and down. "I think you're fine as is. We ponies don't wear much usually." I grimaced while averting my eyes for a moment at her explanation, having realized that I had overlooked an obvious detail about the ponies of Equestria.

I took a seat on the counter just behind the massage tables where my clients would rest. The counter was rather low, being just less than three feet in height. I soon noticed that Aloe was running to and fro with pillows and a file in her mouth. "The file must be for trimming a unicorn's horn…" I muttered under my breath. I waited patiently for our customer to come over to me for a massage. I was tempted to look past the hot tub, which was obstructing my view, but I chose to be patient and await the customer.

Several minutes passed before I heard Lotus speak up. "Right this way, Miss Twilight. James will provide you a massage today."

Twilight? My first client of the day was to be Twilight Sparkle? Sure enough, my purple unicorn friend emerged from behind the hot tub. Her horn was perfectly smoothed out, the result of a….hornicure? Oh, wait… I can figure this out. The beautification of a unicorn's horn is probably called…a cornicure or something very similar. But I digress.

Twilight Sparkle paused for a moment as she approached me. "James? You work here now?"

I nodded with a slight smile. "Yeah, Rarity insisted I do after I gave her a massage a few days ago. So I decided to give it a shot. You ready for one?"

The purple unicorn mare smiled as she climbed atop a massage table. "In that case, I'd be glad to let you start on me." She then lied down and rested her head on a few pillows at one end.

I gently kneeled above her, being careful to avoid applying weight to her back. "OK then, Twilight. Just relax." She did exactly as she was told, letting out a sigh as her body became limp.

Like the previous times I massaged Rarity and Fluttershy, I began with the base of Twilight's neck. My fingers dug into her smooth coat as I kneaded the muscles around her joints. "Your coat feels remarkably soft today, Twilight." I said softly.

My friend replied with a voice that was just above a whisper. "Thank you, James. I always take a shower before bed and give myself a thorough grooming every morning. That's probably why my coat is so soft all the time."

It was then that a thought occurred to me. "Just how do ponies groom themselves?" Horses and ponies from my homeland groom themselves using their teeth, but I doubt creatures as civilized as the ponies of Equestria do the same.

"Oh, we use brushes with short bristles for our coats and brushes with longer bristles for our tails and manes. Isn't that what you use when you groom yourself?" Twilight replied with a smile as she looked at me over her shoulder.

"I do, although I prefer the use of a comb to a brush… Oh, and before I forget… Your cutie mark. Is it particularly sensitive?" I asked in return.

The purple unicorn seemed to ponder my question for a moment. "Um… I'm not sure I follow. Sensitive in what way?"

I replied while I firmly massaged her shoulder joints, "Well, I learned from Rarity and Fluttershy that the cutie marks of some ponies can function as a pleasure point. And I don't want to offend anyone, especially someone who is such a good friend of mine."

Twilight replied while I noticed her irises shrink slightly, "Oh, that kind of sensitivity. Well… Now that you mention it, my cutie mark is sensitive enough to work like that."

I looked behind the two of us once three minutes had passed of me massaging Twilight's shoulders. My employers were nowhere to be seen. "OK. I'll be sure to not apply pressure to them when I reach your flanks." I spoke as I reached for her knees.

"Um… Actually, you can touch them if needed… In fact, I would prefer it if you did." Twilight spoke softly with a faint blush in her cheeks.

I froze, fearing what would happen if someone were to see me touching Twilight in such a spot. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" I asked nervously while feeling myself becoming quite hot.

Twilight replied softly, apparently also wary of anyone who may be nearby. "I'll keep a straight face in case anyone is looking." She was showing very little uncertainty, as if she knew exactly what she wanted.

Even though I had permission, I knew that touching Twilight's cutie marks in such a fashion would be an intimate action with her. "Twilight… You do remember that I'm with Fluttershy, right?"

My friend nodded with a smile. "I know. And I'm happy for both of you. But I really don't mind you massaging my cutie marks along with my flanks. I trust you won't go too far."

I had a nagging feeling that Twilight was not giving me the whole story. "Is that the only reason? Because you trust me and want me to be thorough?"

She replied after a moment of hesitant silence. "No… Do you remember what I said? That I will always love you?"

Those words brought up a painful memory from the previous evening where I confessed that Fluttershy and I had become lovers. Twilight did not take it well at first, and I was still feeling rather guilty that I had broken her heart.

"James… You're not still dwelling on that, are you?" Twilight asked with a concerned gaze. It was almost as if she knew exactly what I was thinking about. "I respect your bond with Fluttershy and I cherish our friendship. So please don't think that I'm trying to get between you two, OK? I don't want to see either of you hurt. Just think of this as a show of trust between friends."

Although it would still be awkward for me to touch a girl's sensitive spots in a public area, I had faith in Twilight. She is not the type of person who would use underhanded tricks to get between friends to further her own personal desires. "OK then, Twi. I'll give you what you want." I said as I reached up to her jaw joints.

Twilight seemed to jump slightly when I touched her cheeks. "Um… My face?"

I nodded while my fingers rubbed over them. "I focus on the joints. And the only joints in your head are your jaw joints. Don't worry, Fluttershy and Rarity were quite pleased when I did it."

I felt Twilight relax as I gently rubbed my fingertips into her cheeks. "Mmm…" Twilight hummed without moving her mouth to keep her jaws still. She was clearly enjoying the attention.

Once three minutes had passed, I started on Twilight's neck. "Just curious, but what brings you to the spa today? You don't seem like the kind of girl who dotes on her looks very often. Not that I mean anything by that. You're quite attractive as is…" I asked, curious of what a bookworm like Twilight Sparkle would come to the local spa for.

She replied quietly, apparently having come to find that the atmosphere seemed to encourage silence. "You're right, I'm not quite as self-conscious as Rarity. But I do come here about once a month for a cornicure to keep my horn from becoming uneven. That can require me to adjust my focus when using magic, something that can be quite irritating at times as I would have to adapt with it every single time I use a spell." It was then that I discovered that my assumption of the term used to describe the beautification treatments of a horn was correct.

Once I had finished with the vertebrae in her neck, I climbed down from the table so I could reach all of Twilight's back. "I'm just curious, but did Celestia offer a reply to that report you sent her?" I asked while I started on her vertebrae. Like Rarity, there was a great deal of strong muscle around it, but I had no trouble reaching every individual joint.

"Mmm, that's the spot… Oh, that report? I had Spike send it first thing this morning, but I haven't gotten a reply just yet. But don't worry. I'm sure Princess Celestia supports your relationship with Fluttershy." Twilight replied as I very slowly worked my way down her back.

Before I could ask anything else, a thought popped into my head. "Come to think of it, if Celestia and Luna are princesses, who's the king and queen?"

Twilight opened her mouth to offer a response, but seemed to pause a minute. She eventually replied, "Now that you mention it… I have no idea who their parents are! I'm sure they're out there somewhere, keeping watch over Equestria from behind the scenes."

A reclusive king and queen, huh? Seems rather odd to me. I then asked, "OK then, but why is Celestia and Luna referred to as princesses instead of queens if they govern Equestria?"

My friend held a hoof to her chin while she fell silent. After a moment of deep thought, she offered a retort. "Well, this is just a hypothesis, but I have a theory. You see, neither Celestia nor Luna is the absolute ruler of Equestria. They share the throne and the duties associated with the role. Therefore, since neither of them rule over Equestria alone, I don't think they are eligible for the title of 'queen'. That's just a guess though, so I wouldn't be surprised if I'm wrong." Her explanation actually made a lot of sense to me. It would not surprise me if that assumption turns out to be a fact.

"OK, that's all for your vertebrae. Time for the flanks." I spoke as I climbed back onto the table and faced Twilight's rear. However, I felt uneasy about touching her cutie marks. "Are you sure you won't mind if I massage your cutie marks as well?"

My friend looked at me over her shoulder while I looked over mine. She smiled sincerely and whispered, "Yes, I'm OK with that. Feel free to massage them as long as you want."

With some hesitation, I gripped her flanks in my hands and dug my fingers into them. I kneaded them gently, trying to not avoid her cutie marks. But the instant my fingers rubbed them, I felt Twilight shudder under me. She kept her voice down though, so I suspected that she was not quite as sensitive as Rarity or Fluttershy. "Am I going about this the right way?" I asked without taking my eyes off my hands.

Twilight replied softly while also letting out a noticeable gasp, "You're doing fine… Just fine…" I nodded in response and continued to dig my fingertips into her flanks. But over the course of five minutes, I began to notice that Twilight was beginning to breathe deeply. Out of curiosity, I looked over my shoulder to check on her. Her eyes were closed as a deep blush was on her face.

(Oh boy… I better stop here.) I distinctly remember thinking as I realized that even Twilight was not immune to the pleasuring sensations brought on by someone firmly rubbing her cutie marks. All I could do was hope that not all ponies share that pleasure point. I released my grip on her flanks after over five minutes had passed. "How'd I do, Twilight?" I asked while feeling somewhat apprehensive about what her response would be.

My friend looked at me over her shoulder and smiled with a deep blush in her cheeks. "Very relaxing, James. Those fingers have great precision and a very soft touch. I would take your hands over Quake's hooves any day." I was relieved that she had not given in to her more inappropriate desires. The last thing I wanted was to be caught in a love triangle between Fluttershy and one of my friends.

"Glad to hear that, Twi. Now, just relax. All that's left are your knees." I spoke as my hands gripped the knees on her hind legs.

Twilight let out a giggle as my fingertips dug into the back of her knees. "James, I'm ticklish….."

I smiled awkwardly while being tempted to take advantage of that little weakness. "Well, the backs of the knees are commonly ticklish. Maybe if I apply more pressure…" I pressed my fingertips more firmly into her. Common knowledge is that the firmer the touch, the less ticklish the spot becomes.

"Hey, that doesn't tickle much at all anymore." Twilight said while looking over her shoulder.

"That's what I was going for." I replied while making certain to not miss a spot.

Once another three minutes had passed, I finished the massage with her ankles. I then hopped down from the table. "I think that's everything, Twilight. How do you feel?"

I watched as Twilight stood up on the table and stretched. "Mmm, my joints feel so relaxed and limber! I should come by more often for this. How often do you work here?"

I replied after recalling my work schedule. "Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. You planning on coming back for another?"

The purple unicorn mare nodded with a very pleased smile spreading across her lips. "You bet! Although I think I'll restrict my visits to once a week. But in any case, thanks again. I'll see you later, James." She followed her words with a tender embrace. But she then asked, "Come to think of it, today marks your first full week in Equestria! Do you have anything planned to celebrate?"

I had all but forgotten that this is my seventh day in Equestria. "Well… To be honest, I was just gonna enjoy it same as any other day."

At my response, Twilight seemed to become lost in thought. "Really? Well, I guess that's OK. In any case, when's your lunch break?"

I was going to say 12:15, but I was not certain if the spa employees are permitted to temporarily leave for lunch. "Not sure, really. Could you ask whoever is at the front desk?"

Twilight nodded and turned towards the main chamber's exit. "OK. Wait here." I watched as she passed under the arched doorway that led to the lobby. A moment later, my friend returned and smiled at me. "Lotus says everypony who works here has a one hour break to get lunch. When do you think you'll take your lunch break?"

I thought over my response for a moment before replying, "I guess after tending to one more customer."

My friend seemed pleased with my answer and spoke "Then I guess I'll see you in around forty minutes. Later!" I waved goodbye as she disappeared from view. But once I was alone again, I pondered what she meant by 'seeing me in forty minutes'. How did she know how long it would take for me to leave? As if to answer my question, I heard what sounded like an argument at the front desk. Curious, I left my post to investigate.

"I know I don't have any bits with me, but could you take an IOU until I do?" A familiar voice spoke. I peeked around the corner and found Scootaloo looking up at Lotus, who was blocking her way.

"Scoot? Aren't you supposed to be in school right now?" I asked, puzzled of how a child could be out of class on a weekday. From what I know, today was not a holiday of any sort.

The tomboyish pegasus filly looked towards me and ran past Lotus with a grin. "Hey, big bro! I just snuck outta the playground after lunch. I heard you had a new job over here, so I rode my scooter here to save time. What's up?"

I shook my head with a smirk, rather amused that my little 'sister' had the courage to escape from her school during recess. "I really hope you get back to school before recess ends. As for what's up, I give massages here. Rarity insisted I work here after I gave her a massage once."

Scootaloo smiled with a fairly fascinated expression on her face. "A massage? You mean when you rub somepony all over? I heard that makes you feel really nice once it's done." She then chuckled, "Actually, that's why I'm here. Sweetie Belle told me and Apple Bloom that Rarity said you give awesome massages and would start working here today. Do you think you could give me one so I know what it's like?"

Lotus spoke up in her heavy accent, "Miss Scootaloo, this spa does not give out free massages. If you want to use our services, you must provide us with bits."

However, I decided to interrupt. "Actually, that's OK, Lotus. I wouldn't mind giving her one. I can cover it this time. It'll make for a change of pace since she's so small."

Scootaloo looked up at me with excitement as Lotus looked back down at her before looking back at me. "Well… I suppose you can, Mr. James. But please don't do this too often. It might make the other customers jealous."

I smiled while I led the little filly into the main chamber of the spa. "So, all the other kids are out having recess?" I asked as I lifted Scootaloo up to a massage table.

"Yeah, but I slipped out no problem. I think we're all supposed to be back inside in about thirty minutes, so no rush." Scootaloo replied as she looked around, clearly having never visited a spa before.

"Well, I'll make this shorter than usual since your joints probably have little need for a massage. Now, lie down and just relax." I spoke while motioning my hand towards the pillows at the end of the table where Twilight had been resting her head.

Scootaloo did as she was told and lied down with her head resting on a pillow. "Is this gonna take long?" She asked with a more inquisitive gaze. I was hardly surprised, as most children do not enjoy sitting still for very long even for a massage. Let alone someone as energetic as Scootaloo.

I replied while looking her over, "I'll just go for one minute on each joint, if that's OK with you." Considering how young her joints were at the time, she hardly needed a massage to begin with.

"Sounds good to me! Lemme have it!" Scootaloo replied as she stretched out her legs for me to reach.

The pegasus filly was only half the size of the average adult pony, so having me kneel above her would make things difficult for me. So instead, I chose to massage her while standing at the side of the table. "Um… Should I start with your wings?"

Scootaloo readily nodded, "Sure! That'll get them nice and loose for when I ride my scooter back to school."

I nodded while I watched her extend her wings. Compared to the wings of adult pegasus ponies, Scootaloo's wings are absolutely tiny. I was afraid I would break them. However, I remembered Fluttershy telling that the bones of a pegasus are much sturdier than bird bones. Ever so carefully, I felt through her feathers for the two joints. "OK… Just relax and don't move." I spoke softly.

Sitting perfectly still was something I would never expect a child to have an easy time doing. But Scootaloo remained almost as still as stone. She even breathed less frequently than usual, almost as if she was afraid. As I tenderly rubbed and kneaded the tiny joints in her wings, I came to understand that the reason why she was doing exactly what I requested of her was out of trust. "You afraid I might hurt you, little sis?" I asked, knowing that she looked up to me like a big brother.

"Nah. I know you would never hurt me. Big brothers are always nice to their little sisters." She replied without moving an inch.

"Yes, they are. Especially when their little sisters are so cute and cool." I said with a chuckle. I felt Scootaloo twitch as she also laughed softly.

Once I had finished with her right wing and had started on her left, Scootaloo spoke softly, "James… Don't ever go away…"

I paused for a moment at her words. They certainly were not ones I would ever expect to hear from her. "Scoot…?"

Scootaloo paused for a few seconds while she seemed to smile. "I'm glad I met you. You're like a real big brother to me." She then gulped loudly, "James… I wanna tell you something, but only if you promise to not tell anypony."

I leaned in close so she could whisper to me without anyone else hearing her. "It'll be our little secret. Whatcha wanna tell me?" I asked quietly.

A faint blush filled Scootaloo's cheeks, likely out of bashfulness. She then whispered, "It's hard for me to say this to anypony, but… I love you, big brother."

She… She actually just said 'I love you' to me? Such displays of affection are very uncharacteristic for Scootaloo. I was almost expecting her to grin and say 'Psyche!' at any second. But fifteen seconds passed as I waited. Her face was still flushed red as her gaze was tilted downwards. I finally whispered, "Did you really mean that?"

Her response was brief and touched me deeply. "Yeah…"

At that one word, I felt my adoration for Scootaloo rise even higher. Knowing you are loved… It is a wonderful feeling. Especially when someone who is like a little sibling to you says those words. At that instant, I felt a desire to watch over her and guide her in any way I could. I smiled as I gently caressed her mane and ears before whispering, "I love you too, little sis."

Scootaloo glanced over her shoulder at me, almost as if she was not expecting me to accept her feelings. I then added, "I won't tell anyone. OK?" She could only nod with a bright smile.

Once I had finished with her tiny wings, I started on Scootaloo's neck. For a pony so small, her muscles were quite developed. "You been working out?" I asked with a smile.

"Not really. I just run around a lot." Scootaloo replied with a happy grin. Tomboys like her are usually the type of girls who like running and jogging. Or in her case, scooter riding. The prolonged periods of rapidly flapping her tiny wings surely must burn a lot of calories.

By the time I had finished massaging her cheeks, shoulders, and front knees, Scootaloo began to seem a little TOO relaxed. "Man, these massages are awesome for chilling out…" She muttered quietly.

"Well, massages are excellent ways to relieve stress and tension. Just be careful to not….." I replied just as I began to hear faint snoring. "…fall asleep…" Scootaloo, probably from my gentle touch, had fallen asleep where she lay. "Kids… I guess all youngsters need naps now and then."

Regardless of my little sister's napping, I continued to massage her as planned. I went down her vertebrae to her flanks before finishing with her knees and ankles. It was especially tricky to get to every individual back joint due to Scootaloo's small size. But I managed. Even by the time I had finished, the pegasus filly was still fast asleep. "How can anypony so spunky be so angelic?" I muttered aloud as I looked at her sleeping face. Unable to resist, I placed a small kiss on her forehead. She seemed to know what had happened since her neutral expression turned into a calm smile.

As I checked the clock, I remembered that Scootaloo had snuck out of recess and that it would likely be ending soon. I did not want her to get in trouble with the teacher, so I gently scooped her up in my arms before carrying my little sister to the front desk. Lotus was seated behind the counter, apparently looking over a list of appointments. "I'll be taking Scootaloo back to school before starting on my lunch break. Is that OK, Lotus?"

My employer looked my way and nodded. "That will be fine. Please hurry back when you can." I nodded at her in response before heading towards the door. But I then noticed Scootaloo's scooter leaning against the wall right next to the door on the outside. I would have taken it with me, but I needed both arms to carry my little sister. I made a mental note to remind her once she woke up to come back for it after school.

Once I was outside, I deduced that the schoolhouse was directly west of the spa's location. I cradled Scootaloo in my arms as if she was a toddler. I tried to avoid making too much movement with my arms out of fear of waking her. As the sight of a human carrying a filly as if she were my own daughter was certainly odd, I was getting a lot of awkward stares from the many ponies I was passing.

It only took me around five to ten minutes to reach the schoolhouse. But as I drew near, I could not hear the sounds of children playing outside. The playground to the left side of the schoolhouse was empty. "Uh oh… Hope I'm not too late." I muttered under my breath. I ducked low to avoid bumping my head on the awning and knocked on the door by tapping it with the tip of my shoe.

I did not wait long as the door was answered by who I assume was a teacher. She was an earth pony with a mane and tail that sported two shades of rose. Her eyes were the same shade of green as Sweetie Belle's and her coat was a type of fuchsia hue. Her cutie mark depicted three round flowers that had closed eyes and wide smiles on them. She glanced me over for a second before smiling. "Oh, are you Mr. James? I've heard about you from the Cutie Mark Crusaders every now and then."

In response, I cracked a slight grin. "Speaking of those three fillies, I found one of them napping under a bush just outside the playground." I lowered my arms to show Scootaloo, who was still sleeping soundly.

"She was asleep? I was wondering why she didn't come back inside after recess. I feared she had run off for some reason." The teacher replied with a more sympathetic smile. "The poor dear must've played too hard out there today. Oh, and before I forget, my name is Cheerilee."

I nodded in understanding. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Cheerilee. And hang on. I'll wake Scootaloo up for you." I adjusted my grip so that I was holding the pegasus filly in just one arm while I stroked her ears with my spare hand. "C'mon, Scoot. Time to get back to class."

Her ears twitched as I tickled her. Before long, she let out a yawn before looking up at me with her big purple eyes. "Huh? Did I really pass out?"

I replied with a smile, "Yeah, I found you under a bush. You play too rough at recess today?" I winked at her, trying to subtly inform her that I was trying to keep her real activities secret from her teacher.

Scootaloo looked over at Cheerilee before looking back to me. She winked and smiled at me. "Oh, yeah. I was beat. Thanks for bringing me over here."

I set my little sister down as she stretched. Cheerilee then asked, "Would you like to meet the other students, Mr. James? We just started on 'Show & Tell' and I'm sure the other foals would like to meet someone who's not from around here."

Scootaloo jumped while she looked up at me, "Yeah! I could show you off to the whole class! Whatcha say, big brother? Wanna be my Show & Tell partner?"

I had never seen the inside of the schoolhouse before, so I was naturally curious. However, I have never been comfortable about standing before large crowds either. Even if they all happen to be children. "Um… OK. But please remember I'm not one for public speaking…" I spoke quietly.

Cheerilee smiled reassuringly and motioned for me to follow her. "Then it's settled. Come on in and we'll get started." Scootaloo and I followed her inside. We first entered a small room that was possibly a lobby. It was very narrow, as I expected from the size of the schoolhouse. On one side seemed to be a doorway that led into a tiny restroom. The doorway on the other side led into what seemed to be the classroom. As Cheerilee entered, I saw Apple Bloom standing before the blackboard with what seemed to be a rag doll of sorts that looked like either a pony or mule wearing a pair of polka-dotted shorts.

"And that's how Big Macintosh found Mr. Smarty Pants!" Apple Bloom said as I heard what was probably applause, as I could not see the rest of the students from my current location.

"Thank you for sharing that with us, Apple Bloom. Now it's Scootaloo's turn." Cheerilee said before the little farm filly walked out of sight, probably just heading back to her seat. Scootaloo followed Cheerilee into the classroom and stood in front of the blackboard. I waited for her to call me in, still feeling somewhat apprehensive about standing in front of numerous people.

"All right! I've brought somepony special today for Show & Tell!" Scootaloo then looked over in my direction and motioned for me to approach her. I ducked low to pass through the doorway and stood beside her while facing the other students. I saw a few familiar faces among the students. Along with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, I saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon sitting at small wooden desks lined up in three rows.

Before Scootaloo could even begin talking, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle jumped over their desks and ran towards me. They both called out, "James!" In response, I got down on one knee as the two fillies jumped into my arms.

"Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, you already had your turns for Show & Tell. It's Scootaloo's turn now." Cheerilee spoke, her amused smile showing that she was enjoying the sight of me cuddling with the two schoolgirls.

"It's OK, Miss Cheerilee! They can do it with me!" Scootaloo replied with a broad grin.

Sweetie Belle looked up at me and asked, "You've never come inside before, Mr. James! Did you come to say hi?"

"I was kinda talked into taking part in this…" I replied quietly, somewhat embarrassed that my friends were getting so cuddly with me in front of their classmates.

"Well, it's good to see y'all here, James! Whatcha wanna do?!" Apple Bloom asked with a smile.

I shrugged and replied, "Just take part in Show & Tell, I guess."

Scootaloo then cleared her throat as I stood up with the other two fillies at my feet. "OK! Today for Show & Tell, I brought my own big brother! Say hi, big brother!" She looked up at me with a grin, trying to coax me into saying hello.

I was feeling very nervous at the time, but I was able to force out a 'Hello' while waving at the rest of the class. The other students politely responded in kind with the exceptions of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, both looking on with expressions that shifted between wariness and a brooding scowl. However, one of the fillies with a blue coat and a bow and arrow for a cutie mark asked, "Scootaloo? Is he really your brother? He doesn't look like a pony."

Scootaloo chuckled for a second before looking up at me, "James, you wanna tell them?"

I nodded and proceeded to explain. "Well… I'm not a pony at all. I am a human. I've only been in Equestria for a week starting today, but I'm really enjoying living here."

Sweetie Belle then spoke up, "Mr. James is also the newest member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders! He's been helping us come up with new activities to try so we can earn our cutie marks!"

Apple Bloom then added, "He's also really brave and knows how ta deal with bullies! So don't be mean around 'im!" I facepalmed at that particular praise and snickered under my breath, having never viewed myself as being heroic. The students before us began to chatter with each other quietly, apparently sharing various comments. However, Diamond Tiara was constantly glaring at me while Silver Spoon was constantly watching me with a wary gaze. I suspect she was expecting me to try and remove her cutie mark like I did with her friend. Of course, I did not have that particular prop with me at the time, so she had nothing to worry about. Maybe I should carry that little device with me at all times, just in case.

One of the fillies in the first row asked, "Scootaloo, juth why ith James your brother? He doethn't look related to you." She spoke with a noticeable speech impediment, her s's sounding like th's. With her large glasses, pale coat, and frizzy red tail and mane, she seemed to be a stereotypical nerd. At least by looks and voice. I could not tell if her personality and interests were that of a nerd just by looking at her.

Scootaloo replied promptly, "You're right, Twist. We're not really related. But… If I had to choose one guy out of all the colts in Equestria to be my big brother, it would be James! He's been an awesome big brother to me!" I blushed in embarrassment as I held my face in one hand, unable to look at the other students while being praised.

The response from some of the other students caught me by surprise. "I wish I had a big brother like him! He must be really helpful in reaching tall things!" One of the kids spoke out.

Another called out, "He must be really strong too if he's that big! Can he carry you around?" More and more of the kids began to spout a slew of questions at Scootaloo. All the while, she just stood there beaming in pride.

After a few more questions, I carefully scanned my surroundings in the hopes of seeing a clock. When I found none, I decided to cut my visit short so I had enough time to get some lunch and get back to the spa before my bosses docked my pay. "Excuse me. I don't want to be a bother, but I'm currently on my lunch break and should get something to eat before I end up spending too much time away from my job."

Cheerilee seemed to glance at something on her desk before looking back at me and replying, "Oh dear, I'm sorry if we kept you for too long. But it was good to meet you, Mr. James! Please feel free to visit anytime."

Apple Bloom then tapped my leg and asked, "Do y'all think we could meet up at the clubhouse later?"

I nodded with a smile. "Sure thing. I'll see if I can get off work at around 5. Can you wait until then?"

Sweetie Belle nodded while grinning happily. "That sounds like a good time! Please don't take too long!" I reached down and stroked their manes, prompting brief giggling from the two fillies.

"Maybe I'll stop by again sometime. See you later, kiddies." I said as I waved goodbye. All of the students waved goodbye and said farewell politely. All except for Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara, that is. The latter was still glaring at me as I left the classroom while the former seemed to be holding her breath.

Just as I stepped right outside the schoolhouse, I heard Scootaloo call out from behind me. "James, hang on a second!" I turned and found the tomboy running out to me.

"Did I forget something?" I asked, knowing that it was far too soon for the school day to be over.

Scootaloo peeked over her shoulder while apparently checking to see if anyone was watching from inside the schoolhouse. She then looked up at me and whispered, "Thanks for covering for me. I would've gotten in a lot of trouble if anypony found out I had left school, even if it was just to see you."

I chuckled while I tussled "That's what big brothers are for, right? It's my duty to keep you out of trouble." Scootaloo chuckled as well while I stroked her mane.

Before I could say goodbye, Scootaloo peeked over her shoulder again before looking up at me. "Hurry up… Before somepony sees." She stood on her hind legs and held out her forelegs as if waiting for something to fall into her grasp.

"Scoot, you don't have to do that. I know you're not big on showing affection like that." I spoke, knowing that she was offering a hug.

"Why do you think I waited until we were alone before trying to give you one? I don't want anypony to know I have a soft spot for somepony I like. You're the only guy I like giving hugs to. So hurry up! Before somepony sees!" Scootaloo replied, a hint of panic in her voice.

After looking past her to make certain no one could see us, I snatched my little sister up in my arms and held her tightly while she threw her forelegs around my neck. I wanted to keep the embrace going longer, but knew that Cheerilee would come looking for Scootaloo if we took too long. Before I set her down, I whispered into her ear, "I love you, little sis."

Scootaloo let out a faint giggle before replying, "I love you too, big brother."

Remembering that her scooter was still at the spa, I whispered, "You left your scooter over at the spa. Don't forget to retrieve it after class."

She nodded, "Thanks for reminding me. I'll go get it right after school is out."

I gently set Scootaloo down before stroking her mane. "See you this evening, OK?" I asked, remembering my promise to the other members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"You got it. I'll be there. See ya there, James!" Scootaloo replied with a smile. I then turned and headed back into town, feeling in the mood for some seafood pasta.

I made a beeline for the local café, eager to fill my belly with some tasty yet healthy food. The outdoor seating area was hardly in use, only a few ponies here and there. But as I drew near, the waiter noticed me and approached me. "Ah, just in time. Right zis way, please."

His words baffled me, as I had not made any reservations. I also was not that much of a repeat customer at the time, as I had only visited the café no more than five times since arriving in Equestria. Regardless, I followed the waiter to a table that had a foldable sign on it with the word 'Reserved' on each side. I also noticed that there were six piles of hay situated around the table with a single stool for me. "May I fetch you anyzing to drink, monsieur?" The waiter asked as I took my seat.

I replied without much thought, "I suppose some sasparilla will be fine. Light on the ice, please." I then looked over my menu as the waiter disappeared into the restaurant. I muttered to myself, "That pasta was awesome, and the salads are good… Should I get an appetizer too?"

Before the waiter could bring out my drink, I heard a sudden noise behind me while a flash of light shone onto the table past me for a split second, almost as if someone had used the flash function on a camera. "Equestria's got some noisy cameras…" I said to myself.

As if to answer me, I felt the rounded tip of a unicorn's horn press against my back. A familiar upper-class woman's voice then spoke, "Well, if we were using a camera, you would've looked far more charming if we took the shot with you facing us."

I immediately recognized the voice before I looked over my shoulder. "Rarity? And… What're all of you doing here? And when did you even get here without me hearing your footsteps?!" Along with Rarity were Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle.

"Oh, that was just a lil' spell Twilight knows. Kinda like… Um… What's that fancy word ya used for it?" Applejack replied before turning to Twilight, who seemed slightly dazed for some reason.

"Uh… You say something, AJ…?" She asked with a rather groggy tone. However, she then cleared her head by shaking it for a second. "Oh, the spell? That was a teleportation spell. A pretty advanced spell at that. It was the first time I've used it on more than two ponies at once. Kinda took a lot outta me."

The thought of teleportation being possible in Equestria was both not surprising, yet mind-blowing to me. "Looks like my initial guess of that magic being a form of telekinesis wasn't too far off." I said with an amused smirk.

Pinkie Pie giggled at my words and spoke, "You know a lot of fancy words, James! What's that one?"

Twilight answered for me. "He means using the power of the mind to move objects. It's mostly just urban legend and doesn't have any real connection to unicorn magic."

Not surprisingly, Pinkie Pie jumped into the air with an impressed expression on her face. "Wow! Moving things with just your mind? Without magic?! I gotta try this!" She then stared at the small paper sign that read 'Reserved' at the center of our table. Her stare soon turned into a glare as she began to grit her teeth. "C'mon… I can do this…"

I heard Fluttershy whisper to Rainbow Dash, "Do you think we should stop her?"

The boisterous pegasus mare replied quietly, "Nah. It's always fun to watch Pinkie Pie try something weird." And she was right. I wanted to speak up, but it was rather entertaining to see Pinkie Pie try something unusual, especially if she ended up looking like a fool in the end.

After a brief moment of silence, a gentle breeze blew and tipped the sign onto its side. "AH HA! This telekinesis stuff really works! Did you see that?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, obviously believing that it was her mind that knocked the sign down.

Before anyone could comment, I sighed with a smirk while shaking my head. "Pinkie Pie….. That was just the wind."

The silly pink pony pouted at me. "Oh, come on! I tried so hard and the wind beat me to it?!" The other ponies laughed in unison as I chuckled under my breath.

"All righty, girls. Let's not wait any longer. We all came here for a reason, right?" Applejack spoke up as she took a seat on a pile of hay on one side of the table.

It was then that I caught on why there was a 'Reserved' sign on the table the waiter had led me to. "Wait a second… You made reservations for me?"

Twilight grinned whimsically at me. "I told you I'd be seeing you in around forty minutes, didn't I? And besides, today's a special occasion!" The purple unicorn mare then took a seat two piles of hay down on my left.

Rarity smiled as she took a seat just to my left and proceeded to explain things. "Today marks the first full week since you appeared in Equestria. You came here with virtually nothing, but now look how far you've come in just a paltry seven days!"

Rainbow Dash flew over the table and took a seat opposite from Twilight. "You looked like you were having a really rough time when I fell…er…bumped into you back then. But check you out now! You look like you're right at home in Ponyville! And I was starting to wonder if you'd ever fit in." She said with a laugh.

Pinkie Pie giggled enthusiastically as she took a seat opposite from Applejack. "You really added some diversity to Ponyville! I mean, think about it! You're the only human in Equestria! That makes you one-of-a-kind special!" That particular praise made me snicker under my breath.

The last pony to take her seat was dear Fluttershy, who took a seat just to my right. "You've become an important part of our lives, James. We're grateful to have met you." She then whispered into my ear, "Only I'm the most grateful."

In response to my friends' words, I smiled warmly. "No… I'm the one who should be grateful. Like Rainbow said, I had nothing when I came to Equestria, but you girls reached out to me when I needed help most. I would've never gotten that kind of unconditional hospitality back home." I was not exaggerating in the least.

Fluttershy reached out and kissed me on the cheek in a reassuring manner. "But this is your home now. And it always will be. OK?"

I froze as I felt my lover kiss me in front of my other friends. I expected them to be shocked, but they all just watched silently. Rainbow Dash had a giddy grin while Rarity nudged me gently as if to say 'Go to her' to me. Seeing that they certainly did not mind our bond, I smiled at Fluttershy and nodded. "Yeah… Equestria is home to me now. And I don't want that to ever change. Don't know how I got here, but I'm glad I did end up here."

A moment later, the waiter returned with my drink. "Are you ready to order?" He asked after handing me my drink from a small tray on his head.

"Ladies first." I spoke while still looking over my menu. In truth, I was not entirely certain of what I wanted at the moment and was merely trying to buy myself a bit more time to look my choices over.

One by one, my companions placed their orders. Pinkie Pie was the last to place an order, and her choice of food surprised me. She ordered a slice of spinach pie, a salad with ranch dressing, and plain water for a drink. My order was the same pasta dish as before, a house salad with French dressing as a side dish, and a small order of hay fries for an appetizer.

Once the waiter had left us alone, Twilight was the first to speak up. "Nothing sweet at all, Pinkie? I'm amazed you're actually watching your diet!"

Pinkie Pie grinned while glancing over at me. "It was James who got through to me! He told me all about this nasty medical thing called diabetes, and I actually got scared about it! Even ponies can get it!"

Rainbow Dash replied with a rather surprised tone of voice, "And you thought we can't?! It's a good thing he got to you when he did!" I tried to avert my gaze, feeling somewhat embarrassed at Pinkie Pie's praise for me.

Twilight then turned my way and asked, "Is it true, James? Did you really warn her about the dangers of high sugar intake?"

I nodded and replied quietly, "Yeah… Seeing her scarf down all those cakes and sweets got me wondering, so I brought it up. The last thing I ever wanna see is Ponyville's famous party animal come down with diabetes. Those parties just won't be the same if that happens."

Rarity reached out and placed a sweet kiss on my cheek. "That was very noble of you to warn Pinkie Pie of that. I simply cannot imagine life with Pinkie Pie having to live with such a horrible condition!" I think I felt myself blush as I became somewhat worried that Fluttershy would take offense to her friend kissing me. Fortunately, she did not seem to mind at all.

Before we could chat further, the waiter returned with my friends' drinks. Pinkie Pie then spoke out, "Hey, you know what this calls for?!" I expected her to say 'a party', since she would often follow up those words with that.

"A party?" Fluttershy asked, apparently thinking the same thing.

To our surprise, Pinkie Pie held her glass of water in one of her ankle joints and raised it. "A toast! To our great new friend!"

Applejack grinned while she replied, "What a swell idea! C'mon, girls! Glasses up!" She did the same with her drink, a bottle of apple cider.

I can distinctly remember my face tensing up as a deep blush filled my cheeks. One by one, my friends and lover raised their glasses and bottles. "Whatcha waiting for, James? Raise your drink!" Rainbow Dash spoke as all six of them looked at me.

This was beyond flattering. I had only been in Ponyville for one week, and now my closest friends were making a toast to me? Regardless, I did as I was told and raised my bottle of sasparilla. Pinkie Pie then showed a much more serious and even serene expression as she spoke with a surprisingly royal tone, "I, Pinkie Pie, declare that this day be remembered as the day when our dear human friend James had been with us for a full week! May he be with us for many years to come!"

Rarity giggled for a second before retorting, "Well said, Pinkie Pie! Cheers!" In unison, we all lightly tapped our drinks together. I actually had some trouble keeping my arm steady as I was slightly overwhelmed by just how big a deal my friends were making this day.

Once the toast had been made, we all set our drinks down and resumed conversing with each other. However, Fluttershy then whispered to me, "You'll always be with us, right? And…with me?"

I looked into my lover's beautiful eyes and smiled. "Always, honey." We then leaned towards each other and pressed our lips together for a kiss. By some miracle, no one seemed to notice.

"So, how're the repairs comin' along for our duds? They gonna be done in time for the Gala?" Applejack asked while looking towards Rarity.

Rarity replied with a dismissive motion of her hoof. "We have around eight months before the Gala! Your dress, as well as everypony else's, will be in pristine shape by then." I was actually rather curious to see what the dresses of all my friends looked like, but I decided to withhold any questions until the big day arrived since it would be more satisfying to see them being worn after the repairs were complete.

After some time and chitchat, the waiter brought out our meals. There was such variety that I could not honestly say what all the dishes were aside from Pinkie Pie's sugar free choice of food. Well… All right, I suppose I can remember the entrees. Applejack had a large slice of apple cobbler, Rarity had ordered… Well, it was something with a French name. I could not tell you what it was even if I tried. Pinkie Pie had ordered…wait, I already explained earlier. Twilight had ordered grilled carrots with a side of barbeque sauce. Rainbow Dash had ordered a submarine sandwich and Fluttershy had ordered a daffodil and daisy sandwich.

Before we started eating, Rainbow Dash spoke up. "Don't worry about the price today, James. It's all on us!"

This sudden offering caught me by surprise as I almost took a bite of my salad, making me pause just before I chomped down. "Really? You don't have to. I can pay for myself."

However, Rarity was quick to counter my words. "Darling, this is a special occasion! Please, allow us to treat you to this meal. After all, I feel I should at least do something to repay you for this fine piece of jewelry." She then raised her hoof, showing off the opal-studded silver bracelet I had purchased for her a few days ago.

Pinkie Pie then let out a giggle and added, "Don't forget me! I owe you big time for warning me about diabetes! You just might've saved my life! Um… At least I think you did. Can diabetes really be lethal?"

Twilight spoke before I could reply. "Yes, Pinkie. Diabetes can have fatal side effects. So yes, he probably did save you in the long run."

The silly pink pony froze as her expression suddenly darkened. "Um… OK, now it's starting to sink in… Wow, I really am lucky to have a friend like you, James."

I replied with a simple nod. "Sometimes, all you need is someone with a little personal experience with something to understand how real it is. I'm just glad I didn't wait to tell you."

Applejack then spoke up, "Let's save all the hugs and kisses for later. We've got some grub ta enjoy!" She was right. We were not waiting on anything else, so we may as well start eating. Especially those of us who ordered hot foods.

The process of eating our meals was fairly uneventful, so I will not bother going into detail. But once we finished, I am certain we were all quite satisfied. "Never knew hay fries could be so tasty." I muttered as I set my silverware down.

"That was good eatin', huh?" Applejack asked before suppressing a belch, clearly satisfied with her meal.

Rarity replied upon wiping her mouth with a napkin, "Quite. Dining with friends is so much more enjoyable than dining alone. The food always seems to taste better." In unison, my friends set a pile of bits on the table. Even though they had promised to treat me to lunch, I still tossed a few bits into the pile as a tip.

"I really enjoyed myself, girls. But I should get back to work. I don't want to end up getting fired on my first day." I spoke up, full and ready to return to the spa.

Rainbow Dash grinned before swooping over to me and nudging my shoulder. "You mean the spa, right? Mind if I tag along?"

Rarity then asked, "You? At a spa? I never once took you for the type who is mindful of her beauty, Rainbow Dash. What changed your mind?"

I decided to beat Rainbow to the punch. "Because when Rainbow Dash isn't tending to the clouds and weather, she's just chilling. And what better place to relax than at a spa? Am I right?"

The rainbow-maned pegasus mare snickered under her breath. "Read me like a book!"

Pinkie Pie then spoke up, "I'll go too! I wanna feel those 'magic fingers' for myself!"

Applejack then grunted while she flexed her neck. "I've been gettin' a might sore from applebuckin' all summer. Mind if I squeeze in too, pardner?"

I cracked an awkward smirk, not expecting so many of my friends to want a massage from me all in one day. "I don't see why not. What about you two, Rarity? Fluttershy? You wanna join in?"

The unicorn and pegasus whispered to each other for a moment before nodding. Fluttershy then spoke with a smile, "I guess we could have our weekly spa visit today."

Rarity then added, "I can hardly wait to feel those delicate fingers going to work on my shoulders! And the facial and sauna, of course. Ooh, and can't forget the cornicure…"

I cracked a smirk at Rarity's enthusiasm. "Get enough of those and your horn will turn into a needle! And you, Twilight?"

The purple unicorn shook her head. "I'd say once a day is good enough for me. But thanks for the offer!" The rest of us saw her off before heading back towards the spa for a group visit.

"How many customers did you get before taking your lunch break today, James?" Rarity asked as I led her and the other four ponies through the streets of Ponyville.

"Just two. The first was Twilight and the second was Scootaloo." I replied, still wondering how the tomboy was able to escape from the playground undetected.

Rainbow Dash snickered upon hearing that filly's name. "Scootaloo played hooky today, huh? A chip off the old block, I swear."

Applejack rolled her eyes in clear disdain. "That ain't exactly somethin' to be proud of, Rainbow."

I then decided to explain the aftermath of that visit. "Actually, I took her back to school once she was done there. Believe it or not, she told me that she snuck out of recess to see me at my new job."

Rarity giggled at my explanation. "Well, it's certainly touching to see one of the fillies take such a liking to you, James. Perhaps having a big brother figure will help her mellow out somewhat." In the back of my mind, I was hoping Scootaloo would not change much. I honestly adore her tomboyish nature.

Once we reached the spa, I held the door open for my friends and lover. Aloe was seated at the front desk and asked in her strong accent, "You were gone a bit longer than expected, James. Everything all right?"

I replied honestly, "Had to carry Scootaloo back to school, but she made me stay for Show & Tell. Then I pigged out with the ladies here."

At the mention of Show & Tell, Pinkie Pie asked, "Ooh, Show & Tell?! What'd she have to show?!"

My reply caught her by surprise. "Me. That's what."

Rainbow Dash burst out laughing when I said that. "Man, Scoot always knows how to pull a fast one! But wait! What'd she tell the rest of the class about you? I don't think she knows you THAT well yet."

I was about to explain, but paused as I noticed I was keeping myself away from my workstation. "I'll tell you over a massage."

As my friends followed me into the main chamber, Rarity spoke to Aloe while she passed her by. "The usual!" She and Fluttershy followed her over to the sauna while my friends headed over to the hot tub.

"I reckon a good soak'll set me up for a massage." Applejack spoke as she flung her hat onto a coat rack nearby. It was the first time I had ever seen her without her hat on. In all honesty, she seemed more feminine and attractive without it covering her blond hair.

"Sounds good to me. Gimme some room!" Rainbow Dash said as she dove into the tub before resurfacing and lounging in a corner.

"Me too!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she jumped in. I was amazed by just how childish the two ponies were acting. It was almost as if they were viewing this spa as a personal playground. All I could do was snort in a muffled laugh at the scene playing out before me.

Before I could ask them to be a little more civilized, Applejack spoke for me as she slowly entered the tub. "Ease up, girls. We're all here to relax and loosen up, not ta make a mess. Right?"

While my three friends relaxed in the hot tub, I went to check on Rarity and Fluttershy. They had just come out of the sauna and their manes were tightly wrapped up in towels while wearing their personal robes. I watched as Lotus covered Rarity's face with that pale green facial cream using a small brush in her mouth. She then did the same with Fluttershy, but only put a small amount on just her cheeks like the previous time.

I frowned, seeing that Lotus was skimping on Fluttershy's treatment again. I approached them as Rarity and Fluttershy lied down on the raised platforms for a cornicure before looking at Lotus. "Miss Lotus, I think you made a mistake." I then pointed at Fluttershy, "You used too little facial cream again for Fluttershy. Could you fix that please?"

My employer seemed rather embarrassed; probably due to remembering the previous time Fluttershy got a facial. "Oh dear, old habits die hard. I'll get to that right away." While Lotus went to fetch the facial cream again, Fluttershy reached out and touched my hand with her hoof.

"Thank you again, James. I love you." My lover said quietly while smiling warmly.

I replied with a kiss on her cheek. "Love you too, baby. If there's anything you need, ask Lotus or Aloe to fetch me. I'll handle all your needs." I then went back to my post when Lotus returned and covered up my girlfriend's face with the facial cream.

While waiting for one of my friends to finish soaking in the hot tub, I stood by its side with an elbow on the rim. "How's the water?" I asked, trying to pass the time with conversation.

"Just right, that's what. Nothin' like a good soak ta soothe your tired muscles." Applejack said with a sigh as she rested her head on the rim near me.

Pinkie Pie let out a long yawn before looking my way. "I think I'll be done in about five minutes. Could you give me a massage when I dry off, James?"

I nodded at her and replied, "That's what you're all here for, right? Of course I'll give you one."

The four of us chatted for a while, Applejack mentioning that she had more than 80% of Sweet Apple Acres harvested, Rainbow Dash discussing some new aerial tricks to dazzle the Wonderbolts with like the 'Buccaneer Blaze' or something like that, and Pinkie Pie was asking her friends if they could help her set up a special party tomorrow. But whenever I tried to get some details on said party, all three of them would tell me that it was 'for a young couple'.

In five minutes, Pinkie Pie climbed out of the hot tub and wrapped herself in a towel. "OK, I'm ready for my massage!" She then trotted down the steps next to the hot tub and hopped up onto a massage table with a single bound.

"I can do a better job if you remove the towel, Pinkie." I explained while watching my friend ready herself.

"Oh, right. Wouldn't wanna miss anything!" My friend giggled as she flung the towel onto a stand nearby. She then lied down and spread out her legs for easy access.

"OK then. Don't move and just relax." I said as I kneeled above Pinkie Pie while being careful to not apply too much weight to her. As always, I started on her neck joints. But it took only a second for me to notice the firm and thick layers of muscle surrounding them. "Whoa… You earth ponies sure are buff, aren't you?"

Pinkie Pie giggled and even let out a rather silly snort. "Buff? Oh, we're just strong like that! Earth ponies are about as strong as they get in Equestria!"

Rainbow Dash then looked over the side of the hot tub and laughed, "Just make sure you keep your distance at parties when she's dancing! One slip and you're a new wall decoration!" I snickered under my breath, taking Rainbow's words for granted.

I had to apply more pressure than I am used to using in order to effectively massage Pinkie Pie's joints due to the extra muscle. But I was clearly doing it right since I heard her let out a sigh. "Ooh, that's the spot…"

"Am I doing this right?" I asked while firmly digging my fingertips into her neck.

"Yep! Feels soooo good…" Pinkie Pie replied with a shudder. It was my assumption that she seldom got massages if she was reacting this strongly to one.

After three minutes, I moved my hands up to her cheeks. The amount of muscle up there seemed to be no different from a pegasus or unicorn. "Wow, my jaw joints too?" Pinkie asked as I began to rub them. With how much she likes to talk, laugh, and eat all sorts of tasty treats, I would assume that they could often get tense.

"Considering how much sweet stuff you eat, these must get a little sore at times." I replied while gently kneading the joints near her cheeks.

"Not really! I gotta be careful to not pig out on sweets anymore." She replied with a smile. She grins often too, and that can cause one's jaw joints to become sore.

"Please refrain from talking until I'm done here. Hard to massage these when your mouth is moving…" I spoke lightly. Pinkie Pie remained silent until I spent three minutes on her jaws.

Once I had started on her shoulders, Pinkie Pie began talking again. "Hey, James? Do you have any other recipes you'd like to share with me and Mr. and Mrs. Cake?"

I thought over my response, thinking through the list of pastries I knew about. "I've already told you about chocolate drops and blueberry pound cakes… What else can I share? Um… I've got nothing right now. Want me to let you know if something comes to mind?"

"Sure! The bigger variety, the better our products!" Pinkie exclaimed with a grin.

Once I had finished with her shoulders and knees, I started on Pinkie Pie's back. Once again, I was stunned by just how much muscle she had as it hindered my efforts to massage her joints. I had to apply even more pressure than before, but I was able to get to each vertebrae. "Mmmm… Now that feels nice… A little lower…" Pinkie Pie muttered as I steadily went down her spine.

Something I feel I should mention is a peculiar smell I had picked up once I had started massaging Pinkie Pie. It was faint, possibly because she had just soaked in a hot tub, but I could still detect it. It smelled…sweet. Almost like pastries being baked. I suppose that would make sense since she works in a bakery. I decided to say nothing to her about it, but the scent just seemed to say 'Pinkie Pie' to me. If I did not know better, I would say that it was her natural scent.

As I had to spend three minutes on each joint, my hands and fingers were quite sore by the time I had finished with Pinkie Pie's back. I had lost count of how many minutes had passed after her sixth back joint, although I suspect I spent well over half an hour on it. "You earth ponies are too buff for your own good…" I grumbled, my fingers somewhat red from overuse.

I turned around so I could easily access Pinkie Pie's flanks and hind knees and ankles. I was too frustrated to ask her if her cutie marks were sensitive as I went to work right away. It took around a minute before I realized that my fingertips were digging into the three balloons on each of her flanks. "Uh… Are you sensitive back here?" I asked, the last thing I wanted being a kick from an earth pony.

Pinkie Pie glanced over her shoulder at me and smiled. "Nopey dopey! Everything feels just peachy! Keep it up!" I breathed a sigh of relief, glad to see that not all ponies are sensitive near their cutie marks.

After another short while, I was finally complete with Pinkie Pie's massage. "Finally… How do you feel now, Pinkie?" I asked with a sigh as I climbed down from the table.

Pinkie Pie stood up and stretched for a moment before groaning, "Wowee! That got out every last kink! I can't remember the last time I felt this relaxed! Almost like I just woke up from a nap on the softest cushion!"

While Pinkie continued to spout compliments at me, I muttered under my breath. "Tell that to my hands… Almost feels like I was rubbing a brick wall for ten minutes straight…" Even though her soft coat had added some padding to my touch, my fingers and palms were a startling shade of red at the time due to the amount of force I had to use when rubbing her.

Once she had finally stopped talking and flexing, my friend reached out and nuzzled my cheek. "Thanks a lot for that, James! I'm gonna be feeling good all day now! I'll make sure to give you a special tip for such a great job…" She paused for a moment while bringing a hoof to her chin. "What was I supposed to do after this…? Um…oh, right! I need to plan a special party for somepony, so I can't stick around! See ya later!" She then gave me a quick hug and ran out into the lobby.

However, before she went out of sight, I called out to her. "Hey, Pinkie! Just a sec!" The pink pony stopped in her tracks and looked back at me. "Do your bosses know I work here on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays now?" I had completely forgotten to discuss adjusting my workdays with the Cake couple and was afraid I might end up fired.

Pinkie Pie gulped rather loudly while giving me a rather shocked glance. "Uh oh… They don't know! I'll go put in a word with them right now! I'm sure Mrs. Cake would love a massage sometime! Don't worry, just leave it to me!" She then ran out the door, leaving me grateful that she was going to speak to them on my behalf.

I took the time to rest my hands by submerging them in the hot tub where Rainbow Dash and Applejack were still soaking. The instant I felt the bubbling warm water touch my tired flesh, I winced in brief pain. But the pain quickly vanished as I felt pleasure with the water soothing my worn skin and muscles.

"Pinkie Pie all done over there, James?" Applejack asked as she moved closer to me. All I could really do was nod without saying anything. I was hoping she would not have to get out of the tub just yet.

"Well, all righty then. Y'all wanna go next, Rainbow?" Applejack asked the pegasus mare who was lounging at the other end of the hot tub.

Rainbow Dash yawned before replying, "Nah. I'm gonna soak a while longer. He's all yours, AJ."

Applejack then turned and smiled at me. "Then I reckon I'm up next. Does five minutes sound OK to ya, James?"

I nodded halfheartedly, hoping that she would have made it ten instead. "Yeah… Just enough time to rest my hands." I could almost feel my hands and fingers throbbing under the surface of the water.

Once five minutes had passed, Applejack climbed out of the tub at the far end and wrapped herself in a towel. However, I was quick to notice that she had removed the ties that held her tail and mane together, with her mane in particular having spread wide across her neck and upper back. For some reason, I heard Rainbow Dash snicker at what I assume was the stare I was giving Applejack.

The farm pony seemed to hear her friend's muffled laughter and turned to face us. She then asked, "Uh… James? You see something weird? Y'all weren't starin' at my haunches, were ya?"

It was then I realized that I must have been blushing. I shook my head to get my mind in order and replied, "Actually, I was looking at your mane… The way it was all wet and spread out like that while not tied was… I'll admit that it was….. Sorry, I can't put it into words." In all honesty, I wanted to tell her that she looked 'hot' with her hair spread out like that, but knew better than to use such a term towards her for fear of suffering a bone-shattering kick.

However, Rainbow Dash seemed to know exactly what I wanted to say as she smirked and spoke, "He thinks you look hot with your mane down like that!"

Hearing those words, I raised my voice. "Rainbow…!" But Applejack could only stare with what I think was a faint blush. "Um… AJ?" I asked, uncertain of what her reaction would be.

"Well… Uh… I'm awfully flattered, James… Nopony's ever complimented me on my looks before…" Applejack spoke as she slowly made her way down the steps and over to one of the massage tables.

When I took my hands out of the hot tub and approached Applejack while shaking the water from them, I noticed her holding a brush in her mouth. "Beggin' yer pardon, James. But would ya mind brushin' my mane to get all the curls out of it?"

I was relieved to not have to strain my fingers just yet as I took the brush in hand. "It would be no trouble at all, AJ." I then let her jump up onto the massage table as I stood by her side. With long straight strokes, I brushed her mane and tail until they were as straight as possible.

While I brushed, I was somewhat amazed by just how long Applejack's mane was. And I will be the first to admit that I find long hair on women attractive. "You have lovely hair, AJ." I spoke softly.

The farm pony chuckled at my praise. "Aw, shucks… You don't have ta keep complimentin' me like that."

I replied with a smile, "I'm just speaking my mind. Without that hat covering your hair, I think you look even better."

Applejack smiled while she looked back at me. "Really? I reckon I should keep my hat off when I'm not on the job then." I merely smirked whimsically at that.

Once I had gotten her mane and tail as dry and straight as possible, I asked, "Do you keep your hair tied near the end?"

My friend nodded at me and explained, "Sure do. But y'all can leave that bit to me." She then spread herself out on the massage table. "I'm ready when you are, pardner."

I climbed onto the massage table and straddled Applejack like my other customers that day. But before I could start massaging her, I had to push her long blond mane off to the side so it would not get in the way. "OK, AJ. Just relax and leave it to me."

When I felt Applejack go limp under me, I gripped the base of her neck. I was expecting her to be no easier to massage than Pinkie Pie, but I was in for a surprise as I dug my fingers into her coat. "What the…" Even for an earth pony, Applejack's body was frighteningly well toned. It felt more like I was trying to massage a professional bodybuilder!

"Somethin' wrong back there, James? It feels like yer not even tryin'." Applejack spoke as I struggled to dig my fingers into her flesh.

"Applejack… I can't believe how buff you are! Would I get just as ripped as you if I did just as much applebucking as you?" I asked, not able to comprehend how a woman could be this absurdly muscular. And the crazy thing about her is that it looked like her overall muscle mass was no different from other ponies!

"Probably! Why'd ya ask?" She replied in kind. After a moment more, I tried to dig my fingers into her flesh with as much force as I could muster. My efforts paid off as I heard Applejack sigh, "Whoa… That's the spot."

I already wanted to not have to do anymore massaging for Applejack as my hands and fingers were sore enough from massaging Pinkie Pie. But she was my customer and friend, so I did not want to disappoint her. Once I had finished massaging the base of her neck, I cracked my knuckles and flexed my fingers to help prepare them for the rest of the job. I then reached out and began to tenderly rub her jaw joints. "Now there's a spot I never knew needed that kinda attention." Applejack muttered at my touch. To my relief, the muscle on her face was not nearly as firm as the rest of her body.

"Well, it is a joint. And I focus more on the joints than anything else. But if there are any particular muscles that need specific attention, let me know." I spoke while trying to keep Applejack from speaking.

Once three minutes had passed, I went down to Applejack's shoulders. Like the area around her neck, her muscles were shockingly firm and it was almost painful for me to apply enough pressure to push deep enough. "It almost feels like I'm massaging a two dollar steak…" I grumbled under my breath.

Applejack's knees and ankles were easier to massage since the muscle layers around those joints are thinner. But her vertebrae… Do not even get me started on that. It felt like my job would never end as I went from joint to joint, pushing into her impossibly firm back muscles to reach them. It was so frustrating; I hardly noticed the faint scent of apple pulp and sweat lingering in her coat.

Once I had finished with her back, I rubbed my fingers together as they were now very sore. I mean they were sore once I had finished with Pinkie Pie, but now… Ugh, I do not even want to remember that pain. Fortunately, I had only a few more areas to tend to. And I was anxious to get this massage over with.

I turned around and straddled Applejack again. But as I looked down at her flanks, a potential danger came to mind. "AJ, are your cutie marks particularly sensitive to touch?"

She replied without even a second of a delay. "Nope. Knock yerself out, James." I swear, it was almost as if she knew exactly what I was referring to.

Like her shoulders, Applejack's flanks were amazingly toned. I have no idea how I was able to effectively massage her there for three minutes. Her knees and ankles were a welcome change to the almost rock-hard muscle I had been working with for the past hour or so. By the time I had climbed down from the massage table, my fingers and palms were almost as red as my blood. It was hard for me to even look at.

"Hooowee! That really loosened me up!" Applejack exclaimed as she hopped down from the table. She stretched and flexed the best she could, testing out her rested joints. "Ya got a knack for this line of work, James. Much obliged!"

I smiled halfheartedly and spoke with a sigh to my voice. "At least one of us enjoyed it… I mean…it was my pleasure, AJ." I did not want her to know just how much my hands hurt at the time. Although it took a good deal of willpower to not voice my soreness and frustration.

Applejack flexed her neck before grinning at me. "I'm gonna sleep real well t'night. Oh, right. Still need to get ten bushels ready for ya over at the orchard. Feel free ta swing by when you have time today." I nodded in agreement, remembering my promise to carry some bushels for her as a workout. The farm pony then headed out of the main chamber and into the lobby after retrieving her hat.

Like before, I went over the hot tub and leaned on the side with my tired hands soaking in the warm water. I wanted nothing more than to just stand there and let my hands heal. But I knew that Rainbow Dash was next on the list and I did not want to disappoint her. Speaking of that brash pegasus mare…

"Something wrong, James? You look beat." Rainbow Dash asked as she came over to my side of the tub.

"You try massaging an earth pony with craggy muscles and tell me how your hooves feel afterwards…" I replied while still in some pain.

Rainbow seemed to know what was wrong since she lifted one of my hands out of the water with a hoof and looked at my palm. "Yeesh! That's a scary shade of red you got there! Is that healthy?"

I sighed in mild exhaustion. "It means that they've been overworked. Badly. Please don't touch them."

I watched as Rainbow Dash looked my hand over with a focused gaze as if pondering something. "Well, if this happened because you were giving massages, maybe they need a massage too. Hang on a sec." I stared in shock as she opened her mouth and placed my hand between her gaping jaws.

Expecting her to bite me, I winced as I prepared for pain. Instead, I felt what seemed to be Rainbow Dash's teeth grinding gently against my flesh. Even more to my surprise, the feel of her teeth rubbing my sore flesh felt…..pleasant. She was massaging my hand the only way she could. And it was a very effective means to do so.

"Am I doing OK?" Rainbow Dash managed to speak with my hand in her mouth.

"That feels great, Rainbow." I replied while feeling quite pleased. She then continued to move her jaws, changing the pressure and position of her teeth as needed. I would occasionally feel her tongue brush against me, but I paid no mind. This was truly an act of friendship I would never have expected from the most tomboyish of my friends.

Rainbow Dash spent a full ten minutes massaging my hand while my other hand soaked in the hot tub. "Feel better yet?" She asked with my hand resting in her jaws.

I pulled my hand out and moved my fingers. While they still felt somewhat inflamed, some of the soreness was gone. "It really helped, Rainbow… Thanks." I said with a smile.

Rainbow Dash gave me a rather giddy grin. "I actually wasn't too sure on how well that would work. But now it's time for the other." She then lifted my other hand from the water and took it in her mouth like before.

Another ten minutes passed as my friend massaged my hand with her teeth while my other hand soaked in the hot tub. Like before, her tongue would occasionally brush against my palm. I finally felt the need to ask. "How do I taste, Rainbow? Good enough to eat?"

She replied once she had let go of my hand, "I dunno. You don't taste like anything I'd wanna eat." My hand felt just as good as the other by now. I felt like I could get out a few more massages. She then asked, "You still up for that massage?"

I looked over my hands again before nodding. "Give me five more minutes and I'll be right there. Feel free to make yourself comfortable in the meantime." Rainbow Dash grinned and climbed out of the hot tub before wrapping herself in a towel. I watched as she walked down the steps and started reading a magazine once she hopped up onto one of the massage tables.

After a short while, I looked over my shoulder and asked without removing my hands from the hot tub, "Has it been five minutes yet, Rainbow?"

My friend looked in the direction of the closest clock and replied, "Yup! I'm all set too!" She then flung the towel that covered her onto an empty massage table and stretched out her legs.

I lifted my hands from the water and looked them over. The undersides were still fairly red, but they were not nearly as sore as before. "Much better…" I then approached Rainbow Dash and stroked her mane, "Thanks again, Rainbow. It would've been much harder to do a good job when my hands were that sore."

Rainbow Dash grinned, "Anytime, James. I'm just glad that little dental treatment actually worked." I then climbed onto the massage table and straddled the pegasus. She then asked, "Just relax. Right?" I nodded silently as she let her body go limp.

As usual, I started on the base of her neck. The amount of muscle I felt on her was almost no different from Fluttershy's as it was quite soft and easy to work with. "They say muscle's heavier than fat. Which means you must be a lightweight, Rainbow." I muttered casually.

The rainbow-mane pegasus chuckled, "Ya got that right. If I worked out as much as Applejack, I probably would have a harder time flying as fast as I can now. But anyway, you promised me a chat over a massage. Right?"

I nodded as I remembered our chat on our way to the spa. "Oh, right. Sure thing. You wanted to know about what happened between me and Scootaloo, right?"

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah, that's it. Especially what happened once you got her back to school. You said something about Show & Tell?"

As I did not want to interrupt Rainbow Dash's commenting, I decided to move onto her shoulders instead of massaging her jaws. "Well, like I said, her Show & Tell partner was I. And she showed the class…well…me."

I heard my friend snicker, "She showed her classmates the only human in Equestria?! How'd they react?"

I replied, "Well, Diamond Tiara was still giving me the evil eye. And Silver Spoon seemed kinda scared of me. But the rest of the kids were really interested. They complimented me on my height and thought I was really strong too."

Rainbow nodded, "Well, that's how big guys are most of the time. The bigger they are, the stronger they are."

I retorted with a grunt, "Heh… Yeah, right… I pale in comparison to earth ponies. But that wasn't all she said."

My words seemed to pique Rainbow Dash's curiosity as she asked, "There's more? Oh, right. What'd she have to say about you?"

I smiled as I replied, "Let me see if I can remember everything… She said that I've been an awesome big brother to her. And out of all the guys in Ponyville she knows, she would choose me to be her big brother. I felt pretty flattered when she said that."

Rainbow Dash snickered, "Man, that's awesome. Never knew the pipsqueak had taken THAT much of a shine to ya. But I can see why. You really are good with kids from what I can tell." But she then smirked, "Come to think of it, what do her parents think of ya?"

That was a thought that never crossed my mind. "Um… Actually, I've never met them before."

Rainbow then chuckled, "Me neither." The two of us laughed in unison.

Once I had finished massaging Rainbow Dash's shoulders, knees, ankles, and jaws, I prepared to start on her vertebrae. But before I could begin, Rainbow looked towards the doorway that led out into the lobby and pointed, "Well, look who's here!"

I turned my head out of curiosity and found Scootaloo standing at the doorway. "Oh, hey! What's up, Scoot?" I asked with a wave.

The little pegasus filly trotted over to us, "I just got off school and came over here to get my scooter! Whatcha up to?"

I replied as I started massaging Rainbow Dash's back, "Just doing my job. And it's Rainbow's turn."

My little sister looked up at her role model and asked, "How's it feel, Rainbow Dash? Good enough to knock you out?"

My friend laughed, "Man, you know it! This guy really knows how to loosen up the joints!" The two of them began to chat with each other while I worked on massaging Rainbow Dash's vertebrae.

I was about halfway done with Rainbow's back when I heard Scootaloo speak my name. "James? You're still gonna come by the clubhouse in a while, right?"

I looked down at her and nodded, "Sure thing. I'll ask my bosses if I can head out once I finish with Rarity and Fluttershy."

Scootaloo grinned, "Awesome! I'll see ya there! Later, Rainbow Dash!" The two of us waved goodbye as the filly trotted out of sight. Just before we heard the front door shut, the sound of a small motor buzzing was heard.

"I swear that Scootaloo is the ground based version of you." I said to Rainbow Dash as the sound of Scootaloo's flapping faded out of earshot.

The pegasus mare nodded, "She's a regular speed demon on that scooter."

Once I had finished with Rainbow Dash's back, I remembered to massage her wings. "Almost forgot. Could you extend your right wing please?" I asked as I climbed down from the table.

"Oh yeah, these could really use that." Rainbow replied as she extended her right wing.

I felt along the wing's bone structure, checking to make certain that I remembered where the joints were. But as I felt along it, I noticed that Rainbow Dash's wing was coated in feathers and not fur. How does a pony grow both hair and feathers? I doubt even she could answer that question. But another question popped into my head. "Rainbow, do pegasi ever have to preen?"

She replied, "Nah. We might have feathers, but we're not birds. But we do molt! Just not all at once. I wouldn't be able to get outta my own house if all my feathers just dropped off one day!"

I chuckled at Rainbow Dash's response, but I then paused for a moment. "Wait a sec… Where IS your house? And how would being unable to fly make getting to and from it a problem?"

She snickered, "Well, if your house floated in the sky and you ended up losing all your feathers overnight, just how would you get down to the ground or even fly places?!" Of course. Pegasi originate from the city of clouds, Cloudsdale. Which more than likely means Rainbow Dash's own house is made of clouds too.

Without further delay, I began to carefully knead the flesh around the joints of Rainbow Dash's wings. She shuddered at my touch, "Oooh, yeah…. That's the spot." Considering that she is almost always airborne when I see her, Rainbow's wings must get a lot of use on a daily basis and therefore must frequently get quite tense.

I worked on each of the wing's two joints for six minutes each due to how tense they were. Once I released my grip, Rainbow Dash flexed it as far as she could. "Next wing, please." I asked. In response, Rainbow folded her right wing and extended her left. I walked to the other side of the table and repeated the process.

"How'd I do?" I asked once I had finished massaging Rainbow Dash's left wing.

My friend flexed her wing as best she could before folding it. "Man, that feels awesome. Anything else left to massage?"

I replied as I climbed back onto the massage table while facing the opposite direction. "All that's left are your flanks, hind knees, and ankles." But before I could start, I remembered how sensitive Fluttershy's cutie marks were as she was also a pegasus like Rainbow Dash. "Um… Are your cutie marks particularly sensitive in any way?"

Her response surprised me. "Yeah, they're super sensitive to touch! One good poke turns me on in no time flat. Feel free to massage them all you want."

I could hardly believe that Rainbow Dash WANTED me to touch her pleasure point. "You're…uh…kidding me, right?"

She shook her head, "Nope! Go ahead!"

I looked down at her lightning bolt-shaped cutie marks, wondering if this was a good idea. But when I looked up, I saw that the hot tub was right across from me. And looking over the side was Rarity and Fluttershy. Their faces seemed to say 'What are you doing?' which prompted a nervous chuckle from me. "Uh… This isn't what it looks like, ladies…"

Rainbow Dash looked back and asked, "Whatcha waiting for? Go ahe… Uh…" I could tell she was also nervous just by looking at her face. After a moment of awkward silence, Rainbow Dash responded to our friends' staring with hysterical laughter. "OK, OK, you don't have to massage those…" She then muttered quietly so only I would hear her, "This time."

Not wanting to make Fluttershy jealous, I carefully kneaded the flesh on Rainbow Dash's flanks while taking great care to not touch her cutie marks. And once I had finished with those, I wrapped up the massage with her knees and ankles. "So, how was your first massage from a human, Rainbow?" I asked as I hopped down from the table.

Rainbow Dash stood up and stretched every part of her body. "Whoa… That really loosened me up. You think we can do this again sometime?" She then whispered, "I really wanna know what it's like to have gentle fingers touch my cutie marks sometime." I sighed and nodded, unable to understand my friend's overly brazen nature.

"Awesome! Thanks again, James! I'll see ya around!" Rainbow Dash said with a smile before trotting out the front door of the spa.

All that was left was Rarity and Fluttershy. I turned to face the two mares and asked, "I hope you didn't get any ideas from watching that. But in any case, who goes first?"

The two friends quietly discussed their answer between each other before Rarity smiled, "We have decided that I shall go first and that you get to massage Fluttershy last. Does that sit well with you?"

I nodded, "The best for last, eh? Sounds good to me." However, this seemed to coax a mischievous gaze from Rarity.

"The best for last? Are you saying I'm not as fabulous as Fluttershy?" Rarity asked. I could tell just by looking at her that she was merely teasing me.

"I didn't mean it like that. It's just that Fluttershy is my girlfriend, so…" I replied, trying to find the right words to avoid offending my friend. I suppose I could view such an outlook as being biased, but you can only understand that feeling when you are in love. How that one special someone seems more important and beautiful to you than anyone else.

Fortunately, Rarity giggled, "Oh, darling. I was merely having fun with you. Of course I know what you meant! Nopony is more precious to you than your betrothed." This prompted a blush from Fluttershy.

As Rarity climbed out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel, Fluttershy whispered to me, "Are you sure you can handle anymore massages? I'm sure your hands must be a little worn out by now."

I replied with a smirk, "You don't know the half of it." I revealed the undersides of my hands to her, which were still an unpleasant red hue. Fortunately, they were not quite as sore as before.

The sight of my red palms shocked Fluttershy as she gasped, "They… They look like they must hurt!" She then gave me a concerned gaze as she spoke softly, "I can't have you give me a massage when they're that sore. Please, let's wait for another day."

I looked back down at my hands and back to her before smiling, "Thanks, honey. I'll give you the massage tomorrow. My hands should be fine by then. Does tomorrow evening sound OK?"

Fluttershy nodded, "That sounds perfect. It'll be just the two of us, right?" I nodded in response while giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Not wanting to keep Rarity waiting, I turned and followed my former landlord to the massage table. Once she had cast aside her towels and sprawled herself out onto the table, I climbed onto it and straddled her. "Same as last time, Rarity?"

She nodded, "Absolutely, darling. Do whatever you have to." She was completely relaxed under me as I began to massage her neck.

"So, what's it been like since I moved out?" I asked while gently kneading her flesh.

Rarity sighed, "Well… It has certainly been duller than before without your company. I'm still getting used to not finding you sleeping in the side room when I wake up in the morning."

I felt somewhat guilty for leaving Rarity all alone by moving in with Fluttershy. I was about to apologize, but she asked, "But enough about me. How was your first night with Fluttershy?"

I replied, "It was great… I loved sleeping out there surrounded by nature. Fluttershy's house is my dream home."

Rarity giggled, "I see. So you prefer a more natural environment. I'm sorry to say that such themes do not suit me."

The two of us continued to casually chat for the next forty-five minutes or so until I finished massaging her vertebrae. "Whoa. Done already? Time sure flies." I muttered, amazed that I was already done with Rarity's upper and middle body.

"It's easy to lose track of time when lost in conversation with a dear friend, darling." Rarity replied with a smile. I then turned around and faced her rear while remaining on my knees. Before I could ask, Rarity spoke, "Mind my cutie marks, James. I'd rather not be touched there while others are watching." Fluttershy was watching from the hot tub and giggled at those words.

"Perish the thought." I spoke as I began to massage her flanks. I took great care to make certain that my fingertips never touched the three diamonds on her flanks, being even more cautious as I massaged the areas between them.

The final minutes of the massage were fairly uneventful as I finished with Rarity's flanks, knees, and ankles. "Did I miss anything, Rarity?" I asked as I hopped down from the table.

The beautiful unicorn stood up and stretched thoroughly. "Mmmmm… Fabulous job as always, James. I'll be certain to leave a sizable tip for your efforts." Rarity then turned to face Fluttershy, who was walking down the steps next to the hot tub.

"Was James as good as the last time?" She asked Rarity while removing her towel.

"Oh, more than good. Simply superb! I would take those hands over Quake's muscles any day!" Rarity replied with some of her dramatic flair.

As the two friends chatted with each other a moment longer, my gaze turned to face the clock. Much to my shock, it was already past 5 PM. "I had completely forgotten just how long a full-body massage can take with these ponies." I muttered quietly.

I followed Fluttershy and Rarity to the front desk as I had a question for the spa sisters. Aloe was seated at the desk and took the two mares' payment for the services. Before they could leave, I asked, "Excuse me, Aloe. But when does my shift end again?"

My employer glanced at the clock and smiled while speaking in her heavy accent, "You may head out now, if you wish. You've done a fine job on your first day and we're looking forward to seeing you again in two days." She then handed me my payment for the day. It almost seemed to amount to the payment I received from Applejack after my first and only time of helping out at Sweet Apple Acres.

"Much obliged, Aloe. I'll see you and Lotus again soon." I said my goodbyes and headed out the front door with Rarity and Fluttershy by my sides.

"Are you on your way to help Applejack again?" Rarity asked once we were outdoors.

"Yeah. I just hope she remembered the set out ten bushels of those apples for me. I could use the exercise." I replied. It would also make for some extra pocket change.

Fluttershy smiled, "Just be careful to not overdo it, dear. Will you be coming home afterwards?"

I nodded, "Absolutely. Though I still have to attend that meeting with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. But I'll head home right after that."

Fluttershy reared up on her hind legs and embraced me with her forelegs. "OK then. Don't work yourself too hard." I responded in kind with a warm embrace of my own.

I heard Rarity giggle, "It seems I was right. You two really are just darling together." The two of us blushed in unison.

I waved goodbye to my friend and lover and began to head west towards Sweet Apple Acres. But along the way, I looked down at my hands. They were still somewhat red and swollen. The thought of picking up a heavy bushel of apples made me wince. There was no way I would be able to carry something so heavy without feeling harsh pain. After some thought, I decided to pay a visit to Twilight Sparkle. She, of all unicorns, must surely know of a spell that can help soothe swollen flesh.

It did not take me long to reach the library. As Pinkie Pie was nowhere nearby, I had to manually check to see if anyone was near the front door by peeking through a window. What I saw shocked me. Sitting in a corner with a few large books was Diamond Tiara. "Her? In a library? Since when?"

I ducked low to avoid bumping my head as I entered the library. Diamond Tiara glanced over at me for a moment before going right back to reading one of the thick books that sat beside her. As Twilight Sparkle was nowhere to be seen, I tried looking upstairs.

As I was expecting, Twilight was upstairs while looking over a book herself. "Evening, Twi. Still feeling good from that massage?" I asked as I approached her.

She turned to face me and smiled, "Oh, I'm still feeling great. The effect from those massages last a while."

I then asked, "Twilight… This probably isn't any of my business, but do you know Diamond Tiara is downstairs reading?"

The purple unicorn nodded, "Yeah, she needed help looking for some law books. I have no idea what she needs them for though, but she doesn't seem to be up to any trouble."

I raised an eyebrow, "Law books? What, is she in training to be a lawyer someday?" Someone as mean as Diamond Tiara would make for a very corrupt lawyer, which made me fear for my future.

"I really doubt she has the dedication to be a lawyer. But in any case, can I help you with something?" Twilight spoke as she approached me.

I nodded, "Yes. See these? I was hoping you know of a spell that can help them heal faster." I showed her the undersides of my hands.

Twilight winced at the shade of red my palms were. "Ugh… I've never seen anything so swollen before… Well, except for Pinkie Pie's tongue after she touched some Poison Joke. But I think I can help you." She then lowered her head until her horn was pointed at my hands. "Keep them close together, please."

I held out my hands while keeping them close together with the palms facing her horn. Twilight grunted as her horn was engulfed in a billowing aura. I froze as I saw an aura of the same color coat my hands. But my uneasiness was soon erased as I felt the dull soreness in my hands rapidly fading away. In another moment, the aura faded as Twilight sighed, "Phew… Haven't used that spell in a while. Do they feel any better?"

I looked at my palms and felt relief, as they were no longer an unsightly shade of red. "Just what I needed. Thanks again, Twilight."

My friend grinned, "It's the least I could do in return for that amazing massage today. Just take care of yourself. And tell Fluttershy hi for me when you get home."

The two of us shared a tender embrace before I went downstairs and out the front door. But before I left, I noticed that Diamond Tiara had a sinister smirk on her face while reading. Just what in the world was in that book?

I wasted no time in heading southwest towards Sweet Apple Acres. When I arrived, I was fairly surprised to find Applejack with her hat off while waiting for me in front of the barn. "Howdy, James! Just in time!" She called out once she noticed me approaching her.

"What happened to your hat, AJ?" I asked once I was right next to her.

Her response surprised me. "Well, y'all said I looked better without it, so I took it off once I was done applebuckin' fer the day." She then twirled her ponytail, showing it off.

"Heh. You really do look prettier without it obstructing your hair. But in any case, are those bushels ready?" I replied with a grin.

"Yup! Right this way." Applejack replied, leading me out into the orchard. We did not go very far before we came across ten bushels of apples packed together. "This far enough fer ya?"

I nodded, "Just far enough, AJ. May I get started?"

Applejack nodded in response, "Sure thing. I'll keep the barn doors open fer ya so you won't have any trouble gettin' 'em in." As she headed on back towards the barn, I rubbed my hands together before grabbing a bushel at its sides. The bushels were just as heavy as I recalled, but I only had ten to carry this time. Surely they would not be too difficult to carry.

I waddled back and forth between the barn and orchard. While certainly tiring, I was at least not soaked with sweat once I had carried the tenth bushel into the barn. "That was a pretty good workout." I muttered as I caught my breath.

"Y'all did a swell job of that, James. Keep it up and ya just might be able ta work here fulltime! Lemme go grab yer pay." I watched as Applejack trotted off towards the farmhouse in the distance.

As I rested against the side of the barn, I looked at the sky as it had begun to go from blue to orange. But before long, a familiar voice spoke up from just beside me. "OK, blank flank. I've finally found a way to make you give my cutie mark back." I looked down and found Diamond Tiara glaring at me by my feet.

"You again… What new half-baked trick do you have in mind this time?" I asked, finally starting to get annoyed by her hopeless grudge against me.

Diamond Tiara smirked, "Oh, don't worry. I'm not here to hurt you or anything. I'm just here to warn you of something. You remember those books I was reading?" I nodded in silence. "Well, those were books that had info on the laws of Equestria. And you wanna know what I found is illegal?"

I asked, "Is wearing pants illegal in Equestria?"

The schoolyard bully retorted with a menacing grin, "It's illegal for humans and ponies to have sexual relationships together… Um…whatever 'sexual' means."

I felt a sudden chill go down my spine at this revelation. "You're…serious?" I asked, not certain if Diamond Tiara was bluffing or if she was being honest.

She nodded, "Yeah, can you believe that? Humans have never lived in Equestria before and there's still a law that applies to them! I couldn't believe my luck when I read that! And if you want to check the book yourself, it's on page 83."

I could hardly believe it myself. And I strongly doubted any of my friends were aware of the law either. "And what's the penalty for committing this crime?" I asked, afraid of what the answer would be.

The filly responded with a confident smirk. "Death. For both parties."

I felt my blood chill. If word got out about my relationship with Fluttershy… The thought of my lover with her head under a guillotine flashed through my mind. I was hardly worried about myself. But dear Fluttershy on death row? I could not allow that. She, more than anyone I know, does not deserve such a fate.

Diamond Tiara was clearly enjoying my display of horror as she smirked, "I'm not lying, you know. It's a real law. What would happen if Princess Celestia learned of what you've been doing with Miss Fluttershy?" She then smiled calmly, "I'll be fair. You've got until this time tomorrow to make your decision. If you won't give me my cutie mark back by then, your relationship with Miss Fluttershy goes public. Until then, Mr. James." She then turned and headed back towards Ponyville, leaving me alone.

I was still reeling from the information even after Diamond Tiara was no longer in sight. Fluttershy and I had committed a felony-level crime. But I could not return that bully's cutie mark if she was blackmailing me. I would never surrender to a bully like that. But as I pondered what I was going to do, a thought flashed through my mind.

"Wait a second…" I muttered out loud. I then chuckled, "How would she even contact Celestia in the first place?! All the way up there in Canterlot?! What, she gonna hike all the way up that mountain? The only person in town who can contact Celestia is Twilight! And there's no way she would ever rat me and Fluttershy out in…a…report…"

A sickening sensation of dread filled my mind as I felt my stomach churn. Twilight had already sent a report to Celestia explicitly stating that Fluttershy and I had become a couple. I could even remember her speaking the words aloud while she wrote the report. And if the princess had not sent a reply all day, she was more than likely pondering what to do with us. Which meant….. I gritted my teeth as I yelled, "Oh ssshhhhhhh…. Deerrr… Geh….. GAAAAAHHHHH!"

A voice spoke from behind me after my brief tantrum, "What's gotten into ya, James? I'm not even gone five minutes and yer already getting' this impatient?" I turned and found Applejack standing before me with five bits balancing on the tip of her muzzle.

"Uh… You didn't see anything." I muttered, rather embarrassed that she had watched me snap like that.

"Right, right, none of my business anyway. I'll keep my mouth shut. Anyway, here's yer pay! Five bits!" She replied as I placed my payment in my pocket.

Before I said anything, my thoughts went back to Fluttershy. Our love for each other was illegal and we were now in danger of being arrested. And if we were arrested… "AJ… I have a favor to ask of you."

The farm pony nodded, "Sure thing, pardner. What can I do ya for?"

I frowned, "Could you please head over to the Cutie Mark Crusader's clubhouse and let the girls know I won't be able to attend today? Something very important has come up and it can't wait. And please tell Scootaloo that I am especially sorry that I couldn't see her this evening."

Applejack nodded with a faint smile, "Ya did seem pretty stressed out when I got back. Well, all right. I'll let 'em know you've got business ta tend to. I'm sure they'll understand."

"Thanks again, AJ. Now, I've really gotta get going. See ya around." I waved goodbye as I headed back towards Ponyville. I had to act fast before it got too late outside.

I went straight back to the library and entered without even bothering to check if anyone was about to come outside. "Who?" Owlowiscious hooted as I closed the door behind me.

"Not now, Dr. Who. I don't have time to chat." I replied as I noticed that the same books Diamond Tiara had been looking through were right where she left them. One was still open, so I assumed that was the book she had found the information in. I reached down and found that it was open to page 83. And in the third paragraph from the top was the very law she had warned me about. "The act of sexual intercourse between a human and pony… Felony… Punishable by…death penalty…"

I felt my legs becoming weak as I now knew for certain that Diamond Tiara's threat was not a bluff….. No. Not just a bluff. The rulers of Equestria already knew of my crime. Fluttershy and I would be put on trial and then executed. But if they could not arrest and get the truth out of BOTH guilty parties…

A plan formed in my head. I knew how to keep Fluttershy safe. I left the library swiftly and began to look around for specific stores.

I went to a local clothing store and purchased a pair of saddlebags to be worn against my hips. But as they were connected by a strap that was meant to lie on top of a pony's back, I had to purchase a belt to connect them so they would not fall while I stood upright.

My next destinations were the various food carts that littered Ponyville's streets. I purchased as much food as I could that would not spoil easily while taking care to leave enough room in my saddlebags for more gear. My next stop was a store that sold various kitchen appliances. I only purchased one item though. A large steel pot lid. Why? Well, read on and see.

My final stop was a store that specialized in camping equipment. I purchased cooking gear for use with campfires, a compass, a sleeping bag that I could actually fit in that came with its own carrying bag, and a beauty of a survival knife. The blade was an impressive ten inches in length and came with its own sheathe. I could go on about it as I have long had a fascination with swords and other bladed weapons, but I digress.

I was ready. I had all I needed. But it was too soon to put my plan into action yet. And what was more… I wanted to spend one last evening with the woman I love. Hoping she would not inquire as to why I needed all this gear, I made my way home towards the edge of the Everfree Forest.

The sun was beginning to set once I reached the edge of the meadow at the western edge of Ponyville. As I approached Fluttershy's cottage, many thoughts filled my mind. What should I tell her? Should she know that she is a wanted criminal? I felt dazed, scared to death of what Celestia would do to her.

Once I came close enough, I saw Fluttershy tending to the various baby rabbits we had gathered up a few days earlier. I stopped in my tracks. More than anything, I was afraid of her finding out about our predicament. "Keep a straight face… Don't give any impression that something is wrong…" I muttered to myself as I approached my lover.

The rabbits had begun to scatter as I drew near. "Such sweet little angels." I heard Fluttershy mutter as they hopped about. But once she looked my way, she suddenly went airborne and gave me the most joyous grin I had seen all day. "James! Welcome home." She flew over to me and embraced me while still remaining airborne.

"Hey there, honey. How're the kids?" I asked as I hugged her back.

Fluttershy giggled, "They're doing fine. You just saw them all a second ago, didn't you?"

I nodded, "Yeah. Still a bunch of adorable little critters."

Fluttershy kissed me on the cheek, but then she seemed to notice the various supplies I had picked up back in town. "James, what is all this? Saddlebags, food, a pot lid and…a knife?"

I shrugged, "You never know. In any case, let me go put this stuff away." I went inside our cottage and unloaded my luggage onto the sofa that rested near the stairs. But just before I could turn around, I felt the gentle breeze caused by wings flapping as I detected Fluttershy hovering just behind me. "Uh… Fluttershy?" I asked, curious of why she was so close to me at the time.

My lover was hovering just above and behind me. "Uh… Am I too close?" She asked while moving backwards.

I turned to face her and replied, "No, I have nothing against you getting so close to me. But…it's not like you to be this…um…clingy."

Fluttershy slowly lowered herself to the floor and blushed, "I…just wanted to be near you…" I cocked my head to one side slightly. I knew that we are lovers and probably always will be, but was still puzzled as to why she was staying so close to me.

She explained further, "It's just… I've always had friends and others who respect me. But I never imagined I would ever have a boyfriend… We've only been together for a couple of days now, but I still feel…so happy around you. Being near you fills me with a type of warm fuzzy feeling that I never got from being around anypony else. And…I wish I could feel it all the time."

Fluttershy's words melted my heart. I knew she adores me, but for her to come out of her shell that easily when it was just the two of us was quite impressive. However, this also served to make it more difficult for me to go through with my plan.

I approached my lover and got down on one knee. "If you want to feel that way all the time, I'll gladly stay with you forever." I tenderly cupped her face as I spoke those words.

"Forever…? Really?" Fluttershy asked with tears forming in her eyes. I answered with a kiss on her lips. In response, she closed her eyes to squeeze the tears out and embraced me so tightly; I suspected she might have been exercising frequently at Sweet Apple Acres.

The following hours were of little extravagance. Until the sun went down, the two of us tended to the various animals that lived near our home. The baby bunnies I had helped round up a few days earlier even seemed to remember me as they swarmed around me while Fluttershy hovered nearby to not get in their way. They even clambered all over me when I lied down in the grass.

The apples I had purchased from Applejack that day were put to use in our dinner. Fluttershy had baked several apple strudels for us. While it was certainly odd to eat pastries for dinner, I did not complain, as they were quite tasty. I have never even been a big eater of apple treats to begin with!

Once we had finished dinner, I headed upstairs to bathe for the night. For some reason, I never heard Fluttershy knock on the bathroom door once to ask to join me. I thought for sure after the previous night she would always want to bathe with me. But in hindsight, it was probably for the best. I was having a great deal of difficulty keeping my willpower up to go through with my plan. If I faltered and gave into my heart's desires, it would mean disaster for us both.

My shower was without any unusual happenings. I slipped on my boxers once I had finished drying off and peeked out through the bathroom door. Fluttershy was resting on our bed while reading what seemed to be a slip of paper. "Whatcha reading, dear?" I asked as I took a seat on the bed next to her. The only source of light in the room was an old-fashioned lantern that rested on a shelf next to Fluttershy's side of the bed.

Fluttershy looked at me and smiled, "I was just looking over your journals. You put a lot of effort and detail into these."

I think I felt myself blush at her words. "My journal?" I looked over her shoulder to read the sheet of paper. "Yes, you read that right….. Look out below… I won't bite…" Fluttershy had been reading the journal entry chronicling my first day in Equestria. "Where did you even find these?" I asked, as I kept them well hidden from others.

The timid pegasus giggled, "I got curious about your belongings, so I took a peek in them while you were in the bathroom. They're very fun to read. I'm enjoying them. May I read the rest later?"

I was actually quite flattered that she felt I was doing a good job in how I was detailing the daily events of my first week in Ponyville. "Well… Sure. Go right ahead, if you think they're that good."

Fluttershy smiled, but then yawned. "Thank you, James. But it's getting late… May we go to sleep now?"

I nodded as I pulled the covers over both of us. "Sounds good to me. Good night, honey."

My lover giggled once she blew out the flame in the lantern, "Sweet dreams, James. I love you so much."

I kissed her on the ear as she had her back to me. "I love you too, Fluttershy. More than you know."

I would have gone to sleep right there, but I had other plans. I waited patiently for Fluttershy to start snoring before whispering, "Fluttershy? Honey?" When she did not respond, I knew she was fast asleep.

With no one to interfere, I began to prepare. I slid on the blue jeans Rarity had woven for me, but opted to wear the t-shirt I had worn that day instead of the Hawaiian-style shirt the lovely unicorn had made to go with my pants. Once my socks and shoes were on, I snuck downstairs as quietly as possible. I then snatched a writing quill and a blank scroll from a shelf next to the sofa and began to write. Before I could leave, Fluttershy had to know.

"This is for your eyes only, Fluttershy. If you are reading this, I am gone. It has come to my attention that our actions as a couple are highly illegal and even punishable with the death penalty. What is worse, Princess Celestia has been made aware of our illegal activities by a report sent from Twilight Sparkle. Please do not fault her, as I am sure even she was not aware that the law even exists. I am sure that by the time you have started reading this, Celestia will have dispatched her guards to arrest us. If that is the case, you must gather our friends and try to convince Celestia to grant us a pardon. If she is as… No. I am very sure that she is as wise and understanding as I have heard. She will surely grant us her consent. I just know she will. However, the possibility that she will not remains. I can't take chances with this matter, Fluttershy. Not when your life is at stake. I am hiding out in the Everfree Forest. I have heard nothing but bad things about that place, so I am sure even the local law enforcement officials will not dare set foot into it. If Celestia… No. When Celestia gives us her blessings, please come find me so I know it is safe to return. It may be wise to ask Rainbow Dash to do the job due to her speed. But if, and this is a very unlikely if, if Celestia refuses to pardon us, claim innocence. If they cannot arrest both guilty parties, they will not be able to effectively try you in court. You will be safe if they cannot arrest us both. But I pray that will not be the case. I love you, Fluttershy. And I cannot bear the thought of you under a guillotine. I shall be waiting for Celestia's decision in the Everfree Forest. I am placing my faith in you and our friends. With love, James."

I tied a string around the center of the scroll once I had rolled it up. I then left it at the base of the stairs so that Fluttershy would surely notice it once she came downstairs in the morning. I then went over to the supplies I had purchased that day and strapped on my saddlebags. I then slid a strap through the hole in the steel pot lid's handle and began to tie numerous more straps to it while securing them around my left forearm. Once I was done, the pot lid was tightly secured to the side of my forearm, allowing me to effectively use it as a makeshift shield. It was almost as big around as a beach ball, so it covered a fairly large area too. Yes, I know a pot lid makes for a poor defensive tool. But from what I know, Ponyville does not have armories. So I had to make due with the resources that were available.

I wore the survival knife I had purchased across my chest so I could easily draw it with either hand when needed, although I am right-handed and therefore would hold it with my right hand. But even after I had gathered up all my gear, going out through the front door was the biggest challenge for me. More than anything, I wanted to take off all my gear, go back upstairs, and climb in bed with Fluttershy and sleep with her in my arms. It pained me to leave the woman I loved, even though it was to keep her safe. It took several minutes for me to muster the willpower I needed to reach out, grasp the doorknob, and push the door open.

"Please be safe, honey…" I can distinctly remember muttering as I closed the door behind me. I think I felt a tear trickle down my face. I had to get as far away from Ponyville as possible. And the 'unnatural' Everfree Forest would make for the perfect hideout.

I walked north, finding the imposing forest to be surprisingly close to Fluttershy's cottage. There was even an obvious path that led into the forest. But wait. If a path is obvious, some of the braver investigators might follow it a short distance into the forest. I had to stay off the path and venture into the dense trees if I was to remain undetected the following day. Before entering the forest, I turned around and took one last look at the cottage where my lover was sleeping soundly.

I am writing this from within my sleeping bag. I found a few flowering bushes no fewer than five minutes into Everfree Forest. They seemed like a safe place to rest, so here I am. My sleeping bag even comes with a flap that is connected to the top of the bag with a zipper. A wire mesh allows the person inside to see out while remaining completely covered. The bag is snug, but it is doing its job well.

…..I have never run away from home before. I pray this will be the last time I do so. My first week in Ponyville has ended, yet I am already facing a major crisis. Dear lord… May this ordeal end on a happy note. That is all I ask.


	8. A Forest of Sorrows

Where do I even begin on this entry….

The moment I awoke, I had to remind myself that I was no longer in Ponyville. What was more, I had to remind myself that it was no longer safe for me to be there. I am on the run from the law. Celestia knows of my illegal romance with Fluttershy. If we are both arrested, we will both receive the guillotine.

I snacked on a few leftover apple strudels that Fluttershy had baked for us the previous night. But the more I ate, the worse I felt. The sweet taste of apples brought to mind my friend Applejack. I almost always saw her first thing after leaving home to go to work. And the strudel itself had been made by Fluttershy…..

I had to catch myself as I began to tear up. More than anything, I could not believe that I was no longer with Fluttershy. The mare I love. I was certain Celestia would grant us a pardon, but the possibility that she would stick with the law was still there. Once I had finished my breakfast, I packed up my gear and prepared to head deeper into the Everfree Forest.

But before I went any further, I paused. Fluttershy's cottage was still very close by. Perhaps I could peek out from the forest to see her. But there was also the possibility that Celestia's royal soldiers were already combing the area while searching for me. The risk was high, but I wanted to see my beloved again so dearly…

I made up my mind as I began to head south towards the edge of the Everfree Forest. I knew that Fluttershy was surely awake by now and tending to her precious animals. It took only five minutes or so for me to reach the edge of the forest, but I was careful to stay off the main path. When I did reach the edge, I stayed concealed behind a bush to make certain no one would see me.

Much to my pleasure, I saw Fluttershy indeed going about her morning duties right outside her cottage. She did not seem to suspect anything was wrong, leading me to believe she had not yet read the message I had written before leaving her home the previous night. However, she would occasionally look around, even going airborne to get a better view of the area around her. I suspected that she was worried of why she did not wake up to find me next to her and was hoping I would appear soon. I oh so desperately wanted to call out to the beautiful pegasus mare, but I restrained myself knowing that it would only make it harder for me to distance myself from her.

After some time had passed, I saw my lover go back inside her cottage. But not before looking over her shoulder to see if I was heading her way. I waited several minutes, not moving an inch. The front door to the cottage suddenly flew open before I saw Fluttershy dash down the path that led towards the meadow with a scroll in her mouth. Just after crossing the earthen bridge that spans the creek near her house, Fluttershy stumbled and fell. Instead of immediately climbing to her feet, she just lied there with her face buried in her forelegs.

She was crying. There was no other possible reason for why Fluttershy had her face buried in her arms…I mean forelegs. And the scroll that was now on the ground before her. It was surely the message I wrote. The fact that Fluttershy was reacting so strongly to my departure helped erase any doubts I had of her as she was clearly distressed that I was gone. She loves me dearly and her weeping was proof.

I wanted nothing more than to rush out of the forest and comfort my lover. But I could not. It took a massive amount of willpower to keep myself rooted to the spot. Fortunately, a familiar pink earth pony came trotting along. It was Pinkie Pie. I recognize that pink poofy mane and tail anywhere. I immediately guessed that she had come looking for me since I was supposed to head over to Sugarcube Corner for work at that time and I was probably late.

Pinkie Pie quickly went to Fluttershy's aid, tapping her on the shoulder while appearing to say something to calm the weeping pegasus. Fluttershy slowly turned her face up at her friend before replying and pointing to the scroll that was now next to Pinkie Pie's hooves. Pinkie then held the scroll down with one hoof and unrolled it with the other. She spent the next minute or two reading it over before apparently flipping out. While she never once seemed to cry, her erratic movements showed that she too was extremely concerned for me. She then helped Fluttershy to her feet and patted her on the shoulder while probably giving her words of reassurance, considering how optimistic Pinkie Pie tends to be. Fluttershy seemed to nod in response. Pinkie then pointed towards Ponyville just before the two of them went running off in its direction with Pinkie Pie carrying my message in her mouth. Just before turning to retreat back into the forest, I muttered softly, "It's all up to you, girls…"

I am not really certain how much time passed after I turned back and headed deeper into the Everfree Forest. I had no means to tell time and the thick canopy made it hard to check the position of the sun. But my biggest problem was the symptoms of separation anxiety I was suffering at the time, which are not symptoms I am prone to feeling. I had never gone so long without being with those I hold dear since arriving in Equestria. And it was an emotional hell for me. I would occasionally tear up without warning and it took a massive amount of willpower to keep myself from running back towards Ponyville. Knowing what you want and knowing that it is very easy to access it while also knowing you should not is nothing less than an exercise in restraint.

All I could really do to stop myself from becoming overwhelmed by my anxiety was to just take in the sights and sounds around me. I let my curiosity take over as I trekked through the dense forest. The vegetation of the Everfree Forest differed from what I had seen so far. Compared to the many trees I saw in and around Ponyville, the trees and shrubs of the forest looked much more exotic. Some trees appeared to be willows due to their branches drooping low.

Another trait I found unusual about the Everfree Forest was its wildlife. There were various snakes, birds, and even bats. But they all kept their distance from me. I began to suspect that unlike the wildlife around Ponyville, which are borderline tame, the wildlife that dwell in the Everfree Forest are completely…..well…wild. Of course, this did not bother me since all wildlife back on Earth are the exact same way.

Some time later, I came across a patch of flowers growing in a small clearing with a little sunlight shining through a gap in the canopy. But what caught my eye the most was their coloration. Every single part of the flowers was blue. I can recall mumbling, "I've heard of blue roses, but never blue…whatever you call these." The flowers strongly resembled a type of tropical flower in form, but the name of the type of flower eludes me. I also am not particularly knowledgeable in the field of botany, so I could not effectively describe the form of the flower even if I tried.

I got down on one knee and gently stroked the petals of one of the flowers. The scent was peculiar as it was unlike anything I had ever smelled…. Why am I writing about an unimportant blue flower? Moving on.

I suspect at least two hours passed before I came to an area within the forest that I was not expecting. Spread out over a vast area were numerous muddy pools of water separated by thin strips of land. Bubbles were constantly rising to the surface and popping. Many mangrove trees were all over the place, the majority growing out of the muddy bog itself near the shorelines. Due to them not growing out in the middle of the bog, the sky was completely visible and unobstructed.

As I slowly entered the bog while minding my feet, I noticed large numbers of frogs in the area that seemed to be as large as my hand. For some reason, the sight of so many frogs brought to mind one name. "Froggy Bottom Bog."

When I muttered those words, I gasped as I remembered what the Cutie Mark Crusaders had told me once. A hydra resides near or in Froggy Bottom Bog. But when I glanced around, I saw no sign of anything large or potentially dangerous. No large footprints. No slender trails in the mud that might be left by a serpent. Even the frogs seemed calm and showed no signs of being aware of a predator being in the area. "Maybe the hydra only comes by here occasionally. Or maybe it moved on to claim a new territory…" I muttered under my breath.

I do not know about you who is reading this, but I find frogs to be fairly charming. Especially due to the sounds they can make. I approached one and found that it seemed to be quite tame, as it did not flee from me. I reached down and picked it up, the frog giving a quiet croak as I held it in my hands. "What's up, frogger?" I asked playfully. I may have been imagining it, but I could swear I saw that frog smile at me.

A few minutes passed while I rubbed the frog's back before I saw a shadow move along the ground and water at high speed before coming to a sudden halt over one pool of the muddy bog. When I looked up, I felt my heart leap at the sight of Rainbow Dash hovering above the center of the bog. She had one of her forelegs up against her brow, probably to keep the sun out of her eyes as she scanned her surroundings. "Rainbow! Over here!" I called out as I waved my arm while dropping the frog into the bog.

I do not think Rainbow Dash heard my call since she did not respond right away. But it did not take her long to look in my direction. The instant she saw me, Rainbow swooped down at me and tackled me against a tree that was right behind me while squeezing me with her forelegs in the tightest embrace I had ever received from a pony. "Darn it, James! I thought you were a goner! Don't ever pull something like that again!" When she looked at me with her big rose-colored eyes, I suspect she may have been tearing up slightly. But I will never forget that expression of absolute relief.

I lightly patted my friend on the back reassuringly as I asked, "I'm guessing Fluttershy showed you the message. Am I right?"

Rainbow Dash nodded while showing a very prominent smile. "Yeah. When the other girls showed me that note, I bolted over here to find you. I wasn't sure if you were gonna last long enough… Huh?" She looked at my left forearm with a bemused expression. "James… Why is there a pot lid tied to your arm?"

I could not help snickering. I suppose it must have looked rather absurd to see a pot lid affixed to my arm in a similar manner to a shield. "From what I know, Ponyville doesn't have an armory. So I had to use something makeshift as a shield. I don't know what lives out here in the Everfree Forest, so I wanted to be on the safe side."

The rainbow-maned pegasus glanced at my makeshift shield again and smirked in a silly manner. "Yeah, I guess it's better than nothing." However, she then shook her head and asked, "But anyway, what happened? Why are you even out here? Did that little brat have something to do with it?"

At the mention of a 'little brat', I asked, "Hang on… Are you suspecting Diamond Tiara?"

Rainbow Dash nodded while showing a rather irritated frown. "Well, who else could it be?! That little witch's been a pain in the flank for you since the day you met her! And besides, that message you left behind mentioned that there's a law condemning humans and ponies falling in love! And Twilight mentioned that Diamond Tiara was in the library yesterday reading law books. When Fluttershy showed her the note, she put two and two together and thought Diamond Tiara pulled a fast one on you. But did she? I mean, you're the only one who knows."

I thought back to the previous day for a few seconds. "Well, all she really did was alert me to the law. I thought she was bluffing at first, but I found that law written in a book on page 83. Can't remember the title, but it's still in the library."

My friend nodded in understanding. "Uh huh… And Twilight said she wrote a note to Princess Celestia pointing out that you and Fluttershy are a couple now, right? No wonder you freaked out…"

After a brief moment of silence, Rainbow smiled at me. "Ya know, it was really brave of you to hide out here in the Everfree Forest. But leave the rest to us. We'll put in a good word with Princess Celestia for you. She's not some kinda tyrant, so she'll probably make an exception for you and Fluttershy."

Rainbow Dash really seemed to know the princess well. It was almost as if they had met in person before. "Thanks, Rainbow. You're always someone I can count on. But until I've officially been given a royal pardon, I can't go home. Please tell Fluttershy that and that I love her."

The spunky pegasus mare nodded with a more somber expression. "Yeah… About her… She was really freaking out when she came into town. I've never seen her cry like that. She was really scared for you. Knowing you're OK will definitely calm her down."

Knowing that my actions had caused dear little Fluttershy to cry gnawed at my conscience. "She was crying?" I asked with a sigh.

Rainbow Dash nodded calmly. "Yeah… She was almost hysterical once all six of us had gathered at the library. Man… For her to get that worked up, she must be CRAZY for you. You're a really lucky guy, you know that?"

I sighed as my thoughts drifted back to the memories of that darling pegasus mare waiting for me back home. "Yeah… Really lucky… All I want right now is….. Wait a sec…" Before I could finish speaking, I noticed a large shadow steadily falling over the area behind Rainbow Dash and me. When the two of us looked towards the bog to my left, I was taken aback at the sight of what seemed to be a massive four-headed armless bipedal reptile rising out of the murky water that towered over the Everfree Forest's canopy. I gulped in wariness and asked without even looking at my friend, "Lemme guess….. That's a hydra?"

Rainbow Dash, who seemed just as intimidated as I was, replied while her gaze did not once look away from the towering creature. "Eeeeeeeeeyup."

The four heads of the hydra stared down at us with its eight green eyes, likely surveying us as a potential meal. I knew right then that something that large could very easily outrun me. In fear, I drew my knife and held it in a reverse grip in my right hand. Of course, I would have to be mad to attack something like a hydra. After a moment more, I felt my blood chill as all four of the hydra's heads looked at me directly before licking their lips in hunger. Since humans are far more rare in Equestria than pegasi, it was clearly choosing the more exotic prey for its first course.

Rainbow Dash was quick to notice that the hydra was going after me first and shouted, "James, it's going after you! Get outta here! I'll hold it off!" Before I could protest her apparently suicidal proposition, Rainbow Dash took to the air and kicked one of the heads with both hind legs. "C'mon, eight eyes! Wouldn't you rather have some fast food?!"

Such boldness! Rainbow Dash was completely outmatched by the hydra, yet she was trying to draw its attention even though she could easily be swallowed whole. Clearly irritated, the hydra's four heads turned their gazes away from me and started snapping at my friend. Fortunately, Rainbow lived up to her surname of 'Dash' and easily moved out of range. Even though I was certain she would be all right with that kind of speed, I could not help but call out to her. "Girl, you crazy!"

While messing with the hydra, Rainbow Dash yelled in my direction. "Get outta here, James! I'll keep this lunkhead busy until you're outta sight! And don't worry about me! No way a slowpoke like this can catch the fastest flier in Equestria!" That is quite a title to live up to and I took her claims seriously. Still keeping my knife ready, I made a mad dash out of Froggy Bottom Bog while hoping that Rainbow Dash would return to Ponyville safely with the information I had entrusted her with.

I suspect I had been running through the thick vegetation of the forest for at least five minutes straight before I slowed down to catch my breath. I turned back and bowed my head while silently offering my thanks to Rainbow Dash for being there for me. If she had not come looking for me, I would have never escaped that hydra with my life.

I walked along for a while, just taking in the sights and sounds of the forest. I was in slightly better spirits now that I had spoken to one of my dearest friends and that the situation was likely to improve. But I would not know for certain until they came looking for me again. However, for the time being, my hopes were the highest they had been all day.

Not long after escaping the hydra, I came across a rare sight. Huddling together on a low tree branch ahead of me was a pair of doves. Judging by their mostly grayish-brown feathers and conspicuous black and white patches on the sides of their necks, these doves were turtle doves, famous for being universal symbols of peace and everlasting love.

Since I had never seen wild turtle doves before, I was naturally awestruck as I drew closer. Since they were out of reach, I doubted they would fly away unless in immediate danger. But once I had come closer, one of the doves suddenly flew away while the other stayed where it was. The lone dove looked in the direction its partner had flown off in before lowering its head, almost as if in sorrow.

This is entirely conjecture, but I suspected that the dove who flew away had effectively 'dumped' its mate. But as I watched the mourning dove before me, I could almost see Fluttershy in its place. I could almost hear her voice begging me to stay as I entered the Everfree Forest. Tears began to cascade down my face as if summoned from nowhere. It was true. I had left the woman I loved in order to keep her safe. But at the cost of her happiness.

In only a minute or two, I heard a fluttering as I looked to my left. A second later, the same dove as before came into view and flew over to its mate with what seemed to be a twig loaded with many seeds in its beak. The dove that I had initially believed to be abandoned by its mate suddenly looked up at its mate before plucking a seed from the twig and ingesting it. I felt myself smile while feeling glad to see that the other dove had not abandoned its mate, but had merely gone to get a gift for its beloved.

After a moment, the dove holding the twig set it down on the tree branch in a manner that would prevent it from falling off. Once that was done, both doves began to feast on the seeds. As I watched, I could almost see Fluttershy and myself together. The beautiful pegasus rushing over to me while I hold out my arms. "We may be apart… But it's only temporary. True lovers never leave each other." I can recall muttering quietly so as to not disturb the two 'lovebirds' as they feasted together.

Once the two turtle doves had plucked the twig bare, they began to preen each other. Seeing these two beautiful birds' devotion to each other had reinvigorated my desire to return to Fluttershy, not to mention the rest of my friends. If I had any doubts in my heart before that moment, there certainly were not anymore. I knew then that this crisis would be resolved in our favor. I just know it will.

The rest of the day passed by with little oddities. I merely wandered about, exploring this vast forest while occasionally using my cooking gear to prepare a meal or snack. But once the area around me began to get dark, I knew the sun was setting. Although my first night camping out in the Everfree Forest was peaceful, I was unwilling to spend the night out in the open knowing that a colossal hydra was on the prowl. But just where was I supposed to rest for the night?

I quickened my pace to find a safe and secluded location before it became too dark. However, as the area became increasingly darker, I froze when I thought I saw something through the trees. I waited silently for any movement. And sure enough, there was. Up ahead was a lone earth pony. Judging by the body's size and the styling of the mane, it was likely a filly who was around the same age as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. But the first thought that came to my mind was how in the world did a child get this deep into the Everfree Forest, especially when most children are absolutely frightened of this place.

As I drew closer, I lowered myself closer to the ground to remain hidden. The filly's tail and mane were styled in a way that was similar to Twilight Sparkle's, although not entirely identical. Her coat was a somewhat pale shade of gray while her mane and tail were vibrant shades of yellow and orange with each being patterned in vertical stripes. She almost brought to mind candy corn with those colors. At one point, she began to turn her head. I froze when she looked in my direction and showed me a perfect view of…her glowing golden eyes…

Yes, I am not exaggerating. The sclera, pupil, and iris of each eye were identical shades of yellow. What was more, they looked almost as if they were glowing with a ghostly yellow light. Who, or rather WHAT was this child? I wanted to stand up and call out to her, but my gut instinct told me to stay hidden. After a moment of surveying the area, the mysterious filly walked off.

Wait… No child would ever come this far into the Everfree Forest alone. Which meant… I suspected that perhaps she had a home nearby. With some hope that she would allow me to stay at her home until the next sunrise, I hurried off in the direction the filly had gone.

I walked along for a few minutes, but saw no sign of the filly. I was baffled by just how someone so small could get so far ahead of me. It was almost as if she had just disappeared. But after a few minutes more of walking, I glanced to my right and saw a barely noticeable path along the ground. And at the end of the path was what seemed to be a gentle light.

"Awesome." I said softly, thankful that there was indeed civilization nearby. As I knew that there are no towns or cities anywhere within the Everfree Forest, I deduced that I had somehow made my way all the way over to the other side of the entire forest and that there was another town bordering it like Ponyville. I hastened my pace, eager to take a bath, eat dinner, and sleep in a soft bed for the night.

Once I had actually drawn close enough to see the source of the light, I found myself at the edge of what seemed to be a humble village inside the Everfree Forest itself instead of being on the other side of it. But…..this made no sense. I had already read plenty of information about the towns and cities in Equestria and not one of them was inside the Everfree Forest. This village before me is not on any map I know of. However, I was in no mood to complain since it seemed safe from where I was standing. "I guess this beats roughing it in the forest." I muttered to myself as I entered the village.

As I suspected, ponies inhabited the village. Though I only noticed no more than three from the entrance. There seemed to be a quiet party going on at the time since there were a few tables lined with drinks and various foods. Once I took a few more steps into the village, an earth pony stallion trotted over to me while grinning brightly. He wasted no time in greeting me with quite a bit of enthusiasm. "Well, look at you! It's been a looooong time since we last had a human guest! Welcome to Sunny Town!"

I was about to offer a retort when the stallion's words registered with my mind. I was not the first human visitor they had ever received? How is that possible? Humans have NEVER existed in Equestria before I ended up here. Hoping to get some answers on the questions that were swimming through my head, I asked, "I'm not the first? Then how long ago did you last get a human visitor?"

My host held a hoof to his chin while momentarily being silent. "Hmmm… That's a good question. Years, at least. We used to get them all the time. Poor fellas must've died out from a plague or something. I'm amazed there's still one left." He then laughed in such a manner that seemed to show he had just remembered something out of nowhere. "Oh, but where are my manners? Gray Hoof at your service. Celebration planner extraordinaire."

Gray Hoof certainly lived up to his name. His coat was completely gray while his mane and tail were very dark shades of gray. His eyes were equally gray. Lastly, his cutie mark depicted…..nothing? Wait, where was his cutie mark?! Gray Hoof seemed to be well into his adult years, yet he still had no cutie mark?! Fearful that he would become upset about being reminded that he had not yet acquired one at his current age, I calmly smiled while dismissing the observation. "A pleasure to meet you, Gray Hoof. The name's James."

My host smiled warmly while he stepped out of my way. "Well, it's good to have you with us, James. The party only started just a little while ago, so feel free to help yourself to food and drink." I thanked my host and headed over to the nearest table to help myself to some food.

Near the closest table was a pair of earth ponies. One stallion and one mare. The stallion had a faded yellowish orange coat with what I think was a cobalt shade of blue for his mane and tail. The mare had a coat as white as snow while her mane and tail were a scarlet hue. I had difficulty making out the colors of their eyes from a distance, but I could plainly see that they too did not have cutie marks. "Sunny Town? More like 'Village of the Blanks' if you ask me." I muttered quietly to myself. I would have said hello, but the two of them appeared to be young lovers since they would frequently nuzzle and even kiss each other. I decided to leave them be as I walked through Sunny Town with a drink cup in one hand and a plate of assorted foods in the other.

It did not take me long to notice that the Everfree Forest's canopy covered up most of the view of the sky above town. Barely any light was getting through the branches. To compensate, numerous decorative lanterns were strewn about all over town. Since they were hanging from wires, I strongly suspected that they were electrical. The gentle glow from the lanterns really added to the cozy atmosphere and caused me to feel particularly relaxed.

I found that Sunny Town is far smaller than Ponyville. It even seemed too small to be called a village either. I suspect it is more of a hamlet than anything else. But a very cozy hamlet nonetheless. Once I had reached what I believe was the center of town, I noticed two more earth ponies. I was starting to suspect that Sunny Town's population is exclusively earth ponies. One was a stallion with a brownish green coat and a faded orange mane and tail. The other was a mare with a leafy green coat. Her mane and tail were an even deeper shade of green. Like the other ponies I had seen so far, they lacked cutie marks. I was still utterly baffled by how full-grown ponies could not have found their cutie marks yet. But even though this was certainly strange, I chose to not ask them about the matter since they were friendly and hospitable towards me and gave me no reason to suspect that it was a bad sign.

As I was about to round one of the stone houses that stood in Sunny Town, one of the lanterns began to flicker. The instant it turned off, all of the other lanterns shut down as well. "OK… Faulty wiring?" I asked no one in particular as the area around me went dark. However, once my eyes adjusted to the lack of light, I froze as I surveyed my surroundings. "Whoa….. What happened here?"

What in the world happened to this place? The buildings around me were in complete shambles. Few remained standing while almost all the others had collapsed in on themselves. The atmosphere had instantly gone from warm and comforting to desolate and frightening as I felt that I had stumbled into some abandoned ruins.

Wondering if any of the ponies I had seen earlier were still nearby, I looked to my right. "Where is everyone…." I froze as my eyes gazed at the stallion I had seen only a moment ago. Or…..was he the same stallion? He was standing right where I last saw him, but… My god, what happened to him?

He was looking right at me. The lighting was poor, but I could make out that he was…not normal. His body… It looked as if he was…dead. Yes, I know it sounds impossible to comprehend, but the pony I was looking at appeared to be alive, yet dead… Undead. His coat was dark and filthy and his body looked heavily decayed with what I think were parts of his entrails hanging out of his ribcage. But what frightened me most…were those eyes… The empty sockets glowed a hellish unholy shade of red. And to top it off, his only intact eye was hanging out of his skull by the optic nerve.

I could feel a cold sweat all over me as I shuddered madly. I was dead. My fate was sealed. This zombified pony was going to… "What's wrong with you? Got a leg cramp?" The pony called out to me. His voice had a raspy tone to it, but he sounded genuinely concerned for me. It was almost as if he was oblivious to his half-rotted state.

Before I could calm myself enough to offer a reply, the place suddenly lit up as the lanterns turned back on. I glanced around and found Gray Hoof on a stepladder while adjusting one of the lantern's light bulbs. "I really need to get around to adjusting the wiring for these…" I heard him grumble out loud.

The instant the place was bathed in light, I found that everything, from the houses to the ponies, was back to normal. The pony that I had seen a moment ago was also alive and well. But even though the atmosphere was cozy once again, the memories remained. "What in the world did I just see…?" I asked myself quietly.

Gray Hoof trotted over to me while the other pony who had called out to me did the same. "You all right? You look like you saw a ghost." He asked with a look of concern in his eyes.

"I'm sure he's fine, Gladstone. He's probably just beat after wandering around the Everfree Forest." Gray Hoof replied with a soft smile. He then looked at me and asked, "Sorry if the sudden blackout spooked you. You know what they say. If one light goes out, they ALL go out. Are you OK?"

I doubt he would have believed me if I told him that the entire village was in ruins and that they had become zombies when the lights went out, so I nervously replied, "Eh…uh… Um…yeah… Yeah, I'm OK. It's just that when the lights went out and it suddenly got dark, I started seeing spots. It's…not a big deal. My vision's already clearing up. Thanks for asking though." I then turned and began to walk along through Sunny Town like before. However, the memories of what I saw were still vividly embedded in my thoughts. "At least… I hope I was only seeing spots… Were those…zombies? God, I hope not…"

When I rounded one of the houses, I noticed a lone earth pony mare lying on the ground with her head resting on her forelegs. Her gaze seemed to be directed at nothing in particular. Her eyes were a bold red color while her mane and tail were a crimson red. Her mane was fairly long as it extended past her shoulders and was styled in a very wild, yet surprisingly attractive manner. Her coat was the same shade of gray as Gray Hoof's coat and, like all the other ponies I had seen, she lacked a cutie mark. However, she stood out from the others. Unlike the other ponies I had seen, who seemed quite happy and friendly, this lone mare seemed absolutely miserable. Since I felt I could not help her, I chose to leave her be.

However, right as I was about to walk away, I noticed her head tilt upwards slightly. She then suddenly turned her gaze towards me. When her eyes fell upon me, her expression went from depressed to shocked. "You… What are…" She muttered before standing up and rushing over to me. "What are you doing here? I thought your kind was…" She then shook her head to gather her composure and pleaded, "You have to go! Get outta here! Before it's too late!"

This kind of reception bothered me. All the other ponies in Sunny Town were happy to see me and welcomed me with smiles, but this mare was ordering me to leave. However, I chose to hear her out and made clear how I felt I was not in a hurry to leave without good reason. "Um… I really don't see why I have to. I just got here and need a safe place to stay for the night. And everyone here is friendly and hospitable."

The mare shook her head with a displeased frown on her lips. "True. Everything about this town seems normal. Until the sun goes down. Once the night begins….. Sunny Town's true form is shown. You don't want to be here when that happens. And we only have a few minutes before the night actually begins. You need to go. Now."

I crossed my arms, pondering her words. She then asked, "The lights went out for a moment a minute ago, right? Did you see this place and the ponies in it change?"

She was right. The instant the lights failed, the village and everyone around me… What a chilling sight. Was that this village's true form? "But…why does this village look fine now?" I asked, wanting to get a firm grasp on the situation before making a choice.

The mare replied promptly, "When the sun is out, the town looks normal. But when it has set over the horizon, the curse takes effect. These lanterns were installed some time ago in an attempt to keep the curse at bay. But once all sunlight has faded and the night has begun, even they can't keep the curse at bay."

The mention of a curse caught my ear. "Hang on. You say this town is cursed? And so is everyone who is living here? Then…how do we break it?"

The pony bowed her head as she solemnly frowned. She seemed to be quite depressed. "Please… If you truly want to do the right thing… Don't try to break the curse. Every last pony in this village… We have all committed a horrible sin that can never be excused. This curse… Living by day. Walking corpses by night. Century after century. It is our everlasting punishment. What we truly deserve."

It was then that I was able to put the pieces together. This town was in fact an ancient ruin that has been left untouched by outsiders for centuries. And the ponies that I had just seen… "But…what happens if I don't leave before nightfall?" I asked while feeling somewhat confident that the ponies of Sunny Town would not harm me. After all, the pony Gray Hoof referred to as Gladstone showed concern for me when I saw him in the dark as a horrific monster instead of attacking me.

The pony's reply gave me a sense of impending doom. "If you don't leave before the night comes… You just might never leave again. Don't be fooled by their friendly behavior and hospitality. They're all murderers. Please. You must leave. I don't want to see anyone else suffer her fate… Or to share ours…"

Somewhere in my gut, I had a feeling that this pony was being completely truthful towards me. And even though she claimed she deserved no help, I actually felt sorry for her. But nightfall would come any minute now. I had to escape Sunny Town immediately. "OK… I'll go now. But could you please escort me in case something goes wrong?"

The pony nodded with a more focused expression on her face. "OK. Stay close to me." I nodded in return and stayed by her side as we both headed for the entrance to Sunny Town.

When we neared the area that I first entered upon reaching Sunny Town, we found Gray Hoof casually chatting with the young couple I saw before. Only…I suppose they were not nearly as young as I suspected. I was starting to question just how old this village really was, especially considering that Gray Hoof had claimed to have met humans before despite there not being a pony alive anywhere else in Equestria who had encountered my species before.

Just as my escort and I were about to leave Sunny Town, I heard Gray Hoof call out as he trotted over to us. "Whoa, James! Where you going?! I thought you just got here! Stick around! Enjoy yourself!" He almost sounded afraid. Did he truly want me to stay as a guest? I was tempted to remain in Sunny Town, but my escort clearly knew something about the other ponies that they were not willing to share with me. And her mood's stark contrast to their happy personalities only made me question them further.

Trying to not sound suspicious, I replied to Gray Hoof with a calm smile. "Sorry, Gray Hoof. I appreciate your hospitality, but there's someplace I need to be. And someone needs me. Don't get me wrong. I like this village. You're a good host and good company. But I just have more important things to tend to. And it can't wait. But if I'm ever in the area again, I'll be sure to stop by and say hello. But for now… I really need to get going. You understand, right?"

I was not really making up excuses right there. I really had to return to Ponyville soon and my friends and lover were likely eagerly awaiting my return. But regardless, Gray Hoof took the explanation rather well. He responded with a more thoughtful gaze. "Hm. I see what you mean. We all have priorities to tend to. Well then, I hope to see you again really soon, James. Take care out there."

I nodded with a smile while I waved goodbye. "See ya again." I then left with my escort by my side while we both ventured out into the Everfree Forest.

Our timing could not have been better. No fewer than twenty paces out of Sunny Town, the light coming from behind us suddenly faded. Somewhat curious of what had really become of Sunny Town now that nightfall had officially fallen over the Everfree Forest, I turned to look behind us.

Even from my current distance from the entrance, I could see enough into the village to make out the radical changes to it. The house in the distance was in shambles, just like the others I had seen for a brief moment. And Gray Hoof… Oh lord… He was waving at me with one foreleg. His whole body was rotten and I could even see through a few parts of him. And his eyes… Just like with Gladstone, they were a demonic shade of red and glowed like embers in the darkness, although it is difficult to say if he still had eyes at all or that his empty sockets were giving off crimson light. He spoke up with a raspier tone than before, "See you later, friend." All I could do was nervously wave back at him before looking away and continuing down the path.

"That was too close, James… That is your name, right?" My escort asked from my right.

I nodded and looked down at her. "Yeah, that's my… Wha… What the hell?!" I jumped back at the sight of the mare at my side. Like the other ponies I had seen, she too had changed once night had fallen. Her eyes gazed at me with an evil red glow. I drew my knife in defense, fearful that she would soon attack.

"Are you afraid of me?" She asked quietly, showing no signs of hostility. As I waited for an assault, my eyes scanned her body. Unlike the other ponies in Sunny Town, her body still seemed to be whole. I could see no exterior signs of decay anywhere on her. Her gray coat had become almost black and was filthy and matted with grime. Her crimson mane and tail had also become faded and dirtier, almost as if they had gone years without grooming. I could also detect a faint stench coming from her that was similar to rotten meat.

It was at that moment that I understood what I was seeing. "This curse… It prevents your soul from ever finding rest." I slowly sheathed my knife, feeling immense sympathy for the poor mare before me.

She sighed deeply while bowing her head. "True… This is my fate… And I have accepted it."

It was almost painful to see the pony who helped me in such a horrid state. If the physical state of the body was determined by the state of the victim's soul, then she is indeed a very good person with how little decay her body had gone through. Which meant that the other ponies of Sunny Town… They are nothing more than monsters disguised as ponies by day. I got down on one knee and placed my hand on her shoulder. "You saved me… May I know your name?"

She replied after only a few seconds of silence. "Mitta…"

I then reached out and held my savior in a tender embrace. "Thank you, Mitta… I'll try to return the favor someday."

In my grasp, I felt Mitta shudder. "What are you doing…"

I replied softly with her ear near my face, "Hugging you… I'm trying to show you my gratitude."

Mitta remained silent for a second before speaking, "Please… Let go of me…" I did as I was told and released her from my grasp. She then staggered backwards a few steps before bowing her head as her glowing crimson eyes closed, streams of red tears flowing down her face. "I don't deserve your compassion…" She sobbed heavily, her choking voice being difficult to listen to.

I felt truly helpless as I watched Mitta cry. Here she was, standing before me as an undead abomination. Yet she went out of her way to warn me of Sunny Town's morbid history and even personally escorted me to safety. And despite these commendable acts, she was cursed to exist forever as a monster.

This was not right… There was no way her suffering could possibly be right. I wanted to cry. To share her pain and give her at least some comfort. But at the same time, I knew anything I did would not help in the long run. "I wish there was something I could do…" I muttered out loud while holding back tears.

Mitta replied unexpectedly to my words. "Thank you, James…"

I looked at her, those glowing red eyes looking at me while what seemed to be a solemn smile began to spread across Mitta's face. I retorted softly, "For what… There's nothing I can do to help you."

She nodded solemnly before explaining, "I know. But…you gave me something that nopony ever did. You gave me your compassion. That…meant more to me than anything else for the last several centuries. Even if I don't deserve it…"

Remembering Gray Hoof's words from when I first entered Sunny Town, I asked, "Mitta… How long ago was this village cursed?"

She replied after letting out a sigh, "I honestly don't remember… All I do know is that the night they did it… Over a thousand years ago. We've been here ever since. Never resting… Never redeeming ourselves… The others refuse to understand what they did was evil… And at this rate, they never will."

A thousand years… Those words reminded me of the tale of Nightmare Moon, who I feel sympathy for. And Mitta was no different. However, my new friend then looked down the path ahead of us. "We've wasted enough time. You need to go. The others may have respected your choice to leave, but the rest won't."

I nodded while I stood up before asking, "OK… But will we ever meet again?"

Mitta began to shed a few more crimson tears as she replied, "It's for the best that you never return… Please. You should just leave us to our fate. But maybe… Just maybe…" She then reared up on her hind legs and embraced me for all she was worth. "I really hope me meet again…"

I cared little for the bloody tears Mitta was shedding as they stained my shirt. I truly wanted to help her. And in the back of my mind, I made a solemn promise to return to Sunny Town if I ever found a way to save her. It would probably be for the best that I keep my knowledge of this place secret for the time being, but I will not forget that promise. I then placed my hand on the back of her head and whispered, "I hope so too, Mitta…"

Once she dropped back down to her feet, Mitta wiped her tears away. "Be careful out there, James. And if you see them… Run. Don't stop. Run for your life."

"I will, Mitta. And thank you again." I replied before I headed down the path. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw that she was still watching from where she stood. Those haunting crimson eyes… For some reason, I found her gaze to be less frightening and more reassuring. As if she was not haunting me, but protecting me.

Just as I reached the end of the path, I froze at the sound of what might have been…..the earth moving? I carefully scanned the area while the lighting was poor. I did not have to search long as just ahead of me, it seemed that something was beginning to rise out of the ground.

The first thing I saw emerge from the shifting ground were a pair of hooves followed by a curved vertebrae arching as if trying to pull itself out of the ground. And then…the head rose. The skeletal remains of an earth pony stood fully emerged from the ground. But unlike the other ponies I had seen in Sunny Town, this one's state of decay was more extreme. There was next to no flesh on it. It was barely more than a skeleton. But…it still had the eyes. Those piercing evil crimson glowing eyes that left me rooted to the spot in terror.

This zombified pony shuffled towards me at a very slow pace. I suppose I should not have been surprised, as all of its muscles had rotted away. But even though I could have easily outrun it, I could not bring myself to move. However, I still managed to draw my knife and held it in a reverse grip. As the abomination drew closer, it began to mutter, "Please… All we want is friendship…"

If the stories of zombies are true, all this creature would have to do is bite me and I would become just like it. A traumatizing thought, to say the least. Too afraid to run, I waited for the zombie to come within range. Once close enough, I bashed it in the face using my makeshift shield before ripping my knife through its neck while it was reeling from the blow. The bone that composed its body was somewhat brittle as the neck practically shattered upon being slashed, likely due to being exposed to the elements for so long. Once the head had been severed, the body collapsed to the ground. The head…or rather skull rolled along the ground for a moment. As the hellish red glow in its eye sockets began to fade, it muttered, "Please… Stay… Friend…"

When the skull became still and lifeless, I breathed a sigh of relief. However, my relief was short-lived as I heard Mitta shout, "Don't just stand there! There's more coming! You need to go!" I turned to see the cursed mare standing at the entrance of the path that led back into Sunny Town. She pleaded, "Please! Get outta here! The others won't listen to reason! Please, James!"

Knowing that more zombies were approaching my location gave me a terrible sensation of dread. I would never survive against a swarm of them. Before I did anything else, I looked back at Mitta. She nodded, seemingly reading my thoughts. "Hurry… If you stay, you'll…" Without a word, I ran over to her, dropped down on one knee, and held her against me in one final embrace.

"Goodbye, Mitta… Let's meet again someday." Those were my last words to her before I turned and ran.

Mitta had not been exaggerating. As I ran through the Everfree Forest, more and more zombified ponies slowly rose out of the ground all around me before slowly pursuing me. They had no chance of catching up to me, but I had to be careful to not change direction since they may take the opportunity to surround me. If that happened, I would be a dead man. All the while, they called out, "Wait… Friend… Come back… All we want…is friendship…"

I have no knowledge of how much time passed as I fled. I was far too frightened at the time to focus on anything other than my own survival. But once I was certain I had placed a great deal of distance between my pursuers and myself, I took a moment to catch my breath.

"Is the entire forest coming after me?" I wheezed while propping myself up against a tree with one hand. But after no more than ten seconds, I thought I saw some movement up ahead of me. I raised my voice the best I could as I called out, "Who's out there….. Show yourself!"

A few seconds later, a familiar face emerged through the trees. The very same filly with glowing yellow eyes who had unknowingly led me to Sunny Town in the first place. I breathed a deep sigh of relief before asking, "I'm glad to see a friendly face… You're not one of them, are you?"

She replied with a displeased frown on her face. "No, of course not! I would never be friends with those jerks! But are you OK?"

Aside from being extremely out of breath, I nodded in response. But when she drew closer, I finally got a good look at her cutie mark. "A…magnifying glass as a cutie mark? Are you a detective?"

The filly replied with a giggle before explaining, "No, but I am very good at finding things. If you ever lose something, I can probably help you find it. But I never thought I would find a human tonight! It's been a really long time since I last saw one!"

Once again, I was baffled by just how she had ever encountered humans before. But at the time, I did not care. All that mattered at the moment was that I find a safe place to hide out in for the night. "Sorry to be a bother, but I really need to find a place that those freaks can't get to. I don't wanna end up zombie chow."

To my surprise, the filly replied with a smile before pointing behind herself. "If it helps, I know of someplace safe you can stay. There's this big stone castle not too far from here. I found it a while ago. I don't think anypony lives there anymore, but it's probably safe. I know the way, if you wanna go there."

A castle in the Everfree Forest? More than likely the former home of the two royal sisters. I replied quickly while still panting, "Really? You know the way? Awesome. I really need someplace safe to stay for the night. And a big stone castle would probably do the trick! Lead on… And hurry! I don't know how much distance we have…..between us and…"

I froze when I turned around to look behind me. In the distance between the trees were….. All I can say is that there must have been dozens of demonic glowing red orbs slowly shambling towards us. All those haunting red lights….. It was by far the most frightening sight I had witnessed all night. I turned back to the filly and spoke quickly, "Uh… Spoke too soon! C'mon… Go go go go!"

My guide nodded before she turned and ran with me close behind her. "OK! Just don't fall behind! Let me know if you need me to slow down!"

We ran nonstop. I followed the filly as if my life depended on it. And it probably did. Fortunately, we did not have to go far. We emerged from the trees and found ourselves standing before an old rope bridge that spanned a deep ravine that was filled with a thick fog. And on the other side was… Wait… That was all that remained of the castle of the royal sisters?!

"There it is! The stone castle! You'll be safe and sound over there for sure!" The filly spoke as she trotted across the bridge. Not wanting to be left behind, I too crossed the bridge while being extremely cautious to not fall over the side, since the bridge was too small to have been meant for humans.

When I got to the other side, I beheld all that remained of the castle…if you could even call it that. From where I was standing, the vast majority of the castle had collapsed or just otherwise decayed over the course of a thousand years. The stone walls on the outside were rather low at some points and the tops were jagged and uneven. Even the roof was completely missing. The windows were gone as well. However, the large wooden doors at the entrance had miraculously escaped the fate of the rest of the castle, since they were still whole. "Don't worry. The others won't ever come over here. They think the place is haunted." My escort spoke while she looked at me with a smile.

Although I was immensely disappointed by the dilapidated state of these castle ruins, it was certainly a safer place to rest than out in a forest where cursed walking corpses were prowling around. I looked down at the filly and smiled gratefully. "You really are good at finding things. Thank you." But before I could say anything else, I added, "Now that I think about it, what's your name?"

The little filly replied while showing a bright smile. "I'm Ruby. What's your name, mister?"

I replied promptly, "James. And thanks again for getting me outta there." I then stroked her mane, prompting a giggle from Ruby.

My new friend soon turned away and began to head towards the rope bridge. Not liking the idea of a child walking into such a danger zone, I called out to her. "Hang on. Those freaks are still out there!"

However, Ruby looked at me with her glowing yellow eyes and smiled softly. "It's OK, James. They can't hurt me anymore. I'll be fine." She then waved at me with one hoof. "Good night, James. It was nice to meet you." To my shock, she seemed to slowly fade away into nothing as she crossed the bridge. Once I could no longer see Ruby, I pondered why her eyes constantly glowed the way they did. Could it be that Ruby…is a ghost?

I was not in the mood to ponder any puzzling questions too deeply. I had spent the entire day walking and was exhausted from all the running I just did. I wanted nothing more than to lie down and go to sleep.

Wasting no time, I pushed the wooden doors of the castle open and closed them behind me. The walls, though heavily damaged, were still high enough to provide me some cover if I stayed low. But I was quick to notice that this did not seem to be the entrance to a castle, but rather an isolated chamber. There were no other ways in or out of the area. Unless you count the low walls and broken windows, that is.

Plenty of ivy was growing over the walls and support pillars. And in the center of the room was what seemed to be a display stand of some sort. There were five 'arms' extending from it near the top that seemed to have been used to hold something…or was it six? As I thought back to the encyclopedia I had read days before, I knew that the castle had formerly housed the fabled Elements of Harmony. This stone display stand was probably meant to hold them.

I was tired and rather sleepy, so I began to search for a good spot to lay out my sleeping bag and curl up for the night. But before I could take out my gear, I noticed something not too far away through one of the empty windows. A fairly tall stone tower of sorts stood nearby that seemed to have endured the elements far better than the chamber I was in. "I guess I do get a roof over my head tonight." I muttered to myself before I left the chamber and headed towards the tower.

There was a long flight of stairs that led up into the tower from the outside. Once I had climbed that one, another flight of stairs led up in a spiraling fashion. I could hear my soft footsteps echo inside the empty stone stairwell. It was eerily silent aside from the occasional sound of a cool night breeze. I was even beginning to feel apprehensive of what I may find at the top and was ready to draw my knife at a second's notice. When I reached the top, I came out into a rather long room or hall that had numerous stone support pillars at the sides with a very low raised platform at the far end. There were numerous arched windows as well, and some of them still stood. And situated near the back of the platform was…..an old deteriorated throne?

"Is this the castle's throne room?" I muttered aloud as I approached it. I could hear my footsteps echo throughout the very long stone chamber while I walked. At the sides on the throne were two horse head effigies. And to the sides of those were a pair of round pedestals. However, as I drew near, I began to feel a…peculiar presence. It felt as if I was…not alone.

I glanced around, fearful that one of those zombies had managed to tail me here. But to my relief, I was completely alone. There was no sign that I had been followed. My eyes scanned the chamber more thoroughly. And at the top of the room in the darkest corners of the ceiling, I saw it. Extraordinarily dark shadows that seemed to be slowly moving like a billowing gas.

It was then that I recalled something from the encyclopedia I had recently read. "Isn't this…where Nightmare Moon was defeated? Then that…billowing dark mist in the corners… Could it be that…this is all that's left of her?"

I felt my heart leap in hope. Even though she was reviled in Equestria and even the encyclopedia itself had labeled her as a power-mad tyrant, I felt immense relief that Nightmare Moon still existed. Even if just barely. I knew the tale of why she tried to bring eternal night to the world. And I sympathized with her for it. I looked towards the billowing shadows and spoke, "Is that you, Nightmare Moon?"

The billowing of the darkness slowed down greatly as I spoke. Was it a means of displaying emotion? I approached a support pillar that remained attached to the ceiling, hoping to coax the shadow to approach me. After all, shadows can only move along surfaces. They are unable to come off a solid surface. "It's an honor to meet you, m'lady. I really enjoy the calm and cool tranquility of your beautiful nights."

I was not lying. I have a habit of staying up late and I prefer the night to the day due to how quiet it is. Have you ever seen snow falling at night? Truly beautiful. And have you ever been sitting near a window while watching and hearing rain fall during a warm summer night? Very easy to relax to. But I digress.

I watched the shadow as it began to move from the darkness and creep down the support pillar. When it stopped on the pillar right in front of me, I reached out to touch it. "They just don't understand… I know you were angry and just wanted to be appreciated. Well, let me be the first to say that I am thankful for your soothing night."

At my words, the black-as-ink shadows began to creep over my arm as I touched it. I thought I saw some movement in the shadow that remained on the pillar. To my shock, an eye opened and stared directly at me. The pupil was teal while the sclera was a lighter shade of the color. But the iris caught me by surprise as it was narrow like that of a cat's. I recognized the appearance of the eye from an illustration I had seen. Nightmare Moon still lived. And she was looking right at me.

"Is that you, Princess?" I asked, feeling the shadow coiling around me. I did not feel afraid. And the shadow did not feel cold. It actually felt warm. I watched as the eye seemed to quiver for a moment. I then spoke softly, "I know the rest of Equestria fears you. But… Maybe someday, you'll be able to walk with us again. Not as a monster, but as the princess of the night."

I watched silently as the eye became half-closed. The shadows that had coiled around me seemed to…tighten? It was almost as if a snake was constricting me, but with less force. I felt warm, as if someone was gently embracing me. The eye… A thin trail of water leaked from the lowest point, trickling down the pillar it was attached to.

Tears. Nightmare Moon, despite her horrible reputation, was displaying sorrow right before me. This was all the proof I needed. She was not a heartless monster. She possessed a soul. She could feel sorrow and pain just like me. And just like her fellow ponies. I reached out and wiped her tear away with a finger before speaking quietly to her. "Are you crying, m'lady?"

I then heard a voice whisper as if from nowhere. It belonged to a woman, but it resonated with a hint of boldness to it. "I…feel…happy…" The voice whispered. It then added, "You…were the first to…thank me…"

Knowing that the voice was coming from what remained of Nightmare Moon, I nodded slowly. "No. Thank you, Nightmare Moon. For creating a beautiful night that allows those who are exhausted from working in the sunlight to rest in the cooling darkness."

The shadows retreated to the pillar as I took a step back. All the while, Nightmare Moon's eye stared at me with what was likely a grateful gaze. I then kneeled before her and explained, "I know you see sleeping through the night as an insult, but please understand. It is because of the night that I am able to sleep so well. And I am absolutely exhausted. I need to rest." I then walked over behind a collapsed pillar and set out my sleeping bag.

"M'lady, may I sleep here tonight?" I asked, respecting Nightmare Moon's presence. In response, her shadowy form crept over to me and coated my sleeping bag. It was as if she wanted to be near me. Her lone eye gazed up at me from the shadow, as if granting me her permission to rest in her presence. "Thank you, m'lady." I replied with a smile.

I am writing this from my sleeping bag, my only company being the lingering remains of Nightmare Moon. This day has been an emotional roller coaster for me. But I have high hopes for tomorrow. I just know that Princess Celestia will make the right choice. And even though I am out in a no-man's-land with the living dead searching for me, I feel safe. Perhaps it is Nightmare Moon's presence that is helping me relax.

OK, I have to stop here. My eyes are getting heavy and I really want to close the flap over my head to keep out the wind. Good night, Nightmare Moon. And once again, thank you for creating the night so I may rest for tomorrow.

Fluttershy… Please be safe. I hope to see you soon.


	9. Disappearance

Hello, everypony! This is Pinkie Pie! You know, the pink pony who's friends with absolutely everypony in Ponyville! Anyway, I thought I'd jot down what happened today.

It started like pretty much any other day for me. I woke up, got dressed… Oh wait, I forgot I don't wear clothes. Not unless it's for something special. In any case, today was a workday for me. So I went downstairs to the kitchen of Sugarcube Corner.

"Oh, good morning, Pinkie. Did you sleep well?" Mrs. Cake said to me when I went into the kitchen.

"Morning, Mrs. Cake! What do we have to do today?" I replied to my boss. Am I making these interactions sound too bland and short? Sorry! I normally don't write journals.

She smiled at me while carrying a mixing bowl to the table. "Well, we need a few dozen of those chocolate chip cupcakes baked. They've become very popular lately."

I smiled, remembering that yummy recipe James helped me come up with. Oh, right! I don't think you know who he is! James is a human. He showed up in Ponyville exactly one week ago. He's pretty shy, but really nice too. He's become one of the best friends I've ever known! Speaking of which, he should be showing up any time now. He works here three days a week.

"Oki doki loki! I'll get started right away!" I said with a hop. Mrs. Cake just smiled and went out to the storefront.

I went ahead and punched in for the day. Then my punch card punched me back. Oh, wait! That was just Gummy biting me. Good thing he has no teeth! "Silly Gummy! You don't belong in the kitchen!" I carried him back upstairs and left him on my bed. "Be a good little gator for me! I'll see you this evening!"

I went back downstairs and into the kitchen. I mixed together the eggs and sugar before adding the flour… Come to think of it, does anypony even like reading the details on how somepony bakes something? Maybe I should skip ahead.

Anyway, I popped the tray of cupcake batter into the oven and waited. But as I waited, I noticed something was wrong with the clock. James should have been in ten minutes ago. He's never been late before, so maybe this is his first time. Maybe he got caught up with doing something with Fluttershy. Oh, right. Fluttershy is one of my best friends. And just a few days ago, she and James became sweethearts! He lives with her now. But why is he this late…?

"Ooh, you naughty things." I giggled out loud. What is something lovers like to do together? I better not write it down here, just in case some fillies or colts read it.

Eventually, the egg timer went off. So I opened the oven and removed the cupcakes. Mm, that smell always gets me so hungry. But when I put them on the counter to cool, I noticed that James was now half an hour late.

"Huh… I can't imagine why James would be this late." I said to myself. Maybe he caught a cold?

As a good friend, I felt it was my duty to check on him. So I poked my head out of the kitchen. "Mrs. Cake? James is running late. I just took the cupcakes outta the oven, so may I go check on him?"

Mrs. Cake looked at a clock before looking back at me. "Oh my, he's late? Well, maybe you should go check on him, dearie. Don't be long!"

I nodded and put on my biggest smile. "Will do, Mrs. Cake! See you in a bit!" I then trotted out the back door. I guess I could've just jumped to the next panel, but I needed the exercise. Huh? You want to know how I 'jump panels'? Heehee, that's a long story. Don't worry about it!

I didn't have time to chat with anypony, so I just ran through Ponyville towards the western edge of town. Once I had cleared that, I saw Fluttershy's cottage coming up ahead. But…why was Fluttershy on the ground and… Was she crying?!

I ran over to her as fast as I could. She really was crying. I could hear her sobbing. "Fluttershy, what's wrong?!" I asked. For Fluttershy to be crying, it must be bad.

She looked up at me with her eyes full of tears. She couldn't talk, but she pointed to a scroll that was behind me. "In this?" I asked when I opened it and held it flat.

The scroll was written in James' handwriting. It read… Hang on, I can remember this… Oh right! It read, "This is for your eyes only, Fluttershy. If you are reading this, I am gone. It has come to my attention that our actions as a couple are highly illegal and even punishable with the death penalty. What is worse, Princess Celestia has been made aware of our illegal activities by a report sent from Twilight Sparkle. Please do not fault her, as I am sure even she was not aware that the law even exists. I am also certain that by the time you have started reading this, Celestia will have dispatched her guards to arrest us. If that is the case, you must gather our friends and try to convince Celestia to grant us a pardon. If she is as… No. I am very sure that she is as wise and understanding as I have heard. She will surely grant us her consent. I just know she will. However, the possibility that she will not remains. I can't take chances with this matter, Fluttershy. Not when your life is at stake. I am hiding out in the Everfree Forest. I have heard nothing but bad things about that place, so I am sure even the local law enforcement officials will not dare set foot into it. If Celestia… No. When Celestia gives us her blessings, please come find me so I know it is safe to return. It may be wise to ask Rainbow Dash to do the job due to her speed. But if, and this is a very unlikely if, if Celestia refuses to pardon us, claim innocence. If they cannot arrest both guilty parties, they will not be able to effectively try you in court. You will be safe if they cannot arrest us both. But I pray that will not be the case. I love you, Fluttershy. And I cannot bear the thought of you under a guillotine. I shall be waiting for Celestia's decision in the Everfree Forest. I am placing my faith in you and our friends. With love, James." Phew! Chalk one up to the memory banks!

Anyway, I couldn't believe what I had just read. James in the Everfree Forest?! That's suicide! I jumped in the air and gasped my hardest. "WHAAAAAT?!"

Fluttershy looked up at me with big clear tears rolling down her face, "What'll we do, Pinkie? He won't last in there… And…what if that law is real? I love him… I don't want us to be torn apart…"

She was right. Two lovers being kept apart is just plain wrong! And anything that makes Fluttershy cry is extra wrong! No way was I going to stand for that! I gave Fluttershy my biggest smile and said, "Hey, don't worry, Fluttershy! James has friends like us to help him! Let's go find Twilight and show her the message. She'll know what to do!"

I helped Fluttershy stand up. She dried her tears before nodding. "OK… She always knows what to do in times like this."

I grinned before we started to move along. "Exactly, silly filly! Let's go! The sooner we get James out of there, the better!" I then ran back towards Ponyville with the scroll in my mouth. Fluttershy followed right behind me the whole way.

We went straight to Twilight's house after that. I bonked my head against the door to get her attention. "Oooh… I hope she's home…" Fluttershy said beside me.

The door opened a second later. And sure enough, Twilight was right behind it. "Oh! Good morning, Pinkie! Morning, Fluttershy!"

I couldn't wait, so I barged right in. "Twilight! We have an emergency! A 'friend lost in the Everfree Forest' kind of emergency!"

Twilight, as usual, seemed to be totally confused by my words. "Huh? The Everfree Forest? What about it?"

Fluttershy came in and spoke before I could. "It's James, Twilight… He… He left a note behind."

I then put the scroll down before Twilight used her magic to hold it up in the air. "This scroll? Um…" After a minute, she looked past the scroll at us. And she looked really freaked out. "Are you serious?! There's a law against that?!"

Fluttershy nodded while still looking really worried. "Yes… And he took it seriously. He's somewhere out there… I don't know what to do…"

Twilight frowned while looking kind of confused. "That really doesn't sound like a law Princess Celestia or Princess Luna would ever allow to pass. No, I'm sure of it! That law is far too harsh!" She then called towards the stairs, "Spike! Please bring a scroll to me!"

A moment later, Spike came running down the stairs with a scroll in one hand and a quill in the other. "OK, I'm here! What's wrong?"

Twilight replied while turning to face him, "I need you to write a letter to Princess Celestia. It's urgent."

Spike then held the quill's tip to the scroll. "OK then, shoot."

Twilight then started pacing around the room. "Dear Princess Celestia. I stumbled across something in a book that seems to be a law that punishes intimate relationships between humans and ponies with death. Why did you pass a law like this? And please respond quickly." When Spike stopped writing, Twilight nodded at him. "Please send it right now, Spike."

"You got it." Spike said before going over to a window and blowing green fire into the scroll. It was burned up into smoke and carried away on the wind. Still, how does that work exactly? If Spike were to breathe fire on me, would I get turned into smoke and taken to Princess Celestia? I need to try that sometime!

"Do you think it's a good idea to let her know about that law?" Fluttershy asked, looking very worried.

"I was careful to not mention either you or James. It was just a hypothetical question." Twilight replied while looking a bit calmer than before.

A moment later, Spike burped as a scroll came out of his mouth. "Wow! That's a new record! Not even a full minute!" He then opened the scroll and spoke, "Dear Twilight Sparkle….. I have no idea what you're talking about! Where did you find such a ridiculous law?"

Wait… Seriously?! Princess Celestia doesn't even know about the law?! I think Twilight's response summed up what we were all thinking. "Wait… WHAT?!"

Fluttershy raised her voice too. "You mean… He's out there in the Everfree Forest without any idea that the law is fake?!"

Twilight set her hoof down a bit loudly. "Well, I think we all better look into this. Let's gather up our friends. Fluttershy, you go find Rainbow Dash. I'll go round up Applejack. Pinkie, you go get Rarity. Let's all meet back here."

Fluttershy nodded with a tiny little smile on her face. "OK… Let's hurry."

I smiled too. Got to keep up the morale! "Oki doki loki! Let's go! Look after the place for us, Spike!"

Our little dragon boy then gave us a salute. "Yes, ma'am!"

We ran out the door and in different directions. I know Rarity doesn't have any big plans today, so I know she's still home. I ran along, saying hi to everypony I passed, but not having any time to chat. That would have to wait. My buddy James was in danger! And I wanted to get to the bottom of this fake law business! Private Eye Pinkie Pie was on the case!

As soon as I got to Rarity's house, I went right inside without knocking. "Rarity! Are you home?!"

I heard a clatter of stuff hitting the floor. "Pinkie Pie! You ruined my concentration! At least knock so I know you're coming in without startling me!" Rarity was looking pretty miffed with a whole bunch of sewing junk on the floor around her.

"Sorry, sorry! It's just that we've got an emergency here! James is lost in the Everfree Forest!"

Rarity gasped really loudly. "The Everfree Forest? Heavens, no! He'll never survive in such a horrid place! Why would he ever set foot in there?!"

I explained, "He found out about some law that says ponies and humans falling in love is punishable with the death penalty! And you know he and Fluttershy are sweethearts now! He went into hiding to protect her!"

Rarity shrieked, "WHAT?! The death penalty?! How dare they! Those two are a perfect couple! Of all ponies, why would our princesses even pass such an abominable law?!"

I explained some more. "They didn't! Twilight sent a message to Princess Celestia asking about it and she didn't even know it exists!"

Rarity's jaw hung open for a second before she spoke, "What…? Then… How did this happen? Is the law a fake?"

I was feeling kind of burned out by all the stress of the situation, so I sighed. "I dunno… Twilight and Fluttershy are gathering up Applejack and Rainbow Dash. I came here to get you. Let's head over to Twilight's place so we can figure this out."

Rarity nodded with a confident smile. "Yes, let's. James is a very good friend of mine and I would hate to lose him. Let's get this mess sorted out and get him back home where he belongs!" We then ran out the door, but Rarity then stopped. "Wait! One moment please."

"Huh? Oh, OK!" I replied as she went back inside. A few seconds later, she came back out and hung a sign on the door. "Out to lunch? It's too early for that!"

Rarity gave me a pretty sly smirk. "How many ponies would take a 'Gone to search for lost friend' sign particularly seriously?" We both got a good laugh out of that. It's true, after all! Friends don't get lost in Ponyville very often!

Rarity and I ran the whole way back to Twilight's house. I barged right in with her right behind me. "We're here!"

I heard Applejack reply, "Hold yer horses, girl. We're here too."

Rarity smiled when she came inside. "I do hope everypony is here now." Sure enough, Twilight and Fluttershy were there with Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

"Pinkie, tell us straight! Is James really gone?!" Rainbow Dash said when she flew over to me.

"I don't wanna believe it either, but that's what it looks like!" I replied while waving my arms. But maybe now that everypony was there, we could figure out what to do. It kind of reminds me of when Applejack disappeared after going to that rodeo contest. Only she didn't try to hide in the Everfree Forest! And at least James didn't leave us guessing on why he had to leave.

Rarity then asked, "Wait. You said something about finding some sort of law in a book, right? Do you know which one?"

Twilight then spoke up with her hoof rubbing her chin. "Now that I think about it, Diamond Tiara was in here yesterday looking through a bunch of old law books. You don't suppose…"

Rarity suddenly growled, "Her?! That little imp?! She's been harassing James daily all week! What book was it?!"

Spike called out to us while pulling a book from one of the shelves. "It's right here! Equestrian Law 101."

He brought the book over to Twilight, who levitated it up to her face. I have to admit, that book looked reeeally old. "OK… Which page…" She started flipping through the pages while her eyes glanced back and forth.

Spike raised his hand while speaking up. "Oh, I think it was open to page 83 when I put it away."

Twilight smiled at her #1 helper. "Thank you, Spike. Page 83… Here we go. The act of….. Oh no…"

Her face looked like she was really disturbed by something. Fluttershy then barged in and looked at the book. "What does it say?!"

I couldn't stay quiet either. I had to know! "Well, what does the law say?! I can't take the suspense!" I felt like I was gonna burst if they didn't tell me soon!

Fluttershy soon looked our way, but… That face. I've never seen her so horrified. Those tears rolling down her face… "No… No… I can't let him…"

Applejack then tried to calm her down since she's pretty good at it. "Easy there, girl. What's wrong? What does it say?"

Fluttershy then just made a run for the door! "I can't let them get him! I won't!"

"Grab her!" Rainbow Dash yelled before she swooped right down at her. We all ponypiled onto Fluttershy to keep her from getting outside. I've never seen her that hysterical before!

"I need to find him! I… I don't want him to die!" Fluttershy kept sobbing hard while trying to wiggle out from under us. And did I ever mention how much it hurts to see Fluttershy cry?

Applejack put her head right beside Fluttershy's and tried to smile. "We know, sugarcube. That's why we're gonna get this all figured out. I'm tellin' ya the honest truth. James ain't gonna die. All right?"

Fluttershy looked so confused, kinda like she wanted to believe Applejack while still thinking that something really bad was gonna happen to James if we didn't find him soon. Twilight then smiled reassuringly, or she at least tried to. "We will, Fluttershy. He's our friend and we're going to make sure that Princess Celestia knows just how absurd this law is."

I think by then Fluttershy believed us. "OK… I just… I need to calm down…"

As we climbed off of her, Rarity smiled. "Don't worry, dear. We know you love him."

Rainbow Dash then asked while taking a really close look at the book Spike was holding, "Wait a sec. That law looks really old! You think maybe it's outdated?"

Twilight nodded right away and said, "More than likely. But how did James even learn about this law? He's never seemed like someone who has an interest in law, so I can't imagine him looking through a law book."

That sounded kinda funny. No way James would ever want to be a lawyer! "No kidding! Law is sooooo boring! He'd probably fall asleep if he even tried to read one!"

Applejack then asked, "Then how do y'all suppose he… Oh, don't tell me!"

Rainbow Dash must've been having the exact same thought since she then growled, "Yeah! I'll bet that's it! Diamond Tiara told him about it! That little witch was trying to blackmail him!"

Fluttershy sighed while she frowned. "To think she would go this low…"

However, Twilight raised her hoof at us. "Wait a minute. We can't be too sure of that. The note James left never once mentioned Diamond Tiara's name. Even though I wouldn't be surprised if she did have something to do with this, only James knows for sure."

Rainbow Dash then gave us her trademark confident smirk while flexing her wings. "If that's the case, I'll go find him. Leave it to me!"

Fluttershy nodded after glancing over at the note James left behind. "He did request that you go find him."

I then hopped forward, feeling super pumped and excited that things were getting interesting! "OK then! You go find him, Rainbow!"

Rainbow Dash then opened the front door to the library. "You got it. Wait here for me. I'll be back in ten minutes flat." And like that, she was gone.

I don't think anything interesting is gonna happen while we wait, so I'll stop writing here. When Rainbow Dash gets back, I'll let her write the rest of the journal! In any case, thanks for reading! I just hope James is going to be fine when this is all over.

* * *

><p>Hey there! This is Rainbow Dash! You've probably heard of me. #1 flier in Equestria? First pegasus to ever do a Sonic Rainboom during the Best Flier Competition? The only pegasus with a rainbow-stripped mane and tail? Yeah, that's me!<p>

Anyway, today was a mess. Turns out James disappeared from Ponyville and went into hiding in the Everfree Forest, of all places! Oh right, I guess I should tell you who James is. He's… Wait. Didn't Pinkie Pie already explain that? Let me check…

Yup! Pinkie Pie already explained it, so there's no point in me doing it too. In any case, he left behind a note saying that he wanted me to come find him since I'm the fastest flier around. Good choice!

Anyway, once I had met up with my friends, I went flying out to the Everfree Forest. This place gives me the creeps, but I guess James had the right idea in going there. Nopony in their right mind would ever set foot there.

I really reeeeeeeally didn't want to go through the forest on foot, so I flew overhead. Man, the canopy stretches for miles. Just a big sea of green.

I flew along for a little while before I found a huge gap in the canopy. A muddy swamp was below me. I think Fluttershy called it Froggy Bottom Bog. Wait… Froggy Bottom Bog?! Isn't that where a hydra lives?!

Even though that would be a good spot to find James, I was scared that the hydra might've gotten to him by then. I flew out over the middle of the swamp…er…bog and looked around. "Don't be dead, James…"

When I looked around for a minute, I saw someone waving at me next to one of them funky mangrove trees. Was that… Yeah, it was him! I swooped down and tackled him against the tree and gave him my tightest hug! "Darn it, James! I thought you were a goner! Don't ever pull something like that again!" Um… Did I tear up a bit when I found him? I hope he doesn't mention that to anypony. I've got a reputation to keep up!

Well, anyway… I felt James pat me on the back. "I'm guessing Fluttershy showed you the message. Am I right?" He said while looking down at me.

I nodded and explained what I was doing there. "Yeah. When the other girls showed me that note, I bolted over here to find you. I wasn't sure if you were gonna last long enough… Huh?" Was that…a pot lid tied to his arm? "James… Why is there a pot lid tied to your arm?"

He looked down at his arm before snickering. I guess even he thought it looked totally silly. "From what I know, Ponyville doesn't have an armory. So I had to use something makeshift as a shield. I don't know what lives out here in Everfree Forest, so I wanted to be on the safe side."

I looked at the shield and smirked. I guess I should've known better. James is smart. He would definitely plan ahead for a trip into this place. "Yeah, I guess it's better than nothing." It was then I remembered what I wanted to ask. "But anyway, what happened? Why are you even out here? Did that little brat have something to do with it?"

James replied, "Hang on… Are you suspecting Diamond Tiara?"

I groaned while throwing my hooves into the air. "Well, who else could it be?! That little witch's been a pain in the flank for you since the day you met her! And besides, that message you left behind mentioned that there's a law condemning humans and ponies falling in love! And Twilight mentioned that Diamond Tiara was in the library yesterday reading law books. When Fluttershy showed her the note, she put two and two together and thought Diamond Tiara pulled a fast one on you. But did she? I mean you're the only one who knows."

He got quiet for a moment, probably thinking back to whatever happened yesterday. "Well, all she really did was alert me to the law. I thought she was bluffing at first, but I found that law written in a book on page 83. Can't remember the title, but it's still in the library."

Page 83, huh? Looks like Spike got it right. "Uh huh… And Twilight said she wrote a note to Princess Celestia pointing out that you and Fluttershy are a couple now, right? No wonder you freaked out…"

Right after that, I smiled at James. "Ya know, it was really brave of you to hide out here in the Everfree Forest. But leave the rest to us. We'll put in a good word with Princess Celestia for you. She's not some kinda tyrant, so she'll probably make an exception for you and Fluttershy."

James gave me a look that seemed to show a lot of weight had been taken off his shoulders. "Thanks, Rainbow. You're always someone I can count on. But until I've officially been given a royal pardon, I can't go home. Please tell Fluttershy that and that I love her."

Yeah, that sounded just like him. James isn't the kind of guy who likes taking chances. But in any case, that reminded me of her. "Yeah… About her, she was really freaking out when she came into town. I've never seen her cry like that. She was really scared for you. Knowing you're OK will definitely calm her down."

James looked kinda pained from what I just told him. He let out a sigh and asked, "She was crying?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah… She was almost hysterical once all six of us had gathered at the library. Man, for her to get that worked up, she must be CRAZY for you. You're a really lucky guy, you know that?"

He let out another sigh, but also seemed to crack a smile. "Yeah… Really lucky… All I want right now is….. Wait a sec…"

Whoa, where did that shadow come from? I looked to my right and…dang. Was THAT the hydra Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy told me about?! That thing is HUGE! Probably bigger than an Ursa Minor! James looked at me and asked, "Lemme guess… That's a hydra?"

There was only one thing I could say that could do justice to the whole thing. "Eeeeeeeeeyup!" I know lots of ponies think I'm totally fearless, which I am, but that thing… Yikes.

That thing's four heads looked back and forth at James and me for a minute before all of them looked at him with creepy smirks. They were going after him! Well, no way was I gonna let some creep eat one of my best friends! "James, it's going after you! Get outta here! I'll hold it off!" I flew right up to that thing and kicked one of its heads. "C'mon, eight eyes! Wouldn't you rather have some fast food?!"

Sure enough, all four of them started snapping at me. But I just swooped between their necks and dazzled them with my Fantastic Filly Flash… OK, I'm going waaaay off topic here. I think James must've thought I was nuts since I heard him yell, "Girl, you crazy!"

I yelled back at him while staying on the move. "Get outta here, James! I'll keep this lunkhead busy until you're outta sight! And don't worry about me! No way a slowpoke like this can catch the fastest flier in Equestria!" He must've heard me since he made a break for the trees.

Once James was out of sight, I waved at the hydra. "Sorry, boys! I'd love to mess with ya more, but I gotta get back! See ya!" All four of them snapped at me one more time, but I was too fast for them anyway. I was still kinda worried about James being out there in the Everfree Forest by himself, but he was packing a pretty mean looking knife. I can't imagine him getting into a fight, but I'm pretty sure he'll be OK out there for one more night.

In any case, I hightailed it right back over to Twilight's place without stopping for anything. I was really tempted to go Sonic Rainboom on my way there, but I decided to hold off on that for another day when I had a bigger audience. In any case, I barged right into the library and shouted, "Found him!"

Pinkie Pie instantly looked my way and grinned in her usual excitement. "Ten minutes flat! Right on time! And you found him?!"

I nodded and trotted on in while strutting my stuff. "Yep! He was over at the Froggy Bottom Bog. And don't worry, Fluttershy. I made sure he got away when the hydra popped up."

Applejack asked with a freaked out expression, "Hydra?! It was there?! Are ya sure James got outta there OK?!"

"Yeah, don't worry. I kept that thing busy until he was long gone." I said while giving her a wink.

But then, Fluttershy glared at me. Was that the 'Stare' I had heard about? "If you found him, then why didn't you bring him home?!"

Man, Fluttershy has one intimidating glare. I grinned nervously while trying to calm her down. "Yeah… That… He told me he didn't want to take any chances. Until he knows for sure that Princess Celestia has pardoned you two, he's not coming home."

That look in Fluttershy's eyes quickly calmed down, but she also looked really disappointed and I don't blame her. "Oh… But…he was OK, right?"

I patted her on the shoulder. Had to try to be as friendly as possible to keep her spirits up. "Yeah, don't worry about that. He was in good shape when I found him. He'll be fine, Fluttershy. If he could survive one night out there, he can do it twice."

Fluttershy gave me a pretty worried smile, but Rarity then asked, "One moment, Rainbow Dash. Did you find out if Diamond Tiara was the one who revealed that absurd law to James?"

I frowned before I replied. I knew they were gonna be really ticked off by what I was about to say. "Yeah. She's the one who showed him."

Twilight frowned while talking really sternly, "Then we need to pay a visit to Ponyville Elementary. This is the last straw."

Applejack nodded while flexing and cracking her ankle joints. "Yeah. I've been tryin' ta tolerate her abusin' Apple Bloom, but this is goin' way too far!"

Rarity then stepped forward with her head held high. "Then let us be off! It's time to confront that wretched filly!"

Pinkie Pie then looked back at Spike and waved with that goofy grin she always shows, even in serious moments like that. "Watch the place for us, Spike! We'll be back!"

Spike nodded before giving us all a salute. "You got it! Good luck!"

We all marched right out of the library and towards the schoolhouse. And… Well, I don't want you to get the wrong idea, but I was going outta my way to keep out of Fluttershy's way. That look… Man, I've never seen her look that ticked off before!

Well, we got to the schoolhouse without any trouble. We didn't talk much on the way, probably because of how mad we were. Seriously, what the hay is wrong with that kid to try to blackmail someone with a death threat?!

We all went into the lobby and waited while Twilight looked into the schoolroom. It was pretty quiet. Maybe they were taking a test? In any case, Cheerilee looked our way while Twilight motioned for her to come to us. "Cheerilee? I need to speak to you. It's urgent."

Cheerilee looked back at the students and spoke up quietly, but loud enough for all the kids to hear her. "Excuse me for a minute, class." I could see Diamond Tiara sitting at the far end at the head of the class. Man, I just wanted to fly over to her and sock her one!

"Hello, Twilight… Oh, what are all of you doing here?" Cheerilee asked once she was standing in front of us in the lobby.

"Beggin' yer pardon, Cheerilee, but we're here on important business. We've gotta see Diamond Tiara." Applejack spoke next while doing a really good job of keeping her anger under wraps.

I'm guessing Cheerilee was starting to get worried from our angry expressions. We were trying to be civil, but it wasn't easy not looking really peeved. "Did something happen? You all seem very troubled. What did she do this time?"

I finally decided to speak my piece. "She tricked James into hiding out in the Everfree Forest, that's what!"

Yeah, I can tell Cheerilee really didn't see that one coming. "Wait… The Everfree Forest?! What happened?!"

Rarity then took one step forward and asked, "You do know she has been very hostile towards James lately, do you not?"

Cheerilee nodded right away. "Yes, I heard he somehow took away her cutie mark as punishment for her actions. I did not pay any mind to it. I thought for sure it would teach her that her actions have consequences. But… Did she really?"

Pinkie Pie gave Cheerilee a big scowl. And you know Pinkie doesn't make looks like that unless it's serious. "Yeah! She found this really old outdated law in an old law book saying that romantic relationships between humans and ponies are punishable by the death penalty! She told James about it to blackmail him into giving her back her cutie mark!"

Fluttershy then spoke up with an equally serious scowl. "James is my boyfriend, Miss Cheerilee."

I think that was all we needed to say. Cheerilee stuck her head back into the classroom and spoke in a pretty loud voice. "Diamond Tiara! In the lobby! NOW!" Ooooh man, I can only imagine the look on her face.

We could hear the other students jeering at Diamond Tiara when Cheerilee looked back at us. I think I heard Scootaloo laugh, "Oooooh, sounds like Miss Cheerilee is ticked off! Whatcha do this time, Tiara?"

That rotten little filly came to the doorway with a very annoyed look on her face. "OK, I'm here… Huh?"

Cheerilee got between her and the doorway that led back into the schoolroom while the rest of us glared down at her. "Um… What're you all doing here?"

I snorted before growling at her, "Don't you dare act like you did nothing wrong, you little witch. We know what you did."

Twilight then asked, "James. Do you know where he is?"

I think Diamond Tiara knew she was in trouble when we mentioned his name. "Um… What about him? He was supposed to return my cutie mark this evening."

Applejack then bared her teeth a little while letting out a really long and menacing sigh. "Or else ya would tell Princess Celestia about 'im and Fluttershy so they would be executed? Even she don't know 'bout that law!"

Diamond Tiara looked pretty shocked by that. "What?! Then…nothing will happen?! Darn it! I'll just have to think of something else…"

That little… No remorse at all! I stomped my hoof in front of her and tried hard to not yell. "You little nitwit! Do you have any idea what you did?!"

She backed away from me when I said that. "What… What did I do?!"

"James took your threat very seriously. Instead of giving in to your demands like a coward, he chose to protect dear Fluttershy by hiding in the Everfree Forest so the proper authorities could not get any proof of the so-called crime! You just put his life in danger!" Rarity explained while giving that little punk one of the most menacing glares I had ever seen on her.

Diamond Tiara shouted right out of nowhere. Looks like her plans had gone up in smoke. "WHAT?! He wasn't supposed to do that! That idiot! He was supposed to give me my…"

Whoa… Fluttershy didn't even let her finish. She got right up in her face while looking more ticked off than I've ever seen her before… Oh, wait. There was that time at the Grand Galloping Gala. I'd say she looked just as mad back then as she did right there. "Idiot?! The only idiot around here is you! You've been nothing but a thorn in our sides and now you've sent one of our dearest friends into one of the most dangerous places in Equestria! James is my boyfriend! I love him very VERY much! And you… You are the most selfish, egotistical, cruel…EVIL! Yes, evil filly I have ever known! I swear, if he dies out there, I can't be held responsible for what I might do to you!"

Dang… I think Fluttershy may have really struck a nerve. Diamond Tiara was utterly cowering before her. Tears were rolling down her face, probably just out of fear. "Woo! You go, Fluttershy! You tell her like it is!" Pinkie Pie cheered while applauding. Fluttershy didn't really reply. She was just glaring at Diamond Tiara while breathing hard. Man, I was afraid to say anything to her at that point!

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Scootaloo peeking through the doorway. Oh man… Did she hear everything? I inched over to her and asked, "What's up, Scoot?"

She then asked with a really worried expression, "Rainbow Dash… Is he really out in the Everfree Forest?" Yeah, not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but Scootaloo and James have become really tight lately. Almost like a brother and sister, if you can believe that!

Anyway, I nodded before trying to perk her up. "Yeah, he is… But don't worry! I saw him today. He's doing fine out there. I'll even bet fifty bits that he'll be home tomorrow. Just give him a little time, OK?"

Scootaloo nodded with a little smile, but I could tell she was still worried sick. It wouldn't surprise me if she and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders decided to take matters into their own hooves at some point. "OK… I'll wait for him. If you see him again, please tell James I said hi."

I nodded and rubbed Scootaloo's head. "You got it, squirt. Now, get back to your test. I know it's boring, but it's gotta be done."

That little sparkplug saluted me and said, "Yes, ma'am!" I watched as she went back to her desk. She then seemed to whisper something to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

"Just stay outta trouble…" I muttered to myself. I hope I don't end up regretting telling her what I did.

Cheerilee spoke up while Fluttershy still hadn't budged from where she stood. "Miss Fluttershy, please calm down. I will make certain that Diamond Tiara is properly disciplined for this most recent grievance."

That wasn't enough for Applejack, judging by what she said next. "No can do this time, Cheerilee. This time, I'm gonna make sure her pappy knows about everythin' she's done. Not just ta James, but ta everypony she's ever crossed. She's gotten away with her nonsense for far too long, and I ain't gonna stand for it any longer."

Rarity nodded while moving up beside her. "I'll go with you, Applejack. I shall provide details since I have personally witnessed her most recent acts of violence."

Twilight then glared at Diamond Tiara, who looked way too scared to say anything with Fluttershy still up in her face. "You are in a world of trouble, young lady. I'll be sure to mention this to Princess Celestia as well."

Just before we could say anything else, Pinkie Pie pointed into the classroom. "Um… Cheerilee?" Turns out all of the students had gathered near the door and were watching the whole thing.

Cheerilee looked back at the classroom before looking back at us. "Oh dear… It seems this confrontation is creating quite a distraction. Could we wrap this up? I need to make sure my students finish their tests on time."

Twilight nodded with a stern frown still on her face. "Right, so sorry to have been a bother, Cheerilee. But please keep a close eye on Diamond Tiara. After this last stunt, I wouldn't trust her at all."

Cheerilee nodded while also looking pretty serious. "I will. And good luck on finding your friend. He really does seem like a nice person and is very good with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo." She then walked back into the classroom with Diamond Tiara, who looked like she might as well have been on death row. I almost felt sorry for her, but after this last stunt, all my sympathy was tossed out the window. "All right, class. Let's get back to the test."

We had turned to leave, but Fluttershy was still standing where she had been yelling at Diamond Tiara. "Fluttershy, let's get going." I said to her, not wanting her to be left behind. There wasn't any business in us sticking around the schoolhouse.

Fluttershy turned and followed us, but… That face. It looked so…drained. As soon as we were outside, she collapsed with a thud. "Whoa! What's wrong?!" I asked while I sat by her side. The rest of our friends gathered around too.

Big tears were rolling down Fluttershy's cheeks. "I'm sorry… I'm just so scared… I've never gone through anything like this before…"

Applejack patted her on the shoulder, but she also looked pretty worried too. "None of us have, sugarcube. We're worried sick too. And I know it's especially hard on ya because of just how much he means to you."

Rarity then helped her stand up while showing a smile. "Chin up, darling. James loves you too much to allow himself to die out there in that dreadful forest. He will survive and we will make sure he comes home safe and sound. So please, have faith in your beloved."

Fluttershy bowed her head before smiling in a sad way. Does that make any sense? Smiling while still looking sad? In any case, she spoke softly, "Thank you…"

"Come on, Fluttershy! Say that with a real smile! He's gonna be fine! And it's all because he has friends like us to help him out!" Pinkie Pie said with a big grin. Heh, she always tries to keep her chin up in situations like this. That's pretty awesome.

"I'll try… It's just…" Fluttershy muttered before stopping short.

Twilight smiled at her too before talking. "Don't worry, Fluttershy. I'll contact Princess Celestia about this matter as soon as I get back home. I'm sure she'll think of something to help."

Well, right after that, we headed back into Ponyville. Applejack and Rarity have gone to see Diamond Tiara's folks while I'm heading back to the library with Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy. I think I'm done writing for now. I really hope James is gonna be OK out there for at least one more day. The guy's pretty timid and laidback, so I worry about him sometimes. Still, he's a great friend and I really do appreciate his levelheaded approach to everything. Guess that's because I totally lack it!

Anyway, I'm stopping here. I just hope whatever Twilight has in mind helps us get James home faster.

* * *

><p>Howdy there, folks. This is Applejack writing today. You all probably know me as the local country girl who runs Sweet Apple Acres with one mean kick. In any case, I'm giving my two bits on this whole mess like Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash did.<p>

In any case, it looks like Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie already did a nice job of explaining what's been going on today. No need to backtrack and explain everything, I reckon. Anyway, Rarity and I hurried on over to the jewelry store that Diamond Tiara's mom runs. If memory serves, I think her name's Ruby Ring.

When we were standing outside the front door, Rarity held her hoof up to stop me from just barging in. "Now, Applejack. I know this is a stressful situation, but we don't want to frighten anypony. Let's be as civilized as possible."

I really didn't care for that idea. "Ya kiddin' me? I'd say that Diamond Tiara's folks are the ones responsible for this whole mess. They've been screwin' up on raisin' her if she turned out like this!"

Rarity just shook her head at me. "Well, I certainly can't deny that they may have some fault in this. But I have met them before. They certainly do not give me the impression of being awful ponies. Just let me take the lead for now." I had nothing to say to that, so I decided to just follow her lead for the moment.

Rarity led the way into the jewelry store. Pretty nice place, to be honest. There weren't any customers in there at the moment, but there was somepony minding the cash register. "Huh? Filthy Rich? Ain't ya supposed ta be over at Barnyard Bargains right now?"

Turns out Diamond Tiara's dad was minding the store. He didn't seem all that keen for watching the place though. "Oh, hello there, Applejack. My wife had to step out for a bit, so I'm watching the store for her. Can I help you?"

I let Rarity get in the first words. "Actually, we are not here to do business, Mr. Rich. We have come here to alert you to an unfortunate incident involving your…daughter."

Filthy let out a sigh, almost as if he knew what we were getting at. "Oh boy, what happened this time? Must be pretty extreme for you to come see me directly."

I barged past Rarity and told Filthy to his face. "She blackmailed one of our friends inta hidin' in the Everfree Forest! That extreme enough for ya?!"

I normally don't raise my voice, but this warranted an exception. In any case, Filthy looked at me with a look that seemed to show real shock. "Wait… My daughter did WHAT?!"

Rarity explained before I could get anything else in. "You may have noticed that her cutie mark has been missing for a week now. That was the result of our dear friend punishing her for repeatedly tormenting Applejack's and my little sisters. She did not take kindly to that and began to attempt to do him harm every single day since then. Yesterday, she used some convincing information to try to force him into returning her cutie mark. He took the information very seriously and is now hiding in the Everfree Forest. Alone."

Man, that look on Filthy's face said it all. He looked mad, shocked, but ashamed too. I stepped forward and gave him my sternest glare. "Ya heard that right, Filthy. Our friend is out there, alone, barely armed, and with nopony ta back 'im up if he runs inta trouble. Yer daughter's been nothin' but a nuisance ta my sister, but I'm puttin' my hoof down this time! If James gets eaten by a hydra out there, I'm gonna be holdin' ya responsible! Got it?!"

He didn't say anything at first. Rarity then looked at me and spoke, "Applejack, I think you may have gone too far."

I shook my head. At that moment, I didn't give a rotten apple core on what anypony thought. "I don't care. I've been tryin' ta be patient waitin' for Diamond Tiara ta change 'er ways, and she really crossed the line with this last stunt. I ain't gonna soften the blow this time."

Finally, Filthy Rich spoke up while letting out a sigh. "No, it's all right, Miss Rarity… She's right. I've known about my daughter's problems in school for a while now and I thought I was addressing them correctly. I see now that I wasn't being strict enough."

I nodded while making sure to not let up on my criticism. "Yeah. And ya better fix that before she does somethin' even worse. If ya don't, she might end up takin' a knife to 'is throat when we bring 'im home. If he lasts long enough out there, that is…"

He winced at that line. "Good lord, I swear I won't let it come to that. Leave this whole situation to me, Applejack. And thank you for bringing this to my attention." Filthy then smiled before… Heh, I hope he doesn't read this. I know he prefers to be called Rich, but Filthy is first in his name. "In any case, would you like to pick up anything while you're here?"

I didn't have any interest in jewelry at the time, but Rarity seemed to get excited by the offer. "Ooh! Well, if you insist, I've had my eye on some…"

There she went again, what with her prissy pants obsession with fancy stuff! I groaned, "Rarity, we don't got time for that right now. Save it for later!"

Rarity chuckled nervously when I called her out on that. I thought she was finally somepony who sees the big picture by now. "Oh, right… My apologies, Mr. Rich, but we really should be rendezvousing with our friends right now."

He nodded while looking a little calmer than before. "I understand. And once again, I apologize for my daughter's behavior. I swear I won't let her repeat them."

I gave him one last frown to make sure I still had my eye on him and his kid. "Y'all better not. I'm all outta patience with that filly. And good luck with settin' her straight." We then moseyed on outta there and headed back to Twilight's place.

"Did we really have to leave so suddenly, Applejack? There were quite a few trinkets in there I wanted to inspect!" Rarity complained as we walked through town.

I rolled my eyes at her. We might get along pretty well now, but her obsession with stuff like that really grates on my nerves now and then. "Y'all know we don't have time ta indulge in that stuff, Rarity. Besides, didn't James getcha somethin' a few days back?"

Rarity stopped dead in her tracks and raised her right hoof. Had she been wearing that all day without my noticing? "Of course… How could I forget this priceless little keepsake?" It looked like a silver bracelet that had opals all over it.

"Ya wear that all the time?" I asked while looking closely at it. Now that I think about it, she wears that almost everywhere she goes. Guess she must really like it.

"Oh, yes. I wear this at all times. I woke up one morning to find it around my hoof. It turns out that James had purchased it for me without my knowing as a gift for allowing him to stay with me. Such a gentleman." Rarity said while closely inspecting the bracelet.

I chuckled a little at how she didn't stop gawking at it. "He ever ask ya out on a date?"

I can tell I ruffled Rarity's feathers with that one. At least I would've if she was a pegasus. "Oh, him?! Of course not! I mean… I could never get between him and Fluttershy. She's my best friend! But even then…" She looked at her bracelet again, "He is still very dear to me. And I want to see him brought home as soon as possible."

"In that case, enough stallin'! Let's get ta Twilight's place!" I said with a grin. Rarity followed me as I galloped through town before Twilight's house came into view.

All the girls were inside when we went in. Poor Fluttershy still looked worried out of her mind, but good old Pinkie Pie was staying by her to keep her spirits up. In any case, I asked, "Hey there, everypony. Got any news?"

Twilight gave me a smile while the girls gathered around. "I just sent a message to Princess Celestia explaining to her what we discovered as well as what has happened. I even included James and Fluttershy's names."

Rarity didn't seem to like the sound of that idea right off the bat. "Oh dear… Are you sure that was a good idea?"

I wasn't too keen on making their relationship known to the princess just yet either. Last thing we need is a bunch of royal guards showing up at Fluttershy's front door. "Do ya think we should've waited a little longer?"

Spike walked up to me and smiled. "Don't worry about it! She already said she doesn't even know about that law, so…erk…"

Spike wasn't looking too good right there, so I tried to check on him. "What's the matter, Spike? Y'all got somethin' in yer… Whoa, nelly!" I ducked just in time to avoid his fiery burp. Wouldn't be the first time, so I kinda saw it coming.

"I hope it's nothing but good news…" Fluttershy said as the flames turned into a scroll.

Spike grabbed it out of the air and started reading it to us. "Dear Twilight Sparkle… I understand the situation now and am very sorry that you happened to stumble across that law. Please believe me when I say that such prejudice will never be tolerated in Equestria. I have dispatched a platoon of royal guards to search the Everfree Forest by air. When they return, I will update you on the situation immediately. Be strong. Your friend is in good hooves now. And tell Fluttershy that she and your friend have my blessings."

Fluttershy's face brightened right as soon as she heard that last line. "You mean…she's OK with me and James being together?!"

Spike rolled up the scroll and handed it to Twilight. "Looks like it. I don't see what the big deal is anyway."

Pinkie Pie then gave Fluttershy an Ursa hug while squealing as happily as a sow in fresh mud. "You see, Fluttershy?! There's nothing wrong with you and James being sweethearts! Everything's gonna be OK!"

Fluttershy let out a big sigh before returning that hug. "Thank goodness…"

Rainbow Dash then patted her on the back. "Don't worry about anything from now on, Fluttershy. Once they find James, everything's gonna be all right."

I nodded too while letting out a huge sigh of relief. "Well, that takes a load off my chest. And those guards are pretty thorough in search and rescue, if nothin' else. They'll find 'im. I know it."

Rarity smiled while she took a seat on the floor. "Then all we can do is wait. I just hope James doesn't run into trouble before the guards can find him."

Pinkie Pie then spoke up while putting her hoof over Rarity's mouth. "Don't jinx him! What if something's listening?!"

Twilight giggled at that little quip. Some things just don't ever change. "Oh, don't worry about that, Pinkie. Jinxes are the same as curses. And as we've already established, curses aren't real."

That goofy party girl giggled, "Ooh, right. Sorry… Oh, wait! If there's nothing else for us to do, I need to get back to Sugarcube Corner! I think I left the oven on!"

I gulped at that thought. The Cakes would probably kick her out if she set the place on fire! "Whoa! Y'all better get goin' then! Tell the Cakes we said hi!"

Pinkie nodded as she ran for the door, "Will do! I'll tell them just before I bake them!"

We all just looked at her in silence before Fluttershy muttered, "Wait… You don't mean…"

Rainbow Dash groaned while holding her head in her hoof. "Not THOSE kinds of cakes, Pinkie! We meant your bosses!" We all got a good laugh out of that just before Pinkie left.

I then nodded while remembering some things I still had to do. "She's got a point there. I need ta get goin' too. Those apples ain't gonna buck themselves."

Rarity grinned while brushing her mane out of her face. "If James were here, he would likely say 'Of course they can't. They don't have legs.' Am I right?"

Fluttershy got a bit of a giggle out of that one. "Yes, he would say that…" Her smile quickly became a frown though. I could tell why.

I walked over to Fluttershy and laid my hoof on her shoulder. "He's gonna be OK, Fluttershy. How 'bout I walk ya home?"

She looked at me and gave me a smile while somehow still looking a might down. "OK… Thank you, Applejack."

A little bit later, I was on my way back to Fluttershy's cottage with Fluttershy herself by my side. She didn't talk much, but I tried to perk her up with some friendly conversation. "So…uh… Fluttershy. Does James have any pets like you do?"

Fluttershy shook her head before talking. "No… Although he did say he's had lots of pets back home. Like frogs, turtles, a snake, dogs… What else was there?"

I chuckled, never knowing James is such an animal lover. Guess I should introduce him to Winona sometime. In case you don't know, she's my herding dog. "Never knew he was that good with animals. No wonder the two of ya get along so well."

She giggled really softly. "Maybe. He's gotten along very well with all the animals I've introduced him to." I felt relieved I was able to make her smile about something. When Fluttershy's feeling down, I swear everypony feels down. Or maybe that's just me.

The two of us just chatted on and on about all sorts of stuff, but I won't bore you with the details. Probably wouldn't be too enticing anyway. You know, stuff that only sounds interesting between friends. Anyway, we finally made it to Fluttershy's cottage.

"Well, here we are, Fluttershy." I spoke up while surveying the place.

Fluttershy nodded before looking at me. "Thank you for your company, Applejack. That walk and chat did help me feel better."

I gave her a nuzzle all friendly like. "Glad it helped, but don't you fret none. James is gonna be fine now that the royal guards are searchin' for 'im."

She nodded, but also gave me a frown. "I hope so… We've been together for such a short time, but…"

I knew exactly where she was going with that. The girls and I have only known James for one week. Even so, in that short time we've all gotten pretty tight with him. He's a good guy. Even though him and I aren't the closest of buddies, he's still my friend. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a might worried about him at the time.

I patted Fluttershy on the shoulder again to try to reassure her. "Like I said, don't you fret. I'm sure he'll be OK when this is all over."

Fluttershy nodded a bit again, looking a bit more relaxed. I then smiled and said, "Now, I gotta get back to Sweet Apple Acres. Still got plenty of apples ta harvest."

Fluttershy nuzzled me goodbye right on the cheek. "OK… Take care, Applejack. And please let me know if anything happens." I nodded, said my goodbyes, and headed on my way.

Once I got back home, I gathered up a few bushels and dragged them out to the orchard and placed them under a tree that was still chock full of apples. I turned around and gave that tree a buck with both of my hind legs. Sure enough, every last apple fell out of the tree and into the bushels.

I gathered up one of the bushels onto my back and… Aw, who am I kidding? Nopony wants to read about actually harvesting apples. They only wanna eat them! I guess I'll stop writing here. Kind of hard to do that with a heavy bushel on your back anyway. In any case, thanks for reading! Now I gotta get back to work.

* * *

><p>Um… Hello. My name is Fluttershy. I'm the very timid…and pretty yellow pegasus mare who lives just north of Sweet Apple Acres. At least some ponies say I'm pretty… I don't know if I'm pretty… I mean, I guess everypony is entitled to their opinion. I mean, I guess I must be pretty to have become a model for Photo Finish once. I know my boyfriend thinks I'm pretty…<p>

Am I going off topic? I'm sorry… My boyfriend has been writing journals since he showed up in Ponyville one week ago, so I think it would be a good idea if I did it too. A lot has happened today, so it seems journal worthy too. If you want to read what happened today, you can keep reading. But you don't have to if you don't want to. I can't make you read it, but… It's OK if you don't want to read it…

I'm sorry. It's just that today has been very stressful for me. My boyfriend, James, disappeared in the night. When I woke, up, I found… Oh, wait. I think Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack already wrote journals of their own today. Maybe I should just skip ahead to parts that haven't been mentioned yet.

Applejack had walked me home from Twilight's house after we got word back from Princess Celestia. When she left, I tried to do something to take my mind off of my stress. I had already fed all the animals around my home for the morning. What else could I do?

I noticed one of my chickens wandering around by the side of my cottage. Was that Elizabeak? Oh, of course it was. She gets out more often than any of my other chickens. I walked over to her and smiled before lowering my face to her. "And where do you think you're going, young lady?"

Elizabeak looked right up at me, but then went to pecking at the ground as she walked away from me. I didn't want her to get lost with the Everfree Forest being so close by, so I did the only thing I could think of to get her back to the coop. I jumped in front of her and gave her my 'Stare'. She froze in her tracks and started to back away from me.

"Go on, Elizabeak. Time to go back to the coop." I spoke while making sure to keep my Stare going. She turned and started fluttering back to the coop while making such cute soft little clucking sounds. "Such a good chicken."

I made sure to close the pen once I got her back inside. But before I left, I noticed the empty pail next to the coop. "The eggs… I forgot to collect them this morning." Well, at least I found something to do that should keep me busy.

I hovered over to the entrance to the coop and crawled inside. It was hard for me to get in while carrying the pail in my mouth, so I hooked the pail's handle on my tail and pulled it inside after me. All of the chickens were outside, so there was no one to get in the way.

I had no trouble collecting the eggs and putting them in the pail. I guess I could go into detail on how I did it… Wait, I don't think most ponies would be interested in reading about that. I mean, I wouldn't mind writing it. It's just… Most would probably find it boring. I'm sorry.

I carried the pail of eggs into my cottage and took them to the kitchen. But once I was done there and came back into the living room, my eyes fell upon the bottom of the stairs. That… That was where I found the note James wrote…

Oh, I think I forgot to mention him. James is my boyfriend. He's a human… I did not know that humans even existed until I met him. He was so timid when we first met… So sensitive… Just like me.

He has been so sweet to me ever since we met… I liked how quickly he opened up to me when we first met. He made such a good first impression with me. He has never belittled us ponies even though he's completely different from us. Well…except for that one time at the park, but that was just a slip of the tongue. I know he didn't mean to say it like that…

He has never tried to use or take advantage of me. He is always very patient with me. Most other stallions would just push me around and make me do things for them… I love him… I love him so much. I don't care if there is a law forbidding us from being together. I love him!

I felt tears trickling down my face as I remembered him. I knew that there were royal guards trying to find him out there in the Everfree Forest. But…I couldn't stop worrying. What if they don't find him in time? What if that hydra finds him again? What if…

I collapsed from the stress I was feeling. I buried my face in my forelegs and just cried. James… I miss you… Please don't die out there…

I'm not sure how long I stayed there. I may have cried myself to sleep. I woke up when I felt someone tapping me on my leg. When I looked up, I found Angel looking at me with a very worried expression.

"Angel… I'm sorry if I worried you…" I muttered weakly. Angel has always been very supportive of me whenever I have had a bad day. In any case, he pointed at the front door. There was a knock a second later. "Who could that be?"

I hurried over to the door and opened it. And standing outside was my best friend, Rarity. I must have been asleep for a while. The sky was dark and the moon was hanging in the sky. "Oh, Rarity! What brings you out here?" I asked with a smile. I did not want her to know I had been crying.

"Oh, I came out here to let you know we finally received word from Princess Celestia! Maybe they found him!" She exclaimed with a very excited smile on her face.

Already?! I gasped, "They have?! Really?!" I felt my heart leap at those words. I was almost expecting to see him within the hour. James was coming home!

However, Rarity frowned slightly right away. "Well, I can't say for sure. Twilight sent word to us before she read the scroll. She wants us all present at her home when she reads it."

I ran out the door and down the path in front of my house. I could not wait! "Then let's go! Hurry!"

Rarity closed the door and ran after me. "Goodness, Fluttershy! I have never seen you get this worked up about anything!"

I could only reply with a smile, "My boyfriend is probably coming home tonight. I have every right to be this excited!"

We ran through Ponyville without stopping for anything. Maybe… Maybe James was already at Twilight's house by now! I must have been excited since Rarity was having a hard time catching up to me. "Darling, wait up! I'm excited that he might be all right too, but I'm… Just please wait!"

I could not bring myself to stop running. But I did at least wait for Rarity to catch up to me before going into Twilight's house. She had her head hanging low, a lot of sweat dripping off of her. Was she sprinting the whole way? "Um… Just how fast was I going?" I asked, worried that I had made Rarity mad at me.

She panted, "Oh no, of…course not… It is…perfectly understandable why…you are so…invigorated to…hurry over here…" After taking a deep breath, she then smiled at me. "But now that we're here, let's not delay."

I pushed the door open and ran inside. "James?! Honey?!" I could not help shouting.

"Whoa, easy there, Fluttershy! He's not here yet!" Rainbow Dash spoke while looking at me. All four of my friends were present, but James was nowhere to be seen…

Applejack frowned while she adjusted her hat. "Sorry, Fluttershy. I know ya had yer hopes up, but we haven't even looked at what Princess Celestia sent us yet. We were waitin' for ya and Rarity ta show up first."

I sighed while I looked at the floor. "Oh… I see. Then the message?"

Spike then held up a scroll and said, "It's right here!"

Rarity then stepped forward. She looked very determined. "Then let's not wait any longer."

Twilight smiled while looking at our cute little dragon friend and asked, "Spike, if you don't mind?"

Spike nodded and unfurled the scroll. It was pretty big too. It was probably twice Spike's height. "OK… Um… Dear Twilight, the royal guards I sent out to search the Everfree Forest were ordered to return to Canterlot as soon as the sun had set. When they returned, they provided me with the information they had amassed out there. As it turns out, they found James."

I could not contain myself at those words. I jumped and hovered for a second while squealing out my joy. "YES!"

"Hehehee, take it easy, Fluttershy! We haven't heard the rest yet!" Pinkie Pie said with a giggle while looking up at me.

I think I may have blushed when I landed and folded my wings. "Sorry… It's just…"

Twilight shook her head while smiling at me. "No need to apologize, Fluttershy. Spike, please continue."

Spike looked back at the scroll and continued speaking. "Unfortunately, they were not able to reach him. They stumbled across him entirely by chance as they were evacuating upon nightfall. What is more, it seems he was being pursued by…some sort of dark creatures. I had instructed the guards to not engage in combat of any sort, so they did not render assistance."

I felt my heart race. James…was in danger?! I felt weak and began to sway, but Spike then spoke, "Do not fear though. He was easily able to outrun them. What is more, I think I have a good idea of where he is at this moment. At the time they saw him, James seemed to be heading in the direction of the castle ruins where you and your friends defeated Nightmare Moon. I am certain he will be safe there for the night. If he is as smart as I suspect he is, he will remain there until tomorrow."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness… He was still in the Everfree Forest, but at least he would be safe tonight. But…wait. If the guards found him, why did they not try to bring him home? Almost as if Princess Celestia knew what I was thinking, Spike spoke aloud again. "Please understand why the guards did not evacuate James when they found him. With how deep he was in the Everfree Forest at the time, it would have been very hazardous to escort him through the forest and an airlift would have been difficult due to his size and with the canopy in the way. Especially with creatures like his pursuers lurking about."

Applejack spoke up while flexing her neck. "Well, that explains a lot."

Spike then spoke, "I think this is the last part… Twilight, I feel this situation requires my personal attention. Tomorrow morning, Luna and I will be paying a visit to Ponyville. Please do not worry. I assure you no harm will come to your friend. I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow as well as meeting your new friend. Her royal highness, Princess Celestia."

Twilight gasped in excitement. "Both of the princesses are coming tomorrow?! That's amazing! We almost never see them together!"

Pinkie Pie added, "At least now we know James is OK out there. But how will we get him home tomorrow?"

Rainbow Dash smirked while patting her hoof against her chest. "That's easy! Fluttershy and I will fly out to those ruins and tell him the good news! Right, Fluttershy?"

At any other time, I would have been terrified to go that deep into the Everfree Forest. But if we stayed above the canopy… And if it was to bring my boyfriend home… I nodded with a smile. "That sounds like a good plan."

Rarity then smiled at me . "You two take care when you head out. Stay above the treetops."

Applejack then said, "They ain't goin' yet, Rarity. And James ain't goin' anywhere 'til mornin'. So we can wait."

Twilight nodded in agreement. "Yes, it would be dangerous to try to get him out of there at this hour. Although I am curious what those dark creatures were that Princess Celestia mentioned…"

After a second, a scary thought entered my mind. I gasped, "Do you think they were…Changelings?"

Pinkie Pie shook her head. "Nah! Changelings can fly! There's no way James could've outrun those!"

I smiled a bit. She was right. Changelings do have wings. "Good point."

Rarity then asked, "Well, it is starting to get rather late. What should we do now?"

Twilight looked towards a bookshelf and used her magic to bring a book to us. "Let's figure out exactly which way to go when Rainbow and Fluttershy go to get James tomorrow. We all know where the Everfree Forest is, but the castle ruins is what we need to find specifically."

She opened the book to what looked like a really old map. "Aha! Right there! The ruins are directly west. All you need to do is keep flying west and you'll find it. Also, you remember how they were in a wide-open area with no trees covering them, right? That should make them easy to spot."

Rainbow Dash nodded while showing a determined smirk. "Easy peasy! This'll be a snap!

I smiled while feeling so much more confident. "Yes, it does seem like a very simple approach. We shouldn't have any trouble at all."

Applejack then spoke while yawning. "Then it's settled. We're countin' on ya girls ta find 'im tomorrow. But anyway, it's getting' late and I need ta close up the barn before bed. Let's all see this through in the mornin', all right?"

Twilight replied while rubbing her eyes, "Sounds like a plan. See you all tomorrow, everypony. I'll let you know if anything comes up."

"Oki doki loki! See ya tomorrow, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie replied happily. One by one, we all headed out the door and went home.

Right now, it's very late. I'm… What is wrong with me? It is very late. Maybe around midnight by now. I am resting in bed, but I just can't sleep…

I'm looking at the other side of my bed. No one is there… It feels so lonely to be sleeping in my bed alone after sleeping with the man I love more than once. I know he is safe right now, but…

I love him so much… I want him to come home. But I'm so tired too… I think I will try taking some sleep aids.

OK, I just had some sleep aids. Maybe now I can get to sleep. But I'm still so worried. Maybe if I try thinking happy thoughts… Thoughts of James… I can almost feel him holding me… Running his fingers through my mane.

I hope this little journal thing wasn't boring to read. I mean, I think some ponies might have thought it was boring. I mean, I guess it's OK if you think it's boring. I just wanted to get my feelings down on paper. I hope I did a good job.

I'm going to sleep now. If anypony is reading this, good night. Or if it is morning, good morning. Or good afternoon? Well, in any case, thank you for reading. I just hope this whole mess works out in the end. I just want everything to go back to normal…..


	10. From Bane to Boon

I awoke to the sounds of birds chirping. Through the screen mesh that covered the head section of my sleeping bag, I could see the sturdy stone walls of the castle tower I had taken shelter in the previous night. "Right… I'm still in the Everfree Forest somewhere…" I muttered as I tried to reach for the zipper that held my sleeping bag shut.

To my bewilderment, I could not grasp the zipper. In fact, I could not even feel my fingers! "Did I get frostbite last night? It wasn't THAT chilly out!" I grumbled rather loudly as I found that I was literally trapped inside the confines of my own sleeping bag. It was difficult to see into it, so I doubt any predators would think that the bag was alive or had anything living inside it if I remained still. I was safe inside my sleeping bag, but…I had to go. You know what I mean by that.

Wondering how I would get out of this predicament, I remembered that I was not alone. I gazed upward, trying to make out any movement in the corners of the ceiling. It did not take me long to detect a familiar billowing shadow mixed in with the other shadows. "Nightmare Moon? If you're up there, could you come down here for a moment?"

The shadow responded to my voice and began to creep down the wall while staying out of the sunlight. To allow Nightmare Moon to reach me, I managed to roll my sleeping bag with myself still in it over and into one of the shadows. I watched as the shadow drew closer. Once it came close enough, a familiar teal eye opened in the pitch-black shadow, staring at me silently.

"Thank you. Now, I hope it's not too much trouble, but could you please open my sleeping bag if you can? I can't seem to grab the zipper anymore." I asked while hoping the royal unicorn…pegasus… What do you even call a pony that has the wings of a pegasus and the horn of a unicorn? Regardless, I tried to be as polite as possible since I was speaking to a princess.

Nightmare Moon's beautiful teal eye's gaze seemed to shift down slightly as I felt the warmth of her shadowy form creep over my sleeping bag. In a moment, I heard the recognizable sound of a zipper being undone. Once the sound stopped, I pushed my head forward to move the flap out of the way. And for some strange reason, I had a much harder time than before getting myself out of it. What was wrong with my body?

Once I was out of my sleeping bag, I attempted to stand up. But for some reason, I immediately lost balance and fell right back down onto my…hands? "What the…" The sound I heard when I fell onto my hands was very familiar… The sound of hooves clopping… Oh no…

I looked down at my hands and found that they had somehow become hooves. My arms were coated with a pale tan coat. Wait… A coat?! I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized that the pot lid I had tied to my arm was no longer there. Knowing it was still in my sleeping bag, I stuck my head inside and pulled it out by my teeth. It was tricky getting it to land on its top, but I managed. The underside was somewhat reflective, so I could see my reflection in it to a certain degree. But when I looked at my reflection, I did not see a young human man looking back at me. Instead, I saw…..a pony.

My eyes were quite large and I had an angular muzzle like most stallions do. My mane was the same shade of brown as my hair, so I suspected my tail was too. Of course, this was far from a pleasant surprise. The only words I could say were, "Are…you…KIDDING ME?!"

I swear I could almost hear Nightmare Moon laughing at my reaction. If I did not know better, I would have assumed she had caused the change with some magic. But I strongly doubted that there is a spell that could cause a creature to change into an entirely different one. Nor could I find any reason in her doing so. Something else must have caused this change. And by god, I pray that it is only temporary. I simply cannot imagine life without my hands.

It was a struggle getting out of my pants. I did not want to be seen naked, but they just did not feel right on me. My socks were no easier to yank off either, but I was especially frustrated that the change in my body mass had torn my shirt open. It fell right off me without trouble. "I guess I better ask Rarity for a new one when I get home… If I can ever go home..." I said while I grumbled under my breath.

Once I had climbed to my feet again, I pondered just how I was supposed to walk on all fours. I tried taking a step, but I immediately stumbled and staggered to my side. I froze as I heard a loud crack. "Oh man, what now?"

I looked down as I raised my right hind leg. Under my foot…hoof…whatever, were my glasses. Or rather, what was left of them. The lenses were cracked and the frame had been twisted. In other words, they were ruined. And it did not help that my eyes as a pony were hardly any better than as a human. Needless to say, this pushed my anger and frustration to a new level.

"Oh, come on! What's next?! What else can go wrong today?!" I even broke down in frustrated laughter, utterly overwhelmed by my very big stroke of bad luck. I began to awkwardly laugh in irritation. "This is too much! Why this? What kinda sick joke is this?"

As I lied on the stone floor in frustration, I thought I heard a voice speak up. The shadow of Nightmare Moon must have heard it too since she hurried up into the shadows on the ceiling. I remained still while I looked towards the stairwell at the opposite end of the chamber.

"Are you sure he would really make it this far? It's an awfully long way from Ponyville for one person to go, even though we did the same in one night." One voice spoke in a very familiar quiet tone that echoed up the stairwell ahead of me. Fluttershy. What was she doing all the way out here?! She, more than anyone I know, would never dare enter the Everfree Forest alone! But wait… She was talking to someone?

"Yeah, I know it sounds like a bit of a stretch. But this is one of the safest places in the forest! If I was him, I'd sit the night out here too!" A more boisterous woman's voice replied. I know that tone anywhere. It was Rainbow Dash.

As thrilled as I was to hear my friend and lover approaching, I was also embarrassed by my new form. I could not let them see me like this. In a very clumsy fashion, I clambered over to a collapsed support pillar and hid behind it.

"James, are ya here?!" Rainbow Dash called out as I heard her footsteps draw closer.

Fluttershy spoke next; raising her voice the best she could as it echoed down the long chamber. "You don't have to be afraid anymore! The princesses abolished that law! We can be together again!"

My heart swelled with excitement at those words. As I had hoped, Princess Celestia had indeed been wise enough to see how flawed and oppressive such a law is. I very nearly jumped up to call out to them, but managed to restrain myself out of fear of what they would do upon seeing me. Would they ever believe that someone who was human the previous night was now a pony? My guess? Not very likely.

The two pegasi walked slowly down the throne room, steadily drawing near. I feared that they would peek behind the pillar I was hiding behind as I covered my head with my arms…or rather forelegs. However, Rainbow Dash gasped soon after. "Oh man… Fluttershy, I think you better see this!"

My lover replied in just mild alarm, "What did you find, Rainbow?"

The brash pegasus mare then spoke with what sounded like fear in her voice. "I think we're too late… Look at this. Something ripped right through James' shirt and smashed his glasses!"

I froze. She had found my torn shirt and crushed pair of glasses. The last thing I wanted was for my friends to think I was dead. I was about to stand up and call out, but Fluttershy then spoke up. "Um… Wouldn't there be a lot more blood around here if something killed him?"

Blood? I suppose I should not be surprised about Fluttershy's knowledge of predatory behavior since she is very knowledgeable when it comes to animals of all kinds. Fluttershy then continued to speak while apparently analyzing her surroundings. "It doesn't look like there was a struggle. I don't think James was hurt. Maybe he just got careless and stepped on his glasses by mistake."

"You don't know the half of it, dear…" I grumbled under my breath while trying to keep my voice down.

Rainbow Dash replied after a moment of seemingly thinking her words over. "Now that you mention it… Yeah! There's no way James would go down that easily! Not with that knife he had! He's fine! Probably just went outside to…uh…"

Fluttershy then proceeded to finish her friend's sentence. "Use the bathroom?"

That got Rainbow Dash to snicker. "Yeah, maybe. He probably didn't go that far." I then heard the sound of what sounded like plastic hitting the floor. "I'll hold onto his glasses. Whatcha say we take them back home to be fixed?"

I heard Fluttershy reply, "I think he'd like that. The poor thing probably can't see a thing without them." Her assumption was actually rather far from the truth. My vision is certainly not perfect, but it is not THAT bad. Although my left eye is worse than my right for some reason. But I digress.

"OK then, just follow my lead." Rainbow Dash said as I heard her footsteps. I peeked out from behind the pillar and watched as the two pegasi headed towards the stairwell at the opposite end of the throne room. I silently thanked them for taking my glasses to Ponyville for repairs as they are the only pair I had.

Once I was alone again, I pondered how I would place my saddlebags onto my back. I know that is how they are meant to be worn, but just how do I pick them up? In any case, I managed to place everything I had into their respective bags. Getting my sleeping bag's sack onto my back with my saddlebags took a good deal of experimenting. I managed to slide the two straps of the sack past one of the saddlebags, effectively placing it right in the middle of the band that connected the two saddlebags. Actually getting the saddlebags to hang off my sides was a challenge, but I succeeded by pushing my head under the band and sliding it down my neck until it was on my back.

As I prepared to leave, I looked up at the remains of Nightmare Moon that were billowing in the shadows in the corners of the ceiling. "Thank you for watching over me, Nightmare Moon. I hope we can chat again someday." As I walked…..or rather staggered towards the stairwell, I could swear that Nightmare Moon's shadow was…bigger than it was the previous night. Was I just imagining it?

I was very hesitant to walk down the stone stairs that led outside, as my new hooves did not offer the kind of traction my shoes did. "Crap… Easy, Jimbo…" I grumbled as I tenderly took one step at a time, still not used to my new posture. "Whoever pulled this on me is getting a boot to the head…"

It probably took me over five minutes just to get down every last step, from the top of the stairwell to the very bottom outside the tower. Or it at least felt that way. I first made my way back over to the rope bridge that led back over into the bulk of the Everfree Forest. Although I was lower to the ground and less likely to topple over, I was still very intimidated by the deep ravine. The fact that I still had not become accustomed to walking on all fours did not help my confidence either. One stumble and I would very easily fall between the planks or even right over the side.

Of course, that was not the only reason why I was so hesitant to cross. The fear that the zombie ponies from Sunny Town were still prowling the Everfree Forest up ahead was still prevalent in my mind. If I encountered one, I would never be able to run away in my current condition.

I froze as I suddenly felt something tap me on my butt…or should I say flank? Regardless, I was not accustomed to being touched there. "Excuse me, mister. Are you lost?" A little girl's voice asked. It sounded strangely familiar too.

I carefully turned around to face the owner of the voice. Standing behind me was a familiar gray filly with glowing yellow eyes. "Phew… Don't spook me like that, Ruby." I spoke with a sigh, glad to see a familiar face.

Not surprisingly, Ruby did not seem to recognize me since I clearly was not the same human she had met the previous night. "How do you know my name? And…hey! You're one of those ponies from Sunny Town! Your flank is blank!"

I sighed and rolled my eyes in minor irritation. "No, I am not. And I know you don't recognize me, but I'm James. You know, the human guy you helped last night?"

Ruby paused for a moment while she examined me with a focused stare. "Oh… I was wondering why you have James' stuff. And you sound just like him too… But…um… Why are you a pony now, Mr. James?"

I was hardly surprised to find that I did not have a cutie mark. But it made sense that I did not since I was still technically a human. Regardless, I replied with a frown. "Your guess is as good as mine. I woke up like this. You wouldn't happen to know what might've caused this, do you?"

The ghost filly shook her head. "Nope. Sorry. I've never seen this happen to anypony before. It's weird."

As I looked back over across the bridge, I asked, "Um… Ruby? Do you know if those zombie ponies are active at this hour?"

My little friend smiled before saying, "Them? No, they're always in Sunny Town during the day. And even then, they rarely leave at night."

This relieved me greatly. I had nothing to worry about once I crossed over to the other side. "That's all I needed to know, Ruby. Thanks." I said with a smile as I began to make my way across the bridge.

The process was long and tedious. Since I was very clumsy with my hoofed feet, I had to gingerly watch my every step to make certain I had set my foot down on one of the wooden planks before taking another step. Ruby was clearly irritated by my slow progress as she called out, "What's wrong, Mr. James?! You're taking way too long!"

Before I replied, I noticed that the voice seemed to come from ahead of me instead of behind me. I paused where I was standing and looked ahead. Ruby was already on the other side of the ravine, even though I had gone first and was still not on the other side. "Ghosts have it easy, I guess…" I muttered under my breath.

The instant I set foot on solid ground, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Man, I miss my hands and feet."

Ruby smiled while letting out a very brief giggle. "Well, at least you didn't fall. It's a really long way down back there."

I grumbled at the thought. While I have never been afraid of heights, I do have a fear of falling. "Don't remind me. In any case, which way to Ponyville?"

My friend gazed at my with a puzzled expression and asked, "Um… Where?"

Figures. She has probably never gone very far from Sunny Town before. At least I assume she lived there at the time of her death. I then asked, "Well… Which way to the eastern edge of the Everfree Forest?"

She pointed directly into the forest and said, "Over there, I think."

I smiled slightly at those words. "OK. Thanks. I need to get back home. And it's gonna be a long walk with these klutzy legs of mine."

Ruby giggled and smiled at me before speaking, "Well, it's been nice meeting you, James! If you ever come this far into the Everfree Forest again, say hi if you see me!" I nodded and waved goodbye before heading on my way.

I have no idea how long I spent staggering through the trees. No matter what I did, I could never get used to walking on all fours. In fact, I found it easier for me to walk BACKWARDS as opposed to forward. Of course, that turned out to be a bad idea since I could not see where I was going very easily even with a longer and more flexible neck. And at one point, a dead branch had fallen in my way and I could not see that it was partially sticking up from my point of view. And since I was not wearing anything when I backed into it….. I will just say I now know why stallions seldom walk backwards. Ouch…

I am uncertain just how long I had been walking (though it was more like limping for a while after that branch poked me between the…..never mind), but I suspect it was around noon before I tripped and fell for the umpteenth time. "Son of a… How many more tumbles am I gonna take?!"

I was far too frustrated to move or even attempt to walk, so I just decided to rest where I had fallen. However, a few minutes later, I thought I heard footsteps approaching me. "Great… What is it this time?" I grumbled under my breath. When I looked up, I noticed what seemed to be a cloaked pony coming my way. The body and head was covered by a brown cloak, but the legs and the muzzle were in plain sight.

As the pony approached me, I noticed five gold bangles being worn on the left foreleg. The muzzle seemed to be as angular as my own, but not as long and was mostly black. But what caught my eye the most was the color pattern of the coat. It was mostly a very light gray with dark gray stripes while the black hooves were plainly visible. The cloaked pony looked down at me, displaying its turquoise eyes. Recognizing the color patterns of the coat, I spoke, "A zebra in a forest? I thought you preferred the savannahs."

The zebra replied with a voice that was clearly female, but spoke with a very heavy African accent that was surprisingly deep in tone. "How did you come this far into the Everfree? Was it, by chance, to speak to me?"

I replied after a second of scanning the zebra above me, "I don't even know who you….. Wait a sec… You're a zebra… Ze…" It was then that I recalled what the Cutie Mark Crusaders once told me. "Zebra. Zecora. You're Zecora, right?"

The zebra smiled at the mention of the name. "Indeed I am, for you correctly assume. Did you learn my name from little Apple Bloom?"

One thing I learned very quickly about Zecora is that she has a habit of almost always speaking in rhyme. Not that I found it annoying. It actually suits her mysterious nomadic character quite well. In any case, I replied, "Yes, I first heard your name from Apple Bloom. Or was it from Sweetie Belle? Or maybe Scootaloo? Anyway, it was from one of them. But I'm not out here to see you. It's…a long depressing story."

I tried climbing to my feet, but staggered about once again before I could regain my balance. Zecora then asked, "Such an erratic and clumsy stance. Were you always this way, by any chance?"

I sighed, "No. I woke up to find myself like this. It's almost like someone played some kinda joke on me. And I'm not liking it!"

Zecora circled me for a moment, as if to examine me. "A prank of sorts? This prank of which you spoke. Could it be that the cause is Poison Joke?"

Poison…..what? "Poison Joke? What's that?" I asked, baffled by the strange name.

The zebra explained, "It is a plant similar to poison oak. Only instead of causing harm, its effects are like a joke. It is a flower most blue. When touched, it plays a joke on you."

….Of all the… That random patch of blue flowers I found the previous day. THAT was Poison Joke?! "Are you saying just touching that crap was enough to turn me into this?!" I yelled, evermore frustrated that I brought this 'prank' upon myself.

Zecora chuckled at my frustration, "A most bothersome predicament, to be sure. But you are in luck as I happen to know of a cure."

I think I felt my ears flick at Zecora's words. "A cure? Really? Well, whip me up a batch! Where do I find it?"

My new zebra friend smiled and motioned with her head for me to follow. "All of my brews are concocted within my home. Let us go, so you may feel more welcome." She led on with me stumbling behind her all the way. Once we came to a path, I noticed rows of the so-called Poison Joke lining the edges. I grumbled to myself, almost feeling that the blue flowers were laughing at me.

After some trekking through the forest, we came to what seemed to be a lone tree that was rather big around with a door on one part. Its outer form was very strange and spread out. And the door combined with the two windows almost made the 'house' appear to be looking at us with a face of sorts. An African style ceremonial mask hung over the doorway that seemed to depict an equine face. An even larger mask of similar design was sticking out of the ground to the left. Lastly, numerous different colored bottles were hanging from the larger branches of the tree. "Interesting home you have here, Zecora."

My guide led me indoors where I saw the interior design. The inside of the tree had been very effectively hollowed out. Many bottles of different shapes and colors lined the shelves that protruded from the walls. A few more ceremonial masks hung from the upper walls while facing the center of the main room. And sitting in the middle of the room was an empty cauldron. With the house being a hollowed-out tree and Zecora giving off the vibe of a wise and knowledgeable person, I felt I was in the home of the Everfree Forest's version of Twilight Sparkle.

"Make yourself at home, friend. I won't be long. I shall help pass the time with an old folk song." Zecora spoke as she cast off her cloak. It was then that I got a good look at the zebra pony. She was not like a zebra from my world, as she seemed to be predominantly light gray with numerous black stripes and patterns adorning her coat instead of being absolutely covered in black and white stripes. Her mane was styled into a Mohawk with evenly spaced black and white bars. She also had a cutie mark, which depicted a spiraled sun. Like on her foreleg, she was wearing five gold bangles around her neck that brought to mind a certain African tribe I had read about years ago. And hanging from each ear were large round golden earrings. While certainly a very mysterious individual, Zecora in my eyes radiated a type of simplistic nomadic beauty I had never felt from any woman before. Truly a one-of-a-kind person of the region.

As she filled the cauldron with various tonics and herbs, I heard Zecora chanting a type of song with lyrics I could not decipher. Possibly Swahili in origin, but I could not say for certain. With nothing else to do, I slid off my saddlebags and took a seat against the wall while surveying my surroundings.

Zecora set a fire under the cauldron once it seemed full to warm the contents before use. But I soon noticed her looking my way with an unusual stare. In response, I asked, "Um… Yes?"

She replied, "Most ponies are frightened when they behold me for the first time. Do you not feel the same, new friend of mine?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "No, I'm not afraid of you at all. You're different from the ponies I've met so far, but I find that difference to be fascinating. You're a very interesting person, Zecora. And I find you to be good company."

Zecora retorted while showing a warm smile, "Such open-mindedness is rare in Ponyville. It is almost as if you hail from another world." I would have told her that I was indeed from another world, but I doubt she would have believed me.

We continued to chat a while longer, with Zecora speaking in rhyme more often than not. But before long, the tonic in the cauldron began to bubble as it neared boiling temperature. Zecora responded by dumping a pitcher of water onto the embers, causing a plume of steam to fill her home. She quickly tasted the deep green tonic before nodding, "The perfect temperature for ending the Poison Joke's game…" But she then asked, "But first, may I know your name?"

I was surprised that I had forgotten to introduce myself. Even though I knew Zecora's name before meeting her, I had never bothered telling her mine. "Oh, whoops… It's James."

My name seemed to surprise Zecora since she frowned in thought. "James… A type of name that almost sounds….. No, it couldn't be. But first, immerse yourself in the brew." This was one of the few times she spoke without rhyming once. At least in my presence.

I approached the cauldron and managed to stand up on its rim with all four of my feet. I then slowly submerged myself into the green tonic. Despite the fact that it was bubbling, I found the temperature to not be at boiling level. I was able to completely fit my body into the cauldron and even submerge my head. In seconds, I suddenly regained the feeling in my fingers. I tried wiggling them, feeling them move. An immense sensation of relief filled me, grateful that Zecora had whipped up a cure for my troubles. But while my head was under the surface, I think I heard what sounded like the hut's door opening forcefully. The sound was heavily muffled, but I am certain that is what it was.

Once I felt I had been in the tonic long enough, I raised my head and upper body out of the cauldron. The tonic was very thin and slid off my upper body like water. But the instant I surfaced, a familiar voice shouted, "HWAAAAH! What the hay are you cooking up this time, Zecora?!"

My host replied calmly, "A wayward soul in need of aid. So a visit to my home he paid." I looked past Zecora, who was standing between the front door and me. And standing at the front door was Rainbow Dash.

I felt my heart leap at the sight of the rainbow-maned pegasus. "Hey there, Rainbow. Are my glasses all fixed?"

She replied in surprise, "What the… James?! How'd you… And how'd you know I took your glasses back home for repairs?!"

I chuckled at her bewilderment. "I was in the old throne room when you and Fluttershy came looking for me. I heard everything you said. Including Fluttershy saying that it's safe for me to come home."

However, Rainbow Dash did not seem pleased with me hiding from her back then. "You were there all along?! Then why didn't you say something?! I was worried sick, especially when I found your shirt torn open and your glasses smashed!" She sounded fairly angry with me, and I could not fault her.

I replied hesitantly while feeling anxious, "You wouldn't have recognized me at the time. That Poison Joke crap messed up my looks, to say the least."

Rainbow Dash's expression went from angry to amused in an instant. "Oh boy, you touched it? I guess I should've warned you about that stuff." The two of us had a good laugh, as coming in contact with that plant made for a very interesting day. However, I soon noticed Zecora giving me a very wary gaze.

"Uh… Zecora? What's with the glare?" I asked while finding that expression to be very unlike her.

The zebra replied as her expression darkened, "A human… So I see. A ruthless race tainted with treachery."

It was an awkward moment, seeing my friendly host suddenly refer to my kind with such a harsh outlook. But how did she know exactly what I am even though she more than likely had never seen a human before? Rainbow Dash seemed equally puzzled as she asked, "Treachery? Ruthless? What're you getting at, Zecora? James is nothing like that!"

Zecora spoke with her deep bold voice while showing a rather grim look in her eyes. "Tales of yore told by my people around the fire. Of a time centuries past where there was much ire. Humanity lived with ponies in harmony for a time. But that harmony was shattered by human crime. They betrayed and invaded their friends' settlements, only to have the entire human race face swift and harsh judgment."

From what I could tell, Zecora seemed to know what she was talking about. And her nomadic tone of voice only added more impact to her words. Even though I had found no proof behind her claims, it is highly likely that Zecora's people, like the African tribal people of my world, place great importance on the stories and legends of the ancient past and keep them known and accurate with frequent use of word of mouth. Which meant…..there was likely much truth to this legend she had just spoke of. No wonder such a law had been passed...

I remained silent, uncertain of how to respond to Zecora's story. But Rainbow Dash came to my defense as she spoke up loudly while holding up an arm in front of me, "Hey, don't go calling James a traitor! He's way loyal to us! We've only known him for a week, but he's still a great friend! I don't know what humans did in Equestria in the past and I don't care! All I know is that James is a really good guy. I wouldn't have come all the way out here to find him yesterday if he wasn't."

Zecora looked at me, then back at Rainbow Dash, and then back at me. She then asked, "The pegasus of rainbows seems to have high praise for you. But do you share her praise for ponies too?"

I felt unsure if I should toot my own horn, so I instead turned to Rainbow Dash. "I'd say it myself, but I think Rainbow Dash here could vouch for me better. Care to do the honors, Rainbow?"

My friend nodded and looked back at Zecora. "Sure thing. Like I said, we've only known him for one week. But a few days ago, he and Fluttershy became sweethearts! Would someone who looks down on ponies ever fall in love with one?"

Zecora stared at me with wide eyes, prompting me to avert my eyes in nervousness. "Is it true? Romance with Fluttershy?" The zebra asked. I silently replied with a nod. In response, Zecora smiled warmly, "Now I see where your loyalties lie."

I looked at Zecora as she bowed her head. "To think that I judged you merely with a look. I should have remembered my own advice to never judge the cover of a book."

I smiled and waved my hand at her. "If that's your way of apologizing for mistaking me for someone who looks down on ponies, I forgive you."

Before we could discuss anything further, I heard what sounded like a small motor buzzing while steadily growing louder. "Is that who I think it is?" I asked as Zecora and Rainbow Dash looked towards the front door.

The motorized sound suddenly came to a stop right outside Zecora's home. A very familiar voice then asked, "Are you sure this is the place, Apple Bloom? I'd hate to get lost here!"

A little girl's voice replied with a noticeable southern accent, "Yup! I know my way ta Zecora's place like the back of my hoof! Let's see if she's home."

A third little girl's voice spoke as there was a knock on the door. "Miss Zecora? Are you home? And have you seen a human guy wearing glasses around here?"

Rainbow Dash answered the door and grinned at our three guests. "If his name's James, you're in the right place!" She then stepped out of the way to show the three Cutie Mark Crusaders standing in the doorway.

Before I could say anything, all three of the fillies charged at me while shouting my name simultaneously. They tried to climb up the cauldron to reach me, but only Scootaloo had enough drive to reach me as she vaulted up the side and leapt into my arms. She did not say anything at first. She merely held me in a tight embrace while shuddering slightly. "Sis…?" I asked, concerned by her prolonged silence.

Sweetie Belle spoke up first. "We got worried when Applejack said you couldn't make it to the meeting two days ago. And we got REALLY worried when we didn't see you at all yesterday."

Apple Bloom was the next to speak. "Applejack told us y'all ran away ta keep Fluttershy safe or somethin'. But wow, y'all should've seen the look on Diamond Tiara's face when Miss Cheerilee called 'er outta class! Priceless!"

Rainbow Dash spoke next with a smirk, "When I got back to Ponyville and told the others what you told me, they were miffed! But then again, I was too. We went straight to the schoolhouse and talked to Cheerilee." She then snickered, "Man, you should've heard her when she called Diamond Tiara out of class. Never thought I'd ever hear her sound mad about anything."

"And her story?" I asked, curious of what they got out of the little bully.

Rainbow replied, "Well, she never expected you to run away, that's for sure. She also didn't know that Princess Celestia already knew about what you did. But in any case… She won't be bothering you again anytime soon. We made sure her parents knew about EVERYTHING she's done lately. Needless to say, they weren't happy."

I could not help snickering under my breath at those words. "I'm guessing their punishment for her is no cutie mark for a month?" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle laughed with Rainbow Dash. However, Scootaloo remained silent. I noticed the lack of a verbal response from her and asked, "Scoot? Are you sick or something?"

The little tomboy muttered, "You promised you wouldn't go away…"

She was right. I had indeed promised to never leave her on the day she visited me at the spa. And I still ended up leaving Ponyville for two nights. I let out a sigh as I gently stroked her back. "I know… And I'm sorry. Things got dangerous for me, so I had to leave town. But everything's OK now. I'm coming home. And I won't ever leave again."

Scootaloo looked up at me with her big purple eyes, which seemed to be filling with tears, and asked, "You promise?"

I replied while gesturing with my hand, "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." As I said 'eye', I closed my hand into a fist and pressed it against my closed eye.

Rainbow Dash let out a laugh, "I can't believe you actually used the Pinkie Pie Swear! That's pretty awesome!" I think I blushed at her remark.

Despite Rainbow Dash's laughter, Scootaloo looked up at me with a smile. "I…really missed you, James."

I replied with a tender embrace, "You have no idea how much I wanted to see you girls again." However, I then realized that Scootaloo was showing me affection in front of others despite the fact that she is very hesitant to show any affection while being watched. But as she was plainly aware of that, I chose to not bring it up as I am sure she trusted her friends to not spread the word.

Rainbow Dash smiled while she came closer to me. "Speaking of us, Fluttershy wanted me to give you a message. When you get back to Ponyville, she's waiting for you over at her cottage."

As excited as I was to see my beloved again, I was also worried about what she would do to me for leaving so abruptly. "Um… Is she angry at me?"

The rainbow-maned pegasus shook her head, "Nah. She's just really anxious to see you again. Hay, all of us are! Just about everypony in Ponyville caught on when you didn't show up yesterday morning! When you're the only human around, it doesn't take long for ponies to start wondering where you went when you don't show."

Still concerned for Fluttershy, I then asked, "Well…was she hurt when she found out about me leaving?"

Rainbow Dash frowned instantly. "Well… She was just as hurt as the rest of us when we found out you were gone. But she didn't blame you. She knew you were just trying to protect her. And to be honest…" She then grinned and said, "She told us that she feels like the luckiest mare in Equestria to have a boyfriend who would put her safety before his. But she does worry about you. She's almost afraid she's a burden to you. But she's not, right?"

I shook my head. "Heck, no. I did what I did because I love her. And all in all, spending time in the Everfree Forest was not entirely bad. I even made a friend or two while I was out here. Made some interesting discoveries, met Nightmare Moon or what's left her, found a whole village of…"

I was suddenly interrupted by Rainbow Dash as she raised her voice, "Whoa whoa whoa, back up! You met Nightmare Moon?! She's still around?!"

I was about to explain just what had happened the previous night when I noticed that the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Rainbow Dash, and even Zecora were gazing at me with eyes filled with what might have been dread or just fear. I remembered reading that Nightmare Moon had always been viewed as a mad tyrant who wanted to cover the world in eternal night out of sheer spite. Of course, I knew the truth about her from personal experience. She was not nearly as selfish or cruel as widely believed. But I strongly doubted my friends would believe that she never once tried to harm me. I may have to hide this entry later along with the one from the day before to prevent this information from being discovered...

In order to prevent Nightmare Moon from being harmed further, I explained, "Actually… I don't think it was really her. Just some shadows dancing across the walls. I just thought they looked like Nightmare Moon now and then."

Rainbow Dash bought my story and breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew… Don't scare me like that. I never wanna see those creepy eyes again."

However, Rainbow Dash then looked at me directly, as if scanning me. "Um… Come to think of it, why're you not wearing anything? Don't you have an extra shirt?"

I nodded and pointed to my left. "Yeah, it's in my bag over there. I just have to take all my clothes off whenever I take a bath. Not to mention I wasn't even wearing anything several minutes ago."

Rainbow Dash gazed at me with her eyes wide in curiosity. "Wait… You mean you're not wearing anything down there right now?" When I shook my head, her wings suddenly sprang open as a blush spread across her face. She then smirked at me in a way I did not like. "I gotta see this."

Of course, I was not at all comfortable about showing her my bare body. Especially in front of children. I dropped Scootaloo and threw up my hands, "Nooo way! Not in front of the kids!"

At my words, Rainbow Dash laughed loudly, "Bwahaha, gotcha! You'd think I'd really do that in front of the kids?!"

I frowned at her while leaning towards her with one arm resting on the cauldron's rim. "As a matter of fact, yes." But I then took note of her spread wings and asked, "Uh… Rainbow? What's the deal with your wings? They spring-loaded or something?"

This prompted a very nervous expression from the boisterous pegasus as she quickly folded her wings. "Uh… That? Don't worry about it. Just a reflex we pegasi sometimes have."

But Scootaloo then shouted, "I know! It's a wingboner!"

I looked at my little sister, then at Rainbow Dash. "A…..wing…..boner?" I tried to hold in my laughter, but ultimately failed as I busted out laughing. Rainbow Dash did not say anything as she looked away with an irritated expression.

Once I had finished laughing at the absurdly funny term for Rainbow Dash's 'reflex', I finally asked, "OK, enough of that… Would it be OK if you girls left the room for a bit? I'd like some privacy so I can get dressed."

Zecora nodded and began to make her way towards the door. "Very well, we will give you some space. Merely knock when you do not need us to be outside my place." She led the Cutie Mark Crusaders out the door with Rainbow Dash staying behind a moment longer.

"I'm not getting outta this tub…er…cauldron until there's nopony looking, Rainbow. Please, step outside." I declared, hoping my friend would give me some privacy for a moment.

The brazen pegasus mare nodded without objection. "OK, sure… Actually, I'll go find Twilight and let her know you're here. She knows her way from Ponyville to Zecora's place, so she can lead you home. See ya there, James!" She waved goodbye before trotting out the door and closing it behind her.

The tonic flowed right off me as if it were water, so I hardly needed to dry myself. I went over to my saddlebags and retrieved some clothes. However, since my previous t-shirt had been torn due to my body's change, I had to wear the Hawaiian style shirt Rarity had woven for me. One thing in particular I was looking forward to about returning home was being able to wear clean clothes again.

However, as I was getting dressed, I felt like I was being watched. I glanced around quickly, just barely catching a glimpse of a familiar rainbow-striped tail being pulled out of sight from outside one of the windows. I winced at the thought of who had been there. "Rainbow Dash… You better not bring this up with anyone!"

Once I had myself completely clothed, I opened the front door to peek outside. "OK girls, it's safe to look."

Zecora and the three fillies were just outside the tree hut. Leaning against the side of the tree was Scootaloo's scooter with a red wagon connected to the back of it. More than likely a passenger seat for Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle seemed to recognize the design of my shirt as she spoke up, "Ooh! Rarity made that! I know all of my sister's designs!"

I being someone who never seemed all that fashion savvy despite her interest in it, I was mildly surprised by that observation. "You can tell Rarity made this just by looking at it? That's pretty impressive, Sweetie."

Once we were back inside, I decided to pass the time by chatting with my friends. Scootaloo asked, "So, what was it liking hanging out in the Everfree Forest by yourself? Was it scary?"

I replied while leaning against the wall, "Not really. It was especially calm and cozy at the old castle ruins deeper in the forest." But I winced as the memories of being pursued by the undead denizens of Sunny Town flashed through my mind. "Although…..it was downright frightening when I was being chased by those zombies…"

Not surprisingly, the Cutie Mark Crusaders all laughed at my claim. Sweetie Belle grinned and exclaimed, "Zombies?! You almost got us with that one! You're a really funny guy sometimes, James!" I could only remain silent while I rolled my eyes, not surprised that they thought I was joking around.

However, I noticed that Apple Bloom was not laughing. In fact, she seemed somewhat disturbed. I watched in silence as she headed outside. I had never seen such an expression on her face before, so I was naturally worried. "Hang on a sec, girls. I'll be right back." I spoke while I headed out the door to check on Apple Bloom.

I found the little farm filly just sitting next to Zecora's home while looking at the ground. I then quietly walked up alongside her and sat down too. "Something on your mind?" I asked, worried about my little friend.

Apple Bloom hesitated for a few second before she turned to me and asked, "You said y'all were chased by zombies out here, right?" I replied with a nod. She then muttered, "Then…I wasn't seein' things after all…"

"Seeing things? Don't tell me you went to Sunny Town too!" I asked, fearful that Apple Bloom had somehow wound up there in the past. That would be such a hellish scare for a child to go through.

She looked up at me and nodded. "Uh huh… I thought it was all in my head, but if ya saw 'em too… Then they must be real!" Apple Bloom then reared up onto her hind legs and placed her hooves against me. "Are you all right?! They didn't get ya, did they?!"

I shook my head while gently tussling her mane. "No, they were too slow to catch me. And besides, one of them warned me in time and escorted me outta there before it got too dark out."

Apple Bloom dropped back down onto all fours while looking and sounding quite relieved. "Phew… I'm glad yer OK, James… But wait! Did ya see a lil' gray filly 'round my size?"

I replied after a moment of thought, "You mean Ruby? She showed me the way to the old castle in the Everfree Forest. Nice girl. You friends with her?"

That got a smile out of her. "Yeah! We didn't talk for very long, but she tried ta help me out! And…uh… That pony who warned ya… Did she have a red mane?"

I knew exactly who she was talking about. "Mitta… She was the one who warned me…" I still felt a sting in my heart, regretting that I was unable to help her escape the curse that plagued her and her fellow ponies.

"That's 'er name? Mitta?" Apple Bloom asked while tilting her head to one side. I assume she knew who I was speaking of.

"Yeah…" I said with a nod while not having much else to say.

Apple Bloom then asked with a worried gaze, "Um… Is she yer friend, James?"

I nodded and managed to smile just slightly. "Yeah… I want to help her… She's not like the others. She saved me… She doesn't deserve that fate." I then looked into the forest while knowing that out there somewhere, Mitta was still mourning her fate. "I promised myself that I'd save her…"

The little farm filly nodded while showing a more somber smile. "Yeah. She's a nice pony. If you can save 'er, would ya mind bringin' Mitta over ta Sweet Apple Acres? I wanna introduce her ta Applejack and Big Macintosh sometime."

I looked down at my friend. Seeing that she also had sympathy for my cursed friend warmed my heart. Apple Bloom seemed to have the wisdom to not judge someone on looks alone. Even someone with a body that is essentially a walking corpse. "When I get her outta there, sure. I'll try to make sure that you'll be the first to know." Apple Bloom responded with a tight hug as I stroked her mane.

Before long, I noticed what seemed to be a unicorn approaching us from down the path that led away from Zecora's home. I squinted my eyes to focus my vision better as I did not have my glasses at the time. All I could tell was that the unicorn was mostly a shade of purple. I then heard a familiar voice call out to me. "James!"

The unicorn up ahead broke into a run as she approached me. I then recognized her voice. "Twilight?" I asked as I stood up. I then got down on one knee as she sailed right into my arms.

"You have no idea how relieved I am to see you! Are you OK? Rainbow Dash told me you were over at Zecora's place." Twilight Sparkle asked as she looked up at me with a worrisome gaze.

I held her head in a gentle embrace and spoke softly, "I'm just fine, Twi… And I'm really glad to see you again…" I tightened my grip on her, starting to feel sentimental now that I had been reunited with one of my closest friends.

"Rainbow Dash let me know you were here, so I hurried on over…" She said quietly. Twilight then whispered, "I missed you…"

I felt myself choke up slightly at Twilight's words. This was the first time I had seen her in two days and I was more than just happy to see her. "Is everything really OK back in Ponyville?" I asked, wanting oh so much to go home, yet wanting to know for certain if it was safe for me to return.

Twilight looked up at me with a tearful smile. "Yes. Everypony's been asking about you. They're wondering where you've gone. And we…" She then rested her face against my chest. "We missed you so much… Please, come home!"

I knew that Twilight Sparkle indeed loved me at the time, but this response proved just how much. And it pained me to hear her sound that upset. I stroked her tidy mane and whispered, "I will, Twilight… Just let me grab my stuff and we'll be on our way."

At my words, Twilight looked up at me with a relieved smile. "Here… I'll go get your supplies. Just wait here for me, OK?" I nodded and watched as my unicorn friend went inside Zecora's house, leaving me with Apple Bloom.

"Twilight really seems ta like you, James." Apple Bloom said with a smile. All I could do was blush. At least I think I was blushing. She then grinned and started to trot towards the hut's door while watching me. "Well, I'll go let Sweetie and Scoot know it's time ta go. Be right back!" I watched as the little farm filly ran inside, leaving me alone.

While I waited alone, my eyes scanned my surroundings. I looked in one direction, certain that in that direction was the dreaded Sunny Town. And somewhere within was my friend Mitta. How I wanted to save her…

It was strange… As I thought about her, I thought about those two turtle doves I had seen shortly before arriving in Sunny Town for the first time. I remembered imagining myself and Fluttershy in their place as they huddled together. But as I thought more about it, I began to see myself with my friends as well. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and even Mitta…

I swear, it was almost as if my thoughts were trying to tell me something. I do not know if it was symbolic, but I knew one thing. I love them. Fluttershy is certainly the most precious to me, but even so… I could not imagine life without any of my friends. If they were all going to die and I could only choose one to stay alive…..I would most likely choose to die with them. I quite simply could not put one before the other. They were all precious to me. Possibly even more precious than my own life. I muttered to myself, "I… I love you, girls… I won't ever leave you again…"

The instant I finished saying that, I felt something come over me. It was a sensation I could never hope to describe. It only lasted a few seconds, but it still puzzled me. I glanced around, wondering if perhaps a breeze had blown something into me. However, all I found was Twilight Sparkle with my supplies levitating near her, Zecora standing beside her, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders behind them. However, Twilight and Zecora were gazing at me with expressions of shock. "Um… What's with the stare?" I asked, fearful that something scary was right behind me.

Twilight spoke first. "James… Did you see what happened?" I shrugged my shoulders, unsure of what she meant. She then pointed her hoof at me. "Look at your upper arm! That just appeared out of nowhere!"

I did as I was told and looked down at my right arm. Partially concealed under my shirt's sleeve was what seemed to be a…..white tattoo? It was as if it was part of my skin, yet I know I never had a tattoo in my life. I then pulled up the sleeve to reveal the tattoo's full form. And what I saw shocked me. "When did that get there?"

The 'tattoo' was completely white and extended almost down to my elbow. It seemed to depict the form of two doves facing each other with beaks touching and lower bodies connected while apparently clasping their talons together. Their wings were spread and their tail feathers were elegantly curved. In the way that they were posed, the two doves' bodies seemed to form a stylized heart shape with a smaller perfect heart shape formed from the gap between their bodies. "Twilight, I'm getting kinda weirded out by this. What is it?!" I asked while somewhat worried as I found an identical 'tattoo' on my other arm in the same spot.

As Twilight looked up at me while I kept my 'tattoo' visible, she spoke, "Um… I know this is likely to sound crazy… And I know humans aren't supposed to get them, but… I think…you just earned…a cutie mark."

At those words, all three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders shouted, "SAY WHAT?!" They pushed their way past Twilight and Zecora to get a better look at me.

I was equally skeptical at Twilight's claims. A cutie mark? On a human? Impossible… Right? "Well… Cutie marks are supposed to represent a…pony's unique talent, right? If…and I really do mean IF this is a cutie mark, which it probably is not, what special talent or part of my character does it represent?" I asked, refusing to believe that I did indeed have a cutie mark.

Twilight approached me and took a closer look at my 'cutie mark'. "Those are…doves, right?"

I nodded after a few seconds of thought. "I think so. Why?"

Twilight then looked out of the corners of her eyes, apparently thinking. "Um… Well, doves are a universal symbol of peace, right? And they're known for being loyal mates and never leave each other and are often a symbol of undying love. And… Oh! Look at that! There's a heart between them!"

I grumbled in mild irritation, "Yeah, I noticed. And the two doves seem to resemble a heart themselves."

At this, Twilight smiled brightly. "That's it! That cutie mark doesn't represent any particular talent of yours, James. What it DOES represent is your character! You don't like having to hurt people, right? And you love Fluttershy enough to do anything to protect her…"

I began to blush a bit, flattered by where this was going. "Um… What are you saying?"

Twilight smiled warmly at me. "What I'm saying is that your cutie mark represents your preference for peace and your devoted love towards those you care for. I'm very sure that's what it stands for. But for a human to get a cutie mark… I wonder how that happened? I should study this a bit when we get home."

Even though I still could not wrap my head around how a human could acquire a cutie mark even though only Equestrian ponies can get them, Twilight's explanation did make a lot of sense to me. Despite my fascination with swordplay and that I am relentless in voicing my hatred about things I despise, I am a lover. Not a fighter. It would be very difficult for me to bring myself to hurt anyone. No matter how angry I would feel towards someone, I would never be able to bring myself to seriously harm them, let alone kill them. I even try to avoid killing insects and other bugs whenever possible, with the exceptions of mosquitoes, roaches, wasps, and other particularly dangerous bugs. But I digress.

Scootaloo then spoke up in clear jealousy, "No fair! We've been trying to get our cutie marks for a long time! How'd you get yours in just over a week?!"

Apple Bloom also complained, "We left no stone unturned, no mountain unclimbed, no meal uncooked, no sock unworn, and we STILL didn't find ours before somepony found theirs in just a week?! We'll never find our cutie marks at this rate…"

However, Sweetie Belle then asked, "But… Now that you have your cutie mark, does this mean you're leaving the Cutie Mark Crusaders?" She seemed rather sad. Even Apple Bloom and Scootaloo appeared to be more worried than jealous.

I too was worried that I would be booted out of the group, as I no longer was a 'blank flank' like them. "I don't want to leave… But do I have to?"

Scootaloo made the first move as she leapt into my arms and held onto me the best she could. "No way! I'll never agree to my big brother leaving us! Right, girls?" She asked as she looked down at Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle shook her head. "No! I don't want James to leave us! It's been really nice having a human with us!"

Apple Bloom then frowned at me while showing a pathetically sad expression on her face. "Ya don't have ta go… If yer a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, yer a member for life! But…y'all can quit, if you want…"

I looked down at the three fillies while they looked up at me. They clearly did not want me to leave their group. And in all honesty, neither did I. So I honestly replied with a smile, "Me? Quit? I don't think so." I then set Scootaloo down and extended my arm with my hand closed into a fist. "Cutie Mark Crusaders forever, right?"

The three fillies glanced at each other and grinned before extending one foreleg each, touching their hooves together, and pressing them against my fist. Simultaneously, they all cheered. "Cutie Mark Crusaders forever! Yay!"

"Man, I love you girls." I said with a chuckle at their enthusiasm.

Before anything else could be said, Twilight spoke up. "OK, that's enough. We really should be returning home now. The others are really anxious to see James again!"

Scootaloo nodded and began to back away towards her scooter. "OK then! Just let us suit up!" The three fillies ran over to the scooter and wagon and started putting on their safety gear. As they did that, I strapped on my saddlebags.

Just as Scootaloo pulled her scooter and passengers over to us, Zecora spoke up. "So, this is goodbye, my human friend. I pray that my quick judgment did not offend."

Twilight cocked her head to one side and asked, "Judgment? For what?" She seemed rather baffled by Zecora's words since she was not present when Zecora told me the legend of her people.

I replied while smiling, "No, I wasn't offended. But I appreciate the apology."

Zecora smiled rather gratefully at me. "I am grateful for your understanding. But now you must go where your friends are waiting. Do stop by again someday. I will prepare my finest hay."

At her offer, I felt myself chuckle. "I prefer my hay fried. And thank you for the offer, Zecora." The five of us waved goodbye to the wise zebra before heading on our way back to Ponyville. Wherever that was.

I stayed close to Twilight, as she was my guide in navigating the Everfree Forest. All the while, I could hear the Cutie Mark Crusaders chatting with each other a short distance behind us while Scootaloo propelled her scooter with her legs instead of her wings as a means to avoid passing us.

Twilight eventually spoke with a smile while looking up at me, "I'm really glad you're OK, James. The Everfree Forest isn't the safest place to spend the night. I could hardly sleep knowing you were out here."

I replied while flexing my neck, "Well, you know why I'm out here. Are you sure that law was real?"

My unicorn companion frowned in clear bewilderment. "That's the strange part! According to Princess Celestia, that was a real law! But it was so outdated, it just isn't enforced anymore." Of course, I had already heard testimony from Gray Hoof and Mitta from Sunny Town that humans had indeed existed in Equestria before and even Zecora's tribe had stories about them that likely dated back centuries. But due to the ominous and clearly dark nature of the tale Zecora told me, I felt it was for the best that I did not inquire about the past any further.

I then asked, "And what about Diamond Tiara? I heard she was punished for tricking me into leaving Ponyville."

Twilight could not help flashing me a smirk. "Oh, you have no idea how much hot water she's in now. When Rainbow Dash got back with the information you gave her, I sent a message to Princess Celestia herself to ask her to send out a search party. And you won't believe what happened later."

I could not quite imagine what Diamond Tiara's punishment could have been. Blackmailing someone into fleeing into a hostile environment has got to carry a heavy sentence, even for a child. "Did Diamond Tiara receive the guillotine?"

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but paused and smiled instead. "Actually, you'll see for yourself today. But first…I think you better wash up when you get home."

I grumbled while feeling rather grimy myself, "Don't even have to tell me. I can't wait to take a shower."

It took surprisingly little time for us to reach the edge of the Everfree Forest. "Whoa. Zecora lives that close to the entrance?" I asked out loud.

Twilight nodded while glancing up at me. "Yeah, she doesn't live that far in. That makes it pretty easy to reach her." She then pointed to our right, "And there's your stop."

In the distance was Fluttershy's cottage. And even though I was a good distance away, I could plainly see the timid pegasus mare resting on the small earthen bridge that spanned the brook that flowed before our home. "Is she…waiting for me?" I asked, extremely nervous of how she would react to me returning, especially since I left without a word.

Twilight responded by nudging me gently. "She's been waiting for you all day. Go to her, James. She needs you."

I looked down at her, but glanced back over at Fluttershy before nodding. "OK… Can I trust you to take the fillies home?"

Twilight smiled before glancing at the three fillies behind us. "Sure thing. Come on, girls! James needs some time to himself for now."

Scootaloo propelled her scooter and wagon over towards Twilight while showing me a smile. "OK! We'll see you later, James!"

Sweetie Belle waved at me while they passed me. "Rarity said she was making something special for you! Be sure to stop by Carousel Boutique today!"

Apple Bloom then waved as well before speaking, "Applejack also said she'd bring by somethin' special for ya and Fluttershy! Keep an eye out for 'er!" I smiled and waved goodbye as the four of them headed south towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Alone again, I turned my gaze towards my home. "OK… Just one thing left to do." I muttered to myself while I approached Fluttershy's cottage.

Fluttershy did not seem to hear me approach while she looked down at the shallow brook that flowed under the bridge. I heard her let out a sigh as she rested her chin on her forelegs. At this point, I felt my body temperature spike as I began to sweat. It was strange. The woman I love was right in front of me, yet I was extremely nervous. It took me a moment of mental struggling to force myself to walk up beside her.

I looked down at the slowly flowing water, our reflections being displayed. Fluttershy's half-closed eyes opened wide when she saw me in the reflection. When she rubbed her eyes to make sure she was not seeing an illusion, I smiled and waved down at the water as if it was a mirror. It was then that Fluttershy looked up at me, our eyes sharing a long stare.

It was Fluttershy who broke the silence first. "Um… Could you stand in front of that bush over there?" She asked while pointing towards a thick bush growing against the side of her house.

"Uh… OK?" I replied as I did as I was told. I walked over to it and stopped right in front of the bush. I then turned to face my lover and asked, "OK, what now… GWAH?!"

The next thing I knew, Fluttershy tackled me head-on and caused me to fall backwards into the bush. No wonder she wanted something soft and flexible behind me. She squeezed me tightly with her forelegs as she sobbed quietly, "I missed you, I missed you, I missed you….." For some reason, the way she quickly spoke those words reminded me of Pinkie Pie. But I digress.

I looked down as Fluttershy buried her face in my shirt while sobbing heavily. Hearing her cry was difficult to take as I also felt tears building in my eyes. I stroked her back and mane while I whispered, "Don't cry, honey… I'm home now. And I'll never leave again…"

Fluttershy shuddered as she spoke while choking on tears, "I read your message… Did you…really do that for me?"

I nodded while I nuzzled my head against hers. "I was scared for you… I can't bear the thought of you in prison. Or under a guillotine." I then whispered into her ear, "I love you too much for that… I won't let anything like that happen to you."

Fluttershy remained silent for a moment before looking up at me with her big cyan eyes, tears streaming down her face. "I'm not afraid of what anypony thinks as long as I have you… I don't care what happens… Just please… Don't leave me again…" She tightened her embrace as she once again buried her face in my chest.

I could not hold back any longer. I let my tears fall as I embraced my beloved for all I was worth. "I won't leave again… But please stop crying. I'm home now, right? I just want things to go back to normal."

At my words, Fluttershy slowly began to calm down. When she looked up at me again, she asked, "Were you crying too…?"

I nodded, feeling no shame in being honest with her. "Yeah… I'm just glad to be back home with my friends. And you."

The two of us shared a prolonged gaze before we sealed lips with each other in what was our first kiss in days. It did not last long, but… Well, all I can say is that the kind of closure I got from that simple display of affection is not easy to describe. Fluttershy then whispered, "I love you, James…"

I replied as I cupped her cheek, "You have no idea how much I love you, Fluttershy… Or our friends…" It was then that I looked down at the 'cutie marks' on each of my upper arms. "Love… I guess Twilight was right."

When Fluttershy took the time to look at the twin dove symbols on my arms, she gasped, "Are those cutie marks? And…are those doves?"

I nodded while also looking at them. "I don't see how I could've gotten them, but Twilight says that's what they are. And yeah, I think those are doves."

Fluttershy then smiled as she rested a hoof on one. They were quite long as they reached from just below my shoulders to just above my elbows... Wait, did I already describe that earlier? "A pair of doves facing each other, forming a heart between them and with their own bodies… James, this fits you perfectly!"

I think I felt myself blush at my girlfriend's praise. "R…really?"

She nodded while smiling before she explained, "Doves are very peaceful and they mate for life. They also represent everlasting love and are symbols of peace. That's…so perfect for you. You're so loving and nonviolent… If you were an animal, you'd be a dove. And so would I."

Such poetic use of words. She was right. And the more I looked at them, the more I began to accept that these symbols on my upper arms were not tattoos, but cutie marks. And strangely enough, having something permanently engraved on my body with the word 'cutie' in its name did not embarrass me at all. In fact, I felt a twinge of pride in my heart. "I have the heart of a dove, huh…? That's…..really nice."

Fluttershy nuzzled my face with a delighted smile. "Isn't it lovely? Such an elegant and beautiful cutie mark you have." After a moment more, Fluttershy asked, "You must be tired after all that walking around. Would you like me to get the shower ready for you?"

Those words reminded me that I had gone a full day at least without bathing. I nodded readily. "Thank you. I can't wait to wash up."

My lover pushed herself off of me and trotted up to the front door of our house. "I'll be just a few minutes. But feel free to unload your supplies." She then disappeared inside, leaving me sitting where I had fallen.

As I sat in the bush, my eyes scanned my surroundings. The vast amount of untouched nature I adored was once again all around me. But before I could drink it all in, I heard the door open again and looked to my left. Fluttershy peeked out and said, "The water's getting warm. You wanna come upstairs and get ready?"

I replied with a grin, "Music to my ears."

I followed Fluttershy upstairs as I heard the sound of running water. Before I could undress, I unloaded all of my supplies in a corner. "You really stocked up before leaving, didn't you?" Fluttershy asked as my bags hit the floor with a thud.

"I knew next to nothing about the Everfree Forest at the time and everything I'd heard about it was nothing but bad news. I wanted to be certain I was ready." I replied as I cracked my neck to loosen it up.

Fluttershy nodded while she walked towards the bathroom door. "I'm glad you took so many precautions before going there. It isn't the safest place in Equestria. But can we talk while you wash up?"

I replied as I pulled off my shirt, "Sure thing. Some interesting things happened to me while I was out there." I entered the bathroom and finished undressing there. I then stepped into the bathtub and sat down, reveling in the feeling of warm water raining down on me.

"Man, I really missed this…" I muttered as I reached for the soap. But as I began to scrub myself down, I noticed Fluttershy's shape take a seat just outside the shower curtains. "Is that you, dear?"

I heard Fluttershy's voice reply as she reached for the end of the curtain, "Yes, James. May I see your face as we talk?"

I smiled at those words. "Go right ahead, honey. I wanna see your reaction to some of the stuff I tell you."

At my words, the shower curtain was partially pushed aside to reveal Fluttershy's face. She smiled at me as she spoke, "I can't wait to take a shower with you again, James… But anyway, what was it like out there in the Everfree Forest?"

I spoke while rubbing soap all over me. "It wasn't that bad, actually. I kinda enjoyed myself at times. But…it wasn't all that enjoyable without my friends with me."

Fluttershy sighed with a frown, "I know… Rainbow Dash told me that you were really happy to see her when she found you."

I let out a sigh as I closed my eyes for a moment. "She was the first friend I had seen all day. So yeah, I was happy to see her."

Fluttershy then asked, "Well… What were the most memorable moments of your time out there?"

I strongly doubt she would ever believe that I discovered a whole village full of zombified ponies, so I decided to leave that detail out. I also felt it was best that she did not learn that Nightmare Moon still lived. But I still replied, "In order, I saw Rainbow Dash distract a hydra while I got away, I found a pair of turtle doves huddling together, I found the ancient ruins of the royal sisters' castle and spent the night there, and I even made a few friends out there too."

Once I had paused, Fluttershy grinned brightly, "You made friends? How wonderful! Who are they?"

I smiled as I looked towards the window, "One was a gray earth pony with a red mane and tail. Her name is Mitta. A very kind girl who even helped me out. Then there's Ruby. She's a little filly with bright yellow eyes who led me to the castle ruins to sleep in for the night. Not sure what they were doing out there, but I never bothered to ask. And then I met Zecora today. You know about her, right?"

Fluttershy nodded in response. "You met Zecora? She didn't give you any trouble, did she? I mean, she wasn't bad at all when we got to know her, but still…"

I chuckled, "Nah, she didn't bother me. She actually helped me out when I touched some Poison…Joke? Well, anyway, she helped me and we parted on a happy note. I really like mysterious women like her."

The mention of Poison Joke seemed to alarm Fluttershy as she asked, "Oh my… Poison Joke? What did it do to you?"

I raised my hands and shook my head. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." The two of us shared a chuckle.

I decided to cut my shower short, as I only wanted to wash up enough to get rid of the grime and sweat from going a full day and night without bathing. Fluttershy was kind enough to avert her eyes while I put my clothes on, although I noticed out of the corner of my eyes that she would occasionally glance at me before blushing. I smirked once I was fully clothed and said, "You know, you don't have to look away if you want to watch."

Fluttershy blushed while looking at me and asked, "You mean… I don't have to look away when you're…not wearing anything?"

I nodded while I combed my hair and said, "Well, we did take a shower together. And even…did you know what together. So, don't you think it would be OK for us to be comfortable around each other when our bodies aren't covered?"

At my words, Fluttershy turned her back to me while still keeping her eyes on me by looking over her shoulder, "I guess I just have to get used to it. But…would you really be fine seeing me exposed back there?"

My eyes fell upon her long pink tail, knowing exactly what was behind it. It was a very awkward question and I was rather uneasy about seeing her…um…genitalia, even though we are now lovers. After all, she is a pony and I am a human. But if I was to truly view her as an equal, I would have to adjust to the differences in anatomy from human women. So I answered her question. "Yes… Go ahead and show me if you want to, honey."

Fluttershy seemed to gulp nervously as she blushed deeply. "O… OK then…" She then moved her tail to the side, exposing her marehood. It was the first time I had ever gotten a good look at one, so it is needless to say that I was taken aback somewhat at what I was seeing.

"Is it…ugly to you?" Fluttershy squeaked out quietly. She almost seemed to be shivering, which was to be expected from someone so timid.

After a moment of observing her, I took a deep breath to gather myself. "No, honey… It's beautiful. Just like you."

Her blush only deepened at my praise. "It's… Buh… Buh… Beautiful? Really? Me?"

Such modesty. It only made me adore her more. "I'm serious, Fluttershy. You're beautiful. Every part of you is beautiful."

The beautiful pegasus smiled meekly before moving her tail back to its usual location. She spoke while turning to face me, "I think it'll take me some time to get used to this… But… I think I can be more confident whenever it's just us. I'm just glad my body is beautiful enough for you, James."

I smiled as I reached out and stroked my lover's beautiful mane. "Your soul's beauty is what really matters, Fluttershy. It's so pure, I could easily mistake you for an angel." I got down on one knee and embraced her, prompting Fluttershy to rear up on her hind legs and embrace me with her forelegs as we remained in that spot for at least a minute or two without saying a word.

We were brought back to our senses by the sound of someone knocking at the front door downstairs. "We have a guest?" Fluttershy asked while she let go of me and flew downstairs. I followed her and reached the ground floor just as she opened the door. "Oh, hello. What brings you out here today, Rainbow Dash?"

I saw my friend standing just outside the door with a smile. "Oh, Twilight asked me to let you two lovebirds know that we have some special guests who wanna see you really soon. They're at the library." She then looked over Fluttershy and noticed me. "Hey, James! Ya made it! You all settled back in now?"

I waved at her with a smile. "Yeah, and I just finished washing up. And who're these 'special guests' who wanna see us?"

Rainbow Dash grinned slyly at me before she said "Well, it's really just you they wanna see, James. But they know you and Fluttershy have been apart for a while, so they decided they wanted you both to show up to keep each other company."

I gave her a rather silly frown and asked, "That still doesn't answer my question. Who are these special guests who want to see us?"

Like before, Rainbow responded with a sly smirk. "Why don't ya head on over and see for yourself? I promise they're looking forward to meeting you."

Seeing that I was not going to get a straight answer out of her, I decided to just let that question go. "Well…OK. I'll head on over. And you, Fluttershy?"

My lover then asked, "They're not…anypony I haven't met before, are they?"

Rainbow Dash proceeded to pat her on the shoulder. "Oh, you've met them before. Several times, actually! Trust me when I say you know them pretty well."

At her friend's words, Fluttershy nodded with a smile. "OK then. I'll head over right now. Are you coming, James?"

I nodded and headed towards them. "Yup. Let's go." I followed her outside while closing the door behind me.

"OK then! I'll hurry on over and let Twilight know you two are coming. See ya later!" Rainbow Dash said with a smile before she took to the air and flew away at great speed.

"Does that girl always have to be in a hurry?" I asked as we headed towards Ponyville.

Fluttershy smiled while also letting out a slight giggle. "She's been that way for as long as I've known her. And we've known each other since our days at flight school. Is her energy too much sometimes?"

I replied honestly, "Quite the contrary. I love that about her. She's fun to have around. And her occasionally perverted quirks make her pretty funny too. But I'm afraid Pinkie Pie has her beat in terms of sheer quirkiness." The two of us chuckled together.

Once we entered Ponyville, I noticed that quite a few of the ponies around us were waving in my direction or otherwise acknowledging my presence. I waved back, but found this attention to be very unusual. I whispered, "Fluttershy, why is almost everypony waving at me?"

Fluttershy replied just as quietly, "It didn't take long for everypony in town to notice you were gone yesterday. They're just welcoming you back." It is strange. When I first came to Ponyville and was subjected to constant staring, I found it to be very intimidating. But now, I was finding this type of attention to be…..heartwarming. I was a welcome citizen of Ponyville now, and this warm welcome confirmed it.

The two of us reached the library without incident, though I could almost see Pinkie Pie just popping up out of nowhere at anytime. However, standing just outside the front door was a pair of pegasus stallions with brilliant white coats and blue tails. They seemed identical in appearance and both had very stern expressions and were clad in what seemed to be a type of golden plate armor. The armor was worn in similar fashion to a saddle, leaving the legs and undersides exposed. They also wore elegant golden shoes or armored boots over their hooves with a type of golden helmet that covered the front and sides of their necks while reaching down over the tops of their muzzles. Their ears poked out of the tops of the helmets while their faces and front of their necks were not covered. The tops of their helmets bore semicircular blue plumes that were very similar to Roman galea that almost looked like axe heads at first glance. On the very front of the armor that covered their chest was a shining teal star. Seeing how they were armored and had very serious expressions, I asked Fluttershy, "Did something happen while I was away that prompted Twilight to hire security?"

Fluttershy replied with a giggle, "They're not security. They are part of the royal guard."

Those two pegasi are part of Equestria's royal defense force? Even though they were smaller than me, I certainly did not want to give these two soldiers reason to think I would cause trouble. As I approached the library's door, I noticed them glance at me for a second before they stepped sideways without saying a word as if to allow better access to the library. It was almost as if they knew who I was and were expecting me.

I knocked on the door before stepping inside with Fluttershy right behind me. Just in front of the stairs that led up to Twilight's living quarters was Spike with a tray of empty teacups with a teapot to match. He must have heard the door close behind us since he looked over at me and smiled, "Oh, hey! I haven't seen you in a few days! How're you doing?"

Spike seemed unusually jovial towards me, considering that he displayed hostility towards me in our first encounter and most of our following ones too. However, I dismissed it and asked, "I'm feeling pretty good now that I'm back home. But is Twilight here? She said there were a couple of guests who wanted to see me and Fluttershy."

The young dragon, while initially looking puzzled, soon nodded at me. "Twilight? Guests? Oh, right. They're all upstairs. Come on up! I'll let them know you're here." He then ran upstairs while holding the tray over his head. Without a word, my lover and I headed upstairs too.

"Here you go, your majesties! One serving of jasmine tea and some sweet honey tea." I heard Spike speak as we neared the top.

"Majesties?" Fluttershy asked quietly while looking up at me.

I shrugged my shoulders and replied, "Is Twilight training Spike to speak before some nobles for an upcoming party?"

As we neared the top of the stairwell, I heard Twilight Sparkle's voice speak, "I'm sure he'll be very thrilled to meet both of you. It's very rare that we get to see you two in public together."

Very rare? Seeing them in public? Just who were these guests who wanted to see me? Right as we entered Twilight's quarters, Fluttershy gasped and suddenly…..bowed? That stance where she lowered her upper body towards the ground was probably a bow. She squeaked in surprise, "Oh my... Princess Celestia and Princess Luna! I… I wasn't expecting you!"

Wait… The royal sisters?! Celestia and Luna?! The bringers of the night and day?! Needless to say, I was taken aback by their presence. However, Twilight smiled as she looked over at us. "Don't be afraid. They're here just to talk to you."

Twilight's words reminded me of when Fluttershy called out to me that morning as she claimed that the law I feared had been abolished. I took a moment to calm myself as my eyes fell upon the two royal sisters. They were seated before a small round table placed in the center of the room. My eyes trailed towards the larger of the two…pegasi? Unicorns? Just what do you call a pony that has the physical attributes of both types? Regardless, since she was the larger of the two, I suspected she was the eldest. Her coat was a brilliant white with a hint of pink to it while her eyes were magenta. Her cutie mark was, predictably, an orange sun. Her spectacularly long mane and tail were…well, as difficult as this is to believe, they were four colors and were constantly billowing as if being caressed by a gentle breeze. The four colors were in stripes and consisted of cyan, purple, turquoise, and azure while frequently giving off sparkles. I almost felt as if I was standing before a goddess, so radiant was her beauty. True to her royal stature, she was clad in golden jewelry. Each hoof wore pale gold shoes that branched out at the top to resemble a fleur-de-lis and what seemed to be a cross between a necklace and gorget was worn around the base of her neck. It too was gold and held what seemed to be a purple gemstone on the front. I also noticed that her muzzle shape was broader than the average mare, but not quite as broad as a stallion's. The horn on her head was different from the average unicorn's as well. Where most unicorn horns are fairly short and have blunt rounded tips, hers was long and slender, though the tip still seemed to be slightly blunt. She was also by far the largest pony I had ever seen, with an impressive wingspan and long lanky legs and a slender body to boot. Atop her head rested a golden tiara with three points with the central point reaching the highest. It too held a purple gemstone in the center. I spoke quietly, "Princess Celestia…"

I then looked towards the smaller of the two… All right. Until I learn exactly what these unicorn pegasi hybrids are called, I will refer to them as 'royal ponies' since Equestrian royalty seem to be the only ones of their kind. But I digress. My eyes gazed towards the smaller of the two sisters, who I deduced to be Princess Luna. Her overall body shape was nearly identical to Celestia's, but was slightly smaller. Even so, she seemed to be at least 30% larger than the average pony. Her coat was a grayish shade of blue and her eyes were the same shade of teal or cyan as Nightmare Moon's without the catlike irises and with some lovely light sapphire blue eye shadow … Actually, wait... I believe her coat was…a dark sapphire blue? Regardless, her cutie mark depicted a crescent moon surrounded by a very dark purple coloration that seemed to represent the night sky. Her mane and tail were similar in form to Celestia's as they constantly billowed gently, but were slightly shorter. A single thick lock of her mane hung over her face, a trait I found to be very charming. The coloration of her mane and tail… This is difficult to describe. The innermost parts seemed to show the deep blue night sky complete with glittering stars, but the outermost edges were a transparent shade of blue. Actually, scratch that part about the stars. The innermost part of her mane and tail were a solid blue color, but constantly glittered, giving the optical illusion that they were filled with twinkling stars. Like her sister, she was also clad in jewelry. Her shoes and necklace were identical in design to Celestia's, although they both constantly glittered beautifully. Her glittering shoes were a very pale shade of blue while her necklace was the same shade of dark purple or black as the 'night sky' part of her cutie mark while also bearing a crescent moon. An equally dark tiara rested atop her head. While not quite as outrageously beautiful as Celestia, she exuded a type of gentle elegance that drew me to her. I then nodded and said quietly, "Princess Luna."

Celestia spoke first with a smile, "At last we meet. We've been hearing good things about you, James."

Luna spoke next. Or rather, bellowed. Her expression became rather serious as she effectively shouted at me with her voice echoing while a strong gust seemed to be blowing at me from nowhere. "INDEED. IT IS AN HONOR TO MEET THOU, HONORED GUEST FROM A DISTANT WORLD." I would have fallen right back down the stairs behind me if Fluttershy had not gotten behind me and pushed me against the wind.

"Luna, you're relapsing." Celestia spoke with a rather hearty chuckle.

Luna's serious expression became one of shock as she covered her mouth with a hoof. "Oops… There I go again, resorting to my old habits…"

I adjusted my frazzled hair and asked, "Is that normal for you, Lady Luna? I would've expected the bringer of the beautiful calm night to speak softly."

The Princess of the Night replied somewhat bashfully, "Forgive me, that was just out of habit. It is tradition to speak with that much volume when addressing our… Wait, did you refer to the night as 'beautiful' just now?" She was gazing at me with a very shocked expression.

I nodded casually and explained, "Well…yeah. I actually prefer the night over the day since it's so calm and relaxing. Especially on rainy…gwah?!" I was interrupted as Luna rushed over to me, reared up on her hind legs, and embraced me tightly with her forelegs.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, friend! At long last, somepony truly appreciates me and my beautiful night! Your admiration is cherished!" Luna almost sounded hysterical with joy as she spoke. I looked over her shoulder at Celestia, who seemed to be holding back a laugh as she covered her mouth with a hoof. Twilight seemed to be rather shocked by Luna's direct response to my praise for her while Spike was snickering while holding his face to not get too loud. Since Fluttershy was behind me, I could not get a good look at her. But I swear I heard her mutter 'Oh…my…' in a very quiet tone.

Now that Luna was standing straight up, I could really see how tall she is. While most ponies stand with their heads parallel to roughly the center of my torso, Luna seemed to be just as tall as I am if not a few inches taller. Naturally, this meant that her older and bigger sister would likely tower over me if she rose up on just her hind legs. But I digress.

I wanted to offer some words to Luna, but as I was being hugged by royalty, I had no idea how to respond without offending her. I motioned with my hand for Twilight to approach me. She whispered once she came close enough, "What's wrong?"

I replied quietly and a bit frantically, "What am I supposed to do? I've never been in front of royalty before!"

Twilight responded while clearly uncertain about her own advice. "Um… Maybe just hug her back?"

I braced myself for any unpleasant reactions as I gently wrapped my arms around Luna. I placed one hand on the center of her back between the shoulders while placing the other on the back of her head. To my surprise, I found that her mane was solid despite appearing to lack physical mass. I muttered quietly, "I see the creator of the night is just as gentle and beautiful as her handiwork." As flattering as those words may have sounded, I was being completely blunt in my use of dialogue. Luna, at least at that moment, seemed to be the physical embodiment of the night I cherished in both form and character.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye what seemed to be a faint blush on Luna's face. I heard her giggle before smiling. "You are too kind. I doubt anypony has shown this level of appreciation for me before. And as you are the first, I feel you must be rewarded." I did not have time to react as Luna pulled her head back and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek.

There was a moment of silence throughout the entire room. Clearly, no one saw this coming, and certainly not me. I was frozen to the spot, unsure of how to react to this unexpected kiss. Granted, I had been kissed by ponies before, like Rarity and Fluttershy, but a kiss from a princess?! What was I supposed to say? Or better yet, how would Celestia take this?

My eyes immediately glanced over at Celestia. I was expecting her to be angry, but her expression showed surprise as she looked on silently. She soon spoke, "Oh my… Have you made a friend, Luna?"

At her sister's words, Luna dropped back down on all fours and smiled at Celestia before exclaiming, "Oh, a most special friend indeed! At least…I hope so." She then looked back up at me and held out a hoof. "Kind James. May I ask you the privilege of being your friend?"

This request caught me by surprise. I had not been in their presence for even five minutes, yet one of the royal sisters was now offering me her friendship? But in hindsight, I suppose I should not be surprised. As Luna and Nightmare Moon were once one entity, she likely carried the reputation of Nightmare Moon for a time after the Elements of Harmony purged her of her darker half. This more than likely caused Luna to feel very lonely and rejected, leading to an ever-growing desire for friends who saw past her reputation and viewed her as the elegant princess she is.

These thoughts made me feel great sympathy for Luna, as I had seen firsthand just how emotionally devastated Nightmare Moon was when I found her lingering remains in the castle ruins within the Everfree Forest the previous night. Of course, it would probably be very unwise to mention that name in front of either of the royal sisters, so I chose to not mention Nightmare Moon to them at all. But in any case, I dropped down to one knee and took Luna's hoof in my hand. "It would be an honor, m'lady."

Luna's facial expression went from hopeful to ecstatic at my words. She suddenly looked over at Celestia and beamed with excitement, "Did you hear, sister?! He agrees!" I heard Twilight and Fluttershy giggle at Luna's enthusiasm.

Celestia smiled warmly at her sister and nodded. "Yes, I did. I told you that you would make friends someday. Though I admit it was surprising to see the only human in Equestria become your friend less than five minutes after meeting you."

I asked, "Do you think I should've turned down her offer until later?" This prompted an unhappy frown from Luna.

Celestia replied with a shake of her head, "Now, don't be that way. Granted, you just met. But some friendships take just the tiniest push to start. And your heartfelt appreciation for Luna and the night she worked so hard to create was just the push that was needed."

Luna looked at me with a smile, as if trying to reassure me that she was being serious when she requested that we be friends. I then asked, "Lady Luna, was I really the first guy to ever thank you for creating the night?"

She replied with a slight frown, "Well, the ponies of Equestria have come to embrace me this past year, but…no. You were the first pony…I mean person…to ever vocally express gratitude for my work."

I muttered under my breath, "Just like Nightmare Moon…"

Luna's ears perked up as she asked, "Come again? I didn't quite catch that."

Knowing that she would probably not appreciate being reminded of her darker half, I replied with a smile, "Oh… Just mumbling to myself. It wasn't anything important."

Luna nodded as she held out a hoof again. "I see. But…we are still friends, aren't we?"

I nodded as I held her hoof and shook it once. "Yes, your highness."

I watched when Luna bowed her head humbly before smiling. "I am relieved to hear that, James. But enough sidetracking. Celestia and I called you here for important business."

Fluttershy gasped as she stood by my side, "Oh, right. What did you need to see us for, your highness?"

Celestia spoke first. "A few days ago, I received a report from my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, that revealed to me that you and Fluttershy had become lovers."

Fluttershy and I froze. We knew then why we had been called to appear before the royal sisters. Were we going to be arrested? Or even executed on the spot? Being able to raise the sun and moon, Celestia and Luna were more than likely capable of destroying us with the use of their godly magic. I held my breath, fearing what was going to come next.

Luna spoke next. "And it was brought to our attention that you had fled into the Everfree Forest in order to protect Fluttershy by hiding evidence. Or something to that effect."

Celestia then frowned, almost appearing ashamed at that moment. "In all honesty, we had completely forgotten that law had ever been passed. It was so long ago that law had been made, we never got around to abolishing it…"

I felt myself calm down slightly at Celestia's words. From what I could tell by listening to her, she had no intention of harming Fluttershy or me. If anything, she seemed remorseful for ever passing that law to begin with. Fluttershy then asked, "Does this mean…you're not going to arrest us?"

Luna and Celestia looked at each other for a brief moment before laughing together. Celestia then chuckled, "Why would we ever do such a thing?! When I read that report, I was not only surprised. I felt proud for you two. Seeing past your biggest differences and embracing each other for what you are… That is perfect harmony. How could we ever condemn that?"

Luna then spoke with a smile, "As of today, that ridiculously outdated law is abolished. There will be no such prejudice under our reign."

All I could do at that moment was embrace Fluttershy for all I was worth. I think she may have started to cry as I heard her whisper with her voice breaking, "Everything's OK now… I'm just so happy…"

I gently stroked her mane with one hand as I whispered, "Me too, honey… Me too…"

Celestia spoke softly with a tone of compassion in her voice, "There is no need for tears, you two. Be happy. There is nothing wrong with being in love."

Fluttershy and I huddled together for a moment longer before we heard Twilight speak. "Princess Celestia? May I ask a question?"

Celestia replied promptly, "Of course, my faithful student. What is on your mind?"

The purple unicorn mare then asked, "I'm only asking this out of curiosity, but why was there ever a law that applied to humans in the first place? I thought they were only creatures of myth!"

This question seemed to unnerve both of the royal sisters, as they seemed very surprised and even nervous. Luna quickly spoke, "Well… You see, the truth of the matter is…"

Something was very wrong here. Celestia and Luna seemed to know something about Equestria's past. Something they clearly did not want us to know. At that moment, I truly wanted to demand that they explain why that law had ever been passed. Especially since I had received testimony from the ponies of Sunny Town, who had claimed to have personally met humans in the past. Even Zecora seemed to have heard stories lending credibility to their claims. The royal sisters were hiding something. And I wanted to know the truth.

Fluttershy asked, "Princess Celestia… Surely you know the truth. Could you please tell us? James deserves to know more than anypony."

She was right. I had the right to know. But at the same time, I was afraid. Did I really want to know why a law had been passed that applied to humans? For such a steep penalty, there must have been a very brutal origin behind the initial passing of the law. What happened in Equestria? How long has it been since humanity disappeared? Or were there ever any humans in Equestria to begin with? Do I really want to know the awful truth? Or was it a pleasant and harmless truth? Either way, I would not know unless I asked.

After a moment of pondering, I spoke up. "Lady Celestia. You don't have to tell us. It's probably not important."

Twilight did not seem pleased with my refusal to learn the truth as she frowned, "But…James! This is about your kind! You, more than anypony, deserve to know the truth!"

I replied, "Maybe so… But my gut is telling me that I don't really need to know. And I'm following that instinct this time."

Luna asked with some hesitation, "Are you absolutely certain? We… I suppose we can reveal this information to you if you truly wish it."

I sighed as I shook my head. "No… It's fine. I think I'd be better off not knowing. Curiosity might not kill the cat, but it may mentally scar you."

Celestia's expression seemed to calm rapidly as I spoke my decision. "I see… We will respect your decision."

But Twilight loudly asked, "But could you at least tell me? I'm very eager to know the truth! Please, your highness!"

I finally decided to speak up, "Twilight. Let it go."

She looked at me and asked, "Why?! This is an important matter! Why shouldn't I know?"

I shrugged my shoulders and explained, "Think of it like this. Something happened a thousand years ago and no one really knows about it. If you were to learn what happened, would that really make an impact on today?"

Twilight started to say something, but began to stutter while apparently trying to find something to counter my claim. After a moment of indecision, she groaned, "Fine… Maybe it's not important after all."

Celestia nervously chuckled, "Yes, very true. What happened hundreds or thousands of years ago is of no importance today. You put it best, James." I chuckled lightly as I tried to avert my eyes, finding her praise to be embarrassing.

Hoping to change the subject to get our minds off of the question at hand, I asked, "I know this may not be the best thing to ask, but what of Diamond Tiara?"

Luna smirked as she glanced at Celestia, who also smirked slyly. The Princess of the Night then explained, "We made certain that her parents knew of everything she has been doing for the past week. It goes without saying that they were not the least bit amused with her uncouth antics." I could imagine. As I had met Diamond Tiara's mother before in the jewelry store where I purchased Rarity's bracelet, I knew just by talking to her that she was not a stuck-up sort of pony. No way she would ever appreciate her own child being a schoolyard bully.

"And her sentence?" I asked, curious of what her punishment was.

Celestia grinned rather mischievously and said, "One month of no cutie mark! Seems fitting enough."

At the mention of cutie marks, I remembered that I too had acquired a cutie mark. Or at least it seemed to be one. "Um… Your highness? I know this may sound ridiculous, but…" I then rolled up my sleeve to display the mark on my upper arm. "Is this a cutie mark? It only showed up on me today."

I think I heard a faint gasp come from the two sisters as they beheld the elegant dovelike design on my arm. Luna spoke first. "Celestia, is that…?"

The Princess of the Dawn nodded as she smiled, "Yes, I do believe so." She then stood up and walked over to me. "I recognize that shape and color. If memory serves, I've seen only one or two other ponies with this cutie mark in my life. And yes, that is indeed a cutie mark."

I think I may have blushed at that claim. If the rulers of Equestria say that it is a cutie mark, then it must be so. "Well… Does it represent anything in particular?" I asked, curious of its purpose.

Luna trotted over to us and spoke, "Allow me. The birds depicted in this cutie mark are doves, which are universal symbols of love and peace. And as you can see, they are forming a heart with their bodies."

Celestia continued, "It represents that its wearer has a big heart and is very nonviolent, preferring peace and harmony over conflict. And if there is conflict, he chooses to resolve it as peacefully as possible. Of course, it also shows that he is very loving towards those he holds dear. And if memory serves, doves are also shy. Just like you if what I've heard is true." She then looked towards Fluttershy and smiled warmly. "You are most blessed, Fluttershy. I do believe that one of those doves is James while the other is you." Fluttershy could not even offer a response to that. All she could do was blush deeply while partially hiding her face behind her long pink mane.

However, a question still lingered in my mind. "OK, so I have a cutie mark now. But is it really possible for humans to get them? I thought only ponies could."

Celestia nodded once more. "Indeed, only ponies can acquire them normally. But there are exceptions. Would you care to explain, Luna?"

Luna then stepped forward. "Gladly. While us ponies acquire them naturally, it is possible for other races to acquire them as well. But for this to occur, they must be capable of living in perfect harmony with the ponies of Equestria. Doing so creates a subtle harmonious force between the two races. Once the other race has become as close to BEING a pony as possible, that race will acquire their own unique cutie mark much like their dear friends."

A harmonious force… As close to being an Equestrian pony as possible. Living in perfect harmony with this completely alien race. That was what acquired me this unique symbol on my upper arms. "Harmony… I never had this kind bond with my own kind back home…" I then asked, "Lady Celestia… Lady Luna… Do you know who brought me to Equestria?"

Seeing as how they are the most powerful ponies in Equestria, I thought for sure that they had brought me here. And if their answer were 'yes', I would drop down on my knees and bow to them for bringing me to this paradise. However, they merely smiled and shook their heads. Celestia then spoke, "I really wish we knew. I would like to say it was us, but I would be lying if I did."

Luna bowed her head as she replied, "It is indeed puzzling. We know nothing of the world you are from, yet you appear out of thin air near Ponyville not even two weeks ago. But that does not mean we do not appreciate your presence." She then smiled warmly at me. "It is a pleasure having you here, my friend."

It was actually quite flattering to be told that a princess appreciated my presence. I never once thought that I would be so openly accepted by any community. But my train of thought was interrupted as Celestia spoke, "I'm sorry to have to bring this up, but we must be going soon. The mayor has requested an audience and we are due at the town hall in several minutes."

As I heard those words, my hand brushed against my side where my pockets were. I felt a rectangular form bulging slightly from it. My DSi. It had been a while since I last used it. I then asked, "Um… Before you two leave, may I take a photo of you together?"

Luna replied with a hint of excitement, "A photograph? But of course!"

I then pulled out my DSi, flipped it open, turned it on, and activated the camera feature. Celestia looked closely at the device in my hands and asked, "I've never seen a camera like this. Is it a device from your world?"

I nodded without looking away from the screens. "Yeah, and it has numerous features. But I only use it for taking pictures these days."

Twilight came over to me and looked at it, the top screen displaying whatever the lens was facing. "It shows you exactly what the picture will look like before you even take it? That's impressive!"

Hearing Twilight's voice gave me an idea. "Twilight, could I trust you to take the picture? I'd like to be in the shot too."

She nodded before appearing to use the levitation spell to take hold of the device. "Sure. How do I do it?" Her horn was engulfed in a billowing aura as the DSi floated out of my hands.

"Just push the A button in to take the picture. And try to keep it from shaking." I then stood between the two royal ponies with Celestia on my right and Luna on my left. I gently rested my hands on their shoulders and smiled. They too smiled warmly as Twilight began to adjust her position in the room to get the right distance and angle.

"OK, this angle looks good. Everypony in place? Three, two, one!" At the end of the countdown, I heard a familiar click. Twilight then smiled as she looked down at the DSi, "Perfect! How does this look, Fluttershy?"

My girlfriend looked down at the screen and smiled as well. "That looks just about perfect."

I took the DSi in hand and showed the royal sisters the photo. Luna seemed quite pleased with the results. "The lighting was just right, wouldn't you say?"

Celestia nodded with a matching smile, "A perfect balance. Let's do this again at our next meeting, James."

I nodded in confirmation as I turned the device off and closed it. "It would be my pleasure, your highness."

I shook Celestia's hoof as we said our goodbyes. But instead of a hoofshake, Luna rose up on her hind legs and embraced me once again. "Next time we meet, let's talk over a spot of tea."

I stroked her beautiful billowing mane and replied quietly, "Sounds like a plan, Lady Luna."

However, she pushed away from me and smiled, "Please, James. Just call me Luna."

I watched as Luna trotted down the stairs that led into the library. But before Celestia could follow, the Princess of the Dawn whispered into my ear, "I'm looking forward to watching your friendship with my sister progress. Be good to her." I merely replied with a happy grin and brief chuckle. My friends and I said our goodbyes and watched the beautiful princess follow Luna downstairs.

"I really like your mentors, Twilight." I said as I turned to face her.

The purple unicorn giggled while showing a delighted grin. "They're always good to have around. Princess Celestia is almost like a second mother to me. But don't tell her I said that. OK?" Fluttershy, Spike, and I chuckled at that request.

Spike then walked over to me with something in his hands. "Hey, James? I think I was supposed to give these to you." In his grasp was a pair of glasses.

"Glasses? Wait a sec… I know that frame. Aren't these mine?" I asked while remembering that I had accidentally crushed and twisted them that morning.

Twilight nodded and explained, "Rainbow Dash brought them to me this morning. I had the frame straightened out and new lenses put in to replace the broken ones. Try them on and tell us how they work!"

I did as I was told, placing them on my face. The instant I did, everything became much clearer. "Whoa, much better. Thanks, Twi… Wait…" One thing I noticed right then was that the lenses were absolutely spotless. No matter how hard I tried, I could never get my glasses to be 100% clean, as there would always be visible streaks across the lenses. "How're these so clean? What's your trick?"

Twilight smiled with an amused grin. "That's the special quality about glasses in Equestria. A tiny bit of magic is woven into the lenses that repels all grime, grease, dust, you name it." I tried putting her claims to the test by pressing my thumb to one lens. To my surprise, there was not even the slightest trace of a thumbprint on it.

"Huh… No wonder I never saw Rarity clean her glasses." I said while placing my glasses back on my face. "Thanks again, Twilight. You have no idea how frustrating it was to get my old glasses completely clean. By which I mean I never could."

Fluttershy smiled while gently nudging me. "Well, now you never have to worry about cleaning them again."

Before anything else could be said, Twilight spoke up again. "You know, I'm sure Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie would be thrilled to know you're back, James. You should stop by their places before you head home."

I smiled at the thought of seeing them. "Should we head over there now?"

Fluttershy nodded with a smile. "That sounds like a nice idea. May we go see them now, Twilight?"

Our friend nodded promptly. "Sure! Give them my regards, please." The two of us bid farewell to Twilight and Spike and left the library before making our way to the home of our nearest friend. In this case, Sugarcube Corner.

Along the way, I chatted with Fluttershy. "Before I forget, what did Diamond Tiara do when you told her I had run away into the Everfree Forest?"

Fluttershy replied with a displeased frown spread across her lips, "Well, she certainly didn't expect you to go there. She actually seemed a bit shocked. But that was probably because if you died, she would never get her cutie mark back." I smirked to myself, amazed that she had not figured out that the 'cure' to her missing cutie mark could be easily purchased from the local prank parlor.

The overall distance between the library and Sugarcube Corner is rather small, so we got there in only several minutes. As we reached the front door, Fluttershy spoke up. "I'll go first. Just to be safe."

To be safe? Not sure what she meant by that, but I nodded and watched while she went inside. I did not wait long as there was a sudden shriek somewhere inside Sugarcube Corner. Next thing I know, something comes rocketing out the door and tackles me to the ground, knocking the wind out of me. Not a very pleasant feeling. "OH MY GOSH, YOU'RE BACK! I WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU!"

Clinging to me like a leech while being her usual energetic self was Pinkie Pie. I was stuck on my back with her head right next to mine. "Uh… May I stand up now?" I asked while catching my breath, rather annoyed from being knocked to the ground as it did not feel pleasant at all and was borderline painful.

The silly pink pony opened her eyes and grinned as if her worries had suddenly vanished. "Oki doki loki!" She hopped off of me, allowing me to climb to my feet. "Ooh! Are those your new glasses?" She asked while pointing to a spot just behind me.

I flinched when I saw them on the ground behind me. "Those better not be scratched. I just got them back!" I quickly snatched them up and examined the lenses. Much to my shock, there was not a single scratch or speck of dust on them. "Wow… That's some tough glass." I muttered in appreciation for Twilight's foresight in their repairs as I put them back on.

Pinkie Pie then started hopping around me with her signature springy skip. "I knew you were gonna be all right! Rainbow Dash told us how you had a wicked knife with you! Did you ever have to 'make your point' with anypony out there?"

I chose to reply honestly while keeping some of the details to myself. "Yes, but only once." I was referring to the skeletal zombie pony I first encountered during my escape from Sunny Town the previous night. Still impresses me how easily the bones shattered when I took a swing.

My cheerful pink friend giggled as she came to a stop in front of me, "Ooh, I'll bet everypony who saw that point were sent scurrying away! Did you actually chop anyone with that? Huh, huh, huh?"

I replied with a frown, "Oh, please. I'm a lover, not a fighter. I'd never kill anyone with that." Of course, I did actually have to defend myself at the time. But would she have believed me if I told her I was being attacked by zombie ponies? I would have to say…..no.

Fluttershy replied with a warm smile as she stood in the doorway, "Yes, you are. As Pinkie Pie would probably say, you're as sweet as candy."

Pinkie Pie retorted with a giggle, "Oh, he's more than just sweet! He's like a mountain of sugar topped with caramelized cherries and chocolate and vanilla with a strawberry on top!" She then paused momentarily as she seemed to process what she had just said before a faint gurgling sound was heard. "That's weird. Now I'm hungry! Let's go get some goodies!" She then trotted back into Sugarcube Corner while I took a moment to think over what she said while describing me.

"A mountain of sugar…topped with caramelized cherries and chocolate and vanilla…with a strawberry…" I winced when I put the images together in my head. "Instant diabetes right there." Fluttershy giggled as she covered her mouth while we followed Pinkie Pie into Sugarcube Corner.

We had only just gotten inside when we found Pinkie Pie waiting at the counter with three cupcakes lined up in a row. "It's your favorite, James! Those special chocolate chip ones you helped me come up with!"

I smiled as I took one in hand and took a bite. "Aw yeah, I missed this." Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie helped themselves to the other two.

Pinkie Pie then asked, "So, how's it been going with you two now that we know it's not illegal for ponies and humans to…uh… You know what I mean."

I nodded while trying to hury up with the bite of cake I had just taken so I could speak. "Things have been going good. Right, honey?" I looked down at Fluttershy, who was halfway done with her snack.

"Yes, things have gotten much better now that we're together again." She said with a smile. But she then whispered while looking up at me, "When we get home, could we do some…um…special things together to make up for lost time?"

Pinkie Pie apparently overheard as she suddenly asked, "Ooh, something special?! Is it a game of spin the bottle?!" I could only laugh at Fluttershy's response, as she began to fluster uncontrollably while her wings spread wide. But once she looked back up at me, I nodded with a smile to show I agreed to her request.

Just after all three of us had finished our snack, a thought occurred to me as I observed Sugarcube Corner's interior. "Oh man… Pinkie, did Mr. and Mrs. Cake mind that I didn't show up for work yesterday?" I was worried that I had been fired due to my absence on a workday.

To my relief, my energetic friend grinned without any signs of worry. "Oh, they thought you were just running late or something. But when Rainbow Dash told us about why you ran off like that, they understood it was important and decided to wait for you to come home."

I breathed a sigh of relief, glad that I was still employed at my favorite bakery. I then asked, "Then I'll be seeing you tomorrow, right?"

Pinkie Pie's response surprised me as she giggled, "Sorry, but not this time. I've got a private party to set up. You can have the day off!"

"Do you really need to close Sugarcube Corner for the day just for that?" Fluttershy asked while clearly just as puzzled as I was.

Pinkie Pie nodded giddily and explained, "Yeah, it's a really special one. I need plenty of time to make sure it's just right." But she then asked, "Come to think of it, did you say hi to everypony now that you're back home, James?"

I shook my head and said, "Not just yet, but we were on our way to do so. Next stop is the Carousel Boutique to say hello to Rarity. We'll then stop by Sweet Apple Acres on our way home to say hi to Applejack."

Pinkie Pie responded by nudging me and Fluttershy towards the door. "In that case, I better not keep you two! Rarity told me she was working on something special for you, so you better head on over! You shouldn't keep a lady waiting!"

I chuckled at my friend's boundless enthusiasm. "OK, we'll go right now. Thanks again for the treat, Pinkie."

Fluttershy also smiled as she nodded towards her friend. "It was delicious. Thank you for providing them."

However, Pinkie Pie giggled as she waved at us. "But it was James who added the chocolate chips to the recipe! But anyway, get going! Rarity's expecting you!" The two of us said our goodbyes to our friend and headed on our way.

As we headed towards the southeastern edge of Ponyville, Fluttershy looked up at me and smiled. "When Rarity learned that it was safe for you to come home, she said she would make you something special as a gift for your troubles."

Once again, I felt somewhat guilty that generous Rarity was making something for me for free. It had been some time since I last felt this way. "I hope she doesn't make anything too extravagant. I don't want her wasting too many of her resources on me."

We came to the elegant form of Rarity's home and knocked on the door. I suspected that Rarity did not hear us, maybe due to her singing, since no one answered right away. "Think we should just go on in?" I asked while looking down at my lover.

Fluttershy nodded and reached for the door while saying, "That's OK. Most customers get her attention by ringing the bell that hangs over the door. She won't mind." I then grabbed the handle and pushed the door open, ringing the bell that hung over the doorway in the process.

"Even though it rides high on the flank, Rainbow won't look like a… Ooh! I'll be just a moment! I have only a few more stitches to make!" Rarity called out as she moved a piece of yellow fabric across her sewing machine. "There we are! Now then, how may I… Oh! James, you have returned!" My beautiful former landlord rushed over to me, reared up on her hind legs, and embraced me very tightly. "It must've been dreadful for you to have to camp out in that vile forest. Are you well?"

I replied with a smile while stroking her beautiful mane, "It wasn't that bad. I partially enjoyed myself out there."

My laidback response seemed to catch Rarity by surprise since she gasped, "Enjoyed yourself?! Are you mad?! How could anypony enjoy themselves in such an untamed dangerous forest?! Miles from civilization, not a single bathtub, so much dirt and mud… The list goes on and on!" She was being rather dramatic, even raising a hoof to her forehead as if she was about to faint.

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "I dunno. Maybe I was just too absorbed in the untamed wonders of the Everfree Forest to feel afraid. Granted, I did come across a hydra, but Rainbow Dash made sure I got away."

Rarity nodded as she regained her composure, "Yes, I recall Rainbow Dash telling us about that daring escape. But enough about that! Surely your clothes must be absolutely filthy after spending two whole days out there! Come over here." She led me and Fluttershy over to what seemed to be a row of t-shirts. "I know you prefer casual, so I made them as simple as possible. How are they, darling?"

There were six t-shirts in all. No, wait... They were actually polo shirts, which I prefer. It would seem Rarity tries to avoid making even her most basic designs look too basic. And each were…wait a moment. Each was a different color that seemed very familiar. Yellow, white, pink, orange, cyan, and a faded purple. I then realized that each of these shirts were the same colors as the coats of my six friends! And on each corresponding color was a matching cutie mark emblem on the left side of the chest. The white had Rarity's cutie mark while the cyan had Rainbow Dash's and so on. When I looked on the back, a much larger emblem depicting the same cutie mark rested in the center. "Are they to your liking? I felt that this way you would think of us while wearing them." Rarity spoke with a proud smile.

These designs for my shirts were absurdly clever. Never once did I imagine I would ever be literally wearing my friends' colors. I chuckled while shaking my head, "To my liking? I love them, Rarity. May I try one on?"

My former landlord... Or is it landlady? Anyway, she grinned proudly and said, "But of course! They are yours, after all."

I removed my glasses and pulled off my shirt. But as I took a moment to decide which shirt to wear, Rarity asked, "What an elegant design! Did Zecora give you that white marking on your arms?"

Seeing that she was referring to my cutie marks, I replied, "I know this'll be hard to believe, but these are cutie marks. At least that's what I was told."

Rarity stared at me for a moment. That blank expression seemed to say 'wait…seriously?' before she spoke, "Let me take a closer look." She reared up on her hind legs for extra height while closely examining one. "They seem to be doves… Such tender little birds. If you were a bird, you would most certainly be a dove, James. This cutie mark suits you quite well. But just how did you get it?"

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "No idea, really. I'm not even sure what triggered their appearance." I then slid on the shirt that bore Rainbow Dash's colors, as she was the first friend I saw after going into hiding.

"Well, they certainly suit a gentle fellow like you. Wear them proudly! You earned them." Rarity replied with a giggle. She then turned to Fluttershy and asked, "And how have you two dears been now that you're reunited?"

Fluttershy smiled and spoke softly, "Things have improved greatly since he got home. It's really all I could ask for." I remained silent as I let the two friends talk. Just then, Fluttershy glanced up at me and smiled. "Oh, I just remembered! Aloe and Lotus said they understand why you couldn't be at work today, James. So don't worry. They're not mad at you."

I had all but forgotten that I was supposed to be at the spa today for work. Which, of course, was impossible since I was deep in the Everfree Forest for much of the day. "Man, I almost forgot about them. I'll be sure to show up for work on Saturday."

Rarity then began to neatly fold my new clothes and set them in a stylish paper bag that bore her trademark, a pair of azure feminine eyes staring out with a slender trail of indigo hair curving around it in a very elegant fashion. "Is there anything I owe you, Rarity?" I asked, feeling slightly guilty about receiving her heartfelt creations without being asked for anything in return.

The beautiful unicorn calmly smiled and shook her head. "All I ask is that you wear the shirt that sports my colors and cutie mark when I arrive for a massage at the spa on Saturday. If you don't, I just might take them all back!" I snickered at her playful threat, knowing that it was likely a bluff.

Rarity then asked, "My apologies, but may we talk tomorrow? I'm running on a rather tight schedule and really must get started on making repairs on Pinkie Pie's dress before starting on this recent commission."

I nodded and gently stroked my finger over her ear. "Sure thing. I'll see you tomorrow, Rarity. And thanks again for these sweet shirts."

Fluttershy also nodded and said, "Don't work yourself too hard, Rarity. Let's talk again tomorrow."

Rarity grinned as she waved back at us while we made our way to the door. "I will, Fluttershy. Take care! And be good to her, James!" We bid each other farewell as Fluttershy and I left the Carousel Boutique and headed west towards Sweet Apple Acres.

"Still can't believe Rarity made me one of each kind of shirt to match you girls." I chuckled out loud while looking down at the bag I was carrying.

Fluttershy looked up at me with a grin. "She's very thoughtful when it comes to surprises. It's like she always knows exactly what the customer will like."

We continued to chat casually while passing through Ponyville. But in time, we passed in front of the jewelry store where I had purchased Rarity's bracelet. I immediately thought of the refined earth pony who sold me the bracelet as she bore a resemblance to Diamond Tiara. I began to wonder if she was indeed the schoolyard bully's mother. "Fluttershy, could you go on ahead? I need to tend to something important."

My lover smiled and nodded at me. "OK. I'll be waiting over at Sweet Apple Acres." She then walked off while I entered the jewelry store by myself.

I immediately found the same elegant mare as before standing behind the counter while apparently checking her stock. When she heard the door close, she looked up at me and spoke, "Welcome to…" She froze for a second while she seemed to recognize my face. "Oh my goodness, it's you! I'm so sorry for what my daughter did to you. I made certain to give her a thorough scolding."

My guess was correct. The clerk of that jewelry store is indeed Diamond Tiara's mother. "Is she here?" I asked with a bit of tension in my nerves. I knew that by then school was out for the day. I mean it must have been if all three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders came looking for me in the Everfree Forest.

The mare nodded and said, "Yes, she's in the back. But she's not allowed to come out for now."

"Did you know that she is a bully at school?" I asked calmly.

"No… She never gave me the impression that she has a sadistic side to her. I always thought she was my precious Diamond Tiara…" The clerk replied with a frown. I could only imagine her shock and disappointment when the news was relayed to her.

I paused for a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry to hear that… But may I see her? It's important."

Diamond Tiara's mother nodded with a bit of a sigh. "All right, but don't keep her for too long. I'm being very strict with her right now." She then went over to a door that was behind the counter and knocked on it. "Tiara, this gentleman wishes to speak with you. Come on out."

I watched as the door opened. Due to her height, Diamond Tiara was concealed by the counter. But I could hear her footsteps as she headed to the left. When she came into view, her head was bowed with a rather unhappy expression on her face. Her mother watched us constantly, likely on guard to make certain her child would not try anything violent.

When she looked up at me, Diamond Tiara immediately averted her gaze. She was clearly unable to look me in the eye. I crossed my arms and asked, "What do you have to say for yourself? I could've been killed out there in the Everfree Forest. And don't even try to say I'm exaggerating. I ran into a lot of danger yesterday while I was out there. Almost got eaten by a hydra." Diamond Tiara did not speak as she winced at my words.

Diamond Tiara was scared. I could tell just by looking at her. "You have no one to blame for your punishment but yourself. Do you have anything to say to that?"

I thought I heard a whisper from Diamond Tiara, but it was too quiet to make out. I got down on one knee and asked, "What was that just now?"

She squinted her eyes shut and muttered, "I'm sorry…"

I paused for a moment. She actually apologized. That was the last thing I ever expected Diamond Tiara to do after all of those attempts to hurt me. I looked down at the filly. She could not even look at me.

After a moment of thought, I made up my mind. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the very same cutie mark removal tape I had purchased at the prank parlor a week ago. I stretched it out and placed the opposite side onto Diamond Tiara's flanks. She gasped as she noticed what I was doing. As I removed the tape, I spoke, "Apology accepted."

I heard Diamond Tiara's mother gasp. As I expected, Diamond Tiara's cutie marks were now visible again. Her mother then spoke, "You should be grateful he gave them back to you, Tiara. You weren't supposed to get them back for another month."

The filly before me looked at her flanks for a moment in silence. She then looked up at me while sniffling, her eyes beginning to tear up. I had never seen Diamond Tiara on the verge of crying, so I was naturally perplexed by this display of emotion. "What's wrong? You got what you wanted, so why are you crying?"

Diamond Tiara shuddered for a moment, probably struggling to restrain her emotions. This did not last long as she suddenly wailed, rearing up onto her hind legs and embracing me tightly while sobbing loudly. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

This outburst of emotion caught her mother and me by surprise. My father once told me that this kind of crying is often a sign of guilt. She sobbed while trying to speak, "I'm sorry I tried to hurt you… I'm sorry for calling the Cutie Mark Crusaders blank flanks… I'm sorry for being a jerk… I know what it's like to not have a cutie mark again… It's not nice."

I gently caressed the child's mane, doing what I could to comfort her. I do not know what her parents said to her, but they must have made her understand the errors of her ways. "All you need to do now is apologize to them at school tomorrow. And tell your friend Silver Spoon that she shouldn't be mean either."

Diamond Tiara looked up at me with teary eyes while choking on her tears. "OK… You're… You're really nice…"

I then looked over at her mother. "Go easy on her. Maybe just reduce her punishment to one week?"

The mare nodded while still keeping her expression stern. "That sounds reasonable. Diamond Tiara. Instead of a month of no cutie mark, you get one week of no dessert."

The filly looked back over at her mother and nodded tearfully. "OK… I think I can handle that." She then looked back up at me and asked, "Mr. James… I'm sorry… Can you forgive me?"

I smiled warmly at her heartfelt willingness to atone and stroked her mane gently. "I forgive you." She then buried her face in my shirt again, nuzzling me strongly as I think she had started to cry again.

I continued to stroke Diamond Tiara's mane gently for the entire time she cried. Her mother continued to watch us silently, a warm smile on her face. I then smiled slightly and said, "You know, you're not the only one who got a cutie mark today."

Diamond Tiara looked up at me, her eyes still filled with tears. "You mean…one of those three got them?"

I chuckled as I pulled up my shirt's sleeve and replied, "You forget that there's four Cutie Mark Crusaders now."

The filly before me gasped when she saw the cutie mark on my upper arm. "You… You actually got one too?!" I nodded in silence. "It's…really pretty. Those are doves, right?" I nodded once again. The filly then smiled as she dried her tears. "It really suits you."

Receiving wholehearted compliments from Diamond Tiara was certainly something different. I stroked her mane as I smiled and said softly, "You're a lot sweeter than you originally led me to believe." I think she may have blushed at my words as she glanced down to hide her face.

Diamond Tiara's mother then spoke up. "All right, that's enough for now. I'm sure Mr. James has some business to tend to now that he's back home."

Her daughter nodded and said quietly, "OK, Mom…" She then hugged me again and whispered, "Thank you… And I'm sorry again…"

I dragged my fingers through Diamond Tiara's mane again. "I forgive you. Just make sure you're nice to ponies who don't have cutie marks. You were just like them once, so it wouldn't be fair if you insult them." She merely nodded in silence.

As I stood up, Diamond Tiara's mother approached me with a smile. "I'd like to thank you for helping my daughter get that awful habit out of her mind. The next purchase you make here will be half off."

I chuckled as I immediately considered making my next purchase my and Fluttershy's wedding rings. Or are they bracelets? It would be quite difficult to fit a tiny ring onto a hoof, so they are likely bracelets. Besides, it is far too soon to say when that day will come. But I digress.

"Thank you. Just don't forget that offer. It might be a while before I make another purchase here." I replied as I stood up.

The mare nodded while also chuckling briefly. "I'll make a mental note of that."

I waved goodbye at Diamond Tiara and her mother while backing away towards the door. "I need to get going. Applejack is probably waiting for me to show up. See ya later." I headed out the door and headed west, hoping to catch up with Fluttershy before she could reach Sweet Apple Acres without me.

I took no detours as I headed towards Sweet Apple Acres. When the farm came into view, I found Fluttershy and Applejack talking to each other next to the barn. Before I could say anything, Applejack noticed me approaching and dashed over to me. "Hoowee! Y'all got some spunk ta head on inta the Everfree Forest! Didja do all right after ya got away from the hydra?"

As she drew near, I dropped down on one knee and embraced Applejack once she drew close enough. "Yeah, I was OK for the rest of my time there. But I'm feeling even better now that I'm back home with all of you."

Applejack remained silent for a moment. She then asked, "Uh… Ya know, this is the first time you've ever gotten this chummy with me. Somethin' up?"

I froze for a moment, realizing that I was hugging her. I then sighed and proceeded to tighten my grip on her. "I… I'm glad to be back together with you girls… I know I met up with Rainbow Dash yesterday, but… I still missed all of you."

It was true. Yesterday was the first day since I arrived in Equestria that I went an entire day without interacting with any of my friends. Granted, I did encounter Rainbow Dash. But our time together was too brief to be satisfying at all. Regardless, Applejack smiled and embraced me with her forelegs. "We missed ya too, James. We really did… It's good ta have ya back, pardner."

Before either Fluttershy or me could speak up, Applejack suddenly gasped and let go of me. "Right! I whipped somethin' special up for ya! Right over here!" She then led us into the barn, where a small wooden cart was full of…..apple products?

Applejack trotted over to the cart and started pointing out various apple products. "Thought y'all might be hungry after all that time in the Everfree Forest, so I cooked up a lil' bit of everthin' for ya. I've got apple pie, apple fritters, apple tarts, apple dumplin's, apple crisps, apple crumbles, and here's a new one. Fresh applesauce!"

I still could not wrap my head around just how many of those homemade apple products were in that cart. "Well…uh…thank you kindly, AJ. We'll…uh…be sure to enjoy those…"

Fluttershy also nodded nervously. "Yes… This is…um…very generous of you."

Applejack grinned while she crossed one of each of her hooves in front of the other in a type of smug leaning stance. "No need ta be modest, lovebirds. Y'all help yerself to the whole thing."

Fluttershy and I glanced at each other for a moment before looking back at Applejack. I then spoke, "AJ… Not to be rude, but I'm not sure we can even finish all this before they spoil. If there's anything left in two days, would you like to help us finish it off?"

I was expecting Applejack to be disappointed. But instead, she merely smiled with a bit of a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I thought I went a might overboard there. Sure thing. If y'all got some ya can't finish in time, let me know and I'll bring some of the leftovers back home. If there's one thing the Apple family is known for, it's our high bloomin' appetite for apples!" She then worked herself into the harness so she could pull it. "Lead on, you two. I've got this."

Fluttershy and I led the friendly farm pony over to our cottage just north of Sweet Apple Acres. Once there, she helped us carry each apple product into the kitchen. "Thanks again, AJ. Could you set up another ten bushels for me to carry tomorrow?" I asked, feeling I could still use the exercise.

"Sure thing, pardner. Come on by when ya have the time. See ya tomorrow! And have fun, Fluttershy!" Applejack replied with a smile as she hauled the cart back home with her.

"It's just us now, James." Fluttershy said with a smile as she closed the door behind her.

"Yeah… Home at last." I said while I reclined on the sofa next to the window. It felt good to be home. Especially after being afraid that I may not have been able to return at all.

Fluttershy brought me some of Applejack's apple brown betty with a fork sticking out of the top. "Can I get you anything to help you feel more at home?"

I took my snack and smiled. "I'm good as is, honey. But thanks for asking."

"OK. But if you need anything, just ask." Fluttershy replied with a endearing smile. As I munched on my snack, which I found to be quite enjoyable, I froze as I heard a low-pitched buzzing next to my ear for a second. I then turned my head and found a small green hummingbird perched on my shoulder. Fluttershy was quick to notice and said, "Hello, Hummingway! Have you met my boyfriend yet? His name is James."

The hummingbird…I mean Hummingway looked at me and nuzzled me gently. "A pleasure to meet you, Hummingway." I said before the little bird flew up alongside Fluttershy.

My girlfriend then smiled excitedly at me. "Oh, we have a special trick he wants to perform. Wanna listen?" I nodded calmly while munching on my treat. Fluttershy went first, loudly humming…singing… I am not sure what to call it. It was basically humming with her mouth open, but there were no lyrics. Regardless, her singing voice was simply angelic. I literally froze as I heard my girlfriend's beautiful voice sing, only to be followed up with Hummingway humming the rest. And for some very strange reason, the tune they sang and hummed felt…..extremely nostalgic.

"Did I just hear an angel sing?" I asked, probably blushing while doing so.

My compliment clearly flustered Fluttershy since she blushed heavily. "An…angel? Oh, I don't think it was an angel… But if you mean Hummingway, he does have a pretty voice, doesn't he?"

I smirked at Fluttershy's modesty. "I meant you, honey. Hummingway's version was cute, but yours was gorgeous."

Her face turned as red as a beet. "I…uh… I don't know what to say…" I reached out and stroked her beautiful mane to help calm her. "But if you want… I can sing more if you want me to."

I grinned with a chuckle. "You can sing whenever you want, honey. I don't ever get tired of your voice." Fluttershy giggled in response, placing a kiss on my cheek in the process.

I listened to Fluttershy sing as she went about cleaning. But as I watched her, I remembered a promise I had made to her. "Honey, I just remembered something. I promised you a massage, didn't I?"

Fluttershy stopped what she was doing and grinned at me. "I completely forgot about it! When would you like to start?"

I replied after a moment of thought, "How about just before we bathe tonight?"

Fluttershy smiled warmly while blushing just a little bit. "That sounds like a perfect time to relax. I'll be patient."

The next few hours were calm, quiet, and very relaxing. They were of little extravagance, but every moment was spent with my beautiful girlfriend. Such simple pleasures are difficult to describe, so I will leave it to the readers to imagine what may have happened during those hours.

Once the sun had almost completely set, Fluttershy lied down in the middle of her living room floor with her head resting on a pillow. "Is this OK?"

I nodded as I approached her, "That'll do. Just stretch out your legs so I can reach them easily." She did as she was told and extended her legs the best she could.

I straddled Fluttershy while on my knees and began to massage the base of her neck. "I really needed that…" She muttered quietly.

"Well, we're just getting started, so don't get up yet." I replied while smiling slightly. I also felt better since this massage session would help keep my skills sharp for my next day of work at the spa.

Like before, I spent no fewer than three minutes on massaging Fluttershy before moving on to another spot. Namely her jaws. "Don't talk until I finish with this spot, honey." Fluttershy replied with a 'mmhm' without moving her mouth at all.

Once I had finished with her jaw joints, I moved down to Fluttershy's shoulders. As I kneaded them as gently yet firmly as I could, I attempted to make casual conversation. "Were you OK while I was gone, honey?"

Fluttershy sighed before speaking, "I was worried sick… I was afraid I wouldn't ever see you again. It wasn't until Rainbow Dash got back after finding you that I was a little more hopeful you would be OK."

I felt somewhat guilty that I had worried Fluttershy so much, even if it was to protect her. "Did you…ever doubt me?" I asked, worried that she may have considered breaking up with me.

Fluttershy shook her head and looked back at me. "Why would I ever do that? You explained yourself very thoroughly in that note you left behind. I had no reason to doubt you."

I sighed while still feeling rather guilty. "I'm glad to hear that… And I'm sorry if I worried you too much." I then moved on to her knees and ankles.

My lover smiled warmly at me. "It's OK. More good came out of it than bad, right? We got Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's blessings, you made some friends while you were out there, and now you're home to stay." One other good thing that had happened was that Diamond Tiara had learned the error of her ways. But Fluttershy probably did not want to hear about the former bully, as it was her actions that caused me to leave Ponyville in the first place.

When I started massaging Fluttershy's vertebrae, I asked, "What about the other girls? How did they handle the news?" I had seen Pinkie Pie myself when Fluttershy showed the note to her, but I had no knowledge of how the other four reacted.

"Well, they were all equally worried. But I think Twilight has the most worried besides me. She wouldn't stop pacing until Rainbow Dash came back with the information you gave her. Rarity was also really worried. She fainted when she found out. But then again, she does occasionally faint in times of crisis. And right after she read the note, Rainbow Dash took off to find you. She seemed pretty scared at the time too." Fluttershy explained to me while remaining very still.

I listened silently as I went from vertebra to vertebra. "When Rainbow Dash came back after finding you, we were all furious at Diamond Tiara and went straight to the school to…um…interrogate her. Although it was mostly Rarity, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash who did most of the interrogating... Although... I might have...exploded at her a bit." Fluttershy went on about the events that had unfolded in my absence while sounding noticeably uneasy when she spoke that last part.

Once I had finished with her back, I turned around so I could reach Fluttershy's hind legs. "Would you like me to save your flanks for last?" I asked, knowing that her cutie marks are quite sensitive.

"Oh, yes. And don't worry about the cutie marks. You can massage them too." Fluttershy replied with a bit of a blush.

I tended to her knees and ankles first. Once those were finished, I dug my fingertips into Fluttershy's flanks. She gasped the instant they rubbed her cutie marks. "James… If it's not too much trouble, could you…keep massaging them until I…um…you know?"

I think I felt my body heat spike at the request. If she was asking me what I think she was, she wanted me to massage her cutie marks until she had an orgasm. "If that's what you want, I'll do it. Now just relax, honey." I replied as I began to massage her.

Fluttershy was breathing deeply the whole time I kneaded the flesh on her flanks. I could tell this was very arousing to her. Even after the usual three minutes had passed, I kept on rubbing her firmly.

I think it was about five minutes into the massage that Fluttershy began to gasp loudly. She was probably getting close. I took a moment to look under her tail, finding her vulva to be coated in liquid. Not even a minute later, she shuddered violently in orgasm while struggling to not raise her voice too high. All the while, I must admit I was getting quite turned on myself.

"Was that enough, honey?" I asked as I climbed off of Fluttershy. Her face was covered in a deep blush while panting in the afterglow.

"That felt… Oh, James… I love you so much…" Fluttershy muttered quietly. I think I may have blushed at her words.

"I love you too, sweetie." I replied as I placed a kiss on her muzzle.

I stayed by her side until Fluttershy had regained her composure. But the first thing she said surprised me. "You know, James… I'll be going into heat in a few weeks."

"Heat… You mean…you want to try?" I asked, knowing exactly what she was getting at.

Fluttershy gently nuzzled me as she whispered, "Well... I don't know how compatible we are, but... I wouldn't mind trying..." I caressed her beautiful pink mane. The concept of parenthood was certainly intimidating to me. But Fluttershy seemed a bit more sure about herself than I was. And more than anything, I wanted to make her happy.

"That…sounds very sweet, honey." I replied quietly.

Fluttershy giggled as she began to hover in place, "I can hardly wait. But let's go wash up for the night. May we bathe together again?"

I nodded as I climbed to my feet and said, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

I am writing this while lying in bed. It feels great to finally go to sleep while squeaky clean. Fluttershy is sleeping soundly beside me. And she seems very happy too.

Now that I am home to stay, I feel more at ease than ever before since arriving in Ponyville. But…

I just looked outside the window at the Everfree Forest. Somewhere out there, the ponies of Sunny Town are shambling about as walking corpses. And Mitta along with them. And beyond that, Nightmare Moon's shadowy remains linger in the castle ruins where she was last seen.

I may be home and safe and sound, but I cannot help worrying for my new friends. Mitta is still suffering and Nightmare Moon is all alone without anyone to make her feel appreciated…

I swear, if I ever find a way to help them, I will return to the Everfree Forest to find them. But as I currently have no means to do so, I can only wait until that time arrives.

So tired… My eyes are heavy and I really want to sleep. I would like to write some more, but Fluttershy is asleep beside me and I am eager to join her. So the rest will have to wait until tomorrow.


	11. Home to Stay

I awoke to the feel of Fluttershy's silky smooth mane in my face. I was up earlier than usual, which was certainly odd for me, as I tend to be a late riser. I was considering going back to sleep, but noticed Fluttershy beginning to move in front of me. "Honey?" I asked quietly, wondering if she was waking up or just stirring in her sleep.

My girlfriend turned her head to look over her shoulder as she had her back to me. Her big beautiful eyes stared at me groggily while her mouth curved into a pleased smile. "Good morning, James. Did you sleep well?"

I felt particularly refreshed since it was the first time in two days that I had slept in a real bed. It felt great to be back home while knowing there was nothing wrong with falling in love with a pony in Equestria. I could hear birds chirping outside. The start of a new day in this wonderful land that had become my new home. "I slept very well, Fluttershy. And I had some nice dreams too. I think having you close to me did that." I remembered them at the time, but lord help me if I could remember them now as I write this. It is nigh impossible to remember dreams once you wake up. And those that you do remember usually do not remain in your memory for very long, almost as if the memory fades once you are wide awake. I am certain many people can relate.

Fluttershy replied as she rested her head against me, "I had nothing but nightmares when you left. I'm glad that changed when you came back."

"Can you ever forgive me for that?" I asked, feeling guilty for forcing Fluttershy through such an ordeal.

The timid pegasus looked up at me with her groggy eyes. "I never blamed you in the first place, James. It hurt when I read why you left, but it also made me feel honored. I'm amazed you would go to such lengths to protect me." She then whispered, "I'm glad…Angel brought you that love letter I wrote."

As if to reply to those words, we both looked towards the stairs when we heard a thumping sound. A second later, Angel himself hopped up to the top of the stairs and gave us a look that seemed to show impatience. "Speak of the devil. Our own little cupid is here." I spoke with a light chuckle.

I watched as Fluttershy hopped down from the bed and approached her pet rabbit. "Thank you for bringing us together, Angel. You don't know what this means to me. Is there anything I can do to repay you?" Almost as if on cue, I heard a faint rumbling sound. It was probably Angel's stomach growling from hunger. No wonder he seemed so irritated at the time.

"Oh, I see what you want. OK then, let's go get you some breakfast." Fluttershy said with a smile as she lifted Angel onto her back before trotting down the stairs.

Now that I was alone, I decided to get dressed. I would probably have to go to work soon. I slid on my shorts, but then eyed the six specialized t-shirts Rarity had given me the previous day. Each bore one of my friends' cutie marks and their coat colors to match. After some thought, I decided to wear the one that displayed Applejack's cutie mark. After all, I would soon be eating some apple pastries that she had made herself.

Before I could go downstairs, I heard Fluttershy coming back upstairs. Once she reached the top of the stairs, I noticed that she had some impressive bed head. Her mane, which is normally tidy and curled at the tips, was now messy and unkempt. "You want me to help you with that, honey?" I asked as I noticed she was heading for the bathroom.

Fluttershy smiled, "If it's not too much trouble. I think it'll go by faster if you do it." I followed her into the bathroom, minding my head to avoid bashing my forehead into the low doorway.

I watched as Fluttershy opened up the green cabinet that was to the left of the sink and pulled out a hair comb. "It's actually pretty tricky for ponies to comb most of their manes. Unless you're a unicorn, that is."

"That's why I'm here. Just hold still and it'll be done in no time." I replied as I wet the comb down. Wetting a hair comb before use increases its effectiveness. I ran the comb through Fluttershy's pink mane in long straight strokes. Whenever enough of the moisture had been absorbed into the hair, I would wet the comb down again and continue. I had to repeat the process several times due to the sheer amount of hair on Fluttershy's head. While I adore long hair on women, including ponies, it is certainly more inconvenient to manage when it is that long.

"There we go. You're all set." I spoke as I finished returning Fluttershy's mane to its former glory. She looked at herself in a mirror for a moment to evaluate my work.

"I see no problems, James. Thank you." Fluttershy spoke in her quiet voice before placing a kiss on my cheek. She then asked, "Would you like some eggs with your breakfast today?"

It had been a long time since I last ate eggs of any kind for a meal. I nodded, "Scrambled, please."

Fluttershy smiled as she headed for the bathroom door, "OK. While I'm cooking, could you please gather the rest of the eggs from the chicken coop? Use the pail that's right next to it to carry them."

"Ok then. I'll see you in a bit." I replied with a nod before following Fluttershy downstairs.

I went outside and looped around to the backside of Fluttershy's cottage. It seemed that all of the chickens were already outside milling about in the pen. "Morning, girls. Don't mind me." I spoke as I stepped into the pen. The hens did not pay me much mind, but they certainly did not show any fear either. But to make sure that there were no chickens left in the coop, I knocked on the wooden structure. "Anyone else in there?"

I received the mother of all surprises when a pony poked her head out of the coop's entrance and smiled, "Hello!"

I jumped back in surprise as I recognized the face immediately. "What the… Derpy?! What're you doing all the way out here?!" I swear, it seems that Derpy Hooves has the strangest habit of suddenly popping up where you least expect her.

The wall-eyed pegasus mare appeared somewhat sheepish as she replied, "I got lost…"

She got lost? Seriously? How could a mailmare who delivers mail on a daily basis to practically every address in Ponyville possibly get lost there? I facepalmed at her absurd lack of a sense of direction. Once again, I am not certain if that is a real word, but it describes the act well.

"Could you point me in the right direction?" Derpy asked as she crawled out of the coop.

I pointed to the east, "Ponyville's right over there. You can't miss it."

Derpy grinned, "Thanks! I'll see you later!" She then went airborne and began to fly towards…..the Everfree Forest?!

"Whoa, where ya going, Derpy?! That's the Everfree Forest you're heading to!" I called out, knowing that she would get lost for certain in that natural labyrinth.

The silly pegasus stopped in her tracks before flying back to me. She remained airborne as she asked, "Oh… But isn't that where you pointed?"

I was starting to become mildly annoyed by Derpy's misinterpretation of my directions, although I confess that I was rather amused too. "I pointed east. Just where do you think I pointed?"

Derpy's response dumbfounded me. She crossed her forelegs with each hoof pointing in opposite directions. But with her eyes not even looking in the same direction as each other, I suppose I should not be surprised. Even so, I placed my hand on my forehead and shook it in disbelief. "For the love of…" I then grabbed Derpy and pointed her in the direction of Ponyville. "Fly straight ahead and don't go off course. You'll be there in no time."

"OK. Just straight ahead, right? I'll see you later then!" Derpy replied before flying towards Ponyville. I was expecting her to veer off course, but she kept moving in a straight line. At least she has no way of getting lost now.

It was a tight squeeze, but I was able to squirm my way into the chicken coop. The ceiling was very low, forcing me to crawl as I collected the eggs. There was a good haul of them. Over a dozen in all. "I'm seeing omelets somewhere in this week's timeline." I muttered to myself.

I had to set the bucket outside first before crawling out of the coop. The chickens did not seem to mind me taking their eggs. Due to the lack of a rooster in their ranks, they probably knew that the eggs would never hatch. "Thanks for the fresh eggs, girls." I spoke towards the chickens. One of them, I think Elizabeak, walked over to me while clucking quietly. I remembered that Fluttershy told me that she seemed to like me, so I reached down and stroked her white feathers. The little hen clucked softly at my touch, playfully pecking my hand a few times. "Pet the chicken… Pet the chicken…" I muttered to myself in a goofy voice.

When I looked up, my gaze fell upon the edge of the Everfree Forest. I was about to turn and head back towards Fluttershy's cottage, but I then looked back at the forest. A lot had happened the previous two days I was in there. I wondered what my new friend Zecora was up to out there. A very interesting woman, to say the least. But the more I thought about my time in the Everfree Forest, the more my thoughts went towards the two haunted souls I had met. Mitta of Sunny Town and Nightmare Moon.

As it was during the day, Mitta and the rest of the cursed ponies probably looked completely normal at that moment. But even so, they would revert to walking corpses once the night came. And I could not forget Nightmare Moon. For someone who was long reviled as a monster, I could not forget those tears she showed me. Those beautiful teal eyes staring at me. The same refined elegance of Princess Luna. A monster would never cry. And those tears were real. And I could still remember her warm touch when her remnants 'embraced' me. She even stayed by my side while I slept, watching over me. I could only imagine what kind of power she may possess in such a weakened state, but I can distinctly remember feeling genuinely safe in her presence.

"I'll be back, Mitta. And I'll find a way to help you, Nightmare Moon." I spoke quietly. Our time together may have been brief, but I truly felt a strong desire to help those two mares. I will return to them someday. Hopefully someday soon.

I headed back into Fluttershy's cottage with the pail of eggs in hand. When I entered the kitchen, I recognized the crackling sound of frying. Fluttershy was standing at a stove while stirring some scrambled eggs with a spatula that was being held in her mouth. I decided to not try to get her attention until she turned the stove off since having her head that close to a stove's flame was very dangerous and required focus. And with Fluttershy's mane being as long as it is, it was highly susceptible of coming in contact with the flames with one careless movement of her head.

Cooking scrambled eggs takes very little time as Fluttershy turned off the stove in only a minute or so. She picked up the pan by its handle using her mouth and turned her head sideways to spill the eggs onto a plate that rested on a table. A pair of stools sat across from each other. Understandable since ponies would likely have some trouble remaining seated on an actual chair… Wait. The first time I went to Sugarcube Corner, they had chairs at the table I sat at instead of stools… Perhaps stools are simply more popular than chairs? Or is it the other way around? I never took the time to actually count how many more chairs than stools I could find in Ponyville. But I digress.

The eggs were a puffy yellow color. Just the way I like them. Fluttershy then turned to face me and smiled as if she knew I had been standing there all along. "You got here just in time. I'll get some of the apple treats out. Could you put the eggs in the fridge please?"

"Sure thing, honey." I replied as I reached for the refrigerator. I also took the time to grab a bottle of ketchup for my eggs. Yes, I like ketchup on my scrambled eggs. But I do not ever go overboard with it. I also grabbed some of the applesauce Applejack had whipped up for us. "It's gonna be a while before we clear out all this stuff…" I muttered.

Fluttershy nodded, "I think Applejack may have gone overboard. Maybe it's because she wanted to make sure you got the warmest welcome home as possible. She does tend to go the extra mile for her friends."

I nodded, "Yeah, she does put effort into helping friends. I think I'll make her something special when I go to work today." The two of us sat down at the table. It was rather small for me, but I had grown accustomed to all the furniture in Ponyville being a few sizes too small.

I started by spreading a trail of ketchup over my eggs. "You like ketchup on your eggs?" Fluttershy asked.

"Uh huh. I've always liked ketchup with my eggs ever since I was a kid." I replied as I took a bite.

"I have my own taste for my eggs." Fluttershy retorted with a smile. I noticed that there were a few rose petals on her eggs. Unlike mine, hers were sunny-side-up.

It was interesting to watch Fluttershy eat without the use of hands. She would either eat the food right off the plate, or hold the morsel on the underside of her hoof turned upright.

The two of us engaged in friendly conversation throughout the meal. I swear, our food seemed to taste even better in the process. "Come to think of it, what did you need to visit that jewelry shop for yesterday?" Fluttershy asked.

"I had to have a word with Diamond Tiara. Her mom runs the store, so I thought I'd find her there. We had a heart-to-heart talk and I think it's safe to say she's a changed person now." I replied while pausing between bites.

"You changed her? Really? I thought she was beyond help." Fluttershy replied, sounding rather surprised by my explanation.

"She told me she was sorry while crying. That seemed pretty sincere to me." I spoke while looking at the beautiful pegasus.

Fluttershy smiled, "If I had known that's why you went in there, I would've been afraid you were gonna beat her up. But that's not how doves think, is it?" I knew she was referring to my cutie mark, which was concealed under my shirtsleeve. The two of us chuckled in unison.

As the two of us dined on eggs and apple products together, Fluttershy asked, "I heard you met Zecora yesterday. Were you scared of her at first?"

I replied, "Not at all. And I don't know what the deal is with everyone being so suspicious of her. She a former thief?"

Fluttershy seemed somewhat embarrassed as she muttered, "It's a…long story. Since she looks so different from the ponies of Ponyville, we were afraid at first."

I found this reasoning to be somewhat insulting. "Then why in the world didn't you ponies run me outta town when I first showed up? Zecora looks different from you, but she's still a type of pony. I look nothing like you, yet you gave me a very warm welcome."

My lover seemed to notice my slight irritation as she bowed her head, "It was her cloak she always wears. It gave her a sinister presence since she always hid her face with the hood up. And she lives in the Everfree Forest. I think you already know how unsafe it can be in there."

I suppose she has a point. The Everfree Forest is certainly not always safe to visit. What with the likes of that hydra and the denizens of Sunny Town residing there. Anyone who is bold enough to actually live there would probably develop quite the reputation very quickly. As the ponies of Ponyville knew nothing about my origins while I made no attempt to hide my appearance, it is understandable that they would not suspect me of being a threat. "OK, I think I get it now. But Zecora's a welcome guest now, right?"

Fluttershy nodded with a smile, "Yes. It was Apple Bloom who got us to understand." I chuckled to myself. Apple Bloom always has had a bit more wisdom than most fillies her age. After all, she came to judge Mitta through her actions and not her ghastly appearance.

Before we even knew it, the time was 10 AM. "Whoa. Time flies when you're lost in conversation." I spoke as I looked at the clock on the wall.

"Oh, right. You have to go to Sugarcube Corner now, right? Tell Pinkie Pie I said hi." Fluttershy said as she began to clear the table.

"Will do, honey. I'll see you after work." I replied while placing a kiss on her forehead. I then hurried out the front door and on my way into Ponyville.

The weather was clear while the temperature was rather warm. Although I knew autumn was not very far off. Ponyville was bustling with activity as always. I saw Derpy Hooves going from door to door delivering mail. I saw Spike carrying a stack of books, although I did not know what his destination was. And, like almost every morning so far, I saw Applejack hauling a cart of apples through the streets.

I do not think Applejack knew I was there, as she did not react to my presence until I spoke to her after walking up alongside her. "Morning, AJ."

The farm pony turned her head to face me and grinned, "Howdy, James. Didn't hear ya…come…uh…" She stared at me for a brief moment before bringing a hoof to her mouth while trying to muffle her laughter. "Pfffft… What the hay are ya wearin'?! Y'all tryin' to flatter me or somethin'?!"

At first, I had no idea what was causing Applejack to crack up. At least until I remembered what I was wearing. I looked down at my shirt, the coloration being the same shade of orange as Applejack's coat. Her cutie mark was on the left side of my chest like a badge. I know that an even larger print of her cutie mark was on the back. "Rarity made this for me yesterday. She even made another five with the colors and cutie marks of herself and our other four friends." I tried explaining, trying to keep Applejack from bursting into laughter.

Applejack took a second to catch her breath. "Well, that's mighty sweet of 'er. Was I the first thing ya thought of when you put that on today?"

I nodded, "Yeah. It also made me think of all those apple treats you baked for me and Fluttershy. They made for some good breakfast too."

My friend nodded, "Glad ya liked 'em, pardner. So, where ya off to? The spa?"

I replied, "That's tomorrow. I work at Sugarcube Corner today."

My response seemed to surprise Applejack as she seemed to be having trouble coming up with a response. "Oh… Well, that's all fine and dandy, I reckon… I need to…uh…make a special delivery there today too. Maybe we'll see each other again over there?" There was something odd about Applejack's response. She was rather nervous, I could see that much. Was she hiding something? Probably not. I know Applejack is one of the most honest friends I have ever had.

"Yeah, maybe. But I can't stay and chat. Don't wanna be late. I'll see ya later, AJ." I said as I waved goodbye before starting to head towards Sugarcube Corner without taking my eyes off her.

"Sure thing, pardner. I'll… Hang on! I wanna see somethin'!" Applejack raised her voice before I got too far away from her. "I heard from Twilight that ya got a cutie mark. Mind if I see fer myself?"

I shrugged my shoulders and approached her before getting down on one knee. "OK. It's right here." I then raised the sleeve on my left arm, revealing the twin dove shape on my upper arm.

Applejack's eyes glittered in fascination. "Well, I'll be… Never thought ya'd actually get one. And boy howdy, that shape really seems ta suit ya, James. What's it mean?"

I replied as I recalled the explanation Princess Celestia and Princess Luna gave me the previous day at Twilight Sparkle's house. "It means that its bearer is very nonviolent and prefers peace over conflict. And that he or she tries to avoid conflict whenever possible. I think it also represents shyness too."

At my words, Applejack chuckled, "That part 'bout bein' shy is right. Y'all were on edge the first time we met. Good ta see yer finally settled in now, James." I nodded with a smirk, remembering how impossibly nervous I was when I first came to Ponyville. I do not believe I had ever been so nervous or apprehensive in my life at the time.

Applejack then asked, "Now, I know ya weren't all for the term 'cutie mark' when I first met ya, but are ya feelin' a bit more open to 'em now?"

It was rather odd. I used to be rather disdainful towards anything that was overly cute. In fact, some parts of Equestria sounded like they were right out of a children's television show meant for little girls. And yet, I had become strangely accepting towards these terms and places. It was as if living among these wonderful ponies had opened my mind to the deeper meanings of these unusual terms and names.

"Yeah, I don't mind anything with the word 'cutie' in it anymore. I can even say them with a straight face now." I replied to Applejack's question with a smile.

"Glad to hear, James." Applejack responded with a smile of her own. But she then nudged me with her head, "Right, I've been keepin' ya fer too long. Get over ta Sugarcube Corner! Sorry fer holdin' ya up!"

I nodded, "Right, got it. See ya around!" I then hastened my pace as I headed in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. Once I turned my back though, I heard Applejack start laughing. Probably because she saw the especially large print of her cutie mark on the back of my t-shirt.

It did not take long for me to reach Sugarcube Corner. However, I was in for a surprise as I reached for the front door. I noticed that a sign was hanging from the door. "Closed for private party?" It was only then that I remembered that Pinkie Pie had told me the previous day that I could have the day off. But as I turned to leave, I remembered that since I am an employee there, I could still get paid for my services in helping set up this private party.

I knocked on the door, hoping Pinkie Pie or Mr. and Mrs. Cake would hear it. I heard a click as the door was unlocked before it swung inward slightly. I then recognized the familiar pink coat of Pinkie Pie as my party animal friend peeked through the crack in the doorway. "Oh, good morning, James! Did you forget you have the day off?"

"Yeah. But I can still come in to help set things up for the party, right? I have some experience in that field." I replied.

Pinkie Pie's response caused me to get slightly suspicious. "Um… About that… We already have enough ponies helping out in setting things up! We don't have that much left to do anyway, so you'd be wasting your time if you came in. Go on! Enjoy your day off!"

I crossed my arms as I studied Pinkie's face. She seemed to be keeping that toothy grin up and was clearly showing signs of nervousness. "Are you hiding something from me?" I asked with a smirk.

"Me? No way! I just don't want you to…um…have to bother helping set up a party that's almost done already!" Pinkie Pie replied with her toothy grin. I could tell she was up to something. But I dismissed it as unimportant. Probably had nothing to do with me to begin with.

"OK, I get it. I'll see what I can do around here to pass the time. See ya around, Pinkie. And stay outta trouble." I said with a smile as I nodded in understanding with her claims.

"Oki doki loki! If something does come up, I'll come find you. Bye!" Pinkie smiled before she closed the door and locked it.

Well… This was certainly a first for me in Ponyville. My first time since finding a job that I had received a free day. What was I supposed to do to pass the time? I stood in front of Sugarcube Corner with my arms crossed while staring at the ground. "Hm… What to do…"

The first thing that came to mind was the park. It was a great place to relax. Or I could just wander around Ponyville to see what I may have missed. Or maybe I could visit a specific place to see what was happening at the time… Wait…

An idea popped into my head as I thought about my little sister. Scootaloo. She was surely in class right now. I had not yet seen just how schools in Equestria work, so I decided to see what was happening over at the schoolhouse. I am sure they would not mind a visitor as long as he did not interrupt the class.

I began to head towards the northwestern part of Ponyville where the schoolhouse was located. Along the way, I passed by the local jewelry store. Diamond Tiara's mother was likely inside, tending to her customers. As I passed it, I heard a door open and close in the shop's direction. A moment later, I heard a man's voice call out in a rather deep tone. "Hey! You! Hang on a second! I want to talk to you!"

I turned to face an earth pony stallion trotting over to me. It seemed that he had just emerged from the jewelry store. The color of his coat was somewhere between light brown and tan while his mane and tail were a dark gray or dark brown. Hard for me to tell, to be honest. His eyes were a faded shade of blue. His cutie mark consisted of three bags of money with an American dollar sign on them. Why did they have the symbol of a form of currency not seen in Equestria? Best not to ask. He was also wearing a gray vest with a white collar and a red necktie with another dollar symbol on the front. I asked, "Um… You mean me?"

The pony nodded, "Yes, you. I mean you're the only human in Equestria, right?" He then bowed his head for a moment before speaking, "I just want to apologize on my daughter's behalf for all the trouble she's given you lately. I knew she has some personal problems, but I never expected things to get so out of hoof."

It was clear to me that this stallion is Diamond Tiara's father. His friendly and sincere demeanor was a stark contrast to the former bully's ego. Of course, as we had come to an understanding the previous day, I merely smiled, "Thanks, but she's a better person now. We had a little talk yesterday and I think she took it well."

The fancy pony smiled in what seemed to be relief. "Well, I'm glad you managed to talk some sense into her. But before I forget my manners any longer, allow me to introduce myself. The name's Filthy Rich, head of 'Rich's Barnyard Bargains'. I'm sure you've already met my wife, Ruby Ring."

I nodded, "I have. You wife is a very sweet lady. And it's a pleasure, Filthy."

Filthy Rich chuckled for a second before retorting, "Please, I would prefer it if you just call me 'Rich'."

I stared at him in silence for a moment. "Rich… Rich?! That's my dad's name!" And no. I am not joking. To top it off, the way he styles his mane strangely reminds me of my father's hairstyle.

Filthy… Or should I say Rich? Regardless, he laughed, "Is that so?! Well, just don't go around calling me your father." I was really starting to like this guy. He certainly seems like a good man.

"Not to cut our conversation short, but I was heading somewhere when you popped up. May we chat another time?" I asked, wanting to hurry on over to the schoolhouse to see my younger friends.

"Oh, absolutely. Don't let me stop you… Oh, before you go, I didn't get your name." Filthy Rich replied.

I smiled, "It's James. And say tell your wife I said hi."

"I certainly will. And if Diamond Tiara gives you trouble again, let me know. I won't stand for my daughter to bring shame to the Rich family." Filthy Rich said as he saw me off.

"Will do. See ya." I waved goodbye as I headed on my way.

I ran into no other interruptions on my way to the local schoolhouse. Once it came into view, I found that the playground next to it was empty. This did not surprise me, as it was not even noon yet. I was about to go to the front door when I noticed that one of the windows at the side of the schoolhouse was open. Probably due to just how nice it was outside. Rather than interrupt class, I decided to watch what was going on from the window.

The window was rather low, the windowsill reaching just above my knees. I got down on one knee as I looked through the window. A low bookcase was in the way, allowing me to rest my elbow on it. It seemed that the rows of desks had been rearranged since my last visit. Each row was four desks long and four desks wide. And seated at the front of the row closest to me was my own little sister, Scootaloo.

I watched as Cheerilee spoke from her desk, "All right, class. You have fifteen minutes to complete your math assignments." She then directed her gaze at some papers on her desk.

My eyes scanned the rest of the students. In the row to Scootaloo's left was, in order, Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom, and Diamond Tiara. Seated directly behind Scootaloo was Sweetie Belle. The classroom had become very quiet as the fillies and colts looked over their test papers. I was curious of how ponies would write without the use of hands. I know that unicorns use magic to levitate pens and pencils to write, but how do earth ponies and pegasi get the job done?

I did not wait long for an answer. The students would take a pencil in their mouths and would write down the answers on their tests with skillful movements of their jaws. But while the other students seemed to be working on their assignments at a reasonable pace, with the sound of pencils scribbling being pretty much the only sound I was hearing at the time, Scootaloo was taking her time. She seemed more bored than stumped though. I am sure she would much rather be outside running around on the playground.

Scootaloo let out a yawn before looking around, clearly a sign of boredom. But when she looked in my direction, her listless expression suddenly changed to surprise before changing to a display of joy as she grinned brightly and waved at me. I returned the favor with a smile. Sweetie Belle seemed to notice Scootaloo looking towards the window and also turned to look in my direction. Upon seeing me, she too smiled and waved. However, the two fillies' distraction from their assignments did not go unnoticed as Cheerilee spoke up, "Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle. Is something taking your attention away from the test?"

The other students looked over at the unicorn and pegasus fillies as Cheerilee watched. Scootaloo smiled, "Sorry, Miss Cheerilee. It's just that…" She then pointed towards me. When everypony looked in my direction, I sheepishly waved with a smile.

Cheerilee smiled as stood up from her desk and approached the window. "Well, hello there! What brings you over here today, Mr. James?"

I shrugged, "I was told I wasn't needed at work today, so I tried to find a way to pass the time. So I came over here to see what's up with my little friends." I could see Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom chuckling under their breathes.

"Well, we always welcome guests. But since we're in the middle of a test, could I ask you to avoid interrupting the class until after all of the students have turned in their assignments?" Cheerilee replied.

"Sure thing. I'll keep quiet until then." I said with a nod.

As Cheerilee returned to her desk, she looked back at me and smiled, "You can come inside, if you want. The door's unlocked."

"OK. I'll be right there." I then left the window and entered the schoolhouse through the front door. Once I was in the classroom, my eyes scanned the students. Apple Bloom waved at me for a brief moment before she went back to looking at her assignment. Much to my surprise, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked in my direction with smiles as well. It seemed that my talk with Diamond Tiara had paid off as she had even spoken to her friend about their mistakes. I felt rather proud of the two fillies at that moment, though I was especially pleased with Diamond Tiara. "May I take a seat wherever I wish?" I asked Cheerilee.

The teacher looked up at me and nodded, "You may be seated anywhere as long as you don't distract the students."

I decided to take a seat right next to Scootaloo. There was no chair, so I merely sat down on the floor. Scootaloo could not help grinning at me before going back to work. I know she adores me, so I was naturally worried my presence would distract her.

Scootaloo would only glance at me only on occasion, probably because she knew that she might get scolded for not focusing on her assignment. I looked down at the sheet of paper. It was covered in simple math problems dealing in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. She seemed to not have any issues with the addition and subtraction problems, but the multiplication and division problems seemed to be giving her trouble as they were all still blank. Once she had finished with all the addition and subtraction problems, Scootaloo looked down at the paper while holding her head up with one hoof as her pencil hung from her mouth.

I looked at one of the multiplication problems. 9 x 9. Simple enough. If she was having problems with this simple problem, then math is probably not one of Scootaloo's strong points in school. I can relate as the more complex forms of math, such as algebra and especially calculus, gave me headaches in high school. But this simple problem was child's play. Or since I am in Equestria now, foal's play. "Hey, Scoot. Having trouble?" I whispered as quietly as possible to avoid disrupting the class.

The little pegasus filly looked at me and nodded, "Yeah, I just can't get the hang of this stuff." She too was whispering in a very quiet tone.

"9 x 9, right? What does 9 x 10 make?" I asked, hoping to give her a push in the right direction.

Scootaloo replied, "All you do is put a zero after the number with those."

I nodded, "Now take away 9 from 90."

I smirked as I saw my little sister's purple eyes open wide. "That makes…81! Wow, that IS easy. Thanks, James!" As Scootaloo jotted down the answer, I glanced over at the teacher's desk and froze as I saw Cheerilee eyeing us. I expected her to be unhappy, but she instead smiled warmly. Perhaps she could tell I was merely giving Scootaloo pointers instead of outright giving her the answers.

The next question was a division problem. "These are even worse…" Scootaloo muttered as she eyed it.

I glanced at the numbers. 10 divided by 10. "These are easy. If the number is divided by itself, it always rounds down to the same number regardless of what it is." I then whispered, "I'll give you a hint. It's the second lowest number."

Scootaloo pondered my words for a moment before replying, "2? Is that the second lowest?" When I shook my head, she brought a hoof to her chin. "Then…if 1 isn't the lowest…" Her face brightened up suddenly as she glanced up, "Oh, yeah! 0 is the lowest number! That makes 1 the second lowest!" She then jotted down the answer.

For the next fifteen or twenty minutes, I watched as Scootaloo began to solve the problems on her own while I provided advice when needed. Once time was up, Cheerilee spoke. "Times up, class. Pencils down." I heard the sound of pencils being set down on the wooden desks. Cheerilee then asked, "Mr. James, could you please gather up the tests and bring them over to me?"

I glanced at her, "Me? OK." I stood up and started by collecting Scootaloo's sheet of paper. I then went down the row and collected Sweetie Belle's. The last desk I went to was Diamond Tiara's.

As I picked up her assignment, I noticed Diamond Tiara smile at me. She then whispered, "Thank you." I suspect she may have been referring to when I returned her cutie mark the previous day.

Cheerilee smiled as I set the papers on her desk. "Thank you, Mr. James. Would you like to stay for story time? We have it just before lunchtime."

Before I could even think about my response, Scootaloo spoke up. "Ooh, I know! You can tell us about what happened when you were in the Everfree Forest! It was really weird in there, right?!"

Cheerilee smiled, "Now, Scootaloo, I know you and James are very good friends. But you shouldn't force him to take part in class activities."

My time in the Everfree Forest? That was certainly full of unusual events. And some in particular would make for good storytelling. "Actually, Miss Cheerilee? I wouldn't mind sharing my experience out there. Although some of what happened out there might not be suitable for minors."

Those words seemed to excite Scootaloo as she grinned, "Oh, sweet! Was there a lot of action out there?! Maybe a hydra going up against an Ursa?! C'mon, big brother! Tell us!"

I shrugged, "OK, I'll talk. But I'll try to keep it tasteful." I leaned against the wall right next to the blackboard so I was facing the class. "You can all come closer if you want." I spoke while gazing at the students. One by one, each of the fillies and colts left their desks and took a seat before me with the Cutie Mark Crusaders being at the very front of the pack. Even Cheerilee seemed to be giving me her undivided attention.

I felt slightly nervous as I was not comfortable talking in front of a crowd, even if the crowd is made up only of children. But some of my closest friends, and my own little sister, were with them. I regained some of my confidence as I began. "Three nights ago, I headed into the Everfree Forest. There's no need to tell you why I had to go there, so I'll skip to the good parts." Each of the children were watching me with wide eyes, though Diamond Tiara seemed to be rather ashamed of being reminded that it was because of her actions that I had to go there in the first place.

"Firstly, I happened to come in contact with some flowers that I would later come to know as Poison Joke." I continued while watching the kids.

At the mention of Poison Joke, Apple Bloom spoke up. "Poison Joke?! Uh oh… What'd it do to ya?" She clearly seemed to know what its effects are, as if she had seen the results firsthand.

I sighed as I shook my head, "You wouldn't believe me even if I explained it to you. But it did make for a very rude awakening the next morning."

I continued to describe my first day in the Everfree Forest as my audience watched intently. "The first really big event in my first day in the Everfree Forest was when I ended up in Froggy Bottom Bog. As it turns out, a hydra lives there. And trust me, those things are huge. But I was in luck since my good friend Rainbow Dash was there to keep it busy. If she hadn't been there when it showed up, I wouldn't have gotten very far."

At the mention of my brash pegasus friend, Scootaloo jumped up, "Awesome! That's Rainbow Dash for you! She's always there to help her friends! Did she knock that hydra for a loop?" I had forgotten that Scootaloo really looks up to Rainbow Dash.

"I did see her give that thing a few kicks to the face, but I didn't stick around long enough to really see the kind of damage she could pull off. But man, am I glad she showed up when she did." I replied with a smile.

I continued, "A little while after that, I came across a pair of turtle doves huddling in the tree."

Sweetie Belle asked, "And how is that something unusual?"

I smiled as I reached for my shirt sleeve, "Because if I hadn't seen them, I don't think I ever would've gotten this." I then rolled up my sleeve, displaying my cutie mark for all to see. I heard most of the children ooh at the sight of it.

"A cutie mark? You really got one, Mr. James?" Cheerilee asked. When I nodded, she smiled, "It's very beautiful. And it suits you well."

I went on, "The next odd event to happen to me occurred when it was getting dark. I was looking for a safe place to stay and I stumbled across a little gray filly with a yellow and orange mane and tail. She didn't see me, but I followed her since she probably lived nearby." At those words, I noticed Apple Bloom tense up with an expression of either dread or anticipation on her face. As she knew full well of whom I was referring to, I could tell she was not looking forward to what I was going to say next.

"I lost sight of her a minute later, but I ended up finding a humble little village in the Everfree Forest. The ponies there didn't have any cutie marks, even though they were all adults. But I didn't think too hard on it. They were friendly and welcomed me into their home. From what they told me, they call the place Sunny Town." I went on, watching the expressions of my audience gradually change.

Before I went on, I noticed Cheerilee looking through a textbook. "Miss Cheerilee?" I asked, wondering what she was up to.

The teacher looked over at me and spoke, "Mr. James, is this a true story? There doesn't seem to be anyplace called Sunny Town in Equestria. And there certainly isn't a town INSIDE the Everfree Forest."

I crossed my arms as I replied, "There's a good reason why that town isn't on the map. I'll be getting to that bit in a minute. And yes, it's a true story. I wouldn't lie about what happened to me out there." Cheerilee seemed to take my word for granted as she closed her textbook.

"As I was saying, the ponies who lived there had no cutie marks. But they were friendly." I explained while Apple Bloom kept giving me a most fearful look. "However, there was one pony who didn't seem very happy. She had a gray coat and crimson hair. When she saw me, she warned me to leave town right away." I noticed Apple Bloom's expression brighten as if to say 'thank goodness'.

Silver Spoon raised her hoof and asked, "Why did she tell you to leave Sunny Town when all the ponies there were happy to have you there?"

I smirked, "I'm very glad you asked that, Silver Spoon. For you see, the happy and cozy Sunny Town…is not what it seems. During the day, it looks like a humble little hamlet with happy ponies living there. But at night…" I then frowned sternly, "The town's true form is revealed. Sunny Town is a deathtrap."

Every last pony in the classroom looked at me with a shocked expression. Sweetie Belle asked, "Deathtrap? Why?!"

I explained, "Sunny Town is a cursed town that has been that way for centuries. It's just a bunch of crumbling ruins. And the ponies…" I shuddered as I remembered those…horrifying glowing red eyes… "They're all dead. Zombies. I know it's hard to believe, but every last one of those ponies become zombies at night. With glowing red soul-piercing eyes. You really don't wanna see that in the dark."

Everyone, including Cheerilee, were displaying expressions of shock at my claims. And why not? There was really a village full of zombie ponies out there in the Everfree Forest. If I was back on Earth and I learned that there was really a city of zombies somewhere in the world, I would most certainly be shocked too.

"If she hadn't led me outta there… I probably wouldn't be here right now…" I spoke softly, remembering Mitta's act of kindness. "The pony who led me out of Sunny Town… She told me her name is Mitta. And she's the only good soul in the whole place."

Diamond Tiara asked, "Is she a zombie too?"

I nodded, "Yeah… She's affected by the same curse as the others. But her body… How do I put this… She isn't as…decayed as the others. Her body is still whole when the curse is working. She has the same eyes, but at least she is still in one piece…" I then sighed, "I promised myself I would come back for her if I ever found a way to lift the curse… She's my only friend in Sunny Town." I heard the children aww at my display of the bond I had developed with Mitta before we parted.

Sweetie Belle then asked, "So, you got out of Sunny Town before the zombies could get you?"

I shook my head, "Yeah, I got outta there in time. But that's when things got scary." I could see Apple Bloom's eyes open wide. The zombified ponies surely must have pursued her as well. I explained, "The few ponies I saw in town didn't come after me, but a whole swarm of them just crawled outta the ground and started chasing me. They were almost nothing but bones, but they still had those glowing red eyes. Scariest thing I've ever seen since coming to Ponyville. My saving grace was that they were so slow. I easily outran them."

The students were fixated on me as I recounted my encounter with the undead denizens of the Everfree Forest. Even Cheerilee was listening while constantly watching me. However, Diamond Tiara was bowing her head as if in shame. I can understand why. It was because of her actions that I went to the Everfree Forest in the first place. Which meant that it was her fault that I almost ended up as zombie fodder. I did not hold anything against her though. After all, I gained a few friends from the experience.

"In any case, I stumbled across the same filly who had led my to Sunny Town in the first place. She said her name is Ruby." I saw Apple Bloom smile at my words, surely remembering her time with the little ghost filly. "She helped me out by leading me to probably the only safe place in the Everfree Forest."

Scootaloo then asked, "And what's the safest place out there?"

I replied, "The ancient castle ruins of the royal sisters. Ruby told me those zombie ponies think the place is haunted, so I didn't have to worry about them following me there. In any case, the moon was out and the night had started. So I headed into the ruins so I had a roof over my head for the night." I then smirked, "What happened next was probably the most memorable part of that day for me. When I entered the old throne room, I saw her. Or what was left of her, at least."

Silver Spoon asked, "Her? Who was it?"

"You probably won't believe me." I replied, doubting that anyone would believe what I was about to say. "The Mare in the Moon. Nightmare Moon."

There was an audible gasp as every last pony in the room became frightened. I chuckled for a moment before speaking, "Oh, cut that out. If she was really the monster you all think she is, do you think I would be standing here now?"

My words seemed to reassure my audience as they calmed down slightly. Apple Bloom then asked, "But what happened next? Did she try ta gobble you up?"

I rolled my eyes, wondering what kind of rumors might have been stirred up that caused them to believe Nightmare Moon was carnivorous. "Lord, no… She was…very gentle towards me. And I felt honored to be in her presence."

I was not expecting Cheerilee to speak up next. "But why were you so honored to be in her presence? She was always a threat to Equestria."

I smiled, "She made the night. And I prefer the night to the day. And I know that she thought that no one had ever been grateful for the night. So I thanked her myself for making it so we can sleep at the end of the day." I then sighed, "I heard her voice. She told me that I was the very first person to ever thank her for her work… When I slept there, I could feel Nightmare Moon watching over me. She protected me while I slept."

I was actually rather impressed by how well the students and even the teacher were handling this information. Rather than freak out, they seemed to be thinking deeply. As if rethinking their opinions about the dreaded Mare in the Moon. Apple Bloom smiled, "Yer right! The night is purty nice! An' it's all thanks ta Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna that we have it!"

Sweetie Belle nodded, "It always feels nice and quiet when I go out for dinner with my mom and dad when it's dark out. It makes going home a lot more relaxing." All of the children began speaking in unison, pretty much drowning each other out like one big conversation.

"Now, class. Let's be quiet to allow Mr. James to finish telling his story." Cheerilee spoke up to get their attention. All of the kids stopped what they were doing and turned their gazes towards me.

I decided to leave out the part where I was turned into a pony courtesy of Poison Joke. I mean, really. Would anyone believe me if I told them I was turned into a pony? Probably not. "I met Zecora the next morning. She took me to her home for a little while for shelter. And right after that…" I then smiled at the three Cutie Mark Crusaders, "You girls found me."

All of the students looked at my three friends. The three of them grinned, blushed, or rubbed their heads in response to the attention. "Thanks for coming to me, girls. I was really happy to see you."

Scootaloo responded first by running over to me and leaping into my arms. "We missed you too, big brother. And it's awesome to have you back home." The two of us cuddled as the rest of the children applauded in unison.

Cheerilee smiled as she got up from her chair, "That was a very descriptive story, Mr. James. Was that all a true story?"

I nodded as I set Scootaloo down, "Every word of it. Even the part about Nightmare Moon. But don't worry about her. She's not a threat to anyone anymore."

The teacher nodded, "I certainly hope so. But now that story time is over, it's time for lunch. Would you like to stick around a little longer?"

I nodded, "Sure. I'll go grab some lunch myself in a while."

Cheerilee then looked at her students and smiled, "All right, class. Grab your lunches and gather out in the playground. Just be sure to come back in when the bell rings." I watched as each of the foals went over to their individual saddlebags, which were lined up in rows on a table, and took them outside through the door that led out into the lobby. With nothing else to do, I followed them outdoors.

I watched as the foals spread out on the playground. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, as expected, grouped together as they took out their lunches. But I was surprised to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon join them. They showed no signs of hostility and even seemed to greet the three fillies. I smiled to myself, glad to see that the two school bullies had turned over a new leaf.

I approached the five fillies and took a seat by them as they munched on their meals, which mostly consisted of fruits. Apple Bloom looked up at me and smiled, "Howdy, James! Wanna bite?" She held up her half-eaten apple to me. It was a red delicious apple, a kind of apple I am not particularly fond of.

"No thanks, Apple Bloom. I'll grab a bite in town once recess ends. But thanks for the offer." I replied. I then looked over at Diamond Tiara and asked, "You learned your lesson?"

The former bully nodded as she paused from eating her lunch, "Yeah, I'm done being mean… I know what it's like to have a blank flank. It's not fun."

Silver Spoon then asked, "Do you forgive us?" She seemed to be displaying genuine regret. It was almost as if she was unhappy with her actions despite me having never confronted her about it.

"I think you should be asking your real victims." I replied as I turned my gaze to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Do you forgive them?"

Scootaloo grinned, "If you're really sorry about it, then sure!"

Sweetie Belle then added, "As long as you don't ever do it again, I'm OK with you being friends with us."

Apple Bloom, who I suspected had been tormented the longest by the duo, nodded with a smile, "I guess y'all can hang with us now. But no more 'blank flank' nonsense. Or else, James will be comin' after ya again. Right, James?"

I smirked, "You know it. Better behave, you two." The two fillies grinned nervously in response. They seemed to have learned a lot in the past week.

I listened to the fillies converse while eating lunch. The overall length of the lunch period was rather short as the school's bell rang after no more than twenty minutes. I watched as the other students gathered up their saddlebags and began to head back into the schoolhouse. However, the five fillies who were with me stayed a moment longer. "Are you leaving now, James?" Sweetie Belle asked as she put her saddlebags back on.

"Yeah, I'm getting pretty hungry now. So I'll go grab a bite at the café or something." I replied as I started to get up. But before I could climb to my feet, three of the five fillies suddenly caught me in a group hug. The only ones who did not take part was Silver Spoon, who seemed rather surprised as she watched, and Scootaloo, who opened her mouth and seemed to point her hoof into it as a sign of disgust. I knew it was just an act though since she does not mind hugging me in front of her closest friends. She was probably just trying to keep the 'tough girl' image up around those who might try to spread the word. Namely Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

Diamond Tiara nuzzled my chest as she held onto me, "Thanks again, James… It feels good to have friends for reasons that don't have anything to do with being mean."

I stroked her mane as I smiled, "I'm glad I was able to help you change for the better. Just don't ever go back to being that mean little witch, all right? I'll have to take your cutie mark away again if you do." She seemed to not have any intention of reverting to her old ways, as she showed no signs of being intimidated.

Sweetie Belle spoke, "Don't worry about her or Silver Spoon. We'll keep them on the right track."

Apple Bloom then looked up at me, "You wanna come by the clubhouse today? We've got lots of stuff ta talk about."

I remembered that I had not been able to attend the meeting we had planned on the day I left Ponyville and headed into the Everfree Forest. "Sounds like a plan, girls. Right after school?"

The farm filly nodded, "Yup! But we better get back ta class. We'll talk later!" I watched as the fillies gathered up their saddlebags and ran back inside. However, Scootaloo remained outside with me.

"Aren't you going back in too? You're gonna be late." I spoke while looking down at Scootaloo.

"I am. But I just wanna do something first." She walked over to the front door of the schoolhouse, which was now shut. I followed close behind. "I didn't want anypony seeing us."

"Yeah, I know you have a bit of a reputation." I replied, recalling how she acted disgusted when her three friends embraced me. It was just a charade to make her still look tough in front of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. "Since we're alone now…" I said with a smirk as I got down on one knee.

Scootaloo grinned, "You got it." She then leapt into my arms and nuzzled her head against my chest.

I held my little sister against my chest while stroking her mane. I then whispered, "You know, you can still be affectionate to your friends and still be tough."

Scootaloo replied, "I know… It's just… Well, you're the only guy I don't mind getting cuddly with. You're family, after all."

I felt a warm fuzzy feeling when she said that word. Family. "Scoot, I'm not even the same species as you. I don't think I qualify as a family member to you."

She surprised me with her response. "If that's the case, adopt me!"

I was amazed by Scootaloo's devotion to me. Adopt her? I am certainly old enough to do so, but she already has a family. Regardless, I was rather touched by her desire to truly be my sister. Having a little sister… It does feel nice. "OK, Scootaloo. I hereby adopt you as my own little sister."

I felt the pegasus filly shiver in my grasp in what I think was excitement. I could hear her snicker as she gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. "Awesome! Now I really do have the best big brother I never had!" However, her tone then became more somber as she spoke softly, "Just please don't go away again, James…"

Those words brought to mind the unpleasant memories of when I had to temporarily leave Ponyville a few days ago. I had certainly gained something out of the experience, but it was still not a good feeling knowing I had worried my loved ones so. "That's a promise, Scoot. I'll never leave again."

The two of us continued to cuddle together for a moment longer before I noticed the door in front of me open a crack. I saw Sweetie Belle poke her head out and spoke, "Come on, Scoot! You'll be late for class!"

The pegasus filly looked over her shoulder and nodded, "I'll be there in a sec!" Sweetie Belle winked at us before ducking back inside as if saying that our relationship was safe with her.

I patted Scootaloo on the head before setting her down. "See you at the clubhouse in a few hours?"

Scootaloo nodded, "Yeah, but I'm gonna take a scooter ride through the park first since it takes longer for Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to get there on foot. You wanna come watch?"

I remembered the last time I had seen her perform stunts at the park. A successful kick flip on a scooter should not even be possible, yet she made it look easy. I was curious of what other tricks she had up her sleeve. "You bet. Three hours sound right?"

"Yup! See ya there, James!" Scootaloo replied before going back into the schoolhouse. Now that the students' lunch period was over, it was time for me to get something to eat for myself.

My trip to the local café was rather uneventful. When I arrived, I found nearly all of the outdoor tables to be empty. Only one or two were in use with none of the ponies who were seated at them looking familiar to me. I took a seat at the nearest table and opened a menu. But after less than a minute, I heard the sound of hooves clopping as someone approached me from my left. I was expecting it to be Twilight Sparkle or maybe Rainbow Dash. But I got a surprise when I heard a voice I did not recognize. "Excuse me, but may I have this seat?"

I turned to face the owner of the voice and found Lyra standing to my left. I know I have mentioned her before in an earlier entry, but I have never described her appearance. She is a unicorn with a coat being mint green and her eyes are a yellowish shade of orange. Her mane and tail are pale light grayish cyan with white highlights while her cutie mark depicts a lyre. I asked, "Um… You're Lyra, right?"

The unicorn mare smiled, "Actually, my real name is Heartstrings. But Lyra is my nickname. In any case, may I join you?"

I shrugged, "Sure. I don't mind company." I watched as Lyra…I mean Heartstrings took a seat at the opposite end of the table.

At first, Heartstrings did not say anything. But every time I glanced over the top of my menu, she was gazing at me with what seemed to be an expression of fascination. She had her head resting on her upturned hoof in the same manner a human would hold up his or her head while seated. I eventually asked, "Um… Is there something on my face?"

Heartstrings replied, "No, it's not that. It's just that… Well, I'm amazed that humans really exist. I always wanted to meet one."

Heartstrings' unusual fascination with my species caught me by surprise. "You knew about humans before I showed up?" I asked, hoping to get a little more information out of her.

"Uh huh. I read about humans in books about legends and myths. I was always fascinated with the stories about them and wondered what they might be like since they were described as being absolutely nothing like ponies. And they were right. You humans look nothing like us."

Before we could converse further, the waiter came to our table. "Have you made your decision?" He asked with his strong accent.

Heartstrings spoke first. "I'll have a deluxe salad please."

"I'll have a house salad with French dressing and an order of spaghetti and meatballs please." I spoke before the waiter took our menus and headed into the café.

"That reminds me. I never got your name." Heartstrings mentioned as her eyes fell upon me again.

"It's James." I replied, still finding her fascination with me to be rather awkward.

Heartstrings then smiled, "OK, James. I heard you're not even from this world. Could you tell me what it's like where you come from? And what are humans like where you're from? They just as friendly as us ponies?"

I paused for a moment, thinking over my answer. I did not want to lie to her, but my answer would not be pleasant. "You'll probably hate me if I tell you."

Heartstrings was clearly not expecting that response. "Hate you? What makes you say that? You're a nice guy, from what I can see. You can tell me the truth."

I sighed, "OK, but you'll regret it. The world I come from… Well, it's not all bad. There's a good deal of nice things about it. But even so… Compared to this world and all its beauty and hospitality…" I paused for a moment before speaking, "The place is a nightmare."

My dining partner stared at me with a blank expression for a moment. "A…nightmare…? Is it really that bad?"

I explained, "Don't go thinking my world is unpleasant because it just is. The cause of all the evils in my world stems from human sin. Pollution, animal extinctions, war, murder, hate, greed, terrorism, genocide. Not a day goes by without a horrible act being committed by at least a few hundred humans. There are good people in the world, but my estimate is that they are outnumbered four to one. At the rate things are going, humanity will just end up destroying itself. Good riddance, if you ask me."

I was being completely honest in my use of words. My world may certainly not be without its good parts. But Equestria is a perfect paradise when compared to it. I said nothing else as I waited for Heartstrings to offer a reply. However, I soon noticed that she seemed to be tearing up. "Are you being serious? Most humans are…really that horrible?" All I could do was nod. To my surprise, Heartstrings got up from her seat, walked over to me, and held me in a tearful embrace. "Thank the stars you were able to escape…"

"You…don't think I'm a monster? Even though I'm a human too?" I asked, wondering why she had not turned on me.

Heartstrings looked at me with teary eyes, "Every time I've seen you, you've been living with us like any other pony I know. You're nothing like those awful humans from your world. You have a good heart." She then smiled, "I'm glad the first human I ever met was you. You warned me about the others, so I know to be careful around other humans. If I ever meet them, that is."

I placed my hand on Heartstrings' back to help comfort her. "I'm sorry if what I said disturbed you. I just don't like keeping others in the dark about my world."

What Heartstrings said next touched me. "I hope you never have to go back… You're too nice to deserve to live there."

I wholeheartedly agreed with her on that. Life without my friends in Equestria is a nightmarish thought. "I hope so too… And thanks for hearing me out, Heartstrings…"

The unicorn smiled, "You can call me Lyra, if you want. My friends started calling me that because they felt Heartstrings doesn't sound much like a girl's name. And it sounds similar to what my cutie mark is."

I nodded, "OK, Lyra. Is there anything else you want to ask me?"

"Um… I think that's all for now. That last bit of info was a lot to take in." She replied with a somewhat unnerved expression.

"I just hope I didn't make you lose your appetite. Because here our orders come now." I said while pointing towards the café. The waiter was carrying our food out to us on a tray that rested atop his head.

Once the waiter left us with our orders, I asked, "So, Lyra… You and Bon Bon have anything happening?"

Heartstrings… All right, I will always refer to her as Lyra as it takes up less space on my paper. In any case, she replied, "Oh, Bon Bon and I have been good friends for a long time. And speaking of friends, I've seen you and Fluttershy together pretty often."

I shyly smiled while averting my gaze, "Yeah… We've been sweethearts for a few days now."

Lyra smiled brightly at my words, "Wow, I never knew humans were so open towards other species!"

I frowned, "Actually, most aren't. Where I come from, humans are the only sentient beings on the planet. But there are some like me who 'think outside the box', so to say."

My words seemed to elate Lyra as she grinned, "There are others like you? Nice! Maybe they'll find a way to come to Equestria someday!"

I chuckled, "Not likely. I don't even know how I got here yet."

The two of us conversed casually while dining on our meals. Like most unicorns, Lyra used magic to levitate her fork to eat her salad. Once we finished, the two of us left a handful of bits on the table as payment. Lyra smiled at me, "It was good talking to you, James. You think we could chat again sometime? I'll have more questions about humans by then."

I nodded, "Sure thing. Lunch will be on me next time."

"Aww, you're sweet. But I better go see Bon Bon. We had plans today and I don't wanna be late. See you around!" Lyra spoke with a smile before running out of sight.

I was on the verge of going back to Sugarcube Corner before I remembered that I was given the day off. Force of habit. With nothing else to do, I decided to go back home and spend time with Fluttershy. But I had barely reached the meadow that separated her cottage from Ponyville when… Well, in all honesty, I have no idea what hit me. All I remember was something bashing me right on top of the head with a loud crack, the feel of me falling flat on my back, and the sound of Rainbow Dash repeatedly shouting 'ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh' over and over again.

I am not entirely certain how long I was out. But when I came to, I found Rainbow Dash standing over me with an extremely worried expression. Fluttershy was by my side, holding my head in her arms. Or rather forelegs. Unsure of what happened, I asked, "Um… How long was I out?"

Rainbow Dash spoke first with a sigh of relief, "Oh man, I thought your skull was split open! Are you OK? Everything in your head where it should be?"

Speaking of my head, I could feel an ice pack against it. I could also feel an acute soreness under it. "OK… Did someone hit me over the head with a 2x4 or something?"

Fluttershy replied, "Um…no. A tortoise fell on you."

…..What? I looked around and found a green tortoise looking at me with a relatively unhappy gaze. I winced as I asked, "Are you saying…..this guy fell outta the sky and hit me on my noggin at max speed?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously, "Uh… It wasn't THAT long of a drop. I'm just glad he was that low to the ground when his propeller's motor went dead." Next to the tortoise was a small pair of goggles and…a type of propeller-powered flight apparatus. Probably meant to be attached to his shell.

"I can't believe that didn't give me a concussion. Although that's the first time I've ever been knocked out cold before." I replied, my hand gently rubbing the top of my head. I doubt it could be seen under my thick hair, but I could feel an obvious lump on my scalp.

I watched as Rainbow Dash motioned for the tortoise to approach me. "Come on, Tank. James was nice enough to let you use his head to break your fall. C'mon and say thanks."

The tortoise, who I assume is named 'Tank', very slowly approached me with what I think was the slowest gait I have ever seen. Even for a tortoise. I think it took at least half a minute for him to come up next to me. I looked down at him without saying a word, his eyes slowly blinking once. I could not fathom what prompted Rainbow Dash, who is someone obsessed with speed and agility, to choose a sluggish tortoise to be her pet. There must have been a deeper connection between them than I initially suspected.

I shrugged my shoulders while caressing the tortoise's neck. "I guess it's OK. I'm just glad I haven't shaved my head in a while."

Rainbow Dash grinned, "Yeah, sorry about that. Maybe I should get a parachute installed for him in case that happens again." Tank also smiled at me, albeit taking about four seconds for his frown to become a smile.

Fluttershy spoke to me from behind my head, "I applied some ointment that should help the swelling go down faster. Just be careful not to bump your head on anything for a while. It'll sting if you do."

I nodded to show I understood Fluttershy's orders, but my gaze then settled on Tank. From what I had seen, most of my friends had their own unique pets. "Do all of you have pets?" I asked, curious if my assumption was true as I had not seen Applejack with one.

Fluttershy nodded, "Yes, we all have pets. I think the only one you haven't met yet is Winona. She's Applejack's herding dog."

A dog, a cat, a tortoise, a rabbit, an owl, and an alligator. All six of my friends had their own pets. I then asked, "You think I should get a pet too?"

For some reason, Fluttershy suddenly perked up with excitement as she went airborne and got right up in my face. "Ooh! Y…You want one?! Oh, oh, I have plenty of little animals at my house you can choose from! Surely one of them is just right for you!" Before I could even react, she had her forelegs curled under my arms and was literally carrying me across the meadow with my feet dragging across the ground. "You've always been so sweet to animals, so they'll surely be sweet to you too! They'll love you and be with you forever and ever!" I could even hear her gasping with excitement between sentences.

Rainbow Dash flew after us and came up alongside me. I muttered, "This is the most passionate I've EVER seen her get about anything! Is this normal for her?" Fluttershy seemed to be in her own little world, as she paid no heed to my words.

"Heheheh, yup! She's always this way when it comes to animals. Have fun!" Rainbow Dash replied before flying back over to Tank.

Fluttershy carried me right into the backyard behind her cottage where the chicken coop was located. When she set me down, she continued to hover above the ground. "Take a good look around you, James. You have plenty of pets to choose from."

I did as I was told, looking around me. I was rather surprised as I found more types of animals in the immediate area than I had ever seen in one spot before. I saw a goat, a pink flamingo, a bat, ducks, kittens, you name it. It was as if Fluttershy had her own private zoo. "That's quite a list to choose from, honey." I spoke while bringing a hand to my chin while thinking over my options.

"I have I song I can sing that can help you decide. Should I sing it?" Fluttershy asked with a beaming smile.

I threw up my hands and shook them, "No, thank you. I'm already pretty sure of what I want." My eyes scanned the animals that were nearby. I could see some baby rabbits in the mix and the kittens were absurdly adorable, as I have always preferred cats to dogs. Which is rather ironic, as I have had dogs before but never cats. I also noticed some frogs hopping about. I have always liked frogs and have even had some and toads before. There was much to choose from and I was having a difficult time deciding. I crossed my arms while bowing my head to think. But as I did so, my fingers brushed against my upper arm. It was then that I had an idea while looking at my arm. My cutie mark was almost completely covered by the sleeve. "Fluttershy, do you happen to have any doves?"

Fluttershy gasped, "Doves? Why didn't I think of that?!" She then looked towards some birdhouses and called out, "Angela! There's someone here to see you!"

At those words, a beautiful white dove emerged from the hole in the birdhouse and flew over to us before perching on Fluttershy's raised hoof. Fluttershy turned to face me and smiled, "Isn't she just the cutest little birdie you've ever seen? And look! She's white, just like your cutie mark!" In all honesty, it was the dove shapes that make up my cutie mark that caused me to consider adopting a dove in the first place.

"She is definitely cute, Fluttershy." I replied while extending my arm towards them. Once close enough, the dove fluttered as she hopped onto my finger. She then looked up at me with those round dark eyes. "Hello, Angela. Looks like you're my new little angel." The dove nuzzled my face as I raised her to my head. I closed my eyes and nuzzled her back, feeling her soft feathers against my face.

"I just know you two will get along perfectly." Fluttershy spoke as she hovered beside me. I heard the dove let out a soft coo as she began to preen my face.

"You said her name is Angela, right?" I asked, fairly certain I had heard her name right the first time.

"Yes, her name is Angela." Fluttershy replied with a smile.

"You know… This means we both have our very own little angels. You have Angel while I have Angela." I said with a smirk, knowing that Angela is a feminine version of Angelo, which is Italian for 'angel'.

"Angel and Angela… They'll probably be the best of friends." Fluttershy replied with a smile. I, for one, was not too sure. I have noticed that while Angel has minded his manners around me, he seems to be very picky of who he is kind to.

I felt Angela gently preening me as a sign of affection. She seemed to be trying to bite me, but I knew better. I heard her let out a soft coo as she nuzzled me. "She really seems to like you." Fluttershy whispered to me as I stroked her feathers. But she then asked, "Come to think of it… You have the day off, right?"

"I guess your memory's better than mine. I forgot all about it until I got there today." I replied, referring to my arrival at Sugarcube Corner that morning.

Fluttershy giggled, "Since you have some free time, would you like to go to the park with me?"

I replied while stroking Angela's feathers, "Sounds good to me. Is now a good time?"

"I finished tending to the animals for the morning, so I have plenty of free time. Shall we?" Fluttershy spoke with a smile as she headed towards the edge of her backyard.

"Absolutely." I said with a smile as I set Angela on a fencepost. "Fluttershy and I will be back in a little while. Be a good girl and wait here for us, Angela." My new pet seemed to nod in agreement as she cooed contently.

Fluttershy and I passed by Sweet Apple Acres as we took the most direct route to the park, which is directly south of Ponyville. The two of us engaged in casual conversation during the walk. When we entered the park, I quickly noticed Lyra and Bon Bon seated on a park bench. Bon Bon was holding a small bell in her mouth while Lyra was gently strumming a small harp that she was holding in her arms…forelegs…whichever. One thing I was quick to notice was her posture. Unlike Bon Bon, who was lying down on the bench, Lyra was sitting upright on it much like a human would. Perhaps her fascination of humans had inspired her to try behaving like one. Regardless, Lyra waved at me the instant she saw me. I returned the favor by waving back and smiling. Fluttershy noticed and asked, "You know Heartstrings?"

I replied once I had stopped waving and nodded, "She joined me for lunch. She studies legends and myths regarding humans and was interested about what I could tell her about my kind."

Fluttershy giggled, "I'm sure you could speak volumes about your homeland. It must have so many unique animals I've never heard of before." She was not too far from the truth either.

Our destination was arguably my favorite spot in the entire park. The local pond. As expected, a sack of fish food rested on the tiny peninsula that reached into the body of water. I could remember my previous visits to this part of the park where I spoke to Fluttershy and even Rainbow Dash on one occasion.

"Just the two of us, huh?" I asked as I took a seat by the sack of fish food.

"Looks that way. And that's the way we want it, right?" Fluttershy replied as she sat beside me and gently leaned against me.

I reached into the sack and tossed a handful of fish food, which consisted of pellets, out over the pond. Just like the previous times, some of the fish leaped out of the water and caught a few pellets before they could even hit the water. "I never get tired of watching that." I said with a smile.

The two of us watched the many fish feast upon their snack. Before long, Fluttershy asked, "Did you do anything else besides eat lunch with Lyra today?"

I replied, "I went over to the schoolhouse to say hi to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I even helped Scootaloo out with some math problems."

Fluttershy smiled, "You always have been good to those fillies. They must've been happy to see you."

I chuckled, "Yeah, they were. Especially when I stuck around for story time. I told them about what happened to me in the Everfree Forest yesterday."

I was expecting Fluttershy to reply promptly. Instead, she remained silent for a moment before speaking softly, "I was so worried when you left… Please don't ever do that again…"

In an attempt to comfort her, I gently stroked my lover's long pink mane. "I have no intention of ever leaving again, honey. If I ever do leave again, it'll be because I was forced to do so. And I really hope that never happens."

Things became very quiet for a while after that. The two of us just sat there, leaning against each other with no one else around. Some of the fish would stare, but it never felt like they were intruding into our personal time. With how quiet it was, with the exception of the fish snatching food pellets from the pond's surface, it felt so tranquil around us.

Before long, I felt Fluttershy place her hoof on my hand. I looked over at the pegasus as she gazed at me with a warm smile. She spoke first, "I love you."

My response was brief and sincere. "I love you too."

Fluttershy leaned in closer and kissed me softly. I held her in a gentle embrace as I pressed into the kiss. We both closed our eyes, our lips parting as our tongues touched. I tasted a faint hint of apples, likely due to our breakfast from that morning consisting mostly of apple products.

I am not sure how long we kissed, but we continued to do so even after we fell onto our sides. I felt Fluttershy place her forelegs on my shoulders in the same manner a human girl would during an intimate kiss. Once we actually did break the kiss… Well, this may be a little sappy for some readers, but I am going to write it anyway. We just looked into each other's eyes for a moment without saying anything. After a moment, Fluttershy nuzzled her face against my neck. I responded by holding her in a gentle embrace while slowly stroking her long pink mane.

I suspect we may have fallen asleep at one point as next thing I know, I have my face buried in Fluttershy's mane. I sat up quickly and glanced around me. I was unsure of the time; so I pulled out my DSi and turned it on to check the clock. "Almost 3 pm… Better get going." I muttered as I returned the device to my pocket.

"Fluttershy, wake up." I spoke softly as I gently shook my lover.

"Mmmm… Huh…? What time is it…?" The timid pegasus muttered as she sat up with a yawn.

I looked down at her and explained, "School should be getting out soon and I promised I would meet up with Scootaloo in the park. So I need to get going. Shall we talk later?"

Fluttershy blinked a few times to get her bearings before she stood up and nodded, "OK. I'll be waiting back home. Have a good time, dear." She gave me a kiss on the cheek before flying north.

Not wasting any time, I walked back towards the main area of the park. The only pony around at the time was Derpy Hooves. I think she was taking a 'muffin break' since she was relaxing on a bench while munching on a muffin and reading a magazine.

I waited for what I think was ten minutes before I heard the distant buzzing of a small motor. Of course, I knew by then what that sound really was. "Just in time." I muttered as I looked north. Barreling down the road was Scootaloo on her scooter. She blazed past me before doing a quick 180º turn and coming to a stop right in front of me.

Scootaloo removed her helmet and looked up at me with a grin. "Hey there, big brother! Did I keep you waiting?"

I replied with a smile, "Nope. So, what kinda new moves do you have?"

The pegasus filly smirked, "Well, I got this new trick I call the 'wind walk'. But I need to get a long start so I can reach enough speed. Gimme some room!" I stepped back onto the grass as Scootaloo went a good distance away before turning around. "Here goes!"

Judging by the term 'wind walk', this stunt Scootaloo had in mind probably involved going airborne and remaining airborne for a moment without touching the ground. But I was not going to find out for sure that day. As Scootaloo was about to pass me at maximum speed, the wheels of her scooter struck a tiny rock that was sticking up out of the road. Despite being so small, it stuck up enough to pose a hazard. And what a hazard it was.

I felt my blood chill as I watched Scootaloo go airborne as she let out a yell while being thrown from her scooter. Time seemed to slow down briefly as I watched her crash into the ground a short distance away, her helmet coming off before she could even hit the ground. I had to look away for a moment out of fear. When I laid eyes on Scootaloo again, she was on her chin, body crunched up in an awkward position.

"Oh man… SCOOT!" I shouted instinctively as I rushed to my little sister's side. She did not seem to be bleeding due to her coat preventing her skin from coming in contact with the ground, but I am very certain she was bruised all over under that orange hair. "Scoot, are you OK? Nothing broken?"

My little sister looked up at me with tears in her eyes. She did not speak, but was clearly in pain. I could tell just by looking at her that she was struggling not to cry. I felt my blood begin to boil as I looked back over at her scooter. I could plainly see the rock that had tripped her jutting up out of the ground. "Wait here for a sec." I told Scootaloo as I walked over to her scooter.

I managed to loosen up the dirt around the rock enough for me to dig it out. Once I had the rock in my hand, I threw it as hard as I could into the distance. That rock would not be tripping anyone again.

I walked back over to Scootaloo, her eyes closed as tears streamed down her face. She was very quiet though, probably trying to not look weak. Regardless of how tough she is though, I could not ignore my dear little sister's injuries. I reached down and scooped her up in my arms. "You're gonna be OK, Scoot. I'll take you home so Fluttershy can patch you up. She knows how to treat wounds."

Scootaloo whispered, "OK… Thanks, James…" Her voice was breaking as she cried, but she was doing a good job in keeping herself from sobbing.

Before we could go anywhere, Derpy came running over to us. "Is everything OK? That looked like a nasty spill!"

I looked down at the wall-eyed pegasus and replied, "She'll be fine. I know someone who can patch her up." But when I looked back over at the toppled scooter and helmet, I asked, "Derpy, I need to ask you a favor. Could you take that scooter and helmet to Scootaloo's house? I don't think she's in good enough shape to ride it right now. And if you see Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, let them know we're at Fluttershy's cottage."

Derpy nodded, "Leave it to me. I know where she lives, after all. You take good care of her." I nodded and headed north with Scootaloo being cradled in my arms.

Scootaloo said nothing for a minute, but I could feel her burying her face into my chest. "How're you feeling, Scoot?" I asked, still worried that her injuries might be worse than I suspected.

The tomboyish filly muttered, "It still hurts… But…" She then whispered, "I'm glad you were there for me."

I smiled as I nuzzled her head with my chin, "I'm really glad I was there too."

Scootaloo looked up at me, still appearing to be in pain. But she still managed to crack a smile. I responded by placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll be right here for you until you're all better, sis."

Her smile became tearful as Scootaloo whispered happily, "I love you, big brother… I'm glad you came to Equestria."

I decided to go around Sweet Apple Acres so I would not be distracted by the offer of conversation with Applejack or Big Macintosh. Not that Big Macintosh ever had much to say on his own, but I digress. When we reached the meadow that separated Fluttershy's cottage from Ponyville, I looked down and saw that Scootaloo did not seem to be in much pain. She actually seemed to be quite relaxed. "Are you feeling any better?" I asked.

Scootaloo looked up at me and replied, "Kinda. I'm just a little sore now. It doesn't really hurt if I don't move."

To my relief, I saw Fluttershy outside while tending to some of her birds. It seemed that she had just set down a bowl of worms for the birds to feast on. I was considering shouting to get her attention, but chose not to due to the risk of startling Scootaloo. Instead, I chose to simply walk until she was within earshot of me before speaking.

Before I could even get close enough to alert her with a normal tone of voice, Fluttershy turned and noticed me. "Hello, James. You're back sooner than I thought you'd… What's wrong with Scootaloo?" She flew over to us, remaining airborne with her wings flapping.

I replied, "She took a nasty tumble and got pretty banged up from it. Could you patch her up please?"

Scootaloo then asked, "Please, Fluttershy? This really hurts…" She looked up at my lover, her large purple eyes pleading.

Fluttershy frowned sympathetically, "Oh, you poor dear. Come inside and I'll get you all fixed up. Could you please carry her, James?"

"Sure thing." I nodded as I followed her inside, being mindful of my head as I ducked low to avoid the doorway.

I relaxed on the sofa in the living room while holding Scootaloo. She was very still as Fluttershy applied ointment and small bandages to where the bruising was the most severe. "There you go. Just try to take it easy until tomorrow. Doctor Fluttershy's orders." Fluttershy said with a smile as she nuzzled Scootaloo lovingly.

Scootaloo smiled as she replied, "Thanks, Fluttershy." But she then looked at me and smiled, "And thanks for being there for me, James." I merely smiled as I stroked her mane, prompting a giggle from the little pegasus.

Fluttershy left Scootaloo and me alone on the sofa while she went into the kitchen. Possibly to prepare a snack. In the meantime, I reclined on the sofa with Scootaloo resting on my chest. My hand slowly stroked her mane over and over. With how quiet and relaxing the situation was, I did not want this moment to end. Just me and my adorable little sister cuddling together.

The coo of a dove broke the silence. I glanced up at the back of the sofa and saw a familiar white dove perched upon it. "Angela?" I asked, wondering if I got her name right.

Scootaloo looked up and asked, "Is she your new pet?" As if to answer that question, Angela hopped down onto my shoulder and huddled over my upper arm where my cutie mark was. Scootaloo grinned, "Or is she your cutie mark come to life?" I chuckled at this remark.

Not much longer later, I heard a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Fluttershy spoke as she came back into the room. Upon opening the door, she asked, "Oh, hello girls. Are you here to see Scootaloo?"

I immediately recognized the voice of Apple Bloom. "We heard from Derpy that Scootaloo got hurt and was brought by yer place. Is she in there?"

Fluttershy stepped out of the way, revealing Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. "She's right over there."

The two fillies dashed over to us. "Are you OK, Scoot? You look like you got beat up by something." Sweetie Belle asked while looking up at her friend.

Scootaloo smirked, "Nah, I'm fine. Just a little sore though. It was James who got me over here to get patched up." But she then asked, "Come to think of it, what're you doing here? Weren't we gonna have a meeting at the clubhouse?"

Apple Bloom grinned, "We were, but since you can't come, we decided to have the meetin' here! Is that OK, Fluttershy?"

My lover nodded, "You're very welcome to stay here. But please don't make a mess. I only just got that table replaced." The three fillies grinned sheepishly, leading me to suspect that they might have done something unpleasant in a previous visit to Fluttershy's cottage.

Fluttershy then looked towards me. "I really don't want to cause any trouble, James. But could I ask you to watch over them while I do some shopping in town? They can be a handful, so I understand if you don't want to."

I shrugged my shoulders, "I really don't see what the problem is. I'll keep an eye on these little imps and you go do what you have to." As if to confirm my words, the three fillies grinned brightly and.….did I just see glowing golden halos above their heads?

Fluttershy then smirked as she looked at the three fillies. "OK, girls. You be good for James. And if you're not, I just might give you…the Stare." I noticed a hint of playfulness in her voice as she said that.

Once Fluttershy had left, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle opened their saddlebags and dumped out their contents onto the middle of the floor. "OK, we've come up with several new ideas that we haven't tried yet. Wanna take a look, James?" Apple Bloom asked as they spread out the maps and notebooks.

"Sure thing. What do we have?" I replied as I took a seat on the floor.

Scootaloo looked over the list of activities. "We didn't do too bad as merchants that day, but we still didn't get our cutie marks. So that's off the list."

However, Sweetie Belle then spoke up, "Well, we still haven't tried kart racing, circus performances, or music bands…"

Suddenly, Scootaloo spoke up. "Hey, I got one! Remember what James said about there being zombies in the Everfree Forest?"

I winced as I realized where this was going. "You don't mean…"

My little sister grinned, "You bet I do! Cutie Mark Crusaders Zombie Slayers!"

Fortunately, I was not the only one in the group who did not like that idea. Apple Bloom backed away slightly, "Uh… I don't like the sound of that one…"

Sweetie Belle also seemed hesitant, "Um…yeah. I don't know if I wanna go after zombies…"

Unfortunately, Scootaloo did not back down being the usual fearless tomboy she is. "C'mon, we can handle them! I mean think about it! Zombies are slow, so we just gotta stay outta their reach! Right?"

By this point, I could not stay quiet. After all, I had seen just how troublesome the zombified ponies of Sunny Town could be. "Nooooo way! You're not going after those things!"

But Scootaloo frowned, "C'mon, big brother! You said it yourself! They're really slow!"

I frowned in response, "Yeah, they're pretty sluggish. But there's a lot of them. I counted at least twenty-eight of them when I was running from them. AT LEAST. There's probably more out there. And besides, zombies are already dead! How do you kill something that's already no longer alive?!"

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stared at me silently with eyes open wide. I continued, "They might be slow. But with that many of them, they'll easily surround you. And then you're as good as dead. You don't mess with packs of zombies, period."

My explanation seemed to unnerve Scootaloo as she nodded, "Uh… OK, scratch that idea."

Out of nowhere, Apple Bloom began to snicker. "Something funny?" I asked, not really understanding what had just happened that could be funny.

Apple Bloom caught herself as she replied, "Sorry. It's just that yer shirt… Sometimes I feel like I'm lookin' at Applejack." I shook my head and raised my hands while rolling my eyes. I can only imagine what kind of comments I am going to get the following day when I wear the shirt that bears Rarity's colors.

The four of us continued to discuss possible activities, Angela occasionally cooing for me to pet her. However, before we could even decide on an activity to try, Fluttershy opened the front door with a tall paper bag on her back. "I'm back. Did you have fun?"

I nodded, "Yeah, we kept things interesting. And they didn't cause any trouble." The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked up at me as I spoke. When I finished, they looked at Fluttershy and grinned widely as…the same golden halos from before floated above their heads momentarily. Was I just seeing things? Best not to think too hard about it.

"I was worried I would have to throw out another piece of furniture. Thanks for watching over them, James." Fluttershy said as she placed a kiss on my cheek. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom smiled warmly at her display of affection. However, Scootaloo looked away and opened her mouth while pointing into it, a clear sign of disgust. Clearly not the romantic type.

Just as she was about to walk into the kitchen, Fluttershy paused and turned to face me again. "Oh, before I forget…" She then set her grocery bag down and pulled an envelope out of it. "Pinkie Pie gave this to me. She said we should read it together."

I nodded as I opened the envelope. "OK then. Let's see here…"

The letter inside seemed to be a party invitation. Probably to the one Pinkie Pie had been setting up that day. I spoke it out loud as Fluttershy looked over my shoulder. "You are invited to a very special party. The details can't be given out, but you will not be disappointed. Please attend immediately." I folded the letter once I finished reading. "Seems a little too professional for Pinkie Pie's style. Maybe Twilight wrote it for her."

Fluttershy smiled as I climbed to my feet. "It sounds like a very special occasion. Should we go?"

I nodded, "I'm all for it. Pinkie Pie told me that it's for a young couple. Any idea who it is?"

My girlfriend replied as she headed towards the front door, "Maybe it's for Big Macintosh and Cheerilee. Or perhaps Rainbow Dash started dating one of the Wonderbolts. I really don't know who it might be for sure though."

I was hardly surprised that there was talk of Big Macintosh getting involved with somepony. Strong silent type guys tend to make girls go weak in the knees. Or so I have heard. But I digress. "Only one way to find out." I spoke as I climbed to my feet. I then looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders and asked, "Fluttershy and I have to head into town for a while. Can I trust you girls to behave while we're gone?"

Sweetie Belle nodded with a smile, "Sure thing, James! We'll be good!"

However, Fluttershy spoke, "Please don't do anything crazy while we're gone. I don't want to come home to find a mess."

Apple Bloom chuckled nervously, "I promise we won't do anythin' bad. And we'll stay indoors in case that cockawhatever is out there again."

Fluttershy nodded with a smile, "Good idea. Have a good time, girls." However, just after we stepped outside, Fluttershy turned and whispered to Angel and Angela, who had followed us to the door. She was very quiet, but I think she said something along the lines of 'Keep an eye on them'. Our pets' reactions seemed to support my assumption as they both gave Fluttershy a salute. Fluttershy then pulled the door closed and we proceeded on our way towards Ponyville.

We did not run into any interruptions along the way. It was a fairly straightforward trek to Sugarcube Corner. Just like earlier that day, the front door still had a sign hanging from it that read 'Closed for private party' scribbled on it. I was expecting to find that the door was locked. To my pleasant surprise, it swung open as I pushed it inward. "I guess everypony's already here." I muttered out loud.

"Well, we did receive an invitation that asked us to come right away. They were probably expecting us." Fluttershy replied as she followed me inside. The lights downstairs were turned off, but it was still fairly bright as there was plenty of sunlight shining through the windows. "You think everypony is upstairs?"

I nodded, "Probably. Let's go see who this cute couple is." I led Fluttershy upstairs while minding my head. Since the lights were on at the top, the young couple the party was being thrown for was probably already here.

The instant the two of us got to the top of the stairs, I heard Pinkie Pie shout from my left. "You're just in time, lovebirds!"

I then heard Rarity's voice speak, "We've been discussing this for the past few days. Did we surprise you?"

Fluttershy and I turned to see our five friends standing in a row. Including Twilight Sparkle and Rarity, who I had not seen all day. Fluttershy then asked, "You mean…the party's for us?"

Rainbow Dash smirked, "Well, what does the banner say?" She pointed upward with her hoof.

When the two of us looked up, we found a long banner stretched across the room. And inscribed on it were the words 'Congratulations James & Fluttershy'. I looked back towards our friends and asked, "Um… Exactly what kind of party is this?"

Applejack replied, "Oh, that? It's a… It's a… Um…" I tried to not snicker as she looked towards Pinkie Pie. "What kinda party did ya say this is again?"

Our silly party animal friend replied with her cheery voice, "It's a party celebrating two lovers getting together!"

I think I felt myself blush at those words. And I could clearly see Fluttershy blushing. She asked, "You mean…it's your way of showing that you support us?"

Twilight spoke up, "Well, we all know your relationship has gotten a little rocky lately. So we decided to throw a party that shows we support you two being together no matter what."

Rarity then spoke with a smile, "James, Fluttershy and I have been best friends for some time now. And I can safely say that you are a splendid match for her. You and her will have many happy years together. So please, for her, and for moi, please stay with her."

If I had any doubts about my relationship with Fluttershy before, I most certainly did not have any now. I looked down at my girlfriend while she looked up at me. We both smiled at each other before looking back at our friends. Fluttershy spoke first, "Thank you, Rarity. And thank you all. This…means a lot to us."

Twilight then asked, "What about you, James? Aren't you getting along with Fluttershy now?"

I looked back down at Fluttershy, who then hovered up next to me and nuzzled me tenderly. At first, I was at a loss of words. I truly did not know what to say.

"What's the matter, James? Gummy got your tongue?" Pinkie Pie asked. At those words, I glanced around to see if her crazy toothless alligator was anywhere nearby. Fortunately, he was not.

I took a few seconds to try to think out my response. "Well… Uh… I'll be honest. It's not just Fluttershy. You six are the best thing to ever happen to me. I still can't wrap my head around how much I've gained over such a short amount of time. I've never seen hospitality like…uh…" I was cut short when I suddenly found myself surrounded by the six ponies as they caught me in a group hug. "Um… Girls?"

Applejack replied, "Say no more, sugarcube. Yer our friend now, and that's that. Got any complaints?"

At those words, I sighed with a smile and wrapped my arms around them the best I could. "None whatsoever."

In a moment, I suddenly felt Pinkie Pie let go and hurry away from us. "Pinkie?"

The silly pink pony was standing next to a phonograph before nudging the needle onto a record. "Let's save the sappy stuff for later! Now that everypony's here, let's get this party started!" The phonograph began to play a very lively tune that I think I even heard Pinkie Pie once call her 'jam'.

The party started without a hitch. The staples were there, namely a large bowl of punch and a towering cake that seemed to have icing that represented Fluttershy and me. That is to say the majority of the icing was a shade of brown similar to the color of my hair while the edges were tipped with pink icing that matched Fluttershy's mane. While I munched on some cake, which I might add was very tasty, I noticed Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity…dancing in the middle of the room?

Well… I honestly cannot say if that could truly be called dancing. But as far as equines go, I suppose those gyrations and moves were certainly dance worthy. Rarity's moves often involved swaying her head in a way that caused her gorgeous indigo mane to flail about, sometimes even causing it to become temporarily uncurled before curling back up into its usual form. Rainbow Dash would often rear up on her hind legs while seemingly lashing out with her forelegs. Pinkie Pie was clearly the best dancer of the three, even going so far as to perform hand…I mean hoofstands. Something I never thought I would see an equine do.

I was given a very rude surprise just after I had finished my slice of cake. As I headed back towards the cake for another slice….. Well, in all honesty, I could not tell you what happened. All I remember is hearing Rarity let out a yelp, feeling something slam into me from the side, and then the feeling of me smashing into what I think was the wall. I cannot say what happened, but the next thing I knew, I was seeing spots and my ears were ringing.

"Oh my goodness, darling! Are you all right?!" I heard Rarity call out from behind me. As I regained my senses, I felt myself drop onto my feet from what I think was a two inch fall. And in front of me was a rough imprint of my body in the wall with only the gray drywall remaining.

"What the hell happened there…?" I grumbled as I shook some of the plaster and dry paint out of my hair.

Pinkie Pie spoke up, "Um… That was my fault. I guess I got too carried away in dancing. Again." She seemed to have a very sheepish expression on her face.

I looked at the hole in the wall left by my body. I grumbled loudly, "Good lord… You earth ponies are built like freaking tanks!"

Rainbow Dash laughed, "Hey, I warned you! One slip around Pinkie Pie when she's dancing and you'll end up a new wall decoration!" I rolled my eyes, remembering what she had said to me at the spa a few days earlier.

However, Rarity spoke up, "Actually, James, it was I who got too close to Pinkie Pie when she was dancing. And you saved me from a nasty collision with that wall. Such a gentleman you are."

I kneeled down to pick up my plate and fork. "I was just in the right place at the right time. No biggie."

Before I could return to a standing position, I felt Rarity nuzzle my face. "Regardless of how you saved me, you were a gentleman for using your own body as a cushion for me. Truly, thank you."

I chuckled as I stroked the mane of my former landlord, "It was no trouble, Rarity. I couldn't let a gem like you be tarnished." But I then looked over at Pinkie Pie with a smirk, "And you really should dance with your eyes open, you know."

Pinkie Pie grinned nervously, "Right, right, sorry about that! I'll keep my eyes peeled from now on."

The next memorable part of the party I remember well is when I caught Rainbow Dash having a conversation with Fluttershy. They seemed to be keeping their voices down, so I drew closer to listen in more easily.

"Soooo, did you do it with him?" I heard Rainbow Dash ask Fluttershy.

"Um… Do what exactly?" Fluttershy whispered in reply.

I noticed Rainbow began to smirk. "C'mon, you know what I mean. Did you do the 'couple's tango' with him?" Fluttershy seemed rather confused by this question, but I could clearly tell what it was the closet pervert wanted to know. She then asked, "OK. Let me try again. Did he follow your trail of pink flower petals to your pot of gold?" She then pointed towards Fluttershy's tail to emphasize.

Fluttershy looked at her own tail while seemingly trying to piece together what it was Rainbow Dash was trying to get across. She suddenly looked back towards the rowdy pegasus, her face a bright red as she likely understood the question. "You… You don't mean… Oh…my…"

"Ah ha! So you did do it! What was it like? Did it feel awesome?" Rainbow asked while Fluttershy seemed rather stunned by whatever she was thinking. By this point, I decided to intervene and placed my hand on Rainbow Dash's head. The pegasus froze for a moment before she looked up at me and grinned nervously, "Uh… What's up, James?"

I smirked as I replied, "Just stick with your Playmare magazines, Rainbow."

The pegasus replied, "How'd you know I have a subscription to…..never mind." I snickered at this revelation as I led Fluttershy away so we could have some time together.

"You OK? Did Rainbow pry too far into your personal activities?" I asked while caressing Fluttershy's mane to calm her.

"Uh… Uh huh…" She muttered in reply, still seeming to be overheated from that panic attack she just had.

I was about to try to calm her down more, but Pinkie Pie suddenly popped up beside us. "Almost forgot! Here's your couple treat!" Resting on her upturned hoof was a chocolate covered banana.

"Oh… That? Um… Thank you, Pinkie." Fluttershy replied with a reserved smile.

"I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone. We'll be over there minding our own business and doing party stuff. Enjoy!" As Pinkie Pie trotted away, I suspected she was trying to avoid sounding suspicious.

"Shall we?" I asked while holding the banana between two fingers.

Fluttershy nodded with a smile, "Of course. I love these."

One by one, we took turns taking bites. As this was not the first time we had eaten one, we knew what to do. After just a few bites, we only had the middle left. "One. Two. Three." Fluttershy whispered. At the count of three, the two of us took the last bite. When our lips joined, we closed our eyes and pressed into a kiss while I held Fluttershy in my arms.

Our kiss was interrupted by the sound of a familiar click. We both opened our eyes and looked towards where the sound had come from. Standing in a row were our five friends, each with a different expression that seemed to show either giddiness or adoration. Twilight Sparkle was standing in the middle. And floating in front of her was…..my DSi?

"Uh… Did you just take a picture of us?" I asked, feeling rather embarrassed.

Twilight giggled as she turned my DSi around so I could see the screens. "See for yourself." On one of them was the photo, a pristine snapshot of Fluttershy and I stuck in a warm embrace while in a passionate kiss.

"That's…us?" Fluttershy asked as she examined it. She then smiled, "It looks great. The lighting's just right and it really captures the moment. Right, James?"

As embarrassing as it was to be photographed unexpectedly during such a personal moment, I was rather flattered that we now had a means to remember this day. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but thanks, Twilight."

Twilight smiled, "Anytime, James. Just don't go losing that picture." Fluttershy and I responded with a twin embrace on Twilight. She giggled at our touch, "Oh….shucks."

The party went on for a while. By the time everyone had begun to depart for home, it was already night. "Hoowee… I haven't danced that much since… Well… Since the last party." Applejack spoke as she headed out the front door.

"What a lovely party. It was different from all the others in a way." Fluttershy said as she stayed by my side.

I shrugged my shoulders, "I wouldn't know. That was only the second party I've attended in Equestria. Although I admit it was a bit more reserved and quiet than the first one. Which strangely does not mix with Pinkie Pie's style."

Before we could go far, Rarity suddenly spoke up. "Just a moment, ladies. We need to give this lovely couple a proper sendoff." At those words, our five friends surrounded us and caught Fluttershy and me in a group hug.

"Girls, I think you're starting to overdo it. I'm not used to getting so many group hugs in a short amount of time." I spoke, flattered by this heartfelt show of affection.

"Better get used to it, James! You're gonna get lots of these!" Pinkie Pie replied with a giggle.

Fluttershy's response to this group hug was more positive. "Oh, I don't think it's too much. I'm actually liking it."

Perhaps I was still just getting used to the cuddly closeness of the ponies I had bonded with. I am sure I would adjust over time. I tried wrapping my arms around as many of them as I could. "Lot's of these? Sounds like a plan."

The six of us parted ways with Fluttershy and I heading back towards our cottage. "Isn't it lovely that our friends support our relationship so openly?" The timid pegasus asked while looking up at me.

"If one of them didn't, our friendship would've fallen apart. We're fortunate to have such understanding friends." I replied, feeling especially grateful that Twilight was able to accept us being together as she did have a crush on me at one time.

When we returned home, I was expecting to find that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had gone home. I was only 2/3 right. When we stepped inside, we found Scootaloo fast asleep on the sofa. "What's Scoot still doing here?" I asked.

Fluttershy glanced around and found Angel holding a note in his paws. "A note?" She took the note into her mouth and handed it to me. "Can you read this, dear?"

I nodded as I took the note in hand. "Sure thing… Um…"

I read the writing to myself. I think Scootaloo wrote it herself. "Hey there, James and Fluttershy. I don't want to be any trouble… But I'd like to stay the night with you guys. I'm still feeling kind of sore, so I asked Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to ask my mom and dad if I could spend the night here. When they got back, they said they agreed. So… I'm going go to sleep now. It's Saturday tomorrow, so don't worry about school. If I'm not awake by the time you get back, I'll see you tomorrow."

I snickered as I looked back over at the sleeping pegasus filly. "Looks like we're having a sleepover tonight."

Fluttershy smiled, "At least it's just one of them. I don't think she'll be too much trouble… Oh, hello there, Angela." She held out her hoof as my pet dove flew over and perched on her foreleg. "Were the girls good while we were out?" Angela bowed as if nodding.

"You and Angel probably had to scold them a few times." I said jokingly. The dove flew over to me and perched on my shoulder before nuzzling my face. "Awww, I love you too."

The rest of the evening was of little extravagance. Scootaloo is still sleeping like a log right next to me as we lie in bed. Fluttershy is fast asleep too and I am eager to join her.

This day has been very uplifting to me after that emotional roller coaster I went through the previous two days. I now know for certain that Equestria is my true home. And even then….. I cannot fathom how much I have gained in under two weeks. It is just…remarkable. These ponies of Equestria are just so open and hospitable, it is absolutely amazing. Equestria is, dare I say, paradise.

I have made up my mind. I will not ever return to my homeworld. Equestria is where I belong. I shall

Oh, excuse me. I was interrupted by Scootaloo. She just stirred in her sleep. Her hoof is now on my hand. Such a tender little smile she has right now. It is easy to forget what a tomboy she is.

I just kissed her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams, little sis." I think she may have heard me as she is now resting her head against my chest.

A lot has happened to me over the past… How many days has it been? Ten? Regardless, I feel it would be unnecessary for me to write about every single upcoming day. From now on, I will only write about days that have special meaning to me or involve special or unique events. And knowing Equestria, I will be getting quite a few of those pretty soon.

Good night, Fluttershy. Good night, Scootaloo. Good night, all of my friends. And thank you for accepting me into your wonderful world. I am looking forward to tomorrow and the following days.


	12. Tainted Memories

Author's note – For greater immersion, copy and paste this chapter into MS Word and change the fonts to match the current writer.

Twilight Sparkle – Book Antiqua

Applejack – Batang

Fluttershy – Gabriola

Rainbow Dash – MV Boli

Rarity – Monotype Corsiva

Pinkie Pie – Comic Sans

Um… Hello. This is Fluttershy again. I think you might have read a journal I wrote earlier, but it's OK if you never did. I mean, I'm not much of a writer, so I don't think it was very interesting… But anyway… I feel like I should write this. Something bad happened today.

I woke in bed, feeling all rested. I looked to my side to see if my boyfriend was awake. He's almost never up before I am. But today, he was. His side of the sheets had nothing under them. But the strangest thing is that even though they were all wrinkled from use, they had not been pulled down. Almost as if he might have used a teleportation spell to get out of bed. But James doesn't know how to use magic… Right?

Oh, I guess I should explain. James is my boyfriend. He's a human, even though I never even knew what a human is. I have known him for exactly three weeks so far. And…well, we're lovers now. He's been very sweet to me and I love him so much. But still, where did he go?

I climbed out of bed and started to look around. Maybe he was already downstairs. I walked down the stairs and looked around in the living room. I called his name, but he never replied. I tried looking in the kitchen, but there was still no sign of him. The air didn't even smell like he had been cooking breakfast either. Maybe he had gone outside to play with all of the cute little animals who live around our home.

I looked outside and saw that everything was brightly lit by the sun… Um…am I doing a good job going into detail about things I saw? I've read some of James' journal entries and he always puts such amazing amounts of detail into them. Can I do just as well? Um… I guess the details of my house's surroundings aren't important right now.

I went outside and went around the side of my house to check on Angel, my pet bunny. He was already awake while sitting at the entrance of his little house. I could not help but smile. He always brightens up my day when he isn't being bossy. Which is pretty often.

"Good morning, Angel. Um… Have you seen James around today?" I asked while I trotted over to him. Angel gave me a look like he was surprised I was even asking him that. He raised his cute little paws and shrugged his shoulders. I guess James must not have come by this morning.

"Really? Oh… Well, that's OK. I'm sure he'll be here for breakfast soon." I said with a smile before turning away and going back inside. Even if James was not around for breakfast, that did not mean I couldn't feed everyone else their breakfast while I waited.

A few minutes later, I set out a bowl of worms for the robins to feast on while I went under the little bridge in front of my house to feed some fish to the ferrets that lived there. I made sure to give Angel his carrot of the morning. I watched from my cottage's roof while everyone else ate. They all seemed so happy, but I still couldn't see James anywhere. Where was he?

Now that everyone was fed for the morning, I went back inside my home. Maybe James was somewhere inside the whole time and was getting started on breakfast. But when I closed the front door, I still couldn't smell anything cooking. Or even hear anything cooking. When I looked into the kitchen, it looked like nopony had even been there.

I did not worry too much. Maybe he had just left for work early. I think he had to work at Sugarcube Corner today. "I guess I could just get some breakfast there instead." I spoke to myself while gathering up a few bits to pay for something there. What would I get? Those chocolate drops are always good. But so is the blueberry pound cake….. Oooh, so many choices!

Nothing interesting happened on my way into Ponyville. Well, at least I think nothing interesting happened. Does playing with a few raccoons on the way sound interesting? I heard that a writer needs to avoid writing about things that bore the reader. But I personally think playing with cute animals sounds interesting… Well, I guess I did stop to help a raccoon find a shiny discarded bottle he had misplaced in the field. Was that interesting?

Um… I think I will just continue. I did not say anything to anypony on my way. I'm shy like that… I only feel comfortable calling out to ponies I know well. That's why I live away from Ponyville near the Everfree Forest. But anyway, I made it to Sugarcube without any trouble and went inside. Mrs. Cake was minding the register and gave me a big smile. "Hello, Fluttershy! Can I get you anything, dear?"

She is always so sweet to her customers. I felt very relaxed around her almost like she is a loving aunt. "Um… I'm not sure yet, Mrs. Cake. I think I'll browse for a minute before deciding." I then looked at the counter that had a whole bunch of pastries on display. "This all looks so good, I can't decide quickly…"

"All right then. While you're deciding, I'll go check on the kitchen. I'll send Pinkie Pie out here to assist you in the meantime." Mrs. Cake replied before walking through the kitchen's twin swinging doors. Whenever I see those open, it reminds me of that one time we went to Appleloosa.

I saw so much on display. Chocolate drops, muffins, blueberry pound cakes, cupcakes, bundt cakes… Just thinking back to that moment is getting hungry right now… Oops... I spilled some cupcake crumbs on the paper. I'll brush those off before I continue… There, all clean. Now then, before I could decide, Pinkie Pie walked up behind the counter. At least I think she did. She called out to me before I could look up. "Howdy do, Fluttershy! Anything I can get you?"

I was a bit startled by that, but I managed to not show it. Pinkie Pie knows that I hate being scared by anything and really wouldn't be happy with herself if she knew she did something to make me even a little upset. "Oh! Um… Hi, Pinkie Pie. Ummm… I think I would like a muffin and chocolate drop today."

Pinkie Pie gave me her signature grin. "Oki doki loki! Just let me get them out for you!" She pulled out a green plastic tray and set it on the counter before ducking her head inside the glass display case. "Oh, and by the way… When you get home, could you please let James know he's running late?"

I felt my heart skip a beat. I was so sure James had come to work at Sugarcube Corner today… But…he was never there at all. I felt my eyes open wide as my nerves went numb for just a second. "He's not here…?"

Pinkie Pie lifted her head up with the muffin and chocolate drop on her muzzle before setting them on the tray. "Nope! But I'm sure he only slept…in? Hey, are you OK, Fluttershy?"

I think she noticed my expression. I guess I didn't do a very good job of hiding my worry. "Huh? Oh… Well… I guess I would be lying if I wasn't worried… I haven't seen him at all today." I replied, not really trying to hide my feelings at all.

As I expected, Pinkie Pie went a little…um…wild when I told her that. She jumped in the air and somehow stayed that way for about three seconds before coming back down to the floor. "Whaaaaaaat?! Not at all?! You think he was kidnapped?!"

"I don't think so. There wasn't any sign of a struggle in the bedroom. Although his side of the bed looked like he had never climbed out of it when he woke up." I explained, hoping that maybe Pinkie Pie could help.

"Really?! Phew… After what happened a couple of weeks ago, I thought Diamond Tiara had something to do with it. Guess not!" Pinkie Pie spoke with a really big relieved grin. "Don't worry about it, Fluttershy! Maybe he just had something important to do today and will be back later. I mean, you know he won't stay away from Ponyville for long. He LOVES it here!"

I couldn't help but giggle. Pinkie Pie is right. Even though James isn't someone who gets really vocal about anything, he really does love Ponyville with a silent passion I usually don't see very often. "I know… I shouldn't worry so easily. Maybe he had to go visit Zecora for something."

"There you go! Just give him a while! I'm sure you'll see him no later than this evening!" Pinkie Pie replied while giving me that massive grin she always has. I was feeling more confident already. James is surely just busy with something really important right now… But was it really important enough to miss work? "In any case, that'll be two bits please."

I remembered what I was even doing there in Sugarcube Corner and gave Pinkie Pie her bits. I probably shouldn't mention this, but she always gives me and our closest friends discounts. I didn't have anything else to do at the time, so I took a seat at the closest table and started eating. Um… I don't think eating is considered interesting since everyone does it around three times a day. I think I'll just skip ahead now.

I didn't eat for very long before I heard the door open again. Only this time, Rainbow Dash trotted in. "Hey, Fluttershy! Hey, Pinkie Pie! What's up?"

"Oh, I just decided to have breakfast away from home today since James wasn't around." I replied after pausing from my meal. She then walked over to the counter towards Pinkie Pie.

"He wasn't home this morning? Hey, wait… He's here right now, isn't he?" Rainbow Dash asked while looking at me before turning to look at Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie raised her hooves and shrugged her shoulders, "Never showed up for work! But I'm not worried! He's probably just got something really important to do."

Rainbow didn't seem too worried either. "Oh, yeah. If he had something that was gonna keep him away all day, he would've left a note like last time. Right, Fluttershy?"

That reminded me. When he had to leave Ponyville for a couple of days, James did leave behind a message explaining why. If he did not leave a message, he was surely going to be back before the day was over. And since he didn't leave a note this time, he would surely be back soon.

"Anyway, pass me one of those chocolate drops, Pinkie." Rainbow Dash spoke while looking up from the display case in the counter.

"Sure thing! Now you just have to toss me a bit!" Pinkie replied before ducking under the counter and flinging one over the counter while Rainbow Dash did the same thing with a bit at the exact same time. They literally 'tossed' what the other asked for. The chocolate drop was caught in Rainbow Dash's mouth while the bit landed and balanced on the tip of Pinkie's nose. "Woo! Nice catch, Rainbow!"

"Hey, you made a better catch than me! That thing didn't even fall off of you muzzle!" Rainbow replied before chomping down her treat in one gulp.

I think I will stop here for now so I can enjoy my breakfast. I know James knows where he lives and that I love him, but… I just have a bad feeling about this. I hope James is all right…

Heya, readers! This is Rainbow Dash. You know me. Fastest thing alive, Sonic Rainboom achiever, and local weather patrol captain. I mean come on; I know you peeps have seen me fly by at some point! But I'm getting off topic now.

I found out today that James never showed up for work at Sugarcube Corner. He's… Oh, wait. I already explained who he is! I mean it's pretty hard to miss the only human in town. Tall guy? No hair on his body? Wears clothes? All over his body? Yeah, that's him. Anyway, I tried hitting up Fluttershy for some conversation since I had some time to kill after stopping by Sugarcube Corner for a bite. She had picked up a chocolate drop and a muffin.

"So, what's been up, Fluttershy? You and your sweetheart getting along pretty well at your place?" I asked while pulling up a stool.

Fluttershy gave me that really cute smile of hers before speaking. "Oh, things have been going really well. And it's only been three weeks since we first met!"

I smirked while I leaned forward on one elbow. "Yeah, I know. He really knows how to make you squirm. I always knew you were bigger than me down there."

Oh man, that look on her face. Went from yellow to red in three seconds flat. "Ra…Ra…Rainbow! You… You were watching?!"

I smirked when I gave a reply. "Hey, those Playmare magazines are pretty good, but sometimes a girl needs some live entertainment… Uh… Fluttershy?" Next thing I know, she's out-cold on the floor.

"Uh… Maybe I should just leave her alone…" I muttered to myself. I knew she was going to flip out when I told her that, but I didn't expect her to be floored by it! I quickly thought up a fix for the situation and propped her back up on the stool before resting her head on the table. I then opened up a nearby magazine and put it in front of her face to hide her unconscious expression. I think it was a copy of Equestria's Finest. I then scooted out the door as fast as I could. Hopefully nopony saw that…

Anyway, I didn't get far before I wondered about what Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy told me. Had nopony really seen James at all today? That's not like the guy. Maybe he went to see Zecora and got hung up by sometime at her place. It's the only explanation I could think of as to why absolutely nopony had seen him today. "Well, I've got some time to kill. May as well go check the place out." With a flap of my wings, I took to the air and headed west towards the Everfree Forest.

I don't need to explain how fast I got there, right? Seriously! Ten seconds flat, baby! You know who I am! Anyway, I had to fly directly through the forest instead of above or else I wouldn't be able to find Zecora's place since it's built into a tree. And this time I made sure to stay away from that freaky Poison Joke along the way. I've been called Rainbow Crash enough times in flight school. I don't need it happening again as captain of the weather patrol!

It didn't take long to find Zecora's place. Really hard to miss a house built right into a gnarly looking tree with jumbo-sized weird masks set around them. I landed and knocked on the door. I wouldn't be surprised if Zecora was 'cooking' James in another cauldron bath.

A few seconds later, the door opened to show the zebra witchdoctor. Well, I like to call her that. I think she's more of an herbalist though. "Ah, Rainbow Dash! Do come in. Take a seat and rest your shins."

Heh, that rhyming. "Sure thing, Zecora. And sorry for coming out here on such short notice. We've kinda got a problem in Ponyville."

The way her eyes opened wide showed she seemed to be assuming the worst. She turned to face me and asked, "Oh dear… Did little Apple Bloom find herself hurt? Or did the little dragon have another growth spurt?"

I couldn't help but laugh at that. She's got a good memory. "Haha, nothing like that! Just a case of…missing in action. We haven't seen James all day. He didn't happen to come out here, did he?"

Zecora seemed kinda puzzled while she poured some herbs into the cauldron in the center of her house. "Hmmm… James, your human friend? How bizarre. I have not gotten a glimpse of him today so far."

I have to admit that was when I started to get worried. "Wait… Seriously? You haven't seen him at all today?"

"Why would I lie to you, Rainbow Dash? I have not seem him since into my cauldron he splashed." Zecora replied with an equally worried expression. Since her place is kind of out of the way, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that James hasn't visited Zecora since the day he came home from the Everfree Forest two weeks ago.

"Okay then… This is getting weird. Nopony in town has seen him today at all." I muttered, not really looking at anything in general.

"Have no fear, my friend. He shall return. He is unlikely to meet his end." Zecora spoke up before she placed a hoof on my shoulder. She really does look like she's wise beyond her years. Hay, she even one-upped Twilight on more than one occasion.

I nodded, knowing James must be pretty dang hearty if he survived two nights out in the Everfree Forest before. "Yeah… You're right. Don't where he is, but he's probably doing fine. He'll come home when the time is right. And I know he can't stay away from Ponyville for very long."

I shook Zecora's hoof before I started to make my way towards the door. "Well, I better get back to Ponyville and tell the girls you haven't seen him. Thanks for letting me drop by for a visit."

Zecora smiled and waved at me. "Anytime, Rainbow Dash. It was a pleasure. Do close the door behind you for good measure." Heh, she comes up with a rhyme for almost any occasion. Anyway, once I was outside, I took to the air and flew above the forest's canopy to find my way back to Ponyville.

I decided it would be best to let Fluttershy know first about James not ever going into the Everfree Forest. It'll at least give her some closure. And maybe even point us in the right direction if we have to go looking for him… Nah, who am I kidding? He'll be back! Right?

I nudged Sugarcube Corner's front door open, finding Fluttershy just starting to wake up. "Huh…? Uh…what happened? And…Photo Finish catches a photo flop? Why was I reading this?" She was looking right into the magazine I had left open in front of her.

"Oh yeah, that! Last I saw you, you were reading that. It must've been boring since it knocked you out like that." I replied, trying to not make her remember what we had talked about when she fainted. Especially since somepony might overhear.

"Huh? It did… Oh. This is all about those sports buffs… I'm not interested in this at all." Fluttershy replied while looking through the pages the magazine was opened to. She really seemed uninterested in whatever they were showing. But being the world-class athlete I am, I'm sure I would've been all over that article like Rarity over a bed made of diamonds.

"Yeah, I know you're not into that stuff… Anyway, I just went over to Zecora's place to check if James ever stopped by." I spoke up while stepping over to Fluttershy.

"You did?!" Her expression brightened up big time when I told her that. I was almost unable to tell her the truth. I wasn't sure of just how hard it would hit her if even Zecora hadn't gotten in touch with James.

"Yeah… I dropped by to check if he had stopped by. But she said she hasn't seen him today." I said honestly. I know Applejack wouldn't have hesitated to tell the truth, but I was seriously tempted to lie right there.

Fluttershy's expression instantly changed. She went from looking so happy and hopeful to looking just… Man, she was so disappointed by what I had just said. And that look of worry on her face was really eating at me. "Oh… I see… Well, I'm sure he'll be home by tonight."

I have to admit I was starting to feel kind of worried myself. It's not like James to up and disappear. Without leaving an explanation behind, that is. "Hey, I'm sure he's fine. Just give him a few hours and he'll be back before we know it."

That wimpy…I mean timid pegasus nodded with what looked like a tiny smile that looked like it wanted to frown. "I know. I'll be patient." She then looked down at the chocolate drop she hadn't finished yet. For some reason, she just looked at it for a while without saying anything. Maybe because James was the guy who gave the recipe to Sugarcube Corner in the first place. "I know he won't leave us. Or leave me."

Man, that was so sappy, it was cute. I couldn't help snickering. "That's the spirit. Anyway, I'm gonna look around town some more. Somepony's bound to have seen him at some point."

Fluttershy nodded with a bigger smile this time. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash. Please let me know if you find anything." I waved goodbye and headed out the door.

"OK, where to start?" I muttered. I guess I could check out Rarity's place first. Those two have been really tight since day one. Without a second thought, I bolted across Ponyville and made it to Carousel Boutique in record time. "Whoa. Five seconds flat."

I was kind of in a hurry, so I pushed the door open without knocking. "Hey, Rarity! You down here?!"

Turns out she wasn't even ten feet away from me when I walked in. She was putting that…ugh, not that thing again! It was that weird…dress thing I tried on once before a couple of years back. Pink and white with gold metal shoes and a…hat with wig curls along the… Oh, forget it. I can't describe it too well. It was that awful get-up she made me try on back when those Parasprites showed up! Anyway, she had just put it on a dress mannequin before turning to face me. "Oh, Rainbow Dash! What brings you out here today…oh, wait! You wanted to try this on again, didn't you?! I knew you couldn't stay away!"

Not on her life. I backed right out of the place until I was standing outside again. "Hay no! Keep that away!"

"Drat… I suppose it's back to the drawing board then." Rarity groaned while looking over her shoulder at that…that thing.

"Besides, I'm not here for a social call. I'm looking for somepony. Has James stopped by today?" I asked while coming a bit closer to the doorway. But if she tried to force that…abomination of a dress onto me, I was going to bolt.

Rarity looked at me with a confused expression. "James? Why, no. I have yet to see him today. But perhaps I'll stop by the café for lunch with him. I know he never misses that place on workdays."

I frowned as she spoke. It was really disappointing to hear that even she hadn't seen him today. If there is one pony I think is more likely to be caught in his company besides Fluttershy, it's Rarity. Those two bonded really fast when James first showed up. He even lived with her for the first few days. "Oh… OK then."

Rarity could definitely tell something wasn't right. And I guess I wasn't doing a good job of covering up my disappointment. "Rainbow, what's wrong? Did something happen to him?"

I let out a loud sigh. I knew she was definitely going to be pretty dang worried, knowing how she sometimes overreacts. "Well… Fluttershy said she hasn't seen him all day. I even went to Zecora's place to see if he had to go there first thing in the morning. But… Nopony's seen him today. I swear it almost feels like he just…disappeared into thin air."

Well, that prissy unicorn took that news better than I thought. "Really? Gone? That's preposterous. Unless… Did he leave a note behind like last time?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Uh… Fluttershy never mentioned anything like that. You'd think he'd leave one behind, right?"

Rarity then gave me a smile. "Then he must surely be planning on coming home sometime today. He would never up and leave us like that." She then raised her hoof while looking down at it. Clasped onto it was that silver opal-studded bracelet he had gotten her a few days after showing up in town. "He holds us too dearly in his heart to leave us now."

Yeah… He would never leave. I know we haven't known him for that long, but we've all really gotten close to him in the last few weeks. He'll be home today sometime. I know he will. "You're right. No way he would leave now. He's way too happy here to run off now."

Rarity patted me on the shoulder. "Exactly. I wager ten bits that you and I will see him tomorrow."

"Hey, I'm placing a stack of bits on that too!" I replied, grinning with confidence. I never lose at anything unless I let myself lose.

"Very well then! Ten bits a bet! I'll bring my coin purse tomorrow." Rarity spoke with a prissy smile. Heh, I was sure to win… Wait, didn't we both bet on the same thing? Meh, I'll still win. I always do.

Rarity then stood near the mannequin that held that stupid outfit again. "But now then, is there anything I can get you? Perhaps you would like to try on…"

I knew what was coming. "Nope! That's all! Gotta go!" I turned and bolted before she could say anything. I guess I can stop here. Probably going to be boring to read how I go from pony to pony hearing the same thing. Besides, it's a workday for me. Gotta clear up the skyline. And I'm pretty sure breaking up clouds sounds boring. I guess I could describe how fast I can do it, but come on! If you live in Ponyville, you've seen me do it plenty of times! So I'm taking a break from this. I just hope James does come home today. And where did he even go?

Well, that was certainly abrupt. Rainbow Dash rushed out of here before I could mention the Wonderbolts themed cape I had woven for her. Oh well, perhaps I will bundle it up for her birthday instead. But aside from that, what is all this business of my dear friend James vanishing into thin air? Surely it's just an exaggeration. And I should know since I tend to exaggerate things from time to time.

Now that I was all alone again, I sauntered over to my work desk and looked over the latest masterpiece I had dreamt up. And I mean that quite literally. This design came to me in a dream. I had scribbled down the form of a classical princess's garb. Certainly not of any use in modern society, but Nightmare Night is coming up next month and I intend to make up for not being able to attend last year. Hmmmm, perhaps dear James could be my knight! Oh, but I have never been skilled in forging armor… I will have to rethink his outfit's design.

Still… I cannot wonder what my dear friend is up to. Nopony has seen him today? Not even Fluttershy? How in the world could she have missed him? They sleep in the same bed! Well, perhaps he snuck away to prepare something special for her without anypony knowing. He certainly caught me by surprise when I woke up to find this delightful bracelet around my hoof.

Well, it is getting close to noon and I am starting to feel a bit peckish. James does tend to frequent the local café for lunch. I suppose I shall meet him there. Just let me get my 'out to lunch' sign ready and I will be on my way.

My trip through town was fairly routine. By which I mean many fine stallions complimenting on my luscious mane and tail, gazing into my gorgeous azure eyes, and marveling at my flawless white coat. Well, all right. I suppose they do not ogle me quite THAT often. But I know I turned a few heads as I cantered through the town square.

Much to my delight, I found that hardly any tables were taken at the café when I arrived. "Hmmm… James always seems to prefer…this table." I muttered to myself. James seems to be a type of fellow who seems to really stick to a routine. When he finds something he likes, he stays with it. And I truly concur with that. But not when it comes to one's attire, oh no! One must have some variety in their day-to-day activities! Good thing I outfitted him with quite a few colorful shirts recently to broaden his wardrobe.

I took a seat at the nearest empty table and glanced around. James has never missed a lunch date with me. And he certainly never misses lunch. Although he was still nowhere to be seen. "It's not polite to keep a lady waiting." I muttered under my breath.

I looked through the menu while passing the time. The sandwiches always caught my eye and the pastas always sounded so savory. And the quiches sounded absolutely delightful. But just as I was becoming lost in the thoughts of such delightful cuisine, a voice spoke from my left. "Have you made your decision?"

That gentlemanly waiter had come over to my table and was gazing at me with that ever so refined expression. I was just about to voice my order when I noticed out of the corner of my eye that James was still nowhere to be seen. Where was he? "Um… If you don't mind, I would like to wait until a dear friend of mine arrives before I order." The waiter seemed to understand and departed to tend to another table. It may be rude to keep a lady waiting, but it is equally rude to carry on without your partner. And I was not about to throw the first stone.

I forget how much time passed before I looked up from my menu. There is only so many times I can read spaghetti and meatballs, grass pancakes, and soup du jour before I start seeing them dance across my vision whenever I close my eyes. And yet… There was still no sign of my friend. Where was he? The latest I have ever seen James arrive at the café for lunch is no later than 12:30.

"Howdy, Rarity. Waitin' fer somepony?" An instantly recognizable voice spoke from behind me. I immediately looked over my shoulder and found Applejack standing behind me. I doubt I need to explain who she is. She owns only the largest and most successful apple orchid on this side of Equestria. And I have forgotten how nightmarish it is to try to remember to include her accent when I write lines she has spoken.

"Ah, good afternoon, Applejack!" I retorted with my best smile. While I was certainly waiting for James, I could not turn away the company of another good friend.

"Whatcha doin'? Ya'll don't usually dine alone out here." The country bumpkin asked… Oh dear, I should not have written that! And I cannot erase it since I am writing in ink! I pray Applejack does not ever read this…

"Well, I was hoping to dine with James today. He always shows up here at around this time. Although I must admit he is later than he's ever been before." I explained, once again turning my head to survey my surroundings.

Applejack seemed to be rather puzzled as well. She glanced around for a moment, a most perplexed expression on her face. "Ya don't say? I was hopin' ta catch 'im here too."

"You were? Why?" I could not help asking. Applejack seeking out James is somewhat odd. They hardly have anything in common, now that I think about it.

"Why? Well, I always see 'im every mornin', but I never saw 'im today. I was hoping ta catch James here just ta say hi." She replied with a noticeably worried expression. And I cannot blame her. Rainbow Dash has not seen him, Fluttershy and I believe Pinkie Pie has not seen him, and now even Applejack has failed to see James today. The only friends of his left to ask were Twilight Sparkle and little Sweetie Belle and her friends. Surely one of them has seen him.

I looked down at my menu one more time. My lunch can wait. My mare's intuition is telling me something is not quite right here. "I'm not hungry anymore. If you want to have this table, you can help yourself." I stood up and stepped away.

"Huh? Why? Ya'll lose yer appetite, Rarity?" She asked, looking understandably puzzled.

"It's hard to feel hungry when you're worried. I'm going to go straight to Twilight and ask if she has seen James today. It is not like him to disappear like this." I retorted before starting to trot away. But before I got too far, I felt a hoof rest on my shoulder. When I turned my head to look, I found Applejack gazing at me with a most determined look.

"Ya'll ain't the only one who's feelin' a might bothered. I'm goin' with ya." Applejack spoke to me before giving me a reassuring smile.

I could not help smiling myself. While Applejack certainly is not the tidiest of ponies in Ponyville, she is certainly one of the most dependable friends I have. "Very well. Let us search for our friend's whereabouts together. Onward!"

The first place we stopped by was the library. Perhaps Twilight has seen James today. Or maybe Spike has seen him while out and about on his errands. I nudged the door open gently before calling out. "Oh, Twilight! Spike! Are you… Oh, you are home!" I did not need to call out at all. Twilight was looking through a bookcase right as I opened the door.

"Oh! Hello, Rarity! Hello, Applejack. What can I help you with?" Our brilliant unicorn friend asked while casually cantering over to us.

"Sorry fer showin' up on short notice, Twi. We've…uh…got kinda a predicament here. Have ya seen James today?" Applejack spoke first, holding out her hoof.

Much to my disappointment, Twilight seemed rather puzzled as she replied. "No, I haven't seen him today yet. Did something happen? Am I supposed to be expecting him?"

I let out a sigh. I was placing nearly all of my hope on Twilight having the answer to what I was seeking. She usually does. "Oh… I see."

Twilight was quick to notice my disappointment and asked with a look of true concern on her face. "Hey, what's wrong? I'm sure you'll find him today."

"It's not that I have not seen him today, Twilight…" I retorted, my gaze turning towards Applejack.

"The problem is that NOPONY has seen 'im taday. And we're gettin' a might worried." Applejack explained further.

To my surprise, Twilight let out a giggle, "Oh, girls… You know he's not someone who would just up and leave without an explanation! If he did have to go somewhere, he would've at least left a note at home, wouldn't he?"

Well, I suppose that is true. The last time he had to leave for some time, he left a message behind detailing where he was going and why he had to go. He would surely be back sometime today if he did not leave one behind. "Ah, yes. He most certainly would have… Although I cannot help but be concerned."

Twilight gave both of us a comforting smile. "I know. Tell you what. If he's not back by tomorrow, we'll go over to Fluttershy's place and turn the whole house upside down to find the note he left behind. If it hasn't been found yet, it probably got carried away by one of her little animal friends."

"Well, that certainly is a possibility." I muttered with a slight giggle. Animals can certainly be cheeky little things.

"I guess we'll just be spinnin' our wheels if we just keep lookin'. Whatcha say we just wait things out, Rarity?" Applejack asked while glancing at me out of the corner of her eye.

I took a moment to think things over. I was definitely worried about my dear friend, but they were right. All we could do was wait. It was too soon to raise the alarm. "Well… Okay then. He'll come back when he's good and ready. There's no way he would abandon Ponyville." I have to wonder… Did we repeat ourselves too often during this visit?

Twilight stepped forward with a smile. "That's right. You know he cares about us too much to leave. But while you're here, is there anything I can help you find?"

Applejack and I glanced at each other before I answered. "Well, in all honesty, we came here hoping you had seen James and nothing more. I have no need for any books right now."

My country bumpkin friend then… Oh dear, there I go again. Please forgive me if you ever read this, Applejack! Regardless, she nodded with a rather sheepish grin. "Uh… Same here, Twi. I wasn't lookin' fer anythin' in here… Actually, hang on. Ya got any manuals on wagons? Big Macintosh was lookin' ta make some adjustments on one."

Twilight smiled brightly before motioning for Applejack to approach a bookcase with her. "Oh, I know which one you want. A copy of 'Carpentry for Equestrian Handyponies' should suit Big Macintosh just fine."

I knew I was not going to be any help, so I turned to leave. However, Applejack called out to me a few seconds later. "Hold yer horses, Rarity! I'm comin'!" Applejack trotted right up to me with…. Wait, where was her book?

"Applejack, please tell me you did not make like Pinkie Pie and ate your book." I asked, while eyeing her stomach.

She gave me that smug smirk of hers. "Nah. Same place where I keep my bits!" She flung her head up, causing her hat to rise into the air along with a book that was concealed underneath. "Don't need bags when ya got a tiny bit of space under yer cap." The book then landed softly on her head before her hat landed down on her head.

Such an ingenious hiding spot. I'm certain even Apple Bloom has even taken advantage of that on occasions. "Well, there's no chance of that slipping out." I then turned to Twilight and asked, "Twilight? Now that I think about it, where is Spike?"

She rolled her eyes for whatever reason. "Oh, him? He's not here right now. He took Owlowiscious out on his errands today. Said something about 'needing a few extra quills on hand' or something like that." That brilliant unicorn mare then shrugged her shoulders. "I guess it can't be helped. We're down to our last quill and Quills and Sofas hasn't restocked their stock of quills yet. Still have plenty of sofas though."

We all could not help but laugh at that little remark. I am truly amazed that little shop has stayed in business when they seem to sell more quills than sofas. "Well, it was certainly fun meeting up with you, Twilight. But I really need to get back to work. I will have to grab a sandwich to go at the café… I can't believe I missed lunch over this mess!"

Twilight nodded with a comforting smile. "Don't worry too much about James, Rarity. Wouldn't want you to start getting gray hairs."

Gray… GRAY?! NO! Gray does not mix well with my gorgeous indigo coif! "Eek! Then don't tease me about that! You know how stressed I get when I imagine such beauty being ruined!"

Applejack draped her legs across my back and pulled me towards the door just as I was about to shriek again. "We'll talk ta ya later, Twi. And thanks fer the book."

I was dragged outside before Twilight could even utter a response. "Easy there, Rarity. Yer hair ain't gonna turn gray. Besides, even if it did, couldn't ya just dye it ta match the rest?"

Dye? That thought had never occurred to me. "Dye it indigo? I suppose that could work… But what is the point is hiding natural beauty behind false colors?! True beauty comes from within and is accentuated by one's outer appearance!"

For whatever reason, Applejack gave me a rather annoyed scowl. "This comin' from somepony who wears false la… Mmph?!"

I rushed to stuff my hoof into her mouth. It would be utter scandal if word got out about that… Oh dear… I just wrote it down for anypony to see! I must make certain nopony sees this journal. Nopony!

"Applejack, you know to not tell anypony about that." I whispered in as menacing a tone as I could muster.

My intimidation seemed to work. She nodded and took a step backward. "Uh… All righty, Rarity. I won't mention that again."

I grinned in triumph, knowing my secret was safe. And will remain safe as long as this journal remains unseen. "Thank you kindly, Applejack! But now I need to hurry home. Sapphire Shores herself has commissioned me for a glittering golden suit adorned with the purest sapphires and I aim to please!"

Applejack seemed to be waiting for some sort of signal while I looked at her. I suppose she was slightly apprehensive from how suddenly I had thrust my hoof into her mouth to stop her from speaking. "Um… You may speak now." I spoke after feeling she was waiting too long.

"Okay. Well, I'm gonna head back over to my apple stall at market. Big Macintosh is probably hankerin' fer a lunch break by now." Applejack finally replied, looking somewhat relieved in the process.

"Oh, that reminds me that I have not enjoyed lunch yet today. Well, I had best fix that, shouldn't I?" I asked, adjusting my gorgeous mane before turning my gaze in the general direction of the café. Hopefully they were not too busy to turn down an order for take-out at the time.

"Same here. I'm gonna get goin'. See ya 'round, Rarity." Applejack spoke with a wave of her hoof before beginning to walk away.

Just before I could do the same, a thought suddenly occurred to me. I rushed over to Applejack before she could get too far. "Applejack! One moment, please!"

My farm friend paused and turned to face me. "Huh? What's up, Rarity?"

I then asked, "When little Apple Bloom returns home from school… Or even better, if you see her with the other members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, could you please ask them if they have seen James? Seeing as how he is a member as well, they more than likely have some idea of where he might be."

Applejack held her hoof to the underside of her chin, clearly deeply contemplating my request. "Well, it won't be proper if we barge right inta the schoolhouse ta ask when they're in the middle of class… But askin' 'em when they get outta school fer the day sounds like a mighty fine idea!" She then beamed at me with a very elated smile. "I'll grab whatever info I can from them and pass it yer way. Just don't worry too much just yet."

I nodded with great gratitude. Those three fillies are certainly on good terms with James, especially that rowdy Scootaloo. Although I wonder… I have never once met her parents. Why is that? Oh wait, completely off topic. That is a mystery for another day.

"Many thanks, Applejack. Now, no more delays. Time to get some tasty hors d'oeuvres." I spoke with a smile before rushing off. My stomach was demanding satisfaction as much as my fashion sense demands perfection and I was not about to deny it any longer.

Nothing of any importance occurred on my way back home. Unless you count standing outside a café while waiting for your order to be brought out to you a fun experience. Once I was back inside, I promptly unwrapped my FLT sandwich and took a bite. FLT stands for 'flower lettuce tomato', in case you were wondering. I was quite famished by then, so that first bite was simply heavenly.

I took the time to look over the designs while enjoying my lunch. Sapphire always preferred sleek flexible outfits without any dazzling frills. Always said it was to let the movement of her body draw the attention of her audience instead of the movements of her attire. And I certainly see the logic in that.

"Now then… Perhaps I should arrange a pattern with the gemstones?" I mused to myself as I slid my hoof over the design. However, my inspiration was interrupted when I laid eyes on the lovely bracelet around my ankle.

"Oh dear… I shouldn't let myself be distracted, yet…" I could not take my eyes off of it. The ….elegant silver shimmering with the translucent opals… James chose well. That man is willing to please his friends any way he can. And now I miss him all the more.

I believe I shall stop writing here. I need to focus on this current commission. James, please be well. And do come home soon. I'm hoping to enjoy a spot of tea with you sometime.

Howdy there, folks. This is Applejack speaking… I mean writing. I normally don't keep journals, but something weird's been happening today. One of my good pals has seemingly just up and disappeared into thin air. I always see James in the morning, or at least almost always. If you've been living in Ponyville for the last few weeks, you've probably seen a tall human guy walking around town sometimes. That's James.

I wasn't too worried when I never saw him this morning, but I started to get a might worried when I found out that none of my closest friends had seen him either. Or at least those I've seen so far today. I just got back home at Sweet Apple Acres after meeting up with Rarity and Twilight today. I guess it's too soon to start raising a ruckus over James not being seen today, but I reckon it wouldn't hurt to ask Apple Bloom and her friends if they've spotted him. You all probably know them as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Well, James is a member too since he doesn't have a cutie mark. Or at least he didn't. Turns out the guy somehow got one a couple of weeks back while he was hiding out in the Everfree Forest. Long complicated story there and I don't want to bore you with the details, so moving on.

Anyway, I went right back to work as soon as I got home to Sweet Apple Acres. Still had plenty of apples to harvest, what with it being late summer by now, so I set out some bushels at the first apple tree I saw that still had specks of red mixed in with those leafy green branches and gave the tree a buck. Like clockwork, every last apple fell right into the bushels without one missing. For the record, that's a little trick passed down by the Apple family for generations. Just don't ask me how, because that little information will cost you a pretty bit.

I reckon it's not exactly interesting to read about how farm work is done, seeing how repetitive it can be. I'll just skip ahead a bit. After a few hours of hauling apples and taking a few breaks, I heard a little sound on the wind coming from the path coming into the farm. It's something you pick up when your little sister likes to have friends over. By which I mean it sounded like Apple Bloom was just about home and bringing Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo along for the ride.

I wanted to finish my current trip to the barn, so I hurried on in and dropped off the load of apples I had harvested. Sure enough, Apple Bloom came right up the path while chatting to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. I think they were discussing costumes for Nightmare Night coming up in several. But for whatever reason, they stopped talking when they noticed me come out of the barn. What kind of costumes were they thinking up?

"Oh! Uh… Howdy, Applejack! Whatcha doin'?" Apple Bloom asked while looking all nervous. I could tell right away she was up to something, but it couldn't be anything too bad, right?

I decided to not ask about what they had been discussing and just let the thought go. "Howdy, girls. I was just harvestin' a few more apples before things got too late in the day. Ya'll headin' on over to yer clubhouse?"

Sweetie Belle spoke up before Apple Bloom could. That unicorn cutie raised her hoof with a big smile. "Yeah! We were gonna do our homework today over there, and then work on coming up with new ideas on how to get our cutie marks."

Those girls… I couldn't help chuckling. Anypony who knows those three already know what they're really good at, but they're just plain oblivious to their own talents for some reason or another. Oh well, they'll figure it out someday. I mean, they've got to figure it out if their skills are as obvious as the pink bow on Apple Bloom's head. "Well, you girls have fun over there. And James is gonna show up ta help ya'll with that, right?"

I'll admit I was really getting my hopes up that at least one of them had bumped into James at some point today. But Scootaloo replied while shaking her head. "Nope, sorry. We haven't seen him today… Or did we?" She then looked at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. "Did any of you see him today? Because I didn't."

Apple Bloom shrugged her shoulders. "Uh uh, can't say I have. What about you, Sweetie Belle?"

I was holding my breath when Sweetie Belle started to talk. "Um… No, sorry. I haven't seen him at all today."

Well… I was a might disappointed by that. But I couldn't let myself show it. Wouldn't want to worry the kids. "All right then… Ya'll want me ta send 'im yer way next time I spot 'im today?"

Scootaloo grinned about as brightly as a pig with fresh slop. "Yes, please! Let my big brother know we'd like his help today."

Man… If James really has disappeared, it will really hit poor Scootaloo hard if she finds out. I did my best to not show that I was feeling worried by then and showed my best smile. "Will do. Now, you girls go and get yer assignments done. Don't wanna head inta class tomorrow without getting' 'em done, right?"

Apple Bloom glanced around at her friends, who all nodded with big smiles. "Yeah, we gotta get that stuff done first. Let's go, girls! Can't go crusadin' 'til we get our homework done."

As they trotted off, I heard Sweetie Belle speak up. "Hey, I was just thinking… Do you think there's a cutie mark for being really good at doing homework?"

Scootaloo replied with a pretty sarcastic sounding laugh. "Are you kidding?! If there was, we would've gotten them years ago!" I have to admit I got a good laugh out of that one.

Once the fillies were out of sight, I dropped my smile. "Well, shucks… Even Scoot hasn't seen 'im today?" I know it was a bit too early to really start letting myself get worried, but… Something just wasn't right. Somewhere in my gut, I knew something wasn't adding up. "Hit a dead end… Better report back ta Rarity like I promised."

I had done enough applebucking for the day, so I decided to head back into town to let Rarity know I hadn't found any leads. Nothing special happened on my way to Carousel Boo… I mean Bow…. Uh… Bou… I mean Rarity's place! Fancy pants ponies and their fancy words…

I gave the front door a knock when I got to… OK, I can do this… Carousel Bou… Boutique? Yeah, that's it! Carousel Boutique! I knocked on the door to let Rarity know I was coming in. Right as I opened the door, I heard that jingly bell ring above me. "Howdy, Rarity. Ya home?"

Rarity was standing in front of a crate just packed to the brim with sapphires. Every few seconds, one would float up and attach to one sleek looking suit being worn on one of Rarity's mannequins. From what I was seeing, she was dotting the whole thing with smaller sapphires while using the big ones to make lines that went over the legs that connected across the chest and back. Land sakes, if only there was a way to make that stuff glow when being worn!

"Hm? Oh, hello! Did you have any success in learning anything from our sisters, Applejack?" Rarity asked right away while taking a break from her work. Heh, that suit will really make Sapphire Shores live up to her name next concert.

I tried to smile, I really did. But I just couldn't bring myself to lie to her. "Rarity… I'm sorry. Even the fillies haven't seen 'im taday."

Rarity let out a sigh. "Drat… Well, I suppose all we can do is wait for him to come home tonight."

Yeah, she had a point there. "Huh… Yeah, I guess yer right. One day without 'im won't kill us. I'm just gonna just wait it out from this point."

"There, that's better! Let's give him a bit more time." Rarity replied with a grin before going right back to work with putting those sapphires on that suit in front of her. "I can just imagine it. He's going to slip in during the night, lie down next to Fluttershy in bed while she sleeps and wake her with a kiss. Such a romantic, that man…"

"Heheh… I can see 'im doin' that. Maybe he'll even propose ta 'er tonight." I couldn't help joking with Rarity right there.

"Oh, I doubt he's going to go that far so quickly. Granted, they have bonded quite fast over the last few weeks, but going from lovers to husband and wife in under a month is unheard of! Even Fluttershy would not be that hasty." Rarity replied while looking over her shoulder at me. She seemed kind of…um…well, her expression seemed kind of neutral. But she then grinned at me. "But if he did propose, I would be thrilled to weave their attire for the wedding."

Yep, that's just like Rarity. All about romance and good looks. She did design Princess Cadence's dress for her wedding. Doesn't surprise me that she would be itching to make another. "Well, that's all fine and dandy. Anyway, I better get goin'. I wanna check on Fluttershy before I head home, all right?"

Rarity nodded while glancing back and forth from her pile of sapphires… OK, I'm sorry, but that was just one snazzy suit. I'm not going to be able to get that white and blue out of my head for the rest of the day. "Very well. Do give my best to Fluttershy when you see her. Now, where does this one go…" She went right from focusing on me to going back to focusing on her suit in just a few seconds. I didn't say anything and slipped outside without her even noticing.

Well, I reckon now's a good time to stop. I don't have much else planned out and should probably check up on Fluttershy. Thanks for reading, everypony. I don't write journals often, so I hope I didn't bore you. See you all around.

Hello again. This is Fluttershy writing. Um… I know I already wrote a journal today, but I think I should add to it. If that's OK, I mean… You don't have to read if you don't want to.

I stayed around in Sugarcube Corner for a while after I finished breakfast. I just wanted somepony to be with at the time. I felt so lonely with worry without seeing my boyfriend this morning, so I had to beat it back any way I could. And Pinkie Pie was more than happy to keep me happy.

"So, my dog had spilled cherry all over himself. I mean, really! Cherry juice! Do you have any idea how bad that stuff stains?!" Pinkie Pie shouted from a makeshift stage she had set up in her loft above the storefront. She insisted on doing some standup for me. And it was working pretty well.

"What did you do to get the stains out?" I asked, wondering where this joke was going.

Pinkie Pie gave a big grin while she spoke her reply. "Oh, that's easy! I just used some spot remover. NOW I CAN'T FIND HIM!" That was a good joke. I really laughed at that… But wait! Whatever happened to poor Spot? Is there really an invisible dog running around Ponyville?

"Oh, right! Then there was that time with Fancy Pants in Canterlot! Such a cool guy, with really fancy clothes! But you know what was really weird about him?" Pinkie Pie went on.

I took a moment to think the punch line over. But before I could reply, a voice called out from the stairwell behind me. "Lemme guess. No pants!"

Pinkie Pie pointed and shouted, "YES!" Then suddenly I saw her beat out a rim roll on some drums and cymbals… But…how was she up on stage and over at the drums at the same time? I couldn't look in both directions at once, so I don't think I will ever know.

I turned to see who had spoken the punch line and saw Applejack walking towards us. "And the funny thing is it's true! Fancy Pants sure is a fancy fella, but he ain't much fer pants. Anyway, what're ya girls up too?"

Pinkie Pie spoke before I could. "Fluttershy was feeling sad and lonely, so I'm perking her up with some jokes! Like this one!" She then held her microphone to her mouth and asked, "Hey, do you know why Big Macintosh is called 'Big' Macintosh?"

Applejack didn't seem entirely comfortable with Pinkie Pie talking about her big brother. "Uh… Pinkie? What did ya'll hear about my brother?"

The comedian on stage replied, "Don't worry, this is a good one! And the answer isn't because he's a big pony. I mean he's not THAT much bigger than us. But I was lucky enough to find out from a mare he was dating!"

I looked at Applejack, who seemed a bit nervous. Did she know where the joke was going? "Anyway, everypony in town knows Big Macintosh is a bit on the quiet and shy side, so it was a big surprise to me to see him dating somepony! Well, the lucky mare came into Sugarcube Corner the day after I saw them together. I said hello and asked her how Big Macintosh was to her the previous night."

Since Pinkie Pie paused for a moment, I tried speaking up. "And…what did she say he was?"

Pinkie giggled before replying. "Well, her expression became like this…" Her face looked like she was completely love struck or smitten with somepony and she even started to sway a bit. "And all she said was… Biiiig."

I fell onto my side laughing. That was…wow. I did not see that coming. But Applejack seemed kind of bothered by the punch line. She looked really annoyed, but was also blushing. "Uh… Wow, Pinkie. I didn't know ya'll could do jokes like that. Just don't go 'round town tellin' that ta anypony. Big Macintosh is a might sensitive."

Pinkie Pie laughed loudly while I tried to calm down. "Oh, don't worry! That joke is safely locked away in my vault in a kryptonite case hidden on the dark side of Mars!"

Kryptonite… Mars…? "Uh…where?" I asked. Even though I know Pinkie Pie is extremely random sometimes, that was…really out there.

"Exactly!" She replied, almost as if she knew exactly what I was about to ask. "Anyway, what's up, Applejack? You need any apple turnovers?"

Applejack chuckled while she replied. "Nah, I reckon Granny Smith is already whippin' up a batch of 'em at home right now. Pretty sure I smelled 'em when I left. I'm just here ta check on Fluttershy."

I think I knew why she was checking on me. "I'm all right, Applejack. I mean…I'm still worried, but I'm sure he has a good reason to be away right now."

"Heheh, yeah. Rarity was goin' on 'bout how he just might sneak in tonight and surprise you in bed." Applejack was giving me a sly smirk when she said that. And…oh dear, my wings sprang open when I thought about it.

"She said that? Oh…my… That sounds so…romantic…." I felt so hot as I said those words. I must have been blushing.

"Ooh, whatcha thinking about, Fluttershy?! You planning something special for your sweetie pie?" I heard Pinkie Pie jeering from behind me.

"Ain't that the name of one of yer cousins?" Applejack asked before I could faint. I mean, I really was feeling lightheaded at that moment. And hot… Did I mention I was feeling really lightheaded?

"Oh, yeah! My second cousin! Silly me!" Pinkie giggled right into her microphone, broadcasting her giggling throughout the room.

Still… I could not stop thinking about my boyfriend. Sneaking in during the middle of the night and coming to me as I lie in bed… I'm just feeling giddy with excitement. It's definitely something he would do. "Um… I'm sorry, Pinkie. I really should be getting home now. I want to make sure I'm there when James comes home."

Applejack gave me her biggest smile. "Well, don't let us stop ya! Get goin', girl!"

Pinkie Pie then spoke up too. "You just bring your sweetheart back to Ponyville when he shows up! I'll have some cupcakes waiting!"

I nodded while smiling. I was feeling much more confident already. I said goodbye to my friends and hurried down the stairs and out the door. To save time, I decided to fly the rest of the way to my house. I normally prefer walking, but I was feeling so…um….pumped up that I just wanted to get home as fast as possible. And flying is faster than running.

I got home in record time. I saw a buch of cute little bunnies hopping around in the fields near my home and some songbirds singing in the trees. It always feels so good to come home to that. But there was still no sign of my boyfriend. But that was OK. I knew he would be coming home soon.

Um… I would like to write about all the rest of the things that happened while I was home, but I don't think anypony would be interested in reading about that. But at the end of the day, I watched from my roof as the sun went down. That lovely shade of pink and orange in the sky… I felt so at peace, but so very lonely too. James and I watched the sun go down a few times and it always felt so right watching that with somepony you love.

I have made up my mind. I will not go to sleep until James comes home tonight. It's almost 9 PM right now, so I'll go ahead and take a shower now.

All right, I just finished… 9:30 PM. Still no sign of him. I think I will brew some tea to help pass the time.

That was some good tea. I saved some in the pot for James. I know he loves honey in his. It is 10:30 PM now. He should be here anytime.

Midnight… Still no sign of him, but I won't sleep. Not until he's by my side again.

Goooooooood morning, Ponyville! This is Pinkie Pie writing to you today! Things have been getting a little weird today, so I'm keeping a journal until things go back to normal. Or at least normal for a place with me in it!

I started out my day just like any other. That is to say, me getting dressed in my workout clothes! Yeah, ponies wear clothes sometimes! But I had to take them off right after putting them on when I noticed I didn't have any babies to make laugh. I just can't start my day until I make somepony laugh, or at least smile. But that was when I had an idea!

"Ooh, I bet Fluttershy could use a smile! And James too! Since he probably got home last night, I bet he could use a 'welcome home smile' to start his day!" I spoke to myself. But then that little voice in my head that keeps trying to talk me out of eating salads instead of candy spoke up. "Duuuuh! Now go give them some giggles!"

I fixed up my mane and made sure to feed Gummy before I left. Sugarcube Corner hadn't opened yet, so I didn't have to worry about being late to work. I also know that James works at the spa today, so I had to hurry to catch him before he left. I trotted through town, saying hello to Derpy as I walked by. And Rose. And Zecora. And Cranky Doodle. And Matilda. And Deadpool! He's my most special friend! Oh, just don't ask me where he comes from. I only see him once in a very long time and it's never for very long. That, and nopony believes me when I talk about him.

Anyway, I had to rest my hoof after waving to so many friends before long. I trotted right across the meadow that leads to Fluttershy's place. Things were kinda quiet when I started to get close. The birds were hardly tweeting and things seemed kinda…sad. I don't know how that works! How does a place FEEL sad?

I saw Fluttershy with her back turned to me across the little bridge that crosses the stream in front of her cottage. She seemed a little unsteady with how she was swaying just a little. I trotted right up behind her and gave her my biggest grin. "Gooooood morning, Fluttershy!"

For some reason, Fluttershy didn't turn around. But she did quietly reply. "Oh… Good morning, Pinkie Pie."

She sounded pretty bad. I thought she was sick at first. "Hey, are you OK? You don't sound too good. And where's James?"

"James… I… I promised myself I wouldn't go to sleep until he was by my side again." She muttered softly.

"Uh huh… Then what's wrong?" I asked, becoming really concerned the longer she talked. Hey, I just wrote that in a more professional style! Cool!

Fluttershy started to turn to face me when I spoke. Those eyes… I jumped back. She looked…awful. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot with bags under them. It was like she had not slept. "He never came home…"

Never came home… Oh no… "He never showed up…? At all? Oh no no no no no, this isn't good…"

"I don't know what to do… He should've been home yesterday… He never left a note saying why he would be gone for a day…" Fluttershy muttered with her head bowed. She looked so exhausted.

"Well… If he's been gone this long… Then he must've left a note around here explaining why!" I replied with a big smile. I had to do everything I could to keep Fluttershy's spirits up. And mine. I was worried too, but there must be a reason why he's still gone. "Let's go round up the girls! We'll have an easier time finding his message if we're all looking at the same time!"

"Uh huh… Let's go…" Fluttershy replied weakly. I could tell she was trying her best to smile, but she was really not in good shape.

"I'm pretty sure Granny Smith has a little pink-me-up that'll get you through the day. Let's go find Applejack first!" I spoke before pointing south. Granny Smith has all kinds of old recipes that are amazingly powerful. And without using caffeine!

Fluttershy kept wandering off to the sides with how tired she was, so I had to keep pushing her back and forth to keep her on the right path. It didn't take too long to reach Sweet Apple Acres. And lucky for us, Applejack was already outside the barn. "Morning, Applejack!"

Our stubborn farm friend turned to look in my direction before giving me a big grin. "Huh? Oh, howdy! What brings ya'll… Whoa, Fluttershy?! What's wrong with ya?" I guess it didn't take her long to notice Fluttershy's extremely sleepy face.

"Huh…? My face…? Oh, that…" Fluttershy spoke before letting out a really long yawn. "It was…zzzz…"

Uh…. Wow. That's the first time I ever saw somepony fall asleep while standing. Applejack spoke up while Fluttershy stood before us with her head bowed in sleep. "Uh… Ya think we oughta wake 'er up?"

Before I could reply, I felt my tail twitching like mad behind me. "Ooh, my Pinkie Sense is tingling! I think…somepony's about to do it for us!"

Right when I said that, a big splash of water crashed onto Fluttershy's head. She woke up with a shriek, looking around while shivering. "Huh?! What?! Did I…fall asleep?"

Applejack looked up and smiled while waving. "Much obliged, Derpy! She needed that!"

I looked up to see who Applejack was talking to and saw Derpy Hooves hovering above us with a bucket hanging from her mouth. "Don't mention it!" She replied before flying off in Ponyville's direction.

"All righty then, Fluttershy. We gotta get ya wide awake if yer gonna get through the day. And I've got just the thing. Right this way, pardner." Applejack motioned for us to follow her. Fluttershy seemed wide awake after that, but she was already starting to look really drowsy again.

"Uh… You think we should….ugh…tell her about why we're here?" Fluttershy asked while trying to walk straight.

I gave her my most reassuring smile. "Let's wait until you're really perked up."

Applejack took us into the kitchen of her house. The air was warm from the stove being on and…was that the smell of peppers in the air? There was already a pot on the stove and there was a really REALLY spicy odor coming from it. "Granny Smith was havin' a hard time gettin' herself goin' this mornin', so I whipped up her lil' homebrewed pick-me-up to really get 'er peepers workin'. We still got enough 'ere fer another servin', just let me warm it up first."

I watched as Applejack got the bellows on the floor working to get the fire in the stove hotter. I wonder what she put in that stuff… Oh well. We didn't have to wait long. Applejack soon took a ladle and poured some of the brew into a cup for Fluttershy. "All yers, Fluttershy. Don't just sip from it though. Chug it."

Fluttershy wobbled over to the counter and looked down at the cup. "Um… Are you sure this is safe to drink? It smells…awful."

I couldn't help giggling. "Yeah! I can smell it from here, and that smells like something only a dragon would drink!"

Applejack rolled her eyes with a pretty funny looking smile. "Well, it is my first time brewin' it. But it really got Granny Smith movin', so I'm guessin' I got it right. Go on and take it!"

Fluttershy looked down at the cup before gulping hard. "Well…here I go." She held the cup between her hooves and took a deep breath. She tilted her head back and gulped the whole thing down. I was about to ask how it tasted, but Fluttershy then showed the craziest expression I had ever seen on her face while her mane and tail stuck straight up and went all Mohawk-like!

"AAAAGH! IT BURNS!" Fluttershy shrieked while rolling around on the floor with her face as red as a tomato. I honestly did not want to laugh at her…but I couldn't help it! I was howling!

"Hmmm….. Was that two teaspoons of habanero pepper or two whole buckets of habanero peppers I was supposed ta use?" Applejack muttered out loud while holding a hoof to her chin.

Fluttershy then asked, "Habanero?! Who drinks… Wait… I feel…better?" The red in her face was gone and her hair was back to normal. And to top it off, her eyes looked normal too! "Wow… I feel really rested now! It actually worked!"

"Granny Smith wouldn't add anythin' to her old remedy book if it didn't work right. But in any case, what happened? Ya'll ain't somepony who's known fer havin' insomnia, Fluttershy. Somethin' on yer mind?" Applejack replied after placing the empty cup in the kitchen sink.

"Oh… That. Well… I promised myself that I wouldn't sleep until James came home last night…" Fluttershy muttered, instantly looking depressed.

Applejack turned and looked at Fluttershy with a look of really strong concern and even a bit of shock. "Last night? Don't tell me he…"

Fluttershy let out a loud sigh before she spoke. "No… He never came home…"

"He… Really? Never? Land sakes, this just don't bode well…" Applejack muttered while looking away.

I decided to speak up at that point. "No, it's kinda creepy! That's why we need to round up our friends to turn Fluttershy's house upside-down to find any evidence on what might've happened to him!" I then reached into my Pinkie Space and pulled out my trusty detective hat and bubble pipe! "It's time for another cold case investigation by Private Eye Pinkie Pie!"

I turned and started to make my way towards the door when I noticed Fluttershy and Applejack weren't following me. "Hey, come on! We've got a mystery to solve!"

"Um… Pinkie Pie…?" Fluttershy muttered with a look that looked like… Well… It kind of looked like this. u_u

"We ain't goin' anywhere 'til ya take off that hat." Applejack added with an identical expression.

"Huh?! Why?! This is the perfect look for an expert detective who's trying to solve a mystery!" I replied. I just don't get why they didn't want me wearing it!

"Pinkie… Do you remember the last time you put that on?" Fluttershy asked without changing that really funny look on her face.

"Why? The last time I wore this was when we were on the… Oooooh…" That's right. The last time was when we were taking the train to Canterlot for the National Dessert Competition. And… Wow, I really made myself look like a total loony. Don't want that to happen again! "I see what you mean. I'll just…uh…put these away now." I then stashed my hat and pipe back into my Pinkie Space. Oh… And before you ask what Pinkie Space is… Well, I'll just write it out for you. $! ^%%&^*&%**(^*% $#% That's Pinkie Space! Oh wait… I'm the only pony who can read that. Sorry! I guess I can't translate it enough for other ponies!

"That's better. Now, let's mosey. We should go get Twilight next." Applejack spoke up while we followed her out the door. "Big Macintosh! Mind the farm fer a lil' while! I've got a bit of an emergency on my hooves!"

I heard Big Macintosh call from upstairs somewhere. "Eyup!" He never talks much and I have no idea why!

Fluttershy asked while we left the farm, "Do you think there's a shortcut we can take?"

I replied while reaching to my left, "Of course there is, silly filly! Let's just jump to the next frame!" I then started pulling frame after frame looking for the right place. "OK, there's the town square… Sugarcube Corner… Whoa, an unfinished storyboard! Rarity's house… The library… Oh, wait! Go back! Library! There we go!" I made sure we were in the right place before letting go of the frame. "Here we are! Twilight's… Um… Are you OK?"

Applejack and Fluttershy looked really weirded out by something. "Pinkie, just how in the hay do ya do that?!" Applejack yelled while her eyes seemed to be rolling around in her head.

"Oh, that's easy! All you have to do is…" Um… I would explain more… But seeing as how Fluttershy and Applejack looked like they had just suffered seizures by the time I finished explaining, I think it would be a bad idea to force onto you readers too.

"Uuuugh… Pink….fluffy unicorns…" Fluttershy muttered while looking completely unresponsive. I honestly felt sorry for her, but I knew she would be OK in a minute.

"Dancin'…on…rainbows…" Applejack added with her head resting in her upside-down hat.

I heard the sound of hooves clopping coming up from behind me before a familiar voice spoke up. "Whoa, what happened to these two? Did you try to explain something weird to them again?"

I turned to face who was talking and found Rainbow Dash standing next to me. "Oh, I was just explaining how I jump between panels! All you do is…" Oops. I did it again. Rainbow Dash fell on the ground in a minute while foaming at the mouth.

"Stay…away from Fluttershy's….shed…" She muttered weirdly. And since when does Fluttershy have a shed? Rainbow Dash must get some really weird dreams sometimes. Maybe she needs to lay off the cider.

I went back to Sugarcube Corner while waiting for my friends to wake up and grabbed a cupcake. But when I came back, they STILL were sprawled out on the ground! So I went ahead and ordered a pizza. And I made sure to get one that's big enough for all of my friends!

"Uh huh. An extra large veggie pizza for carryout!" I spoke to the clerk at the counter after jumping to another panel that led to the local Pizza Pony Express. Then I hopped back over to my friends. Fortunately, they were starting to come to their senses by the time I got back. "Ooh, you're awake! Is everypony all right?"

Applejack spoke up first while adjusting the hat on her head. "Yeah, I'm good. Only now I'm gonna have that dang song stuck in my head fer the rest of the day."

Fluttershy stood up next and asked, "Um… Does it go something like…pink fluffmmph?!"

"I don't wanna hear it, Fluttershy! Just don't bring it up again!" Applejack interrupted her by stuffing her hoof into Fluttershy's mouth. Fluttershy didn't seem to mind though and just gave a nod.

Rainbow Dash let out a groan as she rubbed her head. "Ugh, you girls aren't the only ones with a song stuck in your head. And why does my skull hurt so much?!"

I giggled nervously, feeling pretty bad that trying to explain how I manipulate panels caused them to…well…experience whatever they were going through. "Sorry…! I guess that stuff is hard to explain… But hey! I think I can try dumbing it down for…"

"NO!" All three of my friends shouted at me with really annoyed looks. I just grinned sheepishly without a word, hoping they weren't too mad from what happened.

"Anyway, what's going on? You girls paying a visit to the library for something special?" Rainbow Dash asked while glancing back and forth at us.

Applejack spoke up first. "Well, we were all lookin' fer ya too, Rainbow. Good thing ya found us."

I then tried to explain things. "Yeah, but we need Twilight and Rarity too! We've got trouble, Rainbow! BIG trouble!"

I think Rainbow wasn't taking me very seriously since all she did at first was laugh. "What? Do you need to gather up some instruments to lure away a swarm of Parasprites again?"

Fluttershy replied with a really worried expression. "No… It's that… James never came home last night."

Rainbow Dash instantly lost that swagger of hers when she heard that. "Wait… You're serious? No sign of him today?"

Applejack spoke up instead of Fluttershy. "She stayed up all night waitin' fer 'im, Rainbow. From dusk 'til dawn. And he never showed up. Right, Fluttershy?" The poor pegasus only nodded. I really wanted to give Fluttershy a big hug to make her feel better, but I could tell now wasn't a good time.

"Well, it's a good thing you've got the fastest pegasus in the whole wide world with ya! I'll find him in no time! Uh… Once we have an idea where to look, that is." Rainbow replied with her usual enthusiasm. Although I think I could see a tiny bit of worry in her eyes.

Fluttershy then spoke up really softly. "Um… It would be better if we all looked for him. Should we get Twilight now?"

We all looked at each other and nodded before I decided to reply first. "Well, duh! Why leave out one friend?!"

Rainbow Dash held the library's door open for us. "Then what're we waiting for?" One by one, we all trotted inside. Hopefully Twilight was still home.

"Twilight! Ya'll here?!" Applejack called out while we went closer to the middle of the room. The place seemed pretty tidy. Maybe Twilight wasn't awake yet. Or so I thought until I heard hoofsteps coming from the stairs. Sure enough, Twilight came into view. Only the funny thing is she had some messy bed head.

"Oh, good morning, girls! I only just woke up. Kinda had a study craving last night… And Spike and Owlowiscious did a really good job of cleaning up!" She said while coming down the stairs and looking around at the place. Was it really that bad last night? "So, what's going on? And why are so many of you here?"

Rainbow Dash spoke up first. I would've said something, but… I really don't think the situation called for anything cheerful or jumpy at that time. I had to be careful to restrain myself. "Well… We've got a problem, Twilight. And we'll need your help for it."

"Oh dear… What happened? Did a shipment of books get lost on they're way to Ponyville?" Twilight asked as she walked towards us.

I couldn't help but reply to that one. "Oh, come on, Twilight! It's something IMPORTANT! And books aren't all that important!"

I get the feeling I shouldn't have said that. Twilight got right up in my face after that. "Not important?! Of course books are important!"

Applejack pushed us apart before looking at Twilight. "Maybe ta ponies like you, but not everypony. Besides, this is serious, Twi! Fluttershy?"

We all looked towards Fluttershy. She had her head bowed like there was something she did not want to say. And we all knew what it was. "Fluttershy? Is something wrong?" Twilight asked while approaching her.

Fluttershy only muttered one word. "James…"

Twilight let out a tiny little gasp before she reached out and placed a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. "Fluttershy… Don't tell me he…"

I saw a tear or two fall from Fluttershy's cheeks. "I waited as long as I could… From sunset until sunrise… He never came home…"

Applejack took a step closer to Twilight. "She looked pretty bad when she showed up at my place this mornin', Twi… I don't think she's stretchin' the truth."

"Gone… No… There has to be a reason…" Twilight muttered as she took her hoof off of Fluttershy's shoulder. After a moment of looking at the floor, she then looked at us with a pretty determined gaze. "I'll do all I can to help. We'll figure out we're he is today."

Whoa… I almost never see Twilight look that focused on anything that doesn't involve books. I could tell she was taking this whole thing personally. She and James have been very close for a while now. And… Just between you and me? If James and Fluttershy never got together, I'm pretty sure he and Twilight would've ended up becoming sweethearts! There's just something about those two together that makes me think 'two peas in a pod'. But I'm getting really off-track now.

Twilight led us all outside as she took charge. "Spike, please watch over the place while I'm gone! I've got something important to deal with!" She called out while stepping through the door.

I heard Spike reply from somewhere upstairs. "All right! See ya in a while!"

I think I'll stop here. Things should be OK now that Twilight's in on the mystery now. But we still need to go get Rarity. I just hope we figure out what's going on here. I swear I can almost feel my Pinkie Sense giving me the shudders…

Hello. This is Twilight Sparkle writing today. Today… Well, today has just gotten weird for me. I know really weird things have been happening to me and my friends on occasion ever since I came to Ponyville, but this is the first time I have had a friend disappear into thin air.

Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy came to me together today and asked me for help in locating James. He was never seen yesterday and I was sure he would come home by this morning. But… It seems he never returned. Fluttershy even stayed up all night to wait for him to no avail. Even so, I am certain he would not leave without explanation. He has disappeared from Ponyville once before, but was considerate enough to leave a note behind explaining why. There must be one somewhere in Fluttershy's house and we are going to find it!

Of course, it would be best if we had as many ponies as possible looking. With only Rarity missing from our group, we went straight to the Carousel Boutique to fetch her. After a while though, I stopped. It was possible James was in danger and we needed to do whatever we could to save time! "Girls, hang on. Why don't I just teleport us over to Rarity's house?"

Pinkie Pie spoke up first while I looked back at everypony. "Great idea! Should we stop by Sugarcube Corner and pick up some of her favorite snacks too?"

Applejack rolled her eyes before I could. "Pinkie, ya'll know we ain't makin' a house call. We gotta round up all our friends ta find our missin' friend!"

"Ooooh, right! I guess the yummy goodies can wait." Pinkie replied without showing much regret over her rather pointless suggestion.

"All right. Everypony stay close to me…" I spoke while I closed my eyes. Using teleportation to transport multiple ponies takes greater focus and more mental stamina than just teleporting one's self. I felt the magical energies in my horn radiating out and engulfing us before I felt that familiar rush of a spell being cast. Feeling just a little fatigue, I opened my eyes and found that we were standing just outside Rarity's front door. "We're here. Shall we?"

Rainbow Dash went first, pushing the door open to allow us in while the bell above the doorway jingled pleasantly. It turns out Rarity was right in the middle of the main room with a mannequin wearing an absolutely dazzling white suit adorned in deep blue sapphires. There was a chest on the floor next to her that seemed to be all but empty of the same kind of sapphires that were sparkling on that suit. "Heya, Rarity! We've got trouble!"

Rarity spun around, almost dropping one of the sapphires she was using. She looked rightfully annoyed too. "Rainbow Dash, at least just give me time to say hello before you announce that there is a problem!"

Applejack stepped forward first. "Sorry ta barge in unannounced like this, Rarity. But we got trouble."

"Trouble…?" Rarity asked with a perplexed gaze. But just before any of us could explain, she lost her magic grip on the sapphire floating next to her and let it fall into the chest nearby. "No… You don't mean…James?"

I let out a sigh. James and Rarity have been close since day one of his life in Equestria. It was probably going to hurt to admit this to her. Fluttershy bowed her head and spoke softly. "Yes… He never came home last night…"

Rarity seemed very distraught at first, but she almost immediately brightened up with a look of resolve. She reached out and lifted Fluttershy's chin until they were looking right at each other. "Say no more. I know why you're hear and I will gladly assist you in the search."

Pinkie Pie let out a giggle. "You read us like an entire encyclopedia! Unlike Twilight, who can only read an encyclopedia!"

I am ashamed to admit I actually took a moment to get that. Pinkie Pie just befuddles me to no end sometimes… Actually, I take that back. She bewilders me very very frequently. I could probably spend a lifetime studying her and I STILL would not know half of how she works! In any case, I could only roll my eyes at her. Even if I could come up with a vocal response, I was not certain how to word it at that time.

Rainbow Dash then hurried to the door and held it open. "Well, what're we waiting for?! We know what we're looking for, right?!"

Rarity nodded as she and the rest of us trotted to the door. "Indeed! James surely left a note behind somewhere in Fluttershy's cottage with a very detailed explanation of why he would be gone for such an extended period of time."

Once we were outside and heading on our way, Pinkie Pie started doing her signature springy hop while we trotted along. "This is so exciting! It's like we're solving a mystery!"

"Um… I guess it has gotten a bit more interesting now that all of us are helping with the search." Fluttershy spoke up while allowing a small smile to form on her lips. It did my heart good to know we were starting to cheer her up.

Rainbow Dash then joked, "Ya know, this reminds me of the time Applejack ran away from home after she lost that rodeo competition! Remember how we went all over to try to find out where she went?"

Applejack let out a loud groan while rolling her eyes. "Ugh, ya had ta bring that up! I told ya'll I was sorry!"

I decided to speak up at that point. "And we know you were, Applejack. And we're all proud of you for understanding the errors of your decision back then." Then, for the sake of being honest, I continued. "Although if James had been there, I am very certain he would've found your actions to have been extremely childish."

At those words, Applejack showed a very embarrassed expression while her eyes glanced back and forth at us. "Uh… Heh….heheheh… Ya know…? If he were ta say that… I'd say he was right. Ugh…"

Rarity nodded as she trotted up alongside her. "I must concur with that. But do not let it get to you, Applejack! That was months ago! And you have learned from the experience, haven't you?"

Our favorite farm pony friend let out a long sigh before showing a more sincere smile. "Yeah… I reckon I have. I ain't gonna be repeatin' that little stunt anytime soon."

"Anytime soon?!" Rainbow Dash spoke with a raised voice while giving Applejack a pretty irritated glare.

Clearly intimidated, Applejack nervously smiled. "Oh…uh…I mean I ain't EVER gonna repeat that mistake! Yup! Never again!"

"That's more like it." Rainbow Dash replied with a satisfied grin while the rest of us burst into hearty laughter. Hooo, I wish James was there with us to listen. He would have gotten a good chuckle out of it, I just know he would.

We got so caught up in conversation; I totally forgot to us the teleportation spell to whisk us away to Fluttershy's house to save time. Next thing I know, more than half an hour has passed before we found ourselves crossing the meadow that separated Fluttershy's home from Ponyville. "Whoa. Here already?"

"That means we can start searching! Tally hoooooo!" Pinkie Pie shouted before she charged ahead. But right after crossing the bridge, she froze in her tracks and turned around. "Oh, right! Where do we start?"

I stepped forward and quickly thought up a plan. "Well, we're all here, so let's divide up the areas to search. Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy raised her head to look directly at me. "Yes, Twilight?"

"You check with all the animals out here. Ask them if they have seen James at all over the course of the last 24 hours. Or if they are in possession of a note of any sort." I spoke before Fluttershy nodded readily.

"Rainbow Dash, you search the treetops and the roof of Fluttershy's house. It's possible the note may have gotten swept up by wind and dropped in one of them." I spoke towards Rainbow Dash who then bashed her hooves together in a clear show of agreement.

I then looked towards Applejack. "Now, Applejack… Uh… Wait, is Winona around here?"

Applejack shrugged her shoulders. "Nah, but I can call 'er. Ya'll want us ta sniff 'im out?"

"That's exactly what I was going to suggest." I replied, glad that she was on the same page as me. Applejack nodded before looking south and letting out a high-pitched whistle.

"She oughta be here in a bit. I'll get searchin' with 'er when she gets here." Applejack spoke with a smile.

I nodded to show my acknowledgement of her words and turned to Rarity. "Now then… Rarity. You and I will search indoors. Your skill with the levitation spell is greater than mine, so you'll lift and shake out the furniture to see if the note has fallen inside or under them."

"Gladly. I'll make certain every nook and cranny is thoroughly inspected." She replied with a very confident smirk.

"Lastly, Pinkie Pie… You…uh…" I paused for a minute. What area should Pinkie Pie search in?

"Yes? Yes? Yes?!" Pinkie Pie kept asking as she kept hopping up and down in front of me in giddy excitement.

It was while I was looking at her ridiculously happy face that I had an idea. "You know what? Go ahead and search anywhere you can. I won't ask how you did it or where you looked. Just look anywhere you can." Goodness knows how she does most things when I'm not looking, but she tends to get things done.

"Perfect! I'll make sure to look everywhere I can! Maybe the animators at the HUB are hiding it in their… Mmph?!" I covered her mouth the instant my brain started to hurt.

"No details! Just find the message! I don't care where you find it or how! Just find it and spare us the details!" I pleaded while everypony else nodded with very uneasy expressions. They clearly did not want their minds to break.

"Oki doki loki! So…what're we looking for again?" Pinkie asked when I took my hoof off her mouth.

"Well, if it's the same kind of note as last time, it's probably a rolled up scroll. Or maybe a folded sheet of paper. Keep an eye out for these things. Now, let's getting searching!" I explained before Rarity and I started to head up the slope towards Fluttershy's front door. Everypony else went off in different directions while Applejack stood at the bridge while watching for Winona. Although I swear I saw Pinkie Pie…open a hole in the ground before jumping inside and closing it behind her… Uh…best forget I ever saw that. It's just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. Nothing more…

The first place Rarity and I inspected was Fluttershy's living room. "All right, let's start here. Rarity?"

My fellow unicorn friend nodded with a smile. "Allow me." She then closed her eyes as her horn was engulfed by her signature light blue magic aura. Every last bit of furniture that was not nailed down in the room was engulfed in an identical magic aura and lifted off the floor and walls. It still amazes me how Rarity has no difficulty at lifting so many objects of various sizes at once. I have lifted more and larger objects, but it always required greater focus for me. I confess that there are times where I have felt envious of her mastery over the few spells she knows. Though it makes sense considering that her spell pool is smaller than mine and that she has had more time to focus on improving her skill with just… Oh wait, I am going way off topic here. Sorry!

"OK, hold those steady for a minute, Rarity." I spoke while going around the room to check the empty spaces of floor and shelves I could find. I even made certain to check the undersides of the various furniture in the room. If James had deliberately hidden his message to us in such a fashion, then he did an excellent job of setting up an ingenious scavenger hunt.

"Any luck so far, Twilight? Mmm… This tea… I must ask Fluttershy what it is." Rarity asked while apparently sipping some tea… Wait, what? Tea?

I turned to face her and saw that along with holding all the furniture in the room airborne, Rarity was also levitating a white porcelain teacup while occasionally taking sips from it. And she looked as if she was not even trying! I did my best to hide my jealousy and replied with only a slight frown. "No, not yet. Try turning them upside-down and shaking them out."

Rarity nodded before every single piece of furniture in the room flipped upside-down. She even removed the cushions from the sofa before they all started shaking and jumbling in the air. "OK… Let's see…" I muttered while paying close attention. Bit by bit, small objects started to fall out. "There's a few bits… a…um…copy of Playmare magazine… What's this chainsaw doing here?"

"Perhaps Fluttershy uses it to carve up firewood? Although how in the world would it get lost in a sofa?" Rarity asked in reply. She was clearly baffled, but her magic grip on the floating objects around us did not weaken.

"Let's leave it here for now. But keep shaking." I spoke, keeping a close eye on the sofa. The next thing to fall out was… Pinkie Pie?!

"Hi, girls! Found it yet?!" Pinkie Pie asked after she fell on her rump.

"How did… What were you even doing in there?!" Rarity asked while somehow not losing focus on her magic.

"Oh, I did a little searching here and there! I looked in Deadpool's boxer drawers, I checked Princess Celestia's favorite cake shop, and then I rode a narwhal until I ended up in the sofa! Oh, and I didn't see any bits of paper in there. But I did see…"

"No more! Just go! Just keep looking!" I yelled as I felt my vision starting to spin. Pinkie Pie just giggled and ran out of the room. Just…what? And who is Deadpool?! It sounds like a pony who…..ugh, I would rather not think about this anymore. I feel a migraine coming on just remembering it.

"Well… It seems we're not going to find that note here." Rarity spoke as she gently put everything back where it used to be. Although she did not release her teacup.

"Yeah, it looks like this room doesn't have it. Let's check the others." I replied before heading over to the side room.

Nothing of interest was found in there or in the kitchen or bathroom upstairs. The last room we checked was the bedroom. "Oh dear… Poor Fluttershy never went to sleep after all… And look at the sheets on that side. It really is like he just disappeared out from under the covers." Rarity spoke as she pointed to the side of the bed where James was likely sleeping two days ago.

I took a closer look at the bed. Fluttershy's side had been made, but it looked like she had left his side alone. It was somewhat wrinkled and uneven, but had not been pulled back to allow him to stand up out of bed. I had never seen anything like it. Truly something a detective would need to be called in for.

"Well, this is the only place left to search here. Rarity?" I spoke before glancing at my friend. She nodded silently before once again using her magic to lift everything into the air. We had to be more careful that time since there was less space to maneuver everything.

"See anything yet, Twilight?" Rarity asked while I checked the areas of the room that had been previously obscured.

"Nothing here… Nothing on top of the fireplace… And nothing on the underside of the bed. I guess we need to check inside everything now." I replied. I was honestly starting to get very worried by that point. The bedroom was the last place to check. If we did not find any evidence of why James seemingly disappeared, then I could only hope that our other friends had found something by the time we finished.

"All right then. Would you mind standing back, Twilight? I'm going to need a bit more room to move everything." Rarity requested as the books on the shelves started to float off and the mattress lifted off of the bed's frame. I backed down the stairs a bit and watched.

Rarity was really showing how in control she was. She did not seem stressed at all as she shook the books out and pulled the covers and sheets from the mattress. She even lifted the roofs from the birdhouses hanging from the ceiling. The entire room was filled with floating shaking objects. Rarity was really doing her best to make sure no stone was left unturned.

"Drat… Nothing there… And nothing here… Twilight, are you seeing anything falling to the floor?" Rarity called out while looking back and forth at her surroundings. I lowered my head close to the floor while standing on the stairs and watched closely for the next minute. I watched for anything to touch the floor. Any scraps of paper of any kind.

"Rarity… You can stop now." I finally called out. There was nothing coming out of the furniture. But Rarity did not seem to hear me. She kept looking back and forth at the furniture as they started to shake more vigorously.

"Come on… Where is it?" She kept muttering. I saw she was not going to listen to me. Rarity was starting to become desperate. I walked over to her, stepping around the floating objects and placed my hoof on her shoulder.

That got Rarity's attention. She suddenly looked directly at me as everything in the room became as still as stone. She did not say anything, but I could see it in her eyes. If she was not worried before, she certainly was at that moment. I spoke softly to try to comfort her. "It's not here, Rarity. There is no note."

Rarity let out a sigh of defeat as she lowered everything in the room back to where it used to be. She put all the books back in order and even remade the bed to the point where it looked as if nopony had been sleeping on it at all. It really amazes me just how attentive to detail Rarity can be. Regardless, she looked at me with a pleading gaze she almost never shows. "Twilight… I miss him."

I was starting to feel it too. Until now, I was certain that James would return to us soon. I really was not that worried at all. But after this… With no evidence on where he was or why he was gone… It was starting to feel as if we would never see him again. That type of silent dread that hits you when you begin to fear you have lost something important.

I gently held my friend in an embrace with one leg. "I do too, Rarity… Let's go outside. Maybe the others had better luck."

"I pray they have…" Rarity muttered as we slowly made our way down the stairs. I too was hoping that at least somepony had found a lead.

We went outside right away and waited. I could see Rainbow Dash practically crawling through the foliage that coated Fluttershy's roof. Applejack was following Winona everywhere while the little border collie kept her nose to the ground. Fluttershy seemed to be talking to a small flock of birds roosting in a tree. And Pinkie Pie… Oh right. She hopped out of the stream that flowed in front of Fluttershy's house. But…why was she soaked to the bone and wearing full scuba gear? That stream is nowhere near deep enough for her to be completely submerged in it.

One by one, our friends approached us. And their somber expressions showed what I feared. Rainbow Dash spoke first. "I got nothing… There was no paper in the trees or on the roof."

Rarity replied with a long sigh while bowing her head. "We found no leads… We checked every room and every cranny…"

"None of my little friends have seen him since two days ago… The last time any of them saw James was when he went inside for the night. They say he never came back out." Fluttershy explained, looking utterly depressed.

Applejack looked down at Winona, who in turned seemed to frown as she let out a faint whimper. "Winona led me all 'round the place, but James' scent is kinda faint by now. The strongest she found was the trail that led inta the house… He didn't go anywhere recently."

We then all looked at Pinkie Pie, whose face was being obscured by her goggles and the mouthpiece attached to her oxygen tanks. "Did you find anything, Pinkie?" I asked while she spit out her mouthpiece and lifted her goggles to show the rest of her face. Her mane and tail were weighed down with water too, reminding me of how she looked when we threw her first birthday party since we became friends. But that is a story for another time.

Pinkie Pie stood there smiling. I started to feel a bit hopeful at that face. Pinkie always smiles when something good has happened. But suddenly, she frowned and seemed to almost cry. "I can't lie to you girls! I didn't find anything either!"

Nothing… No sign or evidence at all… What could this possibly mean? I have never felt more worried for someone for as long as I can remember. What happened to our friend? Where was James?

"Gone… But…why?" Fluttershy asked faintly while looking around at us.

Rainbow Dash suddenly went airborne and pointed at the Everfree Forest nearby. "I'm gonna search the forest again! He's gotta be in there!"

I tried to calm her down before she could rush in there. "Rainbow, you're being reckless! We're all worried about him, but we have no way of knowing if he's even out there!"

Applejack then spoke up with all the proof we needed. "Did ya'll ferget what I just said?! If James had gone inta the Everfree Forest recently, Winona would've noticed! Wouldn't ya, girl?" Winona let out a bark of approval in response.

Rainbow Dash paused and looked back and forth at us and the forest behind her. She then let out a sigh and descended to the ground. "Darn it… This sucks! I wanna find him, but I have no idea where to start!"

"We all do, Rainbow… We all do." Rarity replied while reaching out and patting our brash pegasus friend on the shoulder.

Pinkie Pie then asked as she slid off all of her scuba gear and shook herself dry until her mane and tail returned to their usual poofy states. "Well… What do we do now?"

I looked at my friends and let out a sigh. I felt truly helpless at that moment. Like nothing I said or did would help the situation. "All we can do now…..is wait. If he truly cares about us…and values us as friends…he will come home eventually."

Applejack then muttered, "But there's no way of tellin' when that's gonna happen…"

"Well… Just standing here is not going to solve anything. I suppose…we should just do what we have to do until then…" Rarity spoke with a truly unhappy tone. "I need to return home and put the finishing touches on my current client's commission…"

"Yeah… And I gotta help get the clouds ready for a rainstorm this afternoon…" Rainbow muttered as she once again started to go airborne.

Pinkie Pie then stashed her scuba gear…somewhere behind her head. "And I need to get back to Sugarcube Corner. The Cakes are going to wonder why I'm so late today." Pinkie spoke with a very bland tone of voice. For her to not be showing her usual happy personality was very unusual. She was taking James' disappearance pretty hard.

"I guess we all have things to do. Just…try to keep yourselves occupied. It'll make the wait easier." I spoke while trying to smile. Although I will admit what I was suggesting was a lot easier said than done.

"Um… If it's OK with any of you…" Fluttershy began to mutter. "May I…stay with one of you for now?"

I saw what the problem was. Fluttershy wanted to be in the company of friends to help suppress her worry. But before I could volunteer, Rainbow Dash spoke up. "Sure! You can hang with me for a while! If you don't mind moving clouds, that is."

Fluttershy nodded with a very somber smile. "Thank you…"

Just before anypony else could say anything, Applejack spoke out. "Hang on, girls. What should we say ta the fillies? James is one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, right? And I keep hearin' Scootaloo call 'im 'er big brother…"

Right… Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo are close friends with James too. But how would they handle the information if we told them he was missing with absolutely no leads? Rarity was the first to speak up. "Don't tell them anything… We don't want to worry the little dears. They already get themselves into enough trouble as is. No telling what they would do to find him."

Rainbow Dash let out a groan. "No kidding. I can definitely see Scoot doing something stupid if she caught on."

Pinkie Pie nodded with a bit of a worried expression while still speaking in her peppy cheery voice. "Yeah! Those three silly fillies are almost as much trouble as Pumpkin Cake and Pound Cake! Oh wait…no… Sweetie Belle can't use magic and Scootaloo can't fly… OK, so they're ALMOST as bad!"

I sighed, "Bottom line, don't tell them. If they ask, we say we haven't seen him today." I then looked back in the direction of Ponyville, knowing Spike was probably wondering what was keeping me. "I think I need to get back home though… I don't think I should leave Spike alone for too much longer."

Applejack nodded with a very slight smile. "Right. If anypony catches sight of James anywhere, ya'll let us know." We all started to head back to Ponyville, though Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew off together to the closest clouds.

I think I shall stop here. This… It has not been pleasant to recall this event to write it down. I have just sent a message to Princess Celestia asking if she could potentially help us in the search. I am certain she must know of some specific types of magic that can be used to help locate a missing person regardless of where they are. For now though, all I can do is wait and hope.

Well, today has gotten really weird. I find Applejack and Fluttershy just spazzing out on the ground in front of Pinkie Pie and then I find out my good buddy James is still missing without a trace! We even went right over to Fluttershy's house and turned the place upside-down to find any proof of what happened. But we all turned up empty-hooved.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried by now. All I could do was try to focus on my weather patrol duties to keep my mind off the bad. Fluttershy had asked to tag along with me, probably for the same reason. I guess being with friends helps keep you distracted from bad thoughts.

"So… You know what it's like doing weather patrol work, Fluttershy?" I asked while looking over my shoulder at Fluttershy. For whatever reason, she didn't seem to notice me. She was just flapping along with her head tilted down. Her eyes seemed kind of…well…empty. Almost like she was asleep but awake at the same time. "Um… Fluttershy?"

After a few more times of calling her name without getting a response, I stopped in place and grabbed her by the shoulders before giving Fluttershy a few good shakes. "Fluttershy, snap outta it! What's wrong?!"

We just hovered there in place with Fluttershy looking at me with those blank empty eyes. It was really creepy, now that I think about it. I almost thought she was dead at first! But finally, she suddenly broke down with her eyes closed and rested her head on my shoulder while holding onto me. "I can't help it…! I'm so scared for him!"

I really wasn't surprised. Fluttershy… I've known her since we were just fillies in flight school. She has never had a boyfriend in her life. And James… Well, I think he was one of the best things to happen to her since meeting me and our other friends. They seem like a perfect match. And whenever I saw them together, they were always happy.

Um… I don't know if I should write this… But I have occasionally watched them in Fluttershy's house at night. And sometimes I saw them doing…stuff. You know the kind of…steamy stuff couples do. And man… James really knows how to make a mare feel good, from what I've seen. I've never seen Fluttershy sound so joyous. The love they share… It's a really strong kind of love. So I can understand why she was so broken over him disappearing.

I did everything I could to calm Fluttershy down. If I didn't, I was going to start crying too. "Fluttershy… Hey… Fluttershy, listen to me!" I pulled her off of me and held her in front of me while we both hovered in place. She still had big wet crybaby tears flowing down her face and dripping right off. I hope nopony was below us at that moment…

"Look… I know it hurts, especially since now we know there's no way of knowing where he went and why he's gone. I'll be honest, I'm almost worried outta my mind too! But… I know he'll come back… I don't know when, but he'll be back." I tried to give Fluttershy the best pep talk I could. She's sensitive and fragile, so these things can go a long way with her.

She bowed her head at first. Her tears just would not stop falling, but I could see she was taking my words as much as she could. But a moment later, she asked me something that I really didn't see coming. "Rainbow… Do you think that…maybe…James was just a dream?"

That… Sweet Celestia, that hurt… I never even wanted to think that was possible. "Humans have never existed in Equestria before… They're just things out of myth…right? Does that mean that…he was just something that came to be from our own imagination?"

I am going to be honest here. I was really tempted to slap Fluttershy when she said that because of how much it hurt to hear that. And I almost did. I pulled my leg back to take a swing at her. Fluttershy knew it was coming and squinted her eyes shut and prepared for the blow. But…I instead gently placed my hoof on her cheek. "Fluttershy… Don't you ever say that again…"

Those words she said were the last push I needed to let my own tears out. I almost never cry, but… I had every reason to this time. There's no shame in getting emotional over the total disappearance of a friend. So if you read this and even consider calling out rough tough Rainbow Dash for crying over a good friend disappearing, shut up! You would be feeling the same way if one of the best friends you've ever had disappeared without a trace!

Fluttershy reached out to me and tried to wipe some of my tears away. "Rainbow… I'm sorry… I…I'm just so scared…"

I tried my best to smile through my tears. "He's not a dream. He never was. He's our friend. And he's your sweetheart. You think the love he gave you was a dream too?"

She didn't reply at first, so I went on. "He loves us, Fluttershy. And he loves you most of all. He would never leave you. And…I've been getting that kind of vibe from him. He values his friends and would never even consider leaving them…" But then…I had an absolutely horrible thought. "But… Man, I really don't want to even consider this, but… Do you think…wherever he is now… Do you think he might've thought we were all a dream to him too?"

Excuse me for a minute… This is just too depressing to remember…

All right… I'll try to write the rest now. Fluttershy looked at me with one of the most fearful looks in her eyes I had ever seen. "I… He… From what I heard… Where he came from… I think Equestria… This might be a world that…to him…is too good to be true. He might have thought…"

I stopped her before she could go on. I didn't want to hear anymore. With tears just flowing down my cheeks and with my voice starting to break, I covered her mouth. "Forget I asked! I'm sorry I even brought that up! Just… Let's not talk about this anymore, all right?! It… It just hurts too much…"

Fluttershy nodded without a word. I could tell she just didn't want to talk anymore. "OK… Well, we have a job to do now. Come on… We need to move all these clouds everywhere we can to cover up the sky above Ponyville. All you need to do is push…"

Forget it, I don't have the drive to write anymore. Remembering all of this has got me feeling so depressed… I'm going to try to sleep it off… James… Come home, please… We all miss you.

Today felt…so empty… We looked everywhere we could in and around my house… We never found any evidence of where my boyfriend went. James is…gone.

I did everything I could to try to keep myself happy today. My friends were always happy to have me along to keep my spirits up. I helped gather up and sort books with Twilight, I helped carry and harvest apples with Applejack, I helped bake some cupcakes with Pinkie Pie and even earned a few extra bits, I helped Rainbow Dash arrange some clouds above Ponyville to get ready for a rainstorm, and Rarity and I had some tea together. It did a good job of keeping my mind occupied, but…it couldn't last forever. Eventually evening came and I had to go home.

I felt so alone as I walked home. Because I had nopony waiting for me at home anymore. Is this what it feels like to break up with somepony? This feeling of emptiness and longing? Nothing was exciting me anymore…

The air was quiet. No sound was being carried along it. But I soon felt something perch on my head. I didn't mind at first. I was too depressed to really care. But whatever was up there caught my attention with an adorable little coo. "Wait… Angela?"

I held out my leg to let whoever was up there perch on something I could see. A cute little white dove flew down and perched on my hoof. She looked at me with those cute round eyes. "Angela… Do you miss James too?" Angela is James' pet dove. And as she looked at me, The more I could see my boyfriend's cutie mark. The beautiful twin white dove form…

I pulled my hoof closer to my face and gave her a gentle nuzzle. "I miss him too, Angela… I want to see him again." I whispered softly. I felt a tiny bit better having a little friend with me at the time. Angela let out a long chorus of gentle, but also very sad sounding cooing.

When I got home with Angela on my head, I found that my home's surroundings were very quiet. There was no activity. It was like me being sad and depressed was making all of my little friends sad and depressed too… I couldn't help it. I… I was so scared and worried… If we had found a note today in my house explaining where James was…or at least why he was gone, I would be able to rest more easily. But…we found nothing today. What if he is…gone forever? What if he was just a dream? What if he was never here to begin with…

No… I need to not think that… Rainbow Dash would be so mad at me if she heard me saying that or even writing it down… I'm just so depressed now…

I'm so tired… I just want my boyfriend to come home… James, I love you… Where have you gone? When will I see you again?

Man… I felt awful when I woke up today. I felt like I had been applebucking all night in my sleep. Well, I wasn't exactly sore. More like…just feeling like I had been run ragged. Hardly any energy.

I rolled right out of bed and onto my back. Yep, that's right. Rolled like a pig in mud. I think I might've gotten the attention of somepony with that thud since a minute later, Big Macintosh knocked at the door. "Ya'll all right in there, AJ?"

Ugh… I really wasn't in the mood to talk to anypony at the time. I just wanted to wallow like…a…well, like a pig wallowing in mud. "I'm fine, Big Mac. Just…woke up on the wrong side of the bed taday…"

"All righty then… I'll go get started on breakfast fer ya." I heard him reply before he started to trot away. What a way to start my day…

I looked at myself in the mirror. I can't remember the last time I saw anypony look that forlorn. My eyes looked heavy and my face was… I really needed to give my face a good scrubbing with a wet warm washcloth. And I knew why I looked so down too. "I hope I see 'im on my way ta market today…"

I started to reach for my hat that was hanging on the closest rack, but stopped. As I looked at it, I remembered how James once said he thought I looked better without it. I rubbed my hoof against my chin for a moment. Was he really right? I've had that hat for ages by now. I took another look at myself in the mirror from a few other angles. I got to admit I was showing more of my mane without it. But I always liked that good old country look my hat gave me. But still…

I looked at the hat again and thought back to my friend. He… He was still missing. I then looked away from my hat and back to myself in the mirror. I gave myself a slight smile. "Well, if he's comin' home today, I may as well give 'im a surprise." I then turned and trotted out of my room. If James likes how I look without my hat, I'll let him get a good look at me today. Assuming he showed up.

I went downstairs and took a seat at the dinner table. Big Mac was already getting stuff ready for breakfast. "Ya need a hand there, Big Mac?" I asked, trying to keep myself occupied and keeping my mind off my worries.

"Nnope. I've got everythin' almost done." He replied. A yummy smell was already coming from the oven. Looked like he had some apple tarts and an apple pie baking. "Was Granny Smith awake when ya came down?"

I shrugged my shoulders. Granny Smith can sure be a heavy sleeper some days. "Nope. I'm guessin' she won't be up fer another hour or so."

Just as Big Macintosh was setting out a big plate of fried eggs, Apple Bloom came into the kitchen. "Mornin', Applejack. Mornin', Big Macintosh. What do we have fer breakfast?"

I looked back at her and tried to keep a smile on my face. "Looks like we've got eggs, apple tarts, and a big ol' apple pie."

"Oh goodie! We always have the best apple pies!" Apple Bloom replied as she galloped in and hopped up onto her seat beside me. We both looked at each other and gave each other a little grin. I'm just glad she's not old enough to tell when a smile is fake yet.

The two of us watched as Big Macintosh set out the pie and tarts on the table, fresh out of the oven. He cut each of us a slice and placed them out on our plates. But as I looked down at my slice, I…I just didn't feel hungry. I was just too worried. I know I've been told I have the appetite of a full-grown stallion, but… I just couldn't feel any of it.

"Sorry, Big Mac… I'm just not hungry this morning." I finally admitted while pushing my plate towards him.

"Really…? But yer always hungry when ya wake up." My brother replied while his eyes were opened a lot more than they usually are.

Apple Bloom was giving me some funny looks too. And…well, lying has never been a strong point of mine. So I just tried to be honest without having to tell too much. "Yeah… Well, I'm not taday. Don't know what ta tell ya."

Big Macintosh let out a little chuckle. "Well, ya'll can make fer it at lunchtime, I guess." He then started munching on his eggs while waiting for the rest of the stuff to cool.

I felt it would be rude to just up and leave, so I stuck around for a bit longer. But I didn't wait long before Apple Bloom looked over at me. "Hey, sis? Have ya seen James lately? Since it's Saturday, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and I were hopin' he could hang out with us and help us come up with some new ideas ta try and figure out our talents today."

I couldn't lie to her. I just couldn't. I let out a sigh and looked at her with the best smile I could make. "Sorry, Apple Bloom. I haven't seen 'im lately. But if I spot James this mornin' when I take the apples inta town, I'll let 'im know ta meet up with ya girls at the clubhouse."

She didn't give me the response I was hoping for. Instead of giving a grateful smile like she did the last two days, she instead gave me a really irritated look. But I think she was also looking kind of worried too. "But…that's whatcha said yesterday…and the day before that…"

I really couldn't find a retort for that one. All I could do was look away and down at my plate. I ended up forcing myself to eat the slice of pie on it to make it looked like I wasn't worried anymore. Mighty good pie too, even if I wasn't hungry enough to really appreciate it. I even managed to crack a smile and make some mmm sounds to show that I was feeling better, even if I really wasn't.

When I looked back at Apple Bloom though, she was just staring at her plate too. It had a slice of apple pie on it along with an apple tart and a scoop of fried eggs. She then spoke in a really unhappy tone. "Sorry… I'm not hungry either…" Right after that, she hopped out of her chair and ran out of the room and then right out of the house.

"Dagnabbit… Even the fillies are startin' ta catch on that somethin' ain't right…" I couldn't help muttering under my breath. Things were bound to get bad if Scootaloo figured out James is missing, being a 'big brother' to her and all. I only hope they don't figure out he disappeared without a trace just yet. And it's only been three days since he vanished…

"Somethin' eatin' ya, AJ?" Big Macintosh asked from across the table. I lifted my head and looked right at my brother. He looked a might concerned by then, a worried frown on his muzzle.

I can always count on my big brother to keep a secret, so I felt it was OK to tell him the truth. "Big Mac… I really don't want ya goin' 'round tellin' everypony this, all right?"

He gave me a nod. "I can tell somethin' hasn't been right with ya the last couple of days. What's been goin' on?"

I let out a long sigh as I propped my chin up on my hoof. "Ya'll know James, right? Well…he's gone. And I don't mean like just left on vacation or had somethin' ta do in Canterlot. I mean…gone gone… Like…disappeared inta thin air."

Big Macintosh gave me one of the weirdest looks I had ever seen on his face. As if he had just gotten a whiff of all the rotten eggs in the world. "Just…gone? And…no signs of kidnappin' or anythin' like that?"

I nodded while lifting my head to look at him. "Yeah… No signs of forced entry. No notes explain' where he went. No testimony from all the lil' critters living 'round Fluttershy's place. Just…..gone. Almost like I was dreamin' and…and…"

Where did that thought even come from… I… The tears just came flowing as I spoke those words. "Big Mac…" I looked right at my brother as my vision got all blurry. "What if he… Do ya think he even existed in the first place?"

He let out a long sigh and shook his head. He then got right up from his seat and walked over and draped a foreleg over my shoulder. "AJ… I know whatcha mean… Nopony wants a friend who doesn't really exist."

I couldn't make the tears stop. "I know, but… Humans only exist in those really old myths. Then James shows up in town one day… I swear it feels like it's all some kinda sick joke! Like maybe he was just a figment of my imagination…"

Big Macintosh gave me one of his really firm and gentle hugs. "AJ… I saw 'im too. I felt the guy whenever he touched me. I heard him whenever he talked ta me. I heard him laugh. I saw 'im in front of me. I know he was real." He then looked me in the eye and whispered. "I know he's still out there. We'll see 'im again."

I can always count on Big Macintosh's thoughtful approach to everything to keep my head on straight when it gets screwy. I swear the 'Big' in his name partially refers to his brain. I let out a sigh and wrapped my arm around his shoulders. "Thanks, Big Mac… I really needed that."

He gave me a light nuzzle and went back over to his side of the table. "Ya'll need any help harvestin' apples fer market today?"

I shook my head as I hopped out of my chair. "Nope. I can handle this. And thanks again fer breakfast, Big Mac." We waved goodbye and I ran outside. I had work to do.

"All right then… Which tree do I start with taday?" I muttered while carrying a couple of bushels on my sides. I looked around at the apples around me that had not yet been harvested. But that was when I saw one that had already picked clean. "Wait a minute… That one is…"

That tree… I remember. It was the first tree James tried to help me harvest a couple of days after he first showed up in Ponyville. That really killed my mood. I was hoping to keep my mind off of him at least long enough to get the harvesting done. Well, I at least tried to shake it off and went over to the first tree I saw that still had apples on it.

Well, that was embarrassing. In about twice as long it normally took for me to buck ten trees and harvest the apples on them, I only got five done. I just couldn't get myself fired up enough to kick hard enough or move fast enough. Depression does that to you. But just before I could reach the cart to load the apples up, I walked right into somepony. I had my head tilted down, so I didn't notice the guy until we had already collided.

"AJ… Ya sure ya don't need any help?" I heard him ask. It was Big Macintosh.

I looked up at my big brother. He already had his yoke on to get some work done himself. I looked away, feeling kind of ashamed that I couldn't get as much work done as usual with me feeling so gloomy. "Sorry 'bout that… I just… My mind's somewhere else right now…"

Big Macintosh let out a really long deep sigh. I think he was bowing his head. "Ya miss 'im that bad, do ya?"

I looked back up at him. No point in trying to hide anything. "Yeah… It's true what they say. Ya just don't know how much somethin' means ta ya until it's gone… Especially when ya have no idea if you'll ever see it again…"

My brother didn't have a reply at first. Buut he did eventually put his hoof on my shoulder. "Ya'll go ahead and take whatcha got inta town. I'll buck ya a few more bushels and bring them down ta market in a lil' while."

That really took a load off my shoulders. I reached out and gave Big Macintosh the biggest hug I could. But considering how I was at the time, it really wasn't much. "Much obliged, Big Mac. Just bring 'em on down when ya think ya'll have enough."

I slipped myself into the harness of the wagon that held all the apples I had rounded up. Although since it was only around half full, it wasn't feeling very heavy. At least I could get to market faster than usual. I said my goodbyes to my brother and moseyed on out of the farm and into Ponyville.

I kept a constant eye out. I almost always bump into James whenever I make it into Ponyville on time. That means he's usually my first customer of the day. I kept looking around, trying to keep watch of him. "C'mon, pardner… Where are ya?"

My usual spot to set up shop is right around Sugarcube Corner. Today is Saturday though, so James would be working at the spa. But he always ends up passing by Sugarcube Corner anyway. I think he probably does it just so he can see me every morning. I got to admit that James and I really don't have much in common. He prefers to avoid getting his hands dirty and probably doesn't care much for spending time on the farm. He does drop by pretty frequently to help out a little for some extra bits and probably just for a good workout though. Despite all that though, I really like the guy. The few times we do get together are always really swell.

I never saw James on my way to market, but I stayed hopeful. Maybe he was just running late. The fella is kind of a late sleeper sometimes. In the meantime, I went ahead and set up my stall and set the apples out. It really was kind of sad just how few there were this time, seeing as I reached half of my daily quota. Hopefully Big Macintosh would bring the rest before the morning rush hit.

"All right then… Don't look mopey. Keep a smile up…" I kept telling myself. Worried and depressed or not, I had a job to do. "Get yer nutritious delicious apples here! Fresh picked not even an hour ago!"

I didn't even wait five minutes before my first customer showed up. "Howdy, Lyra! What can I do ya fer?"

I was honestly hoping Lyra would know something about where James has been the last few days. The two of them have gotten mighty close thanks to her interest in humans. "Morning, Applejack! I'll have one red and one golden apple please." Lyra replied while pointing at the two bushels I had on display. I keep the apples separated depending on what type they are to make sorting easier.

"Sure thing, Lyra. That'll be four bits." I replied before she tossed a few at me. I caught them and dropped them in the pouch on the apron I was wearing.

I watched as Lyra made two apples float up and took a bite of one. But before she could walk away, she took another glance at me. "Oh, wait! You're not wearing your hat today?"

I swear I had all but forgotten that I wasn't wearing it at the time. "Huh? Oh, right. Well, I haven't seen a friend of mine fer a few days and he likes how I look when I'm not wearin' my hat. So I thought I'd surprise 'im next time we bump inta each other."

Lyra chuckled as I explained myself. "Do you have a boyfriend now, Applejack? It sounds like you're trying to impress him."

Boyfriend?! Where'd that come from? I got a might flustered there and retorted while losing my cool for a bit. "Huh?! No way! I just wanna make the fella happy fer once! Show that I appreciate his compliments, ya know?" I then rolled my eyes for a moment, thinking back to one moment not too long ago. "Although he was givin' me some funny looks when I got outta the hot tub at the spa that one time… But maybe that's because I let my mane down and it was all soaked."

"Ooh, lots of stallions like the long wet mane look. Has he asked you out yet?" Lyra asked with a sly smirk.

I couldn't help rolling my eyes at that one. "Uh… No, he hasn't. I don't think he'd appreciate havin' ta help out much on the farm anyway. Besides, he and Fluttershy are practically a couple now."

Lyra gave me a really surprised glance. "Him and Flutter… You mean James! How has he been lately? I haven't seen him for three days now."

Well…shoot. So even Lyra had no idea what happened to him. And judging by the time, if I had not seen James by then, I wasn't going to see him all day. Again. "Ya haven't, huh?"

I think I dropped my emotional guard at that moment since Lyra's expression changed to one showing concern right away. "Hey, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

There was no hiding it by then. I let out a sigh and looked her in the eye. "No point in hidin' it anymore… Lyra. James is missing."

"Missing… What do you mean by that? He has to come home at some point, right?" Lyra replied after tossing the core of one of her apples before starting on the next one.

"No, ya don't get it. I mean… He's gone. As in just up and disappeared inta thin air. We tried searchin', Lyra… We turned Fluttershy's house upside-down lookin' fer any leads… And we got nothin'." I lowered my head. I couldn't even look at her.

Lyra didn't say anything for a minute. But she did eventually break the silence. "Gone… And you found no evidence of what happened to him?" I could only shake my head. "Oh… Well… I can't imagine him wanting to stay away for long… I'm sure he'll be home soon. Maybe he'll even have some new stories to tell me."

"Yeah… Maybe… Huh?" It was only then that I noticed that quite a line had formed behind Lyra. "Whoa. Uh…ya'll wanna talk 'bout this later? I've got other customers ta tend to right now."

Lyra suddenly looked behind herself and grinned all nervous like. "Oops! Sorry! I'll get going now!" She then looked back at me and gave me a big reassuring smile. "Don't lose hope. You'll see him again. And please let me know when you do!"

I tried my best to smile too while I waved goodbye. "Thanks, Lyra. Ya'll come back now, ya hear?" Right as she trotted away, Pinkie Pie stepped forward. "Huh? Well, howdy, Pinkie! Yer my second customer."

That perky pink pony girl let out a quick giggle. "Well, duh! You'd better expect me to be one of your first when you set up shop right outside my front door!"

I looked to my right for a moment to double-check my location. I almost forgot that I was set up right outside Sugarcube Corner. "Oh, right! Almost fergot 'bout that. Anyway, what can I getcha?"

Pinkie Pie pointed to the bushel on my left. "I'd like an apple for my bapple so I don't feel so dapple!"

Uh… I have to admit right now that last bit was kind of…random. Even for Pinkie Pie. "Er… Come again, pardner?"

"Oh, right. I think the more common way to say it is… An apple a day keeps the dragons away!" Pinkie replied while showing me…the…creepiest smile I had ever seen on her. Well, the smile would've looked real if her eyes didn't look like that. I think…that smile was totally fake.

"Pinkie… Um… Are ya'll feelin' all right?" I finally had to ask. I was getting a really weird vibe from her. And not a funny weird vibe. More like creepy weird.

Pinkie Pie gave a really sudden twitch just before she replied. Almost looked painful. "Oh, I'm feeling just fine! Never better! I'd say I'm even feeling Pinkie keen!" She then let out a really long…and creepy giggle with… Those eyes…

If I had to look at those eyes for much longer, I might've ended up running away. "Ya know what? Go ahead and take it. It's on the house taday. No charge." I spoke quickly to try to get her to go away. I know that sounds mean, but you would've been creeped out too if you saw that face!

"Huh? Really? Thanks, AJ!" Pinkie Pie replied while her expression returned to normal for just a moment. She snatched up a golden delicious apple and chomped it down with one bite before trotting away and back into Sugarcube Corner.

I swear… Something just wasn't right with Pinkie Pie. There's no way that smile was real and that giggling was more creepy than happy. But I didn't have enough time to look into it. I had customers to tend to.

I might as well stop here. Nothing much else happened after that… Still… James, if you ever read this, I just want you to know I miss you more than ever right now. Come home soon, partner…

Hellooooo! This is Pinkie Pie! Everypony's happy! Everypony's having a good morning! I'm having a good morning… Well, OK, not really. But…I have to hide it. Keep smiling! Keep laughing! Better to smile than to frown!

I just grabbed an apple from Applejack and came back up into my loft in Sugarcube Corner. I have the day off today, so I'm just relaxing for now. I looked around and saw Gummy sleeping on my bed. The cute little gator is always so lazy in the morning.

Hmmm… What could I do to pass the time? I looked around the room. I had a lot of free time today, so I had to do something. The first thing I saw was a bucket full of turnips. "Oh, I almost forgot about those! I need to make a salad with them today."

The next thing I noticed was a bag of flour. "Oh, right. I guess the babies grew out of the 'white flour pony' gig. Maybe I should take that back down to the kitchen." I giggled, but then felt a strong twitch as my body just suddenly jerked in a really weird way. Did that ever happen before? Well, I didn't feel any pain, so I guess it wasn't a big deal.

I went over and grabbed the bag in my mouth and started to carry it towards the stairs. But right as I was about to pass the turnips, I stumbled into a box and spilled whatever was inside. And what was inside was my rock collection! Oh right, you might not know this. I used to live on a rock farm as a filly. These rocks were mementos from my younger days. "Oops! Better clean that up."

After putting the rocks in a neat little pile, I started to reach for the sack of flour again. But I then noticed that I was right next to my bed. "Huh? What that…" I took a closer look under it and saw one big fluffy dust bunny. "Ew, I better get tha…ah…ah…AHCHOO!"

I must've inhaled a bit of dust when I looked under there, because I let out a big sneeze that blew the dust bunny right out from under the bed. But then I felt a stinging in one eye. "Ow! Something's in my eye!" I yelped before running to a big mirror in the corner. I kept my eye cosed and rubbed it for a bit before letting it open. "Huh? Nothing?" I spoke to myself before giving a big smile. "I guess I got it out. Silly me!"

I looked at myself for a minute. Smiling. Grinning. Only…it wasn't really real. I know a fake smile when I see one. And I wasn't really smiling. That fake smile melted right off my face and into a frown. "Oooh… Who am I kidding? I'm just trying to keep myself busy so I don't think about my friend being gone… I miss him…"

It was James. He just disappeared a few days ago and I haven't found any trace of him since. I let out a long sigh as I saw my mane and tail in the reflection deflate and my colors get dark. It's weird, I know. But it happens every time I get depressed. "I wish I knew where you were right now… So I could bring you a whole stack of cupcakes."

Wait… Why be so sad? I know James cares about me! He must like me if he went out of his way to warn me about…dye a…dye a bee tease? What's it called again? Well, he told me about it and I'm glad he did. I might've eaten myself to death if he hadn't. I turned away from the mirror and took a nice long breath and felt my hair get its natural poofiness back. "There's no need to be sad. He'll be back! He's my friend!"

But just as I started to walk away, a voice spoke from behind me. "No, he won't."

I froze. I knew that voice. I slowly turned around to face the mirror since that's where it sounded like it came from. I saw myself looking back at me. Only…it wasn't the real me. It was the old me. How I used to be. My… Or rather, her mane and tail were hanging down straight like mine was a minute ago. Her coat was a darker pink and her face was showing a quiet scowl.

"Why… Where did you come from?" I asked. I felt scared. This wasn't normal. And why didn't her lips move when I talked?

She gave me a really mean smile. "Oh, I'm you. The real you. I mean, you should know. You've know me all your life."

I honestly found that to be soooo funny. The real me? Ha! I'm the real me! "Heehehee! You silly filly! I'm the real me! You're just a reflection!"

Right as I was about to turn away though, she spoke again. "I guess so. I'm just a reflection. That means I'm just as real as your friend."

That sounded…weird. "Huh? Real as my friend?"

"Uh huh." She replied while gesturing with her hoof and still smiling really wickedly. "You can't find or see your friend because you can't remember what he looks like."

I was starting to feel pretty annoyed with this…weird reflection of myself. "What's that supposed to mean?"

My reflection pointed to somewhere behind me. "It wouldn't be the first time you thought up fake friends."

I honestly had no idea what she was going on about, but I felt a really strong chill flow through me when I heard a voice that sounded like mine, but…different. "Yeah, Pinkie! Did you forget about us?"

I turned around really slowly. "R…R…Rocky?" There they were. All piled next to each other. Rocky, Mr. Turnip, Sir Lintsalot, and Madame le Flour. They… They were from a day not that long ago that I wish I had handled better. I felt so guilty looking at them. I should never have made them.

"You haven't even talked to us for over a year by now! What's wrong with you?!" Mr. Turnip yelled at me.

"Is it because you feel you're above us now that you have real friends? We're your friends too, in case you've forgotten." Sir Lintsalot spoke without moving an inch.

"We missed you, Pinkie. Come back to us. And bring your new friend too. I know he would love to meet us." Madame le Flour beckoned to me with her squeaky accent.

I felt such horrible dread looking at them. I was losing my mind… My depression was getting to me. I was so scared… I wanted to see him again so badly, I was starting to hallucinate. "No… I can't go back… You're not real…"

I heard myself giggle behind me. "They're no more real than James, you know. Sometimes, the best friends you can ever have are the ones in your head. They never betray you. They never hurt you. And most importantly…" I turned around quickly to face her only to see her smirking at me with the meanest smile I have ever seen in my life. "They never…ever…EVER…leave you."

I was sweating so much. I felt so hot like I was in a desert. But I did my best to smile. The best way to deal with your fears is to laugh at them, you know! "Heeheeheee! You're not fooling me!" I spoke with the biggest smile I could show. That made her stop talking, but she was starting to look kind of annoyed. "Fake friends are good for keeping you entertained when you have no one else in your life, but nothing can replace good real fri…"

Something grabbed me and pulled me forward. My reflection… She had reached out and grabbed me around the back of my neck and had stuck her head out of the mirror and was right up in my face. "Knock it off! He's not real! He was never real! Humans aren't real! They don't exist! Myths don't exist! Wake up! Face reality!"

She kept yelling at me. But I tried to laugh anyway. "Ha… Haha…"

"Go on! Just keep laughing! It won't change anything! Just accept it! It was all in your head! His touch. His voice. None of it really happened! He was just a…"

"SHUT UP!" I finally screamed. I punched her right in the face as hard as I could. I heard glass breaking as her body shattered into lots of shiny pieces. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UUUUP!" My head was pounding. I was so mad. So scared. So…lost. I can't even find a way to describe what I was feeling.

"She's right, you know! That guy was just like us! He's not real! He never was!" I heard Rocky yell from behind me.

I turned to face the four friends I wish I never made. What happened next… It felt like I wasn't in control anymore. Like I was just watching and hearing myself without any control over what I was doing. I was screaming, punching and knocking them around! The part I remember most was when only Madame le Flour was left. I grabbed her between my hooves, lifted her over my head, and started slamming her into the floor over and over…hard…screaming…

"HE IS REAL! HE IS REAL! MY FRIENDS ARE REAL! JAMES IS REAL!" I kept chanting. I wouldn't stop. I kept slamming that lifeless sack of flour into my floor over and over. I could feel tears being flung off my face with every sudden jerk of my body. I don't know how long it kept going, but eventually I felt something tackle me to the floor. I was on my back looking up at something purple.

"Pinkie, stop! What's wrong?!" The pony yelled while pinning me down. It… It was Twilight Sparkle. She was looking right down at me with a really worried expression.

I tried to talk. But I was crying so hard that the only thing I could make was pathetic whimpers and cries. I just couldn't make myself speak any real words. I must've sounded like an insane animal…

"Pinkie, enough! Calm down!" Twilight shouted at me while giving me a good shake. "Calm down. Take long deep breaths. Relax."

I tried so hard to do what she said. I gritted my teeth together and inhaled through them. I inhaled until I could fit no more air inside and then let it all out nice and slow. I did that a few more times until I felt myself not shaking as much anymore. "Good… Now, tell me what happened. Why is your room such a mess? And why is your mirror broken?"

I looked around at my surroundings. My mirror had been shattered. Only the back of it and its frame was still in one piece. There was a bag of flour in the middle of the room just behind Twilight. My pile of rocks had been scattered everywhere. That pile of dust had been spread out everywhere as if I had kicked it. And that bucket of turnips had been knocked over. It… It looked liked I had even crushed one.

I looked up at Twilight. My vision was still very blurred with tears. I… All I could do was cover my face with my hooves and cry. But I felt Twilight give me a very gentle hug. "It's gonna be OK, Pinkie… It'll be OK."

She didn't let me go until I stopped crying. I managed to at least sit up while Twilight took a look at the place. "Pinkie… Did you do all this?" I didn't say anything right away, but I did manage to nod. I still can't believe I lost control like that.

Twilight kept looking around for a while before she looked at me with a really worried looked. "It looks like you had a massive psychotic breakdown….. What happened? What caused you to snap?"

I couldn't talk. I felt so down… So low… No words would come. Twilight then raised her hoof suddenly with a smile. "Ah, right! Maybe a warm shower will help you relax. Studies have shown that bathing has very soothing psychological effects on ponies."

By then, I really just wanted to do anything to help myself feel better. I nodded and led Twilight into my bathroom. "OK. I'll get it ready for you." But while she got the water running, I saw myself in another mirror above the sink. My mane and tail… They looked the same way they did in my reflection earlier. I had to look away. I didn't want to remember that… Writing this made me remember it all over again… I need to take a break for a minute to get my mind straight…

OK, I'm feeling better now. A few minutes later, I was just sitting in the tub with the water up to my shoulders while Twilight was using a brush on a stick to scrub me. We didn't say anything at first. Eventually, Twilight did speak up. "Are you feeling any better, Pinkie?"

I still felt too down to really say anything, but I did look at her and nod. "Uh huh… Kinda."

After I looked away for a moment, I felt Twilight place her hoof on my shoulder. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

I turned and looked at her without saying anything. She looked so worried. "I promise not to tell anypony if you want me to keep it secret." She then showed a bit of a funny smile. "And don't worry. I won't crack like I did back when Photo Finish was in town."

Good old Twilight. That actually got a giggle out of me. "OK, Twilight… I'll tell you…"

I tried to find the right words. As much as I just love a good joke, this wasn't something to joke about. I looked down at my reflection in the water. I couldn't see all of me because of the bubbles, but I could see some of my face. "Twilight… Do you think that some of your friends…even though they look real…might not be real at all?"

She looked really confused at what I said seeing as how she tilted her head to one side. "Huh? Wha… What do you mean by that?"

I let out a long sigh, placing on hoof on the water's surface while my reflection reached back. I'm just glad that it didn't talk back to me that time. "It's just… See how my reflection moves and looks? How real it is? It's like it's a real person. But…" I then looked right at Twilight. "Do you think some ponies…or people who aren't in mirrors might not be real either? Just…being things we think we're seeing and hearing and touching but we really aren't?"

Twilight looked at me with a really disturbed expression. And I don't mean a creeped out kind of disturbed. I mean a really sad kind of disturbed. She took a moment to reply. "Pinkie… I'm going to be honest. That is the most depressing thing I have ever heard you say. This is because James disappeared without a trace, isn't it?"

I nodded and looked back at myself in the reflection. "It's just… Humans have never really existed in Equestria before, right? I mean, there was that little problem a couple of weeks ago, but we've never found any proof that they were ever real. They were only talked about in myths, right?"

"Please don't say anymore, Pinkie. I know what you're getting at and I'm going to tell you this right now." Twilight replied before grabbing my shoulders between her hooves. "Stop thinking that. I… I don't care how likely it is that James was just an illusion cooked up by overactive imaginations. He is still our friend."

I could tell that Twilight was trying to keep my faith strong. And I really wanted to believe her. But I then asked, "Do you have any proof that…he was really real and not a dream?"

She opened her mouth as if she was going to talk, but she paused and lowered her head and sighed. "No….. I have no way to test that." But she then looked at me with a really hurt expression. "But please… Don't say things like that anymore. I don't want to believe such a thing. If you still care about him, don't let go of your faith in him. Believe that he'll come home and he just might."

I took a deep breath. She was right… I should always have faith in my friends. I could feel my mane start to return to normal. "…..When he comes home, I'm gonna throw a big party for him. A 'welcome home' party. And I'll be sure to invite all of his closest friends!"

"Now that's the Pinkie Pie I know." Twilight said with a smile while making a towel levitate over to me. I hopped out of the tub and grabbed it before drying myself off. I saw my wet tail quickly inflate back to its regular poofy look. "I still want to know how that works. Is your mane and tail just hair-covered balloons?"

"Nope! It's all natural!" I replied with a big grin. I was definitely feeling better by then. If you're reading this, thanks, Twilight!

Once I was all dried off, we went back out into the loft's main room. I felt myself wince as I saw my broken mirror and the mess I had made closer to my bed. "…I'll clean this up. Don't worry." Twilight spoke with a reassuring smile. I nodded with a smile too and just watched.

Twilight went over to my mirror and levitated all of the broken glass into my trash pail near my bed. She then used a little broom and dust pan to sweep up the bits of dust and squashed turnip and dumped that in too. She then levitated all of the dropped turnips and put them back in the pail before placing all of my rocks back into their box. "There we go. I'll take this bag of flour back downstairs on my way out. Oh, and I'll take your mirror to get fixed."

I nodded with a grateful smile. Hopefully getting my mirror fixed will stop that old '7 years bad luck' curse. "Thanks again, Twilight. I'm glad you showed up when you did. I really needed a friend today."

"Anytime, Pinkie. I'll see you later." Twilight replied while waving with me. But just before she could walk down the stairs, she suddenly gasped. "Oh, right! I forgot to tell you! Just before I left my house not even twenty minutes ago, I sent a message to Princess Celestia asking her for help on this. If anypony can help us locate James, she can. I'll be sure to let you know as soon as she sends her reply."

I felt a huge weight float off my shoulders. If there is one pony in Equestria we can always count on for help, it's Princess Celestia. "Phew… Yeah, she can help! And James is friends with Princess Luna! They'll help us get to the bottom of this! Thanks for asking them, Twilight."

"It was the least I could. I'm just as eager to see him again myself. In any case, I better get going. Take care, Pinkie." Twilight replied while giving me a friendly wave. That sack of flour on the floor floated over to her with my mirror's frame and she walked downstairs until I couldn't see any of them anymore.

I need to stop writing now. I've got a big party to plan out… Huh? That twitch again… It wasn't my Pinkie Sense, but… Oh no, not THAT kind of twitch again. Stay calm. It's going to be OK.

"He's real. I know he's real… He'll be home soon…" I keep telling myself. I know my friend will be home soon.

Well, today got off to a slow start for me. I just felt so lazy getting out of bed. So heavy… Almost as if I had gorged myself on ten dozen chocolate-covered roses. Thank the stars I know better than to do that. A lady must mind her figure!

I crawled out of bed and carefully removed the curlers from my gorgeous mane and tail. What, you think my perfectly kempt hair is all natural? As much as I wish it was, I am sorry to say some curls require a little help to maintain their shape. But enough about that. I made certain to touchup my eye shadow with my favorite baby blue hue. You would be surprised by how many stallions are drawn to eyes topped off with a light blue cover. I struck a delightful pose in the mirror, raising my right hoof slightly while batting my eyes, even though they still seemed as if I had gotten hardly any sleep.. "Mmm, yes. Perfect as always… Hm?"

My right hoof? What was that on it? Ah, yes. My bracelet. I have been wearing that for as long as I can recall… Oh, well… I suppose I have not been wearing it for all that long. Only three weeks or so, I suppose. Although I have not once removed it since the day I received it from….him.

"James… You're still not home, are you?" I muttered out loud. Of all the men I have met in my life, I have met few with the genuine sweetness he has. Certainly lacking the pristine qualities of most Canterlot gentlemen, but he more than makes up for it with tender charm. And…I felt a dull pain deep in my heart as I beheld the many opals adorning the silver bracelet on my ankle. "Darling… I pray I'll see you today."

I marched right downstairs and into my workroom. The suit I had woven for Sapphire Shores was standing proudly in the center. Only a few sapphires were missing before it could truly be called complete. "I suppose breakfast can wait a bit longer. This should only take a moment."

I carefully examined the patterns of sapphires I had placed on the suit. I had designed it in such a way that left bold crossing lines of gemstones that went all over the body and on the outer sections of the limbs. My goal was to make the suit shine as if a net of shimmering blue light was entangling the wearer. "Oooh, this suit is going to be simply spectacular once she's up on stage!" I spoke with pride as I applied the last few sapphires.

"There. Now all that's left is the hat! But first, a lady can't work on an empty stomach." I spoke to myself before trotting into the kitchen and looking through the refrigerator. But I did not look for long before I heard a quiet meow behind me. I turned to look over my shoulder and saw none of than dear little Opalescence standing at the entrance to my kitchen. "Oh, I could never forget you, Opal. Let mama get you some breakfast too."

With a little magic, I carried a can of Opal's favorite cat food out of the cabinet and set it on the counter before taking a can opener to it. "Oh, wait. That's not quite on the right angle." I muttered to myself when I noticed the hook was not penetrating the can's lid properly. But as I reached out with my hoof to adjust it, once again I caught a glimpse of the bracelet.

Why… Whenever I see those glittering opals, I am not reminded of my dear cat who shares their name, but of the precious friend who gave it to me. He told me it was partially to make me think of her, but it was doing quite the opposite. "This is such a distraction right now…" I grumbled as I focused my gaze onto it to use levitation magic. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not bring myself to slide it off.

"I… I can't…" I sighed with a heavy heart. With James missing, my memories of him are all I have left. That, and this bracelet. Removing it now would be disrespectful to his memories. "I'll just have to avert my eyes for now…"

While taking care to not look directly at my right hoof, I pried open the can and poured its contents into a small bowl before setting it on the floor. "There you go, Opal. Bon appétit." I spoke with a slight smile. She came over to the bowl and sniffed it for a moment before turning her nose up at it. Of course, that is just typical for her. She would eat it eventually.

I went about trying to find something to eat for myself, but the majority of my appetite had faded away. And I knew why. Even without looking at it, my bracelet was constantly reminding me of the dear friend who had vanished into thin air. In the end, I settled for a mere orange. The vitamin C would probably help perk me up a bit. I certainly needed it at the time.

I promptly peeled the orange and discarded its very bitter rind into the closest wastebasket and proceeded back out into the workroom. I looked over the sketch I had made for the suit's matching hat while eating the orange wedge by wedge. "Hmmm… Does not look like I need to make adjustments." I muttered while using magic to levitate over a white fedora hat and set it upon the mannequin's head. The suit and hat meshed together quite nicely. All that was needed was the ring of sapphires around it.

I pushed a chest of fresh sapphires closer to the mannequin and lifted the lid open. One by one, I lifted them from the chest and carefully set each in a row around the base of the crown. But…it felt so slow. My mind was wandering and I felt…somewhat weaker than I normally do. Before I even knew it, I had only placed two down over the course of five minutes. "What is wrong with me…" I muttered in barely a whisper.

Once more, my eyes turned towards the bracelet on my right hoof. The light shining through the nearest window caused the opals to shimmer in a multitude of colors with no two shines being alike. It… It is my most prized possession. But as I looked at it, I began to ponder. Did James really get it for me? I did just happen to wake up one day with it clipped around my ankle. Did… Did I even ever know a man named James? Is it possible that he was…merely a fabrication brought on by fillyhood fairytales of…

"No! No, how dare you, Rarity?!" I suddenly shrieked as I shook my head to remove such horrendous thoughts from my mind. "How dare you even consider that?! How dare you lose such faith in such a dear friend of yours?!" I felt such fury… I could not believe I allowed myself to even think that James had been nothing but a dream. Even if just for a moment…

I felt tears beginning to stream down my cheeks. Tears of utter shame. "Oh darling… I'm so sorry! I should never have even dared to think such a wretched possibility!" I sobbed so hard… I longed to feel him hold me in his arms once more… To feel his genuine care and love…

Of all times… As I wallowed in shame and longing, I heard the bell above my front door ring. "I should've placed an 'out to lunch' sign out there…" I grumbled to myself as I did my best to hide my emotions. I turned to face my customer and did my best to smile. "Welcome to Carousel Bou… Oh, Sapphire Shores!" I temporarily forgot about my sorrows for just a moment as I saw the splendidly dressed Pony of Pop herself standing in my doorway.

"Good mooorning, Miss Rarity! And…well, I came at just the right time, didn't I?!" Her face lit up the instant she cast her gaze towards the mannequin behind me while speaking in that characteristic flair of hers.

"You did...? Oh, yes! I just finished the sapphire patterns on your suit not even fifteen minutes ago!" I replied while doing my absolute best to keep a straight face. Hopefully she would not notice anything was wrong.

Sapphire Sores trotted right over to the mannequin that held her suit and began to closely examine it while steadily circling it. "Ooh, this really puts the 'sapphire' in Sapphire Shores! I'll be like a walking Hearths Warming tree dressed in blue baubles when the stage lights hit! Seeeeensational!"

It did my heart good to see Sapphire so pleased with the end result of my work. It had been some time since she last commissioned me, so I was a tad worried that I had lost my touch with sleek suits. She is the only client who has ever commissioned for that style of clothing. "I am so relieved that you find it to your liking. I confess I got a bit experimental when I was setting out the patterns."

My client stood up higher, rising onto just her hind legs while adjusting the tiny hat on her head. She held a hoof to her chin while seemingly examining the incomplete fedora on the mannequin's head. "Hmmm… I thought this was all supposed to be ready today. I'm liking where the hat's going though."

Oh drat! She was right. I was supposed to have her attire completed by this morning. But I have been so distracted lately by… I believe you are able to ascertain what it is by my earlier writing. Regardless, I tried to keep my cool and replied as calmly as I could muster. "Oh… My apologies, Miss Shores. I have been…um…somewhat distracted by some more…personal issues as of late."

The Pony of Pop dropped back down onto all fours and stepped out from behind the mannequin before me. "Oh please, call me Sapphire. And…hm?" She paused and approached me with a very focused gaze the likes of which I had never seen on her before.

"Oh, sorry. I just have a habit of being formal with anypony who happens to be a celebrity and…um… What are you doing?" I replied before I noticed that she was standing right in front of me while seeming to be scanning my face.

"Personal problems, you said? And are you all right? You look like your makeup's running…" Sapphire spoke in a surprisingly mellow tone of voice, as if she had completely dropped her usual flair.

"My makeup…? Oh dear…" Of course. My tears had streamed down my face and over the parts where makeup had been applied this morning. "Is it that obvious?"

Sapphire nodded while showing a look of genuine concern. "Anypony who wears makeup as often as I do is quick to notice when it's been messed up by something. Especially tears."

I let out a sigh of defeat. There was no denying the truth by then. "Well… Like I said, it is…quite personal. I doubt it would matter to you."

Much to my surprise, Sapphire reached out and patted me on the shoulder. "Honey, I've got plenty of time to hear out a friend on her troubles. By all means, tell me what's eating you."

I gazed at her, feeling just flabbergasted by her response. "Wha… Friends? Me?"

Sapphire grinned quite brightly, showing off the normal everyday mare underneath her glamorous and flamboyant exterior. "Of course! I prefer to stay personal with everypony I work with. So, what's the matter?"

I felt myself relax quite a bit at the sound of her words. "All right… Well, just a couple of days ago, a dear friend of mine… His name is James. He…"

During my brief paused while trying to find the right words, Sapphire spoke up. "James, huh? Odd name for pony, but go on."

I was hardly surprised that she did not suspect he was not a pony. "Actually, he is a human. You know, like in some of Equestria's lesser known legends and fairytales?"

"Oh, them. Well, I don't keep up with legends and the like. I'm more focused on the here and now, if you know what I mean. And…did something happen to him?" Sapphire retorted, showing casual indifference to what James is. Such a fine mare, not showing any criticism on his race or species at all.

"Well… I have known him for…exactly three weeks. But just a couple of days ago, he just…vanished. And I do not mean kidnapped or wandered off. I mean vanish entirely as if he just turned into smoke and faded away. It is…most frustrating." I recounted what had occurred over the last few days.

"Hmm… Disappeared? Are you sure you looked everywhere you could?" Sapphire asked with a worried expression.

I let out a long sigh while slowly shaking my head. "We practically turned the house he was living in upside-down searching for any evidence of what had become of him. A message explaining his absence. Anything at all. My friend Applejack even brought her dog along to try and sniff out a trail of where James had gone."

"And…you found nothing?" Sapphire spoke softly, her mouth curving downward into a frown.

"Nothing at all… The freshest trail led directly into the house. It was as if he…just…ceased to exist." I could feel new tears beginning to from at the edge of my increasingly blurred vision. "Literally just minutes before you came in, I was even beginning to question my memories. Did he even exist at all? Humans have only existed in myth, after all…"

Sapphire sighed and shook her head while casting her gaze towards the floor. "Miss Rarity… That is one of the most depressing concepts I have ever heard in my entire career… That would make for a terribly moving song…" She then looked directly at me once more. "All that emotion you're showing… Is he important to you?"

There was no denying just how precious that man is to me by that point. I looked down at my bracelet once more while I raised my hoof. "Very… James is…quite unlike every other stallion I have ever met. Granted, he is not a stallion, but he is a man. He is rather quiet and very reserved. He is modest… So much so that I feel he is unsure of how to approach me at time… But he can also be witty when the moment calls for it. He is…most precious to me. Truly one of my most important friends."

Sapphire eyed my bracelet while I looked at it. She seemed to show a comforting smile, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. "Is he sweet on you?"

I nodded with a smile. "He is. Very sweet. I think he adores me more than most."

However, Sapphire then shook her hoof while holding it aloft. "Oh no, I don't mean like that. Is he…you know…courting you?"

I felt so unbearably warm at that moment. I must have been blushing. But with a frown, I shook my head. "Oh… No, he is not. His heart belongs to my best friend now. He lives with Fluttershy at the edge of Ponyville."

"Ooh… I see. Well… Judging by how emotional you're getting on this… Are you sweet on him?" Sapphire retorted a few seconds later.

With a heavy heart, I let out a sigh. "I will not lie… The thought has crossed my mind from time to time." I took a closer look at my bracelet. I could almost see countless copies of my face staring back at me from the many polished sides of the opals. "I have often wondered… What could have been? What if he had purchased a different piece of jewelry for me? What if it touched me on an even deeper level than this one did? Where would we be now?" I felt myself get lost in the fine clear gemstones before my eyes. I felt warm and comforted as I remembered those days from just a few weeks ago. "Would we be lovers by now…? Would we still be friends…? I just don't know…"

I am rather impressed by how patiently Sapphire waited for me to finish. By the time I had realized how much I was talking, I jumped and shook my head while placing my hoof back on the floor. "Oh, so sorry! I got lost in my memories…" I then straightened my thoughts and smiled faintly. "Of course, I know such thoughts are unhealthy. He has made up his mind and I must respect that… We do see each other daily, so we remain close. That is good enough for me…"

"But it still hurts when you don't see him for this long, doesn't it?" Sapphire asked as she reached out and placed a hoof on my shoulder.

I nodded, once again while frowning. "Indeed… And it tears at my mind wondering what has become of him…"

Sapphire Shores soon patted me on the shoulder once more before returning her hoof to the floor. "From what I can see, this James guy is very lucky to have a friend like you. I'd like to meet him someday."

I nodded with a faint smile. Sapphire was merely trying to cheer me up. "And… You know what? This has given me some inspiration to write a few songs!" Sapphire beamed before raising her hoof and slowly moving it sideways while looking upward at…something. "I'll title the first 'Want You Back' and the second 'Love from the Outside'. How's that?"

Amazing, really. To think she would name songs after my personal feelings and a personal crisis I was going through. "I am…quite honored, Sapphire. I will make certain James will acquire a copy of the album you release them on."

Regaining some of her usual flair, she gave me a winning smile. "I'll be certain to mail you a vinyl of it when it's released. Consider it a tip for this especially stunning work of wearable art right here." She tapped the mannequin her suit rested on. "Oh, and don't worry about rushing the hat. Take all the time you need. I know personal problems come first."

It was most considerate of her to give me extra time. I feared she would have been quite disappointed when she arrived to find her hat unfinished. "Why, thank you. However, I'm quite certain I can have this done within the hour."

"Well, all right then. In the meantime, I'll go grab a bite in town. Just don't be surprised if I come back with a mob trailing me." Sapphire waved as she headed out the door. I certainly was feeling in somewhat better spirits after getting that off my chest. If I really motored through things, I could probably have the hat done in under ten minutes.

The trick to setting out the gemstones properly was to make certain each was the same size as the rest. I had to make certain to not mix and match. And before long, it was done. A perfect ring of glittering sapphires set around the base of the fedora's crown. "Oh, she will most certainly look swanky in this attire!"

However, I did not even have time to look my latest creation over before I heard a light knocking at my door. "Cooooming!" I retorted, hoping my customer could hear me. But when I opened the door, I was greeted by a rather somber sight. "Hel… Oh, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy stood before me looking absolutely dreadful. Her eyes seemed bloodshot and puffy and I could see stains under her eyes. Clearly from tears. "Hello…Rarity…" She weakly muttered. She looked…so fragile at that moment. Like a sickly dove on the verge of collapsing at any time.

"Darling, what in the world happened? I have seen you in rough shape before, but you look deathly sickly!" I could not help exclaiming as I beheld my best friend before me.

Fluttershy slowly staggered towards me as I took a few steps back to allow her inside. "I'm not sick… I'm just…so…" She bowed her head before she could even finish.

"Darling, did you even sleep last night?" I asked while holding her up. Her stance was shaky and uneven. I feared she would faint at any given time.

"I did… A little…" She replied before letting out a yawn. Even if she did get some sleep, she clearly did not sleep enough. "But…nightmares…"

Poor Fluttershy… I could already see what was plaguing her. I used magic to slide over my favorite red reclining sofa and helped her lie down on it. "Shhh… You can tell me everything, Fluttershy. We are the best of friends, are we not?"

She managed to force out a small smile while she looked at me. "We are…"

I then pulled up a stool so I could sit next to her. "If it would help, I could hear you out on what you dreamed about."

Fluttershy rolled over onto her back and let out a long sigh. "It was…the same dream each time… Well…not really. I always found myself in a different place each time. The first time…I was outside in the meadow at night. The next time, it was morning… Then I was in the garden in Canterlot's royal palace…"

Hmm… Rather puzzling. It did not sound terribly traumatic. "Well…it sounds like you were seeing quite a bit of the sights. How was that a bad thing?"

"Because…it always ended the same way." Fluttershy replied without even looking at me. "A few minutes after I started dreaming, I saw him…"

"You saw James… Was he happy to see you?" I asked, starting to become fearful of just what happened in Fluttershy's mind

She took a deep breath before continuing. "I called out to him… He was always turned away from me. He never responded…" I could see tears beginning to form at the edge of Fluttershy's eyes. I do not believe she was even aware that they were there at that moment.

"I ran over to him… I felt so happy… I had been hoping to see him again and he was right there in front of me." Fluttershy spoke with a very noticeable smile on her face. I can only imagine the relief she must have felt when she saw her beloved after searching so hard for him the previous days. However, her smile began to curve downwards into a frown. "But…when I reached out to hold him…I…" I saw her tears spill over as she spoke with her voice beginning to break. "My hooves…went right through him… As if…he was not there…"

I too could feel tears starting to build in my eyes as I found myself unwittingly imagining everything Fluttershy was speaking. "I reached out to him again and again…but I could never touch him… But…the worst part…" She then covered her face and began to sob. "He started sinking into the ground… I kept pleading with him to grab onto me… He did…finally reach out to me at the last second…but his hand… It went right through me… I dug at the ground so hard… Tried to dig him up when he disappeared into the ground…" Gasping for air, Fluttershy removed her hooves from her face and looked at me with tired swollen eyes. "That was when I woke up… Every single time…"

Such a horrid dream… It was no wonder Fluttershy seemed so haunted by what she had seen. Using magic, I levitated a dry tissue over to her and wiped her tears from her face. "It's going to be all right, Fluttershy… It was just a dream. And dreams aren't truly real."

"But it was the same dream every time! It… It must mean something!" Fluttershy continued to sob. I am all but certain the final stages of her dreams had been burned into her memory.

I reached out and placed my hoof on hers. "Fluttershy… Darling, look at me." I spoke softly, trying to get her to stop crying and listen to me. She finally did relax and looked my way. She sniffled and choked, but she was no longer crying. "He is precious to you, isn't he?"

Fluttershy nodded weakly without saying a word. I tried my best to smile. "That's good. Because I know you are precious to him as well."

"You… You can tell that easily?" She asked with a rather baffled expression.

I let out a light giggle. "Oh, yes. Take it from somepony who is looking to find a sweet husband someday herself. I can tell that James is someone who really commits to a relationship. He will not ever leave you. He will return to you. I swear it."

Fluttershy could only bow her head in silence. I could see that she was starting to do the same thing I had done just a short while ago. She was starting to doubt her memories. I reached out at her and firmly gripped her shoulders. "Fluttershy, no. Do not doubt what you remember. He was not a dream. You know he was as real as you and I."

My dear friend let out a long hard sigh. "I know… I shouldn't doubt if I love him, but… It's just so hard… I don't know if I will ever see him again…"

What I said next was merely a half-truth, as I was not entirely convinced myself. "You will see him again, Fluttershy. You will."

Fluttershy looked at me with a truly sorrowful yet somewhat hopeful expression. "You…you're sure about that?"

I gave her the best smile I could. "Would I ever lie to a friend?"

"No… No, you would never lie to me…" Fluttershy finally showed me the first true smile I had seen from her this morning and held onto me with a tender embrace.

"There there, darling… Is there anything I can do for you at all?" I asked in the hopes of finding something to keep Fluttershy out of depression.

"I… I don't know. I just want to be in the company of friends until he comes home…" Fluttershy replied with a rather sad smile.

"You're trying to drown your loneliness, hm? Well, you are more than welcome to spend the day with me. Come, let me prepare you a light snack. Crying tends to leave you rather famished." I spoke before helping her up and leading her to my kitchen.

I suppose I shall stop here. I have another commission to start working on as soon as Sapphire Shores returns to claim her attire. And I will certainly have my hoovess full tending to Fluttershy in her time of need. Although…

I pray that my promise does not turn into a lie… James, darling… Please come home soon. Fluttershy needs you…

Heya, ponies. This is Rainbow Dash writing again. I had to get to work right after breakfast setting up the clouds over Ponyville for a nice downpour. Yeah, that's right. Rain.

The only problem was I really didn't feel like doing it. I mean I don't mind my job, but… I just felt like I had no energy by the time I was above Ponyville. And that's saying something since I'm usually on top of the world.

I just found the closest cloud I could find and just let myself slump over it. I just felt…down. Like Diamond Dog down. I rolled over onto my back after a minute and just looked up at the sky. That big old blue sea above me. "It almost feels like you could just fall up there and disappear… All without a trace…"

Oh, who am I kidding? I was still feeling bummed over my friend disappearing. Still no sign of him. No word from him. Hay, nopony in town has seen him for the last few days. No matter how hard I tried to shake it off, I just couldn't stop worrying about him.

"I wonder if you're out there somewhere… Are you OK?" I heard myself whisper as I held my hoof up as if to touch the sky above me. "You're always so reserved… So quiet unless in the right mood… Like you could just slip away without anyone noticing…"

I must've let myself relax way too much. Next thing I know, I'm talking to myself. "Can you hear me, James? Do you even remember me?"

Before I could say anything else, a voice spoke up from right beside me. "I dunno, but I do! Hi, Rainbow Dash!"

"What the?!" I yelped before rolling right off the cloud I was on. I managed to catch myself before I could fall very far though. I then swooped right back up to my cloud and gave that goofball pegasus a piece of my mind. "What gives, Derpy?! You don't sneak up on ponies like that! You might get a hoof in the face!"

That derp gave me her best googly-eyed smile before she waved at me like nothing had happened. "Sorry! I just saw you up here and thought I'd just say hi." She then paused for a moment and reached into her mail satchel and pulled something out. "Muffin?"

I rolled my eyes. Just… Derpy's such a muffinhead sometimes. Oh, wait. I mean all the time! But I guess I could've used a snack at the time and took the muffin. "Thanks, I guess…" Looked like I had gotten a good old blueberry muffin that time.

"So, is something wrong?" Derpy asked while I started to munch on the muffin.

I let out a sigh. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to tell just anypony about what had happened to the only human in all of Equestria. "Well… Have you seen James lately?" I tried asking while doing my best to smile. Yeah, it was a fake smile, but what could I do? "I've been trying to find him today. I used to see him every day. Almost like he's part of my daily schedule… Any sign of him?"

Derpy surprised me with a really unhappy frown. "I haven't seen him in three days. I was kinda hoping you would know."

Well, I can't say I was surprised to hear that. It looks like nopony's seen him at all. But what Derpy said next threw me for a loop. "Maybe I just need to make some of my 'weird beard' muffins."

"Uh… OK, I've heard of some weird eats before, but… What the hay are those?" I couldn't help asking after staring at her with a half chewed bite of muffin hanging in my jaws.

Derpy looked at me with those goofy eyes and smiled. "Oh, that's what I call a special batch of muffins I made once. I started seeing all sorts of things that I never saw before. I saw a manticore with a bunny face and dolphin tail, a hydra that was as big as a cat… Oh wait, it really was a cat. With four heads! And then I swear I saw a human that day! Oh wait, that was James. And I swear I had a beard at that time! That's why I call them my 'weird beard' muffins."

I finally just had to speak up after hearing all that. Whatever she put in those muffins can't be good for you. "Are you saying you mixed in a bunch of stuff that makes you see things?!"

"I dunno! It felt pretty real. The kitten hydra licked me and purred a lot. And James looked pretty real too." Derpy replied with a silly smile. But she then suddenly gasped. "Oh, right! I gotta get back to work! Saturdays are such busy days for me! See you around, Rainbow Dash!" That total derp then dove right off the cloud and flew off.

I just sat there for a moment without saying anything. Derpy's words were still sinking in. "Great… Somepony else who probably thinks James was just one big hallucination…"

I'm going to be honest right now. The longer I went without seeing him, the more I started to think that James might not have ever existed in the first place. And I've got a hunch some of my best friends think the same way. That was what was bumming me out the most. I know Fluttershy and I already went over that discussion yesterday, but… I can't help but wonder if it's possible. I then just let myself go limp on the cloud with my head kind of hanging off the edge while looking down. "If this is what reality is like, then reality sucks."

I wanted to stop feeling depressed, so I tried counting how many ponies I could name by checking the colors in the distance as they walked around. "Two shades of pink or purple… That's Berry Punch. There's two shades of brown… That's the doc. Now we have a bit of… Red coat and orange mane and short tail… That's Big Macintosh…"

It was kind of like playing a bit of 'connect the dots', except it was more like 'match the colors'. I kept at it for a little while until I noticed one pony standing still while I think she was looking up at me. "Um… Three shades of purple or pink with a light lavender… Twilight?"

Turns out Twilight was looking right at me. I weakly waved at her, not having much motivation to do anything. Um… It was kind of hard to make out anything from that distance, but she seemed to be calling me down judging by that movement with one hoof. "Ugh… If it was any other time…"

With one swoop, I dove off of my cloud and landed right in front of that egghead unicorn. "Morning, Twilight. What's up?"

She looked kind of bothered by something as we stood there in the middle of the street. "Morning, Rainbow. Let's just say this morning hasn't been very easy for me… Or our friends."

Uh oh, that didn't sound good. "Our friends? What's been going on? They didn't come down with something, did they? Any symptoms I better watch out for?"

Twilight let out a sigh before looking right at me. I rarely see her looking that worried about anything. "Well, all I've seen this morning is Applejack and Pinkie Pie. AJ didn't have that many apples available at market, Pinkie Pie had a severe breakdown of some sort… This just hasn't been a good day for us."

Man… It sounded like I wasn't the only pony around going through the missing friend blues. "Dang… It's like each day just keeps getting worse…"

Right then, Twilight gave me a little smile. "Don't worry too much. I sent a message to Princess Celestia just before I left my house this morning. If anypony can help find our friend, she can. I wouldn't be surprised if Spike comes looking for me any minute now."

Sweet. We can almost always count on Princess Celestia if things get bad, so that took a load off my back. But as I wondered about that, a thought came to mind. "Hey, that's cool and all. But…uh…how long ago did you send the message?"

"Oh, I'd say it's been pretty close to half an hour. I should be getting a reply anytime now." Twilight replied with a smile. I wish I had her optimism today.

Something just didn't sound right with that response. "Huh…? Hang on. Half an hour? Doesn't she usually reply right away when you send her a message? I mean… What's the longest you've ever had to wait?"

Twilight gave me a pretty uneasy smile. "Oh, the longest… That was five minutes. I'm pretty sure she's just dealing with some very important matters right now and just can't be bothered to find a quill and scroll to use."

I gave Twilight a glare. She was starting to sound way too optimistic. "Uh huh. And how long did you wait before you left the house?"

"Ten minutes. Why do you ask?" Twilight replied while giving me a puzzled look.

I let out a long sigh. "If it's been that long… Twilight, something's not right here. You know your messages are top priority with Princess Celestia, so there's no way she would take this long to write a reply."

I think my words were starting to sink in. She was really starting to look bothered and even a bit scared. "I… I can't think of why she would wait so long to reply… It must be a good reason…"

"Or maybe…she thinks you're crazy for asking for help to find someone who might not even be real." I muttered to her. It hurt. I mean, seriously. It hurt to even consider that thought again. But that's the only response I could think of.

Twilight looked kind of offended by that line. She looked at me with a really sharp glare. "Rainbow, of course he exists! I remember every day of the last three weeks he was with us! I know for a fact that he couldn't have not been real!"

I took a few steps forward and stared her right in the eyes. "I dare you to say that again. To say that there was absolutely no chance of a human guy being something we just thought up in our heads. To say that there wasn't a single moment over the last few days that you considered he was just a dream."

"I…" Twilight started to talk with a really determined gaze. But she quickly started to show doubt with that scared frown on her face. "I… I…"

I sighed. So even that egghead wondered it too. "Thought so… A human just wandering into town saying he's not even from this world… That sounds like something out of a dream or some science fiction novel. Although I'm pretty sure one of those awesome Daring Do novels had a human or two in them at some point…"

Twilight bowed her head in silence for a minute before talking quietly. "Actually… I did do some research and…" She then looked at me with one of the saddest looks I had ever seen on her face as her ears drooped. "It is…quite possible that the James we know… May not have ever existed."

By that point, I wasn't even really aware of what else was going on around us. I was just focusing entirely on Twilight. I admit… I was scared. I didn't want to believe that it was possible our friend was just a mirage. But…I had to know what she found out. "Well… What did you find?"

Twilight sighed before she started to explain. "Well… There is the scenario where a child thinks up a nonexistant friend through sheer imagination. Often brought on by fascinating subjects, usually with exotic creatures or even fictional characters in books and other media. And to them… Their imaginations may make the entity seem very real to the point of being able to feel their touch… Hear their voice… Basically have them seem like real people."

I cocked my head to one side. Imaginary friends. Isn't that something only little kids do? "Uh… Yeah. Sure. You DO know we're not little fillies anymore, right?"

She nodded with a sigh. "I know that… The other possibility though… It was so dark, I was honestly scared by it." She then looked away for minute before speaking more softly than usual to the point where I almost couldn't hear her. "The more likely possibility in the case of adults…is schizophrenia."

That was one of the weirdest words I've ever heard. "Schizo… Huh?"

Twilight looked at me with a really worried expression. I could tell that whatever she read about… It really got to her. "It's a very severe mental illness that can effect the mind in various ways."

I jumped back. Mental illness?! "Are you saying we just might be sick in the head?!"

Twilight shook her hoof at me, as if trying to signal me to chill. "Relax, Rainbow. I'm not saying we're all mentally ill… Some individuals with schizophrenia actually behave and think normally. But…" She paused for a minute before continuing. "There have been a few cases where…"

I could see she was having a hard time going on with that explanation. I grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "Twilight. I need to know this. What did the book say?"

She gulped hard. I could see she was nervous. "Well… There have been several recorded cases of an effected individual who had been seeing people who were not truly there. Some even starting as early as childhood or their mid teens. Some of them were even so real to the effected pony, that the afflicted even developed close friendships with them, listened to their advice, even gave them gifts… Basically not being able to tell in the slightest that the person before them could only be seen, heard, and felt by them." I swear, I think I was starting to see tears building at the edge of Twilight's eyes. "And…they would never vanish. They at times would leave to take care of things outside the person's field of vision and return later, but they would never disappear. Some spent their entire lives interacting with these…nonexistent friends…while everyone else could never see or hear them…"

I… I felt such a chill slide down my spine when I heard that. "That… That sounds exactly like what's been happening… Do you…" Out of nowhere, I felt tears starting to ooze down my face. And for once in my life, I really didn't care. "Do you think that's what's been happening? And that we… Maybe the illness finally left us?"

Twilight bowed and shook her head. "I don't know, Rainbow… I honestly…don't…know. He was with us for too short a time to make certain…"

No… Just… I don't even want to consider that. Even with that kind of proof… "No… I'm not gonna believe that! No way!"

Just before I could do anything else, I felt Twilight place her hoof on my shoulder. "Me neither, Rainbow… I can't believe that he was… I WON'T believe it."

I couldn't even say anything for a minute. All I could do was look at Twilight. I felt so hot… Kind of sick too… Like I wanted to hurl or something. Finally, I managed to squeak out a sentence. "Twilight… I'm scared."

That egghead gave me a gentle comforting hug. It felt more like one Fluttershy would give me. "Me too, Rainbow… But this case is in good hooves now. Just leave it to Princess Celestia. You know she's never failed us before."

I took a long deep breath to try to relax myself and my stomach. Wait… Never failed us? "Hold on. What about that time when those Changelings showed up on your brother's wedding day? She got floored by their queen!"

That got Twilight to roll her eyes with a nervous grin on her face. It looked like I got her to forget about our problem for a moment. "That came out of nowhere! Nopony saw that coming!"

I couldn't help laughing at that. "Heheh… But yeah, I get you. Princess Celestia should know what to do." But I then grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes. "But if you see him again, you come and find me right away. Got it?"

Twilight gave me a quick nod. "That's a promise. Now, could you please let go of me? I want to go check on Rarity. And I think Fluttershy might be with her too."

Fluttershy? Dang, she was probably getting the worst of things right then. I knew better than to keep Twilight waiting and hopped out of her way. "Oh, right. Better not keep you. And say hi to them for me."

"Will do. See you around, Rainbow." Twilight waved goodbye to me and trotted away. She seemed to be in better spirits than when she first talked to me. Even so…

Once I flew back up to my cloud to chill, The stuff Twilight had talked to me about came back into my mind. People who spent their entire lives talking and interacting with people who didn't even exist… That… I am going to be honest right now. That is one of the most nightmarish, most depressing things I have ever heard of in my life.

"Ugh, this stuff is just depressing to think about… I gotta do something to get my mind off of this!" I rolled around on the cloud, just doing all I could to not think about it. I then flopped over to the edge and looked down again at Ponyville. "There's gotta be a… Oh, hey! That's Scoot!"

I recognized that combo of purple mane and orange coat on a filly. That's Scootaloo. That little sparkplug is just nuts about me for some reason and she always has been for as long as I've known her. But maybe… Just maybe having a good chat with her could keep my mind off of things.

After making sure my game face was on, I swooped right down to that spunky filly and landed right in front of her. "Hey, Scoot! What's up?!"

I totally caught her by surprise judging by how she jumped back as soon as I landed in front of her. Before she could reply though, I noticed she wasn't riding that scooter of hers. "Huh? Hey, where's your scooter, squirt? Don't you usually ride that to get around?"

She sighed before bowing her head and talking in a really quiet voice. "Didn't feel like it today…"

"Didn't feel like it?! But I thought you love riding that scooter just as much as you like hanging out with me! And… Hey, are you OK? You don't look so good…" It was only then that I really noticed that Scootaloo was looking really under the weather. The last time I had seen her looked that bummed was after how ticked off I was when I found out she and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle was Gabby Gums. Uh… Wait, maybe I should explain who that was… Nah. It'll take way too long. Actually, she looked even more bummed than that time!

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash… I… I just don't feel fired up enough for it… I've got too much on my mind." Scootaloo explained before she walked right by me with her head hanging low.

That was what bothered me most. She walked right past me. RIGHT PAST ME. She NEVER walks right past me! Something really wasn't right with her. I spread my wings and swooped over to her and started hovering by her as she walked. "Come on, Scoot. What's eating ya?"

She looked up at me with the saddest look on her face I had ever seen. Poor kid. "Have you seen my brother, Rainbow Dash?"

Her brother… Oh right. James. Those two have gotten really close lately. And… Well, this is just a guess, but…I think Scootaloo might be an orphan. I honestly hope not, but…

"Oh, James? Well…" I started to talk, but then looked down at her. I really didn't want to tell her I hadn't seen him in three days, but I knew that telling her I had seen him would be a bad idea. With a sigh, I shook my head. "Sorry, squirt. Haven't seen him today."

She… Well, she caught me by surprise that time. She just snapped at me. "You keep saying that every time I ask you! Where is he?! I know you're friends with him!"

She looked like she was about to start crying at any second. And that's saying a lot considering that she tries to always have a 'tough girl' image. Only then she had completely dropped her guard right in the middle of the street. I tried to calm her down by patting her on the head. "It's OK, Scoot… It's OK. He's fine. He…uh… I just got a note from him today. He said he'll be back soon."

I was really hoping that would keep her hopes up for a while longer. But judging by that look, she wasn't fooled. She replied really briefly. "How soon?"

She was seeing right through me, so I just tried to be vague about it. "Um… He didn't say. Just…soon. That's it."

"Oh… Thanks, Rainbow Dash… I need to get going. I'm supposed to meet Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom at the milkshake parlor…" Scootaloo spoke in the most deadpan depressed tone of voice I had ever heard from her. And then she just…walked away.

"That was the first time she DIDN'T go nuts when I said hi to her…" I muttered to myself. Jeez… I never knew James' disappearance would hit that filly this hard… Is he really that important to her? It's almost like he's the only family she's ever known or something.

I… I need to stop here. Twilight's hypothesis thing is really getting to me again. I need to do something to get my mind off it. I also have a thunderstorm to set up. See ya. And stay dry.

What a morning… Is it normal to have woken up feeling like you spent the entire night pacing back and forth for hours? I practically rolled out of bed and hit the wooden floor of my room with a thud.

"Are you feeling OK, Twilight?" Those were the first words I heard. I looked down over the floor's edge and saw Spike looking up at me with a concerned expression. He was carrying a tray lined with pancakes and a glass of milk. It seemed he also remembered to include a cup of maple syrup.

"Ugh… Kind of…" I grumbled while slowly getting myself up onto my feet. I slowly made my way down the stairs to the rest of my living room. I felt so weak. As if my legs could give out from under me at any time.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Spike asked while he set the tray on the closest table.

I sighed as I tried to recall what I had dreamed about. "I… I don't know… All I remember is…a strong sense of sorrow. Fear… I remember myself…" As I rubbed my hoof under my eye to try to get myself a bit more awake, I felt something on my coat. Like something had been encrusted over the many tiny hairs under my eyes. Like…sodium deposits…from tears. "Crying… So much crying…" No wonder my eyes felt so tired. Was I crying in my sleep for most of the night?

"You look like you had a rough night, all right… Do you need some eye drops?" Spike asked while giving me a very concerned gaze.

"Sure… I think that'll help." I replied softly. I really needed to do something to get myself a bit more energized.

"OK. Just a second." Spike spoke with a smile as he hurried over to a drawer built under a bookcase in the wall that served as a medicine cabinet. While he was scrounging through it, I went over to my breakfast. But as I looked down at the pancakes, which I will admit was giving off a delightful smell; I honestly did not feel hungry. It almost felt like the food was just calling for me to eat it, but I just had no desire to do so. I felt too worried…about him.

"Found it!" Spike called out suddenly before I turned around to find him running towards me with a tiny bottle of eye drops in hand.

"Thank you, Spike." I said while trying to smile. I really did appreciate his assistance. I doubt I would be as well off as I am now without him. I unscrewed the cap from the bottle with magic and then held the bottle aloft upside-down over me while keeping one eye open. With careful precision, I made the bottle compress just enough to discharge one drop of the fluid. I instantly blinked as I felt the liquid come in contact with my eye and instinctively rubbed it in irritation. Somepony really should come up with a type of eye drop substance that does not irritate the eye… Actually, I doubt that is possible. The eye is an extremely sensitive organ. I doubt anything at all coming in contact with it would ever feel good… Oh wait. I am overthinking things again. And I am going off topic.

I repeated the process with my other eye before placing the cap back on the bottle and giving it back to Spike. "Feeling better?" He asked while clutching it in both hands.

I rubbed my eyes a bit more to deal with the irritation in them and to spread out the fluid. I then blinked a few times before looking down at Spike again. "I guess they don't feel as tired now."

He nodded with a smile before walking back over to the medicine drawer and placing the bottle inside it. "Yeah, you don't look as bloodshot anymore."

"Thanks, Spike… Now…I guess I better eat." I then turned to face my meal again. I could feel some of the warmth coming from it. With a sigh, I poured the syrup all over it and cut myself a piece from one. Spike always makes me a stack that is three pancakes high every time he cooks some. But while that first bite was tasty, and that first gulp of milk was cool and refreshing, I just could not go any further than that. "Um… Hey, Spike? Would you like the rest of this?" I asked while looking over my shoulder. I tried to smile as brightly as I could so he would not get worried.

It turns out my smile did not help at all. He walked over to me with a baffled expression and held up his hands. "Huh? But that's YOUR breakfast! You always eat every last bite! Did you get a tapeworm or something?"

I guess there was no fooling someone who has known me since I was just a filly. "Sorry, Spike… It's just… It's hard to work up an appetite when you're worried about a good friend."

He just looked at me silently for a minute. Never moving. Never speaking. But he did eventually break the silence. "It's about him again, isn't it? You've been like this since last night."

I bowed my head and sighed. "Yeah… We found no trace of him… I… I just don't know what to do."

Spike just shook his head and looked up at me after letting out a long sigh. "Twilight, I know how it feels to be worried about somepony you love. I was freaking out the entire time Rarity was kidnapped by those Diamond Dogs a while back. Remember?"

Diamond Dogs… Oh, how could I forget that? I could not help but giggle a bit as I realized just how pathetic I must have seemed at that moment. "Oh right… Well, at least I'm not hyperventilating."

"Oh, come on! It's not like you actually saw your crush being hauled off by a bunch of jerks!" He replied while scowling at me. I was just trying to add a little humor with some teasing. Although I admit it was partially to cheer myself up. "But I know what you mean… I know what it's like to know that the one person you love more than anyone in the world might be in trouble somewhere…"

Something about that last line just did not sound right. "Um… Did you mean anything by that?"

Spike surprised me by letting out a groan while rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms. "Oh, come on, Twilight! I'm just a kid, and even I know what it's like to be in love! It's been all too obvious the last couple of weeks that you've got the hots for James, especially on that day you told me that you were planning a picnic the next day without asking if I'd like to come along."

Oh my… That Spike. He knew all along? I could not help but blush as I rubbed my left foreleg with my right hoof. "Hehehee… You knew about that?"

My little assistant snickered, "Well, duh. I saw how you went all weak in the knees when he went on and on with how he was wondering about how pegasi can interact with clouds a day or two after he first showed up. You always did have a thing for thinking men."

I felt most of my worry fade away for a moment as my body started to feel hot. I remember that day… I really cannot deny this. I do love James. I really do. Even though I know that he and Fluttershy are lovers now…I cannot completely let go of my feelings for him. Maybe I will in time, but I just cannot right now. "Yeah… I guess I do."

Spike then walked over to the tray of food he had prepared and took it into his hands. "I know you do. So yeah… I do know how you feel, Twilight. I'll go ahead and have this if you really don't mind."

I nodded with a grateful smile. Spike usually does not like it when I reject his cooking. Which is saying something because the little guy is actually really good at it. Most of the time I cook, it comes out looking like….. Well, as Spike put it once, something that looked like I had tried to 'splice water and mud to try and make a slime monster'. Maybe I should take lessons from him sometime. Although anything that does not require a stove is easy for me to make. "Thanks, Spike. I'll probably feel hungry again by lunchtime though."

"It's fine. If you need me for anything, just let me know." Spike spoke with a smile as he sat down on a stool with the tray resting on his lap.

Just as I was starting to turn to go downstairs, a thought popped into my head. James was certainly still missing and conventional methods to locate him were not going to work. We would need someone else… Someone with much greater insight. "Actually, there is something you can do, Spike!"

"Really? What?!" Spike replied just before he could take a bite of the pancakes.

"I need to write a quick note for Princess Celestia. Please wait a minute." I explained before using my magic to levitate over to me a blank scroll and a quill.

After making certain the quill was still full of ink, I began to write. "Dear Princess Celestia. I'm so sorry to ask this of you, but I am out of ponies I can turn to. My good friend, James, disappeared just three days ago. After waiting a full day for him to return, my friends and I searched through and around Fluttershy's house, which is where he was last seen. But unlike the last time he vanished, we found nothing explaining where he went and why. No messages. No trails. Even Applejack's dog was not able to find a fresh scent trail that could lead us to him. It is almost…"

I paused for a minute as I wrote. Having to vividly recall the events as I wrote about them, I was starting to feel the magnitude of the situation all over again. I missed James all the more as I recalled everything…

"Twilight…? Are you OK?" Spike asked from across the room. I knew he was watching me. He could probably even see that one tear trickling down my cheek.

Without turning to face him, I wiped the tears from my face. "I'm fine, Spike… I'm fine." I then went back to writing the message. "Almost…as if he vanished into thin air. Gone without a trace. I wish I was joking about this, but I swear I am not. Our friend is gone and we have no way of finding him. Please, your highness. We need your help. Surely you know of a means to locate him. If you, or even Princess Luna, know of a means to find someone who has disappeared so thoroughly, please help us. Please reply as soon as you can. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

I set the quill down and rolled up the scroll. "OK, Spike… It's ready."

Spike ran over to me and took the scroll in hand. "All right." He then blew a flicker of green fire onto the scroll, dissolving it into smoke, which then floated out of the nearest open window. "She'll be getting it any moment now."

I lowered my head and gave Spike a grateful nuzzle. "Thanks. We're sure to make some progress today." Spike grinned brightly as I showed him my gratitude. Really, I do not know what I would do without him sometimes.

"Aw, I'm just glad I can help. I know James and I aren't the closest of pals in Ponyville, but he's a good guy. I 'm a bit worried about him too." Spike replied before going back to his meal. "But right now, I wanna finish this before it gets cold. No one likes room-temperature pancakes. I'll get back to work once I'm done."

"Hehe, true. I'll be right downstairs if you need anything." I replied before making my way to the stairwell.

Once I was down in the library, I noticed a pile of books I had not fully sorted on the floor. I was going to sort them and place them back on the shelves, but I just could not find the drive yesterday evening. But now that we would soon have Princess Celestia's help with this problem, I was definitely in better spirits. "All right, what have we here…"

I made the books levitate so I could get a better look at them. "Let's see… Cooking for…Dummies? How ironic… That goes here. Lord of the Anklets, Volume 1… That goes over there… And… Huh?" The third book I checked really caught my eye. "Mysteries of the Mind… Hmmm…"

I know I have read that book before, but I felt compelled to look through it once more. It almost felt as if it was calling me. "Did I forget what I read in there?" As much as I love to read, I have a hard time remembering some things that are not relevant with my daily routine and primary studies. So I decided to take a look through it again while setting the other books down.

I opened the book and looked through the table of contents. "Brain functions… Dream states… Imaginary…projections?" I did not know why, but reading that filled me with a sense of dread. Still…I felt a need to look into it. So I flipped to the page where that section began.

I read on, and what I found…unnerved me, to say the least. I do not remember word for word what it said, but it basically documented how some children 'create' imaginary friends when inspired by fiction or stories in various forms of media. And how real they can seem to the point of sounding, and even feeling, real to the point where they may seem like real people.

This…was disturbingly similar to the events that coincided with James' arrival in Ponyville. Humans have never truly existed in Equestria. They have only been mentioned in myths and certain fairytales. And I had looked into some of the legends out of curiosity not even a full week before he showed up. Had he… Was James…just my heavily stimulated imagination's way of reacting to the new information I had found?

I wanted to cry… I did not want to believe such a thing was possible… But I read on anyway. At the end, I found a referral to another part of the book. "Refer to…Mental Illnesses; the Dark Side of the Mind…" I felt like I did not want to find out what was waiting for me. Especially when I saw it mention a section pointing to just one word. Schizophrenia.

Going against my better judgment, I flipped the book open to the section it pointed to. For anypony who does not know, Schizophrenia is an extremely severe mental illness that is tricky to treat. It has many symptoms that do not necessarily all occur in one case. But two symptoms caught my eye. Delusions and hallucinations.

"No… This can't be what I think it is…" I muttered to myself. I read on. And what I found…haunted me. Some ponies afflicted with schizophrenia have hallucinated for so long and to the point where their twisted minds had conjured up people that only they could see and hear. People they would know and interact with for years or even decades. People…who never really existed at all. Only in their demented minds…

I felt my heart race… What if… What if I was mentally ill? What if…if James was just a projection of my own imagination? But…my friends could see him too. He even became lovers with Fluttershy… Is it possible that…magic could project one's imagination into a real physical form that fades away in time? Did my magic respond to my thoughts? To my…unstable mind? I would be lying if I said my mind has always been stable… I know there have been times where I have utterly snapped… Do I have schizophrenia? Am I responsible for this whole mess?! Is James' entire existence and disappearance…MY doing?!

I…I just collapsed right where I was. I cried… All I could hear was my crying. I writhed on the floor. I could not think straight. But…I felt someone grab me. I heard a voice. "Twilight, snap outta it! What's wrong?! What did you read?!"

I opened my eyes and saw Spike looking down at me. His hand was resting on my hoof. "I've seen you get pretty weepy when you read some tragedy novels before, but you've never gotten this outta control! What happened?!"

I… I could not tell him what I had found. I did not want to force that kind of knowledge onto a child. "I… I don't know… But…I'm fine now. Really, I'll be OK, Spike."

Under most circumstances, Spike would have probably believed me. But not that time. He gave me a surprisingly stern glare. "Twilight… I've been with you since the day I hatched and I can tell something's not right with you. I have NEVER seen you cry this hard. What happened? I just wanna help you."

That boy can sure be mature when he wants to be. But no matter how much I wanted to tell him, this time… I just could not. "You're right, Spike… I… I'm not really OK at the moment…" I then tried to smile my best while giving him a gentle hug. "But I'll be all right. I just…need a bit of time to get my thoughts in order."

I felt Spike wrap his arms around me as well while nuzzling his face into my coat. "Well… All right. But if you need anything, I'm right here."

"Thanks, Spike… I think I just need to get some fresh air. I'll go check up on our friends and see just how well they're holding up today. I'm sure Fluttershy in particular needs some support." I spoke softly with a smile while drying my tears. I gently pushed Spike off of me and climbed to my feet. I looked at the books I had not yet put away, but Spike reached up and placed a hand on my shoulder when he noticed that.

"I'll put the rest of these away, Twilight. You just take it easy today." He said with a sympathetic smile.

"Thanks. I think I probably should just take it easy today." I replied with a grin. However, a thought then crossed my mind. "Hey, Spike… Just how long has it been since we sent that message to Princess Celestia?"

Spike seemed to show a look of mild shock. I think he probably forgot all about it. "Huh? Oh… Um… I think about ten minutes…" He then crossed his arms and frowned as he looked down at the floor. "Hmm… That's a new record. She's never taken this long to reply to a message that urgent."

Why… Of all times, why would Princess Celestia take that long to send a reply? Every single time I have sent a message to her over the last several years, the absolute longest she has ever taken to send a reply is only five minutes and fourteen seconds. I simply cannot imagine her being too busy to respond. "Well… I guess there's a first time for everything. Anyway, I should go check on our friends. When Princess Celestia sends her reply, please come find me right away. OK, Spike?"

The little dragon boy gave me a bright smile and a salute. "Yes, ma'am!" I gave my little assistant a grateful nuzzle before stepping out of the library. I decided it would be best to check on Pinkie Pie first. Out of all of my friends, she is probably the least stable and needs a friend's presence.

Well… I can safely say that my friends are not taking James' disappearance very well by this point. Applejack was not able to bring in as many apples as usual into market, Pinkie Pie had a total psychotic breakdown, I caught Rainbow Dash just sulking on a cloud, and it seems Fluttershy is spending time with Rarity since they are best friends. Although… I doubt Rarity has noticed that her mane and tail are a bit more frazzled than usual. I even saw Scootaloo and…she…even she seemed to know something is not quite right.

Fluttershy… She seemed so listless when I saw her. Her eyes seemed so empty. So…devoid of life. I swear, she did not even notice me speak her name the first few times. I wanted to reach out to her. To do anything to make her feel better. But it felt as if I could not reach her at all. At least she is in good hooves with Rarity around her.

As I neared my home, I noticed that Spike had not come to find me at all. And it had been at least thirty to forty minutes since I left… What was going on back in the library?

I pushed the front door to the library open and found Spike near the center of the room while sweeping the floor with a broom in his hands. He immediately looked my way and asked, "Oh, hey! Is everything OK with our friends, Twilight?"

I bowed my head and sighed as I stepped inside while pushing the door closed with my left hind leg. "I don't think 'OK' is the right word to use… They're all feeling the pain, some worse than others."

"Oh man… Who's got it the worst?" He asked while propping the broom against the central table.

"Well… You know how Pinkie Pie is when she gets worried about friends… Although this is the first time I ever saw her break a mirror in her frustration. But nopony is worse off than Fluttershy. I swear, she almost seems like a zombie today… And no, not the brain-eating variety!" I retorted while Spike showed various expressions to go with everything I said.

"Oh, that's good. Wouldn't want Fluttershy wandering in here tonight and gnawing on my skull." Spike said while nervously chuckling.

If he was trying to add humor to make the situation feel less grim, I have to admit it was not working well. "Spike… Are you trying to be funny?"

He stared at me for a moment; probably closely scanning the stern gaze I was giving him. "Sorry… Oh…and sorry, but Princess Celestia still hasn't sent a reply."

She… Still? It had been fairly close to an hour by that point! "Are you serious?! Why would…" I started to suspect that possibly… Just maybe the message had been lost in transit. I mean, while being transported, the message is always reduced to a plume of smoke. Perhaps it is possible that a very strong gust blew it off course. "Well… Let's just send another. Surely this one will get to her."

"Sounds good to me." Spike replied while the two of us headed upstairs to our private quarters. Or the loft, for a more common term. I immediately brought a quill and scroll over to myself and wrote down the same message as before. Although I also added a few extra words at the bottom to empathize how urgently I needed Princess Celestia to respond.

"OK, Spike. It's all yours." I spoke while he took the scroll in hand and ran up to the closest window before blowing a plume of fire at the scroll.

We both watched as the scroll became a puff of smoke and floated out the window. "OK, I'm sure we'll be getting a reply any minute now. It really doesn't take long for those messages to get to her." He spoke with a smile while walking back towards me.

"True. All we have to do is wait now. I'll bet she won't even take two minutes." I replied as I remembered how promptly our princess always replied to my messages.

For the next few minutes, I paced around the room. Spike stayed right with me the whole time while seated on the steps that led up to our beds, using a quill to… I think he was doing a crossword puzzle. Two minutes passed. Then five. I felt my trotting slowly reduce to a canter. Why was she taking so long?

"Hmmm… Twilight? Which 'celestial body' does Princess Celestia raise and lower every day?" Spike asked after ten minutes had passed.

I looked at him and glared while my ears drooped. "Ugh… Really, Spike? She raises and lowers the sun."

"Oh, sorry. It's just that until a couple of years ago, she did both the sun and the moon. I hardly knew anything about Princess Luna until that Nightmare Night when she first came back to Ponyville." He replied before jotting something down. "Hang on… How long has it been?"

I let out a long sigh and spoke softly. "Ten minutes… Are you sure you haven't gotten anything?"

"Um… Yeah, I'm sure. I swear I'm not congested or anything… I don't know why I haven't gotten anything today… Hurk!" Spike spoke before suddenly choking and belching out a plume of green fire. "Oh, wait! Never mind! I've got something!"

I felt a crazy amount of hope suddenly fill my heart as a huge smile spread across my face. Finally! Now we were sure to locate our friend! I was fearful he may not have even existed, but clearly Princess Celestia knew that he did! "Well?! What does it say?! Does she know how and where to find James?!"

Spike seemed just as excited as I was while he unfurled the scroll. "OK! Princess Celestia says….." His excited expression slowly dissolved into a look of both bewilderment and severe…disappointment. "Dear Twilight… I am contacting you ahead of time to inform you…that I will possibly be attending Nightmare Night this year…"

I… I just snapped at that point. I let out a yell before I snatched that scroll from Spike's hands and hurling it into my fireplace. I then cast an ignition spell at the small amount of leftover wood to cause it to flare up and ignite. The scroll was reduced to ashes in mere seconds as I just stood there. Watching. The flames quickly died out with there being so little wood since I normally do not use my fireplace in summer.

"Twilight… Are you all right?" Spike asked from behind me with a rather intimidated tone to his voice.

I was breathing hard. I felt so…hurt. So angry and frustrated. But when I looked at Spike and saw how scared he was, I felt so much guilt for snapping like I did. I tried to calm down, tears trickling down my face. "I'm sorry… I…"

"She…ignored us, Twilight… Why would she do that?" Spike asked, clearly as baffled as I was.

"I don't know… This… This isn't right… She would never hide anything from me…" I felt so helpless at that moment. The one pony in all of Equestria who could help us had turned a deaf ear to my requests… Why?

Spike reached out to me and gave me a tender hug. "What should we do?"

I replied as honestly as I could. "I don't know… I just…don't know…"

Not much later, I was just lying on my bed. Looking out the window. By then, rain had started to pour down. The sky was nothing but dark gray clouds as far as the eye could see. The weather perfectly reflected my mood.

I closed my eyes. I could almost hear him. Almost feel him. Was I losing my mind? Did I want to see him again so badly that my ears and eyes were starting to make me see and hear what I wanted to? I could almost see him… Feel him resting his hand on my side…

I opened my eyes the instant I felt pressure being applied to my ribs. It felt so real, yet… There was nopony around me at all. A flash of lightning streaked through the sky in the distance while the rumbling of thunder shook the library. I was alone.

This… I could not let this go on. I had to do something. If Princess Celestia would not help me and my friends bring James home, then… I would send something to James directly. Regardless of where he is!

I rushed downstairs to the basement where I keep most of my supplies and where I do a large amount of my research when it does not involve reading books. I went to a large coiled up roll of parchment and began to pull it out while keeping a pair of scissors ready to cut it once I felt I had pulled out enough. Once the length reached seven feet, I stopped and cut the unfurled parchment free. I then rushed back up the stairs and into the loft with it floating behind me. I was going to need much more than just a scroll for everything I needed to say.

Taking a quill, I began to write. Bit by bit I explained what had occurred in James' absence. How our friends have been taking it. How much…I wanted to see him again.

I could feel my feelings bubbling over as I wrote. I could just feel ounces of it spilling out with every stroke of the quill I made. At one point, I finally just burst into tears. I just want to have him back home. Real or not, James is a true friend to me. And…it hurts knowing I may not ever see him again. I looked down once I managed to stop crying. Some of my tears had fallen onto the parchment, spreading out some of the ink I had used to write. But I did not mind. In a way, it meant that a part of me would be sent with the message.

Once the massive message was finished, I rolled it up and levitated over to me a normal scroll. In it, I wrote. "Dear Princess Celestia. I have noticed that you have been ignoring my most recent messages. I understand there is something you do not want to tell me, but I will not pry into it. However, there is an important request I must ask of you. Along with this scroll is a message I have written for James. If you have any idea where he is, wherever he may be, please… I beg you, please send this message to him. And…if you can, please cast a 'return to sender' spell on it so that it will return to me in 24 hours. I know this is an unusual request, but please. Do send this to him. I cannot stress how grateful I would be. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Right when I finished writing that, I heard a voice behind me. "Twilight? Why do you have such a huge scroll with you?"

I turned and found Spike looking at me. Just the person I wanted to see. "This? Well… This is for James. And I need you to send it to Princess Celestia with this scroll here."

"Huh? For him?! But every message I send only goes to Princess Celestia and no one else!" Spike exclaimed as he held his hands out to his sides.

I understood his confusion, so I explained my plan. "I know. But this scroll here has a message for her. To send THIS message to James if she knows where he is."

He was understandably doubtful of the whole thing. "Do you think she will? Especially after ignoring the last two?"

"It's worth a try… And if this doesn't work, then I'm out of ideas." I admitted with a frown. There was a lot riding on this try.

"Well… OK. I'll go ahead and send them." Spike spoke with a smile before taking both scrolls in hand and running up to the closest window again. Although it looked like he had some trouble getting his hand around the extremely thick scroll that was meant for James. Even so, he got to the window and pushed it open before blowing fire onto the scrolls and sending them away in a puff of smoke. "Good thing these things are weatherproof when being sent."

"Thank you, Spike… Now all we can do is wait." I spoke with a relieved sigh. I was still more worried than I had been in a long time. But at least now, I have hope. Along with the chronicling of everything that has happened over the last three days, I included a request that James attach a message of his own with it before it returns. Since I know he is a late riser and it is just barely past 9 am, he probably is not even awake yet. I am sure he will see it when he wakes up. Assuming Princess Celestia does honor my request. And…that he actually exists.

I am going to stop writing here. There is really nothing else worth mentioning. But…I think I will sleep a little easier tonight. I can only hope that this crisis is resolved soon.

I… Everything feels…so dark. Like…something is missing. I woke up today feeling no energy… All I could remember at that instant… The nightmares… The horrible nightmares….

I heard a cooing in my ear as I just lied there in bed. It was Angela. James' pet dove. She cooed and nuzzled me while I did not move. I felt so empty inside… So hollow. I wanted to smile. I wanted to return Angela's affection, but… I had no drive. Like there was a piece of me missing that would make me feel whole.

"Good morning, Angela… I'll feed you soon." I muttered softly. No matter how awful I felt, I still had a job to do. I did not want my little friends to starve. I tried to stand, but fell right out of bed. I did not mind though. Nothing really seemed to matter at that moment.

I hardly remembered what happened next. I felt like some unseen force was moving me while my mind was somewhere else. Like my body was moving on its own. By the time I actually took a good look around, I saw that all of my little animal friends were busy eating. I was watching from the little bridge that crossed the brook in front of my house. But even though they were all eating, they seemed so…sad. It was like they could feel my emptiness.

"Why doesn't this make me happy anymore…?" I asked myself. Little animals had always been my passion. Just being with them always made me happy. But now…I was hardly feeling anything around them. They had been overshadowed by a new passion. A passion…for the only man I have ever loved.

I… I still can't believe he's not with me anymore… I loved him so much… And he loved me. His touch. His kisses. His voice. I… I crave them. It hurts when I think about him knowing he's gone… I felt so alone at that moment. I could feel tears spilling down my face, but no sounds came from my mouth.

I felt a tapping on my leg. When I looked down, I saw Angel looking up at me with such a worried expression. I could always count on him to be there to support me when things got hard. I managed to smile, even if just a little. "Hello, Angel… Did you eat enough?"

My cute little bunny nodded, but then held up something. It looked like he had found a light blue gemstone. While he held it up with one paw, he pointed at it with the other. Was he trying to tell me something? "A bright blue gemstone… Light blue… It…kind of looks like… Rarity?"

That blue… It was the same color as the three diamonds that make up Rarity's cutie mark. I felt a slight smile creep across my face. Rarity has been my best friend for a long time now. I know she can't fill the emptiness in my heart that only my boyfriend can, but being with her… It should at least help me feel a little better. "Thank you, Angel… I'll be back in a while. Be a good boy, all right?"

Angel nodded with a relieved looking smile and gave my leg a hug. I gently petted him on the head and nuzzled him goodbye before turning and walking towards Ponyville. It was going to be a long day…

I honestly don't remember anything that happened between leaving my house and arriving at Rarity's home. It was like my body was just on autopilot while I just looked down at the ground. I knocked on the door and waited. Soon, the door opened and Rarity was standing on the other side.

I guess I could go into detail about what I told her and what was said, but I noticed Rarity occasionally writing something down. She was probably keeping a diary of what had been happening. I don't think I should repeat everything we talked about… That would be boring if somepony read her diary and then read mine and found that we both documented the exact same thing, right…?

Rarity had to tend to one of her clients for a while after I had a banana for a snack, so I went upstairs to not get in the way. There was nothing for me to do, so I went to Rarity's room. It looked clean and tidy, just like Rarity prefers everything. But as I looked around, I saw something familiar. A beautiful robe with gold threads woven into it.

It was… The robe Rarity had woven for James to wear when we attend the Grand Galloping Gala in April next year. It looked so majestic and beautiful. The gold threads shimmering like stars against the deep blue night sky. I could almost see him in it. Standing as regally as any noble in Canterlot.

I could not help myself. I pulled the robe down from its hanger and fell onto Rarity's bed with it. I held it in my arms, pressing my face against it. "You would look amazing in this…" It was one of the few things I had to remember him by… Rarity did a splendid job keeping it clean and preserved. Just like how James would've wanted.

I swear… I could almost feel the robe embracing me back. As if he was wearing it at that moment. "I can feel you, honey…" I spoke as I felt a smile coming on. I felt…happy at that moment when I closed my eyes. I could feel his arms wrapping around me…

"Fluttershy… Fluttershy? Darling, can you hear me?" I heard a voice speak. I opened my eyes, finding James' robe to be empty. I felt a hoof rubbing my back and found Rarity standing beside me. "Fluttershy… I spoke your name five times before you looked at me. Are you all right? And…what are you doing to that robe?"

I felt so depressed as I looked at the empty robe. There was no one inside it to hold me… To kiss me… To love me. "I… I don't know anymore…"

Rarity sighed while using her magic to place the robe back on the hanger I had taken it from. "I understand exactly how you feel, Fluttershy. But I'm here for you. Come. I just prepared some tea for us." A little warm tea sounded pretty good then. I slowly climbed off of her bed and followed my friend downstairs into her kitchen.

There was a pot of tea with two tiny cups set on Rarity's kitchen table with a vase of pansies in the middle. "Over here, darling. Pull up a stool." Rarity spoke while she took a seat at one end. I did the same and sat down at the other end.

"I know you like honey in your tea, so I made certain to add an exceptionally large amount this time." Rarity spoke with a smile as the teacups and the pot were covered by a light blue magic aura. I watched silently while the cups were filled. I could smell the honey in the steam. "There you go, darling. Drink up."

I was not trusting my hooves to properly hold the cup at the time, so I used my right wing to hold it between my feathers. I took a light sip. The taste of the honey was very rich. I could not help but smile. Even if it was a very tiny smile. "It does my heart good to see you smile, Fluttershy." I heard Rarity speak from across the table.

"Good warm tea is good for calming nerves, I guess…." I spoke softly in response. I looked at Rarity, who was looking back at me. "But…I don't know if I feel happy…or just distracted now…"

Rarity frowned with a very sad expression. "Darling… Is there anything you want to tell me?"

I had so many questions hopping around in my head. So many unpleasant thoughts brought on by my depression… But I guess there was one question on my mind I could ask. Before I did, I let out a long sigh and looked down at my cup of tea. I could see my face looking back at me on the surface. I looked so tired. Almost as if I was sick. "Rarity… Do you think… James and I… Do you think we're meant to be…?"

My friend sighed before looking right at me. "Darling… Of course you two were meant for each other. And it only became clear to me just how much you two were meant the day I saw his cutie mark."

"Huh? His…cutie mark? What made you so sure?" I asked while never looking away.

Rarity smiled reassuringly at me before she continued. "Fluttershy… You are a butterfly. And James is a dove. The two of you being gentle caring souls. Destined to soar together in harmony. A dove would never harm a butterfly. He would never leave you." I saw Rarity's horn become covered by her magic aura while she talked. What was she doing with it?

"Look." Rarity spoke while she looked towards the ceiling. When I looked up, I watched as she used her magic to cause two delicately folded pieces of paper to float through the air. I never knew Rarity practiced origami sometimes. A butterfly made out of pink paper fluttered through the air while a dove folded from white paper did the same. Both were covered by Rarity's magic aura. "See how they fly together? In perfect unison? Beautiful, is it not?"

I felt tears spilling from my eyes. Watching the dove and butterfly flying in circles above me… It filled me with such a powerful longing. I wanted to hold that gentle dove in my arms again… I want to be his butterfly forever…

After a moment, the two fliers landed on the kitchen counter and leaned against each other as the magic aura faded. "That… It was lovely, Rarity." I spoke softly while looking at my friend. A white napkin floated over to my face and gently wiped at my cheeks, drying my tears.

"It was the least I could do, darling. I crafted those with you two in mind. A lovely pair, wouldn't you say?" Rarity replied with a somber smile. I could tell she was being sincere, but I could still see the worry in her eyes.

"It is… I mean…we are." I managed to smile a little. James… He really is my perfect match. And I feel ashamed to have ever doubted that.

The two of us continued to drink our tea in silence. It was quiet. There was not much light shining in through the windows. It was a calm, but depressing atmosphere. But then… I noticed just how little light was coming in through the windows. "Wait… Why is it so dark out?"

"Hm?" Rarity muttered before leaning towards a window. "Oh my, seems we're in for some rain. Strangely fitting considering what has happened lately. And with how much of a cloud cover we have, it'll probably last well into the evening."

I felt it would probably be best to get home while I could. I didn't bring an umbrella with me. "Oh… I should probably be going soon. But thank you for the tea, Rarity." I spoke with a sigh before finishing off the last bit of tea in my cup.

"It was a pleasure, Fluttershy. And please… Don't lose hope. I know you'll be seeing him again soon." Rarity spoke to me as she gathered up the dishes. But as she walked towards the sink to clean them, I heard her mutter softly. "At least…I hope we will…" I don't think she wanted me to hear that, so I pretended I didn't hear anything.

I left soon after. I was not in much of a hurry though. I don't even remember much of what happened during the walk home. But when I got inside my cottage, I was soaked to the bone. I didn't care though. Hardly anything mattered to me by then..

I went upstairs to my bathroom and dried myself off with a towel as much as I could. I then collapsed onto my bed. I did not want to move. The sound of the rain falling was soothing to me. At least… I think it is supposed to be soothing.

While I lied there, my eyes noticed something on the nightstand next to the side of the bed James always preferred to sleep on. A pair of glasses.

"That's…" I crawled closer to the edge of the bed. Those glasses… They belong to him. They're all I have left of him.

I decided to leave them be. I would wait for James to come home before they are moved. He is the only person who needs them anyway.

I…. I don't want to write anymore… I just want to lie here… In the dark. Waiting… Good night.

I must have overslept today. Spike was shaking me to wake up. "Come on, Twilight. You almost never sleep this late. It's past 9 in the morning!"

"Huh? Oh… Thanks, Spike." I groaned while I sat up in bed. I let out a long yawn as I sat up in bed before hopping out of it. I must have been very mentally exhausted the day before.

"Are you sure you're feeling all right? You're not sick, are you?" Spike asked while he followed me down the steps.

I turned to look at him and sighed. "Unless being sick with worry counts, I don't think so."

"Oh… Well, do you want anything for…oomph! Hurk!" Spike suddenly gagged as his cheeks started to puff up.

"Whoa… Are you OK? Quick, get in the bathroom! In the toilet, not in the sink!" I honestly thought he was about to vomit and did not want it on my clean floor.

"No… It's not that… I've…got a big one coming… Urk!" Spike managed to croak out a reply before letting out a loud belch. The puff of flame that came out of his mouth quickly solidified into…a scroll? "Whoa… That's the biggest scrolled I've ever barfed out."

"Hang on…" I muttered while stepping forward to take a closer look at the scroll that was floating in the air. It was tightly coiled with the royal seal placed on a red ribbon that was keeping it from unfurling. "This is MY message from yesterday! Did Princess Celestia actually send it to…"

Spike coughed a bit to clear his throat. "Well… One way to find out, right?"

I nodded. I then slid the ribbon off and allowed the scroll to unfurl. But when it was halfway unfurled, something fell out. A folded piece of white paper. "What's this…?" I muttered while I dropped the scroll. I used my magic to pick up the paper and unfolded it.

"Where'd that come from?" Spike asked while he stepped forward as I held it in front of my face. "Who wrote it?"

As I read, I felt tears filling my eyes before spilling over in seconds. But not tears of sorrow. I felt my body starting to feel weak. I slowly dropped to my knees as I read. "Twilight? What's wrong? Why're you crying?" Spike asked as he placed his hand on my shoulder.

I could not contain myself any longer. I lost my grip on the note and held my hoof to my face as I sobbed hard. I was not devastated. I was happy. Joyous, even! That note. It had been written in James' handwriting! My message did reach him! Which meant…he is real!

"Spike… That note came from James…" I managed to mutter between sobs. I just could not speak. After three days of uncertainty, doubt, and fear, I finally had an answer to the question me and my friends had been wondering. James is alive. He is real. And he wants to come home to us.

"It is?!" Spike gasped before snatching up the note and looking it over himself. "This definitely isn't yours or Princess Celestia's writing…"

"Spike… You know what to do. They need to see this." I spoke with a tearful smile.

Spike turned and looked at me before smiling with a nod. "You got it." He ran up to the closest window and pushed it open. With a puff of green fire, the note was turned into smoke and floated away. "Princess Celestia's in for a big surprise when she reads that."

There is nothing else to write about now. James is surely about to be brought within the hour. Everything is going to be fine now. Everything is about to go back to normal.

And most importantly, we will soon have our friend back. Now we just need to wait.


	13. To Hell and Back

I know what you are thinking. That I just woke up in bed next to my beautiful girlfriend. Tender little Fluttershy. Well… I am sorry to say that is not the case. I have just woken up and I was quick to notice something odd. When did Fluttershy's ceiling become…white?

The bed felt different too. I looked to my side to check on Fluttershy, but froze when I found she was not there. My eyes darted around the room. The simple walls. The windows that showed brick houses on the other side of the street. A television and my video game consoles. A terrible sense of dread hit me like a brick as I got out of bed and looked out the window. "This… This is a nightmare…."

I was not in Ponyville anymore. I was not even in Equestria anymore. I was back on Earth in my house. But was I happy to be back on the planet where I had been born and raised? No. Not in the least. I… Oh god, I…

I cannot even describe how I felt at that moment of realization. How did I get here? Will I ever be able to go back to Equestria? Was everything that happened in Equestria a dream? Do I even still have…

I froze as I recalled that I now have a cutie mark. As I normally sleep shirtless, my arms were completely exposed. I immediately looked down at my upper arms as I was filled with hope. But those hopes were immediately crushed. My elegant white cutie marks were gone.

The truth of the situation hit me harder than anything I had ever felt before. I collapsed to my knees and buried my face onto my bed's sheets. My cutie mark. My friends. My girlfriend… It was all a lie. Everything that happened to me in Equestria never happened at all…

From what I could tell from my parents is that I had been missing for exactly three weeks. I would rather not go into detail on what was said at the conversation. All I could tell them was that I had no memory of what had happened over the course of that time. I mean, really. Would they believe me if I said that I had been taken to a world where the dominant races are ponies where pegasi fly and unicorns can use magic? I would likely have been taken to an insane asylum if I tried to tell them that.

There was one other piece of equipment I own that may have held proof of Equestria's existence. My DSi game system. The pictures I took while there were probably still on it. Unless…they were never taken in the first place. I did not have the heart to turn it on and check. I was in enough pain already.

…..What can I really say about my time back home on Earth? Compared to life in Equestria, life on Earth is repetitive, dull, and quite frankly depressing. The colors of my surroundings are bland or muted while the colors of Equestria were always so vibrant and lush. Everything always felt so lively there. But here… It is enough to make me cry.

What was worse was being reminded just how tainted this world is compared to the apparent utopia that is Equestria. Everywhere I looked while browsing the Internet, I saw plenty of gruesome and unpleasant truths about the world. Ethnic cleansing in Sudan and Syria. Forest fires triggered by arson. Terrorist attacks in the Middle East carried out by a misguided Islamic cult. A global economic crisis with no end in sight. Whales being slaughtered in a Japanese bay. And a family murdered at a Christmas party by a father dressed as Santa Claus himself.

These constant reminders of the worst of my world only made me crave to be back in Equestria even more than I already was. I can distinctly remember muttering to myself, "These things never happen in Equestria…"

The only… I am sorry. I really do not want to talk about anything that happened. And besides, what is there to talk about? Dull bland uninteresting daily activities without my dearest friends by my side. Every moment was an emotional hell for me as I constantly craved to be with my friends and beloved again. Every night, I had to use heavy doses of sleep aids just to get to sleep. And even then, I would cry into my pillow first. I know I am not doing a good job of summing up my feelings and actions right now, but I cannot help that. I am devoid of inspiration.

However, there was one event that did lift my spirits. On the third day I woke up in my house, I found a peculiar sight next to my laptop. A rolled-up scroll. A red ribbon tied around the center was containing it. But who uses scrolls in this day and age? The only place I know of that still uses them is…..Equestria.

I shook my head. This was clearly a case of wishful thinking. I wanted to go back home to Equestria so badly; my mind was making me see things that I would only find there. I ignored the scroll as I got dressed and prepared to go to work. At the very least, focusing on my job would help keep my mind off of my emotional pain.

I came home hours later. I went to my room and took off my shoes to relax. But to my bewilderment, that scroll was still there. I decided to take a closer look to see if it was some sort of prank. To my shock, I recognized the golden seal on top right away. A round seal with a horseshoe relief.

I could hardly believe what I was seeing. But I began to believe more when I touched it to make certain it was not a mirage. Before I could open it to read its contents, I remembered the photos on my DSi. I quickly turned it on and went to the photo gallery. And sure enough, there they were. The photos I had while in Equestria.

There was the photo I had taken of Fluttershy when she was napping by the pond in the park. The photo of me standing beside Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. The photo Angel helped me take of me and Fluttershy kneeling beside the baby rabbits I helped gather up. There were many others as well, but one brought tears to my eyes. The photo Twilight Sparkle had taken of Fluttershy and I in the middle of a tender kiss and embrace.

My vision had become blurry as I was filled with an absurd amount of hope. These photos were all the proof I needed. My friends do exist. Everything that happened was not a dream. They are real!

My attention turned to the scroll that sat beside my laptop. Wasting no time, I slid off the cloth that kept the scroll curled up. But when I unrolled it… Wow. Just wow. The scroll dropped to the floor and continued to roll. The whole scroll was longer than my entire body. "Who the hell wrote this?"

I was tempted to start reading right away, but I froze at the thought of someone coming in and finding me reading this. Not taking any chances, I locked the door to my room and sat myself down in my chair. I started at the top of the scroll and began to read my way down.

"Dear James. I hope this gets to you. This is Twilight Sparkle writing to you. I hope you're all right. Three days ago, Fluttershy came to me asking if I had seen you. From what we found out, it seemed that you had disappeared into thin air. We tried searching for you and asking around, but…"

I paused for a moment as my mind comprehended the name I had read at the start. Twilight Sparkle. Never before was I so relieved to see that name. I literally had to go back and reread that line several times to make certain it was indeed from that brilliant purple unicorn mare. "Twi…"

I continued to read as my heart's pace began to quicken in anticipation. "We miss you, James. And we're constantly worried about you. Even though it's only been three days since you disappeared, things haven't been the same. Fluttershy still looks after her animals every day, but she seems…emptier now. She's listless and doesn't even seem to notice her own name being called at times. She's started spending more time with us, probably to help her feel better, but it's not helping very much. She seems lost without you. And to be honest…I think we all are a little more lost now that we've lost you. It's just not the same in Ponyville without you."

I read the paragraph over and over. Ponyville. My true home did exist. And… "Fluttershy… Oh, honey… I miss you, baby…" I had begun to tear up. I wanted to save the tears for after I had finished reading, but that probably would not be the case at this rate. I continued to read, eager to find out what else was in the message.

"Pinkie Pie… She still keeps that smile on her face and even cracks jokes as often as always. But there are times when her laughter doesn't quite sound authentic. Like she is forcing herself to smile. Sometimes she tells me she's going to throw you a huge party to welcome you back. I think that promise is the only thing keeping her hopes up. I've seen her depressed before. I hope you come home before she sinks that far."

"I've noticed that Applejack has not been bringing as many apples into market each day. I think her worrying about you has caused her to lose some of her usual gusto and passion while applebucking. She told me once that she always sees you in the morning when you're on your way to work and how discouraging it is to come into town and not see you at all. I know you and Applejack don't have the closest bond, but I want you to know that she wants to see you again just as badly as the rest of us do."

I could not hold back at this point. I took off my glasses, held my face in one hand for support, and cried quietly. My emotions spilled out in quiet sobbing and flowing tears. I cannot recall the last time I cried so hard at anything.

It took several minutes for me to calm down enough to continue reading. "I've caught Rainbow Dash lounging around town a few times. Or rather… I think the better term is sulking. She took the discovery that you had disappeared pretty hard. It took a lot of convincing for her to not run off into the Everfree Forest. She was sure that you went in there to visit Zecora, but ran into trouble along the way. I… I really hope that isn't the case. I know you've explored the Everfree Forest before. You know how to handle yourself out there. But in any case, Rainbow Dash misses you big time. She really wants to go find you, but she has no idea where to look. It's eating away at her from the inside. She'll probably perform a Sonic Rainboom just to get to you faster when she learns you've come home." I have no knowledge of what a Sonic Rainboom even is, but I assume it is some sort of aerial stunt Rainbow Dash had developed.

"I think Rarity has been losing sleep over worrying about you. She always seems less tidy than she usually is and she always has bags under her eyes. She told me that she always thinks of you whenever she looks at the bracelet you bought for her. She really misses your company and your occasional witty retorts. I want you to know that you really made a friend in her, James. She's praying for your safe return." My thoughts trailed back to Rarity. She was the first pony in Equestria to ever help me. She gave me a place to stay. She made clothes for me. She even wove that robe with real gold threads for me. All without asking for anything in return. How I want to see her again.

"I… I don't think I need to go into much detail about how I feel. The words above say enough. I miss you, James. I want you to come back. I love you, as I'm sure you still know. So you know just how shaken up I am by your absence. I…" I paused as I noticed some of the ink had been spread out from what I think was tears that had fallen on the scroll. "I want you to come home! We all want you to come home! We never knew what we really had until it was gone! You've been a great friend to us, James. And it hurts not being able to see and hear you anymore!"

I could literally feel the sheer emotion Twilight had put into her writing. My fingertips touched the scroll over where her tears had fallen. I continued the read on, trying to hold in my tears until after I had finished reading. "And it's not just us. Lots of other ponies have started asking about where you are. Diamond Tiara asked if she did something wrong that caused you to leave again. Mr. and Mrs. Cake are considering giving you a bonus when you return. Even Derpy has gotten worried about you. She says she always saw you at least once a day, almost like it was part of her daily schedule. And… Scootaloo. She's not the same tomboyish little filly I know."

I paused as I read the name of the filly who had become like a little sister to me. "We've been trying to hide the news from the girls so they wouldn't worry about you. But after the first full day, I think they started to catch on. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle certainly seem unhappy most of the time, but Scootaloo is just…depressed. I never knew it was possible for her to look that down about anything. If you need an example of how depressed she is… I haven't seen her ride her scooter at all lately. She has no drive left for anything. She misses you. Probably more than most other ponies. I know she'll be thrilled to see you again."

"I've been trying to ask Princess Celestia for help in locating you. But she seems to be ignoring every scroll I send to her. I haven't gotten a single reply. I don't want to think badly of our princess, but… I think she's hiding something. It's this feeling in my gut that there's something she's not telling us." I thought back to the day I first met Celestia and Luna and how they seemed to be unwilling to answer our questions regarding the obsolete law involving humans that had led me to leave Ponyville for two days. Was her silence linked to that day?

"If you're reading this scroll, it means that Princess Celestia was able to send it to you. And if she did, I think she also honored my other request. This scroll will probably return to Equestria in 24 hours after being sent to you. Before it returns, I have a favor to ask. Please include something in the scroll to show that you did receive it. Something that will set our fears to rest. A personal belonging, a note explaining where you are, anything. Just as long as it proves that you're alive. And don't wait. Wrap it in the scroll before it can return to us." There was a small gap between this and the next line of text. "I think I've said all I need to, James. I hope this reaches you. And I hope you're OK. If you do get this, just know that we're all thinking about you and praying for your safe return home. We love you, James. Please come home soon. Your faithful and eternal friend, Twilight Sparkle."

With nothing else to read, I let my emotions out. I honestly cannot remember how long I had been crying, but my eyes were quite sore by the time I regained my composure. The pain of knowing that I had been separated from my dearest friends was stronger than ever before now that I knew that they really do exist. But along with that pain came a glimmer of hope. If I could end up being taken away from Equestria, perhaps there is a way for me to go back.

I remembered the warning Twilight had mentioned in the scroll. I had to act quickly as I had no idea how much time was left before the scroll would return to Equestria. I grabbed the closest blank sheet of paper I could find and took a pen in hand. I began to write while still shedding tears.

"Twilight, this is James speaking. I got your message and I can't express how relieved I am that I know all the time we spent together was not a dream. I'm alive, but I'm far from OK. I'm back home on Earth, my home planet. And I don't want to be here anymore! I want to come home to you. I want to be with you and the rest of our friends again. Please, tell Celestia and Luna where I am. I want to go home! If anyone can get me back to Equestria, it's them. I'm counting on you. The sooner I'm back home, the better. Also, please tell Scootaloo that I didn't leave on my own. I don't know how I got here and, to be honest, I hate it here. Please don't wait, Twilight. This is like a living nightmare for me. I miss you all. Please… Please, help." I rolled the sheet of paper up with the scroll and slid the ribbon over it to hold it together. All I could do now was hope and wait.

Nothing of importance occurred the rest of the night. When I awoke the following morning, I found that the scroll had disappeared from my room. In somewhat better spirits than before, I got dressed and began to pack some extra clothes in a bag. I wanted to be prepared for my return to Equestria. That, and I wanted to save Rarity the trouble of making winter and summer clothing for me.

I put on a black t-shirt with a pair of gray sweat pants before sliding on a pair of durable black boots. I began to gather up my portable game devices, but not for the games on them. I wanted to bring some of Earth's culture with me to share with my friends. Namely various types of music stored on their hard drives. I packed my bag as much as I could and waited while playing a video game on my TV.

However, as the minutes went by, I began to once again wonder if my eyes had been playing tricks on me the previous day. Did I really see that scroll and write a reply to it? Did I really receive a message from friends who may not even exist? As my doubts grew stronger, I felt my enthusiasm fade rapidly. Unable to bring myself to even play, I turned off the console and television while holding my head in my hands.

"Why does the truth always hurt so much…?" I asked myself. But as I said that, a most curious thing happened to me. I felt the chair I was sitting on disappear out from under me as I fell flat on my back. "Woah! Where's my chair?!" I sat up, shaken by the force of the fall. "Where's my stuff?! Where's my…..room?"

Something very peculiar had happened. I was not in my room anymore. I was outdoors. My bag was right beside me, but everything else of mine was gone. Where was I? This felt very familiar too. It was just like the time when I first ended up in…

I froze as I recognized the similarities. This was not just a case of déjà vu. I was probably in Equestria. The area around me bore a resemblance to the local park just outside Ponyville. Or was it the actual park? Regardless, I headed north. "If this is a dream, please don't wake me up."

Before I went very far, I froze. I remembered that my cutie mark had disappeared when I was back home. But since this area resembled a place in Equestria… "Maybe… It's here?" I muttered as I lifted my sleeve. To my delight, I found that the white dovelike design was once again spread over my upper arm. Of course, this also raised questions. Why was my cutie mark missing while I was on Earth? And why had it returned here? Is there something in Equestria's atmosphere that makes cutie marks visible that other worlds lack? I could not say for sure as I was uncertain if I was even back in Equestria at the time. I continued north, hoping to find more evidence of my current location.

I did not get far before the thatched roofs of humble buildings began to appear on the horizon. I quickened my pace, eager to see if it was indeed the place I was thinking of. When I drew close enough to see into the collection of structures, I felt my heart leap at the sight of the locals going about their business. Only they were not humans. They were something else entirely. Ponies.

My vision became blurred from tears. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. "I'm home…"

I slowly walked into town while looking around at my surroundings. The ponies around me stopped and stared in my direction. Were they really that surprised to see me? I did not have enough time to ask as I suddenly heard a woman shriek somewhere behind me. Just as I turned around, I was tackled to the ground rather forcefully. "Ow! That wasn't fun, Pinkie Pie!"

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshyouc ameback!" A familiar voice spoke very quickly while a familiar pink pony squeezed me in a tight and strong embrace.

I was slightly dazed from the force of the impact, so I closed my eyes for a moment… Wait. Did I really say 'Pinkie Pie' when I was tackled? With my eyes closed, I sniffed the pony's coat. She smelled of freshly baked sweet treats. I recognized the scent immediately. "Pinkie Pie?"

The pony released her grip on me and placed some distance between our faces. "You remembered me! I knew you'd never forget about… Uh, James? Are you OK? Your eyes look kinda watery."

The sight of my cheerful friend right in front of me was too much to take in all at once. Just days ago, I thought she did not really exist. And now she was right in front of me. "Pinkie Pie…" I muttered seconds before I broke down in tears and embraced her as tightly as I could. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you…"

Pinkie Pie rested her head on my shoulder and whispered as her voice began to break. "Don't cry, James. You're home now. And besides, you're gonna make me cry if you keep this up."

I sobbed heavily, unmindful of anyone who happened to be watching. "It was a nightmare… I hated being without you and the others… It's like I just woke up…"

My friend patted me on the back as she replied, "Then I guess that means you're gonna have really sweet dreams tonight. Sweet as the cupcakes I just baked!" But she then looked me in the eye with a concerned frown. "But are you OK? I've never seen you get this teary-eyed."

I muttered while still grasping her tightly. "I'm…getting better…"

Pinkie Pie let out a giggle as she also embraced me with her forelegs. "I'll stay right here for you until you're back up to 100%. Making ponies…I mean people smile is my specialty."

"Thanks, Pinkie… God, I missed you…" I squinted my eyes shut as tears streamed down my face.

"I missed you too, James… Things…just weren't the same with you gone." Pinkie Pie replied, her voice sounding even more depressed than the time I warned her of the dangers of diabetes.

"James…? James?! Whoa nelly, it really is you!" A familiar voice shouted in a southern accent as I heard the sound of wagon wheels and hooves clopping rapidly getting closer. "When'd ya get back?! We've been looking all… Uh, James? Ya'll OK there?"

Pinkie Pie looked up, as the owner of the voice was probably right behind me. "Give him a minute, Applejack. He really missed us. He said it was like a nightmare while he was away."

I felt a hoof pat me on the back tenderly. "Well, ya'll don't have ta worry about that anymore. Nightmare's over, James. Fer both of us."

I looked behind me to see the face of my dependable country friend looking at me with her big green eyes. "AJ…" I muttered before throwing my arms around her neck.

"Easy there, pardner. Don't go thinkin' I didn't miss ya too. Look. I even left my hat off fer ya since ya think I look better without it." Applejack replied as she embraced me with one of her forelegs. "My mornins' weren't the same without ya…"

I replied, "My whole days weren't the same without all of you…" I choked up and began to cry softly again, my face buried in Applejack's orange coat.

"Let it all out, pardner. I know we all shed a tear or two while ya'll were away." Applejack whispered into my ear. I managed to stop crying after a moment and stroked Applejack's blond mane. "I still look fine to ya?"

I nodded with a slight smile. "Yeah… You're looking fine with your mane completely exposed."

Applejack chuckled, "Now that's the face I was hopin' ta see. Always good ta see a smile on yer face, James."

I let go of my friend and looked back and forth at the two earth ponies before me. Pinkie Pie rubbed her eyes, probably wiping away a tear. I asked, "Not to change the subject, but are the other girls all right? And Fluttershy. Is she OK?"

The two earth ponies seemed rather hesitant to answer my question as they began to avert their eyes. Applejack spoke, "Depends by whatcha mean by 'OK', pardner. Fluttershy… Well… How do I say this… She's alive, if that helps."

Pinkie Pie frowned, "She's been a wreck ever since you disappeared. That's the best way I can sum it up. It just started out with her being worried, but it got worse over time. She's… Well, I think you better go see her right away. You remember where her cottage is, right?"

I nodded, "Just west of Ponyville, northwest of Sweet Apple Acres. Thanks for the heads-up." I climbed to my feet and asked, "I'll catch up with the others girls after I see Fluttershy. But don't tell them I'm home yet. I'd like to see the looks on their faces when I show up in person."

Pinkie Pie smiled, "Will do! And….. Oh yeah! I just remembered something! Gotta go! I'll see you tonight!" The pink pony dashed out of sight as she was clearly in a hurry.

"You think she has a party to set up?" I asked Applejack.

"Yup. That's the only thing she ever runs off that fast fer." She replied with a chuckle. She then smiled at me, "I'm gonna get goin' too. I reckon we'll be seein' each other again today. But if I don't see ya again, I'll stop by Fluttershy's place just ta say hi. All right?"

I nodded, "Sounds like a plan. See ya around, AJ." I then hurried in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage after snatching up my bag.

Quite a few ponies waved and said hello to me as I passed by. All I could do was wave in response as I was in a great hurry. But once I had reached the center of the meadow that separated Fluttershy's cottage, I paused for a moment to take in my surroundings. The air smelled fresh and clean. Only the sound of the wind and birds chirping filled the air, completely devoid of any mechanical noise or human activity. And all around me was the vast beautiful natural landscape I so cherished. Green grass, vividly colored flowers, and the vast row of trees that make up the border of the Everfree Forest in the distance. But I did not have to take it in for too long. Somepony needed me.

I hurried on ahead, finding Fluttershy's humble cottage right where I expected to find it. Everything seemed fine from the outside. At least until I noticed the animals that lived around it. They all seemed rather…...gloomy. The place is usually bustling with activity, but it was disturbingly dull at the time. "Something's wrong here…" I distinctly remember muttering to myself.

I noticed Angel's doghouse…or is it rabbithouse? Anyway, I saw Fluttershy's personal pet resting at the entrance with a surprisingly unhappy expression on his face. Normally, he either looked annoyed or happy. But this time, he seemed very down. While I am fairly certain he does not think highly of me, I decided to approach him.

"Hey there, Angel… Remember me? James?" I asked as I got down on one knee.

The white rabbit looked up at me, probably having been too unhappy to notice my presence at first. When we locked eyes, I think I noticed him tear up before he…punched me? Well, it looked like a punch, but it felt like a light tap. Possibly a means of venting his frustration over Fluttershy's emotional distress during the previous three days. However, he then bounded up onto my leg and nuzzled me while holding onto my shirt. "Whoa… I thought you were really picky about who you like. Something happen?"

Angel bounded up the slope to the cottage's front door and pointed at it. I followed behind him and asked, "Is Fluttershy OK? Did something happen to her?" The rabbit tried to push me towards the door. Taking this as something that translated along the lines of 'Hurry, she needs you', I nodded and stepped inside the cottage.

The interior seemed just fine from what I could see. Everything was tidy and sorted. But what bothered me was just how quiet it was. If she heard the door close, Fluttershy would be quick to see who her guest was. The fact that she had not come running worried me.

I remained silent as I very quietly walked upstairs. I shifted my weight to the balls of my feet to minimize creaking with each step to avoid alerting Fluttershy. Assuming she was even home, that is.

When I reached the top of the stairs, I froze. Sprawled out on the bed was Fluttershy. She had her face buried in her forelegs while taking long breaths. I was quick to notice how unkempt her mane was, strands of hair sticking out all over it. But I also noticed my glasses on the bed in front of… Wait. My glasses?! No wonder everything was so blurry in the distance! It was the one possession of mine that had been left behind.

I did not want to just rush in while speaking in excitement. Nor was my mind prepared to do so. I tiptoed to the edge of the bed that Fluttershy had her back to and leaned forward. I wrapped my arms around the timid pegasus and whispered into her ear. "I'm home, honey. I missed you."

I felt Fluttershy tense up under me as she spoke. "Who's there… When did you get in here?"

"It's me, Fluttershy. It's James." I replied with a whisper.

Fluttershy slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder at me. Her eyes… What a sad sight. They were bloodshot and empty. However, as she stared at me for a moment, I saw a glimmer of life return to them. "Where… Where have you…" Fluttershy broke down into tears right in front of me as she stood up and leapt at me. I very nearly fell backwards from the force of her jump. I could feel her sobbing into my shirt uncontrollably. I could not contain my emotions either as I was now reunited with the girl I love. I too broke down into tears as I embraced the beautiful pegasus tightly.

The two of us paused as we felt something tap us. When we looked down, we found Angel holding up a box of tissue paper. "Thanks, Angel… I really need this." I muttered as I snatched one from the box.

"Me too… Thank you, Angel." Fluttershy said with a tearful smile as she yanked one from the box using her teeth. The two of us noisily blew our noses in unison. One was not enough as we both grabbed a second and used them up too. Angel then set the box down on the edge of the bed and ran back down the stairs, probably to give us some privacy.

"Feeling better, honey?" I asked quietly while stroking Fluttershy's mane.

Fluttershy had not yet stopped crying, but at least she was not sobbing uncontrollably like before. "I missed you… Where did you go?!" She sounded hurt as she whimpered, probably fearful that I had abandoned her.

I sighed as I tried to restrain my emotions. "I was taken back home… To my home world, that is. I have no idea how it happened, but…" I bowed my head as I let my tears fall some more. "It was hellish without you… I was even afraid that everything that happened was just a dream… I hated being there…"

I just sat there, crying softly out of sheer emotion. But I paused when I felt Fluttershy place her hoof on my hand. I raised my head to look at her. While she was still shedding tears, I noticed a slight smile on her face. "I hated being without you too… But you're home now, right? You're not going to leave again, are you?"

I replied as I held her in a tearful embrace. "No chance in hell… I know what it's like being separated from you now. And it's more painful than you'd expect. I'm staying."

I could feel Fluttershy place her forelegs on my back in an embrace of her own. "I won't let anypony take you away from us again… I'll protect you from now on, James… I can't imagine life without you anymore."

The feeling was mutual as the two of us cuddled together, not moving from the bed. I had been taken away from those I hold dear and now I was finally with the most precious person in existence to me once again. Fluttershy whispered, "Now that you're back home, can I get you anything? A snack? Maybe some apple cider?"

I replied with a smile as I dried my tears, "Some water will do right now." Fluttershy grinned brightly as she flew down the stairs.

While I waited for Fluttershy to return, I took the time to put on my glasses. Everything I saw became much crisper and I was pleased to see not even a scratch or smudge on the lenses. As I looked around, I noticed a green chest at the foot of the bed that I had overlooked before. I climbed off the bed and popped the lid open. Inside were…my earlier journal entries.

"Fluttershy, you…" I muttered to myself as I took a closer look. There were only two or so stacks of paper, but I found that each set of notes for each individual day was stapled into separate stacks. I even found that the pages were listed in proper order from the start of the day to the end. I was tempted to read them, but I was interrupted by a tap on my shoulder.

"I got your water, James. I included a bit of ice too." I heard Fluttershy speak. I looked over my shoulder and found her with a wide glass of water resting on top of her head. I was thoroughly impressed by her sense of balance, as she was still airborne, giving me the impression that she had flown back upstairs with it on her head.

"Thanks, honey." I replied while taking the glass in hand and chugging the whole drink down. "Hoo… That felt nice."

Fluttershy nuzzled her face against mine. "Can I get you anything else? Anything at all?" She smiled brighter than I had seen in a long time. I could tell she was probably restraining her joy now that she had gotten all of her sorrow out of her system. After seeing how she acted when I mentioned getting a pet, I would not be surprised if… A pet?!

"Fluttershy, where's Angela? Is she OK too?" I asked, remembering the little white dove I had adopted some time before I disappeared from Equestria.

"Ooh, Angela! I forgot all about her!" Fluttershy gasped as she flew up to a birdhouse that was hanging from the ceiling. I watched as she lightly knocked on the side a few times with her hoof. "Angela, wake up! James is home!"

I saw a white dove poke its head out of the entrance. I held out my hand to her as it climbed out of the house. The dove looked at me for a moment before flying over to me and perching on my hand. She began to preen my fingers quickly and repeatedly, probably a sign that she had been longing for me. I gently stroked her feathers as I whispered, "I missed you, little angel." My pet cooed at my words.

"She really missed you too. I don't think she ate very much while you were missing." Fluttershy spoke as she landed beside me.

"Doves develop very close bonds, so I'm not surprised she would be like that with her friend gone." I replied while cuddling with the little white dove.

"Right, I almost forgot that. Well, is there anything else I can get you? Anything?" Fluttershy asked while watching my hand stroke Angela's head.

"I'm good… Actually, there's something I wanted to tell you. I ran into Pinkie Pie and Applejack in town, but I haven't met up with Twilight, Rarity, or Rainbow Dash yet. Would it be OK if I went to check on them so I can let them know I'm back?" I replied, remembering the rest of my friends.

Fluttershy frowned as she gestured with her hoof back and forth. "I… Well, I know they miss you. It's just that…you only just came home… I want to spend more time with you…"

I understand why Fluttershy did not want me to go alone. She adores me and did not want us to be separated again so soon after being reunited. I smiled as I placed my hand on her shoulder. "Fluttershy. This evening, I'm going to come home. I'm going to take a shower. And I'm going to sleep in this bed next to you, just like all the previous times. OK?"

My words seemed to register with my girlfriend well as she smiled with a nod. "OK… I trust you. I'll be waiting for you." She then nudged me towards the stairs. "Now go. Go tell your friends you're home again. I know Rarity's eager to see you again."

I chuckled, "Yeah, I can imagine. Watch over Angela for me while I'm gone, OK?" I placed Angela on top of Fluttershy's head before bidding them goodbye and going outside.

Before I went too far, I turned and looked back at the cottage to see if Fluttershy was still watching. As expected, she was watching from the doorway with Angela still nestled on top of her head. I paused in my tracks, my eyes fixated on her face. I truly did not want to leave her alone after being apart from her for a few days. But at the same time, I knew there were others who wanted to see me. Gathering my fortitude, I waved at my girlfriend with every intention of returning soon. She waved back at me with a soft smile, Angela doing the same with a wing. I smiled as I turned and headed towards Ponyville.

I knew where to find Twilight Sparkle and Rarity, but I had always been in the dark as to just where Rainbow Dash lives. Even so, I decided to visit Twilight first as her home was closest to my current location. Along the way, many ponies waved or said hello to me. While I was rather flattered by the attention, it also made me feel wanted. Like Ponyville, and Equestria as a whole, is where I truly belong.

The familiar form of the local library came into view, as it was the largest tree in the entire town. I peeked in through the window once I had reached it, curious if Twilight was on the ground floor. She did not seem to be there, although I did see Spike sorting some books on a shelf. If anyone in Ponyville knew where I could find Twilight Sparkle, it would be him.

I ducked low as I entered the library through the front door. "Who?" I heard Owlowiscious hoot to my right.

"Not now, Owlowiscious. I need to get these sorted right." Spike replied, clearly thinking the owl was speaking to him.

I smirked, "Actually, he was talking to me."

At my words, Spike froze as he dropped the books he was holding. "That sounds like…" He then turned and looked my way with eyes opened wide. "Oh my gosh, you're back! Where'd you go?!" Before I could even reply, Spike gasped, "Oh man. Twilight! She's gonna flip! Wait right here, I'll go get her!" I snickered a little as I watched the baby dragon run up the stairs to Twilight's personal quarters.

Mere seconds passed before I heard the clopping of hooves right over me. A few seconds later, I saw a familiar purple unicorn look down at me from the top of the staircase. The instant we locked eyes, she dashed down the stairs and towards me with a panicked and even tearful expression. I lowered myself closer to the ground as I prepared for impact. The unicorn leapt into my arms and embraced me the best she could, sobbing quietly with her face buried in my shirt.

"Twi… Did you get my message?" I asked quietly while holding onto her, my hand stroking the back of her head.

She nodded without saying a word. I then whispered into her ear, "I missed you…"

My friend looked up at me with her intelligent purple eyes with tears streaming down her face. She gasped with each breath. "You… You already know how much we missed you…" She then closed her eyes as she held her head against my chest again. "I sent your message to Princess Celestia right away. Surely she and Princess Luna brought you home…"

I would not be surprised if they did, especially since I specifically requested that they do so. "I owe them one if they did." I then held Twilight in a tender embrace. "I'm home, Twilight. And I'm never leaving again… At least I hope I never leave again."

Twilight whimpered, "I hope so too… It just…wasn't the same without you…"

I sighed, "You have no idea what it was like for me… I was even starting to fear that everything that happened to me in Equestria was just an elaborate dream."

Twilight replied while slowly calming down, "That's…horrible… If you were just a dream, I don't know how I'd react… That would just be…crushing…"

"Twi… I want to give you something." I muttered quietly. I then raised her face and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you for never giving up on looking for me. That note you sent just might've saved me."

That one kiss seemed to faze Twilight greatly as her tears suddenly stopped flowing while she blushed deeply. "Did you just…"

I smirked as I shook my head, remembering that Twilight had a huge crush on me not that long ago. "Just that one time, OK? I just wanted you to know how grateful I am for your efforts."

Twilight nodded with a smile as she dried her tears with the hair on her foreleg. "OK… I'm glad Fluttershy didn't see that… Oh! Did you see Fluttershy today? I told you how worried she is about you, didn't I?"

I nodded, "Fluttershy was the first person I went to see. Although Pinkie Pie and Applejack were the first friends I ran into when I walked into Ponyville. Where can I find Rainbow Dash and Rarity?"

Twilight spoke, "Well, you can't get to Rainbow Dash if she's at home. Her house is made of clouds, after all. But I know you can find Rarity at home right now. She hasn't been getting out as often after you disappeared…" She then smiled, "Oh, I know how to let Rainbow know you're back."

I watched as Twilight's horn was engulfed in a billowing aura as a blank scroll and writing quill levitated over to her. "Just a second… There." She muttered with a smile after jotting something down on the paper before rolling the scroll up. "Owlowiscious, I need your help. Please take this to Rainbow Dash."

"Who? Who." The little owl hooted as he fluttered over to Twilight and snatched the scroll up in his talons before flying out the window.

"You sure he can find her?" I asked, wondering if Owlowiscious could track the speedy pegasus down.

"He knows where all of our friends live. And besides, she's the only pegasus in Ponyville with a rainbow-striped mane and tail. She almost stands out as much as you do!" Twilight replied with a grin.

I smirked, "She'll probably get here in ten seconds flat once she reads that. Where should I wait for her?"

Twilight pointed to the stairs, "Head on up and wait on the observation deck on top. She'll notice you more easily up there."

"OK then. I just hope she doesn't freak out TOO much." I replied with a smirk as I went upstairs.

I climbed a ladder that was near Twilight's bed and found myself on the very top of the entire library, a telescope set up next to the railing. "Haven't been up here in a while." I muttered to myself as I closed the hatch I had just crawled through.

I decided to try spotting Ponyville landmarks and familiar faces to pass the time. The view was good, but part of my field of vision was obstructed by the very top of the tree that was taking up one corner of the balcony. My eyes scanned the ground first, trying to recognize any passing ponies. I noticed Bon Bon and Heartstrings walking alongside each other while seemingly lost in conversation. But I also noticed the unicorn would sometimes glance around. I will be the first to admit that my bond with Heartstrings is not quite as strong as with my six other friends, but I can safely assume she was looking for me.

The next pony I recognized was Big Macintosh hauling a cart filled with hay. His calm soulful eyes were half-closed, like every single time I had ever seen him. I tried waving at him to see if he would notice. A few seconds later, he looked in my direction. He surely must have noticed me as he stopped dead in his tracks while gazing in my direction with both eyes being wide open in what I assume was surprise. I waved at him to say hello as he did the same while showing a genuine smile. He then proceeded to go about his business, looking a little happier than before.

After a moment of not seeing anymore familiar faces, I looked upwards to see if I could identify any passing pegasi. The first one I saw was, of all ponies, Derpy Hooves. She was carrying a mail satchel over her shoulder as she flew along. Fortunately for me, one of her eyes happened to be looking in my direction as she suddenly stopped. If her eyes had been in a normal state at the time, she probably would not have noticed me to her right.

"Derpy?" I called out as I waved.

The wall-eyed pegasus mare flew in my direction at surprisingly high speed. "No way! You're back!" Taking me aback somewhat, she practically flew into my arms and embraced me tightly.

"Um… Derpy? What're you doing?" I asked, not expecting such affection from the local mailmare.

"Hugging you. I missed you, after all." She replied without moving her head from my shoulder.

I stroked her mane gently, "I read that a lot of ponies had started asking about where I had gone. Was I really that missed?"

Derpy pulled away from me and grinned brightly, "Uh huh! I was starting to worry about you after the second day of no sign of you! Are you OK? Where've you been?"

I replied with a shrug, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you. Really, I have no idea how I ended up somewhere else. But I am doing better now that I'm home… Where I really belong."

My words seemed to make Derpy happy as she smiled warmly, "Aww… Well, I'm glad you're back home too. You really make things interesting since you're the only human in town. Oh! Almost forgot!" She then reached into her satchel and pulled out what seemed to be a blueberry muffin. "I saved one just for you! And don't worry about it being stale. I just baked it this morning."

Receiving a gift from a borderline stranger was rather shocking to me. But in hindsight, Derpy had always been a very hospitable mare and a surprisingly important part of my daily routine. I guess…..she really had become a good friend to me. "Thanks, Derpy… I really appreciate it." I spoke as I took the muffin in hand. But instead of eating it, I looked down at it for a moment.

"What's wrong? It's fresh! And you like blueberries, right?" Derpy asked, clearly puzzled by my actions.

I sighed, the muffin making me remember all of the ponies I had met who I had developed even a slight bond with since arriving in Equestria three weeks ago. Heartstrings, Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Zecora, Derpy, even Diamond Tiara… The list just keeps going. "Even when I got back, I wasn't even really aware of all I really had…" I threw my arms around Derpy and held her in a tight embrace. "Thanks for caring, Derpy… You're a good friend."

The mailmare smiled as she patted me on the back. "You don't have to cry, James. You've been a good friend to me too."

After a brief chat longer, Derpy looked towards what seemed to be a clock tower in the distance. "I think I better get back to work. Let's talk again soon, OK?"

I nodded as I unwrapped my muffin. "Absolutely. Take care, Derpy. And thank you again." I watched as my friend flew away before snacking on the gift she had given me.

A few minutes later, I resumed watching the skyline. But after a moment, I noticed what seemed to be something rocketing towards me. "Is that…" I muttered as I saw that it seemed to be a pegasus with a cyan coat. And judging by how fast it was approaching me… "Duck!"

I lowered myself sideways to take cover behind the railing just before the pegasus zoomed over the balcony. I looked back as the pegasus looped back towards me, flew over to me, and landed in front of me on the balcony. "Where the hay have you been?!"

I hardly had any time to react as the pegasus rushed over to me and squeezed me in a tight embrace. "I thought I was gonna start molting from how worried I was! Where'd you go?!"

I stroked her mane as I replied, "I… I was somehow sent back home. To Earth. I don't know who did it, but it doesn't matter now. I'm home, Rainbow Dash. And I'm never leaving again."

The rowdy pegasus mare looked at me directly. "You mean…somepony kidnapped you?"

I shook my head, "I have no idea. I went to sleep a few days ago in Fluttershy's cottage and woke up in my own bed back home the next morning. I never saw who did it. But I never wanna go back… I can't stand that world."

Rainbow Dash scowled, "Man, whoever did that must be a world-class dirtbag! If I ever get my hooves on the guy, I'll strangle 'em!" But she then frowned with a most sorrowful expression. "I was scared for you, James… I wanted to go find you, but I had no idea where to start looking…"

I held my friend in a gentle embrace. "You always were a loyal friend to me, Rainbow. Don't blame yourself. How about we change the subject? How've things been while I was gone? Pretty good?"

I was not expecting Rainbow Dash to glare at me. "Are you kidding? It was awful! We've all been worried sick about you! We had no idea if you were even still alive!" She then closed her eyes and bowed her head. "It was like one long bad dream… I thought it was never gonna end…"

I draped an arm across my friend's back and held her in a one-armed hug. "It was like a nightmare for me too. Every night, I prayed I would wake up to my next day in Equestria. It hurt waking up to find myself still there on Earth every morning…"

Rainbow Dash returned the favor by wrapping a foreleg around my lower back. "At least it's over, right? Nothing but good things will be happening now."

"I hope so…" I muttered. I then leaned against the brash pegasus and whispered, "I love you girls…"

I heard Rainbow Dash snicker for a moment. "Man, some things never change. Even after our time apart, you're still one big softy." But she then looked up at me and warmly smiled. "But that's one thing I like about you, James."

"And your brashness is something I like about you, Rainbow." I replied. The two of us chuckled together in unison.

"Come to think of it, did you meet up with the others? Scootaloo's been itching to see ya again." Rainbow Dash asked while looking up at me.

I replied, "I've met up with each of you except for Rarity. I'm gonna head over there right now." I climbed to me feet before opening the hatch that led back down into Twilight's house.

"Yeah, you better get to her fast. Rarity's a shell of a mare right now. Let's talk again today, James." Rainbow Dash waved as I climbed back down into the library before closing the hatch behind me.

"Did you meet up with Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked as I climbed down the ladder.

"Yup. She probably would've taken my head off if she rammed me at that speed." I replied with a chuckle.

Twilight grinned as she walked over to me. "I think I already went into detail on how much she missed you in that note from yesterday, right? Now you need to go see Rarity. I know she's eager to welcome you back."

I got down on one knee and embraced my friend. "Then I'll get going right now. I'll see you again soon, Twi." I hurried down the stairs and out the front door while waving goodbye to Spike and Owlowiscious.

I know that Rarity lives at the southeastern corner of Ponyville, so I made my way in that direction. When I arrived at that elegant house, I did not find anything out of the ordinary on the exterior. But the interior was a different story as I looked through the window. Numerous badly made or unfinished dresses were scattered all over the main room with various fabrics and mannequins as well. I could see the beautiful white unicorn mare standing before one such mannequin with a sheet of paper floating beside her. However, her mane was somewhat messier than usual. I wanted to reach out to her, so I immediately entered the boutique.

The bell that hung over the door rang the instant I stepped inside. I expected Rarity to turn and face me immediately, but she raised a hoof and waved it in my direction without looking. "I will be with you in a moment…" Her voice lacked the usual enthusiasm I knew her for. "Thread by thread… Stitching it to… It doesn't help anymore… I just…can't get into the zone when I'm so overcome with worry…" She then raised a hoof to her forehead and looked up in an unnecessarily dramatic fashion with her eyes closed. "What must I do to find you, dear friend?! Where have you gone?!"

I decided to step in and walked in front of her while looking down. "You can start by opening your eyes, Rarity."

Rarity's eyes sprung open abruptly as she looked at me while I looked down at her. "Is this a mirage…? Some cruel joke? Surely this is just the result of wishful thinking."

Seeing that she was not entirely certain if I was real, I got down on one knee and held her hoof in my hand. The hoof that held the silver bracelet I had bought for her weeks ago. "This bracelet is just as spotless as the day I purchased it. Have you been taking good care of it, Rarity?"

I think it was at that moment that Rarity came to realize that I was not an illusion. "James… Darling, is that you…?" She reached out and touched my face with her hoof. I merely nodded in response. Her eyes began to pour tears as if out of nowhere. "You… You came back…" She then threw her forelegs around me in what I think was the tightest embrace I had received all day.

"Rarity, I'm…oof!" I grunted as I felt her squeeze me. Despite lacking the muscle of an earth pony, Rarity felt like a boa constrictor with how much pressure she was putting on my body.

"I've been longing for you to return for so long… It feels like it's been weeks since I last laid eyes on you…" Rarity sobbed as she held onto me. She was being…how do I say…overly dramatic in her use of words. I can understand that she missed me. Lord knows I did. But this seemed a bit much.

"Rarity, it's OK now. I'm here." I muttered quietly, hoping I could get her to stop crying.

I felt Rarity release her grip on me as she pulled back and looked up into my eyes with tears streaming down her face. "You don't understand… You were a source of inspiration for me… I always cherished…" She then closed her eyes and pleaded, "Hold me…"

I did as I was told and held the beautiful unicorn in my arms as she fell into my grasp. I sat on the floor as I turned her over while holding Rarity's head up. I constantly stroked her mane slowly to calm her. "Were you really hit that hard by my disappearance, Rarity?"

The beautiful unicorn looked up at me as I rested my hand over her right hoof, my fingers draped across the bracelet I had given her. "I felt like I had lost something important, darling… Like I did not know how important it truly was until it was gone. The first day without you was just worrisome. But the following days were when reality gave me a slap to the face… Tell me. Did you deliberately leave us?"

I frowned; rather disheartened to think that one of my friends, perhaps even my dearest friend would ever consider that I would abandon them. "You should know better than that, Rarity. I love this world and I love my friends. I hated being where I was before I returned. I don't know how I was taken away, but I hated every minute of being away from you." I then rested my head by her face and whispered, "I don't know what I'd ever do without you girls… You're the best thing to ever happen to me."

Rarity closed her eyes as she replied, "We are…? I… I never should've doubted you. You never showed any signs of being dissatisfied with Ponyville or the ponies living there…" She then looked up at me with a tearful gaze. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Her expression was so sorrowful, I felt sorry for her. I smiled warmly and embraced Rarity the best I could. "I do, Rarity. And…I'm especially glad to see you again."

After a moment of the two of us just silently cuddling, Rarity spoke up. "Darling… You say you did not enjoy being away from us?"

"Not at all. And I hated the world I was in when I was away." I replied, trying to enjoy her company the best I could.

"If you were so uncomfortable there, then compensation is in order! Come, let us hurry to the spa! It will be my treat." Rarity spoke with a smile as she climbed to her feet.

This abrupt offer caught me by surprise. "Wait a sec… You mean as in me visiting the spa for a treatment? I thought it's supposed to be me treating you! And do they even accept human customers?"

Rarity smiled, "I really do not see why they would not. But please, I insist. You've been through a great ordeal and I intend to help you relax. Shall we?" She extended her right hoof to me to help me to my feet.

"Well… If you insist." I replied as I took hold of her hoof. The two of us left Carousel Boutique together. But not before Rarity placed a sign on her front door that read 'Out to lunch'.

It had been a while since Rarity and I last walked together alone. Not since we were still living together. It felt refreshing to be in the presence of my beautiful unicorn friend. "I missed your company oh so much, darling." Rarity spoke as she looked up at me.

It was then that I got a good look at Rarity's face. She truly was a wreck. Bloodshot eyes and dark spots under them marred her face. "You look like you've been through a hard time…"

Rarity nodded, "Yes, I have… I could hardly sleep at all while wondering where you were. I will surely sleep soundly tonight…" She let out a yawn, a clear sign of her exhaustion. "I am so indeed looking forward to closing my eyes and drifting off to dreamland… But not just yet. I'll wait until tonight."

We reached the spa without incident, Rarity leading me inside. "Good afternoon, Lotus! The usual, please!"

I immediately recognized the pink-maned blue pony seated at the front counter as my employer. She glanced up and gasped, "Mr. James! You're back?!" Before I could even reply, she stood up and rushed into the main room. "Come on in! We have no customers right now!" She called out in her heavy accent.

Rarity looked up at me with a smile. "There was a bit of an uproar at the spa when you disappeared. Quite a few ponies who have come to adore your massages were very displeased by your absence."

I scratched the back of my head. "Maybe somepony should invent a device that mimics a human hand. That would probably sell well."

However, Rarity giggled, "But that would put you out of a job! And I would much rather receive a massage from you than from an imitation!"

Our first stop in the spa was the sauna. Rarity had put on her personal robe and had her mane wrapped up in a towel. As I had no other clothing with me at the time, I wore a towel around my waist with my boxers underneath. I breathed deeply as Lotus poured water over the heated rocks in the wooden room, the air being filled with cleansing steam.

I noticed that Rarity's eyes were trailing over my body. She soon smiled, "I see that you've slimmed down somewhat since you first arrived in Ponyville, James. Have those daily trips to Sweet Apple Acres been paying off?"

I nodded, "I guess so. And it helps that I do a lot of walking everyday. Not to mention the Equestrian diet is really healthy."

As I began to sweat heavily from the steam in the sauna, I began to ponder if ponies could sweat too. Especially since Rarity had coated herself in a robe. "Rarity, are you sweating as much as I am?"

The beautiful unicorn replied with a smile. "I know you can't really tell through my coat, but I am. I mean really, what would be the point of using a sauna if you had no pores to use?" The two of us chuckled in unison.

Once we had emerged from the sauna, I watched as Aloe coated Rarity's face with that goopy green facial cream before placing a pair of cucumber slices over where her eyes are located. "This will get my face looking just as fabulous as before." Rarity spoke with a smile. I too was hopeful that the facial cream would be enough to get rid of the bags under her eyes.

We were then led over to the massage tables. It was there that I saw my workmate, Quake. She is a rather androgynous-looking mare with an unusual muzzle structure and a muscular build, even by earth pony standards. Her eyes are a dark shade of blue while her coat is a light tan. Her mane is a dark blond with lighter streaks and is parted into two banes at the forehead. She almost always seems to have a stern expression, which gives me the impression that she is comparable to a tough Russian woman. She never says much, but she has taken well to me becoming her new workmate over the past few weeks. Regardless, her expression did not change much when she saw me for the first time in three days.

"I would like to use Quake's services today." Rarity spoke as she climbed onto a massage table while feeling around. She then lied down with her head resting above her forelegs. Quake then began to roughly massage the unicorn with skillful rapid poundings with her forelegs. Where I specialize in precise gentle massages, Quake completely outclasses me in performing rougher types of massages.

"Right here, James." Lotus motioned for me to climb atop an empty massage table.

"OK…" I muttered, having never actually received a massage before. Once I was lying facedown on the table (with my legs curled as it was somewhat short for my size), I felt Lotus press her hooves onto my back. "Lotus?"

"Just be still. I know what I'm doing." I heard my employer reply. I remained still as I rested my chin on my arms. I expected her hooves to be hard and uneven, but their surfaces were very smooth and slid across my skin flawlessly. I sighed as I felt her apply pressure where needed. As I had never received a massage before, I cannot effectively describe how it felt. But I felt much more relaxed afterwards.

The next part of the spa visit was a dip in the hot tub. As I did not bring my swim trunks with me, I had to request everyone to look away until I had undressed and submerged myself in the tub. The tub was not very deep at all, but the water level was just the right height once I had sat down. The bubbling water was just under my chin.

"I am going to have to cut our visit short to this, Lotus. James only just got back and I know he still has plenty more faces to see." Rarity spoke as she too submerged herself in the water. Lotus nodded with a smile as she rubbed Rarity's facial cream off with a wet towel and removed the towel that was wrapped around her mane before departing.

"Do I look any better now, James? I could hardly look at myself in the mirror this morning." Rarity asked as she turned to face me.

I could hardly believe how much that one facial treatment improved Rarity's looks. The bags under her eyes were gone and the eyes themselves were hardly bloodshot. Her beautiful indigo mane was also back into its perfectly curled and kempt style. "Now there's a face I've been wanting to see for a while."

Rarity smiled, "Oh, darling… I was worried my face would revolt you. Has it really gone from hideous to fabulous that quickly?" She batted her eyelashes at me immediately afterwards.

I reached out and caressed Rarity's chin. "You're always beautiful, Rarity. But now there are no imperfections to be seen."

Rarity seemed to hesitate for a moment before moving over to me and placing a kiss on my cheek. "I missed your voice, James. And your compliments." She then leaned against me while resting her head against my shoulder. "There are times…when I even think you are a prince."

I draped my arm across the beautiful pony's back and gripped her shoulder, "I'm nothing like a prince, Rarity… I'm just a commoner."

However, Rarity looked at me out of the corner of her eye. "But you certainly have the heart of one. I actually met a prince once. And you are ten times the prince he is. Perhaps even a hundred times."

That was quite a bit of praise to take. Me being more of a prince than an actual prince? What kind of lout of a prince could possibly be below me? "What kind of prince is below a lowly commoner?"

Rarity frowned, "One whose only royal quality is being a royal pain. If we are fortunate, he will not be attending the Grand Galloping Gala this year."

I decided to not inquire further about this supposedly despicable prince Rarity was referring to. Hoping to change the subject, I tried asking a question. "Well… How have things been while I was gone? Make any new dresses?"

Rarity surprised me with a glare. "Surely you jest. I could hardly work or find inspiration while overcome with worry." But she then smiled just slightly, "But now that I know you're safe and sound, I'm already getting some new inspiration. I know just how to add a little something special to those gowns I was commissioned!"

I smiled at Rarity's enthusiasm. "No wonder you're the fashion queen of Ponyville. Your inspiration isn't easy to keep down." The two of us chuckled together.

Once we had soaked in the hot tub long enough, I climbed out and put my clothes back on after drying myself off. I looked back at the hot tub and found Rarity still soaking in it. "Will you be getting out soon?"

My friend replied, "Oh, I think I will soak in here a while longer. I need the relaxation after all those nights with little sleep. But don't worry! I have no intention of falling asleep here!"

"You better not or you'll drown." I retorted with my arms crossed. "But anyway, I'm gonna go take another look around Ponyville. I want to make sure all my friends know I'm back."

Rarity smiled with a nod. "Then I must recommend you go see Sweetie Belle. I think she and her friends are at their clubhouse right now."

I was about to reply when I paused. Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and….. Scootaloo. My little sister. It was at that moment that I remembered the note Twilight Sparkle had sent me that explained what had been happening with my friends during my absence, including the filly who had become like a little sister to me. "Right… The girls… I'll see you later today, Rarity." I waved goodbye and headed on out the door and towards Sweet Apple Acres.

I paid little heed to anyone around me on my way to the local apple orchard. Upon reaching the farm, I found Big Macintosh carrying…wow. Three bushels piled high with apples on his back. I swear that guy is built like a tank. Even by earth pony standards. Regardless, I waved as I drew near. "Hey there, Big Mac. Ya miss me?"

The red stallion turned my way and smiled, "Eyup." I instantly almost snickered at his use of a single word.

"Well, how's Apple Bloom? She all right?" I asked, wondering how his little sister had been during my absence.

Big Macintosh replied, "Not too good. She's over at the clubhouse if ya wanna say hi."

"I think I'll do that. Thanks, Mac." I said with a smile as I continued on my way.

As I had not visited the clubhouse in a few days, I was somewhat lost on where to look. But after around twenty minutes of wandering, I located it. The very same tree house I had seen before. But as I approached it, I noticed something above it I had overlooked until that moment. "Has that always been there?"

Jutting above the tree branches was what seemed to be an add-on to the clubhouse. A small room with a steeple roof that had a triangle-shaped flag on top waving in the breeze. And jutting out of the window was a telescope. "An observatory? Must be Apple Bloom's doing." I muttered to myself as I walked up the ramp to the front door.

I peeked through the heart-shaped peephole in the door to see if the three fillies were actually inside. I smiled when I found the three huddled around a chart of sorts. But neither of them seemed happy. "OK, I think we should take matters into our own hooves. We're not getting anywhere just waiting for him to come back." Sweetie Belle spoke while moving her hoof over the chart. From where I was standing, it kind of resembled a map.

"Same here. And we just might get our cutie marks if we try out bein' detectives." Apple Bloom replied while looking back and forth at the map. At this, I decided to try sneaking up on them. I opened the door silently and stepped lightly before taking a seat right behind them. They all had their backs to me, so they did not see me coming. I also had to be careful to mind my head due to the low ceiling.

"Yeah… Find him… You think he really did get lost in the Everfree Forest?" Scootaloo spoke with a shockingly reserved tone. I had never heard her sound so…down before, and it kind of hurt to hear her like that.

Before they could discuss the operation further, I decided to speak up. "That won't be necessary, girls. But I am flattered that you would go through the trouble of tracking me down."

At my words, the three fillies froze. They then stiffly turned their necks until they were looking back at me. I waved with a smile, their faces frozen in shock. "Are we seein' things?" Apple Bloom asked with a bewildered gaze.

Scootaloo did not even bother offering a retort as she leapt at me. I caught her in my arms and held her in a gentle embrace. "He feels real enough for me…" Scootaloo muttered as she nuzzled my chest.

I watched as Sweetie Belle walked up to me before poking me with her hoof. "He's real! Apple Bloom, James is home!" The unicorn filly then nuzzled against me while trying to hold me in an embrace.

"Make some room!" Apple Bloom called out as she too glomped me. The force of an earth pony tackling me was enough to knock me to the floor.

"Oof! Ease up, girls!" I groaned as I hit the floor with all three fillies on top of me.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were grinning from ear to ear as they cuddled with me. But I was quick to notice that Scootaloo had a most sorrowful expression on her face. I was hardly surprised, judging by what Twilight had told me in that scroll from the previous day.

"Um… Girls?" I whispered to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle while pointing to Scootaloo, who seemed to be unaware of us as she had her eyes closed. The two fillies looked at each other and nodded, probably understanding that the two of us needed a moment alone. They then left the clubhouse and closed the door behind them.

"Are you feeling better, Scoot?" I asked quietly while stroking the little filly's mane.

She gritted her teeth while squeezing tears out of her eyes. "Twilight told me you were taken away by something. Are you home for good now?"

I nodded, "Yeah. No way am I leaving again. If something tries to take me away, I won't let it."

The pegasus filly tightened her grip on me. "I missed you…"

I stroked her little head as I smiled. "I missed you too, sis. I hope your parents didn't get onto you about your depression."

For some reason, Scootaloo averted her eyes at those words. "Yeah… I managed to keep my depression hidden from them by keeping up a smile…"

"Since I just got back, may I meet them?" I asked, curious of what her parents are like.

Scootaloo paused a moment before looking up at me. "James… I need to tell you something important… But you need to promise to not tell anypony about this." She then looked me directly in the eye, "I mean it. Not a single pony! Not a single dragon! Not even a single zebra! You can't tell this to anypony!"

I leaned back slightly, "Jeez, OK. I promise I won't tell a soul."

I watched as Scootaloo took a deep breath. "OK… The truth is… About my parents…" She paused for a moment as tears began to stream down her face. "I don't have any parents!"

It took a moment for my brain to process what she had just told me. "You don't… You mean… You're an orphan?!" I felt a slight chill flow through me at this revelation.

"I'm sorry for not telling you… I just hate it when ponies look down on me… The only ponies who know are ones I can trust with my life…" Scootaloo spoke while looking down, her tears falling to the floor.

"Well… Who DOES know about that?" I asked, wondering who she trusted most.

"Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle know. And Derpy knows since she brings mail to my place almost everyday. She promised to not spread the word though. And the mayor knows too. But that's only because she has to keep track of everypony in town. And now you know…" Scootaloo replied while averting her eyes from me.

I gently rested my hand on her head. "Where do you live?"

Scootaloo replied as she wiped her tears away. "In a little shed on the east side of town. It's really small, so it's OK for a filly like me." She then asked, "Do you hate me for lying to you about this for so long…?"

I sighed as I comprehended what I had been told. I never once imagined that Scootaloo had always been an orphan. I was naturally curious if she had any memories of her parents. Did they die? Was she abandoned? Did she never know them? "It's OK, Scoot. I really don't blame you for keeping that secret from me."

She looked up at me after a moment of hesitation. "You…really don't mind?"

I nodded with a slight smile. "I can't comprehend the kind of emotional pain you've gone through. It's no wonder you always act tough. It's to hide your suffering." I then held her in a tender embrace. "I can't leave you alone now that I know you're totally alone. Would you like to come live with me?"

Scootaloo's eyes brightened instantly. "You mean it?! Really?!"

I nodded, but then put my finger on her nose. "Yes. But Fluttershy has to give us the go-ahead first. It's her house, after all."

The pegasus filly jumped straight up and flapped her wings rapidly, remaining airborne for a brief moment as she grinned brightly. "You're the best big brother I could ever ask for, James! I'll go ask Fluttershy right away!" She then landed and leaped at me, placing a kiss on my face while just narrowly missing my mouth. "See ya later, James! I'll come find you once I get her answer!" I watched as she ran out the door. "C'mon, ponies! We need to go see Fluttershy!"

"What about?" I heard Apple Bloom ask.

"It's really important! I'll tell you along the way!" Scootaloo replied as I heard the sound of their hooves clopping growing more distant.

"OK then! We're right behind you!" I heard Sweetie Belle reply just before they went out of earshot.

Now that I was alone, I decided to check out the observatory that I had overlooked until this day. I climbed up the ramp that led to the highest point of the clubhouse. Once I was just outside the observatory, I found I was quite a ways off the ground. What a view! "Man, Apple Bloom really has a knack for craftsmanship. Not easy making something this tall." It actually bothered me how she had not ever once considered that her skill in construction and repairs is a talent she has.

I looked around, impressed by my field of vision. I could plainly see the barn of Sweet Apple Acres from my location and could even see part of Ponyville in the distance. Of course, I could only see so far with my own eyes. I then ducked inside the observatory to see if I could use the telescope.

The observatory was very cramped compared to the clubhouse. But that was to be expected for someone of my size. But there was another problem. The telescope was too low to the ground for me to effectively use. "Better be careful here…" I muttered as I tried lifting it from its stand. It came off without any trouble once I had removed the screws from the sides.

I stood just outside the ramp and held the telescope up to my eye after removing my glasses. I felt like a pirate standing in a ship's crow's nest. "Arr… What does James the Red spy through his spyglass today?" I spoke while imitating a pirate's manner of speech. "Avast! Three fillies and a pegasus off to starboard!"

I could see the Cutie Mark Crusaders standing just outside Fluttershy's cottage while Fluttershy herself was standing just outside the door. Of course, I could not possibly hear them from my current distance. But I could see Scootaloo speaking first. Fluttershy reacted with a truly shocked expression, more than likely a response to Scootaloo revealing that she is an orphan. The other two fillies seemed to speak up too, but what they said is a mystery to me.

Scootaloo once again said something to Fluttershy, after which Fluttershy nodded with a calm smile. Fluttershy then gently nuzzled Scootaloo while speaking something. Right after that, all three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders jumped and seemed to cheer as they began to hop around Fluttershy in an identical fashion to how Pinkie Pie occasionally hops about. I smiled as I was very sure that Fluttershy had given Scootaloo the go-ahead to live with us. "Well done, sis. Well done."

Just as I was about to take my eye away from the spyglass…drat, this pirate lingo is slipping into my writing. In any case, Rainbow Dash suddenly dropped in on the scene. Scootaloo, as expected, greeted her role model happily and even shared a hoof bump with my athletic pegasus friend. Rainbow Dash then proceeded to say something to our friends. All four of them nodded and began to head towards Ponyville as a group. However, Scootaloo ran on ahead.

"Well, this is curious…" I muttered as I focused my gaze on Rainbow Dash. Once the other four ponies had crossed the stream that was just outside the cottage, Rainbow Dash took to the air and began to fly towards Ponyville. I adjusted the lens on the telescope to zoom out so I was less likely to lose sight of my speedy friend. I watched as she flew above Ponyville and began to descend as she neared Sugarcube Corner. I could not see below the roof as other buildings obstructed my vision, but it was highly likely that she had gone inside the confectionary upon landing. "Is the party ready?"

Certain that my friends were on their way to Sugarcube Corner as well, I decided to go on ahead and rendezvous with them there. I secured the telescope back onto its stand inside the observatory before returning the lens to its previous setting and putting my glasses back on. I then descended from the treetop as quickly as possible. But before leaving the balcony, I took one more peek inside the clubhouse. Hanging from the wall was a large red cape with a large Cutie Mark Crusaders emblem on the back. "Hang on… That's mine!"

I recognized the cape as my own and went inside to retrieve it. "Thanks for hanging onto this for me, girls." I muttered to myself as I tied it around my neck. I then went outside the clubhouse and jumped the railing like I did on the day I first received that cape. "Hang on, girls. Don't start the party without me." I then took off in a run with my arms trailing behind me and out to my sides in a more heroic manner. Perhaps I was just so psyched to be back home, I could not honestly say.

I ran for a surprisingly long time for my standards. I must have been in better shape than I thought. By the time I had reached the main area of Sweet Apple Acres, I was only moderately exhausted. But there was something wrong. "Um… Where's Big Macintosh? And AJ?" I was certain I would bump into at least one of the Apple siblings once I got there, but neither was there to be seen. "Are they both at the party?" I shrugged my shoulders and ran towards town.

Like the previous times I had worn my cape in town, I drew quite a few stares from the other ponies who were going about their business. I decided to slow my pace to a walk to avoid drawing more attention to myself as I am still not comfortable being the center of attention. But I had hardly been walking for five minutes before I heard a familiar voice call out. "James! Wait up!"

I turned and found Scootaloo running towards me with a scroll of sorts in her mouth. "Hey there, Scoot! What's up?"

She held out the scroll to me as it unfurled with the top hanging from her teeth. "See for yourself! Here, I brought a quill!" Sticking out of her mane was a feather that was likely an ink quill.

I took the quill in hand and took a closer look at the scroll. "Signed by both parties… Becomes the foal's legal gua…" I paused as I read the scroll over again. This was not just a scroll, but also an adoption form.

Scootaloo looked at me with her big pleading purple eyes. "Are you gonna sign, big bro?"

This was it. One stroke of the quill and Scootaloo would officially be my little sister. But at the same time, I was uncertain if I was prepared to be her guardian. I suppose the role is not necessarily a parental role as we had both come to view each other as siblings and nothing more. After a moment of contemplation, I smiled as I wrote my name down on the line. "You bet I am."

As I placed the quill back into her mane, I noticed Scootaloo tear up just slightly. "So… We're really family now?"

I stroked her mane slowly. "Once you take that back to where you got it, I think so." Scootaloo then leaped into my arms and held onto me for all she was worth. "Easy there, sis. Others are watching…"

However, Scootaloo grinned, "I don't care anymore! This is a dream come true! I finally have a family!" I shrugged my shoulders as I stroked her back, rather flattered by just how exhilarated she was by this.

"OK, Scoot. Get down. I need to get over to Sugarcube Corner. Something's going on there." I spoke as I pried the pegasus filly from my torso.

"Yeah, I know. Rainbow Dash told us back at Fluttershy's cottage. I'll take this back to the town hall and see ya there! Later, James!" Scootaloo beamed at me before snatching the adoption form up in her mouth and running off.

"Scoot… You're just so precious." I muttered to myself as I continued onward to Sugarcube Corner.

I wasted no time in reaching Sugarcube Corner. I was expecting to find the place filled with customers, but paused when I found a familiar sign hanging from the front door. It read 'Closed For Private Party'. "Already? It's only been a few hours since I got back!" I exclaimed, amazed that Pinkie Pie could set up a party so quickly. But then again, I am sure she is the ONLY pony who could quickly set up a party on a whim.

I stepped inside the bakery, finding the entire place decked out for a party. A cake and a variety of baked treats were spread all over the place. But with all these party staples scattered everywhere, there were absolutely no partygoers to be seen. I then turned my gaze towards the stairs that led upstairs into the loft, remembering my own welcoming party from my first day in Ponyville. I was certain that my friends were waiting for me upstairs, so I began to climb the stairs.

"Girls, I know there's a party waiting for me up here! So there's no need to surprise me!" I called as I climbed the stairs, sure that all six of them were up there.

Just as I reached the top of the staircase, I heard Pinkie Pie groan to my left. "Oh, come on! Was it really that obvious I was getting a party ready for you?!" I heard my other friends chuckle in unison, but I also noticed a few other voices mixed into the crowd.

"What the…" I turned to face my friends, but those six wonderful mares were not the only ones who were there. Mixed in were a handful of other ponies. They included Big Macintosh, Heartstrings, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, Derpy, and even…Zecora?! "What is all this?"

Mr. Cake spoke, "Even Pinkie Pie couldn't set this party up this quickly. So we helped out too. Right, honey bun?" He winked towards his wife with a smile.

"Oh, yes. We had to work fast to get this set up in time. And it's only reserved for you and your friends, dearie." Mrs. Cake spoke with a wide grin.

Zecora spoke to me with a smile, "It was a worrisome time for us all, dear friend. But we waited patiently for your departure to end."

Heartstrings spoke next. "We were all wondering where you ended up. When I caught word of your return, I hurried over here right away! Right, Big Mac?"

As expected, the relaxed red stallion replied with a calm smile. "Eyup."

Derpy then asked, "So, you feeling better? Or you need some more of my homemade muffins? I brought blueberry!"

My eyes scanned the guests. I had all but forgotten that my six friends were not the only friends I had. Over the course of the last three weeks, I had bonded with other ponies as well. I had more friends than I even knew. And now, we were all together again. My vision became blurred as tears began to build up in my eyes. "Gimme a minute, please…" I spoke as I removed my glasses and held my face in one hand while gritting my teeth.

I heard Pinkie Pie speak up. "James, you don't have to cry! This is a party! You smile at parties! See?" I looked at my jolly pink friend as she grinned brightly. However, I noticed that she was beginning to tear up despite her beaming face. I think I was not the only one who noticed this as my other friends were looking at her too.

"See? Just smile… When in doubt, smile…" Her voice began to break, as if she was struggling to not cry. This resistance did not last long as she suddenly frowned for about two seconds with her mouth quivering. We all took a step back as she suddenly burst into tears, literally crying a river of them! "Bwaaaahaaaa! I can't help it!"

The weeping pony came running over to me while still crying a river of tears. This reaction was extremely out of character for Pinkie Pie, who I had come to view as being immune to all forms of sorrow. I managed to drop down low at the last second to catch her in my arms. "I saw all my friends everyday! But you were the only one who wasn't there! It was like I lost a treasure I'd been holding onto forever! I missed you so much!" Pinkie Pie continued to sob loudly into my shoulder as my other friends looked on, clearly unsure of what to make of this outburst.

I was not certain if I should back away from or comfort Pinkie Pie. But I did not have time to decide my next action as Rainbow Dash trotted over to us. "Make some room, Pinkie. You're not the only here." One by one, my five other best friends surrounded me and held me in a tearful group hug. My eyes scanned each of them, as their faces were mere inches from mine. Their eyes were pinched shut, a trail of tears flowing down their faces. I found that there was not a dry eye in the room as the other five guests looked on with a tear or two in their eyes. Even the usually stoic Big Macintosh seemed to be holding back tears. Although it is hard to hide tears with eyes that big.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye a rather amusing sight. The three Cutie Mark Crusaders poked their heads up behind the railing of the stairs one by one, starting with Apple Bloom and ending with Sweetie Belle. But before any of them could speak up, Mr. Cake spoke. "I think we should give them a moment. Come along, everypony." I watched silently through squinted eyes as my employer led his wife and the rest of our guests downstairs, leaving me alone with my dearest friends.

It had become so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. I wrapped my arms around my friends the best I could, holding them close to me, as they still did not let go of me. I wanted to say something, but I could not find the right words. But then again… I see now that words were unnecessary at the time. We had been forced apart and only at that moment were all seven of us reunited again. Feeling all six of my most wonderful friends, who came into my life less than a day after I arrived in this strange yet amazing world, around me once again made me feel…..complete. Now that I had gone without them for a time, I had come to understand what they really mean to me. "You girls…mean the world to me…"

The six mares said nothing, but they responded by tightening their grasp on me. Unfortunately, our time together did not last much longer. A moment later, we all jumped slightly at the sound of the doorbell. "What horrendous timing! Just as we were starting to reconnect!" Rarity groaned with finesse.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's cool, girls. Let's just focus on the party and have a good time together. As friends. Now, if you'll excuse me…" I stood up and rushed down the stairs, curious of who had come knocking.

"Sorry, but unless they're a good friend of… Oh, James! Just in time!" Heartstings, or rather Lyra, spoke up as I reached the bottom of the stairs. "Somepony's at the door. Since this party's all about you, you should decide if they're allowed to come in."

"OK then." I replied as I approached the door. We already had quite a few attendees at Sugarcube Corner by now. Who else would want to attend?

I opened the door, expecting find maybe Bon Bon or Aloe and Lotus. But my expectations were blown clear out of the water when I laid eyes on who was standing outside. "Wha… Your highness?!"

Standing before me was none other than Princess Luna herself. There was an audible gasp behind me as the rest of my friends dropped to their knees and bowed. However, the beautiful princess of the night raised a hoof and spoke, "Please stand. There is no need for the formalities." She then directed her attention to me and frowned with what seemed to be a gaze of worry. "My friend… Are you well since returning to Equestria?"

I dropped to one knee and bowed my head, wanting to show respect to the charming princess. "Things have been improving rapidly for me since I got back. And wasn't it was you and Celestia who brought…" I paused as I felt Luna place her hoof on my shoulder. Her expression still seemed rather remorseful. "Your highness?"

She shook her head, "Please do not call me that. You are my friend, James. And friends do not use formalities to address each other. What is more…" She then directed her gaze to my other friends. "I need to speak with him in private. If it is not too much trouble, please leave us."

Mrs. Cake smiled, "Absolutely, your highness. But please don't keep him for too long. The party can't get started without him." She then turned to face our other guests. "Let's head on back up, everypony." Luna and I watched as they all climbed the stairs and out of sight.

Luna spoke with a reserved tone as she motioned me towards a chair. "Please make yourself comfortable, James. I need to discuss something important with you."

I chose to take a seat on the counter, as it was more convenient for me at the time. "OK… So, what's up?"

The princess of the night continued to frown as she looked at me. "First of all, I feel it is time for you to learn the truth. Celestia and I discussed this and feel you have every right to know how and why you are here."

I felt a slight chill for an instant as I began to feel uneasy from mild anxiety. "Uh… I'm not in trouble, am I?"

Luna shook her head, "Not at all. But first…" She then bowed her head slightly. "Your appearance in Equestria was not due to chance. Even though we claimed ignorance at our first meeting, the truth is that Celestia and I brought you to this world."

It took a brief moment for my mind to comprehend what she had just told me. "You mean…" I felt an immense sensation of gratitude as I came to understand that the royal sisters were responsible for bringing me to this wonderful world. "You did this for me?"

However, Luna raised one hoof. "Do not thank us just yet. As we were the ones who brought you to this world, we are also responsible for sending you back to yours."

I remained silent as I listened, wanting to know why I was forcefully sent back to my homeworld. "You had been in this world for a while when Celestia proposed that we send you back to your own world for a short time. No more than a week. It was a test to for you to choose which world you would rather stay in." But Luna then bowed her head further. "…I was against it. I did not want to see you leave."

This revelation disturbed me. I had always trusted Celestia and Luna, as they are the wise rulers of Equestria. But they had lied to me at our first meeting and even put me through an emotional hell by sending me back to Earth against my will. However, I still asked, "Then why did you bring me back earlier than planned? I was only away for three days."

Luna replied, "Twilight Sparkle asked us to deliver a message to you if we knew where you were. We could not tell anypony that we had sent you away, but we still sent the message to you. When it returned to Twilight after 24 hours as a means to see if you would write a reply, there was a message of your own wrapped inside the scroll. Twilight sent that message to us. When Celestia read just how miserable you were, she decided that we should bring you home right away." She then asked with a truly remorseful gaze, "James… Did we make a mistake by sending you away?"

I replied honestly, "Yes… That was a mistake. I hated every minute I spent on Earth." Luna averted her eyes, clearly ashamed by her actions. But I then approached her and rested my hand on her shoulder. "But you brought me to this world in the first place. I'm grateful for that."

The princess of the night looked up at me. "Forgive me… I do not want you to hate me…"

I dropped down on one knee and embraced my friend. "I don't… But now I know it was you and Celestia who brought me here." I then whispered into her ear as I tightened my grasp on Luna. "Coming here was the best thing to ever happen to me. Is there anything I can do to repay you, Luna?"

Luna muttered, "I… I do not know… I feel as if I'm in no position to demand anything…"

I then smiled, "Then may I ask you to stay for my party?"

The beautiful princess glanced up at me. "A party? I'm not sure if I… I think I have some duties to tend to… I mean it would be a breach in protocol for a princess to attend a simple house party…"

This did not faze me as I held her hoof in my hand. "Please, Luna. Only my closest friends are invited. And you're my friend, aren't you?"

She paused for a moment while looking down at my hand. "Yes…" Luna then looked at me and smiled. "Yes… You are my friend. My first true friend, at that. I would be honored to attend."

However, as I climbed to my feet, Luna spoke, "But… I still need to tell you one more thing, James… It's about why you were brought here to begin with."

Once again, I felt some anxiety come over me. "Oh… All right then. I'm listening."

Luna explained in an uneasy voice. "The truth of the matter is… Humans have existed in Equestria before. Long ago before the rise of Nightmare Moon."

I nodded, "I… I kinda already knew. Zecora filled me in on some old legends from her homeland that mentions them." I had also heard testimony from the ponies of the cursed Sunny Town as they had claimed to have personally met humans in the past, but I felt that mentioning them to Luna would be a very bad idea.

Luna showed some surprise to my insight, but continued speaking anyway. "I would rather not go into the details, but at one point my sister and I had no choice but to banish Equestria's human population to distant worlds." She then bowed her head with a rather unnerved expression. "Please… Do not ask me the reason. It was a time I would rather not remember…"

As I thought. Something truly awful must have happened for all humans to have been exiled from Equestria. Minding what I was going to say, I asked, "Did they…kill anyone?"

To my relief, Luna shook her head. "Thankfully, no. They did not truly harm us. But still… I do not wish to recall that event…"

I chose to not inquire further about the truth involving Equestria's past. After regaining her composure, Luna continued to speak. "Celestia and I felt that after how much time has gone by since those days, it would be a good time to start over. So we searched for a human to bring into this world who would view us ponies as equals."

I listened silently, waiting until the end to ask questions. "There were many like you, James. More than we expected. Humans with open minds who can comprehend creatures besides their own kind being capable of sentient thought. In the end, it was a very difficult choice. But we ended up choosing you."

I began to suspect this reason was why she and Celestia had personally come to Ponyville to address my temporary departure into the Everfree Forest almost four weeks earlier. They likely wanted to try to locate me to bring me home to insure I would not fall victim to one of the forest's more dangerous creatures. I felt a slight bit of gratitude in my heart as I considered this.

Luna then bowed her head, "That is why you are here. To improve Equestria's view of humans so that one day, humankind may live alongside us ponies again in harmony. But…if you wish it, Celestia and I can send you home."

I actually felt rather honored that of all the humans on Earth, I had been chosen as an ambassador of sorts for humanity. In response to Luna's question, I smiled and placed my hands on her shoulders. "That won't be necessary, Luna. I'm already home."

The beautiful royal pony looked up at me with a mildly surprised expression. "You mean…you now view Equestria as your true home?"

I replied, "Compared to Earth, Equestria is…well…heaven. Only I didn't have to die to get here." I then frowned as I pleaded, "But in all honesty, please… Don't ever send me back."

Luna reared up on her hind legs and embraced me tightly. "Perish the thought, James. This is where you have chosen to stay and we shall respect your choice. And… I wouldn't have it any other way."

As off topic as this is, I suddenly felt the need to ask a question that had been gnawing at me in the back of my mind since the day I first met the two royal sisters. "One question, Luna. What exactly do I call you? A winged unicorn or a horned pegasus?"

I heard Luna suppress a laugh in response to my question. "That's a new one! But in all seriousness, the ponies of our race are called alicorns."

Alicorns? Somehow, I am amazed that I never once suspected that. "I'll have to remember that one. But anyway, shall we get that party started?"

Luna nodded with a smile. "Lead on, James. I shall follow." I then walked up the stairs with her a short distance behind me. However, she then spoke quietly. "One last request, James. Do not reveal what I just told you to anypony. It's too soon for them to know about the past." I nodded in silence, respecting her choice.

As I reached the top of the stairs, Pinkie Pie spoke up. "Hey there, James! Who was at the door?"

I replied with a smile, "Let's just say we have a very special guest this evening." I then stepped out of the way to allow my friends to see Princess Luna reach the top of the stairs.

Once the princess was in full view, my six closest friends immediately bowed. Twilight spoke, "Princess Luna! We weren't expecting you! Is Princess Celestia with you?"

Luna raised her hoof and smiled, "There's no need to bow, my subjects. I am merely here to welcome back my most dear friend. I am, like you, a simple partygoer." Once our friends had returned to a standing position, she added, "And no, Twilight Sparkle. Celestia is not able to attend. But she does give all of you her warmest regards."

Before anyone else could say anything, some calm gentle music began to play from a phonograph. "We've waited long enough for our friend to come home! C'mon, let's party!" Pinkie Pie beamed as she stood near the phonograph.

As the partygoers began to go about enjoying themselves either way they could, the Cutie Mark Crusaders immediately assaulted me with a group tackle. I very nearly fell down, managing to sit down in a chair with all three fillies piled onto me. "Great news, James! Fluttershy said it's OK!" Sweetie Belle spoke while looking up at me.

I smirked, "I know. I saw you three prancing about like deer."

All three gazed at me with baffled expressions. Apple Bloom then spoke, "Ya saw us?! How'd ya manage that from… Ooooh, I get it. Ya used the telescope in our observatory above the clubhouse, didn't ya?"

I replied with a pirate's accent, "Arr, that I did, ye little fillies. Nothing hides from James the Red's one good eye. That spyglass let me keep an eye on ye from the safety of me crow's nest."

Scootaloo snickered, "Hey, that gives me an idea! Maybe we can use the observatory like a crow's nest!"

Sweetie Belle then smirked, "Don't you mean a chicken roost?"

For one reason or another, Scootaloo was flustered by this remark. "What's that about chickens?!"

I decided to step in before an argument could break out. "Easy, girls. This is a party. Let's just have a good time, OK?"

Scootaloo nodded, "Yeah, right. A party." She then asked, "James… Could you let Rainbow Dash know about…well…me being an…"

I nodded, knowing exactly what she was getting at. "OK. And I'll make sure she promises not to tell anyone. Right?"

My little sister nodded with a smile. "Right." I then patted the three fillies on their heads and walked over to Rainbow Dash, who was helping herself to a cupcake.

Before I could say anything, Rainbow Dash spoke up as she turned to face me. "Hey there, James! Nice job on helping make this new recipe!"

I smiled as I replied, "Glad you like it, Rainbow." I waited until she had finished eating the cupcake before motioning for her to follow me into a corner. "Rainbow Dash, I need to talk to you over here. It's important."

The rainbow-mane pegasus followed me without a word. As she drew closer, I raised a finger to my lips to signal that I wanted her to keep her voice down. She then muttered quietly, "OK, what's the matter?"

"It's about Scootaloo." I replied with a whisper. Rainbow Dash's eyes glanced over at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They were busy snacking on cake. I then asked, "Did you know she's an orphan?"

Rainbow Dash stared at me for a moment before bursting into laughter. I stared at her all the while until she stopped and asked, "Really?" I then glared at her to show that I was quite serious about what I had said. She then muttered, "You're…serious?" When I nodded, Rainbow once again glanced over at Scootaloo before looking back to me. "No… I never knew. How'd you find out?"

I replied, "She only tells a few people she knows very well. She thinks it's OK for you to know too." I then gave Rainbow Dash a very stern glare. "Don't you dare tell ANYONE about that though. If word gets out that Scoot is an orphan, there's no telling what it might do to her social life."

I was expecting Rainbow Dash to start poking fun at Scoot as a means to mess with her. However, my brash friend bowed her head slightly and spoke, "I promise… Dang, I never knew Scootaloo had it that rough. But is she really without a family at all?"

I smiled as I looked over at Scootaloo having fun with her friends. "Not anymore. On our way over here, she caught up to me and had me sign an adoption form. She's my little sister now."

For a moment, Rainbow Dash merely stared at me with a blank expression. But she then smiled, "Wow… Really? You and Scoot are big bro and little sis now?" When I nodded, she patted me on the shoulder with her hoof. "You'll be an awesome brother for her. Hay, you'll be an even better sibling for her than I'd ever be. When does she start living with you?"

I replied, "She moves in with me and Fluttershy tonight. Once the party's over, she'll go pack her bags."

Rainbow Dash then surprised me with a sudden embrace. "You be good to her, James. She's a good kid." I nodded while hugging her back.

As I headed over to the table to get some cake and punch, I noticed Zecora helping herself to some muffins. I was still rather surprised to see my zebra friend at the party, as she does not come into town very often. And even then, I had only visited her a few times since meeting her.

"Hey there, Zecora. Glad you could make it." I spoke as I approached her.

My zebra friend turned to me and smiled, "As am I, my friend. I'm pleased that our previous time together was not the end."

The last time I visited Zecora before this day was to retrieve some tea for Twilight Sparkle. "Have things been problematic for you in the Everfree Forest?" I asked, wondering if she ever has trouble with the more wild types of fauna.

Zecora smiled, "Not at all. I tend to blend in well. When I am about, the creatures can almost never tell." I admit I have come to adore her constant rhyming.

"Sounds like stealth is your strong suit. But do you come to Ponyville often?" I retorted while snacking on a cupcake.

"I try to frequent Ponyville whenever I possibly can. And besides, remaining under the cover of those trees isn't good for ones' tan." I chuckled under my breath, starting to wonder if Zecora was putting conscious effort into forming rhymes as she speaks.

"Yeah, the canopy of the Everfree Forest is pretty thick in most spots. It's especially spooky at…night…" I spoke, but I then remembered something from the second night I spent in the Everfree Forest. There was one friend of mine I had all but forgotten about. Someone who I still wanted to help. "Mitta…"

Zecora seemed to notice me mutter that name. "Is something troubling you? Is it that the guests here are too few?"

I nodded with a frown as my eyes scanned my surroundings. "Yeah… One or two I was really hoping to see… But I can't really tell you who they are just yet."

My friend nodded in understanding. "I see. But if they are your friends, do not fear. They will remain close to you, even when they are not near."

She did not need to explain that to me. Even when I was back on Earth, my feelings for my beloved friends in Equestria did not weaken. They were still close to me regardless of how far apart we were at the time. And even now, my desire to help save Mitta from her curse had not changed. "You're right…"

Zecora then nudged me with her muzzle. "Anytime, my friend. But do not let me keep you. Surely you have other friends here who missed you as much as I do."

I nodded with a smile as I scanned the area. "Thanks, Zecora. Let's talk again before the party ends." I then set my gaze on Heartstrings and headed over in her direction.

"Afternoon, Heartstrings… Or was it Lyra?" I asked, not sure of which name she prefers to be called by.

The unicorn turned to face me and smiled, "Either will do. In any case, what's up? You happy to be back?"

I nodded, "More than you know. I hated my time back on Earth."

Heartstrings smiled, "Well, you're home to stay now, right? And… Hey! That reminds me! I have another question about your world!"

Of course. Ever since meeting me, Heartstrings…. Oh fine, I will refer to her as Lyra to conserve space and ink. Anyway, her interest in humanity has only deepened since meeting me. Almost every time I see her, she has another question for me. "Uh… OK? What's on your mind?" I asked as I took a seat by her.

She replied, "I know you said that Earth is a horrible place to live in and that most humans are absolutely awful. But are there really no redeeming qualities about that place?"

Redeeming qualities. Something I had not thought about when I first met her. Earth may be overrun with hate, greed, and war, but…yes. I suppose there are some qualities about it and humanity that spare it from being a perfect hell. "Well… I guess there are some good things about it."

Lyra's face brightened up instantly. "There are? Can you name a few?"

I began to explain while choosing my topics carefully. "I guess the first thing I can point out is technology. Humans have developed all sorts of vehicles, electronic devices, and many types of gadgets that make daily life easier."

Lyra smiled, "That sounds interesting! Can you name some?"

I decided to name just one from each category. "For the electronics, we have computers. Think of them like…um…plastic boxes that connect to a screen with a keyboard. It… Actually, I can't explain it too well. But you can find them everywhere today. As for those everyday necessities, there's stuff like… Oh right, escalators that are basically moving stairs that carry you along. And for vehicles, they have airplanes. Basically big metal flying ships that can carry lots of people at once. They've even made vehicles that can fly into space."

My explanation caused Lyra's expression to brighten in fascination. "They have things that can carry you into space?! If we had something like that, maybe we could've gone to the moon and brought Princess Luna home a long time ago!"

I smirked, "Funny you mention that. Around forty years ago, some people actually landed on Earth's moon using a type of spacecraft."

Lyra gasped, "So they've already visited other planets?! Maybe someday they'll be able to come to Equestria!"

I shook my head, "Maybe… But at the current rate of progress they're making on space travel, that'll take a very long time. The moon is the furthest away a human has ever gotten from Earth."

My unicorn friend grinned, "Well, it sounds like Earth has lots of cool stuff! Is there anything else about it that's not a bad thing?"

I nodded, "There are lots of different sports. Those tend to bring people together since it's all about friendly competition. We've got soccer, baseball, volleyball, hockey, football, as well as many others. Does Equestria have anything like that?"

To my surprise, Lyra nodded, "Actually, yeah! But instead of football, we play hoofball."

I smirked as I rolled my eyes, "Why am I not surprised?"

Lyra then asked, "Well, that's a lot of fun things your world has. But has humanity ever done any really good things for each other? Or has it been nothing but awful terrible things?"

This question had me think carefully for a moment. While there is indeed a great deal of evil in my world, there have been some high profile incidents of good will. And there was one such incident that stood out in my mind. "Yes. They have done some good things. I can tell you about one."

My friend smiled, "I'm all ears."

I then explained, "Not that long ago, there was a massive earthquake in the island nation of Japan that triggered a catastrophic tsunami."

"Tsunami?" Lyra asked, clearly not familiar with Japanese terms.

"Tidal wave." I retorted, using the more common term for it.

"Anyway, a lot of people died because no one saw it coming. Entire seaside towns were washed away. Those who did survive the ordeal were left homeless. And that's where things started to get better." I went on. "Nations from all over began to pour in supplies and aid of all sorts. I even saw a video once showing the aftermath and the people of Japan voicing their gratitude. Gotta admit, it actually choked me up."

Lyra was silent for a moment. She then asked, "So, there really is some good in humanity?"

I nodded, but crossed my arms as I bowed my head. "Don't get me wrong. Humanity still has mountains of sin in its past and those mountains keep getting bigger by the day. But incidents like that do give me some hope for my kind."

I was surprised as Lyra embraced me. "I know I have hope for humanity. After all, you're a good person. Who's to say other humans can't be nice like you?"

I embraced my friend back. "Yeah… But I'm still staying here. Even if there is hope for my world, I still prefer being in Equestria."

"I'm glad to hear that. It's been fun learning from you." Lyra spoke as she nuzzled me. She then pointed at Derpy, who was browsing the selection of treats. "Why don't you go talk to Derpy? She's been looking forward to you coming home too."

"I think I'll do that right now. Let's chat again before the party ends, Lyra." I petted her on the head before heading over towards the local mailmare.

As I drew closer, it seemed that Derpy was having trouble deciding on what to eat first. "Um… Should I stick with muffins or try the cupcakes?" She moved her head back and forth with her mouth open, clearly unable to decide on what to eat first. Suddenly, she grinned as she grabbed one of each in her ankle joints. "Ah, what the hay? I'll take both!"

I took a step back as she tossed the two pastries upwards and held her mouth wide open with her eyes closed. However, instead of falling into her mouth, the muffin and cupcake fell bottom side-down onto her closed eyelids. "Huh?" Derpy then began to 'look' around with the two snacks apparently affixed to her face. "Whoa! Muffin vision in my left eye and cupcake vision in my right! The world looks so yummy now!" I merely rolled my eyes as I shook my head. Derpy Hooves is, and always will be, a truly loveable little 'derp'.

After a moment longer, Derpy licked the two pastries right off her face and devoured them both at once. I still have to wonder if it is normal for a pony's tongue to get that long. "Mmm… Yummy… Huh? Oh, hi James! You were looking really tasty a second ago!"

I winced, suspecting that her 'cupcake and muffin vision' may have been real. Considering all of the unexplainable supernatural things that occur in Equestria on a daily basis, it would not surprise me if it were. "Don't even think about eating me, please. I just got home." I replied with my hands held up.

The goofy pegasus smiled, "I'd never do that! We ponies are strictly vegetarians!" However, she then held out a muffin to me. "But now that you're here, take this. I made it just for you."

It seemed to be an ordinary blueberry muffin with a thin layer of sugar sprinkled on top. As I took it in hand, Derpy's expression brightened. "I made it with you in mind. I hope you like it."

I looked down at the muffin before looking back at Derpy. This simple display of affection from a pony I do not frequently interact with deeply touched me, even though she had already given me one earlier that day. After a moment more, I dropped to my knees and embraced her. "Don't ever change, Derpy… You loveable little derp…"

"Dawww, you don't have to get all sentimental on me, James." Derpy replied as she wrapped her forelegs around me. "But still… Don't ever change either."

"All righty, ponies. Time fer a little somethin' special!" I heard Applejack call out as she came to the top of the stairs. Resting on her back was a wooden barrel that was almost her size.

Before I could even ask what the barrel was for, I noticed Rainbow Dash staring with her mouth hanging open at the barrel. "Applejack… Is that…a barrel of your special brand of cider?!"

Big Macintosh answered Rainbow's question for her. "Eyup."

Applejack grinned, "Sure is! Just because we make and sell barrel after barrel of it durin' Cider Season doesn't mean we don't keep a few barrels 'round fer special occasions or ourselves. And today definitely counts as somethin' special."

Rainbow Dash suddenly cheered, "YES! I'm gonna make up for all those wasted hours waiting in line by chugging as many mugs as I can! I'm first in line!"

However, Applejack replied as she set the barrel on the drink table. "Not so fast, Rainbow. James is the real guest of honor, so he gets ta try it first."

Luna then asked, "I've heard tell of this Sweet Apple Acres cider. Is it as fabulous as claimed?"

Pinkie Pie replied with a bright smile, "Oh, you haven't lived until you've tried this! It's like ambrosia for the soul!"

Ambrosia? Seriously? I have never once tried cider, so I was rather curious. However, I grew suspicious as I saw Applejack attach a hand pump to the end of the barrel. It strongly brought to mind the types used for different beers in bars, leading me to suspect that her cider is of the hard variety. "Um… That isn't alcoholic, is it?"

Applejack replied, "Oh, ever so slightly. One mug ain't gonna hurt ya. It'll take a lot fer ya to get tipsy."

Mr. Cake then spoke up, "If that's the case, all the fillies should come with me for refreshments. This way, girls."

Sweetie Belle smiled, "OK! I hope you have sarsaparilla!" The three Cutie Mark Crusaders followed my employer downstairs as I approached the barrel of cider.

"OK… So, I get the first mug?" I asked as Applejack filled a tankard with the golden beverage.

"Sure do! Drink up, pardner." She then handed me the wooden tankard.

Now, I confess I have never once consumed alcoholic beverages before. Aside from drinking small amounts of wine at mass, but that is beside the point. The room became quiet as the partygoers watched. I shrugged before taking a sip.

Wow. Just wow. The flavor was… Actually, I do not think I will ever be able to describe the flavor of this cider. It was cold and went down smooth with a strong apple aftertaste. But it did not feel like juice. I noticed a slight tingle and a noticeable warmth at the back of my throat at first, probably from the alcohol content, but it was not enough to make me feel uncomfortable. "Dang. Now I know why you want this stuff so badly, Rainbow."

My brash pegasus friend smiled, "And now that you've had your share, it's my turn for some!" She swooped right over to the barrel as the rest of the partygoers formed a line.

The faces of the ponies as they drank the cider were rather entertaining to behold. They were usually varying expressions of bliss or delight. I was especially entertained by the expression Zecora made once she gulped some down. Her eyes rolled back in her head for an instant while a rosy blush adorned her cheeks. I never once imagined I would see the sage-like zebra mare look so…intoxicated. Or maybe it was just a flavor rush.

I leaned against the wall while watching the other partygoers mingle. Luna then walked up alongside me with a tankard of cider floating next to her and asked, "Is this your first time drinking hard cider?"

I nodded, "Actually, it's my first time drinking any form of cider. And my first time drinking a hard beverage. Although I gotta admit this doesn't taste like it contains alcohol."

Luna chuckled lightly before replying, "Take care to not drink too much. This is a day we all want to remember. I would prefer it if neither of us drink ourselves under the table."

I smiled, "I agree with you on that completely. I don't wanna forget what happened this day." However, just after I finished my serving, I felt a familiar need. "Excuse me for a minute, Luna. I need to use the restroom."

"Take your time." The princess replied. I will be right back. No need to bring my journal with me.

Hi! Pinkie Pie here! Just saying hello to whoever's reading this! What's James even writing? A report for Princess Celestia?

Ooooh, I get it. He's writing a journal! Fluttershy told me about these. Hmmm… Wow, he's really good at these. Just look at all that detail!

Anyway, hey there, ponies! We're all having a great party here at Sugarcube Corner! It's a party to welcome one of my most special friends back home! In case you don't know, it's James!

Now this guy has been a really great friend! I remember just bumping into him out of nowhere 3 weeks ago. I knew right then that I had never seen him before. I mean, really! He was the first human I ever met! So I just HAD to throw a party for him! We bonded really fast at the party and he's been with us ever since! Well… Until 4 days ago, that is. He just disappeared overnight without a trace. I was even wondering if he was just a dream I thought up. But nope! Here he is! Back in Equestria safe and sound!

I was so happy to see him, I couldn't contain myself! I grabbed him and gave him the biggest hug I could! But… I just remembered how he was when he saw me. The poor guy was crying. When I think about it… Awww, how precious am I to him for him to cry after seeing me for the first time in 4 days? He's a total sweetheart!

James has been a total blessing to my friends and me. After spending 3 weeks with him, I can't imagine life without him anymore! I don't even know how he got here! But if I ever meet the one who brought him to Equestria, I'll give them the best cupcakes they've ever tasted!

Anyway, everypony's really happy to have him back! This party was just meant for his closest friends like us, but I invited everypony else I could think of who's pretty close to him. There was Big Macintosh, Heartstrings, Zecora, Derpy Hooves, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and even Mr. and Mrs. Cake! And guess what? Even Princess Luna showed up! And… Uh oh. Looks like Rainbow Dash is trying to get more cider. I know that stuff is awesome, but we've only got so much to spread around this time! Let me go see if I can distract her with some punch.

OK, here I am! That went over well. Oh wait! I just remembered that I didn't properly introduce myself! I'm Pinkie Pie! I'm the pink pony with a poofy mane who's friends with absolutely everypony in Ponyville! I work at Sugarcube Corner and baby-sit the Cake couple's foals when I can. I also like to come up with songs in my spare time. But more than anything, I like to make my friends smile. And… Huh?! Oh, my Pinkie Sense is tingling! Let's see… Ears twitching, but not flopping… Ooh! That means someone's going to be clopping pretty soon! But clopping to what?

Oh, right. Some of you might not know what 'clopping' even is. Well, you see, clopping is what they call…

Oops! I hear James coming back up the stairs! I better get going. But it's always nice to put my thoughts down on paper! So long! And keep smiling!

All right, where was I…wait. Where did all this extra text come from? This is not my handwriting!

Oh, I see now. Pinkie Pie decided to jot down some things while I was away. Hmm… Well, she certainly thinks highly of me. Heh, just like she cannot imagine life without me, I certainly cannot imagine life without her either. Not a day goes by without her making me smile or laugh in some way.

Hardly five minutes after I got a second serving of Applejack's cider, I heard her in an argument with Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, you've already had four servin's of that cider. Don'tcha think you've had enough fer one day?"

Rainbow Dash, like most times I have seen her, was airborne with her wings flapping in a steady rhythm. However, I noticed that she could not stay in one spot and was constantly drifting back and forth ever so slightly. I also noticed a rosy blush on her cheeks. "Oh, c'mon, AJ! Just look at Derpy! She's had four servings too and she looks just fine!"

My gaze turned towards Derpy as she chugged down a tankard of cider. She let out a sigh once she had finished. But I was in for a surprise when she opened her eyes. They had gone from being…well…'derped' to looking completely normal. It was as if alcohol had the exact opposite affect on her as on other ponies. She glanced around before smiling, "Wow, when did everything get so clear?"

"Ya see?! If she can take it, so can I!" Rainbow Dash spoke while pointing at the mailmare.

"Ugh… Fine, fine, help yerself." Applejack replied in defeat.

"Don't worry about me, Applejack. I promise I'll stop at my sixth." Rainbow Dash said with a smile as she started to chug down another serving of cider.

"What is that stuff? Gold for the tongue?" I muttered, finding that Rainbow's cravings for the cider seemed to border on obsessive.

I watched as Pinkie Pie danced alongside Heartstrings and Zecora. I must admit Zecora's style of dancing was very exotic to behold. Somewhat slow and mystical, but what would you expect from a nomadic beauty like her? In my eyes, her style of dance stole the show.

Big Macintosh took a seat beside me with a tankard of cider being held in his ankle joint. "How were things while I was gone, Mac? Was AJ and little Apple Bloom doing OK?" I asked, curious of how the burly red stallion handled my absence.

He replied with a slight frown, "Nnope."

I then asked, "Well… What about you? Are you glad to see me again?"

Big Macintosh smiled, "Eyup."

"It's good to have you around, Mac. Your presence is very refreshing." I spoke while patting him on the shoulder. I then asked, "Ya know… You're always really quiet when you're around other ponies. Are you shy?" I can completely relate, as I tend to be uptight when around people I do not know well.

The laidback stallion nodded, "Eyup…"

No wonder he is always so soft-spoken. It is not because he chooses to say little. He is simply too shy to bring himself to talk much. I then asked, "Well… Are you shy around me?"

I saw Big Macintosh give a slight smile as he replied, "Nnope."

"You're pretty cool, Big Mac. We friends? And you don't have to say much if you don't want to." I smiled as I held out my fist for a brohoof.

"Eyup." He replied as he bumped his hoof against my fist.

Out of nowhere, I heard Applejack call out. "Dang it, Rainbow! I told ya six servin's was too much fer ya!" I looked over at the farm pony, who seemed to be looking up with an irritated expression. When I too looked up, I think my jaw dropped. Tangled in the ribbons that hung above the floor was what seemed to be a drunken Rainbow Dash.

"Whaddya mean six was too much? I'm just fine! Besides, lookit all these vines! I'm just like Daring Do now!" Rainbow Dash replied with a slightly slurred voice. And…yeah, she must have been drunk. She was wearing a pink snack bowl on her head. "And so the adventurous Daring Do's parachute malfunctioned and got tangled in vines as she descended through the canopy! What would be the best way to get outta this?"

I noticed Twilight approach me while looking up at Rainbow Dash. "Daring what now?" I asked, not knowing who or what this 'Daring Do' character is.

Twilight looked at me out of the corner of her eye and spoke, "She's the main protagonist of a series of adventure stories that Rainbow Dash loves to read. I can give you a copy of some if they interest you."

I shook my head as I replied, "I'm more concerned with getting Rainbow back down here." The rainbow-mane pegasus was still hanging in the ribbons, looking utterly oblivious to what was happening. But as I observed her for a second, I looked down at my tankard of cider. I had already consumed one and this one was now half empty. I was feeling just fine at the moment, but I certainly did not want to run the risk of ending up like Rainbow Dash. I might end up getting taped to the ceiling or worse.

I suspect Twilight may have noticed my hesitation in drinking the remaining amount of my cider. "You gonna drink that?" She asked, probably having developed a taste for that delicious drink.

My eyes glanced at the face of my unicorn friend before looking at my drink. I then held it out to her and replied, "Knock yourself out." Twilight grinned thankfully before using magic to lift the tankard out of my grasp before chugging it all.

"Just leave it to me! One shot from my party cannon oughta get her down!" Pinkie Pie called out as she pushed a… Good lord, was she really going to use that thing?

"Pinkie Pie, I know that thing is far from being a weapon. But is it really safe to directly shoot somepony with it?!" Rarity gasped as Pinkie Pie took aim with an old-fashioned cannon that was almost the same size as her own body. The barrel was almost the same shade of blue as Rainbow Dash's coat while the wheels at the back had pink rims and purple centers with a white flower emblem in the middle.

Pinkie Pie took a moment to adjust the cannon's aim while replying to Rarity, "Of course it is, silly! It might be a cannon, but all it does shoot is good clean fun!" Once the end of the cannon was properly aligned with Rainbow Dash, who was still just as oblivious as a moment earlier while she was just hanging upside down with her eyes rolling around in her head, Pinkie Pie called out, "Don't move, Rainbow! I promise this won't hurt a bit!"

Rainbow Dash muttered, "Oh no…! The evil Uhitzol is about to fire his cursed spear gun at our hero! Can Daring Do escape in time?!" …..OK, I have no idea if I even spelled that name correctly. Maybe I should read the book to get an idea of how to spell that villain's name.

I watched as Pinkie Pie pressed down on the cannon's fuse like a button. But when it did not fire, she gave the cannon a slight nudge. "Oh, come on! I know I loaded it with…EEK!" Pinkie Pie shrieked as it suddenly misfired. Fortunately for me, the cannon was not particularly loud. Only about as loud as those shirt launchers that you might see during breaks at a hockey game.

The cannon was knocked off target when Pinkie Pie nudged it, causing the cannon to point at Zecora at the time it misfired. A puff of yellow smoke engulfed the zebra for a moment. However, when the smoke did clear, my zebra friend looked like she was decked out for Mardi Gras. She was wearing a flashy headdress with plastic beads and a flowing dress with a floral pattern that sported green, gold, and purple colorations. She then exclaimed with a bewildered voice, "I do not believe I have ever seen such designs of purple, gold, and green!"

The recoil from the cannon caused its mouth to point in another direction before Pinkie Pie could stop it. When the cannon fired again, it was pointing at… Oh jeez, Princess Luna?! The cloud of smoke that engulfed her upon being shot was red. When the smoke cleared….. Really, Pinkie Pie? A Santa Claus coat and hat? No, I am not joking. That is exactly what she was wearing. Luna seemed to be unamused by this as she rolled her eyes. "A Santa Hooves outfit? I believe you may have that cannon set to the wrong type of party."

It seemed that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had come back upstairs to join the party as I found the three of them lined up in a row while watching the mayhem unfold. Once the cannon pointed in their direction, it fired three times in quick succession as it shot all three of them in a row. Strangely enough, each of the three fillies was engulfed in a differently colored cloud of smoke. Apple Bloom was covered in a fiery orange cloud, Sweetie Belle was engulfed in a lime green cloud, and a light blue cloud surrounded Scootaloo. Once the smoke had cleared, I found that the three fillies were each wearing a different kind of hat. Just hats. But for some reason, the three types lined up seemed strangely…..familiar.

Apple Bloom was wearing a sombrero, Sweetie Belle was wearing what I believe was a boater hat, and Scootaloo was wearing a light blue sailor's hat. "What in tarnation are these for?!" Apple Bloom asked as she tried to balance out her hat. It seemed to be a size too big for her.

"Well, at least it didn't put me in a chicken suit." Scootaloo replied with a grin.

However, Sweetie Belle smirked at the pegasus filly. "I know. You look more like a duck now."

"Oh, shut up!" Scootaloo shouted at the unicorn filly… Wait. A duck? In a blue sailor hat? And two others in a sombrero and a boater hat… Oh my god…

I am not sure if it was because I had been loosened up a bit from consuming small amounts of alcohol, but I burst out laughing to the point where I fell on the floor. If there is anyone reading this who knows why I found their appearances to be funny, congratulations on recognizing the similarities.

My laughing was interrupted when I suddenly felt a burst of wind in my face. I then noticed that I was covered in a plume of white smoke. "What the…" I muttered as I stood up. Strangely enough, it felt like there was something on my head. When the smoke began to clear, I found myself draped in a…white tablecloth? And on my head was a…..lampshade. A freaking lampshade!

"Really? A lampshade? On me? Since when am I the life of a party?!" I grumbled, knowing I was not nearly loosened up enough to be worthy of this particular headgear.

"I think you look kind of cute in it, James." Fluttershy spoke as she hovered near me. I merely rolled my eyes at her claim.

"OK, no more games! Rainbow Dash is going down!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she pounced upon the cannon and adjusted its aim. A second later, the cannon fired and hit Rainbow Dash right in the chest in a flurry of confetti. The drunken pegasus was torn from the ribbons that bound her and fell onto Applejack's back with a yelp.

"Ya'll fine now, Rainbow?" Applejack asked as our friend hung over her sides.

"Ugh… Make the world stop spinning…" Rainbow Dash grumbled as her eyes rolled around in her head. While still clearly drunk, it seemed she had been knocked out of her stupor for the most part.

With a sigh, I approached her and helped my friend to a standing position. Right after that, I removed the snack bowl from her head and placed my lampshade on her head. "Huh? A lampshade? What's this for?"

I replied, "You deserve this more than me."

The party continued without a hitch, although Luna removed her Santa outfit out of preference for her usual regal attire. That, and it was far too hot out for that kind of clothing. However, Zecora had taken a liking to her flashy new dress and chose to hold onto it. And lastly, Applejack was making certain that Rainbow Dash did not get anymore cider for the remainder of the party.

Later during the party, I happened to notice a billowing pale blue aura surrounding Luna's horn as she mingled with the guests. It was not unusual to see it while she was levitating something, but the aura seemed larger than usual and there was nothing floating near her. I waited to catch her alone before approaching her.

"Excuse me, Luna. What kind of spell are you using now?" I asked once standing next to her.

The princess of the night looked up at me and smiled, "Oh, you noticed? I'm just fulfilling my primary duties right now. It takes a bit of time to raise the moon."

I paused for a moment as I tried to comprehend what she had just told me. "You mean… You're raising the moon… As in right now?" When Luna nodded with a smile, I raised my voice just slightly. "But… That has to be a challenge! How're you doing that without looking like you're even focusing on it?!"

Luna chuckled as she replied, "When you've been raising and lowering the moon for as long as I have, it becomes second nature to you." My eyes traced over my regal friend. It was impossible for me to fathom the sheer amount of magical power this beautiful alicorn possesses. Could it be that she is…a goddess?

The one last thing we did before the party ended was take pictures using my DSi. Each of the photos differed as they all contained me with one or more of the guests. One involved me arm wrestling Big Macintosh. And…good god. The instant we started, I was sent falling over the edge of the table. His strength is godly. The image depicted me almost completely out of the shot at the bottom of the screen with Big Macintosh showing the most expressive face I had ever seen on him to that day.

Another depicted me wearing one of those foreign masks that Zecora owns. It seems she brought it along for kicks. The photo we took together showed me wearing the mask while striking a pose with my arms and legs in angular positions while Zecora posed on her hind legs beside me.

Lyra was in the next one. True to her fascination with humans, she was standing on her hind legs while leaning against me with her forelegs crossed. She was making a big toothy grin while I rolled my eyes at her attempt at imitating a human.

Next was Derpy Hooves. That loveable little airhead was airborne next to me, each of us wearing a muffin on our heads. Her eyes were just as derped as before while I was trying to not laugh.

The next photo showed me with beautiful Princess Luna. Her horn was still engulfed in that blue aura at the time, probably because the moon was not yet in its proper orbit. She had reared up on her hind legs so that her height was closer to being the same as mine. Her forelegs were resting on my arm as I held her up. The two of us were smiling together, my spare hand resting on her hoof.

The next picture always makes me smile when I look at it. It showed the Cutie Mark Crusaders with the smaller members standing at the front with the tallest standing at the back. All four of us had serious expressions while wearing our trademark capes. But despite our stern glares, each of us was smirking.

The final picture is arguably my favorite. It was taken when my six closest friends and me were gathered together for a group shot. Fluttershy was hovering next to me while nuzzling me while…. Well, to be honest, it looked like the others were doing their best to keep Rainbow Dash still for the picture. It still turned out fine, but that goofy pegasus really stole the show in that moment.

Once it was completely dark out, we all decided we had partied long enough and that it was time to head home. "Thanks again for attending, everypony. We hope to see you all again real soon!" Mr. Cake spoke as we all made our way downstairs to the front door.

"A truly memorable party from beginning to end. May we meet again soon, my friends." Zecora spoke as she headed off into the night. One by one, all our other guests said their goodbyes and headed on their way. However, Scootaloo looked up at me just before going outside.

"I'll go gather up my stuff. Wait for me, OK?" My little sister spoke as I stroked her mane. She then ran outside and out into Ponyville. I was still left wondering exactly where she lived.

Aside from my six closest friends and myself, Luna was the last to leave. "I'm glad I stayed for this party. I enjoyed every minute of it. Well… Maybe every minute except for when I was forced to wear that red and white hat and coat combo…"

I chuckled, "I think you actually looked really good in it." Luna rolled her eyes at my claim.

"In any case, I must return to Canterlot. But we will be seeing each other again, won't we?"

Fluttershy nodded with a smile, "It would be lovely if you could come and visit now and then, your highness."

Luna smiled, "Is that so? Then I believe I shall be planning some more visits very soon." She then began to hover as she took to the air. However, she then whispered into my ear, "I will relay your words to Celestia as soon as I see her."

I muttered back as we embraced each other for a moment, "Thanks, Luna. And give her my thanks for bringing me here in the first place." Me and my friends then watched as the beautiful princess flew into the night sky, her silhouette perfectly visible against the glow of the full moon.

"Are you certain you will be fine getting home, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked as we stepped outside.

"Ye…yeah… I'll be fine! I think the worst is over now… Hic… But I think I'll stay grounded until I can fly straight." Rainbow Dash replied, still clearly intoxicated from chugging one too many tankards of hard cider.

"Just make sure you drink some water before bed. Otherwise you'll wake up with an awful hangover." Twilight Sparkle added, almost sounding like she was speaking from experience.

"That was one swell party, Pinkie! Thanks fer the invite!" Applejack spoke as she looked over at Pinkie Pie, who was standing at the doorway.

"Don't thank me! Thank James! There wouldn't have been any point in throwing this party if he never came home!" She replied with a toothy grin. I snickered as I averted my eyes. I do not think I will ever get used to being the center of attention.

We all began to walk in separate directions, but I felt myself stop after several steps. Fluttershy went on ahead for a few more before she noticed I had stopped. "James? Is something wrong?"

I had turned my back on my friends and we were walking away from each other. The unpleasant memories of being separated from my friends for three days straight began to surface as I became fearful that I would not see them again after tonight. But when I looked over my shoulder, I was surprised to see that they too had stopped dead in their tracks. All five of them were looking in my direction with worrisome expressions.

"Hey… James. We're gonna see ya tomorrow, right?" Rainbow Dash asked, her voice still slightly slurred.

"Yeah… I'll definitely see you all again… But will you be here tomorrow?" I replied.

To my surprise, all six of the mares swarmed me and embraced me in a tight group hug. "You bet we will. Just…please don't ever disappear again." Twilight spoke with a pained voice.

I merely nodded in silence as I wrapped my arms around them the best I could. "Nopony can ever replace you, darling. Please don't ever leave us again…" Rarity muttered as she nuzzled my face.

"I won't, girls… I… I just can't imagine life without you…" I muttered in reply. "You were right, Twi. You don't know what you have until it's gone. And I learned just how much you girls mean to me."

Applejack smiled, "Likewise, pardner. You'll always be welcome in Ponyville."

Pinkie Pie then grinned, "OK, we better let James get home. He's bound to be tired after three whole days of no sleep! I know I hardly slept! Had to chug around ten pots of coffee to keep going!" I snickered at that revelation. I always thought coffee was too strong for the likes of Pinkie Pie.

"Don't worry. We'll see each other again tomorrow. Shall we go home now, James?" Fluttershy asked while looking at me.

I nodded, "Sounds great, honey. Good night, girls. And thanks for the warm welcome back." The seven of us bid each other goodbye and began to head home. Except for Pinkie Pie, that is. She simply went back inside Sugarcube Corner.

"Man… What would I do without you girls…" I muttered as I walked to the western edge of Ponyville with Fluttershy by my side.

"Try not to think about that anymore, James. You're home now and you're never leaving again. Right?" The timid pegasus replied while looking up at me.

I looked up at the night sky, feeling the calmness of the cool evening winds soothing my mind. "Yeah… Never again…"

The walk home was fairly uneventful, as most of the ponies in town had gone home for the night. However, once we had reached the meadow that bordered our cottage, I froze as I felt Fluttershy drag the tip of her long tail against my chin. "Uh… Honey?"

I suspect Fluttershy was not even entirely aware of what she had done since she stopped in her tracks. "Uh oh… Did I just…" Her tail was still raised, the tip still held against the underside of my chin. Her face turned red as a beet.

"Yeah, you did… I didn't know you could be this flirty, Fluttershy." I replied, feeling rather warm from a spike in body temperature.

She proceeded to partially conceal her face behind her mane. "It was kind of out of instinct… It's just that I'm…in heat…"

My eyes opened wide at those words. "You're…in heat?"

Fluttershy nodded, "Yes… I never had any problems before, but when I'm around you…it's a little harder to restrain myself…"

"Well… What is it you really want to do?"

She began to walk a little faster with her tail still raised high enough to reach my face. "I… I don't know… My mind is kind of a mess. I'm not sure what to focus on…" However, even though Fluttershy was very indecisive at the moment, it was very obvious what her body wanted. Her tail seemed to be raised without her knowledge, giving me a perfect view of her needy vulva.

"Um… Fluttershy? Lower your tail before someone sees…" I muttered loudly to get my lover's attention.

Fluttershy was quick to respond to my words as she lowered her tail right away. "I'm sorry… Did anypony see that?" I shook my head. We were a good distance from the edge of Ponyville by now. "Phew… I wish my body wouldn't do that…"

I then spoke, "You know, you don't have to restrain yourself around me when we're alone."

"You really wouldn't mind? My instinct's are telling me to do some…very naughty things to you right now…" Fluttershy replied with a sheepish tone.

I nodded with a smile, "I don't mind. Couples shouldn't be afraid to do naughty stuff together. It's actually completely normal, to be fair."

After a few seconds of thought, Fluttershy nodded. "OK then. I'll be true to myself once Scootaloo's in bed for the night. I…really wouldn't want her to walk in on us or anything."

Speaking of Scootaloo, I started hearing a familiar motorized buzzing noise just as we reached the edge of Fluttershy's property. "Here comes the little speed demon now." I spoke as I turned around. Coming towards us was Scootaloo on her scooter. And being dragged along behind it was…whoa. That is quite the wagon.

"Hey, guys! Thanks for waiting for me!" Scootaloo spoke as she slowed to a halt. The wagon that was being pulled behind her was probably five times bigger around than the scooter itself. Piled onto it was a small bed, a wardrobe, and various other odds and ends. "I packed up ALL my stuff! Where do I unload it?"

Fluttershy took a moment as she observed the pile of stuff packed into the wagon. "That's…uh…quite a bit of stuff you have…"

"Yup! I've got my bed, my cabinet for my stuff, my sofa, everything!" Scootaloo replied. It seemed that the bulk of the cargo was the bits of furniture while the smaller objects were contained inside the wardrobe or cabinet. In all, she really did not have all that much.

"Well, let's get you inside and settled in. Come on, Scoot." I called as I led her and Fluttershy up to the front door.

Unloading and putting in Scootaloo's furniture was actually fairly easy for me due to their small size. One of the side rooms had plenty of extra space, almost as if the only thing missing for it to be considered a guest room was the bed. By the time we finished, Scootaloo seemed rather drowsy.

"You ready for bed, Scoot?" I asked, noticing my little sister's partially closed eyes.

"Nah, I'm wide awake. I can still…" She replied before pausing to let out a long yawn.

I crossed my arms while smirking. "I think you're just in denial. Come on, it's time for bed." I picked the little tomboy up in my arms and set her down in the bed.

"I'll go get your shower ready for you, James. And good night, Scootaloo." Fluttershy said with a smile as she left the room.

"G'night, Fluttershy…" Scootaloo replied with a yawn.

Once I had tucked my little sister in for the night, I kissed her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams, Scoot."

However, as I stood up and turned to leave, Scootaloo spoke up in a groggy tone. "James… Wait a second…"

I turned around and kneeled next to Scootaloo. "Yeah?"

She looked at me with an endearing gaze. "I know you're my big brother now, but I feel like I really need to tell you this…" I froze as she placed her hoof on my hand. "You're…the closest thing to a dad I ever had."

I said nothing for a moment as I took in those words. I had never once thought of myself as a father figure to anyone. But…really? A father? "I love you, James… You'll always be my big brother, no matter what." She muttered with a yawn as she drifted off to sleep.

Tears began to build up in my eyes, forcing me to wipe them away. I then leaned in close and placed another kiss on Scootaloo's cheek. "I love you too, Scootaloo. You'll always be my cute and cool little sister."

Since it had gotten late, I decided to wash up before bed. It had been an emotionally tiring day for me. Half of it was spent on Earth with the other half back in Equestria. When I reached the top of the stairs, I found Fluttershy reading through what seemed to be more of my older journal entries. I decided to leave her be while I headed into the bathroom to bathe.

There was a cloud of steam lingering in the room. I suspect Fluttershy had let the water run to warm up before turning it off. Eager to get clean, I undressed and sat down in the tub before turning the water back on.

As I expected, the water was at the right temperature the instant it started flowing again. "Thanks, Fluttershy." I muttered as I pulled the shower curtain around the tub.

"You're welcome, James." A voice spoke a moment later.

I did not even hear the door close. How did Fluttershy sneak in? "Honey, is that you?" I asked while pulling the curtain open again. Sitting right next to the tub was Fluttershy. Only that gaze she was giving me was…..very out of character for her. "Um… Fluttershy? What's with the stare?"

There was a noticeable blush on my lover's face as she gazed at me with an amorous expression. "Oh, there's nothing wrong, dear. I'm just being myself." She then stepped into the tub and rested on top of my torso. That would have been relatively normal, but I shuddered as I felt her long tail starting to rub against my crotch.

"Fluttershy… What are you doing?" I asked finding this straightforward approach to be very odd.

She smiled warmly with her muzzle being an inch from my nose. "I'm just following my instincts like you suggested. And besides, I really don't feel very shy when I'm with you."

"Does that mean I should call you Flutterbold when you're in heat?" I replied. The two of us chuckled in unison.

Fluttershy continued to tease my crotch with her tail as I slowly gained an erection. "Fluttershy… You do know what might happen if we do this while you're in heat, right?" I asked, wanting to make sure Fluttershy knew what she was getting herself into.

She rested her head against my chest and smiled, "Of course I know. And I really want this." She then kissed me on the cheek, "I need you, James. Will you help me?"

I was still getting used to this behavior, so Fluttershy's words came off as somewhat awkward for me. "Honey… I think the pheromones are getting to you."

Fluttershy merely smiled, "No. I'm still me. It's just that we're alone... And you're the only person I can really open up to like this. I'm only getting this…flirty…since I feel 100% comfortable around you. And besides that…" She then pressed her nose against mine in a traditional equine 'kiss'. "I love you."

At this display of affection, I kissed Fluttershy on the cheek. "I love you too, honey. But…are you absolutely sure about this?"

My lover smiled with a blush, "I'm…very sure. If I'm with you, I feel like nothing can go wrong. But are you ready?"

I took a moment to ponder this. If Fluttershy and I were to mate now, she would likely become pregnant. Am I ready to be a father? What will our child even look like? But despite these uncertainties, I felt like I could handle it as long as I had my lover with me. "I think so… Just as long as I have you, that is."

I froze as I felt the familiar sensation of Fluttershy rubbing her vulva against my manhood. "Whatever happens… We'll face it together." She whispered to me. As I placed my hands on her sides, she slid backwards while taking me into her.

"Whoa… Fluttershy, you feel…hot…" I am not certain if it was just me, but her insides felt extremely warm. Was it because her heat cycle literally caused her internal body heat to rise? Regardless, the intense heat of her needy body only seemed to add to my pleasure.

"Let's take it slow, James…" Fluttershy whispered with a faint smile. I held onto her sides as she slowly began to move herself back and forth, my length filling her passage with each backward movement. Moments later, her wings spread open in an impressive wingboner. I could see them twitching every few seconds, even while being soaked with water.

I closed my eyes for a moment as we mated. Wait… This is more than just mating. We are breeding. Creating a new life. But…is it even possible? A human and a pony? Would our genes work together? Granted, the ponies of Equestria are almost nothing like the equines of my world, but still… Is it possible for a human and Equestrian pony to reproduce together?

Now, I will be the first to admit that I do have something of a pregnancy fetish. But only when it applied to human women. But even so… I tried to imagine in my head how my girlfriend would look if pregnant with my child. I could see her… That beautiful pegasus mare smiling so brightly. She seemed so happy about something, but what?

It was then that I saw it. That large bulge in her belly hanging between her hind legs. It was so big… Bigger than a human woman's. Or did it just seem bigger due to Fluttershy's smaller frame in comparison? Either way, she seemed to have a lovely glow to her. I was tempted to reach out to her and try to feel her belly. Sadly, I could not as all I could feel was Fluttershy's wet coat against the palm of my hands. But I was still able to focus on the scene in my mind.

Fluttershy smiled warmly as she lied down on her side and showed a perfect view of her underside. Her belly looked so round from below. And then… I saw it. Her belly shook… There it was again. I could distinctly make out the indentation of something pushing against the walls of her womb from the inside. It was then that I saw and heard Fluttershy speak, "It's ours."

I opened my eyes as I think I felt a single tear building up in each one. "James… Are you OK?" Fluttershy asked, her strong cyan eyes looking down at me as some tears had started to build up in them as well.

"I think I saw it… You were carrying our foal." I replied honestly.

Fluttershy blushed even deeper at my words. But she then asked, "Was I…beautiful?"

I placed one hand on her hoof. "Like a goddess. And I heard you tell me that it was ours."

Even though her face was all wet, I could still make out her tears as they cascaded down her face. "I love you, James…" She then leaned in close and kissed me deeply, her tongue reaching out to touch mine. I held her in a gentle embrace, her body still moving back and forth as she kept taking my length into her.

I lost track of time as we kissed. Ten seconds became ten minutes as we kissed. By the time we broke the kiss, I could already feel a familiar pressure building up inside me. "Fluttershy, I'm almost there… Are you sure you're ready?"

My beautiful lover nodded with a tearful smile, "I'm…so ready. Please… Inside me…" I began to buck my hips upwards into Fluttershy in a joint effort to induce an orgasm for us both. As usual, Fluttershy was the first to finish as her eyes rolled back in her head as she gasped loudly, her inner walls beginning to spasm around my length.

I could not hold out any longer. Groaning my lover's name, I pushed up into her as deep as I could. A second later, I felt it. My length throbbing as I filled her needy womb with my sperm. Out of all the lovemaking sessions we have had up to this point, this one left me feeling the most satisfied. And I know why. If luck is on our side, we will soon have a foal on the way.

"James…" Fluttershy muttered as she looked up at me with her head on my chest.

"Yeah, honey…?" I replied, panting just slightly in the afterglow.

Fluttershy brought her hoof to my face and smiled once again while still shedding tears. "I feel…so blessed to have you as my stallion… I'm so happy to have you home again…"

Despite using the wrong word to describe me, I was touched by Fluttershy's gratitude. And I was equally grateful to have her in my life. "No, Fluttershy… I'm the one who's really blessed. Because I was brought to this world to be with you."

"I wish I knew who did it… I want to thank them… At the very least, let's invite them to the wedding once we decide on a date…" Fluttershy replied as she rested her head just under my chin.

"Same here… I owe them more than they know." I muttered while stroking my lover's mane. Of course, I knew that it was Celestia and Luna who brought me to Equestria in the first place. But since Luna had requested that I do not spread the word, I chose to keep quiet about it.

What a day… My day, or rather the previous three days were a total nightmare for me. The first half of this day was no better, but… I finally realize just what this world means to me. Being separated from those I hold dear has caused me to rethink what they mean to me. And to be completely honest…

My friends and my lover mean everything to me.

Words cannot describe my gratitude towards Luna and Celestia for bringing me to this paradise… Well… Maybe not so much. Equestria may be far better than Earth, but it is still not without its share of drama and conflict. But compared to the constant wars and crime of Earth, the conflicts of this world are petty playground arguments.

I am writing this in bed with Fluttershy sleeping soundly beside me and with Scootaloo sleeping downstairs. I lost so much three days ago. But I gained so much more once I returned home. I now truly do have a little sister and my bond with my friends has only been strengthened. And maybe, just maybe, Fluttershy and I will be having a foal in several months.

At least I hope we do. I still have my doubts that we are all that compatible. Humans and ponies are vastly different. Our genetic compatibility is probably fairly low. But… I think it is possible. I want to believe it is possible. And if this attempt resulted in failure, then we can simply try again once Fluttershy's heat cycle returns. But even if starting a family together proves to be impossible, it will not change my feelings for Fluttershy. She is, and always will be, my angel.

All right, this day has been very tiring for me and I am eager to get to sleep. Although I am still looking forward to my days ahead. What will happen at Nightmare Night? And what will the Grand Galloping Gala be like? I have only been in Equestria for a little over three weeks at this point. And I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life here.

Wait… My eyes just scanned past the window right next to the bed. I can see the Everfree Forest out there. Somewhere out there is Mitta, more than likely still trapped under the curse of Sunny Town. And even further in is….. "Nightmare Moon."

I had all but forgotten about the beautiful princess lingering in the castle ruins deep in the forest. I can remember her tears when I tried to show her appreciation for her calm and beautiful night. "I'll be back, Nightmare Moon. Please be patient." I muttered quietly as I gripped my pillow in one hand.

That is all for tonight. I must… Hold on. I need to hide this journal entry and all of the previous ones that mention my encounter with Nightmare Moon. If anyone catches wind that she is still alive, there is no telling how Celestia and Luna will react. I know the schoolchildren and Cheerilee will not spread the word since I explained that she had in fact protected me, but it is best to be safe.

All right, no more stalling. I am exhausted and want to join my beautiful lover in sleep. And please… Please…

"Let me wake up in this bed. Let me be in Equestria when morning comes…"

Please, do not send me away again… I cannot bear it a second time…

My friends. My love. Please know this. I love you all more than you know. You are all my little ponies. My irreplaceable friends. Thank you for welcoming me into your world. And thank you for teaching me the magic of friendship. I will repay you all someday. But not right now.

Because I need to sleep. Sweet dreams, everypony. And thank you again.


	14. Night of the Laughing Dead

I awoke to the feel of something nuzzling against my chin. It felt soft and smooth. Like the coat of a foal. Wait… It was the coat of a foal. I slowly opened my eyes and looked down. Sleeping with her head just under my chin was Scootaloo.

It has been around two months since I was brought to Equestria. And a little over one month since I adopted Scootaloo as my little sister. Our time together as a small family has been very enjoyable and fulfilling. Just like this moment. She has developed a habit of occasionally climbing out of bed during the middle of the night and climbing into Fluttershy and my bed just so she can sleep close to me. This has never been a problem for us. In fact, we are always tickled to find her sleeping with us. But enough delaying. Time to get Scootaloo up and ready for school.

I gently stroked my little sister's mane, my other hand holding her underside. I remained silent throughout the whole thing, wanting to awaken her as gently as possible. "Mmph… Wha…" Scootaloo mumbled as she started to wake up.

"Rise and shine, Scoot. It's almost time for school." I replied softly, rubbing my nose into her mane.

Scootaloo let out a quiet giggle at my touch and reply, "Just ten more minutes, big brother? I promise I'll get up after that." She still sounded fairly groggy. I confess I too was still sleepy.

"Well, OK. But no later than that." I replied with a smile. For being such a tomboy, Scootaloo is still extremely adorable in her own right. It is fairly difficult for me to resist her requests when she is in such a groggy and cute state more often than not.

"Thanks, James…" Scootaloo muttered as she sleepily smiled at me before closing her eyes and snuggling up against me once more. Feeling this small filly warmly pressing her body against me made my heart melt. I gently held her against me and closed my eyes, eager to join her in sleep again.

I suspect we may have overslept as I woke up abruptly a short while later to the feel of cold water being dumped on me.

"Hey! Peh! What the hay was that?!" I heard Scootaloo shout as we both woke up while being drenched. Hovering above us was my little pet dove, Angela, holding a cup by its handle in her feet with it turned on its side.

"Angela… Really? I would expect something like that from…" I replied as I suddenly noticed Fluttershy's pet rabbit standing at the foot of the bed. He seemed rather irritated as he held up an old-fashioned pocket watch. The time was ten minutes past 8 AM. "Uh oh… I think we better get up now."

Scootaloo grinned nervously, "Heheh, yeah. And… Mm! You smell that?"

I sniffed the air, picking up a delightful aroma. "Smells like Fluttershy is already working on breakfast. You head on down while I get dressed."

"OK! See ya in a bit!" Scootaloo replied with a grin, more than likely wide awake from being doused in water. She jumped out of bed, shook herself off, and then ran down the stairs. Angela and Angel followed after her once I sat up in bed.

I pulled on my pants and put on my socks and shoes before looking over the shirts I had. "I wore Pinkie Pie's colors yesterday… Who do I wear today?" I muttered to myself as I looked over the six shirts that bore the colorations and cutie marks of my six closest friends.

After a moment of pondering, I decided to go with Twilight Sparkle's colors. I have to admit I was initially put off by the idea of wearing her and Pinkie Pie's colors as pink and purple are viewed as being feminine. However, I learned quickly that the ponies of Ponyville do not judge based on the colors you are covered in. It makes sense since the entire town's population is essentially a walking kaleidoscope of colors!

When I headed downstairs and into the kitchen, I found Fluttershy setting out our plates with scrambled eggs and hash browns. Scootaloo was already seated at the table, waiting anxiously for us to join her. I could tell she was getting impatient by the fact she was rapidly flapping her tiny wings, giving off a faint buzzing sound reminiscent of a cicada trying to fly away while being held.

Fluttershy smiled at me brightly once she looked in my direction. "Good morning, dear. Are you taking Scootaloo to school today?"

"Don't I always?" I replied with a smile of my own. I had developed a habit of waking up earlier than usual in order to personally escort Scootaloo to school every weekday. It is not a very long trek either, since the schoolhouse is located at the western edge of Ponyville.

The three of us all sat down at the table and began to dine on our breakfast. As we did so, I took note of a few things involving my little sister and beautiful lover. There was my girlfriend, a little filly, and I. A man, a woman, and a child… It was as if Fluttershy and I had become Scootaloo's parents the day I officially adopted her as my sister.

I will admit right now. While Scootaloo and I do maintain a relationship that is more friendly and casual than intimate more often than not, there are times where she seems more like a daughter to me than a sister. Is it just because of paternal instinct? Regardless, I do not think I am ready for actual parenthood. But looking after my adorable little sister is a good way to prepare me for that responsibility.

On that note, I feel I should mention something regarding the end of my previous entry that documented my…evening with Fluttershy. Unfortunately, our attempts to conceive did not have any results. The pregnancy test turned up negative when we used it a week afterwards. This, while disappointing, did not dampen our hopes. All we can do is try again next time Fluttershy enters her heat cycle.

"Have you been getting any better at math, Scootaloo? I heard you used to have trouble with multiplication and division." Fluttershy asked as she sipped some of her tea.

Scootaloo grinned, "Kinda. James has been helping me out with some of the tougher problems, but I think I'm starting to figure out how they work."

I smiled, "I'm just glad Cheerilee doesn't give out much homework." I have never once been fond of homework and often wonder what the point of it is.

The three of us continued to chat casually while dining together. The rest of the conversation was relatively simple, so I will not bore you with the details. But once we finished, I carried the plates to the sink for eventual cleaning. "That turned out great, honey. Thank you." I spoke with a smile.

Fluttershy hovered over to me and placed a kiss on my cheek. "You're welcome, dear. You take care on your way to school… Not that you need to go to class, but… You know what I mean, right?" I grinned with a snicker as she tried to explain herself.

"Thanks again, Fluttershy! I'll see you out front, James!" Scootaloo spoke up as I turned to face her. She was already wearing her saddlebags and on her way out the door in the next room over.

"Wanna meet up for…" I was cut off as Fluttershy placed a kiss right on my lips.

"Yes, I would love to meet up for lunch with you. The café?" She replied once the kiss ended.

I was not prepared for her sudden advance on me, but then again I suppose I should have been. Over the past few weeks, Fluttershy has become increasingly open and less reserved around me, especially when we are alone together. The only times I had ever seen her inhibitions this weak until just recently was when she was with the many animals she cares for on a daily basis.

"Yeah, the café is the place… But…uh… Are you feeling OK, honey? You're not normally this…bold." I asked in return.

Fluttershy blushed as she looked at me with one eye between the two long locks of pink hair hanging over her face. "Oh… I'm sorry. It's just that… I don't know what came over me. When I'm around you, I don't feel as uptight as usual… But I'll try to restrain myself… If you want me to."

At this, I smiled warmly. "Oh, honey…" I then reached out and held my girlfriend in a tender embrace, "You don't have to hold back around me. Just be yourself. Shy or cuddly, I don't mind. Just as long as you're still Fluttershy, I don't mind how you act."

I felt Fluttershy embrace me back before she whispered, "I love you, James…"

"I love you too, Fluttershy." I replied as our cheeks met. I breathed deeply the scent that lingered in her coat and mane. Such a flowery aroma.

Out of nowhere, we heard a familiar voice call from just outside the kitchen window. "James, hurry up! I don't wanna be late!"

It was Scootaloo. And I know she hates being kept waiting. "Oops. I better get going. I'll be right back, honey."

Fluttershy smiled as she let go of me. "OK. Have a good time, James." She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek just before I hurried outside.

Once I was outside, I found Scootaloo standing on the bridge that spanned the stream in front of our house. "Finally! Let's go!" She called out as she started walking east. I broke into a jog to catch up to her.

As the two of us walked, we conversed casually. "So, how comes your 'wind walking' trick?" I asked, remembering the stunt she once told me about.

"Oh, I'm getting better! I can stay off the ground for a good ten seconds now!" Scootaloo replied with a grin. For one reason or another, despite her wings being normal size for a filly her age, Scootaloo seems to be an extremely inept flyer, as she seems unable to lift herself into the air at all. Even with her wings buzzing like a hummingbird. I am starting to wonder if she will remain grounded for the rest of her life. Not that it bothers her. I have never once heard her complain about it.

"You wanna show me that trick after school?" I asked, wondering how she performs the wind walk technique.

"If I have time. Me and the other crusaders have plans this evening. You coming?" She replied while looking up at me.

Before I could reply, a familiar voice called out with a southern accent. "Scootaloo! James! Wait up!" We both stopped and looked to the southwest. Galloping towards us was Apple Bloom.

"Morning, Apple Bloom! What's up?" Scootaloo asked as our friend and fellow Cutie Mark Crusader ran up alongside us.

"Just on my way ta school! Mind if I tag 'long?" Apple Bloom replied with a smile.

"Sure! Just like every time, right?" Scootaloo spoke with a smile. Since she lives at Sweet Apple Acres, which is just south of Fluttershy and my cottage, Apple Bloom almost always crosses paths with Scootaloo and I every weekday morning. When on schedule, we always end up meeting up partway on our way to the schoolhouse while meeting up with Sweetie Belle just outside the schoolhouse.

Right after we resumed walking, Apple Bloom asked, "So, whatcha dressin' up as this evenin', James?"

I looked down at her and retorted, "Dress up? For what? You girls trying to see if your cutie marks are from costume designing?"

Scootaloo smiled, "No, we already tried that! Didn't work. What she means is what're you dressing up as for Nightmare Night?"

…Nightmare Night? It is today? The last time I had even heard that name was at my welcoming party two months ago when Pinkie Pie mentioned it. To think I utterly forgot about it until now.

"Uh… What exactly do you do on Nightmare Night?" I asked, not sure what the holiday involved.

Apple Bloom grinned, "Oh, it's nothin' but a good time! Ya dress up as whatever ya want and ya go 'round gettin' candy at all the houses in town! Last year, I went as the bride of Frankenstallion. I was thinkin' of goin' as Applejack this year."

In other words, Nightmare Night is Equestria's variation of my world's Halloween holiday. And the thought of Apple Bloom trick or treating as a miniature version of Applejack made me smirk. "Man, I can't wait to see how AJ reacts to that. But as for what I'm gonna wear…" I shrugged my shoulders, "Actually, I have no idea. I totally forgot about it since I've never experienced this holiday before. Any ideas?"

Scootaloo frowned as she rolled her eyes while seemingly lost in thought. "I dunno… Maybe Sweetie Belle will have an idea."

The three of us marched on, engaging in casual conversation. Just as we were approaching the schoolhouse, I saw Sweetie Belle approaching it from the opposite direction. I met her parents once and found that she lives somewhere in Ponyville. And I must say that I really like her father. But I digress.

"Mornin', Sweetie Belle!" Apple Bloom called out as our friend came within earshot.

"Oh, hey! Morning, guys!" Sweetie Belle replied as she galloped towards us. "Right on time! That makes four days in a row that all four of us met each other before school started."

I got down on one knee and stroked the unicorn filly's mane. "It's all about timing."

As Sweetie Belle pushed against my hand, clearly a sign that she was enjoying this show of affection, Scootaloo asked, "Hey, Sweetie Belle? James doesn't know what to go as for Nightmare Night. Do you have any ideas?"

Sweetie Belle pulled away from my hand while she seemed to be thinking of a response. She then raised her hoof and looked up at me with a smile. "I know! Rarity can help design you a costume!"

Of course. Why did I not think of asking Rarity? If anyone could come up with a design for a costume in a short amount of time, it is her. "Why didn't I think of that? I'll go ask her today."

Sweetie Belle giggled, "I wonder what she'll recommend for you. It'll probably be something flashy."

Apple Bloom then spoke, "Let's talk about this later. School's 'bout ta start!"

Scootaloo replied by rearing up on her hind legs and embracing me, as did the other two fillies. "See ya this afternoon, James!"

I hugged them back the best I could. "Likewise. Have a good time, girls." We bid each other goodbye as I watched the three of them enter the schoolhouse. I then turned and began to head back home.

Just as I was approaching Fluttershy's cottage, I noticed my lover closing the front door behind her. At her sides was a pair of saddlebags. "Oh, welcome back, James! Would you mind coming with me? I need to head into town to pick up some things at the market."

I smiled as I nodded, "Sounds good to me. What do we need to pick up?"

Fluttershy replied as she crossed the creek to reach me. "Well, we need brocolli, carrots, lettuce… Actually, I have the list right here if you would like to look it over yourself." I looked on as… What the…

Fluttershy's left wing reached down, gripped the top flap of her saddlebag and…pulled it open? The larger feathers that extended to the tips of her wings bent like human fingers, gripping the fabric. "Fluttershy… Since when could you do that?"

My girlfriend looked at her wing before looking back at me and smiled, "For as long as I can remember. All pegasi can do it."

As I pondered this physical trait further, I snickered, "Unicorns can use magic to move things and pegasi can grab stuff with their wings. I'm sure earth ponies are immensely jealous of those traits."

Fluttershy frowned, "Oh, I don't know about that… Earth ponies completely outrank us in raw strength. One earth pony can outpull at least three unicorns, but they can outpull five pegasi. And that's just on average. Sometimes I wish I was that strong."

I shook my head, "Well, you're a strong flyer. I mean you have to be in order to pull a wooden cart that's at least three times your weight. While FLYING."

Fluttershy giggled, "I guess you're right. And those frogs I carried in it only made it heavier." I smiled as I reached into her open saddlebag and pulled out the shopping list. Each item listed was a type of food. I was slightly surprised to see different types of fish on it, but then remembered that some of the animals Fluttershy cares for have fish in their diets. Including me… Wait a second. I do not count as an animal. But I have always loved seafood.

"That's a lot of types of food, honey. You got a case of the munchies?" I asked, trying to be playful.

She smiled warmly, "No, not yet. But I might later." She then motioned for me to follow her as she walked past me. "Let's hurry. The market closes early today, so it'll be getting busy soon."

"Closing early? Is it for Nightmare Night?" I asked, knowing that holidays in Ponyville tend to be really big events. The busiest area is always the immediate area around the town hall, which is also where the market is always set up.

"Yes, so they'll have to close up earlier than usual to make room. It takes a while to get all of the equipment in place." Fluttershy replied with a nod.

"Sounds like a lot of work, but it probably doesn't take long when unicorn magic is thrown into the mix. In any case, have you decided on what you're going as this evening?" I asked, wondering what kind of costume Fluttershy had in mind.

She frowned shyly, "Actually… I never attend Nightmare Night. It's…not one of my favorite holidays…"

I was hardly surprised by this revelation. With Fluttershy being as timid as she is, any holiday with the word 'nightmare' probably involves unexpected thrills and plenty of eager pranksters that Fluttershy would never be comfortable putting up with. She might even faint if startled or scared too frequently. Despite this, I really wanted her to come with me. It would be a crying shame if she never once enjoyed the fun of Halloween…..I mean Nightmare Night.

"Well… What if you were to come with me? Would you feel more confident if I was with you?" I asked, knowing that Fluttershy has a much easier time coming out of her shell when with me.

She paused for a moment, likely thinking of a reply. "I guess… I don't know… It would be the first time I've ever attended… And what would I wear?"

I patted her on the head gently, "Just think about it, OK? We've got plenty of time until it starts." Fluttershy smiled at me in response. I hope she at least considers my offer.

As we walked through Ponyville to the town square, I noticed that Fluttershy would sometimes hover right behind me while shifting from one side of me to the other. She would sometimes nuzzle her cheek against mine. For her to be this affectionate and passionate in public was certainly an impressive boost in her confidence. I never knew that being in love could enhance ones' confidence just by being with that special someone you cherish. But I digress.

The town square, which is the immediate area surrounding the town hall, was packed with vendors and stalls selling a wide variety of goods although most were selling various types of foods. The area was relatively quiet for the time being, but I am sure that would change soon once the customers start pouring in to make their rounds before the merchants close up early for Nightmare Night.

Just as we approached some of the stalls, I noticed that some decorations had already been set up around the town square. Strings of lights spanned the roofs of the buildings with at least one creepy white lantern hanging between each structure. They seemed to resemble the heads of stereotypical ghosts complete with empty black eyes. The only other decorations I noticed were black decorations that seemed to depict a slender half moon with a unicorn's head sticking out of it. The horn was unusually long for a unicorn, so it was likely that of an alicorn. The eye showed a slender iris that seemed familiar to me. Where had I seen….. "Nightmare Moon?"

Fluttershy looked up at me, probably in response to my words. "Did you say something?"

I looked down at her and asked, "This holiday… Nightmare Night. Does it have any connections to Nightmare Moon?"

My girlfriend nodded, "Well, from what I've heard, it started up a long time ago out of fear of Nightmare Moon. They say that she returns once a year to eat any pony she finds. That's why everypony dresses up in costume on this day to hide themselves from her. Although the holiday just became a special occasion of innocent pranks and lots of candy and other goodies."

The mention of Nightmare Moon actually eating ponies made me shake my head as I rolled my eyes. No matter how bad a reputation she has, I know for a fact that Nightmare Moon was and still is not carnivorous. "Well… I guess as long as everyone has a good time, no one's complaining."

The first item on the list we needed to pick up were red cherries. I got in line to get some while Fluttershy went to the next stall over to purchase a few heads of lettuce. However, as I stood in line, I noticed that the pony before me seemed very familiar with that beautiful white coat and elegantly curled indigo mane. One name came to mind. "Rarity?"

The pony clearly heard my voice as she turned around and looked up at me with her lovely azure eyes. "Well, what a sight to start my day with! How are you this morning, James?"

I got down on one knee so our faces were closer together. "I haven't even been up for an hour. Whatcha up to, Rarity?"

My former landlord smiled, "I was just picking up some cherries for a cobbler I was thinking of making this week. And before I forget, will you be attending the festivities this evening? I assure you that you will thoroughly enjoy yourself, darling."

I smiled, "I would if I had a costume to wear. Sweetie Belle recommended that I ask you to design one. If that isn't too much trouble, I mean."

At those words, Rarity's eyes lit up with inspiration. "A costume for you?! Oh, I would be flattered to do the honors! What would be best for you? Something frightening like a skeleton? Perhaps something daring like a pirate. Maybe something adorable and charming like a teddy bear. Or perhaps…" She suddenly gasped as I…noticed a lit light bulb momentarily appear above her head? Honestly, where do those things come from? And am I the only one who can see them? Or do they appear so often that nopony really pays them any mind anymore? "Oh! Idea! I have just the thing that will suit a gentleman like you!"

I smiled as I climbed to a standing position. "Awesome. But lets talk it over in a minute. The line's moving."

"Oops! Thank you for alerting me, James." Rarity replied as she took a few steps closer to the vendor.

Once we had both made our purchases, the two of us continued to chat. "Will you be attending Nightmare Night too?" I asked, curious of what Rarity would dress up as.

The beautiful unicorn smiled, "Oh, you can count on seeing me tonight. Granted I did not have time to attend last year, but I am putting all commissions on hold until tomorrow. This is your first Nightmare Night since you arrived in Equestria and I will not miss it for the world! My clients can surely wait an extra day for their orders, can't they?"

I nodded, "They most certainly can. This day comes once a year, but they can pick up their orders any other day of the year." I then asked, "So, you had an idea of what my costume should look like?"

Rarity smiled, "Yes, the image is still fresh in my head. I just know you will look absolutely dashing in it. Once we finish up here, let's head back to my place so we can discuss it."

I replied, "Before we do that, I have to let Fluttershy know. We came here together and I would prefer to stick with her until we're done… Speak of the devil, here she comes now."

Fluttershy came trotting over to me with a smile. "Good morning, Rarity. Am I interrupting anything?"

Rarity faced her friend and smiled, "Not at all, Fluttershy! James and I were merely discussing a costume for him to wear to the Nightmare Night festival tonight. Would you like me to design you one as well?"

I noticed Fluttershy seemed rather hesitant to reply for a moment. "Um… No thank you. I think I already have a good idea of what I'll go as. I think I can also make the costume myself." I smiled to myself, glad that Fluttershy was strongly considering attending the party with me.

"Well, I'm looking forward to seeing your creation. But since I'm here now, may I assist you in gathering up the groceries you two need?" Rarity replied with a smile as she looked at both of us.

"Sounds good to me. It'll save us some time too." I answered with a smile of my own.

The three of us went about the market, gathering up all of the items on our shopping lists as a team. I handled one section while Rarity and Fluttershy handled others. And our timing could not have been better. Not even ten minutes later, the number of shoppers in the market began to increase rapidly. Fortunately, we had already finished our shopping by the time the place was absolutely packed. I could hardly hear myself think with all the chatting and commotion around me.

"Here you are, darlings. All of the asparagus, apples, and oranges you needed." Rarity spoke as she levitated a sack towards me.

"And here are the bits I owe you." Fluttershy replied as she held out a small sack in her mouth.

"Many thanks, Fluttershy. Now then, shall we hurry over to my place so we can get started on designing his fabulous costume for the evening?" Rarity asked with an excited gleam in her eye.

Fluttershy smiled softly, "I'd like to, but I can't. I still need to get all these groceries back home. But James can go along, right?"

I looked down at my girlfriend. "Honey, are you sure you can carry all of these with you?"

She nodded, "It'll be no trouble. We pegasi are stronger than you might think. Just put them in my saddlebags and I'll handle the rest."

Trusting her, I placed the sack of groceries in one of Fluttershy's saddlebags. Each side seemed nearly full to the point of bursting. "OK, I'll see you back home as soon as I can. Take care, honey."

"I will. And you have a good time with Rarity." Fluttershy replied as she flew up to my face and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. I grinned in response to her affection, slightly nervous that someone may have noticed. As she flew away, I took note of the fact that Fluttershy did not seem to be hindered by her heavy saddlebags at all. While she may not be a particularly fast flier, she is indeed a strong flyer.

"OK, let's go." I spoke as I looked at Rarity.

"Right this way, James. Let's hurry before my inspiration fizzles." Rarity replied as she began to trot away. It was a bit too fast for me to keep up with just walking, so I began to jog as a means to keep up with her. "By the way, I'm adoring that shirt. Is it still as comfortable as the day I wove it for you?"

"It sure is. I'm doing everything I can to make this last." I replied, looking down at my shirt. As it is a gift from one of my dearest friends, I always do my best to avoid dirtying or damaging it.

Once Rarity and I had reached the Carousel Boutique, she immediately got out a sheet of paper and a black marker. "Wait just a moment, darling. I must focus before the image leaves my mind." Rarity spoke as her horn was engulfed by a billowing aura. The paper floated in the air as the squeaking of the marker filled the room.

While I waited for Rarity to finish drawing out whatever it was she was thinking about, I decided to browse the various ensembles that Rarity was in the process of weaving. Numerous types of clothing were hanging from clothes hangers, though most of them seemed unfinished. None really caught my eye, although the elegant designs led me to believe that each was meant for ponies that reside in Canterlot. I glanced back over at Rarity for a moment. The fact that ponies are willing to travel from that mountaintop city all the way down here in Ponyville just to commission Rarity proves just how capable she is at her profession.

However, this also brought a question to mind. From what I know about Rarity, one of her dreams is to someday live in Canterlot. But… I have no desire to ever leave Ponyville. This town is where I belong. Where all my friends are. And even though I cherish every single one of them, losing just one of them is a possibility I absolutely dread.

"Rarity… May I ask you something?" I asked, hoping Rarity would be finished with the sketch of my costume by now.

"Just a moment… There we are!" She replied as she set the marker and paper down. She then began to approach me with a smile. "Now then, what's on your mind?"

I asked, "You plan to leave Ponyville and set up shop in Canterlot someday, right?"

She cheerfully replied, "Of course! Canterlot is where I truly belong! The sophistication, the style, the elegance. It just screams MOI, wouldn't you say?"

This only served to confirm my fears. Someday… Maybe in a few months or even a few years, but someday in the near future, my beautiful and dear friend would leave me. "I hope you enjoy yourself out there, Rarity…"

Rarity did not reply for a moment, almost as if she was detecting my unhappiness with her decision. "Darling… Is something wrong?"

I sat down on a stool and bowed my head. "I'll be honest. I…. I really don't want to see you go."

My friend remained silent for a moment. "Oh my… I did not consider how my friends would feel about that choice…"

I spoke, "I know you want to live there, but I don't. And…I don't want you to leave, Rarity… I don't want us to grow apart."

I heard the sound of hooves clopping as Rarity slowly drew near. "Neither do I… I never thought about it like this… But if I move to Canterlot, my business will only… Wait…"

I looked up as I heard my friend pause. She had a hoof against her chin, apparently lost in thought. She then gasped with a smile, "Of course! Why did I not think of this before?! I already visit Canterlot on occasion and the majority of my clients come from there just to commission me for my services! Why should I go to Canterlot when Canterlot already comes to me?!"

"You mean…" I spoke, not sure of what Rarity was getting at.

The beautiful unicorn ran over to me and embraced me tightly. "You are right, James. If I were to leave my friends behind and go to Canterlot, our bonds would be strained. We would still stay in touch somehow, but it would never amount to our daily interactions. And as my clients already come to me, there is no reason for me to bring myself to them. And besides, if I were to leave…" She then looked up at me, "Who would craft you new clothes? I'm the only pony in Equestria who is familiar with your body type, after all."

I frowned, fearing that I was only holding my friend back from the glory she craved. "You don't have to stay just for me, Rarity. I don't want to see you leave, but I'll respect your decision regardless."

To my surprise, Rarity shook her head. "James, James, James… I have made up my mind. I shall remain in Ponyville, as it is where the most important things in my life are located. Because…" She then placed a kiss on my cheek, "Nopony could ever replace the friends I have known for years. No amount of fame or riches could ever amount to friends like you."

I think I may have been blushing at that moment. Rarity then nuzzled me gently, "Thank you, James. I realize now that leaving Ponyville would have been a poor decision in the long run. Without me, humble Ponyville would not have that special somepony to add a little dazzle to it." She then frowned sorrowfully, "The more I think about it now, the more I feel I will regret leaving Ponyville. Thank you, James. Thank you for changing my mind."

I closed my eyes as I embraced my wonderful friend. "You're welcome… I'd hate to lose you…"

Rarity whispered, "Don't worry about that, darling. You and our friends will always have me." She then smiled and went back over to the sketch she had made and pulled out a red marker before applying the tip of it to the paper. "Wait right there, dear. I will be done here shortly."

I did as I was told and remained seated for a moment longer before Rarity approached me again. "All done! What do you think of this fine ensemble?"

As I beheld the design Rarity had drawn, I noticed that she had drawn the shoes black while leaving the pants bare, possibly indicating that they would be colored white or gray. The upper body, obviously based on my own, was covered by a red jacket of sorts. Not the type you would wear on a cool evening. It seemed too elegant for that with those twin tails reaching knee length. "Rarity… What exactly is this costume?"

My friend smiled, "It is the attire of a gentleman from Canterlot. At least, that is what it would look like if they were human. Is it to your liking?"

I examined the design closely. It was certainly a design one would expect to see on a noble. However, it felt as if something was…..missing. What was it? I could not quite put my finger on it…

After a brief moment, it came to me. A sword. Preferably a rapier. The nobleman's weapon of choice and a stylish item to wear at the waist. I will admit right now that I consider myself something of a sword enthusiast and had even amassed a very modest collection of different swords before being brought to Equestria. But I digress.

To emphasize my point and to fit the role of the costume I would wear, I added a British accent to my voice as I spoke. "Most elegant, Lady Rarity. But I do believe there is something missing. Perhaps a rapier to be worn at the hip. That would make the attire complete, would it not?"

I suspect I may have been too in character as I noticed Rarity was blushing slightly at my words. "Ooooh, that voice. It gave me goose bumps! Do it again!"

I shrugged my shoulders as I spoke again with that accent. "As you wish, m'lady. What is it you desire to hear me say?"

Rarity raised a hoof to her forehead as she gasped with a euphoric grin, probably on the verge of fainting. Was I really THAT good? "Um… M'lady? Are you well?"

She sighed loudly as she seemed to regain her composure, "Oh, that voice just makes me melt! Perhaps I will request for you to be my knight this evening! But yes, I see what you mean, darling. Just let me add it here…" Rarity levitated her black marker over to us and popped off the cap. "Could you stand for a moment, please?"

I did as I was told and reached a standing position. Rarity's eyes scanned me, probably to get an idea of how long to make the sword so it would be properly sized with my body. She then scribbled something down on the sheet of paper. "Oh my, that DOES look better!" She then showed me the sketch again. A thin scabbard with a rapier's hilt was now affixed to the side of the model in the sketch. "I will add the rest of the colors later on. Does this look perfect to you now?"

"That looks pretty much perfect, Rarity. I'm looking forward to it." I replied with a smile.

"You are going to look simply dashing in this attire." She spoke with a smile. However, her eyes seemed to scan the paper for a moment before asking, "James, are you a duelist of any sort? I know you have some experience in the use of knives after that stint in the Everfree Forest, but have you ever actually been involved in a duel before?"

Despite my fascination of swordplay, I have never once been involved in a fight of any sort. My fascination likely stems from playing video games for years that featured dynamic (and probably unrealistic) swordplay. "Can't say I have. Swordplay interests me, but I've never had to use a sword on anyone before."

Rarity nodded as she rolled up the paper into a scroll. "I most certainly hope it stays that way. You are too darling to involve yourself in combat." I wholeheartedly agreed with her on that. "But now, is there anything else I can help you with? Perhaps a hat to go with your ensemble?"

I shook my head, "No, it's good as is. But what are you going as?"

Rarity smiled brightly, "Why, I am going as a lovely princess! I just need to put the finishing touches on my dress and hat." I was hardly surprised by this. Rarity's elegance can even compare to Celestia or Luna. I just hope they never read this entry. Would not want them to send me to the dungeon out of jealousy. Although I am fairly certain they would take it in good humor.

"I'd expect nothing less, Rarity. Should I leave you to your work?" I asked, certain that Rarity would need some time to focus on finishing her costume in time for that evening.

"Oh, I would certainly not mind your company, but I do believe I am keeping you from Fluttershy." She replied, reminding me that I had promised to return home as soon as possible. "Just remember though. When the night is about to begin, come over here to my home. I'll have your costume ready by then… At least I hope I will."

Not waiting any longer, I thanked my friend and headed out the door. As I began to walk home, I was uncertain of what to do for the rest of the day. If this day is Equestria's equivalent of my world's Halloween celebration, then the really good stuff would not start until the sun had begun to set. What would be a good way to spend the day with my beloved?

I returned to Fluttershy's cottage as quickly as I could. Everything seemed quiet as I crossed the bridge. However, I soon noticed what seemed to be a bush near the front door that was not present there before. "We have a new bush?"

I took a closer look at it. The leaves were lush and green while having several white flowers adorning it. "Hm. Nice addition." I muttered, not finding anything particularly wrong with it.

However, as I reached for the doorknob, I heard a familiar quiet voice speak from behind me. "Wow. It works even better than I expected."

I stiffly looked over my shoulder, wondering where the voice had come from. I recognized it as Fluttershy's, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Honey…? Are you out there?"

Right as I said that, the bush seemed to suddenly sprout a pair of strong cyan eyes that opened up and stared at me. "I'm right here."

I stared at the eyes, finding it utterly bizarre that my girlfriend was hiding in a bush right in front of her own house. "OK, Fluttershy. I've heard of tree-hugging hippies, but isn't this taking it a little too far?"

Fluttershy replied as the bush's eyes…I mean her eyes looked away from me. "I'd would've liked to be a tree, but that would've been harder to move around in."

It took me a moment to comprehend what she was telling me. "Are you saying…this bush is your costume for Nightmare Night?"

Fluttershy meekly smiled, or at least I think she smiled, as she replied, "Uh huh. This way I'm dressed for the occasion and nopony will even notice me."

I paused for a moment before asking, "You really don't like Nightmare Night, do you?"

She replied, "No… I tried it once, but I just couldn't get used to other ponies popping out of nowhere to scare me…" She then added, "But… I think I'll give it another try if you go with me. I feel…a bit more confident when I'm with you."

I smiled as I reached down and lifted the bush off of Fluttershy, revealing her adorable form. "Just stick with me and we'll all have a good time. We always have a good time when we're together, right?"

My girlfriend replied with a smile, "We haven't had a single bad day yet." I then set the bush down and embraced Fluttershy, feeling her embrace me back with her forelegs. After a brief moment, she then asked, "Oh, that reminds me. What was the costume Rarity had in mind for you?"

I replied as I pulled back to look at her, "Basically a nobleman complete with a rapier at my side. The sketch of the costume looked really authentic."

Fluttershy then looked at me with a baffled expression. "A rapier?" From what I could tell, she knew next to nothing about weapons. I cannot say I blame her, as she is far from being the fighting type.

"A type of thin sword designed for thrusting strikes. But don't worry, I'm not gonna actually use it. I just felt it would compliment my attire with it hanging from my belt." I spoke, hoping Fluttershy would not see me as dangerous.

"Oh… I see. I'm OK with that as long as you don't hurt anypony. But be careful with it." She replied with a smile.

I nodded, "Definitely. But until the night comes, what would you like to do?"

Fluttershy smiled, "Well, I still need to collect the eggs from the chicken coop. Wanna help me with that?"

"Sure thing, honey." I replied as we began to head towards the backside of our house.

"Before we peek in, lemme check for something." I spoke as we neared the coop. All of the chickens were already outside milling about. I got down on my knees and stuck my head into the coop through the entry point. "…..You don't live here, Derpy. Go home."

I pulled my head back out as silly Derpy Hooves crawled out of the coop. Fluttershy shook her head, "You got lost again?"

Derpy replied with a smile, "Nah. I just came out here to take a nap. But I do need to get home to get my costume ready. I'll see ya tonight!" She then took to the air and flew away. But a moment later, she came back over to us. "Ponyville is in THAT direction, right?" It was good to see that Derpy had learned to check her bearings in order to keep herself from flying into the Everfree Forest.

"Yeah, you've got the directions down. And sure, we'll see you tonight." I replied with a nod.

"Thanks! And see ya later!" Derpy waved goodbye before flying back towards Ponyville.

"Now then, how about them eggs?" I asked while looking down at Fluttershy.

"I'll go inside and pass the eggs to you. It'll be easier for me to fit through the entrance." She replied as she began to walk up the ramp and crawl through the coop's entrance.

As she rolled the first egg to me, I asked, "Is it normal for Derpy to spend time in your chicken coop?"

Fluttershy replied while peeking out of the entrance, "Every so often. The chickens don't seem to mind her, so I always leave her be."

I snickered as I placed the egg into the pail I was holding, "That was the third time since I ended up in Equestria. That goofball pops up when you least expect her."

Once we had gathered up the eggs, it was time to feed the various animals that were waiting for us all around the cottage. While Fluttershy tended to the ferrets under the bridge, I filled a small bowl with a handful of earthworms while being sure to add a pinch of water to the bowl to insure that they would stay moist and alive. I stood back after waving at the birds in the trees and watched as they all swooped down and perched on the rim of the bowl before plucking the worms from it and devouring them. "Much better than having to carry them in your mouth, huh?"

Fluttershy nodded as she hopped out of the stream. "Oh, yes. And I think the birds prefer this method too." She then asked, "You know, we still have a while before the night comes. Would you like us to spend some time together at the park?"

As the ponies in town were likely busy getting ready for Nightmare Night, either making costumes or setting up decorations, I was expecting the park to be relatively deserted for the day. "We'll probably have the whole place to ourselves. Should I just go on ahead?"

Fluttershy smiled, "I was kinda hoping it would be that way. I don't have much more to do, so go on ahead and wait for me by the pond. I'll see you soon, OK?" She seemed rather excited about it, a bright grin adorning her adorable face.

"OK then, honey. Head on over once you have time." I replied as I kissed her on the nose. Fluttershy blushed deeply with a meek smile before walking towards Angel, who was sitting at the entrance to his little house. I then crossed the bridge that spanned the stream before heading south.

The shortest route to the park involved taking me through Sweet Apple Acres, so I was expecting to find Applejack or at least Big Macintosh going about their duties. However, I found that the area was largely deserted save for a few pigs wallowing in a mud puddle near a pen.

"Probably in town setting things up." I muttered to myself. Holidays like this are more than likely days of rest for the Apple family. Granny Smith, who I had come to meet over the past two months, was probably inside the farmhouse taking a nap in her favorite rocking chair. Rather than wake the sweet yet occasionally goofy old mare from her nap, I continued on to my destination.

When I entered the park from the northwest, I found that the place was indeed deserted. The place was usually fairly quiet even with other ponies going about their business here. But with it being as empty as it was at the time, all I could hear was the sound of leaves rustling in the trees as the wind blew. I breathed deeply the clean fresh air, reveling in my solitude. It was not often that I had the entire park to myself. For the remainder of the day, it would just be my own personal playground. Or rather, my and Fluttershy's personal playground.

Remembering my beautiful girlfriend, I hurried over to the local pond. I was still impressed by just how quiet it was around me. I walked out to the end of the peninsula that jutted out into it like always and took a seat. The sack of fish food that was always there was filled to the brim. With nothing else to do, I took a handful of it and tossed it towards the pond. As always, some of the fish in the pond jumped to snatch some of the food out of the air before landing back in the water with a splash. "Some things never get old."

I waited for a few minutes before turning my gaze to the north. And sure enough, just starting to peek over the horizon was a pegasus flying towards me. I waved to get her attention, after which she began to descend. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. Angel was being a picky eater again."

I reached out and stroked Fluttershy's mane. "It was no trouble. I kept myself entertained while waiting." Fluttershy smiled warmly at my caresses before taking a seat beside me. She then began to lean against me, her face resting against my shoulder. I responded in kind by placing my arm over her back with my hand gripping her opposite shoulder.

"It's been two months since you came here…" Fluttershy muttered as she closed her eyes.

"And I've enjoyed almost every minute of it." I replied quietly, my head resting against hers. Like so many times before, the moment felt serene. Almost no sound at all. Just me and the woman I love.

After a short while, Fluttershy looked at me and spoke, "You know, I don't know all that much about where you're from."

I frowned, "Lyra can answer any questions about Earth. I've been telling her quite a bit over the past few weeks."

Fluttershy nodded with a frown, "I know… But I meant about you. I know you love Equestria and everypony in it, but is there anything back home you miss? Is there anyone you remember?"

I decided to answer her question truthfully. "Well, my mom is a really nice woman who used to be a nurse. She can be fun to talk to. My dad is pretty cool too and he has made lots of friends over the years. But that guy has given me my fair share of headaches in the form of poor self-control and the inability to mind his manners or restrain his impulses. There are times when I wonder if he actually tries to make other people mad. There's also my younger brother. The guy used to be an annoying brat growing up…and I'll say right now I did things to him out of jealousy that I wish I hadn't…

Fluttershy leaned against me as if to provide me with emotional support. "I've heard of siblings being that way sometimes. But you got closer over time, right?"

I nodded, "Yeah… He's far from annoying now. But I think he swapped out his annoying quirks for a foul mouth, occasional poor judgment, and the inability to keep track of necessities even if his life depends on it." I then sighed, "There's also my grandmother. She is a very sweet old lady who has always been there for me since I was a toddler. I have so many great memories of her, but she's become something of an incompetent nuisance who can't be trusted with remembering anything important anymore. That, and she's too… I'm trying to find a nice way to say this… Too stubborn to give up smoking, which was a daily headache for me. There are also various people in the neighborhood I have known for years who I can consider friends. I wonder what they're up to now…"

Fluttershy then asked, "Um… How do you smoke? Isn't that a way to prepare and season food? How is that a problem for you?"

I was about to reply, but I then paused as I comprehended why Fluttershy does not know what smoking is. "Fluttershy. Do you know of anyplace around here that sells tobacco products?"

My words seemed to puzzle my girlfriend. "Tobacco? What's that?"

Fantastic. I knew there was something missing from Equestria with every day I went about outside. And I sure as hell am not going to miss it! I smiled widely as I replied, "Oh… It's nothing important. Just be glad it doesn't exist in this world."

"Um… OK? Well… I don't want to bring up any bad memories, but were there any bad things about your life before coming here?" Fluttershy asked.

I bowed my head. "Bad, huh? I guess… My high school days. I had to attend a school that was utterly filled with ill-mannered students who more often than not had criminal histories." I sighed, "Those five years at that school destroyed my ability to trust anyone in my age group. I was under constant psychological strain from the never-ending verbal abuse. I was very rarely targeted directly, but just having to listen to it caused me to experience several mental breakdowns over the course of those five years. A man can only take so much before he snaps. Thanks to those miserable pieces of trash… I never had a single friend in that school. And it literally took years for me to regain my ability to trust others who were around my age." I then frowned, "Looking back on it now, I actually wish I mustered up the courage to kill some of those wretched little monsters so they wouldn't hurt anyone else."

At those words, I felt Fluttershy embrace me tightly. "Please… Don't say that again… I don't want you to be a killer."

I grumbled, "You misunderstand, Fluttershy. I WANT to kill them, but I know I CAN'T kill them. I'll never have the courage to actually attack them…" I then sighed, "I'm… I'm too much of a coward to do that."

However, Fluttershy looked me in the eye. "You're wrong. I know you're not a coward." She then smiled slightly, "Remember when your first week in Ponyville ended and you found that old law in that book? You went into the Everfree Forest in order to protect me from the law. You had to be brave just to go there. And it took courage to hide there, even if it was to protect me."

I felt Fluttershy rest her head against my chest, "You're just timid, James. Just like me. But you can be brave when you really need to be."

I will be honest. I do not think particularly high of myself. Fluttershy's praise felt misplaced to me. "I was just trying to protect you anyway I could… I wasn't thinking about my own safety at all."

However, my girlfriend smiled as she kissed me on the cheek. "Even so, you were still very brave. And even if you weren't, I still love you." I managed to crack a smile as I embraced her, feeling her wings fold around me the best they could.

The two of us continued to cuddle with each other for a short while longer before Fluttershy spoke, "You know… I think we have the entire park to ourselves now."

I nodded, "Yeah. I didn't see anypony on the way in."

Fluttershy then smiled with what I think was a faint blush. "That means we can do whatever we want and nopony will see, right?"

Something was up with Fluttershy. What was she hinting at? "Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

She smiled, "Follow me and I'll show you." I did as she requested and followed her over to a tree that was nearby. She then guided me to a sitting position.

"OK, now I'm getting worried. What're you up to, honey?" I asked, finding that gaze she was giving me to be very unnerving.

"We're all alone and I'm with you. So I don't see any point in me bottling up my real emotions." She replied, an amorous smile creeping across her face.

My eyes glanced around, wondering if there was absolutely anyone nearby. The area around the pond had few trees, so I would have easily noticed someone if there was a pony or any other creature out there. Fortunately, there was no one to be seen at all in the vicinity. "OK, honey… What do you want to do?"

Fluttershy smiled, "Well…" I then felt the longest feathers of her wing caress my cheek like delicate fingers, sending shivers through my body. "Right now, I want to…um…make-out."

She inched closer, practically laying herself upon me. The silence in the air only seemed to reinforce the feeling of solitude I was experiencing. It was just me and the woman I love. No one else.

"Is that OK?" Fluttershy asked. I noticed that her other idle wing was fully spread, a clear sign of arousal.

As there was virtually no risk of being seen out here for the rest of the day, I felt it would not be a problem to indulge in each other's…..'company'. "OK, honey." I spoke while caressing her face. I then closed my eyes and sealed lips with her.

I heard a faint moan as Fluttershy pressed into the kiss. Her tongue reached out to mine, that delightful faintly sweet flavor coating it. The kiss became very intimate very quickly, the two of us becoming lost in each other's touch.

What a magical moment. I am not sure how much time even passed. But as we kissed, I felt a slight need starting to grow within me. I wanted her. But I would not force myself upon Fluttershy unless she wanted me to. I decided to test her to see if she was in the mood for that level of intimacy between lovers.

My hand slowly reached down her body until I felt the telltale curve of her flank. I then felt along the side, trying to find her cutie mark. I must have found it since Fluttershy suddenly shuddered with a moan. However, she did not break the kiss, so I am sure she welcomed my advances. I slowly began to caress her cutie mark, knowing it also functions as a pleasure point.

After a moment of slowly rubbing my fingertips into her cutie mark, my reach went further. I slid my fingers between her hindquarters, finding her moist vulva. I very tenderly rubbed my fingertips against her moist marehood, feeling the moisture on it accumulating with each movement I made.

I could hear Fluttershy's moaning becoming louder in the kiss. Seconds later, I pushed my fingers into her, feeling the warm moistness of her insides. If she was not in heat at the time, she may as well have been. Her internal temperature was very high. And the more I felt her, the greater I felt the bulge in my pants become.

After a moment more of pleasuring her, Fluttershy ended the kiss abruptly with a gasp. I opened my eyes, finding her looking at me with a deep blush on her face. She pleaded, "James… I… If it's not too much trouble… I want to…mate with you…"

I smiled, "Me too, honey. I really want you now." My spare hand caressed her face as my other hand was pulled away from Fluttershy's backside.

Fluttershy stood up and lowered her head to my waistline. "Let me help you get started." She then gripped the top of my pants and yanked them down slowly, revealing my hardening manhood.

I was expecting Fluttershy to become embarrassed upon seeing my length. However, she merely gazed at it with a faint smile and a look of need in her eyes. She has certainly become bolder since we became lovers. Almost every night, we engage in sexual activities once Scootaloo has gone to sleep for the night. And there are times, like now, where Fluttershy takes the initiative.

"I think it could stand to be a bit bigger. May I help, honey?" She asked, regaining her adorable meek smile as she looked up at me.

I smiled, "Do whatever you think will help." Fluttershy wasted no time in wrapping the feathers of one of her wings around my length like an actual hand. It even felt like a hand was gripping me, save for the tickling feathers. I had to restrain myself to not snicker as she moved her grasp up and down my length.

"That…really tickles, Fluttershy… Be careful." I muttered, trying to keep a straight face.

"Wingjobs do tend to get a lot of giggles, from what I've read. Let me try something else." Fluttershy replied as she released her grip. She then moved her head down to my manhood before giving it a lick. The feel of her soft moist tongue touching me sent a jolt through my body.

It took only a matter of moments for me to become fully aroused. Fluttershy continued to lick and even suck me, even by the time I was ready. She seemed unaware, as her eyes were closed while occasionally letting out a soft moan.

"Fluttershy… Hang on. Where do you want me to finish?" I asked, not sure if she wanted to drink my semen.

My words got her attention as she abruptly pulled her head away from my manhood and looked at me with what almost looked like a drugged expression. "I… I want…" She then stood up and turned around. I stared, probably with a blush on my face, as she moved her tail to the side to give me an unobstructed view of her wet and needy vulva. Fluttershy then looked at me over her shoulder with a smile, "I want you to finish inside me… Just like every other time."

I understood what she wanted, so I got down onto my knees. "OK, honey. Hold still." I held onto her flanks with both hands, my fingers digging into her cutie marks to please her further.

"Ooh! Ah… Please don't tease me…"

I leaned forward over her back as I whispered, "OK then. Hang on." I then slowly pushed my length into her. Fluttershy let out a gasp as her wings spread as wide as they could.

"Please… Don't stop…" She pleaded, her eyes closed with her head held high. I did not want to disappoint my beautiful lover, so I pressed my fingertips even firmer into her cutie marks as I began to thrust slowly into her.

"Mmm… Honey, you feel…..wow…" It was all I could say, to be honest. Words were not really needed at this point.

I felt Fluttershy brush her long beautiful tail against my chest before she skillfully moved it downwards and curved it between my legs. Who knew Equestria's ponies could manipulate their tails so well? Regardless, I could feel her rubbing her silky soft hair against my 'balls', if you will. While definitely new to me, I found this act to be very stimulating. Massaging the area of my body that would produce my seed likely meant that Fluttershy wanted me to fill her with as much as possible.

"More… Please, James… I… I want you to…" Fluttershy gasped as she tried to string complete sentences together. I said nothing as I leaned forward and rested my head in her long mane.

The sensations I felt around my manhood could be described as an intense warmth combined with moist silk cloths rubbing against me. And the longer and faster I thrust into Fluttershy, the better it felt. What was more, her endearing squeaks and moans were music to my ears. But after a short while, I felt Fluttershy beginning to tense up.

"Please… Inside me…" She pleaded quietly. I could not reply as I too felt tense as I neared orgasm. I began to thrust harder and faster before pushing in as deep as I could into the beautiful pegasus. She let out a quiet shriek, clearly trying to prevent herself from getting too loud. I felt her insides quiver around me in orgasm. Those extra vibrations were more than I could handle. I groaned her name as I reached orgasm, my seed spilling forth into her womb in several strong spurts.

My mind was swimming with thoughts and a strange haze. But I can remember clearly seeing Fluttershy slowly turning her head so she was looking at me with a blush on her face while smiling. "Oh… My goodness… I love you, James…"

"I…love you too, Fluttershy…" I muttered as I pulled out of her and fell backwards against the tree. No matter how good an orgasm feels, it is always followed by a type of fatigue. But as I rested against the tree, I was given a perfect view of Fluttershy's satisfied vulva as my white thick seed oozed out of her.

Fluttershy slowly turned to face me and kissed me softly on the lips. "Let me get you cleaned up." I shuddered as she began to lick my manhood clean. She moaned very softly, apparently liking the taste of my seed coating my length.

I panted lightly as Fluttershy pulled my pants back up. "Are you…tired too?" She ask, her head leaning against my chest.

"Yeah… I think I could use a nap…" I replied quietly.

Fluttershy giggled softly, "Me too… How does a nap in the bushes sound while we wait for the evening to come?" She motioned for me to follow into a cluster of bushes nearby, so I stood up and followed her into them.

The bushes were fairly tall and provided us with cover, making it impossible to see us from any direction. Even if a pegasus were to pass overhead, we still could not be seen. "I'm feeling groggy just by being here." I muttered as I lied down. Fluttershy moved her mane under my head to act as a pillow while resting her head next to mine.

"Me too. Shall we, honey?" She asked, still blushing deeply.

I smiled as I looked into her big beautiful eyes. "Yeah. Sweet dreams, Fluttershy." I placed a kiss on her nose before pulling her closer to me. I heard her let out a sigh before I fell into a deep satisfied sleep.

I am uncertain how much time had passed before I had begun to awaken. One hour? Two? Five? Regardless, I felt quite rested. Now… Oh man, I hope I did not sleep too late. I really do not want to miss Nightmare Night.

Fluttershy was still sleeping soundly beside me. Her mane was rather cushy under my head, so I was tempted to go back to sleep. However, I knew better and that this day only comes once a year. I slowly stood up and peeked my head out of the bush. It was still quite bright outside, but the sun was getting a little low in the sky. In the next hour, the moon will be visible. It was time to go home and get ready.

"Honey? Are you awake?" I asked quietly while gently trying to wake my girlfriend.

She began to mumble in her sleep before muttering, "Uh… Is it time to feed the bats yet?"

I smirked as I stroked her pretty little head, "Not just yet. But we need to get ready for Nightmare Night. It'll be getting dark soon."

Fluttershy sprang awake at the mention of Nightmare Night. "Oh dear… I agreed I would go, didn't I?" When I nodded, she gulped, "Oh…my… I'm not so sure anymore…"

I cannot say I blame her hesitation. If I was as timid as her, I would be just as unwilling to attend a party that is all about spooks and pranks. However, I smiled, "Come on, honey. You got your costume ready and I promised I would stay with you in case something went wrong. C'mon, we'll have a good time together."

At my words, Fluttershy sighed, "OK… I won't knock it until I try it." I kissed her on the forehead, prompting a meek smile from her in return. "Well… Let's get going." She muttered as she walked out of the bush. The two of us then hurried home as quickly as we could.

"How do I look?" Fluttershy asked me as she came walking down the pathway from her house covered in the bush that she was using as a costume. The only part of her I could make out was her eyes peering through the leaves.

"Very inconspicuous. Most ponies won't even think it's a costume." I replied, starting to think that she chose that outfit as a means to avoid detection, and therefore avoid being directly targeted for pranks.

Her response confirmed my suspicions. "That's the point…"

I shook my head with a grin, amused by this fact. I then went up to the cottage's door, finding Angela and Angel waiting for me. "Keep an eye on the place while we're gone, OK?" The rabbit and dove nodded in unison. I then closed the door and caught up to Fluttershy, who was already on the other side of the stream that flowed in front of our home. "Ready, honey?"

She replied, "I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be…" We then began to head towards Ponyville. Of course, I still needed to pick up my costume over at the Carousel Boutique, but I did not want anyone to catch on that the moving bush next to me contains a timid pony to spook. So we decided to hang south to avoid passing through Ponyville just in case the preparations were still under way.

After passing through Sweet Apple Acres and trekking through the northernmost area of the park, we came to the Carousel Boutique at the southeastern corner of town. There was hardly any activity going on around there. I knocked on the door and waited with Fluttershy by my side for our friend to answer it.

We did not wait long as Rarity opened the top half of the door and looked up at me. "Ah! James, I just finished completing my costume and…" She then looked at the bush that was staring at her. "Why does this bush have eyes? And why is it growing right in front of my front door?"

I bowed my head while snickering as Fluttershy replied, "I would've preferred to be a tree, but it would've been harder to move around in."

Rarity jerked her head back in shock as she heard the flowering bush speak. "Fu… Fluttershy?! Surely you must have a costume more fitting for a celebration that only comes once a year!"

Fluttershy replied, "Um… This is the best costume I have for not getting pranked by anypony. No one will think a bush is somepony in disguise."

Rarity smiled sympathetically, "I understand, dear. Who in their right mind would think a bush is worth scaring?"

I then spoke, "Not to change the subject, Rarity, but may we see your costume?"

My request got Rarity very excited as she flung the rest of the door open, "Oh, by all means! Come in, make yourselves comfortable, I will be right with you!" Fluttershy removed her costume before walking inside with me. Rarity then ducked behind a collapsible screen as I heard the sound of clothes hangers being moved around somewhere behind it. A moment later, Rarity stepped out from behind the screen. "Now, don't hold back. Is my costume simply fabulous?"

Fabulous is right. It seemed to be the attire of a classical princess. She was wearing purple shoes with a pink and purple dress. The upper section was pink with golden yellow threads strung across the chest area while the lower section was a royal purple. The cuffs and the bottom of the dress were lined with white frills. Atop her head rested a hennin hat. Think of it as a tall conical hat with a white plume at the top. The color patterns are difficult for me to describe. The bottom was a solid pink with purple dots, the area above that was a lavender hue, and the remaining half of the hat was a royal purple with a ring of golden ovals going around it near the top. "Fabulous? You look like royalty, Rarity. Should I call you Princess Rarity?"

My friend giggled at my compliment, "You are most welcome to do so, James. What about you, Fluttershy? Do you have any words for it?"

Fluttershy smiled, "It looks very lovely, Rarity. I'm sure somepony will even request that you let them be your knight this evening." If only she had known that Rarity had already been considering it since earlier that day.

"Oh, the two of you are such gems. The idea for this design actually came to me in a dream." Rarity replied with a smile. However, she then frowned as she looked at me. "Unfortunately, I did not have enough time left to make your outfit before sundown, James…"

That was certainly disappointing. But I can understand why Rarity was so eager to complete her costume if she was unable to attend Nightmare Night at all the previous year. However, she then gasped with her eyes glimmering with inspiration. "Oh, I've got it! Twilight can help us!"

Fluttershy then asked, "How? I don't think Twilight knows much about sewing. At least not about sewing quickly."

Rarity grinned as she used her magic to levitate the drawing of my costume over to me. As I grasped it, she spoke, "Since Nightmare Night only lasts a single night, it would be trivial to make a costume that is only going to be worn one day in an entire year. I heard Twilight perfected a spell some time ago that changes your clothing into whatever it is you desire."

"You mean she can turn these simple clothes I'm wearing into that costume for one evening? I'm all for it." I spoke with a smile.

"Then it's settled! Oh, but before we go…" Rarity spoke as she levitated a…mop handle over to me? The wooden stick was slightly longer than my leg. "To be used for your sword, darling. You know I don't have the means to forge any blades in my boutique."

Fluttershy then asked, "A sword? You're not going to hurt anypony, are you?"

I shook my head with a smirk, "No, honey. It just compliments my costume's design very well."

Rarity then walked past us and out the door. "Come along now, you two lovebirds. The night is just starting and we don't want to be late for the festivities, do we?"

I replied with a smile, "Yes, ma'am. Lead on, your highness." Rarity seemed to blush at my words as she began to walk with her head held high like the princess she was dressed as. I waited a moment longer for Fluttershy to put her costume back on before we hurried to catch up to our delightfully elegant friend as she headed into Ponyville proper.

The decorations had come along quite nicely. Various tents and stalls had been set up to provide refreshments and plenty of Halloween staples such as caramel apples and bowls of candy. Only since this is Equestria, I should probably call them Nightmare Night staples. Since the sun was starting to get low in the sky, the festivities would likely be starting very soon.

We wasted no time in getting to Twilight's house. By then, the sun had just started to dip under the horizon. In under an hour, the night will begin. But at the same time, I was wondering just what Twilight Sparkle and Spike would be wearing for the celebration.

"Twilight, we need to ask you a favor! Are you home?" Rarity called out as we went inside. However, our gazes fell upon Spike. The baby dragon was standing at the foot of the stairway while wearing a full-body black latex suit with only his face exposed.

"Why in the world are you wearing a gimp suit, Spike?" I asked, becoming fearful of just what happens between him and Twilight behind closed doors.

Our little dragon friend turned to face us, but stared at Rarity with a blush and a love-struck expression. "Wow… Just like in my fantasies…"

Rarity asked while looking herself over, "Oh, you mean my costume? Why, thank you, Spike. I know the design is a tad clichéd, but Nightmare Night IS all about good clean fun without taking anything too seriously." She then tapped the lowest part of her beautiful indigo mane with a smile, "Only there is nothing to be taken lightly when it comes to my work."

Fluttershy then asked, "Um… What is a gimp suit? I never even heard that word before."

Spike snapped back to his senses and replied, "Gimp suit? Nah, this suit just compliments Twilight's costume." He then looked up the stairs with an annoyed expression, "If she would just come down here while wearing it, that is. Twilight, come on! The night's just starting!"

I heard the voice of our wise unicorn friend reply, "No, Spike! I told you the first time that I look absolutely ridiculous in this thing! Why did I even let you talk me into wearing this outfit again?!"

This was not the first time? If Spike looks that odd in the suit, just what does Twilight's look like? "That outfit is one-of-a-kind! Nopony in all of Equestria will be wearing anything like it! Just use some originality this time!" Spike called out again, starting to sound rather impatient by then.

I decided to step in and called up the stairs, "Come on, Twi. I wanna see the costume. I promise I won't laugh."

Twilight clearly was not expecting to hear me as she replied with a shocked tone. "James?! No, I won't show you this! I look like… I can't even find the right word for it!"

I then replied, "Either you come down here or I'm coming upstairs! Now come on!"

I heard Twilight groan in defeat, "Oh…..fine. I'm coming down. Please don't laugh…"

All four of us took a step back as we heard the clopping of hooves coming down the stairs. When Twilight came into view….. Whoa. Just… Where do I even begin with this costume? Like Spike, she was wearing a full-body latex suit. However, her head was completely uncovered. She was wearing a white bandage around her forehead like a headband and a large black eye patch over her right eye. Her mane had been restyled to stick up, giving it a very wild appearance. My response to this sight was as follows. "Whoahoho, Solid Sparkle?! Now THAT is a costume!"

Everyone in the room gave me odd looks. Twilight then asked, "Solid Sparkle? That's what you call this outfit?!"

I nodded, "Yeah, I can see the resemblance! I never knew ponies cosplay!"

Rarity then asked, "And what, pray tell, is cosplaying?"

It was then I realized that the ponies of Equestria have no experience with any of Earth's trends or subcultures. I sheepishly grinned, "Oh… Uh… Nevermind. You wouldn't get it. But seriously, that's an awesome costume, Twi. You look like a grizzled stealth soldier."

She seemed to be taken aback by my praise somewhat. "Re… Really? This costume came about as a result of me making a fool of myself earlier this year! Are you sure it doesn't make me look bad?"

I shook my head with a grin, "I don't know what you did, but it made for a ridiculously original outfit, Twilight. I say roll with it." I then smirked, "And another thing. I think this means you'll be getting a codec call from Celestia soon?"

My friends stared at me with baffled expressions. I could go on and on with the puns, but all of my shots at humor would be wasted on them since they would clearly not get the references. However, I tried getting one more in. "Before you do go out there, you should at least bring a cardboard box."

Spike then asked, "Uh… Maybe I'm just not following this very well, but what good would lugging around a cardboard box do?!"

I replied, "Because it's the ultimate stealth tool. Who would ever think of looking under a cardboard box for the enemy?"

Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike stared at me as if I had just acted like Pinkie Pie, but Twilight held a hoof to her chin as if pondering something. "Now that you mention it… That IS a clever disguise! I mean, really! Put it over you, stay against a wall, and nopony will even think that it's out of the ordinary!"

Spike then snidely spoke, "Now we just need a situation where that technique will actually come in handy." The ponies glared at the dragon, prompting him to raise his hands and ask, "What?" I suppose he does have a point though. Equestria does not seem like a world that would require any act of espionage to protect its people. Come to think of it, has there ever been a war here? Probably better to not ask.

"Well, as awesome as that costume is, we need your help with something, Twilight." I spoke up.

Rarity then levitated the sketch of my costume out of my grasp, which I had all but forgotten about, and showed it to Twilight. "So sorry to trouble you with this, darling. But I simply did not have enough time to even get started on James' costume. If you don't mind, could you use your magic to convert his attire into what I have on this parchment?"

Twilight scanned the paper for a moment before smiling, "Oh, this shouldn't be too hard! And I'm sure he'll look great in this! Oh, what…is that? Is that a sword?" She clearly must have noticed the rapier hanging off the belt at the waist.

"Indeed, it is. James requested it, and I must say it truly compliments that attire quite well." Rarity replied with a smile.

Twilight nodded, "Yeah, you have a point. I look at it and it just seems to say 'this works well with these clothes' to me. But… I need something to use as a medium for the spell."

"That's what this is for, Twi." I said as I held up the mop handle Rarity had given me.

My unicorn friend snickered, "I guess that will do. Now, hold that at the spot where you want it to be." I did as I was told and held the mop handle to the left side of my hip. However, she then grinned, "Also, I'm flattered you're wearing my colors today, James." I smiled sheepishly, knowing she was referring to the colors on the t-shirt I was wearing.

After glancing at the sketch again, Twilight focused her attention on me. "Don't move, James. And stay focused on what you need changed." She then turned the sketch towards me. Twilight closed her eyes as she began to focus as her horn was coated in a hot pink billowing aura. I too looked closely at the sketch, focusing on the boots. Seconds after my eyes stared at them, I noticed a flash of light below me and glanced down. The simple black shoes I had been wearing had become shiny black leather boots complete with brass buckles.

"Jeez… This stuff really works." I muttered, admiring the result of Twilight and Rarity's efforts.

"Eyes on the prize, James. We both need to stay focused until the spell is set." Twilight spoke up, causing me to redirect my gaze at the sketch again. My eyes focused on the pants this time, causing my pair of blue jeans to become a light shade of gray with the material swapping the denim out for a more sophisticated fabric.

My gaze settled on the elegant red jacket next. Seconds later, my mostly purple shirt was engulfed in a brief flash as it became a red jacket with long coattails fit for a noble. It even came complete with a pair of white gloves. However, I was also quick to notice that there was a pair of emblems on the jacket's sleeves that depicted the elegant white designs of my cutie marks.

All that remained was the sword. I focused my gaze on the drawing of the rapier. A few seconds later, the mop handle at my side suddenly felt heavier. I glanced down and found that the mop handle was now a sleek straight sword contained in a black metal scabbard that was hanging from my new belt. The hilt was a swept hilt design, a thick metal wire curving around the grip while connecting the crossguard with the pommel. "Wow… And it's that easy?"

Twilight smiled as the aura around her horn vanished. "I had some help from Spike in perfecting it. How do you like your new look?"

Before I could get a word in, Rarity barged in as she observed my outfit. "Like it? He looks simply SMASHING! I knew the design was flawless, but I could never have expected just how amazing you would look once wearing it, James!" She then turned to Fluttershy and asked, "Fluttershy, doesn't your beloved look simply marvelous?!"

I watched as my girlfriend extended her head from her costume, a noticeable blush on her face. "He looks…um….smashing?" I smirked, amused that Fluttershy could not properly sum up her opinion of my appearance. But judging by that blush, she more than likely was liking what she was seeing.

Just before anyone could say anything else, there was a knock at the door. "I got it!" Spike said as he ran to it. But the instant he opened the door, he yelped in surprise as a trio of fillies all spoke in unison with a very familiar tempo and tone.

"Nightmare Night! What a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!"

I had to bow my head while snickering. The way they said those words was identical to how one would say the famous Halloween 'creed' back on Earth. Twilight approached the door as Spike reached for a large bowl filled with candy. "Happy Nightmare Night, everypony! Great costumes too!"

As Twilight and Spike tended to their guests, I looked down at Rarity and Fluttershy. "Should we be going now that we're all dressed up?" Fluttershy asked as she ducked her head back inside the bush she was wearing.

"I say we should. And I can hardly wait to show off this masterpiece to everypony!" Rarity replied with some excitement in her voice.

I dropped down on one knee and took Rarity's hoof in my hand as I began to speak with the same noble accent as earlier that day. "Indeed it is, Lady Rarity. It is a pleasure to wear your outstanding designs." I then brought her hoof to my lips as I kissed it softly in a courteous manner, prompting a giddy giggle from the beautiful unicorn.

"Oh, James… I never knew you could be so…gentlemanly! That voice goes so well with your attire!" Rarity spoke as she began to blush heavily.

I then smiled as I tried to keep the act up. "If I may be so bold to ask, may I request the honor of being your knight for the evening?" I think I heard a giggle from Fluttershy. She seemed to be enjoying the show.

Rarity seemed rather flustered at my voice as she replied, "Oh my… My knight? You're quite serious?" When I nodded, she smiled giddily, "Well… It would seem I have no choice but to take you up on your offer. It is a pleasure to have you by my side, Sir James." She then surprised me by placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

I felt Fluttershy tap me on my back before I could stand up. "James… I mean Sir James? May I also stay close to you?"

Doing my best to keep my performance up however I could, I faced Fluttershy and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "It would be an honor, Princess of the Meadow."

Fluttershy blushed deeply, "Oh… Well…I don't know about that… Do I really seem that regal?"

Rarity spoke up, "Why, of course you are! You exude the grace and subtle flair of any princess!" The two friends shared a brief embrace while I heard a child speak up at the door with a cockney accent.

"Pipsqueak the pirate, at your service! It's my very second Nightmare Night!" The boy spoke. I decided to take a peek, but the smaller-than-desired doorway prevented me from seeing past Twilight and Spike very well.

"I know! But shouldn't you have worn a different costume? I thought you were a pirate last year." Twilight replied to the boy…I mean colt.

"I couldn't decide on what to go as this year, so I went with one I already looked good in. But what are you this year?" He retorted.

I noticed Twilight roll her eye as I slunk over to her left. "I really don't know. One of my friends called me 'Solid Sparkle' and a grizzled stealth soldier. Spike here convinced me to wear it."

The baby dragon added, "And I'm her back-up. But…uh…does that mean I should be called 'Solid Spike' now?"

Just before I could get a look at the boy, he spoke, "Well, thanks for the candy, Solid Sparkle! I'll see you around!" I heard the light clopping of hooves as he galloped away.

"Pirates, eh? I hope I don't get into a duel with one." I spoke as all of us stepped outside.

"I don't think you have to worry about that, James. The kids are usually on good behavior." Fluttershy spoke behind me.

"I wonder what kind of costume Rainbow Dash will be wearing tonight. She said she had something utterly amazing to… Wait, what was that?" Twilight spoke. I heard it too. We were all facing each other, my gaze being directed towards Twilight's house.

"Caaaaaaandddyyyyy… Must have….caaaandddyyyyy…." I heard a familiar voice moaning from right behind me. "Give me caaaaandddyyyyyy…."

I recognized the voice immediately. "Heheh, nice one, Pinkie Pie. What exactly are you dressed… Uh… Ah…" I froze as I turned to face my friend. Pinkie Pie… What in the world… Oh no….. They got her.

Pinkie Pie's body seemed to be much darker and grimier than the last time I saw her and her mane and tail's coloration was very dull and filthy. Her coat was matted in grime as if having gone years without bathing, although her cutie mark seemed unchanged. But what shocked me the most were her eyes. They shone like a pair of stoplights, constantly giving off a hellish red glow. The only other ponies I had seen with these characteristics are…..the zombified ponies of Sunny Town. "Jaaaameeesssss…. I know your head is full of caaaandddyyyyy…. Let me open it to see what kiiiiind….."

The sheer horror of realizing what my friend had become was only impacted by the fact that she now had developed the typical zombie craving of flesh. "No…. NO! YOU'RE NOT GETTING ME!" I shouted as I fled from my undead friend, my mind overrun with fright. I was not going to let her spread the curse to me.

"What the… Hey, James! Where ya going?! Is my costume really THAT convincing?!" I heard Pinkie Pie's voice call out as I ran away from her, sounding strangely normal at that moment. However, I soon noticed I was not making any progress despite my legs still running as quickly as I could make them. It then occurred to me that I was surrounded by a hot pink aura as I was being held in place by a levitation spell.

"Come on, James! You're overreacting! That's just Pinkie Pie in costume!" Twilight called out as I was turned around. I think I nearly suffered a panic attack as I saw the undead earth pony trotting over to me.

"Stay back! I'm armed!" I yelled as I quickly drew the rapier at my side. Its blade was slender with sharp edges and a pointed tip. Despite being transformed from a wooden mop handle, it seemed that the sword was made entirely of metal.

Pinkie Pie came to a stop a good distance from me. "Yeesh, I wasn't trying that hard to scare you, James!" She then…..raised her goggles? "See? It's just me!"

Pinkie's big blue eyes stared at me, being completely unchanged since the last time I saw her. And resting against her forehead was a pair of goggles that seemed to have red lenses. It seemed that the glow does not occur when they are up though. "Pinkie… If you're gonna wear something like that, let me know right away so I know it's really you. Please?"

My friend nodded, "Oki doki loki! But wow, I never expected anypony to freak out like that! Especially someone as levelheaded as you!"

The rest of our friends approached us as Twilight released her magic's grip on me. "You freaking out like that was the last thing I ever would've expected outta you, James. What's wrong? Have you seen real zombies before?"

I averted my eyes, knowing that my reply would only be met with ridicule. "Would you believe me if I said yes?"

Before anyone else could speak, Spike raised his voice as he tapped Twilight on the leg. "Aha! I told you! Unlikely, but POSSIBLE!"

Twilight sighed, "Puhlease, Spike. James just probably saw too many horror movies. Zombies aren't real."

If only she knew the truth. I know what I saw. The second night in the Everfree Forest two months ago, I came across a village that was full of them. The very memory of all those glowing red eyes still chills me. Well, what they do not know will not hurt them. And I strongly doubt my friends will ever cross paths with those monsters.

With no reason to be on guard, I sheathed my sword. "Yeah… Sure… Not real…"

Rarity then spoke, "Darling, that little scare must have given you quite the appetite. Shall we hurry over to the town square for some refreshments?"

I nodded, "OK… But for the love of Cloudsdale, please keep those goggles off unless you WANT to scare someone, Pinkie."

My friend nodded with a smile, "Oki doki loki!" With nothing else to do, we all began to head towards the town square. That is probably where the majority of the festivities are taking place.

"I have to agree with James on your costume, Pinkie Pie. It looks far too real…" Fluttershy muttered. I am rather amazed that she did not panic and run off with me.

After a short walk with the forest nymph, the giggling zombie, the princess, the legendary stealth soldier and her version of a mini me, the six of us arrived in….. Oh fine, I will drop the puns about my friends' costumes. But really, I can keep this up all night.

The town square was now very lively, with stalls being lined with various foods, pumpkins and squashes scattered everywhere for decoration, and plenty of ponies walking around in various costumes. However, three little fillies were walking by that seemed rather…..familiar to me. "What the… Excuse me for a moment." I spoke as I hurried away from my friends.

One of the fillies, a unicorn, was wearing what seemed to be a black overcoat that looked like part of a tuxedo with a white rose on her collar. Another, an earth pony, was…Applejack? Strange as it sounds, one of the little fillies was identical to my honest friend. However… It seemed that her hairstyle, while matching in color, was not quite the same. She remembered to wear Applejack's favorite hat though. The last one, a pegasus, bore the look of… Now I know who they are. The pegasus was colored as Rainbow Dash. I stood in front of the three fillies as they looked up at me. "Happy Nightmare Night, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie Belle spoke first. "Happy Nightmare Night, James! And…whoa! Really nice costume! Did Rarity design it?"

I smiled, "You bet she did. Only Rarity could whip up something this sweet. And what are you girls going as?"

Apple Bloom spoke next. "I'm goin' as my big sis, Scootaloo's goin' as Rainbow Dash, and Sweetie Belle is goin' as a priest! Or…was it a matchmaker?"

Sweetie Belle replied, "They're pretty much the same thing in this case."

Wait… Applejack and Rainbow Dash with…a matchmaker? What in the world could this possibly mean? "Um… And what do these three roles have in common?" I asked, very curious of what the three fillies were up to.

Scootaloo grinned mischievously, "Just wait and see. You'll find out once we find them!" The other two girls giggled in unison. Somewhere in my gut, I knew that this stunt would only end in laughter. And maybe some embarrassment for the real ponies.

"You girls out collecting candy?" I asked, sure that they all have a sweet tooth.

"You bet we are! Once we're all done, we'll meet up here with all the other foals for the main event!" Scootaloo replied with a grin. However, she then asked, "Oh, would you like us to get you anything?"

I smiled, "Well, anything that doesn't have almonds or pecans, coconut, or anything spicy. Pretty much anything else I like."

"You got it! We'll bring ya somethin' yummy in the end! See ya'll later!" Apple Bloom replied before the three of them trotted away.

Rarity spoke up from behind me, "James? Were those who I think they were?"

I turned to face my friends, who were all gathered behind me. I still jumped slightly at the sight of Pinkie Pie's glowing red goggles staring at me. "Sure were. Ponyville's famous trio up to their old tricks."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "I can't believe Scootaloo and Apple Bloom went as Applejack and Rainbow Dash! Speaking of which… Where are those two?"

Twilight pointed to her right, "Well, Applejack's right over there."

The six of us walked over towards the friendly farm pony, who had a wooden tub set up near a pair of…old-fashioned medieval catapults? What I found especially awkward was that they were not even as tall as me. A prop for some form of entertainment?

Upon seeing us approaching her, Applejack turned and smiled. "Howdy, fellas! How's Nightmare Night treatin'… Whoa, never thought I'd see ya wearin' that getup again, Twi! Ya'll didn't get obsessed with yer schedule again, did ya?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, "Har har. Spike talked me into wearing this costume. Although I have to admit it's a bit easier to move around in than that Star Swirl the Bearded costume I have."

"Mmhm! And I think it turned out really cool too!" Spike added while snacking on a pile of candy he was carrying in one arm that was just as tall as him if not larger.

Applejack then turned to Pinkie Pie and took a step back, "Land sakes, Pinkie! What in the hay are ya supposed ta be this time?!"

My silly party animal friend replied, "I'm a zombie! And these goggles glow whenever I wear them! Even James got spooked by it!"

At the mention of my name, Applejack faced me. "Spook you?! Since when do ya get…" She paused for a moment while apparently examining my costume. "Whoa nelly, James! Ya'll look like yer already decked out fer the Grand Gallopin' Gala! That one of Rarity's designs?"

Rarity spoke with a hint of pride in her voice, "It most certainly is, Applejack. And I do say it is one of my finer designs for human attire."

Applejack smirked, "That's Sheriff Applejack ta you!"

Ah, I completely forgot to describe her costume. Applejack was wearing a black Stetson hat and a blue vest with a silver star on one side. She was also wearing a red bandanna around her neck. While the costume was somewhat basic compared to the ones my friends were wearing (with the exception of Spike as he was wearing a single piece of clothing) the overall costume suited the farm pony quite well. All she needed now was a peacekeeper and she would be the genuine article.

I tried to use a southern accent as I grabbed Applejack's hoof and gave it a shake. "Well then, keep up the good work, sheriff. I'll letcha know if I spot any trouble in town."

Applejack chuckled, "I gotta admit that accent just don't suit ya with that getup."

I then spoke with an English accent, "Well then, does this voice suit me more?" As if on cue, I heard Rarity whimper as if on the verge of fainting in joy.

"Oh, that voice just makes me melt…" Rarity muttered as I saw Twilight trying to keep her from falling over.

Applejack chuckled for a moment before she looked to my right. "Hang on… I don't remember that bush growin' there a minute ago."

I smiled, "That's Fluttershy, AJ."

At my words, my girlfriend stuck her face out of the bush. "Hi, Applejack. Did you only just now notice me?"

Our friend chuckled, "Well, if yer tryin' ta keep a low profile, it's actually workin' fer ya." Fluttershy smiled happily in response. I suppose she was trying hard to make herself less noticeable.

Applejack then asked, "Say, James… That sword at yer side. Is that real?"

I too was uncertain if it was, so I turned to Twilight. "Good question. How real is it, Twi?"

She replied, "It might have been made from a wooden handle, but it's a real metal sword now."

Applejack then smirked, "Mind if ya show us?"

Rarity added, "Oh, please do! Let us see your elegance with that delicate blade!"

This sort of attention was rather flattering, so I decided to grant my friends what they desired. I gripped the scabbard with my left hand while I drew my rapier with my right. Pinkie Pie exclaimed, "Ooh! That thing is long! Are all swords that big where you come from?"

I replied, "Well, this is the average size of a rapier from Earth. I think sabers are the same length too."

Rarity then asked, "I adore how the moonlight shines along the blade like a delicate needle. Would you mind striking a pose worthy of such an elegant appearance?"

I smirked as I raised my sword high. "Is this pose to your…"

What happened next is a blur to me. My senses went utterly haywire as I felt a sharp pain shoot through my body for no more than a single second. Once I regained my senses, I felt rather dazed. My stance was unsteady as I swayed somewhat. However, I then heard Rarity shout, "Rainbow Dash! How dare you strike such a gentleman with lightning!"

Lightning? I had just been zapped by a bolt of real lightning and lived?! However, I heard Twilight also call out angrily, "What were you thinking?! That could've killed him!"

I heard a familiar voice speak quickly from somewhere above me. "Oh man oh man oh man, I'm so sorry! I didn't think you were gonna raise your sword when I punched the cloud!"

Applejack then spoke, "Anypony could've told ya that metal stuff acts like lightning rods, Rainbow… Whoa. Gotta admit I almost didn't recognize ya fer a sec."

I heard Rainbow Dash land beside me before asking, "Uh… James? You OK? You're not…dead, are you?"

As I regained my bearings, I felt a great deal of disgust towards my brash pegasus friend. Striking me with lightning? Is she insane?! I looked down at her, my nerves still frayed. "OK, Rainbow, that was going too… Uh…" I cocked my head to one side. "Who're you?! No, wait. Better yet, what're you even doing here?! Ponyville doesn't have any relics for you to find, Daring Do."

At my words, Daring Do burst into laughter. "Bwahahaha, that's a good one! It's me, James! Rainbow Dash! I colored myself to look like Daring Do for tonight!"

I recognized Rainbow Dash's voice right away. However, no one would ever guess that she was not the famed adventurer just by looking at her. I have seen the covers of some of the Daring Do adventure novels, so I came to remember her appearance. Physically, Daring Do is identical to Rainbow Dash. They even share the same eye color. She was wearing an olive drab t-shirt that seemed fitting for a jungle explorer, complete with a pith helmet on her head. Her coat was a mustard yellow while her mane and tail were dyed to a rainbow of grayscale stripes. The only thing that gave away Rainbow Dash's disguise was the fact that she did not bother to cover her lightning bolt cutie mark.

I crossed my arms while looking down at my friend. "OK, I get it. Now, just WHY did you trigger a lightning strike right above us?"

Rainbow Dash sheepishly grinned, "It was just to make a loud sound to spook you. You know, a harmless prank?"

I felt a twinge of anger at the mention of the word 'harmless'. "Harmless my foot! That lightning strike could've made my heart stop!"

My friend seemed rather nervous, not that I can blame her. "Falling on me out of nowhere and throwing a salad in my face might be forgivable, but attempted manslaughter? No way. There's gonna be some compensation for that." I cracked my knuckles as I tried to think of a proper punishment for her.

Rainbow Dash seemed to be taking my frustration in good humor, probably because she knows me well enough to know I would never physically harm her. "OK, I get it. So, whatcha want? An autographed jersey from the Wonderbolts? My first pair of flight goggles?"

I decided to throw her for a loop as I smirked wickedly. "I want….." I then held the tip of my sword to the base of her lower jaw. "You in my cupcakes."

Pinkie Pie burst out laughing, "Heeheehahaha… Wait, what?"

Rainbow Dash gave me a rather alarmed stare. "Hang on… What did you say?"

I replied while very slowly dragging the tip of my sword along the underside of her jaw until it was touching her chin. "I'm gonna chop off your wings, cleave off your cutie marks, and then bake your meat inside some special cupcakes I came up with."

It seemed that my threat was working too well. Rainbow Dash backed away from me rapidly. A few tears streamed down her face as she pleaded, "No, please! I already had a nightmare like that once! I'll do anything! Just please don't eat me!"

Seeing my friend in tears was actually a little hard for me to take. So I decided to go with Plan B. "Ooorrrrrr you can just go back up to that cloud and stay there and we can forget this ever happened."

Pinkie Pie raised a hoof, "I say choice #2! Pony-flavored cupcakes sound absolutely awful!"

Rainbow Dash did not need to be told twice. She went airborne and flew right up to that cloud without a second thought. "Sorry again!"

Once Rainbow Dash's form was hidden by the cloud, Twilight spoke up. "Really, James? Turning Rainbow Dash into cupcakes? That's one of the most disturbing things I've ever heard you say."

I then replied, "Would you have preferred pie?"

Pinkie Pie hopped a few times as she grinned, "Ooh, I never thought of that! I'm a Pinkie Pie, so Rainbow Dash could be Rainbow Pie! Ooh, and then we could have Flutterpie, and Twilight Pie, and Apple Pie, and…" Rarity interrupted her by placing her hoof over Pinkie's mouth.

"I would rather not think any harder about that, darling." She muttered with a rather disgusted tone.

However, as I looked up at the cloud, I still felt a desire to get back at my friend for nearly killing me. I glanced over at the tub used for applebobbing and got an idea. "Mind if I borrow one of those apples, AJ?"

The farm pony nodded, "Go right ahead, pardner."

I took a red apple in hand before gauging the distance between myself and the cloud above me. It was very close to the ground and Rainbow Dash was likely just waiting for me to walk away. It seemed to be right above the tub too. While certainly a bit malicious, it would definitely get my point across to Rainbow Dash. And it would probably look hilarious in the process.

After a moment to check my aim, I hurled the apple straight into the cloud. I saw the apple immediately bounce off of something, clearly marking a direct hit. "Whoa! Hey! Waaaa!" Rainbow Dash shrieked as she fell headfirst out of the cloud and right into the tub of apples, creating quite a splash in the process.

"What in tarnation… James, yer nuts!" Applejack shouted at me. She seemed rather soaked by the splash since she was standing right next to the tub. However, I noticed that Derpy Hooves had her head dunked into the tub, probably having shown up without me noticing. What happened next baffled me. She pulled her head out of the tub, pulling up Rainbow Dash by her shirt's collar. Her mane had returned to its usual rainbow-stripped color pattern, the gray dye having likely not been waterproof.

"Huh?! Whoa! I never knew you started using zap apples, Applejack!" The wall-eyed pegasus spoke while looking at the 'sheriff'. For one reason or another, Derpy was clad in an actual postman's uniform. Something I have never seen her wear before despite being a mailmare. Was it her costume for the evening?

"I didn't." Applejack replied dryly, likely still irritated from getting wet out of nowhere.

Rainbow Dash seemed slightly dazed as she sat in the tub for a moment. She then asked, "I deserved that, didn't I?"

Before any of us could retort, I heard Big Macintosh pass by while muttering, "Eyup."

In hindsight, the spectacle of bopping Rainbow Dash with an apple and knocking her into a tub of water only to have the local derp fish her out of it was truly an amusing sight. However, even though she certainly deserved it for almost killing me, I felt bad about my actions for some reason. I truly felt like I had hurt Rainbow Dash. Even though we definitely bump heads more often than with any of our other friends, I could never bring myself to harm her. Until now.

I could not even bring myself to apologize to Rainbow Dash. I just turned and walked away with my sword sheathed and my head hanging. However, I then heard Rainbow Dash call out, "Hey, James! Where ya going?"

I paused as I heard my friend walking up behind me. "Sorry… I think I went too far…"

To my surprise, Rainbow Dash flew up in front of me and smiled. "Are you kidding?! That was awesome! Nopony's ever knocked me out of a cloud before! And what a landing too! I know that was just a way to get back at me, but I kinda had fun too!"

I sighed, "Then why do I feel like I did something terrible? Friends shouldn't seek revenge against each other. I feel like I hurt you…"

My friend placed her hoof on my chin so that I was looking right at her. "Hey, don't beat yourself up. I did a lot more damage to you than you did to me. I totally had that coming. I was actually expecting you to go farther. Are you sure you don't wanna mess with me some more?"

I frowned as I looked away, "I'm not like that, Rainbow. I hate hurting my friends…"

I then felt Rainbow Dash embrace me tightly. "Me too… I'm sorry… Do you forgive me?"

This time, I truly felt like her apology was sincere. I threw my arms around the brash pegasus and held her in an embrace of my own. "Yeah…"

After a brief moment, we heard a voice beside us. "Is it safe to come out now?" Fluttershy was right next to us, remaining still in her costume to act as a normal bush.

"Uh… You OK, Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked, that thunderclap from earlier having more than likely scared my girlfriend off.

I whispered into Rainbow's ear, "No more thunderbolts. You scare her off and she'll never want to celebrate Nightmare Night again."

"Ooh, I gotcha." Rainbow replied quietly.

Fluttershy peeked her head out of the bush, "I don't know if I want to stay here if that happens again…"

I let go of Rainbow Dash and held my girlfriend's hoof. "It won't happen again, honey. I promise."

"OK… Well, now that we're all here, should we get something to eat?" She replied, seeming rather famished. And I do not blame her. The last time we ate anything was at breakfast and now it was nightfall.

"You lovebirds go ahead. I'll be right back after I dye my hair again." Rainbow Dash replied before flying off at breakneck speed.

Fluttershy reached out and rested her head on my shoulder. "I saw you get struck by lightning. Are you all right?"

I nodded as I stroked her mane. "I'm still feeling a tiny bit sore, but it should be gone in a bit. But come on, let's get back in the groove and have a good time." I then asked, "Come to think of it, how has your disguise been holding up?"

She smiled, "Very well. Nopony even notices me while I'm standing still."

"James! Fluttershy! Come over here!" Rarity called out to us while waving her hoof by what seemed to be a table that held a bowl that seemed to be full of fuzzy toy spiders of green and purple hues.

The two of us approached the table, finding our friends lined up in a row with Twilight holding a spider on her upturned hoof at the front of the pack. Ahead of her was what seemed to be a very large spider web strung between two beanstalks. "This a target toss kind of game?" I asked as I took a toy spider in hand.

Applejack smiled, "Sure is. Try ta land it in the center."

Twilight tossed her spider, causing it to land in the web but missing the middle just slightly. "Ooh, almost! Your turn, Pinkie Pie."

As Pinkie Pie stepped forward, I began to toss the spider I held into the air repeatedly while catching it in my hand when it came back down as a means to pass the time. Rarity then looked back at me and seemed to watch for a moment before asking, "You have some impressive hoof…I mean hand-eye coordination, James."

I realized what she was referring to as I noticed the spider rising and falling with each toss. "Oh… I wasn't even paying much attention."

Our conversation was interrupted as Pinkie Pie cheered, "Woo! Bull's eye!" As she claimed, the spider she tossed landed right in the middle of the web.

"I would expect no less from somepony who can win 35 games of tic-tac-toe in a row." Rarity spoke as she stepped forward. Her aim was true as the spider landed directly in the center of the web. As expected from someone with her level of precision. And before you ask, Twilight would use her magic to remove each spider before placing them back in the bowl.

"Perfect as always. Your turn, Fluttershy." Rarity spoke as she turned to face my girlfriend.

"I'd like to, but…um…this costume doesn't let me raise my forelegs very well. And I don't want to take it off. Could you go ahead for me, James?" Fluttershy replied, her eyes looking up at me from the bush.

As I tossed my spider up in the air one more time, I snatched it out of the air using the same hand. "OK then." I then stepped forward and took aim. I do not have the most accurate throwing arm at times, but my aim was accurate enough to land the spider just above the center of the web.

"Very close, James." Fluttershy spoke as she probably smiled at me.

Before anything else could happen, I noticed the three Cutie Mark Crusaders approaching us. "Don't look now, AJ. But here comes your clone."

Applejack chuckled heartily as Apple Bloom trotted over to her. "Well, I see I've been havin' plenty of shenanigans t'night, huh?"

Apple Bloom replied with a grin, "No foolin'! Lotsa ponies have been mistakin' me fer you, sis! They even started callin' me Appleteeny!"

The mention of that name made Applejack wince for some reason. "I thought I told ya ta never bring that up again…" The three fillies laughed in unison at her response.

Before anything else could be said, I noticed Daring Do….I mean Rainbow Dash flying towards us. "All right, I've got a fresh layer of dye and am ready for… Whoa."

Scootaloo grinned, "Hey there, Daring Do! I'm Rainbow Dash! Your #1 fan and the fastest flyer in Equestria! Can I have your autograph?!" Yeesh, she was doing a fine job of imitating her idol, I must admit.

The real Rainbow Dash chuckled with an uneasy expression, "OK… That kind of admiration is flattering…and kinda creepy…"

Scootaloo chuckled, "Oh, come on, Rainbow Dash! I'm just having some fun here! Just like you!"

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah, you're right. As for autographs, I'd give you one, but I forgot to bring a quill!" The two pegasi laughed in unison.

Once the rest of our friends had gone back to having fun, I decided to catch up on my fellow Crusaders' plan. We huddled around each other as I asked, "So, what's the REAL reason you two are dressed up as other ponies?"

Scootaloo snickered, "Well, Rainbow Dash and Applejack are right there. So why don't we get started?"

Apple Bloom nodded, "You just watch and learn, James. This is gonna be good."

Whatever these three little scamps had in mind was probably going to be very entertaining to watch. "OK then. Show me whatcha got."

Sweetie Belle then smirked, "All right, girls. Operation AppleDash is a go."

I was naturally curious of what they meant by 'AppleDash', but decided to just watch and see what would happen. The three fillies put themselves behind Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who were at the apple tub. Rainbow seemed to be trying to grab apples that were floating on the surface of the water without getting her hair wet.

Sweetie Belle faced Scootaloo and Apple Bloom and cleared her throat. "We are gathered here today to bear witness to the union of these two amazing mares."

I smiled as I saw what Sweetie Belle was doing. It was an enactment of a wed…. Wait… A wedding? Between two women?! Ooooh boy…..

Applejack must have heard Sweetie Belle since she turned to face them. "Aww, ain't that sweet? They're gettin'….." Her expression of adoration turned to a look of shock. "Wait… Wha…. What?!" I then saw her tap Rainbow Dash on the shoulder. "Rainbow, I think ya should see this."

Rainbow Dash lifted her head and looked behind her at the three fillies with an apple in her mouth. "Whaddya…..Uh…" Her mouth dropped open, letting the apple fall out.

Sweetie Belle spoke as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo faced each other with sly smirks. "I pronounce you mare and…"

Before she could complete her sentence, Applejack snatched Apple Bloom up in one foreleg. "Don't you dare! My barn door don't swing that way!"

Rainbow Dash did the same to Scootaloo, albeit by just yanking her tail. "Not cool, Scoot! Not cool!"

However, despite the clear disapproval of the ponies they were imitating, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were just cracking up in laughter. I chuckled myself as I added, "But your reactions to the whole thing made it worthwhile." I then decided to throw in a little humor of my own. "And besides, don't you have a few copies of Playcolt somewhere in your house?"

I was joking, of course. But Rainbow Dash took my question surprisingly seriously. "Hey, I haven't bought one in months! I swear I grew outta that a long time ago!"

This revelation made me pause in silence for a moment. Rainbow Dash…..really is bisexual? "I….uh…didn't know you swung both ways, Rainbow…" I spoke as I turned to walk away.

However, I felt Rainbow Dash grab me. "Hang on! It's not like that! I could never really get into that stuff! The only reason I was reading that was because my old friend Gilda tried to get me into it!"

I have no idea who this 'Gilda' character is, nor did I really care at the time. Although this did make me ponder WHY she would try to make Rainbow Dash bisexual….. Ugh, the possible reasons make me shudder. "Then why are you holding onto them? If you still have some, that is."

Rainbow Dash sheepishly blushed while averting her eyes. "Sometimes….. Sometimes I look at them for reference for trying to make myself look hot. I get way too many guys thinking I'm a colt." I found that little information hard to believe. While she certainly is a wild woman, Rainbow Dash has always been obviously female to me. I always did like how she lets her mane hang low, which makes it look quite feminine.

"So, you're completely straight?" I asked, wanting to make certain.

Rainbow nodded, "Yeah… I really do prefer guys over girls." But as she walked by me, I felt her drag her tail over my crotch. "I also like the way you look down there too."

Wait… What? She has seen me nude before? When did… Oh, right. The day she found me at Zecora's hut on my ninth day in Equestria. So she DID peek in on me as I was dressing myself. I felt myself heat up as sweat trickled down my face. "Don't you DARE mention that to anyone…"

Rainbow Dash snickered, "Relax, I wasn't planning to!" Good lord, I really hope she was not lying right there.

Before anything else could happen, I noticed what seemed to be a large herd of ponies gathered in front of a stage that had been assembled in the middle of the town square. The curtains that spanned it looked like a star-filled night sky. And hanging above was a teal banner with what seemed to be Nightmare Moon's armored face with a pair of black bat wings extending from the sides.

"Thank you, everypony, and welcome to the annual Nightmare Night festival!" An earth pony mare spoke from behind a podium in the center of the stage. Her mane is a bright shade of pink that is not too far off from Pinkie Pie's natural colors. At least it was at the time. I doubt a pony with a tan coat and azure eyes would have a naturally cotton candy pink mane and tail. However, her mane and tail were fluffed up and poofy, almost as if she was masquerading as Pinkie Pie herself. Since Pinkie Pie was in the crowd before her, I was able to compare their looks. She was also wearing a pair of half-circle glasses.

I decided to take a closer look as this was my very first Nightmare Night and I did not want to overlook anything. Before I did so, I checked to see if Fluttershy was nearby. She seemed to be lost in conversation with Rarity, so I decided to leave her be for the moment. Twilight Sparkle was at the back of the crowd with Spike standing at her feet. "Who is that?" I asked as I drew near.

Twilight replied, "That's the mayor. I think she's supposed to be Pinkie Pie tonight."

"Kinda hard to not recognize that poofy pink mane. I wonder how many ponies have offered her cupcakes or asked her to sing a song." I retorted in an attempt to throw in some humor. It seemed to work as Twilight snickered while covering her mouth.

The mayor continued to speak. "Now then, all the little ponies who have been out collecting sweets should follow our friend Zecora to hear the legend of…" She then began to speak in a creepier tone. "Nightmare Mooooon!" She then cackled amusingly afterward.

"Gotta admit the spooky voice works a little better now that she's not wearing that rainbow wig from last year." Spike muttered to me and Twilight with his hand raised near his mouth to prevent others from hearing him.

I smirked, "There's more to that cotton candy hair than you think Spike. In Soviet Russia, cotton candy eats YOU." Even though Twilight seemed baffled by the mention of a nation she had never heard of, Spike seemed deeply disturbed as he looked back at the mayor while saying nothing. "That probably gave him some food for thought." I muttered to myself.

The mayor extended her right foreleg to her right, a plume of light green sparkling fog erupting on the stage. A few seconds later, I recognized the face of Zecora emerge from it. Her Mohawk hairstyle had been let down to form long light gray hair, giving her the appearance of what I believe was a witch. Stuck in her hair were a few small black toy spiders for additional effect. She was also wearing a dark slightly ragged cloak, lending her a rather creepy, yet alluring form.

My nomadic zebra friend spoke with her deep powerful voice, "Follow me and very soon you will hear the tale of Nightmare Moon."

With a swish of her cloak, she began to walk off the stage as the entire gang of colts and fillies in the crowd followed her. Twilight and Spike did so too, so I decided to follow them as well. Whatever Zecora had in store for us would likely prove to be interesting.

After a walk west, Zecora led us along a path into the Everfree Forest that I had never noticed before. It was quite wide and felt much safer than any path I had walked along in the forest. She eventually led us to a clearing with a fantastic view of the night sky and the full moon. But what caught my eye the most was a stone statue just ahead. "That's…Nightmare Moon?"

The statue depicted what seemed to be Nightmare Moon standing on her hind legs with a truly angry expression on her face. Her appearance was very close to the illustrations I had seen of her in books. Zecora stood near the statue and raised a hoof to it. "Listen close, my little dears. I'll tell you where you got your fears."

She then suddenly approached the group of children and held out her hooves as if to spook them. "Of Nightmare Night, so dark and scary…"

Zecora then reached into her cloak and pulled out a small mound of glittering green powder, which she then blew high into the air. "Of Nightmare Moon, who makes you wary."

The dust suddenly turned into an equally glittering and green fabrication of Nightmare Moon herself. She then suddenly descended with….fangs bared? I rolled my eyes at this. Oh please, even I know that Nightmare Moon was never carnivorous. Regardless, this sudden event clearly spooked the children as Nightmare Moon dove into them, bursting into a cloud of the same dust. And I will admit I was mildly startled myself.

A pair of creepy eyes looked through the fog with a large sharp toothy grin, the face right behind Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. "Every year we put on a disguise. To save ourselves from her searching eyes." The two fillies let out a shriek once they noticed the face and ran away from it. Just afterward though, Zecora emerged from it with a sly grin. I suppose even she was having a good time with us.

Scootaloo ended up running right into the base of the Nightmare Moon statue, clearly too frightened to pay any mind to what was in front of her. "But Nightmare Moon wants just one thing…" Scootaloo began to back away from the statue while looking up at it, but ended up bumping into Apple Bloom, startling them both. "To gobble up ponies in one quick swing!"

Zecora then pulled out another serving of the green powder and flung it into the air, only for the powder to seemingly come to life and swoop towards a few of the children like a will-o-wisp. Among them was Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon. They were also dressed up for the evening, but I will go into detail on that later.

"Hungrily, she soars the skies." At those words, the imposter Nightmare Moon extended her head from the cloud with a hoof raised to her brow as if searching for someone. She did not seem to pay any mind to the kids right in front of her though. She suddenly compacted herself back into the wisplike puff of glittering dust and flew over to the other cluster of kids. Among them was Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and an exceptionally small pinto colt dressed in a red bandanna, eye patch, and jacket. As the fake alicorn glanced around, Zecora spoke, "If she sees nopony, she passes by."

The green wisp of powder began to rise high into the air. "So if she comes and all is clear, Equestria is safe another year!" At those words, the powder exploded as the false Nightmare Moon extended her forelegs as if to raise her fists in anger before fading away with the full moon behind her.

Once the children had calmed down, I shook my head. I know Nightmare Moon well enough to know she is certainly not a cannibal, let alone a predator. This little skit of Zecora's was only giving Nightmare Moon a bad name. "Gimme a break… She's not nearly that bad…"

However, Zecora seemed to hear my words. She smirked, "On the contrary, my dear friend, for Nightmare Moon you must not offend." The children backed away from her to an area just behind me. This made me feel wary of what Zecora was about to do.

The zebra blew some more of her green powder into the air, which materialized into the same false alicorn as before. Only this time, it began to slowly walk towards me with its toothy maw hanging open just slightly while her wings were spread wide. "Fill up her belly with a treat or two…"

I immediately felt I should prepare to defend myself, so my left hand gripped my sword's scabbard while my right hand gripped the hilt as I prepared to lash out from the draw. The rest of the ponies seemed to notice this too since they backed away further to give me some room. Zecora then called out, "So she won't return to come eat YOU!"

At the instant Zecora finished speaking, the fake Nightmare Moon suddenly lunged at me with its jaws opened impossibly wide with massive sharp fangs lining her maw. I instinctively drew my sword and struck the apparition with a wide horizontal slash. Even though rapiers are not designed for slashing, my thin sword cleaved right through it. I remember seeing the entity split neatly in two for a second before completely dissipating altogether.

"Whoa! Awesome move, big brother!" Scootaloo called out as she and the other children approached me.

Twilight smiled, "You know, you didn't have to attack that thing. It was just a prop, so to say." I think I may have blushed upon realizing that I may have overreacted. However, the famous stealth soldier…. I mean my wise unicorn friend then added, "But you really look like you know how to use that. I'll bet you could give a royal guard a run for their bits."

I chuckled as I sheathed my sword, "Well, it's not a good idea to carry a blade unless you can wield it. And I do have a penchant for swordplay."

Before we could converse further, the wind started to pick up. I glanced upwards to see that the clouds had become darker and were now swirling in a spiral above us while leaving our view of the moon unobstructed.

"This doesn't look good… Is it part of the tour?" I asked, not certain if this bizarre weather was a bad sign.

Twilight smiled as she looked on. "I think you're about to be reunited with a friend, James."

Really? A friend? I watched the sky closely for any changes. There was a sudden flash of light before I noticed something descending against the bright light. As the light faded, I could make out a pair of pegasi pulling what seemed to be a chariot of sorts… Wait. Are they the Wonderbolts? Those uniforms certainly seem to match. Only…I believe the colorations did not quite match the ones I had seen in magazines and posters. They both seemed to be stallions, but their uniforms were a combination of purple and black while they wore goggles with yellow lenses. Their coats were gray while their manes and tails were blue. They seemed to be connected to the chariot via heavy chains. The chariot itself, from what I could see in the poor lighting, seemed to have a low center of gravity while appearing very gothic in design and was rather sinister to behold. Seated in the middle of the chariot was a cloaked pony. While I could not make anything out, I could only think of one pony in Equestria who would be pulled around in a chariot at night. "Princess Luna?"

Twilight nodded, "Yes! She stopped by last year too! She's probably on her way back to Ponyville to join in the festivities!" However, she then stared with a puzzled expression as the chariot passed overhead while following the path out of the Everfree Forest. "But why is her chariot being pulled by the Wonderbolts? Are they here to have fun too?"

At the mention of Princess Luna, the children became excited and began to run back towards Ponyville. I heard the pinto colt call out with his cockney accent, "Wait for me, Princess Luna! You're still my favorite princess ever!"

Zecora and Twilight trotted on ahead of me while I glanced back at the statue of Nightmare Moon. "Maybe next year, your highness…" I muttered, knowing full well that Nightmare Moon was still out there in the Everfree Forest. But as I ran to catch up with my friends, I pondered something I had noticed while Luna and the Wonderbolts flew overhead. Was Luna…..bigger than I remembered?

I ran as quickly as I could, hoping I could make it back to the town square before Luna made landfall. I arrived just in time to find all of the ponies present cheering as Luna descended from her chariot before it was pulled away. I chose to wait for her to remove her cloak before calling out to her. However… Something was not right. I got a good look at her body as she fell, even though I was too far away to make out any details. She was definitely bigger than I recall. Probably just as tall as Celestia. When did she have such a growth spurt?

I walked up behind Twilight and Applejack, who seemed to be conversing. "Twi… I've got a bad feelin' 'bout this…" The farm pony spoke while keeping her voice down. At that moment, Luna was approaching the center of the town square as everypony looked on in silence.

Twilight replied, "I know… I don't think Princess Luna could've grown that much since we last saw her. And why is she wearing… Oh no… Please don't let that be what I think it is…"

Wearing? I scanned Luna's body more closely. Her legs were exposed, allowing me to see her…shoes? No, those reached too high to be shoes. They looked more like blue metal greaves that almost reached up to her knees while using an overall similar design to her shoes. And that shade of blue was quite familiar to me.

Luna extended her wings shortly before coming to a stop. Her coat… No, now I am convinced that is NOT Luna. Her coat was almost as pitch black as the night sky. Her wingspan seemed larger than I recall too. At that moment, Rarity hurried over to us. "Twilight….. You don't suppose…"

Our wise unicorn friend muttered with an uneasy expression, "It can't be… The Elements of Harmony should have… It makes no sense…"

There was a sudden loud crack as a bolt of lightning struck the cloak, causing it to seemingly dissolve into dust. Once the pony underneath it was revealed, there was an audible gasp from all the ponies around me. I felt my jaw drop. And I felt my heart leap in a sense of relief. "My god… It's really her."

The pony in the center of the town square began to cackle wickedly, the ponies around her slowly backing away. I heard Pinkie Pie shriek, "IT'S NIGHTMARE MOON! EVERYPONY RUN!" Under any other circumstances, I would have thought she was being irrational. However, the proof was right in front of me. Nightmare Moon had returned.

The princess of the night wore what seemed to be a type of armor that matched what I had seen in illustrations of her. Her most defining piece of equipment was a blue helmet that reached down most of her neck with her long black horn sticking up out of it. Her cutie mark is identical to that of Luna's, only the dark blue night sky part of it was instead a vibrant purple. Lastly, her tail and mane are remarkably long, constantly billowing and moving just like that of Celestia and Luna. Each is a deep shade of blue and IS filled with shining stars like the night sky. In fact, her mane and tail looks more like the night sky than Luna's.

"Oh, my faithful subjects… To think that you went to the trouble of founding a holiday dedicated to my memory." Nightmare Moon spoke in a very bold and mocking voice. However, for some reason, it did not quite sound like the voice I heard whisper to me in the Everfree Forest's castle ruins several weeks ago. The tone certainly matched her appearance though.

Nightmare Moon approached the mayor, who was cowering before the armored princess. The alicorn then extended a hoof as she pointed at the frightened earth pony. "Mayor of Ponyville, I presume? What do you call this holiday?"

The mayor seemed to be doing her best to crack a nervous smile. "This is….N-n-nightmare Night, y-your highness. It only happens at n-n-night. And it is one of o-our most favorite and beloved h-h-h-holidays."

Nightmare Moon seemed to smirk, "Favorite holiday, you say? I never dreamed that my memory was so cherished." She then glanced around at the many ponies around her. "If it is so cherished, I shall make it so the fun never ends." She then reared up onto her hind legs and raised her forelegs high. "From this day forward, Nightmare Night shall last FOREVER!"

The princess of the night cackled madly, probably just out of excitement. However, the rest of the ponies seemed to be taking her claim seriously as they began to panic and scatter. And right behind me, my six closest friends had gathered. "I can't believe she's really returned… What should we do?" Fluttershy whispered.

"I say we rush her! We can handle her if we work as a team!" I heard Rainbow Dash reply.

However, Twilight retorted, "You know we can't match her power, Rainbow. We need to hurry over to Canterlot to retrieve the….. James, where are you going?! Get away from her!"

I had begun to approach Nightmare Moon with a smile. I knew full well just how Nightmare Moon really is. She is not a monster obsessed with bringing eternal darkness to Equestria. She merely wishes to be appreciated for her work as the bringer of the night. And now that she was here before me, I was eager to give her a hug and welcome her back.

"Hahaha…huh?" Nightmare Moon stopped laughing as I stood before her. "Um… Do you need something?"

She seemed rather puzzled by my calm approach. Perhaps she was not used to people not fleeing from her. I then smiled and bowed as gracefully as I could in order to stay in character with my costume. "It's been a while, Lady Nightmare Moon. Welcome back to Ponyville."

There was an awkward silence as the ponies in the town square had stopped fleeing. They were probably watching and wondering why I was not showing any fear of this supposedly mad tyrant. She then asked, "Why do you not fear me? Everypony runs in terror from Nightmare Moon!"

I smiled, "Oh, come on. You remember me! You watched over me when I… Oh wait, I never properly introduced myself, did I?" Of course. I never once told her my name at our previous encounter. I reached out and grasped her right hoof and gave it a shake. "My name is James, your highness. And I'm glad you're finally out here with us."

Nightmare Moon continued to gaze at me with a bewildered expression. "I…uh…see… I guess it's…um…a pleasure to meet you, James…" It was rather odd to see her bold bravado vanish so rapidly. Was she deliberately TRYING to seem imposing to those around her? Even the rest of the ponies around me were starting to draw closer.

I reached out and embraced my friend, prompting a gasp from everyone who was watching. "I missed you, your highness."

Nightmare Moon then whispered to me, "How are you this calm? You should be frightened of me and running for the hills!"

I honestly believed Nightmare Moon was just playing with me and wanted me to act like everyone else for the time being. This holiday WAS founded out of fear of her, after all. I pulled my head away and smiled, "Why should I? I know you're not evil. You're just… Wait a minute…"

As I looked into her eyes, I noticed an inconsistency. Her eyes did not look the way I remember. Where Nightmare Moon's eyes are varying shades of teal with catlike irises, the colors of Nightmare Moon's eyes now seemed normal with a white sclera and pale magenta irises. What is more is that her wings were not the same shape as in the illustrations I had seen, looking more like the wings of Celestia or Luna. "OK, who are you?"

I suspect that Nightmare Moon was aware that I was catching on to her ruse as she began to sweat while her eyes glanced around restlessly. "Wha…. Whatever do you mean? I am Nightmare Moon. The dreaded Mare in the Moon! Fear me, mortal!"

I stared at her for a moment while she looked me in the eye with a nervous toothy grin. I then smirked, "OK, now you're just coming off as desperate." The ponies around us began to chuckle in unison, prompting a very annoyed expression from the princess of the night.

"Halt! That's far enough, Nightmare Moon!" I heard a voice call out with a strong tone of authority to it.

I glanced around and saw a most unexpected sight. Standing at the edge of the town square was none other than Princess Celestia herself. I heard Applejack call out, "All right! Princess Celestia can handle Nightmare Moon no problem!"

Nightmare Moon seemed to have regained her composure upon seeing her sister. She smirked, "Ah, Celestia. Have you come all the way out here to humble little Ponyville to welcome your long-lost sister home?"

Celestia began to approach us with a determined expression on her face. "Of course not. Luna is my sister, not you. I am here to prevent you from harming my subjects." For some odd reason, her voice did not sound quite like I remembered it. What was up with Celestia? What was more, why was she….. Actually, read on. It will be more amusing to explain it as it happens.

Nightmare Moon snidely replied as she began to slowly approach the princess of the sun. "There's no need to get hostile, dear sister. I was merely about to partake in the festivities with our subjects." However, her eyes began to glow brightly with a white light. "Unless you would rather turn the festivities into a street brawl."

I felt a faint sense of panic fill me as I began to fear that my friend would get hurt. I held up my hand to Nightmare Moon's face. "Hm? What is it now?"

I spoke, "Hang on a second. Let me get a word in with her."

She stared at me with a bewildered expression. "Um….. OK?" I then turned and began to approach Celestia. During that time, it had become deathly quiet around me. You could probably hear a twig snap.

Once I was standing before Celestia, she spoke to me. "Please stand aside, James. I must deal with Nightmare Moon."

However, after scanning the alicorn for a moment, I replied, "Um… Your highness? Don't take this the wrong way, but…I don't remember you being so…..small."

She jumped slightly at my observation. "Small?"

Celestia stands just as tall as me, so I was naturally perplexed as to why she was now shorter than me. Her size seemed more along the lines of… Oh, you have got to be kidding me. "Also… I do not recall you having teal eyes, your highness."

These observations were clearly flustering Celestia as she began to nervously glance around as all the other ponies looked on. "Oh, this? It's…um…an offshoot of the pink eye disease. They call it…uh…teal eye. And my size… Well, I have been on a diet… And…" As she bantered, I noticed Celestia's voice relax somewhat. And I recognized it instantly.

"I know who you are now." I spoke with a smirk. "But really? Dressing up as your own sister, Princess Luna?"

There was an audible gasp as the alicorn before me froze. But wait. If Luna was right in front of me… "Then that means…" I then pointed at Nightmare Moon. "Princess Celestia?!"

After a brief moment, the two alicorns burst into laughter. 'Celestia' then grinned, "Well, looks like you got us!" There was a bright flash as her horn was engulfed in a billowing light cobalt or maybe cerulean shade of blue. When the light faded, her head had changed to that of Princess Luna, as well as her mane. "I suppose we just couldn't pull the wool over your eyes, James."

"You still managed to fool just about everyone else in town though." I retorted as 'Nightmare Moon' approached us. Her horn was engulfed with a billowing golden yellow glow akin to her role of controlling the sun. She then lifted her helmet off as her head was also engulfed by a bright light. When I could see her again, Nightmare Moon's coat coloration on her head had become the bright white coloration of Celestia as her mane became the four vibrant colors of the princess of the sun.

"You were quite brave to stand up to me while I was in that disguise, James." Celestia spoke as she held her helmet in one of her forelegs. However, she then asked, "But how did you know we were not who we seemed to be so easily?"

I replied as all the ponies around us bowed in respect for their rulers, "Size and eye color inconsistencies. I also noticed that your wings don't match those of the real Nightmare Moon."

Luna then spoke, "I told you your wings would give your disguise away, sister. They look nothing like how mine did back then."

Celestia chuckled, "Well, can't blame me for trying, can we?" She then placed her helmet back on her head and returned her colorations of her coat and mane to those of Nightmare Moon. Luna did the same so that she was nearly indiscernible from her big sister.

The three of us turned to face my six closest friends as they approached us. "Wow, we weren't expecting BOTH of you to show up this year, Princess Celestia. But going as each other?!" Twilight exclaimed as she stopped a short distance away.

"It would be a fine way to spread a healthy dose of organized chaos for a little fun, if you know what I mean." Celestia replied with a grin.

"Basically, just to mess with everyone? Has anyone ever called you Trollestia before?" I asked, thinking that Celestia may be something of a tease.

Celestia seemed mildly flustered at my question as she merely replied, "Maybe?" Everyone present burst into laughter for a brief moment.

Luna then spoke to me. "Before I forget to mention it, that is a stunning outfit you have."

I regained my composure and replied with an English accent, "Why, thank you, m'lady. The beautiful Rarity weaved these garments for me." I noticed out of the corner of my eye Rarity swooning again. Pinkie Pie had to lean against her to keep her propped up.

Luna looked towards Rarity and Pinkie and chuckled, "I concur. That attire is…" She paused for a moment as her eyes opened wide. "What…. What are you doing out here?! Why aren't you in the Everfree Forest?!"

Pinkie Pie giggled, her goggles still glowing a sinister shade of red. "Don't be silly! Why would I be all the way out there when we've got a huge party going on in town right now?!"

"That voice… Oh, I see now. Miss Pinkie Pie. My mistake." Luna replied with a chuckle.

Judging by Luna's reaction to Pinkie Pie's appearance, she seemed to have some knowledge of the zombie ponies of Sunny Town…. Wait. The curse only takes effect at night, when Luna's influence is greatest. Surely the curse was her doing. But just what did they do to deserve it? I know Mitta claimed that they all had committed a grave sin, but she never went into any further detail.

After a brief moment, Celestia interrupted my thoughts. "Come to think of it, why were you acting like you know Nightmare Moon, James? She doesn't even exist anymore, so….."

I had to be careful of what I told them, so I once again donned my accent. "Oh, I met her once in a dream I had. Lovely princess she was. Even invited me to a spot of tea under the moonlight."

Celestia chuckled, "I'm glad it only was a dream."

However, I then asked, "Your highness, this is merely conjecture, but if Nightmare Moon did still exist, separate from Lady Luna, what would you do?"

Celestia gave me a puzzled stare for a moment, but replied calmly nonetheless. "Well… That certainly isn't possible. Nightmare Moon is gone. But…. If… If she did somehow came back, only separate from Luna… We would have to eliminate her right away."

I felt a subtle chill upon hearing those words. "I see… Thank goodness she will never return, eh?" I said with a smile. Our time together in the Everfree Forest may have been brief, but I still feel great sympathy for Nightmare Moon. Now that I know what her sisters will do once they find out she still lives, I must do all I can to hide her existence from them until the time is right. She will never be able to resist an assault in her current state. And I must remember to hide this entry once I finish writing it.

"Well, it is certainly grand to have you both with us, your highnesses. But I must say I am rather puzzled that you of all ponies would attend, Princess Celestia." Rarity spoke as she bowed before the princess of the sun.

Celestia smiled, "Well, I seldom attend to begin with. The reason I'm here now is because I finally had an opportunity to come along for the ride. And most importantly, I wanted to see how our newest friend would enjoy this holiday." She looked at me with a wink.

I smiled back at her, "This holiday has been nothing but enjoyable, your highness."

Applejack then spoke up, "How 'bout bobbin' fer an apple or two, Princess Luna? I know ya got quite a few last year!"

Luna smiled, "I will gladly take you up on your offer, Applejack." But as she walked over to the tub, Celestia walked alongside her while seemingly whispering something to her. Probably just friendly chatter between sisters.

Once everything had gone back to normal with the other ponies going about enjoying the festivities, I decided to grab myself something to eat that was not a type of candy. All I could really find close by were assorted vegetables with ranch dip. I stocked up on carrots, broccoli, and potato chips before going about with a plate in my hand.

One thing that caught my eye was what the catapults I had seen earlier were being used for. Lyra, who seemed to be walking around on her hind legs while wearing a t-shirt and shorts probably as a generic human costume, loaded a pumpkin into one of the catapults. She then pushed down on it and immediately pushed herself off, causing the catapult to launch. The orange fruit flew remarkably high into the air before going splat against a target ahead of it. "And I always thought pumpkins have hard rinds…" I muttered as I watched the pumpkin reduced to a pile of orange gunk.

No sooner than I had finished my plate, a herd of ponies came rushing in from the west in quite a panic. "ZOMBIES! REAL ZOMBIES!" I heard Zecora call out, temporarily breaking her rhyming habit.

Twilight chuckled, "Oh please, even Zecora's getting a little too into the spirit? There's no such thing as real zombies."

"Yeah! Unless you count me! Urrrrrgghhh!" Pinkie Pie retorted as I began to approach Zecora as the zebra took a moment to catch her breath.

"Pinkie Pie, get off me! And quit nomming on my head!" I heard Rainbow Dash shout from behind me.

As I neared her, I began to ponder what could possibly have spooked Zecora so greatly. She is one of the most levelheaded ponies I know of and would not be scared so easily. "Where did you see these 'real' zombies, Zecora?"

Zecora looked up at me and replied, "They shambled into Ponyville from the west. Their vile red eyes made me flee my best!"

My head jerked up as I heard the word 'west'. "From the west? The Everfree Forest? And red eyes…" I felt a great chill sliver down my spine. "No… Not them!"

I took off running to the west, my left hand grasping the scabbard of my sword in order to keep it steady in case I needed to quickly draw it. Droves of ponies passed me while moving in the other direction. I am uncertain how long I had been running, but when I reached the edge of Ponyville, I saw Apple Bloom cowering on the ground as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood defiantly with their backs to her. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had only just begun running away from them, not that I blame them. The Cutie Mark Crusaders seemed to be trying to be brave, but I could see that they were quite scared.

Scootaloo shouted, "Didn't you hear us the first time?! She wants nothing to do with you freaks! Go away!"

I turned my head to see where they were looking and… Oh no…

Slowly shambling towards the three fillies were six walking rotting pony corpses, their eyes filled with a hellish red glow. I recognized the one with one eye hanging out of its socket as the pony known as Gladstone. The one at the head of the pack was likely Gray Hoof… Yes, I am not lying. The zombies before me were none other than the cursed undead ponies of Sunny Town. But how in the world did they manage to make it out of the Everfree Forest?!

For one reason or another, the six undead ponies seemed to not notice Scootaloo shouting at them. "Get outta here! We're not scared of you!" My little sister shouted as she clearly showed signs of fear. Apple Bloom covered her face with her hat in a desperate attempt to hide from the monsters. I suppose I should not be surprised that she was so frightened. She did encounter them once before. The zombies said nothing as they shambled toward the children. Why? Did their vocal chords decay too much?

As the zombies started to get too close to the children, I decided to intervene. We did part ways on good terms, so maybe they would listen to me. I ran ahead to the space between the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the approaching cadavers and drew my sword before performing two quick slashes to try to make them back away. "Back off! That's my little sister!"

The zombies seemed to listen since they took a few steps backwards. I seemed to have blindsided them, as they did not react to my presence until I was right in front of them. "Whoa! The way you just jumped in at the last second was so cool, James!" I heard Sweetie Belle exclaim from behind me.

I looked back down at the three fillies while keeping my rapier's blade held out to keep the zombies at a safe distance. Scootaloo grinned, "I knew you'd show up, big brother! Show those zombies how you handled Nightmare Moon's ghost!"

I smiled, "Will do, sis. Now, you three get away from here so I don't run the risk of chopping you by accident."

Apple Bloom climbed to her feet as she seemed to calm down slightly. "A… All righty then, James… Just don't let 'em touch ya! I think the curse is contagious!"

I nodded, "I know enough about zombies to make sure to never let them touch me. Now, get going." I did not take my eyes off of the three fillies until they were just inside Ponyville's border. And even then, they continued to watch me intently.

The six zombies continued to slowly shamble towards me, never speaking once. I tried to reason with them. "Gray Hoof, you and the others aren't welcome in Ponyville. Go home."

They seemed to pay no heed to my words since they continued to approach me without showing signs that they may have heard me. I spoke again, taking a step back while still making sure I had my sword's blade held somewhat laterally to parry any incoming lunges. "I know we parted on good terms, guys. But you need to get outta here." Gray Hoof's disgusting mouth began to slowly open at my words.

"I will defend myself…" I muttered as Gray Hoof seemed prepared to bite me.

At this point, I felt that any further attempts to negotiate were futile. I waited until Gray Hoof took three more steps towards me before I struck. I quickly swung my sword sideways, cleaving it through his neck as his body froze in place. About four seconds later, his head simply fell off and hit the ground with a thud while his body collapsed in a heap.

"Whoa! Looks like that one didn't have a good head on his shoulders! Go for the rest, James!" I heard Rainbow Dash call from the nearby rooftops. I glanced over towards the town and found that I had attracted quite an audience. But what caught my attention most was the grime and blood on my blade.

Or rather, the lack of. There was none.

I had clearly cut right through a zombie, yet there was nothing on my blade that could have come from him. I felt no resistance when I made the cut either. It felt more like I had just swung my sword through air. Despite this, Gray Hoof's body clearly reacted to the hit. And now his glowing red eyes faded until only his empty eye sockets remained.

I did not have time to ponder this as the five other zombies began to converge on me. I would have to strike them quickly with few pauses between hits. After taking a moment to think about how I would carry out this assault, I acted.

I started with Gladstone, swinging my sword upwards while cleaving right through his skull vertically. Next was what I believe was a mare as I swung downward on an angle while turning to face her, my blade cleaving through her head as well, the top half of her skull just sliding off from the rest of her. Next was another mare, the last remaining stallion to my right. I decided to go for a double kill, performing a slash to my left to chop through the mare while turning and then driving my rapier's blade directly between the zombie stallion's glowing red eyes and through his entire skull.

In quick succession, the four zombies I struck collapsed in the order they had been attacked as the glow that filled their eye sockets faded to blackness. Only one remained. The audience was applauding and cheering as I moved to deal the final blow. I turned and prepared to strike the last zombie down when…..

I felt my fighting spirit fade instantly when I saw her face. The remaining zombie was an earth pony mare. She was not approaching me, but merely standing still while gazing up at me with her unholy red eyes. Her body, tail, and mane were in identical condition to how Pinkie Pie made herself look for the evening. Dark and grimy while showing no visible signs of external decay. I felt a relieved smile creep across my face as I sheathed my sword. "Mitta…"

She looked no different from when I last saw her. My friend, the only real friend I ever had in Sunny Town, was standing before me. I have no idea how she was able to find her way out of that forest, but I was still very glad to see her. The audience of ponies who had been applauding and cheering a moment ago were now eerily silent, probably watching and waiting in suspense now that I had put away my weapon while one of the zombies was still standing.

"How long has it been? Two months?" I asked as I got down on one knee. For one reason or another, she remained completely silent. "You came at a great time. I think you might even have some fun out here during Nightmare Night. You might even win the prize for 'Most Convincing Costume' with that look." Pinkie Pie, who looked remarkably similar at the time, would stand a good chance too. But that crazy party animal would never be able to replicate her rotting stench.

As we locked eyes, a thought occurred to me. If she was cursed, then surely someone with great magical strength could lift it. Maybe someone as knowledgeable as Twilight Sparkle. Or perhaps… Celestia or Luna. Yes, they can surely lift the curse. I mean if they can control the movements of the sun and moon, lifting an ancient curse from one pony would be child's play to them.

I reached out to my friend as I moved to place my hand on her shoulder. "There's someone I want you to meet. Well, OK. There are two ponies I want to show you to. I'm sure they can lift the….." I paused as my hand made contact with her. Or did it? For whatever reason, it did not feel like I was touching anything at all. "Mitta…?" I tried applying more pressure only to make an unnerving discovery. My hand passed right through her body as if it was not even there.

"What is…" I muttered as I tried again to touch my friend. My arm extended right through her head, almost as if I was wearing her like an oversized armlet. My friend… "You're just a mirage."

My eyes glanced over at the audience. The first ponies I noticed were Nightmare Moon and Celestia… I mean Celestia and Luna. Celestia's… Dang it! I mean Luna's horn was engulfed by a billowing blue aura, a clear sign she was casting some form of magic. I felt a twinge of anger as I realized that it was Luna who was conjuring up these zombie apparitions. And it was making my blood boil knowing that someone would make a mockery of such a selfless mare's image just for thrills.

I stood up and walked over to Luna with my right hand clenched into a fist. "I saw everything, James. Just one left. Go ahead and deliver a coup de grace worthy of a finale."

However, I was not at all amused by her attempts to entertain the other ponies. "Get rid of the illusion, Luna."

The princess of the night seemed perplexed by my demand. "Illusion? You could tell?"

My patience was already running low. My right hand grasped the hilt of my sword. "Don't make me say it again. I'm not in the mood!"

There was a gasp as the ponies who were watching looked on, likely shocked that I was prepared to lash out against their princess. After a moment of silence, Luna nodded, "All right… I'll cease the spell."

The instant the aura around her horn faded, I turned to look at the six zombies behind me. One by one, they slowly faded away. The last to fade was Mitta. Our eyes locked, never looking away until she disappeared entirely.

Celestia asked, "Why were you so upset about them being illusions? You almost sound as if you've met them in person."

As I marched past the two sisters, I replied, "I have."

I returned to the town square without paying any mind to whomever I passed. Still in a very sour mood, I grabbed a bottle of hard apple cider and started to sip from it. "You deserve better, Mitta…" I muttered to myself as I sat on a bench.

I am uncertain how much time passed, but I heard the clopping of hooves approaching me before long. When it stopped, I glanced to my right without turning my head. Standing to my side was none other than Princess Luna. However, it seemed that she had removed her disguise. She had even swapped out Celestia's golden jewelry for her own.

"James… May I have this seat?" She asked as a bottle of apple cider floated next to her. I said nothing as I merely nodded. I was still quite disgusted with the fact that she tried to deceive me into striking down an illusion of a friend I had only met once.

Luna took a seat beside me and began to sip from her bottle. She did not say anything for a moment, probably trying to find the right words to break the ice. "So… How has your first Nightmare Night been thus far?"

I muttered, "It's been fine." I followed up my response with another sip of my cider.

A moment of awkward silence passed before Luna asked, "Do you…know of the creatures I conjured up back there? The real ones?"

I frowned as I replied, "You mean the ponies from Sunny Town? Yeah."

Luna showed a look of mild shock before asking, "But…how do you even know of that village? It's been quarantined for over a millennium!"

I asked, "Were you the one who cursed it?"

Luna sighed, "I am. It was a fitting punishment for their crime."

I decided to not ask for the details of the crime. "I don't know if you've figured this out yet, but that pony back there, Mitta, is a friend of mine."

The princess of the night asked, "How? Every last pony in that village is a monster. Even she…"

I glared at Luna as I retorted, "She SAVED me. If she had not warned me of the curse and escorted me outta there before nightfall, I don't think we would be talking to each other right now."

Luna was silent at my words. I then asked, "Is she going to be stuck like that forever? As a monster?"

To my surprise, Luna shook her head. "No. The curse will be lifted once they all come to understand the errors of their ways. Once they redeem themselves, the curse will vanish and they will finally be able to move on."

The curse is only temporary? Well, considering how friendly and likeable Gray Hoof and Gladstone were, I suppose the time of redemption draws very close for those ponies. At least I hope it does.

"Just don't ever do that again, your highmmph." My mouth was covered by Luna's hoof before I could finish my sentence.

"Please, James. Never call me that again. Refer to me as you would any of your other friends." She spoke with a faint smile.

I nodded once she took her hoof away from my mouth. "OK, Luna. But really, don't ever do that to Mitta's image again. She doesn't deserve that."

Luna nodded, "I shall. Can you ever forgive me for that?"

I smiled as I embraced my friend. "Yeah. I forgive you." The two of us stayed there for a moment, our arms wrapped around each other.

However, our moment of silence was interrupted by what felt like three fillies dogpiling onto me. "That was so awesome, big brother! You handled those bags of bones like a real zombie hunter!"

Luna and I looked at the three little scamps and found the Cutie Mark Crusaders all hanging onto me. "The way ya took out those four one after the other was so amazin'! Where'd ya learn how ta fight anyway?" Apple Bloom asked with her big eyes looking up at me.

In all honesty, I do not have any combat experience whatsoever. My knowledge of swordplay comes from extensive observation of various types of fighting styles from playing many different video games over the years and the subsequent study of different types of swords out of an increase in interest in the art. I replied sheepishly, "Would you believe me….if I said I never had a lesson in my life?"

Sweetie Belle giggled, "Don't be silly! You must've practiced with that before! Really, how did you do it?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "All I did was improvise. I really didn't have that much time to think."

Luna chuckled, "I'll just leave you to your little friends here. If you're looking for me, I'll be over at the Spider Toss range." I smiled and waved goodbye as Luna stood up and trotted away.

"Come on, girls. Give him some breathing space." I heard Diamond Tiara speak below me. She was wearing fairly little, but her appearance was quite regal. She was wearing a golden necklace, golden shoes not unlike those worn by Celestia and Luna, and a gold….crown? Tiara? Well, whatever it was, it seemed to have the shape of a tiny crown when viewed from the front, but was mostly flat. It had a purple orb on top with an equally purple diamond in the center. I also noticed a pair of false wings on her sides and a unicorn's horn attached to her forehead that was too large for her age.

"You went as an alicorn this year?" I asked, not entirely surprised that Diamond Tiara would try to emulate a royal pony. However, I did not recognize her attire at all as it did not quite match that of Celestia's.

The former bully smiled, "Yeah. Princess Cadence, to be exact. She's the niece of Princess Celestia."

Apple Bloom then spoke, "Yeah! Me, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were the flower fillies at her weddin'!"

I smiled, "That sounds like quite an honor. Who did she marry?"

Silver Spoon, who was right next to Diamond Tiara, replied, "That would be me. I mean, the pony I'm dressed as."

The gray earth pony filly had a white unicorn's horn attached to her head while wearing a red jacket. It had a gold collar and light blue straps crossed over the chest with an emblem in the center that bore the same purple six-pointed star as the one on Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark. I thought it looked familiar somehow before I asked, "Prince William?"

There was a moment of silence as the fillies glanced at each other as if to say 'Wait… What?' in response.

Silver Spoon retorted with a bemused tone, "Uh… No. I'm supposed to be Shining Armor. He's the captain of Canterlot's Royal Guard."

Well, that hardly surprises me. For one to be able to marry a princess, one would need the proper peerage. And being the commander of the royal sisters' security forces is certainly a fitting position…. Hang on. Why in the world are Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara dressed up as a husband/wife combo?

"Um… No offense, but are you trying to tell us something by dressing up as two ponies who are married to each other?" I asked.

Diamond Tiara blushed madly as she looked at Silver Spoon. "I told you we should've gone as the Flim Flam brothers!" This prompted laughter from the Cutie Mark Crusaders, plus a sheepish grin and blush from Silver Spoon as she tried to avert her eyes. I would have thrown in a joke about incest in response to the mention of brothers, but it would probably be too perverted for children.

After a moment of trying to shush the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Silver Spoon asked, "James? That last zombie… The one you didn't hurt. Was that… What's her name again?"

Apple Bloom spoke, "Mitta. Right, James?"

I nodded with a sigh, "Yeah… That was Mitta."

Diamond Tiara spoke, "Huh… So that's what she looks like. She didn't look as scary as the others."

I smiled slightly, "That's because she has a kind heart. You be nice to her if you ever see her. All right?" The two fillies before me nodded in unison.

Just as I finished my bottle of cider, I heard Twilight call out to me. "James, come over here! We're taking a group photo!"

I nodded as I stood up. I then spoke with an English accent again as I glanced down at the foals around me. "Pardon me, ladies. Agent Sparkle beckons me." I then walked over to my friends, finding them lined up in a row. Celestia and Luna were present as well with Luna having swapped back into her costume.

"Everypony here?" Applejack asked while adjusting her hat.

Daring D… I mean Rainbow Dash grinned, "You bet! That's all ten of us!" I swear, even her own mother would not recognize her at first. She then went over to a camera that was resting on a tripod. "Hey, James! Get in the middle!"

"Like this?" I asked, placing myself between Fluttershy and Twilight.

"Great! OK, a little to the left, Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash replied while motioning with her hoof.

"Oki doki loki!" The zombified party animal replied as she hopped towards me.

"I meant MY left!" Rainbow shouted. Pinkie Pie was on my right, by the way.

"Well, why didn't you say so?!" Pinkie retorted with a giggle, taking two hops to her right.

"That'll do! Twilight, get yourself a little closer to the ground… Yeah, that's it! Looking good, girl!" Rainbow shouted as Twilight hunkered low to the ground, almost as if she was ready to lash out at some genome soldier with CQC. Of course, that would be pointless if that soldier was piloting a Metal Ge… All right, I will not go into anymore puns. But as I said much earlier, I can keep this up all night.

"Honestly, do I really look like some kinda soldier?" Twilight asked, looking up at me from my right.

"I'd say you do. And you look good in that getup too." I replied with a smile.

"And you thought you'd look like a joke. I told you nopony would be wearing anything like it!" Spike added while standing right in front of me. I am still convinced he was wearing a gimp suit.

"Fluttershy, get closer to James! And stick your head out so everypony knows it's you!" Rainbow Dash called out as Fluttershy inched closer to me from my left.

"Like this?" My girlfriend replied as she pushed her head out of the flowering bush she was wearing.

Rainbow nodded, "That's it! OK, Rarity. You get on Fluttershy's left. And then you move in on Rarity's left, Applejack!"

"All righty then, Rainbow." Applejack spoke as she and Rarity moved into view from my left.

"How is my hair? Is my pose just right?" Rarity asked as she tried to strike an elegant pose.

"Hold that pose, Rarity! Looks great!" Rainbow smiled. "OK, now it's your turn! Princess Luna, get on James' left! Princess Celestia should be on his right!"

I glanced to my sides as the two royal sisters moved in behind my friends. "How is this?" Luna asked as she stood to my left.

"That should do nicely, Luna. Just remember to spread those wings." Celestia replied from my left.

"OK, we're all set! Just… Oh, wait! James, draw your sword! Strike a cool pose with it!" Rainbow called out to me.

However, Rarity retorted, "No, a rapier is an elegant blade! James, take a more refined pose befitting that outfit."

I immediately thought up a pose. I drew my sword and held the blade vertically with my left hand tenderly cradling the blade near its tip. "How is this, Lady Rarity?"

My former landlord shuddered, "My stars, that voice gets me every time… As for the pose… Simply marvelous!" She then looked back at Rainbow Dash and the camera, "I do believe we are all set!"

Rainbow seemed to fiddle with the camera for a moment. "OK, hold those poses! We've got fifteen seconds and counting!"

In the blink of an eye, Rainbow Dash…well…dashed over to us and lined herself up to the right of Twilight. Ten seconds in, I heard her ask, "Hang on… Where's Pinkie Pie?"

The instant the camera flashed, I heard Rainbow Dash yelp. I then glanced to my right and saw Rainbow Dash having jumped back, Pinkie Pie reared up onto her hind legs with her forelegs raised while grinning as her goggles glowed that familiar hellish shade of red. "Where'd you come from?!"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "What?! Just wanted to make the picture extra special!"

I asked while sheathing my sword, "Well, how long until the picture is developed?"

Twilight replied, "It'll take a few days, but we'll all get a copy."

I chuckled, "Man, that makes me feel nostalgic. I can't remember the last time it took days instead of minutes for photos to be developed."

Applejack smiled, "Well, that just teaches us the value of patience, don't it?"

I suppose it would be unnecessary to go into detail what occurred during the remainder of the party, not to mention my wrist is really starting to get sore from all this writing. Almost seventy pages worth… Ouch.

Regardless, I had a splendid time with all my friends. Think of Nightmare Night as one big Halloween block party where everyone in town attends. Truly a holiday worth enjoying. Unfortunately, everyone had to get to bed eventually. I, in particular, had to call the party quits just after midnight. Scootaloo has school in the morning, after all.

I said my goodbyes to my friends, gave Luna a warm embrace, and headed on home with Fluttershy and Scootaloo by my side. "First Nightmare Night and I'm already loving it. What about you girls?" I asked as we trekked across the meadow that separated Ponyville from our cottage.

Scootaloo beamed at me. "It was awesome! Some of the other ponies even asked me for an autograph. It was pretty funny when they figured out I'm not Rainbow Dash." She was also wearing a sack around her neck. It was filled to the brim with assorted candies.

Fluttershy smiled, "That was very nice for my first Nightmare Night. I wouldn't mind doing it again next year."

"Did anyone prank you while we were out tonight?" I asked, knowing that Fluttershy detests being pranked more than I do.

"Aside from that accidental lightning strike from Rainbow Dash, it was almost perfect. I'm glad I went to the party." Fluttershy responded with her trademark timid smile.

Right when we were on the verge of going into the cottage, Scootaloo let out a yawn. "Hoo boy… I really walked a lot tonight…"

Fluttershy nuzzled her face, "You must be exhausted. Let's get you to bed." I then watched as Fluttershy lifted the bush off of herself and set it down. She then turned to me and asked, "James, would you please take this bush over to the right side of the cottage and plant it again? You'll see the spot where I dug it up."

I said nothing for a moment as I comprehended what she told me. "Hang on… Are you saying that you literally dug up a bush and wore it as a costume?"

When Fluttershy nodded, I chuckled, "I've heard of going green, but that's going waaay too far." All three of us laughed in unison.

I picked up the bush by its branches and walked around to the side of the cottage while Fluttershy and Scootaloo went inside. The moon was providing plenty of light, so I had no trouble locating the shallow hole in the ground where Fluttershy dug up the bush. I set its roots back down in it and used my feet to push the dirt back over them before packing it down with taps from my shoe.

However, just before I was about to head back over to the front side of my home, my eyes turned towards the edge of the Everfree Forest. My thoughts turned to Mitta, knowing she was still out there somewhere. But the one my thoughts turned to most was the one person I was hoping to see tonight more than anyone else. Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Night had been founded in her memory, and I know she still lives. I was certain she would have arrived to partake in the celebration. But even now, past midnight, there has been no sign of her. I…. I miss her. It feels like we did not bond as much as we could have during our brief time together two months ago. If I see her again, I will be certain to give her a warm welcome.

"Next year, Nightmare Moon. I know we'll see you here by then." I muttered as I headed back to the front door of my home.

Just after I stepped inside, I was engulfed in a sudden bright flash that only lasted a second. I then heard a wooden clunk to my left. "Whoa! What happened to your costume, James?" Scootaloo asked.

I glanced down and saw a familiar mop handle next to my left foot. My shoes did not look so fancy either. My clothes… Wait. "Did Twilight's spell wear off?"

Fluttershy nodded, "Um… It looks like it. The timing couldn't have been better though, right?"

I nodded as I snatched up the mop handle. "Yup. Now I just need to remember to return this mop handle to Rarity tomorrow."

My thoughts were interrupted by another yawn from Scootaloo. "Sorry… Really tired right now."

I smiled as I went over to her and scooped the little pegasus filly up in my arms. "Guess that means it's time for bed."

As I headed over to Scootaloo's bedroom, Fluttershy smiled, "I'll go get the shower ready for us, James. Come on up when ready." I watched as she started to go upstairs before tucking Scootaloo in her bed.

Scootaloo smiled at me as she placed her hooves on the edge of her blanket. "Did you like your first Nightmare Night?"

I nodded as I placed my hand on her head. "I certainly did. Nothing but good times back there. Well, almost nothing but good times."

My little sister yawned, "Is it all right if I wait until morning to get this costume off? I'm too tired to get outta bed right now."

I smiled as I stroked her rainbow mane. "That's all right. But until then, you'll be my little Dashie."

Scootaloo chuckled, "But I'll always be your little Scoot, right?"

The way we were talking to each other at that moment was not the way siblings talk. It felt more like we were talking the way a parent and child would. "Yeah. You'll always be my little Scoot."

When I removed my hand from her head and placed it on the blanket, I froze as I felt Scootaloo place her hoof on it. We locked eyes for a moment, her eyes showing both sleepiness and adoration. "I love you, big brother…"

I leaned in and placed a kiss on the filly's head. "I love you too, little sis." I remained by her side until I could hear light snoring. "Sweet dreams, Scoot." I whispered as I left the room and headed upstairs to wash up for the night.

Fluttershy and I are resting in bed, my girlfriend with her back to me. "I really liked your costume, James. What do you think you'll go as next year?" She asked me with a slight yawn.

"That's a good question. Let's wait until then before deciding." I responded while stroking her mane.

"OK. But…..hwah….. Let's go to sleep… I really stayed up later than I usually do on Nightmare Night." Fluttershy muttered with a yawn.

I kissed her on the ear in response. "Sounds good to me. Sweet dreams, honey. I love you."

Fluttershy smiled warmly as she closed her beautiful eyes. "I love you too, James… So much…"

Now that Fluttershy is fast asleep, I can focus on finishing up this entry. After spending around two months in Ponyville, the oddities of this world have become daily routine for me. I can no longer imagine living anywhere else. And the occasional holidays really spice things up. And now that winter is approaching, I have to wonder what will happen once the snow starts to fall.

Does Equestria have a holiday similar to Christmas? What other holidays or special events occur here? I will just have to wait to find out. But for now, I must sleep. Holidays may be fun, but they always leave you feeling exhausted.

I just hope that next Nightmare Night, I will be able to welcome the Mare in the Moon herself to celebrate with us.


	15. A Refined Evening

Eight months. I am amazed I have been in Equestria this long. Life here has been simply grand. But today in particular is special. There were several holidays over the course of autumn and winter. Running of the Leaves. Hearth's Warming Eve. Winter Wrap-up. I could go into detail about them, but my attention is being diverted to this evening.

I woke up groggily, feeling the familiar touch of Fluttershy's soft coat against my back. I took a moment to slowly sit up, but my eyes then gazed at the calendar that was hanging on the wall across the room. Even without my glasses, I could clearly make out the red check mark on the day. The 21st of April. Tonight is a night I have been looking forward to since my third day in Equestria.

"The Grand Galloping Gala." I muttered to myself.

I looked over my shoulder, seeing my girlfriend still fast asleep. She is usually awake before I am, leading me to suspect that she was resting up so she could stay awake later than usual since the Grand Galloping Gala extends well into the night and does not even begin until sundown. At least that is what Rarity told me.

I climbed out of bed as quietly as possible to avoid rousing Fluttershy. I then tiptoed over to my clothes and slid on a pair of black shorts, my shoes, and a pair of socks. But as my eyes scanned the six shirts that bore the colors of my six most precious friends, my gaze fell upon the shirt that is as white as Rarity's coat. I would need to wear an undershirt with my robe for the evening, and that purest white might go well with it. That, and it was Rarity who wove that wonderful robe for me in the first place.

Once I was fully clothed and had put on my glasses, I carefully made my way downstairs while trying to not make the stairs creak under my feet. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, my thoughts turned to Scootaloo. I know I wrote in a previous entry how she sometimes sneaks out of bed and snuggles up with me in my own bed after I have fallen asleep, but she does not necessarily do it every night, as evidenced by the fact that she was not in my bed when I woke up today.

I peaked in the side room where Scootaloo's bed was located, finding the orange and purple pegasus filly still sound asleep. Since this is a weekend, I am letting her sleep in since there is no school today. At least that is one thing Equestria's education system has in common with my world's own.

I was just about to enter the room itself when I heard the clopping of hooves upstairs (very easy to notice considering how much harder hooves are than feet) followed by the faint flapping of wings just before I saw Fluttershy swoop down the stairs while…singing?

"At the gala, at the garden, I'm gonna see them…..all…" She promptly landed and folded her wings, gazing sheepishly at me with a very bright blush on her face.

I chuckled, "Sounds like SOMEPONY is excited about tonight."

Fluttershy averted her eyes as she replied, "Um… Yes, I am. I'm hoping that this time I'll be able to be friends with the animals that roam the private garden that surrounds the area it takes place in."

I cocked my head slightly, "This time? Why? Did something go wrong last time? I know you've attended the Grand Galloping Gala before. And since when do YOU have problems with animals?" During the last eight months, I have marveled at just how easily Fluttershy can approach any animal of any sort. The thought of an animal of any species NOT allowing her to approach it seems completely outlandish to me.

Fluttershy seemed slightly embarrassed as she replied, "I guess the best way to sum it up is… I got too overzealous in trying to get close to them."

I snickered just slightly, knowing just how passionate she can get when it comes to cute animals. "Ouch. I hope you weren't too disheartened by their initial rejection."

Fluttershy bowed her head slightly, squeaking out another line as her blush deepened, "I don't think they'll be looking forward to seeing me again…"

I crossed my arms while averting my eyes in thought. Chances are the animals would remember her and go the extra mile to keep their distance if they saw her again. "Well… What if I went with you? Maybe I could help."

Fluttershy smiled, "I wouldn't get my hopes up too much… But if there is a way, I'd appreciate any advice."

I approached her and stroked her mane, "Well, either way, we'll still have a good time together. Right?"

My girlfriend smiled brightly, "I'm sure we will. Just as long as I'm with you." She began to hover before embracing me gently. I returned the favor by wrapping my arms around her while being mindful of the location of her wings.

Mere seconds after I released my grip on Fluttershy, we both turned to face Scootaloo's room at the sound of a yawn, followed by the light clopping of hooves from a groggy filly. Immediately afterward, Scootaloo entered the room, her mane a bit messier than average.

"Somepony has some bed head to fix." Fluttershy said with a smile.

Scootaloo rubbed her eyes, "Huh? Bed head… Oh. Morning, Fluttershy. Morning, James."

I walked over to my little sister and rubbed her head, ruffling her mane even further. "Morning, sweetheart. Up for some breakfast?"

Scootaloo yawned again, but smiled dreamily immediately afterwards. "I'm up for… Well, I'm just up right now. I don't know if I'm even hungry."

I chuckled, "Well, let's start by getting that bedhead taken care of. Honey, could you please start on some breakfast while I'm sprucing up Scootaloo?"

Fluttershy grinned, "OK, just come on down when you finish up there." While she went into the kitchen, I carried Scootaloo upstairs and into the bathroom.

Once we were in the bathroom, I sat down with Scootaloo in my lap while I reached for a brush. Once I had wet it down, I began to gently stroke her mane with it while trying to style it the way she always had it.

"Are you going to the Grand Galloping Gala this evening, James?" Scootaloo asked, her mane starting to look more like its usual self.

"Yep. Celestia and Luna directly requested that I attend." I replied.

"Um… Does that mean you won't be home until late tonight?" She asked again.

I paused. "Uh… Probably. You need a babysitter?"

She replied, "I was thinking that I could hang with Apple Bloom at Sweet Apple Acres tonight for a sleepover. Big Macintosh and Granny Smith can watch us."

I asked, "I know most grandmas are good with kids, but how will Big Mac handle having two fillies running around?"

Scootaloo grinned, "Oh, don't be fooled. He's actually really good with kids. He's really patient with us."

I smiled, "Then it's a plan. You wanna go over after breakfast?"

Scootaloo grinned, "Sounds good to me!"

I then stood up, "Well, your hair's all fixed now. Let's go see what Fluttershy has whipped up for breakfast."

"I'll race ya!" Scootaloo said as she trotted away from me. There are certainly advantages to being as small as her. Especially when you can weave around everything easily while your adult human playmate has to duck and mind his head at every doorway!

After making my way downstairs while eating Scootaloo's nonexistent dust, I entered the kitchen and found the little filly sitting at the table while Fluttershy was putting the finishing touches on our breakfast. As usual, Scootaloo's wings were buzzing like those of a bee. Come to think of it, is that why she has never been able to fly? Because she flaps her wings in a way that is incompatible with pegasus bodies?

Anyway, Fluttershy had done a great job in terms of variety. Along with scrambled eggs, she had set out pieces of fruit, whole-wheat toast with butter and jam on the side, and a few daisies. Mind you, eating flowers probably would not agree with a human's digestive tract. Regardless, it was certainly tasty to look at and I have always had a taste for whole-wheat toast. "That's quite a variety you have there, Fluttershy."

My girlfriend grinned as she set out rose petal to be used as a topping. "I tried to mix as much color as possible to make everything more appealing."

Scootaloo smiled, "And all the smells are mixing to make a really awesome smell!"

I took my seat with Fluttershy on my left and Scootaloo on my right. "Well then, let's put the source of those smells in our bellies so we can taste the smell with our tongues." I then glanced around, "Did I make any sense with that?" The two of them chuckled in unison.

The three of us engaged in casual conversation as we ate. I enjoyed my toast with strawberry jam and did not forget to top my eggs with ketchup. I did try one of the daisies, but it was fairly flavorless. And the yellow center was particularly unappetizing. Scootaloo and Fluttershy seemed to like them though, so I left the rest to them. The fruit made up for that. I especially liked the orange and apple slices.

There was nothing left on the table by the time we finished eating. Fluttershy belched before covering her mouth, "Excuse me… And oh my, we must've been hungry today."

Scootaloo grinned, "Nah, your cooking's just that tasty!"

I nodded, "Totally agreeing with her on that one, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy giggled before she began to collect up the plates. "I must be getting better. I usually only make food for all the animals." She then faced me and Scootaloo, "While I'm cleaning up in here, could you two please go gather the eggs out back?"

I nodded, "OK, honey. You up for it, Scoot?"

The little filly nodded, "Sure thing, James! Let's go!" As usual, she ran ahead of me while I tried to catch up.

I followed Scootaloo around to the back of the cottage, but noticed that the chickens were not yet out of the coop. "I wonder if Derpy's in there…" I muttered.

"Want me to check?" Scootaloo asked as she hopped the low fence.

"Go right ahead, Scoot." I replied. Scootaloo then trotted up the ramp and into the coop. I waited about five seconds before Scootaloo came trotting out of it with every last chicken following her in a line.

"Heheh, looks like I'm a chick magnet!" Scootaloo spoke with a grinned as she paraded the chickens around the coop. She then paused, "Hey! Maybe that's my special talent!"

I smirked while shaking my head. I know full well that Scootaloo's real talents are all about her skills on a scooter. She looked back at her flank, and then frowned as she saw a cutie mark had not yet appeared. "Darn it… Guess not."

I approached my little sister and rubbed her head. "Don't worry, Scoot. I'm sure you'll find your cutie mark pretty soon."

Scootaloo grinned as I scratched her ear. "Heheh, maybe. Just as long as I'm having fun doing it, it's all cool."

I then kneeled before the entrance to the coop. "Scoot, would you mind getting in there and rolling the eggs out to me?"

She nodded, "OK! Just a sec." She then ran up the ramp and into the coop. "OK, here they come!"

One by one, eggs were rolled down into my hand, which I then placed in a pail. It took less than two minutes for Scootaloo to speak, "I think that's all of them." She then poked her head out at me. "Did you get them all?"

I nodded, "Not an egg scrambled."

Scootaloo trotted by me as I stood up. "Wanna head over to Applejack's place after we take the eggs back?"

"Sounds good to me. Let's go check with Fluttershy first." I replied as I began to follow Scootaloo back around to the front of the house.

Once we were there, we found Fluttershy going about her business feeding the many animals around her home for the morning. I saw her place a bowl near a tree, several birds flying down to it afterwards and plucking moist earthworms from it. "We got the eggs, honey." I spoke as I approached her.

Fluttershy smiled, "Did Scootaloo help?"

I nodded, "She was a pretty big help. I would've had a much harder time reaching the eggs without her."

My feisty little sister grinned, "Aw, it was nothing. I just rolled them to him."

Fluttershy glanced at Scootaloo and nodded, "Thank you, Scootaloo. When I finish up here, would you like us to take you over to Sweet Apple Acres for the night?"

Scootaloo went airborne for about two seconds with her wings buzzing. "You bet! I'll go pack my stuff!" She then trotted up to the front door of the cottage while I followed. I still had to place the eggs in the refrigerator.

Not much later, Fluttershy and I were on our way south while Scootaloo ran on ahead with a pair of saddlebags hanging from her sides. "Seeing her prance about like that never gets old." I muttered.

Fluttershy smiled, "It's even more entertaining when she's with the other Crusaders." I smiled with her.

"Hey, honey? I know the Grand Galloping Gala is held in Canterlot, but just how do we get up there?" I asked, having never actually been there before. It is rather silly, to be honest. Canterlot can be seen from anywhere in Ponyville, yet I have never actually taken the time to figure out how to get up there.

"Well, we went by carriage last time. It's a pretty long walk though. I think this time we'll be taking the train up there. It's a lovely ride with a great view." She replied, reminding me that there is a train line that runs through town. One end of the line goes right into Canterlot, but I am uncertain of where the other end is.

"Do you think we'll be seeing any familiar faces there?" I asked, wondering who else might attend the GGG. That stands for Grand Galloping Gala. I will be using that from time to time to save space and conserve ink.

Fluttershy paused for a moment, apparently thinking, before replying, "I'm not sure. I didn't really spend much time mingling with the other ponies there. Although considering how fruitless my efforts were to get the animals in the garden to like me, I guess I should have…"

"I guess I'll have to wait and see." I retorted. I certainly do not know what to expect at the GGG, but the rest of my friends surely do.

Before long, we reached Sweet Apple Acres. "Apple Bloom, you home?!" Scootaloo called out as we drew near the farmhouse. Or is it a barn? I really cannot say if it is one or the other or even both.

As Scootaloo approached the front door, the top half swung open followed by Applejack sticking her head out and looking around before looking down at Scootaloo. "Howdy there, Scootaloo. Y'all lookin' ta bunk here fer the night?"

Scootaloo's wings began to buzz as she hopped up and down. "I sure am! Is Apple Bloom home?"

Applejack pointed out at the orchard. "She went on ahead ta the clubhouse with Sweetie Belle. They wanted me ta letcha know they're waitin' fer ya."

"Sweet! Thanks, AJ!" Scootaloo replied before running back over to Fluttershy and me. "I'm gonna go hang out with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle! I'll see you two tomorrow, right?"

Fluttershy nodded with a smile. "That was the plan. You go have a good time and we'll stop by in the morning."

Scootaloo stood upright and gave Fluttershy a hug before doing the same to me. "Awesome. Have a good time at the gala, guys!"

I ruffled her mane playfully, "I'm sure we will. Have a good time, Scoot." We both saw her off as she ran off into the vast apple orchard in search of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse.

Once Scootaloo was out of sight, Applejack trotted out of her house and over to us. "Howdy there, lovebirds. Big Macintosh an' Granny Smith are all set fer watchin' the fillies t'night fer ya."

Fluttershy smiled, "I'm glad they were OK with it. Scootaloo can be a bit of a handful at times. I'm just glad Sweetie Belle doesn't have to bunk here too."

Applejack chuckled, "Well, ya know Big Macintosh. Ain't nopony who has as much patience as him."

I then asked, "Well, while we're here, mind if I haul over my daily ten bushels of apples for you?"

Applejack snickered, "I'm afraid yer a bit too early fer that, James. Take a look around ya. Do ya even SEE any apples on the trees?"

I did as I was told, looking at the countless apple trees all over the orchard. Something I noticed right away was that there were no red dots decorating the trees, but there were plenty of white dots. It was then that I realized that there was no way the apple trees could have begun to bear fruit only halfway through spring. It would be a few months before any apples would appear. "I guess I'm jumping the gun. Sorry for asking, AJ."

My farm pony friend grinned, "Think nothin' of it, pardner. Besides, I think y'all did enough durin' autumn. Really helped ya slim down too."

She was right. Over the last eight months, my near daily assistance at Sweet Apple Acres caused me to shed quite a bit of my excess body fat. My body is now around two hundred pounds while my arms have put on a slight bit more muscle. However, this was not without drawbacks. Although my shirts still fit me fine, Rarity had to redo my entire wardrobe since my pants no longer fit me!

"Now that I think about it, are all of your dresses fixed up for the gala yet?" I asked, remembering that I heard they had been damaged somehow during their previous visit.

"Oh, they've been ready for a while now. Rarity worked hard on them to make sure they are ready by the time the gala arrives." Fluttershy replied while looking up at me.

"You bet my dress's ready fer the gala. And I'm gonna bring 'long somethin' a lil' extra special. I just know I'll be rakin' in the bits t'night!" Applejack added with a heaping dose of enthusiasm.

"Huh… Sounds like you've got something figured out for the gala." I spoke, curious of what each of my friends had planned for their second gala visit.

"Yup! Now that I know what them hoity toity ponies in Canterlot like!" She replied again, holding her head higher than usual with a smug smile.

Fluttershy then spoke, "Well, this time we're all staying together, right?"

Applejack nodded, "I'll hang around if I can, but I gotta mind my apple stall until I'm all sold out. Wouldn't want any shoplifters, right?"

Fluttershy retorted, "I honestly can't imagine anypony from Canterlot being a thief. But I guess it might make your customers mad if they want to buy something, but you're not there to sell them anything."

I then asked, "While we're on the subject, when do we leave for the gala?"

Applejack replied, "Well, we gotta get ready first. But that won't happen 'til after lunchtime. It'll take a while fer the train ta pull into Canterlot anyway."

Since it is a Sunday, I did not have to worry about working. This entire day is a free day to me. The only question now is what should I do to pass the time.

Applejack spoke, "Well, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go water the other crops we've got growin' 'round these parts. See y'all later."

Fluttershy and I waved goodbye to our friend as she trotted away. I then looked down at my girlfriend and asked, "Well, any ideas on what we can do to spend the time while waiting for the evening to come?"

She replied, "Well, we can go for a walk in the park." For some reason, Sundays in Ponyville always feel perfect for such an activity. By which I mean it always feels so sleepy around here on those days.

"Sounds good to me. Shall we?" I replied, motioning for Fluttershy to follow me.

"Oh, yes. Lead on." She said with a smile as she began to hover.

Upon entering the park from the north, we found we were not alone. Various other ponies were also visiting the park. I do not know the names of all of them, but ever-recognizable Derpy Hooves was there. She was relaxing on a bench while reading a book as she snacked on a muffin. Banana nut, I presume.

"Should we head to the pond?" Fluttershy asked as she hovered next to me.

"My favorite spot of the whole park." I replied. The two of us then headed towards our favorite spot, not paying much mind to the other ponies we passed.

When we arrived, we found the immediate area around the pond was deserted. A gentle breeze was blowing, causing Fluttershy's mane to billow beautifully in the wind. "Did someone restock the fish food?" I asked, eyeing the bag in the center of the little peninsula jutting out into the pond.

Fluttershy nodded, "I just refilled it yesterday. There's plenty to go around."

"OK. Let's give our fishy friends a treat." I replied while leading her down to the sack and taking a seat beside it. I then reached into the sack, took a small amount from it, and flung it towards the pond. As usual, a few fish leaped out of the water and devoured a few pieces before they could hit the water. I then placed a few pieces on Fluttershy's muzzle. Immediately afterward, she flung them towards the water with a sudden upward jerk of her head. Like before, a few fish intercepted them.

I noticed Fluttershy opening her mouth to say something, but paused as she seemed to notice something. "Angel?"

I turned to my right and noticed a small white rabbit hopping towards us. But when he drew near, I noticed he had an unusually happy smile on his face and never blinked once. "Hey there, Angel. What's up?"

The white rabbit did not seem to pay me any mind as he motioned for Fluttershy to follow him. "Me? Um…OK. I'll be right back, James." Fluttershy spoke before placing a kiss on my cheek. I returned the favor before watching her follow the rabbit into some bushes.

With nothing else to do while waiting for my girlfriend to return, I continued to feed the fish. However, I soon heard a light tap behind me. When I turned to look, I found a peculiar object on the ground. It seemed to be…..a boomerang.

Now, I have never once used a boomerang before. But this did not stop my curiosity. I grabbed the boomerang and stood up before taking a moment to examine it. I then held it in one hand. Since I had no experience in throwing a boomerang in the correct fashion that would allow it to return to me, I did not expect it to fly back towards me. I then pulled my arm back then shot it forward before releasing my grip on the boomerang. It flew quite far, much farther than I expected. Regardless, I turned and walked back towards the sack in front of the pond.

I did not get two steps in before something clonked me in the side of the head. I glanced around rapidly after ducking for a second. Lying by my feet was the same boomerang as before. "Huh… So it DOES come back to you."

I picked the boomerang up and decided to try it again. I threw it hard, watching as it looped around me… Wait, did I just notice a slight sparkling aura around it? Guiding it? Regardless, it looped around me and was on a collision course with my head. Before it could hit me, I ducked it and stood up once it had passed me. I grunted with a smirk, only to have another boomerang bonk me from behind an instant later.

"What the…?!" I spoke in shock, as I was caught off-guard. However, I thought I heard some faint giggling nearby, but thought nothing of it. It certainly did not sound like Fluttershy giggling, and she and I were the only people in the immediate area. I decided then to test the boomerang further and threw it again. Or rather, threw the new one. It looped around and came back for me to hit me in the back of my head.

"Oh, I see what's going on now!" I spoke loudly as I smirked. I ducked the incoming boomerang, and then looked behind me to see another coming. I ducked that one, then another, and finally another. I then reached back and caught the next boomerang before throwing it again. I did the same to the next two in a steady rhythm, then started throwing three more boomer… I mean… All right, what is going on here?!

Immediately after throwing those three boomerangs, I threw a cupcake, a cookie, and then a lollipop with each object falling into the pond before I caught on to what I had just done. "What the… Hey!" I shouted as I realized that I had just thrown three yummy pieces of food to the fishes. But just after that, I got clonked in the back of the head by ANOTHER boomerang.

"Son of a…" I grumbled as I rubbed my head. However, I then noticed the fish starting to snap at the treats I had just thrown into the pond. "Hey! Those are mine!" I tried reaching out to them, but decided to leave them be. I then stood up and glanced around. Before I even knew it, another boomerang began flying around me.

"…..OK, now I'm irritated." I muttered as I snatched the boomerang out of the air and…well…let me just say that when you are frustrated enough, you would be surprised how quickly you can dig a hole with your bare hands. After I had dug said hole, I buried the boomerang and then covered it with the freshly dug soil.

"That handles…OW!" I yelped as I was hit four times in quick succession by four separate boomerangs from four separate angles. "For the love of god!"

As I glared down at the dropped boomerangs, I heard some faint laughter nearby. I froze, my eyes carefully scanning the area. I was certain I was being watched. Boomerangs do not fly on their own, after all. After not even ten seconds, I saw it. A familiar poofy pink mane just barely peaking above a small cluster of bushes.

I did my best to not react to my discovery. I did not turn my face directly to the bushes, opting to look at it out of the corner of my eye instead. But I had all the proof I needed. Little Pinkie Pie was up to her old tricks. And now it was time to turn the tables on her.

I smirked, picking up the four boomerangs that had just hit me. I then retrieved the four remaining boomerangs that happened to be nearby. I adjusted my grip on them, holding each between two fingers on each hand like shuriken. I then turned and ran towards the bush with my hands hanging low. Once I felt I had come within reach, I shouted, "Returning to sender!"

I hurled the four boomerangs in my left hand first before following up with the four in my right. They flew through the air, each group staying in formation. I am not sure how I got so lucky, but all eight tumbled right into the bushes from both sides.

"What the?! Ow!" I heard a voice yelp. Only I did not recognize it as Pinkie Pie's.

"Oof! How'd he know we were over here?!" I heard another voice speak up. Again, it was not Pinkie Pie.

"Eek! He's got some great aim!" THAT was Pinkie Pie.

Satisfied, I approached the bushes and peaked over them. I was not surprised to find Rainbow Dash with Pinkie Pie, but I was not expecting to find Twilight Sparkle there too. All three ponies were on the ground, the eight boomerangs I had thrown being scattered around them.

"Having fun, girls?" I asked crossing my arms while looking down at them.

The three ponies looked up at me with sheepish expressions. Twilight spoke, "Um… I had nothing to do with this. They just asked me to help with my magic a few times."

Rainbow Dash chuckled while rubbing her head. "Um… I hope we didn't strike a nerve. We tried really hard to make the prank seem like it was all your doing."

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Yeah! We know you don't like being pranked by other ponies, so we thought maybe you wouldn't mind pranking yourself!" But she then frowned with a worried expression, "Did it…work?"

My only response was a laugh. "Yeah, it did work! I never guessed anyone was pulling the strings on that one!" The three of them breathed a huge sigh of relief. I then asked, "Wait a minute… Where'd Fluttershy go anyway?"

I heard a familiar meek voice reply, "I'm right here." Fluttershy was perched on a tree branch right above us. "I saw everything. It looked pretty funny, but… Are you really OK?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I'm good. They didn't really hurt."

Fluttershy flew down to me and nuzzled my face gently. "That's good. I was worried it would've gone too far."

Twilight smiled as she stood up, "Oh, you know we wouldn't do anything to hurt him, Fluttershy. He's our friend. Just like you."

Remembering the date, I asked, "You girls all ready for the Grand Galloping Gala tonight?"

Rainbow Dash nodded, "You bet we are! This one's gonna be the best night ever for sure!"

Pinkie Pie then asked, "I think we'll start to get ready for it in a few hours. Wanna join us for lunch at the café to pass the time?"

Fluttershy smiled, "That sounds lovely. Would you like to tag along, James?"

I nodded, "I'd love to. Lead the way, girls."

Twilight led us away from the bushes, "I'll lead then. Right this way, everypony."

It was around noon by the time we arrived at the café. Sundays are usually slow, so we did not see very many customers. That left us with more than enough tables to choose from. However, Pinkie Pie suddenly stepped forward and started pointing her hoof at them. "Eeny meeny miny mo. Catch a pony by the nose. If it squeaks, let it go. Eeny meeny miny mo!"

Her hoof was pointing at the nearest table. "This one!"

As Pinkie Pie trotted towards it, I asked, "Should we go along with it?"

Twilight grinned, "I don't see why we shouldn't." The rest of us followed and took a seat around the table. The height of the stacks of hay around it still was not high enough for me, so I borrowed a stool from nearby that made things easier for me.

"Does everypony know what they want?" Fluttershy asked while scanning her menu. She was seated next to me on my right while Twilight Sparkle was on my left.

"I'll be getting the OBG pasta with a side salad." I replied. For those who have not guessed, OBG stands for Olive oil, Butter, and Garlic respectively.

Twilight smiled, "I think it's time I try that too. It looks amazing."

One by one, we all spoke our entrees to the waiter once he arrived before watching him enter the café. Once he was gone, I asked, "So, you've all been to the Grand Galloping Gala before?"

Twilight nodded, "We all went once before. It wasn't the best experience, but we're more prepared this time."

I then asked, "Well, when will we be leaving for it?"

Rainbow Dash replied, "We'll be heading out at the train station sometime around 4 pm. It takes over an hour to go up the mountain. Took even longer to go by pony-drawn carriage."

"Can't remember the last time I rode a real train. Is the view nice when going up the mountain?" I asked, expecting the ride to be very enjoyable with an impressive view.

Fluttershy smiled, "Oh, the ride is just lovely. The best part is when you're halfway up the mountain. You can see for miles. You just might even see an eagle fly by."

Pinkie Pie then butted in, "Just make sure you use the bathroom before we go! They have no restrooms on the train!"

"I take it you speak from personal experience." I replied with a smirk.

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes before replying while smiling sheepishly, "Maaaybe."

I cannot recall what we discussed next, but our entrees and drinks were brought out surprisingly soon. Each of us had ordered a bottle of sarsaparilla, but our entrees varied slightly. Twilight had ordered the same pasta dish I did, Fluttershy ordered a sandwich, Pinkie Pie had ordered a slice of spinach pie, and Rainbow Dash had ordered a heaping bowl of soup.

"Let's dig in, girls! Oh, and James." Rainbow Dash spoke as she began to slurp her soup through a straw. It was a shade of red, leading me to suspect it was tomato-based.

As we ate, Fluttershy asked, "Does Rarity have something special for you to wear tonight, James?"

I replied as I removed the lid from my bottled drink, "Yeah. It's an impressive robe. Have you seen it yet?"

Pinkie Pie spoke, "A robe? I never saw anything like that at Rarity's place."

Twilight smiled, "I saw it once. I can't remember it perfectly, but I remember that I was really impressed by it."

Why is it that only Twilight has seen that robe before? "You haven't seen it yet? But Rarity made it months ago! Was she hiding it?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno. Maybe she's keeping it hidden to surprise us when you finally wear it."

Twilight chuckled, "If that's the case, you're all in for a surprise. I only wish I could recall the details on it."

After taking a bite from my pasta, I added, "Be patient. You'll get your chance tonight, girls."

We continued to chat and laugh together while eating our entrees. I suspect we may have forgotten all about our food and was more into enjoying each other's company than paying attention to the flavor in our food. And before I knew it, we were all done.

"So yeah, where was I?" Rainbow Dash spoke after mentioning that she had just recently performed her fifth Sonic Rainboom, which I still have yet to see. But she then looked down at her bowl. "Whoa. Done already? Did we finish all of this in ten seconds flat or what?"

Fluttershy nodded, "I didn't even notice it was gone until just now."

However, Pinkie Pie grinned, "I did! Because I finished it off in one bite!"

I rolled my eyes, "You and that extendable jaw of yours."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Oh, it's not extendable. I'm just part alligator! Their jaws open reeeally wide!"

Twilight rolled her eyes as well. "That explains your choice in pets. Wait a minute… Seriously? You're part alligator?!"

Pinkie Pie smirked, "Nope! Just messing with you!" The rest of use burst into laughter, but Twilight simply frowned with an irritated expression.

Once we had left the payment on the table, the five of us walked southeast through Ponyville. "Is now a good time for us to stop by the Carousel Boutique to get ready for the gala?" I asked, merely following my companions.

"I think it's about time we visit. It'll take us a while to get ready." Twilight Sparkle replied while looking up at me.

Fluttershy added, "We need to take a lot of steps to make sure we're all ready. This is an event that happens only once a year. And only if you're directly invited."

Rainbow Dash then spoke up, "Yeah. You have to be just as awesome as yours truly to get invited to the Grand Galloping Gala."

Pinkie Pie then jumped, "Ooh, ooh! That means you're totally super awesome, James! You must be to have been referred to directly in that invite a while back!"

I smirked shyly, somewhat flattered by that level of praise. "Oh, come on. I'm nothing special. I'm only human."

The four mares stopped, looked at each other, and then smiled at me in unison. "You're special to us, James." Twilight spoke with her purple eyes gazing up at me.

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah, definitely. I feel so lucky to have an awesome dude like you as a friend."

Pinkie Pie then started hopping up and down in front of me. "Yeah! You're the only human in Equestria! That makes you extra special! And you're our friend, which makes us specialer than most other ponies." She then stopped and looked away from me with a hoof on her chin. "Is that even a real word? Specialer?"

Fluttershy then hovered up to me and looked me in the eye. "You've always been nothing but a good thing to us, James. We love you and we always will."

My girlfriend's words genuinely touched me. I felt a warm fuzzy feeling inside me as well as a subtle urge to shed a tear or two. I reached out and embraced her, the feel of her forelegs embracing me occurring immediately afterward. "I love you too."

Seconds later, Rainbow Dash spoke up. "C'mon, lovebirds. Don't waste time getting all sappy! We've got a gala to prepare for!"

Fluttershy and I promptly released our grips on each and grinned sheepishly. "Oh, yes… Um, sorry about that. Lead on, please." She replied to Rainbow Dash with a slight blush of what I guess was mild embarrassment.

"Yeah, we'll follow." I added. We continued on, Fluttershy constantly staying right beside me.

A short while later, we stood before Rarity's home. But just before either of us could knock, a familiar voice called out behind us. "Howdy, girls! Hey there, James! Y'all getting' ready fer the Grand Gallopin' Gala?"

Each of us turned to face the owner of the voice and found Applejack trotting towards us. "Hey, AJ! Ready to party?" Pinkie Pie asked in a cheery tone.

"I dunno 'bout partyin', but I'm set ta rake in some bits with my new apple recipes." The farm pony replied with a confident grin.

Rainbow Dash spoke, "In that case, I'll have to let the Wonderbolts know! I know Soarin' will want one of your pies again."

Twilight then asked, "Well, since we're all here, how about we go get ready? I know Rarity's eager to get started by now." With a nod, I knocked on Rarity's front door and waited.

Not even ten seconds later, the door opened. "Welcome to… Oh, hello! Are you all prepared to indulge in my personal beauty treatment before the best night of our lives?" Rarity spoke with great enthusiasm upon seeing us.

"You know it, Rarity. And James is here too!" Twilight replied while glancing up at me. I followed-up with a wave and smile.

As soon as she gazed at me, Rarity's eyes twinkled in excitement, "Oh, darling, I can hardly wait to see you in your attire! Please, do come in!" We all entered in a row, although I was careful to mind my head. I did not want a case of déjà vu to happen.

"You all go right ahead, darlings. I need a moment with our guest of honor." Rarity spoke with a smirk. As instructed, the five other mares headed down the hall while Rarity led me upstairs.

"Ooooh, I've been looking forward to this evening for so long, James!" Rarity squealed while I followed her closely.

"Are you really that excited about me wearing that robe, Rarity?" I asked, not used to seeing the elegant refined unicorn mare this excited over anything.

"I most certainly am, James. I can't wait for everypony at the gala to see that masterpiece on one of the finest gentlemen I know!" Rarity replied while looking at me over her shoulder.

"Finest gentlemen? Me? I dunno about that…" I retorted while turning my gaze to the floor to make sure I did not trip while going up the stairs.

"James, darling. You may not have the etiquette of a perfect gentleman, but you have the heart of one. That is what truly matters." She then turned and rested her hoof on my chest, her face now level with my own due to her being on a higher elevation than me. "I have learned to judge ponies…I mean people by how they are on the inside. And you are truly a fine man, James."

I gently placed my hand over Rarity's hoof, taking in her words. "Really…?"

Rarity smiled, "I have a discerning eye, darling. I know a gentleman when I see one. But enough stalling. We need to get you ready for your Canterlot debut!" She began trotting upstairs again, myself trying to keep up.

Just as I thought we were going to enter Rarity's bedroom, she stopped in front of the bathroom. "First thing's first. Make sure you wash up before you put your formal attire on."

I nodded, understanding how Rarity is about cleanliness. "All right then. As for an undershirt, will this one do?" I motioned my hand in front of the white t-shirt I was wearing, Rarity's cutie mark being displayed prominently on the left side of my chest.

I noticed a very faint blush on Rarity's face. "Oh, James… Of all things, you want to wear my colors to the Grand Galloping Gala?"

I smiled, "I can't think of a more fitting way to thank you for that amazing robe."

My former landlord looked up at me with a warm smile, "I am honored you have chosen to 'wear' me with that robe this evening. Now, in you go. I can hardly wait to see you in the entire outfit." Just as she took a few more steps towards the stairs, Rarity looked over her shoulder at me. "You'll find your clothing inside my bedroom. Try not to make a mess, darling."

"Will do, Rarity. See you soon." I replied, watching her move out of sight before I entered the bathroom.

Nothing worth noting occurred while I bathed. But once I got out, I only put my shirt and boxers back on while lugging around my shoes, socks, and shorts. Heh, the three S's. In any case, I moved on to Rarity's bedroom with my spare clothes in my arm.

Once I was inside, I immediately noticed my robe hanging from a stand that just happened to be set up next to the window. With the sunlight shining in, the gold threads woven into the fabric shimmered beautifully. I was literally awestruck at first, walking around the robe for a few minutes just to admire Rarity's unique masterpiece. And it is all mine.

Before I could the robe on, I happened to notice a black pair of pants on a desk nearby with a pair of shiny black boots complete with shiny brass buckles. Rarity certainly had planned ahead to make certain every last part of my attire was made for the evening. I set down my casual clothing on the desk before pulling my socks back on. I then slid on my new pants, then my boots, and finally my robe. Gently, I might add.

Once I was fully clothed, I took a moment to look at myself in the closest full-length mirror. It was a bit short for my size, so I had to hunker over just to see my face. The spread out night sky nebula colorations of the robe really gave me a mysterious allure, and the black leather boots also went quite well with it. My white undershirt could be seen through the crease below my neck, but it did not matter in the long run. I was ready and looked, dare I say, dashing.

After combing my hair and cleaning my glasses only to remember that the lenses repel all dust and grime resulting in them always being spotless, I went downstairs to check on the six mares. But when I knocked on the door into the room they were in, I heard Rarity yelp, "Ah, not yet, James! We're not quite decent!"

However, I then heard Applejack retort, "Uh, Rarity? I'm not one ta repeat myself, but we don't normally wear clothes." This prompted an amused smirk out of me.

Despite Applejack's reminder, Rarity remained right behind the door. "I suppose… Well… James? I do not want to be a bother, but could you please wait for us at the station? I would love for you to see all of us once our preparations are complete. We shouldn't be too much longer."

I replied, "OK then. Take your time. Just make sure you don't miss the train." After checking my pocket to make sure I had my ticket for the GGG in it, I left the Carousel Boutique and made my way to the local train station.

Since I had never used the train station before, I had to ask around for some directions to properly locate it since I had not memorized it due to lack of visits. I also drew a lot of stares, more than likely due to my attire shimmering in the sunlight. I did not mind this level of attention, knowing that they could not possibly be looking at my clothes out of amusement. Rarity does not make her creations look silly.

I found the train station at the northeastern edge of Ponyville. The station itself had little around it, probably to allow for more space to unload cargo. The station was quite small, with no signs of a door to enter aside for one with a sign that read 'Authorized Personnel Only' in the middle.

Minutes later, I noticed the train pulling in from the right. It was a steam locomotive pulling around five or so cars. The locomotive itself was…well… The dominant color was pink, as well as there being some heart-shaped decorations. The windshield at the front was heart-shaped as well. The roofs of the cars were pink, magenta, or a very bright yellow. As far as trains go, it was a little small for me. But what do you expect in a town where the primary inhabitants are ponies that stand less than half as high as me when down on all fours? And with colors like that, is Equestria a female-dominated society? I do not really mind, but seeing all these shades of pink is starting to make me feel a bit uneasy about being a man. Maybe I will just get used to it after spending a full year here.

The doors on each car opened, followed immediately by a few ponies departing from them. Some of them looked familiar, but I could not recall their names. It is not like am I friends with absolutely everyone I meet. Regardless, they all flashed a fleeting glance at me as they passed me before disembarking from the station.

I stood under the overhang just above the ticket counter to stay out of the sun. Right behind me, I heard a man speak, "Can I help you, sir?"

I turned and saw an earth pony stallion on the other side of the glass at the ticket counter. He was wearing the hat and shirt of a railway officer. The attire of said officers tend to vary by country, so use your imagination on what the uniform looked like. I replied to him, "I'm just waiting for the train and my friends to join me. We have tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala tonight."

The ticket clerk grinned, "Whoa, the Grand Galloping Gala?! You're one lucky guy. Who's all going with you?"

Just before I could reply, a voice spoke from behind me, "That'd be us, sugarcube. Sorry if we kept ya waitin', James."

Recognizing the voice as Applejack's, I promptly turned around. "Nah, you didn't keep…me…. Whoa." Standing before me were my six dearest friends, although each of them was now clad in a dress of varying styles.

Rarity smirked as she gave me one of her alluring gazes, "I see someone is blushing. Does our friend like what he's seeing?"

I have already described the appearance of Rarity's dress in a previous entry, so I will not bother repeating it. I will try my best to describe them in order. Twilight's dress seemed to be the simplest in design, but was still stunning nonetheless. It was a dress that somewhat resembled a cape or cloak, being varying shades of blue with many star designs woven in. Some of these stars were affixed to her forelegs above her light blue shoes. They almost seemed to be made of a shiny metal or even glass. And lastly, another star was attached to her right ear like an earring. A fairly basic design, but it suited her so well.

Next was Applejack. Now, I must admit her attire did not seem to be a dress per se, but it was still the most stylish western getup I had ever laid eyes on. She was still wearing a Stetson hat, although I noticed a pair of small red apple patches on the underside of the brim right above her face. I suspect it was a brand new one modified by Rarity herself. Her blond mane and tail had been styled into braids and she was now wearing a pair of stylish boots on just her front hooves. They were mostly a light green with a red and white rim around the tops. Around the ankles, there was a thin leather strap with a red apple brooch. She seemed to be wearing a garment that resembled a brown saddle over her dress, which I should mention was not as long or flowing as the other five. The dress was mostly light green with a white band near the bottom that sported red apple symbols, plus light brown tassels at the bottom. She was also wearing a green collar of sorts on her neck, which was held in place by a red apple brooch. While her attire was certainly not nearly as classy as the others, it was still bursting with country charm without looking rugged.

I think I will describe Pinkie Pie's dress next. I was actually surprised by how good she looked. I was expecting something outlandish and silly, and while it certainly matched her silly personality and addiction to anything sweet, it was still a dress that looked quite stylish. She was wearing pink shoes with little blue and white striped bowties on top. She was wearing an equally colored and striped vest around her shoulders with a big pink bowtie at the base of her neck. The bottom of her dress, which took up quite a bit of space due to her tail holding it up underneath, was the same shade of pink as her mane. Near the bottom was a light blue stripe with pink bows between every dip in the line. On her head rested a hat that was very similar in design to the hat always worn by Mr. Cake, only the coloration differed vastly. The color around the bottom was blue while the top was a pale blue. Attached to the side was a pink bow with a yellow center that brought to mind a flower. At her waistline, three frills connected the dress. One of Pinkie's coat color, then one of her mane color, and lastly the largest being white as vanilla icing with a ring of lollipops and candy corn adorning it. I must hand it to Rarity, she has excellent attention to detail to the point of being able to make embroidering look just like real candy…or is it actually real candy glued on with marshmallow spread? I suppose I could find out the hard way, but best not do anything that might anger Rarity. And come to think of it, was the last time Pinkie Pie wore that dress two years ago during her first visit to the GGG? Then that means… Ick. Who wants stale two-year-old candy? The fact that they were still there means that even Pinkie Pie would never consider eating them. And if even SHE will not eat them, they clearly must be little more than junk that is only good for decoration at this point. But I digress.

I shall describe Rainbow Dash next. Her dress seemed to be a rainbow-striped garment that was cape-like while having cloud-like ruffs around the edges. A golden wreath hung down between her ears while a necklace with what seemed to be a shiny bunch of purple grapes hung from her neck. Of course, I am certain it was a glass replica, as no one in their right mind would wear real fruit with a dress. The design was topped off with a pair of shiny yellow 'sandals' on the forelegs with interweaving strips of fabric. Overall, the design reminded me of an ancient Roman hero. Certainly a design befitting Rainbow Dash's character. What was more, I saw something on her that I never once expected to see. Her mane had been tied into a ponytail. Heh, since when do ponies wear their tails on their heads?

Lastly… Oh my. Fluttershy. Her dress looked as if it had been crafted from nothing more than the fat of the land itself. The long flowing backside of the dress seemed to be composed of long green leaves. A light blue sash hung across the middle of the dress while being adorned the even lighter blue leaf shapes. Near the bottom of the dress was a very thin yellow line with small flowers of varying shades of yellow, white, and blue. Her shoes were just as green as her dress, but a pair of what seemed to be leafy vines was spiraling up her forelegs to her knees. Her dress looked like a tuft of leaves at the area around her neck, which was held in place by a large light blue butterfly-shaped brooch. An earring of identical design, but not identical size, was attached to her left ear. What was more, her mane had been styled into having several curled ends with both bangs being combined into one on one side of her head. Her lovely pink mane was studded with several small flower clips that shared the same colors as the ones on her dress. Fluttershy's attire was one of my favorites, probably with only Rarity's dress beating it out. But what I found curious is that for someone so shy, Fluttershy's dress was showing off quite a bit of skin…. I mean coat. I could even see part of her cutie mark. But then again, forest nymphs are not exactly modest in terms of clothing.

"Just… Wow. You girls are a feast for the eyes." I muttered, simply blown away by these six masterpieces.

Twilight smiled, "Rarity made each of these to perfectly compliment the pony who wears them. Do they suit us well?"

My eyes scanned my companions for about three seconds before I replied, "I'd certainly say so. But now that we're all here… Wait, are we forgetting someone?"

Just before anyone could reply, I heard a distant shout. "Wait for me!" We all turned to look at the end of the station and saw Spike running towards us while wearing a black tuxedo jacket with a red bowtie. "Phew… Sorry if I kept you waiting. I still had some books to sort before I checked the clock. Am I late?"

Rainbow Dash replied, "Nope! We just got here ourselves. That's all eight of us, right?"

To check, each of us pulled out our tickets. Each of the eight slips of paper shimmered like gold in the sunlight. Pinkie Pie grinned, "One, two, three, skip a few, eight! That's all of us!"

Fluttershy then smiled, "I think we should board now. It looks like the passengers from the last trip have already left."

Before we could board, I asked, "Hang on. Is our fare already paid for?"

Rarity nodded, "Princess Celestia has already gone through the liberty of providing us with a prepaid train ride. Do not trouble yourself with it, dear."

Minding my head, I ducked the doorway into the closest train car once the rest of my friends had entered. I heard the conductor call out, the sound of steam being released from the locomotive, and then the sudden jerking of the train car as I began my first commercial train ride in years.

I took a seat by a window, the back of the seat being divided by an artistically designed green glass barrier that dipped low at the center. In a matter of minutes, the train had cleared Ponyville's borders and was now heading north across a vast meadow. "First time out of Ponyville since getting lost in the Everfree Forest." I muttered to myself.

I have long had a deep fascination with trains since my early childhood. And although my passion for them may have diminished as I grew older, they still have an endearing allure. I found myself just enthralled by the scenery zipping by, not really paying any mind to my seven companions as I rested my elbow on the windowsill.

"Wonderful view, is it not?" I heard Rarity speak just behind me.

I turned to look at her and nodded, "Trains have a special place in my life. I was obsessed with them as a kid."

Rarity giggled as she took a seat on the bench opposite to me. She relaxed on it quite comfortably, her forelegs folded on the soft cushion. "They always seem to have such a romantic flair to them."

The two of us continued to watch the scenery go by while hardly saying a word. But as we ended up heading towards the mountain Canterlot sat upon, we passed through a tunnel that had been dug out of the mountainside. In the darkness, I felt something push up against me. I did not pay it any mind, but when we reached the other side of the tunnel and light had filled the train car again, I noticed that Rarity was now on the same bench as me, leaning against me gently as she looked out the window.

"I hope you do not mind me being right here, James." Rarity spoke softly next to me.

I replied, "Um… It's no trouble." I gently placed my hand on Rarity's right hoof as the train curved around the mountain. But as I adjusted my grip slightly, I felt my fingers caress the bracelet she always wore. "You're still wearing this?" I asked.

Rarity glanced down at her hoof, the opals on the silver bracelet shimmering with a prismatic effect. "I wear it every single day. It's one of my most precious possessions." She then whispered happily, "Thank you again for this, James. I will never depart with it."

As she spoke those words, my grip on her hoof tightened slightly. After spending a full eight months in Ponyville, I can safely say that Rarity has become my best friend. I do my best to not put her before my other friends, but she is probably a bit more precious to me than most other ponies. Then again, she was the first pony to actually help me when I came here. I leaned my head against hers slightly and whispered, "Never change, Rarity."

She replied with a whisper of her own. "Never change, James."

As Rarity and I watched the scenery go by, I discovered that the mountain Canterlot is built upon is not just a mountain, but part of a small mountain range. The train curved along the mountain range many times, even crossing a large bridge that even spanned a river with a waterfall tumbling down below it.

As we drew closer, I released that the hulking fortress that is always visible from Ponyville is not actually Canterlot itself, but probably the royal palace where Princess Luna and Princess Celestia reside. It seems to stand at the far edge of Canterlot while the city itself is impossible to see from such a distance. The train crossed a small stone bridge over a small river, a pair of booths on the sides with what seemed to be a pair of pegasus guards donning gold armor while holding spears up in one of their ankle joints that were even taller than they are. They seemed to be nothing more than part of a security checkpoint. I suppose that even Equestria, being the paradise it is, is not entirely without troublemakers.

Regardless, we passed through the checkpoint without incident. I heard the locomotive hiss as steam was released. I then noticed that the sun was in the process of setting, the night not far away. "Wow, how long was that ride?" I asked, having completely lost track of time.

Pinkie Pie did a quick hop, "Yay, it's almost time to PAR TAY!"

Applejack replied with a chuckle, "Easy there, sugarcube. Keep that up and they'll toss ya out."

Perhaps it is just me, but as we departed from the train in single file, I got the impression from watching my friends' movements that if the proper music was playing from somewhere nearby this would make for a good start to a musical scene in a movie or something similar… Maybe I should not try to wrap my head around that thought too far.

The train station was much spacier than the one in Ponyville. It certainly had plenty of room for an interior, with plenty of arched windows showing it. However, we did not have enough time to go inside and check it out. The Grand Galloping Gala was our destination. "So…this is Canterlot?" I asked, having never set foot in a city literally built into the side of a mountain.

Twilight smiled, "Nice place, isn't it? I used to live here before moving to Ponyville. If we're lucky, you just might see my parents or brother."

I nodded, "Yeah, mayb…. Wait a minute. Brother?" I gave Twilight a bemused stare, "I've known you for eight months and you never told you have a brother?!"

At the mention of this, the rest of our companions turned to face Twilight. "Come ta think of it, we knew ya fer two years before we found out 'bout 'im."

Twilight glanced back and forth at us without ever moving her head. Only her eyes. Her face had turned as red as a tomato before she spoke, "Um… Sorry?"

I cannot recall the last time I saw Twilight look so flustered about anything. Although I must confess that forgetting to mention any of your family members to your friends after knowing them for two full years is a rather embarrassing slip of one's mind. Regardless, I raised my hands and smiled, "Meh, don't worry about it. Let's just get going."

Twilight nervously chuckled, "Eheheh, right…" She led us on; guiding us through the city she knew more of than the rest of us.

One thing I found out about Canterlot right away is its size. It is gigantic. Every last piece of architecture here towers over the buildings in Ponyville. The designs were always elegant with each structure being topped with varying designs of spires. The dominant color of the buildings around me was porcelain white. I also noticed that most of the ponies around us were dressed very elegantly, probably various types of fashion trends popular with the wealthy. I also noticed that the majority of the ponies we passed were unicorns. Nearly all of them had their heads held high. In fact, one pair had their heads tilted so far back; I thought they were looking at something right above them. When I looked up and saw nothing, I realized that they had their eyes closed.

After no more than a few minutes of walking through this magnificent city, I began to find myself longing for Ponyville. Say what you will about me, but although it may be a place I would like to vacation in, I really do not fancy the idea of ever living in Canterlot. The city comes off as being too ritzy and uptight to me. I prefer areas of simplicity and coziness like humble Ponyville. Granted, I do not hate Canterlot, but it is certainly a place I do not want to spend too much time in. That, and the various ponies around me keep giving off a somewhat chilly vibe.

Speaking of those, dare I say, hoity-toity ponies, as soon as one would detect me, he or she would instantly stop and stare. I was getting the exact same reception I got when I set foot in Ponyville for the very first time.

I quickened my pace so as to be closer to my friends in case something went wrong. The feeling of knowing that all of these upper class and probably very judgmental ponies were now gazing at me sent an unpleasant chill through my body. While not as nervous as I was when I first came to Equestria, the attention I was receiving was not enjoyable.

I noticed some of my gawkers were whispering to each other. Had they heard of me? Before they could stare any further, Rarity suddenly stopped in front of me before turning her gaze to several of the staring ponies.

"Don't all you ladies and gentlecolts know it is rude to stare?" She spoke with a defiant tone, turning her gaze up to me. At her words, the ponies around us stopped staring and went on with their business.

I looked down at Rarity, grateful she had shooed the gawkers away. "Thanks, Rarity."

My beloved unicorn companion beamed, "I want your first visit to Canterlot to be as pleasant as possible. Just stay near me and everything will turn out fine."

I continued to follow my companions through the city before we found ourselves looping around what seemed to be a very large and beautifully designed complex structure. Something that large could only be meant for royalty. While I could plainly see an entrance up ahead, it seemed to not be the one we were looking for.

Not much later, with the stars just starting to come out, we found ourselves following a path that led to the very outskirts of the city with the palace just to our right at a fork in the road. Many ponies were going about their business on the grassy lawns while carriages were coming and going that, oddly enough, were being pulled by ponies that seemed to be dressed for the Grand Galloping Gala. What are they, valets pulling carriages in for parking? And why would ponies be pulling carriages that contain other ponies? Then again, I doubt there are any simple workhorses in this world as all equines I have seen thus far are the dominant sentient creatures of this land.

I looked on, loving the beautiful night sky adorning the skyline above the palace and out to the left. A waterfall poured down the side of the mountain to the right, filling a basin littered with lily pads and lotus flowers before passing under a drawbridge and down the side of the rest of the mountain. As for the palace itself… Do not even try to ask me how to describe it. Numerous spires with shades of gold atop a palace of mostly porcelain white. The design is too intricate to effectively put into words. "Wow…" It was all I could say.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Twilight Sparkle asked me as she stood to my left with Applejack and Rainbow Dash beside her.

"That doesn't do it justice, Twi." I replied, still somewhat awestruck by the site of the GGG's location.

Fluttershy spoke, "Just wait until you reach the inside. It's a palace like no other."

Rarity then spoke, "Without further ado… Shall we?" We all nodded and marched along the path that led into the palace, three of my friends on each side of me with Spike right in front of me. With him being so small, it is easy to forget he is there at times.

Upon crossing the drawbridge, I found myself just inside what seemed to be a lobby with a very large golden door at the other end of the relatively small room. It was then I realized something. "I don't have to duck to walk through doorways in here? What sorcery is this?!" All seven of my companions burst into laughter. Seriously, finding this place with doorways that reached high enough so I would not have to mind my head was a massive change of pace for me.

Once the doors had been opened, we entered to find a large room with a stairwell up ahead. The red carpet at my feet trailed off to the right and straight ahead down separate hallways. The stairwell led up to a pair of stained-glass windows with two more stairwells leading up at the sides. And standing before the two windows was… "James!"

My train of thought was wrecked when I head someone call my voice. I adjusted my gaze and saw none other than Princess Luna running down the stairwell before me. "Wha… Luna!" I replied, holding out my arms to catch her as she flew into my arms and embraced me tightly.

Rainbow Dash laughed, "Looks like somepony was looking forward to seeing you, James!" I could only smirk with a slight blush. At least I think I was blushing.

Luna spoke with her face next to my ear, "I could hardly sleep last night. I was just so excited to be able to welcome you into my home, dear friend."

"In all honesty, I didn't know what to expect. I'm glad you're here though, Luna." I replied, my arms caressing her back while her wings beat in a steady rhythm to stay off the floor.

I heard the sound of hooves clopping before a voice spoke to me, "You were all she talked about yesterday, James. Maybe now she can change the subject." I looked to my right and found Princess Celestia looking at me with a smile.

"Princess Celestia!" I heard Twilight speak before she and the other six bowed before her and Luna.

"Oh, please, you don't have to do that. You are my guests this evening, not my subjects." Celestia waved her hoof to make them rise.

I then released my grip on Luna as she dropped to the ground. "You are free to go wherever you desire within the palace. Please do enjoy yourselves."

Twilight then smiled, "Remember the plan, girls. Let's all stick together so we can have a fun night with friends." The other six voiced their approval in unison. Twilight then looked up at Celestia and spoke, "Will it be possible for us to talk tonight?"

Celestia looked down at Luna, who winked at her. She then looked back to Twilight and nodded, "We can start right now. Luna and I will swap places every thirty minutes."

"Swap places for what?" I asked, uncertain of what she meant.

"Welcoming our guests. I never get any time to enjoy the gala myself because the guests don't stop coming until well into the night. But with Luna here, we can share the duty so we both get some time to ourselves." Celestia replied, gently nudging Luna's shoulder.

Luna smiled, "Leave the guests to me for now, sister. Just make sure you're here in thirty minutes." She then went airborne and embraced me again. "I'll see you in thirty minutes. All right?"

I nodded, "Looking forward to it, Luna." I then watched as she flew up to the top of the stairwell before landing and greeting a pair of unicorn mares before they walked past her and up the stairs to the right.

Rarity smiled as she motioned for us to follow her. "Right this way, dears. At least I hope everything is where it was last time." We then proceeded to follow her down the hall off to the room's left. Or right, depending on which direction one was facing.

All the while, Twilight and Celestia were locked in conversation discussing things about 'magic' this and 'books' that. The first room we came to was a very spacious area with a very high ceiling. Many ponies seemed to be locked in conversation or dancing in the middle of the room while an earth pony quartet played music nearby. But for some reason, my gaze fell upon one particular unicorn stallion. He seemed to be speaking to a pair of royal guards. The first thing I noticed right away is that his cutie mark is nearly identical to Twilight Sparkle's, the only difference being that the pink six-pointed star was set upon a dark blue shield with three stars above it. And he was wearing…. Wait a minute. I recognize that jacket! His attire completely matched the outfit Silver Spoon had worn during Nightmare Night. He was wearing shiny black shoes while his mane and tail are a dark blue and sky blue in stripes. His coat is white while his eyes are light blue. While his stature is identical to Big Macintosh's, his muzzle structure is a bit more angular. Could this stallion be Shining Armor?

Before I could ponder the identity of the unicorn any further, he turned and seemed to gaze in my general direction. He suddenly called out, "Twily!"

At those words, Twilight immediately turned her attention away from Celestia and faced him instead. "Armor!" She replied with an ecstatic smile. The two unicorns ran towards each other and embraced each other upon coming within range.

"Lemme guess… That's her brother?" I asked while looking at Celestia.

"Why don't you go over to them and ask?" She replied with a chuckle. I was about to, but I felt a twinge of nervousness fill my heart. I am normally not comfortable approaching people I do not know very well unless I absolutely must, especially if they are family of my friends. Therefore, I waited a brief moment before Twilight looked in my direction and motioned for me to approach her.

"James, come here! I want you to meet somepony." Twilight called out. Still feeling somewhat nervous, I walked over to her. As I did so, I noticed 'Armor' constantly observing me with a calm smile. Once I was standing before him, Twilight spoke, "James, I would like you to meet Shining Armor. My big brother."

I was hardly surprised that… Wait! During Nightmare Night, Silver Spoon went dressed up as Twilight's own brother?! I can only imagine what she must have said upon seeing that filly. In any case, the fact that this unicorn was Twilight's brother did not surprise me after seeing his cutie mark. Twilight then spoke, "Armor, I'd like you to meet James. The only human in Equestria."

Shining Armor nodded, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I've been hearing nothing but good things about you, James."

I meekly replied, "Uh… Thanks. You're captain of the royal guards?"

He replied, "Sure am. Only tonight I'm off duty to enjoy the Grand Galloping Gala."

Twilight then whispered to me, "To be honest, he had to compromise to have enough time to attend. The real reason he wanted to attend this year was because he knew you would be attending."

I was puzzled by just why the captain of Canterlot's security forces wanted to meet me so badly. He then asked, "So, I heard you showed up around eight months ago? How's life in Equestria been treating you?"

I replied briefly, "Excellent. No complaints."

Somehow, Shining Armor seemed to detect my nervousness. He chuckled, "Oh, come on. Don't be so uptight. You don't have to be nervous around me! I know you're great friends with my sister. Any friend of Twilight is a friend of mine."

I nodded, "OK… So, you and Twilight are siblings? And you're the captain of the guard?" When Shining Armor nodded, I exclaimed, "What's the deal with your family having such high-profile standings in society? You being captain of the entire security force and Twilight being Celestia's star pupil. What's your secret?"

Twilight and Armor looked at each other with bemused expressions before facing me. Twilight then smiled, "Ummm… Luck?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Well, it's not a big deal. Sorry if I struck a nerve."

Shining Armor chuckled, "Nah, it's OK. I often get asked how I got to the top of the ranks anyway. And I really have no way to answer that."

Before we can converse further, Twilight asked, "Oh, right. Armor, is Cadence here?"

Shining Armor nodded before carefully scanning the room. "Yeah, she's here. She went off over….. Ah, right over there."

I scanned the group of ponies and immediately noticed an odd sight. Among the group of earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi, there stood a lone alicorn. She certainly has the same body type as Celestia and Luna, although her overall size is just slightly larger than the average pony.

Her coat color is a light pink, her eyes being purple. Her mane and tail are fairly long and endearingly curled and styled, giving a quaint, elegant, yet caring air to her. The coloration of her mane and tail consists of stripes of pastel hues of purple, pink, and yellow. She was wearing pale gold shoes styled similarly to Celestia's, an equally pale gold band around the base of her neck, and a small crown on her head that was identical to the one worn by Diamond Tiara during Nightmare Night. Only this time it is quite real. Lastly, her cutie mark depicts what seems to be an aquamarine gemstone shaped like a heart with gold lace below it.

Twilight seemed to immediately become excited and ran closer to the alicorn before calling out, "Cadence!"

I recognized the name, and watched as Cadence turned and ran towards Twilight. "Twilight! So good to see you!"

Shining Armor smirked and winked at me, "Just watch. This is gonna be cute."

I did as I was told and watched as Twilight and Cadence suddenly began to perform….the most adorable thing together I had seen all month. First, they hopped in place then ducked low while covering their eyes with their forelegs, before raising them as if playing peek-a-boo. They then sat down on their haunches and tapped their hooves together one at a time. They then stood up, stood side-by-side, and wiggled their rumps while still maintaining eye contact. All the while, they chanted, "Sunshine sunshine, ladybugs awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

Immediately after their little skit, Twilight and Cadence gave each other a warm embrace. Shining Armor then asked, "Whatcha think of that?"

I smirked while suppressing a snicker, "Cutest thing I've seen all month." I then followed him over to the two mares.

"Cadence, Twilight and I would like you to meet someone." Armor spoke as Twilight and Cadence climbed to their feet. I stood silently, unsure of how to address Cadence. Granted, Celestia and Luna are certainly not above acting casually, but I knew absolutely nothing about Cadence, or even if she is really a princess with ruling power or just a noble with the title due to blood ties to the royal sisters.

Twilight held her foreleg out towards me as if to point at me. "Cadence, this is the special friend of mine I wrote to you about. This is James." I remained rooted to the spot, awaiting Cadence's response. Twilight then spoke with a smile, "Oh, he's also pretty shy when meeting new ponies." She hit the nail on the head right there.

Cadence chuckled, "Oh, there's no need to be so uptight. I've been looking forward to meeting you, James." She then held her hoof out to me. "I am Cadence. It's truly a pleasure to meet you."

Feeling a bit more relaxed; I bowed before her and shook her hoof gently. "An honor, Lady Cadence."

My use of honorifics prompted a meek smile from the alicorn. "Oh, you don't have to call me that. I don't have any real ruling power here."

I regained my footing, "Oh… Sorry about that. Just not sure of how to address you, being a princess and all."

Cadence nodded, "Well, just address me however you would with anypony. I used to be a foalsitter, after all."

I raised an eyebrow, "A princess? Babysit… I mean foalsitting? Really?"

Twilight giggled, "My foalsitter, to be honest. There was no foalsitter better than Cadence."

Out of nowhere, I remembered Spike. "Hey, Twilight? Any idea where Spike is?"

She replied, "I think he went with Pinkie Pie to the buffet. Don't worry about him."

However, I replied, "He's with Pinkie Pie? And with nopony else? That's what worries me."

Shining Armor chuckled at my words, but I then heard him whisper to Twilight, "By the way, Twily. You still have that crush on him?"

I felt a spike in my body temperature at those words. Twilight seemed equally flustered, "Armor… I…uh… Can we change the subject?"

The unicorn stallion nodded, "Right, right, sorry. Couldn't help myself. Well… Hey, is that real gold in your robe, James?"

I glanced down at myself, noticing the gold threads shimmering whenever light was shone upon them. "Hard to believe, but yeah. Made by Lady Rarity herself….. Huh?" I paused as I noticed Rainbow Dash jumping up and down, trying to get someone's attention during the brief seconds she was above the crowd of ponies. "Twi, is she trying to get your attention or mine?"

Twilight glanced over at the rowdy pegasus before glancing back at me. "You, of course. I think she wants to show you something."

I replied, "Oh... Whoops. In that case, let's talk again in a little while, guys."

Cadance smiled, "I'm looking forward to it, James."

Shining Armor nodded, "We'll be around. If you need help finding us, just ask the guards." I nodded and waved before hurrying over to Rainbow Dash.

"Excuse me… Pardon me… OK, what's up, Rainbow?" I asked once I managed to push my way through the crowd of ponies.

My pegasus friend grinned, "Ooh, I need ya to meet someone! You're gonna flip!" She then trotted over to a pair of pegasi. I followed as she spoke, "Spitfire, Soarin'! Here he is!"

The two pegasi, a mare and stallion, were locked in conversation and were wearing some most peculiar outfits. Instead of a vest or dress, both were wearing full-body jumpsuits. While they cover most of the body, the mouth, ears, wings, mane and tail are left exposed. I recognized the blue and yellow jumpsuits right away. "The Wonderbolts?"

The pegasus mare looked in my direction and grinned. Her goggles were up, allowing me to get a good view of her orange eyes. Her mane and tail were styled in a wild windswept look, containing streaks of fiery orange. Her muzzle and wings are a shade of fiery yellow. I immediately guessed that she is Spitfire. "So, we finally meet. And you're the lone human everypony in Equestria's talking about?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Hang on. Everypony in the land? What's that all about?"

The stallion of the Wonderbolts faced me and grinned. His mane and tail seemed equally windswept, being shades of dark blue while having green eyes. His wings and muzzle are a very light shade of blue. His name is likely Soarin'. "Are you kidding? When you're the only one of your kind, and a creature of myth outta the history books, you're pretty much a celebrity."

I rolled my eyes, "Oh, please. I'm not that special. My homeworld has over six billion humans there."

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped, "What the?! Six billion?! I'm amazed they don't fight over living space!" I decided to not reply to that one.

Spitfire then spoke, "Well, you're the only human in Equestria. That says… Was that you, Soarin'?" We all turned to face him at the sound of a loud grumbling sound.

Soarin' chuckled, "Uh… Sorry about that. I'm always hungry as a horse after a show. I better go grab some grub."

As I watched Soarin' trot out to what I believe is a courtyard, I asked, "Should we follow him? I wanna know where to find some food."

Spitfire replied, "I'm pretty sure he's on the prowl for some apple pie."

Rainbow Dash then smirked, "And where's there's apples…"

I added, "There's Applejack."

Rainbow Dash and I followed Soarin' outside, finding ourselves in a wide-open courtyard decorated with flowering ivy-encrusted pillars with magenta ribbons spread between them. As with everywhere else I had been at the GGG, ponies were everywhere. "There she is." Rainbow Dash spoke, pointing to Applejack pushing a green box on wheeled legs.

Once she had pushed the box to a wide-open location, Applejack turned and gave the box a kick. It then opened; spreading out with several shelves popping out of it with a wide variety of apple treats lining them.

As I watched the…. Actually, I will say it like this. The sight of the box opening and changing form caused me to very nearly laugh before I spoke in my best southern accent, "Erectin' a dispenser."

Rainbow Dash glanced up at me and asked, "Huh? Dispenser…. Oh, I getcha! Apple dispenser! Yeah, that's what it is!"

The two of us approached the 'dispenser' as I took care to make certain there were no spies approaching. I wonder if anyone will know what I meant right there… Anyway, Soarin' had lined up in front of the dispenser while Applejack had taken position behind it like a counter. "Howdy, pardner. What can I getcha?"

Soarin' seemed to scan the variety of apple treats, all of which seemed to be very high caliber. I saw a tall cake, apple parfait, apple ice cream, and some others that I did not recognize. "Do you have any of those awesome apple pies?"

Applejack nodded as she reached under the counter and pulled out an apple pie that was as big around as her head. And the ponies of Equestria have some big heads. "Sure do, pardner. I made sure to stock some fer ya Wonderbolt types. That'll be four bits."

"Sweet! Thanks!" Soarin' replied after tossing Applejack a couple of coins before taking the pie in his mouth and happily trotting away.

"Just like last time. First minute, first sale." Applejack spoke with a proud grin.

"That's…uh…quite a variety you have there, AJ. You really didn't hold back this time, huh?" I asked as I looked over the apple dispenser.

"Yup! I learned too late last time that all these hoity toity Canterlot ponies only like hoity toity cuisine. So I pulled out all the stops and whipped up my best dishes! I'm bound ta get some customers now!" She replied with a smile. "But if ya want, I've got some more modest types fer ya. Want any? I've got apple fritters, apple fries, caramel apples…"

As I examined the dispenser, a cheeky thought spread through my mind. I probably should not… Oh, I cannot help it! "Hey, AJ? Don't look now, but…" I then leaned in and spoke with my best southern accent, "There's a spy sappin' yer dispenser!"

For some reason, Applejack seemed to know exactly what I was talking about. She began to rapidly circle her dispenser, checking for trouble. "A spy?! Where?! Is it one of them no-good Flim Flam brothers?!"

Rainbow Dash began to crack up, "Oh man, nice one, James!"

However, Applejack suddenly pulled me down so I was on my knees and got between Rainbow Dash and me before holding us close with her forelegs over our shoulders. "Nah, yer right, James. Them Flim Flam floppers are always ready ta pull a fast one on the Apple family after that last gig. Well, not this time! I've got a lil' somethin' special ta stop 'em in their tracks!"

Rainbow Dash and I watched as Applejack went behind her counter and started rooting around under it somewhere. I asked, "What do you think she's up to down there?"

My pegasus friend replied, "No clue."

Applejack waved to us over the counter, "I'll be a minute, guys. Why don't ya go have some fun fer a while? I'll have these defenses up in a jiffy!"

Rainbow and I looked at each other. "Defenses? Um, Applejack? I think you might be overreacting to this…" Rainbow Dash spoke.

"Ain't no overreactin' to them dang business rivals! This is serious!" She replied, still out of sight behind her counter.

I shrugged, "OK then. But don't take too long. You've got some customers approaching." A few ponies were heading right towards the dispenser, probably due to them having seen that tall cake on it.

"Huh?! Oh, that's just what I needed! Those defenses can wait a bit." Applejack spoke as she stuck her head up. Rainbow Dash and I decided to let Applejack tend to her customers and headed back inside the palace.

I noticed right away Pinkie just sulking at a table nearby, somberly sipping a glass of punch. "Whoa, what's wrong with her?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"No idea. But if she looks that down, it must be bad." I replied. I then went over to the abnormally unhappy pink pony with Rainbow Dash by my side.

"Hey there, Pinkie. What's up?" Rainbow Dash asked once we were right next to her.

With a sigh, Pinkie Pie replied, "I was hoping this time, the Grand Galloping Gala would be a little more…you know…fun? But everything's just as boring as last time!" She then dropped her head onto the table, lazily letting her forelegs dangle off the sides. "All I wanted was to have a good time."

I then asked, "Well… Would you like something to drink?"

Pinkie Pie nodded with a very faint smile, "Sure… Make it sweet."

I turned to head to the nearest bar, but not before making sure Rainbow Dash would keep an eye on Pinkie Pie while I was gone. I noticed a small portable bar nearby with a unicorn stallion minding it. There was no line, so I casually approached him.

"I'll take a glass of your sweetest drink, my good sir." I spoke, trying to sound as refined as possible.

The bartender nodded before levitating up three separate bottles of what I suspect were alcoholic beverages. He then poured some into a metal container before jumbling it for a moment. When he poured the combined liquids into a clear glass, they had taken on a peculiar pink hue. "Heh… That actually looks like Pinkie Pie's style… Oh, could you add some candy sprinkles to that?"

The bartender flashed me a bewildered glance, but did what I asked anyway. He took some candy sprinkles and scattered them atop the drink. "That'll do. Thank you." I spoke before taking the glass and heading back towards Pinkie Pie. I was not entirely certain if it is a good idea to give alcohol to someone as unpredictable as Pinkie Pie, but I decided to throw my caution to the wind this time.

Rainbow Dash looked closely at the glass as I approached them. "Whoa, whatcha got there? That's just as pink as Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie Pie glanced at her drink and her expression immediately brightened. "Ooh, that does look sweet! Thanks!" She then took the glass and chugged the whole thing in one gulp. "Ick… A little strong, but still sweet! Does that make any sense?"

I shrugged, "Whatever suits you… Uh, Pinkie? What's with that look?"

In a mere moment, Pinkie's expression became….odd. Her eyes became dilated while she just sat there doing nothing. Rainbow Dash asked, "Um… Pinkie?" When she got no response, she turned to me. "James, what's wrong with her?"

I then asked, "Do you ever get that feeling where you know something really bad is about to hap- " I was suddenly cut off as Pinkie Pie went sailing past me before climbing onto a large elegant pony statue. "Oh boy…"

Pinkie Pie began to shout, "Woo, I've got an itch in my hooves that I gotta scratch! Time to get down!" She then rushed over to another pony who was wearing a top hat before grabbing him as if to dance. "Oh yeah, shake those groove things!" I looked on in utter disbelief as I saw my friend just going ape with all the Canterlot ponies, sometimes even tossing them into the air as if she had no idea what she was doing.

It was then that I remembered that alcohol removes one's inhibitions, not that she had many to begin with. But if every last one of Pinkie Pie's inhibitions had just been removed… I laughed as I facepalmed, "Ohohoho my god, what have I done?!"

Rainbow Dash gave me an uneasy smile, "Nothing we can do about her now, right? Whaddya say we just…um…give her some space?"

We both heard a yelp and jumped out of the way as a pegasus stallion was thrown right at us. "Sounds good to me! Let's scram!" I replied before the two of us rushed out of the room, just narrowly avoiding the incoming pegasus.

We found Rarity back in the main hall of the palace where Luna was still welcoming guests. "James, Rainbow Dash, what in Equestria is going on in there?!" Rarity asked.

I replied, "To be blunt, Pinkie Pie just got wasted on one hard drink."

Rarity looked at us with a panicked expression, "A hard beverage?! Oh nononono, this is bad! The only hard beverage Pinkie Pie can take without becoming like…well…THAT is hard cider. Anything else will… I think you already saw."

I groaned, "NOW you tell me!"

Rainbow Dash laughed, "Oh, come on! It's not like she's vandalizing the place! Just give her a couple of hours and she'll be fine!" We felt a sudden tremor and a distant crash right after she said that. "Uh…heheh… I hope?"

Rarity smiled uneasily, "Well… Why don't we move this a little further away? Besides, I'm certain you must be hungry. Let me show you to the buffet." We followed the regal unicorn down another hall, hoping Pinkie Pie would keep her antics restricted to that one room.

In the next room, I was greeted by the scent of various foods. I cannot quite recall what was on the menu, but the scent alone made my mouth water. "Shall we?" Rarity asked while motioning for Rainbow Dash and me to follow her to the buffet. We both nodded and got in line. However, Rarity spoke a moment later, "Hm? Excuse me, sir. Have we met?" She seemed to be speaking to the pony that was in front of her.

The pony looked over at us before speaking in a very strong accent that I could only hope to guess in being German, but even then I am not entirely sure. "Lady Rarity! Looking fabulous as always! And that dress is every bit as stunning as the first time I saw it!" He was an earth pony with a pair of sunglasses with purple lenses preventing me from seeing his eyes. His coat is a type of bluish gray while his elegantly coifed mane and tail are two shades of gray with his mane being tied into a shape resembling an orb near the end. Along with his sunglasses, he wore white cuffs around his hooves and an impressive vest with a large white collar. Lastly, his cutie mark depicts an elegant folding fan.

"Hoity Toity! So good to see you here. Are you enjoying the Grand Galloping Gala as much as I hope?" Rarity replied while I watched silently.

"Oh, absolutely! I do my best to attend every year! It's also an effective way to see what styles are 'in' at the Grand Galloping Gala. Although your designs never fail to impress." Hoity Toity replied. He seemed oblivious to my presence.

Rarity smiled, "Oh yes, so many styles to observe here. But before I forget, there's someone I want you to meet." She then turned to me and raised a hoof towards me. "Hoity Toity, it is my honor to introduce you to my wonderful friend. This is James."

I waved with a smile, unsure of what to say. Hoity Toity gazed at me with his mouth hanging open just a bit. "I heard Equestria's lone human resident has a unique sense of fashion. And those rumors were quite accurate!" He seemed to be appraising my robe. "The golden threads interweaving through the fabric that resembled the night sky. Such a mesmerizing and mysterious combination. And is that truly REAL gold in there?"

I nodded, "Believe me, it is. I held the bundle and it was HEAVY." Gold is one of the heaviest metals out there, after all.

Hoity Toity turned to Rarity, "Rarity, how bold! Using actual gold in this masterpiece of clothing? It should be placed in a museum!"

Rarity smiled while holding her head high, "Nonsense! The only place it should be is on James' body. I put my heart and soul into making this for him."

"Well, it certainly suits him. And… Oh! The line is moving. Let us talk later." Hoity Toity spoke as he moved a silver tray down the table the food had been placed on the long table we were moving along. Rarity did the same and levitated a tray of her own while I carried mine.

I must have been hungry. I piled as much food onto my tray as I could We had grilled carrots, fresh iceberg lettuce with French dressing and a multitude of toppings, a few more items I cannot quite recall, and teriyaki tofu stir-fry. Ooh yes, that was my favorite item on the menu. "Mmm, this looks simply scrumptious. Let's take a seat, shall we?"

Rainbow Dash, who had been quiet during Rarity's conversation with Hoity Toity, spoke up while holding her tray on her head, "How about that spot?" There was an empty table nearby. It, like most other furniture in Equestria, was fairly low to the ground. But I probably had no choice but to make due with what I had.

Rarity seemed to notice the table was too short for I to use with a chair. "Oh my, that's too low for James. And it won't do for him to sit on the floor." Using her magic, she levitated what seemed to be a square pillow over to a spot by the table. "There you go, darling. Shall we?"

I took a seat on the soft velvety pillow, finding it to be very comfortable. "Thanks, Rarity. That did the trick."

Once we were all seated, with Rarity on my right and Rainbow Dash on my left, we began to dine. "Man, there's nothing like Canterlot cooking!" Rainbow exclaimed as she tried the stir-fry.

"Isn't there?" Rarity added, delicately savoring her salad with the grace of any queen.

I nodded, "It's all fantastic. Although I probably wouldn't want it every day. It would stop being special if I did."

Rarity nodded, "Oh, yes. Very true."

Moments later, the voice of a refined gentleman spoke behind us. "Excuse me, but may I have this seat?"

Rarity's eyes lit up as she turned to look over her shoulder. "Wahaa… Fancy Pants!"

I tried to not laugh at that name. Fancy Pants? Honestly? I mean, does that name mean the exact same thing as Hoity Toity? Or perhaps Big Wig? Well, regardless, he has one of the oddest names I have ever heard of.

"Ah, Miss Rarity. I heard you would be attending this year. And Miss Rainbow Dash?" Fancy Pants asked.

Rainbow Dash looked behind me and waved. "Hey there!"

Fancy Pants then asked, "And this… Is this that fine fellow I've heard nothing but good things about?" I felt myself tense up at those words, knowing he was referring to me.

Rainbow Dash grinned, "You bet! One of the best friends you'll ever have! C'mon, James! Say hi!"

I nervously turned in my seat. Standing right behind me was the tallest unicorn stallion I had ever seen, being just slightly taller than even Shining Armor. He was wearing a monocle over his left eye and a black tuxedo jacket. His coat is either white or a very light shade of gray. His eyes match his mane and tail coloration, being a light azure. He also had a tiny moustache just under his nose. Like Big Macintosh, the fetlocks around his hooves had been trimmed, allowing me to actually see them. Lastly, his cutie mark depicts three golden crowns with purple diamonds in the center. "Um… Good evening."

Fancy Pants elegantly bowed before me, "It is honor, my good sir. I have been most eager to meet the only human in Equestria."

I rolled my eyes, "Is it just me, or is everypony at the Grand Galloping Gala here JUST to meet me?" My two friends chuckled, as did Fancy Pants.

"My good sir, you are one of a kind. A being that has never been seen in Equestria before. Of course everypony is going to want to know more about you!" Fancy Pants replied. His eyes then seemed to scan me for a moment before adding, "And by the way, that is a most fabulous robe you are wearing."

I smiled, "Miss Rarity made it. I mean, who else could come up with something of this caliber?"

Rarity seemed to blush as she grinned, "Oh, James, you flatter me."

Fancy Pants smiled, "Oh, his praise is well placed. You went out of your way to weave real gold into this? Truly no expense was spared here."

I then asked, "Not to be rude, but if your name is Fancy Pants, then where in the world ARE your pants?"

My question clearly caught the refined gentleman by surprise, his monocle popping off his face and hanging by a string from his collar. "Oh my, that IS a good question. Not living up to my name very well, am I?" Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and I chuckled in unison.

"Perhaps I should go find me a matching pair of pants. Excuse me for a short while, if you wouldn't mind." Fancy Pants spoke before bowing and trotting away.

Rarity spoke, "That was a good question, James. For as long as I've known him, Fancy Pants has almost never worn pants."

I then asked, "Would Shimmering Shirt have been better for him? Or Magnificent Monocle?" Rainbow Dash snickered at my words.

Minutes later, I heard some hooves clopping coming up behind me. I was expecting it to be Fancy Pants having found a pair of actual…well…pants. But the voice that spoke was quite different. "May I have this seat, James?"

I recognized it immediately and looked over my shoulder to find Luna looking at me with a silver tray lined with food. "Luna! Sure, right here." I replied as I pulled a seat closer to me.

Rainbow Dash grinned, "Hey there, Princess Luna! Finally got away from the newcomers?"

The princess of the night replied, "Yes. My 'shift' ended, so Celestia took my place. I believe Twilight Sparkle went off to locate Spike." She then took a seat by me and placed her tray on the table.

"I'm so relieved to hear that the evening is going so much more smoothly for everypony than last time… Although, is Pinkie Pie still keeping herself occupied in that one chamber?" Rarity asked, looking rather concerned.

Luna nodded, "Thankfully, yes. The other guests seem to be giving her a wide berth. But what exactly happened to her?"

I replied, "She's in Pinkieville now and she won't be leaving for a few hours."

When Luna stared at me with a baffled expression, Rainbow Dash added, "She's stuck in her own little world right now. Just don't give her anymore hard drinks."

Luna's face became one of uneasiness. "That explains the shrieking for help… Oh wait, that was just Pinkie Pie swinging from the chandelier."

I chuckled while shaking my head, "Well, she wanted a good time and now she's having one. I just hope she can remember it tomorrow morning."

As we ate, Luna whispered to me, "You know, I've been longing to see you again, James. When we finish here, would you care for a walk in the royal garden?"

I smiled, "Sounds lovely, Luna. Just the two of us?"

Luna nodded, "Indeed." She then gently rested her hoof on my hand, "Just me, and the first person who ever thanked me for the night."

Once we had cleaned our plates of our food, I stood up and faced Rarity and Rainbow Dash. "Excuse me, ladies. Luna and I are going to take a walk through the royal garden. Can we catch up in a bit?"

Rainbow Dash grinned, "Sounds like a plan, James. And watch out for Fluttershy. I heard she was gonna check things out in there too."

Rarity then added, "You two darlings have a wonderful time."

Luna bowed, "We shall. James? Right this way." We bid our friends goodbye and headed outside.

The first thing I noticed was that Applejack had quite a line of customers lined up at her dispenser. "Hang on a second, Luna." I spoke before heading over to Applejack.

"Howdy, James! Sorry, but you'll have to get in line if ya wanna buy somethin'." Applejack greeted me as I stood by the side of her dispenser.

I replied, "Oh, I don't want anything right now. Although…" I smirked as I took about five steps away from the dispenser and pointed to the ground. I then spoke in my best southern accent, "We need a dispenser right here."

Applejack looked at me, clearly not getting that I was just messing with her. "There? Well…uh… All righty then. Excuse me, fellas." She spoke before pushing her dispenser over to where I was pointing. The line of ponies followed without much protest.

I snickered under my breath, really getting some enjoyment out of Applejack's ignorance. "OK, there we go. Right there, James?" She asked.

I decided to try something new and replied, "Much obliged, AJ. Only now… There's a spy sappin' yer sentry!"

That was the one quip I was not expecting Applejack to get at all. But to my surprise, she gasped, "My sentry?! No! Big Macintosh'll have my hide!" She dashed over behind her dispenser and began rooting around under it in a frenzy, leaving me and her line of customers baffled.

"Phew! It's safe and sound! Them Flim Flam jerks ain't gonna get me yet!" Applejack spoke before poking her head up to check on her customers.

"Really? She has a sentry?" I muttered to myself. And what was with the mention of Big Macintosh? Regardless, it is probably not a very dangerous device since I have not seen a single firearm once since arriving in Equestria. "AJ, where is your…uh…sentry right now?"

Applejack glanced at me after serving one of her customers an apple parfait. "Oh, it's right under my counter here. Once I've got a lil' bit more time, I'll set it up. Don't think any troublemakers can get inta the gala, but it don't hurt ta be safe."

I shrugged my shoulders before walking back over to Luna. "Sorry about that. Shall we be going?"

However, Luna chuckled, "What exactly did you tell her? I was enjoying the show!"

I snickered, "A little joke from my world. It's even funnier when the target of the joke doesn't get the reference."

Applejack had set her dispenser up very near the royal garden, so it took no time at all to get there. Upon entering, I noticed a small bird fly by. "That is a meadowlark." Luna spoke. The area was quite dark due to lack of natural light sources. The garden was quite lush, filled with bushes. I noticed very quickly that red roses were the most common flower there, adorning many bushes.

"Seems pretty tame. Are all animals in Equestria like this no matter where you go?" I asked, wondering if all wildlife is approachable here.

Luna smiled, "Well, the animals in this garden are all friendly towards me and my sister. Perhaps it's because they see us very often." She raised a hoof and allowed the meadowlark to perch upon her.

I watched for a moment, not certain if I should try to touch the bird. Luna seemed to notice and spoke, "They feel safe around ponies they know. Go ahead and show them you mean no harm."

With a steady hand, I slowly reached out to the meadowlark and caressed its head. "Hey there, little one…" I spoke softly. In a moment, the bird suddenly perched upon my finger.

"I believe it trusts you." Luna said with a smile.

I raised the bird to my face, which then leaned against me. "Awww…" I muttered as I caressed the bird with one hand. However, I suddenly heard a rustling and screeching of birds as many flew away just up ahead. "Trouble?"

Luna frowned, "I can't imagine any trespassers causing harm." We both hurried on ahead to be greeted by a very…..awkward sight.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to… Wait! I just wanted to… No! Don't go! I only…" Fluttershy was running back and forth to every single animal she could find, said animals fleeing from her whenever she drew near. This struck me as extremely odd. Fluttershy adores animals and can quickly make friends with pretty much every animal she meets. Why were these animals trying to stay away from her so desperately? She came to a stop in the middle of the clearing before groaning, "Why won't any of you be my friends?!"

Luna asked, "Well, I've never seen the garden's animals flee from anypony so swiftly. Fluttershy, why do they seem to fear you so?"

Fluttershy seemed somewhat embarrassed as she replied, "Last time… I…um…tried too hard to get them to open up to me… I even…flew off the handle, if you know what I mean."

I winced, "Um… That's a scary thought. You flying off the handle? No wonder they're so scared of you."

"I know… They'll never like me now…" Fluttershy replied with a disheartened sigh.

I looked at Luna, "Aren't they always wary of anyone from outside the palace?"

This seemed to surprise Fluttershy. She glanced up at me, "Wait… Always? But… I never did anything to frighten them at first!"

Luna smiled sheepishly, "That's the problem with the animals that live in this garden. They have everything they need here, so they never leave. This isolated lifestyle makes them wary to anypony they do not recognize since they seldom get visitors aside from Celestia, myself, and the palace guards and caretakers."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a…..wallaby emerge from the bushes? Since when does Australian wildlife reside on a mountain? Regardless, I spoke, "Hang on. I'm gonna try something."

I began to walk towards the wallaby with a casual gait, my head turning to gaze at my surroundings while only glancing at the wallaby every few seconds. The wallaby naturally watched me with caution. But as I started to draw near, I changed direction so I would pass the wallaby by five feet or so. The wallaby stood its ground, not moving from the spot. I approached a flowering bush and smelled the roses, trying to act like I was as nonhostile as possible.

After a moment, I walked over to a nearby tree, passing the wallaby again. As I drew near, I heard Fluttershy ask Luna, "What is he doing?"

Luna replied, "Shh. Let's watch and wait."

Once I was next to the tree, I placed one hand against it for support. I overheard Luna speak, "It seems he's being indirect with his approach to avoid seeming aggressive."

Fluttershy smiled, "Oh, I see. So I shouldn't just run up to them in excitement… Oh!"

As I had hoped, the wallaby had begun to draw near to me. Probably out of curiosity since it had never seen anything like me before. It soon stood right by my side and gazed up at me. I looked down at it for a moment before turning my gaze ahead again, waiting for the wallaby to make the first move.

After a moment, the wallaby sniffed my hand before nuzzling it. I decided to make my move then, slowly moving my hand until it was caressing its head. It was the first time I had ever come in direct physical contact with a marsupial of any kind.

"It's letting him touch it! He's touching it!" I heard Fluttershy shriek in excitement while doing her best to keep her voice down.

Once I felt the wallaby had opened up to me enough, I faced it and kneeled down to have better access. I scratched the underside of its lower jaw, which it seemed to find enjoyable. However, I then noticed Fluttershy walking by while seemingly minding her own business too. The wallaby seemed to react to her presence with surprise, but calmed down as long as I kept maintaining physical contact with it.

It seemed that Fluttershy was taking the exact same steps I took, going from bush to flowering bush without paying much mind to any of the wildlife. Eventually, she approached me, but then turned to face away from the wallaby. She just stood there, her gaze directed at nothing in particular. After a moment, the wallaby drew close to her and just stared at her. Her large teal eye looked at the wallaby for a few seconds before gazing back at nothing.

The wallaby finally reached out and touched Fluttershy after at least two minutes of watching her. Fluttershy's eyes opened wide, clearly shocked that one of the animals she had frightened had FINALLY opened up to her. "He… Hello." She meekly spoke while turning her head to face the wallaby. She then reached out with her hoof, getting touching the wallaby's hand…paw…whichever you call it.

The wallaby gingerly nuzzled her, a clear sign that it had come to no longer view her as a threat. Fluttershy grinned brightly, but seemed to be doing her best to not burst out cheering in triumph. "I think you made a friend, honey." I spoke softly.

"At last… Thank you for showing me how to, James." Fluttershy replied before kissing me softly.

"I see you've found a way to approach the garden's animals, you two. And it was a very clever way to do so." Luna spoke as she approached us.

Fluttershy grinned while the wallaby continued to nuzzle her, "James is amazing with animals. I could learn a few things from him."

I smiled, "I've had a lot of experience with them." I then asked, "Come to think of it, has everyone been having a better time this year? I heard the last gala didn't go over so well."

Fluttershy nodded, "I think everything's better this time. Twilight finally has time to talk to Princess Celestia, Applejack is making a good profit with her apple products, Rainbow Dash is finally spending some time with the Wonderbolts… I think. And I finally got to be friends with the animals in this garden." She then asked, "What about Pinkie Pie and Rarity? Did they get what they came for?"

I chuckled, "Well, Pinkie Pie's having a blast in there. So I'm guessing that's a yes for her. But what did Rarity come here for?"

Fluttershy smiled, "Last time, she came here to 'find her prince'. I'm not sure what she meant by that."

I frowned as I pondered what she meant. A prince? Does it have something to do with that particular prince Rarity has mentioned to me a few times before? "Well, I'm sure we'll all go home satisfied in the end."

Luna, Fluttershy, and I remained in the garden for a short while later. We had to keep track of time though, since Luna would have to swap places with Celestia before long. But once we finally exited the garden, I found that Applejack's line of customers had shrunken greatly. And I noticed something next to her counter that puzzled me.

"Oh lord, don't tell me that's what I think it is." I grumbled. Standing next to the counter was what seemed to be a wooden box painted red with what seemed to be Big Macintosh's cutie mark painted on the side. It was standing up on a tripod-style stand, a short barrel on the front that was slightly bigger around than my fist. I snickered, "Sentry just ahead."

Fluttershy asked, "Sentry? James, where are you going?"

I replied, "I need to try something out." I then walked over to Applejack just as the last of her customers walked away.

"Ya'll come back now, ya hear?!" She called out to her customers. Applejack then faced me. "Hey there, James. What can I do ya for?"

I replied, "Nothing at the moment. But what is…..that?" I pointed at the box on stilts next to her apple stand.

"Oh, that? It's a sentry! Big Macintosh designed it. I set it up in case anypony gets it in their head ta shoplift." Applejack replied with a smug smirk.

I asked, "Uh huh… And it works? What caliber does it use?"

Applejack replied, "Caliber? Don't know what that is, but it shoots apples. Ya steal an apple, ya get an apple. To the face!"

The idea of something that shoots apples as projectiles sounded pretty farfetched to me. "I need to try this." I grabbed an apple fritter and took a step back.

"Uh, James? I don't recommend that…" Applejack spoke. I noticed that the 'sentry' had its barrel pointing directly at me on an angle it did not have before. Was it tracking me?

"Maybe this thing works after all." I muttered. I then took another step back. And then… BAM.

Out of nowhere, I felt a powerful blow to the very center of my stomach that instantly caused me to hunker over. Ow! I noticed an apple roll away from me, probably the very object that had just hit me.

"Oh no! James! Are you all right?!" Fluttershy shrieked as she ran over to me.

In all honesty, I found this whole situation to be absolutely hilarious. I laughed while groaning at the same time, "Oh my god, AJ! That… Ahahowch!"

Applejack seemed very concerned about me as I lied on my side while curled up in a ball. "I tried ta warn ya, James! Why'd ya do that?!"

I replied, "I… Ugh… I just wanted to see if that sentry really worked. And boy, does it work! A blow from that will probably crack your skull!"

Applejack nodded, "Yup. Ain't no spy's gonna get my goods now! Oh, and… Ya need a hand gettin' up, pardner?"

I continued laughing, "Nah… I'm good! Seriously, I got a real kick outta this incident." I struggled to my feet, trying to not bend forward or back too much.

Luna asked, "I'm surprised you're just laughing that off. Are you sure you'll be fine?"

I chuckled, wincing from the pain, "It was well-comically timed, so I have nothing against the incident. I mean, seriously! A wooden box that shoots apples! That's funny!"

Applejack chuckled, "Well, I'm sure nopony would see it comin', that's fer sure."

I gently rubbed my abdomen, "OK… I think I'll be all right now."

Luna then stepped forward, "Be still for a moment, James. That will leave you sore for a while, so let me fix it." Her horn was engulfed by a billowing cobalt aura as she held her horn next to my belly. In a moment, I felt the soreness fade away entirely. "That should do it."

I placed a hand on my abdomen, finding no pain at all. "A type of healing magic?"

Luna nodded, "It's very practical. It heals any minor injuries, from simple scratches to painful bruises."

Fluttershy grinned, "Thank you, Princess Luna. I hate seeing James in any pain."

Luna smiled, "It's my pleasure, Fluttershy. I'm well aware how close you two are."

Applejack chuckled, "Well, I'm gonna pack up my leftovers here in a little while. I think almost everypony's had their fair share."

"Did you make a good haul tonight?" I asked.

Applejack nodded, "Yup. All this extra cash is gonna really help out 'round the farm." I was actually impressed by how dedicated Applejack is to her family business.

Luna smiled, "Well, I do not wish to end our time together so soon, but I need to return to my post. Let's talk again in thirty minutes, everypony."

Fluttershy nodded, "All right. We'll see you then, Princess Luna."

Applejack waved, "See ya 'round, yer highness!"

I embraced my dear friend, "Same here, Luna."

Luna equally embraced me and whispered into my ear, "Thank you for coming, my friend." I nodded in response and watched as she walked away.

Before I could go back into the palace, Fluttershy spoke, "James? If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to spend some more time out here in the garden to apologize to the animals for scaring them last time I was here."

I nodded, "OK then, honey. I'll be inside once you've had enough." She went airborne, kissed me on the cheek, landed, and then trotted away into the garden again. Left with nothing else to do, I went back inside the palace to try to find one of my friends.

Upon entering the palace, I found Rarity enjoying what seemed to be one of Applejack's apple ice cream. As I drew near, she noticed my approach and asked, "I just saw Princess Luna pass me. Did you enjoy your time with her, darling?"

I smiled, "I certainly did. Even came across Fluttershy and helped her figure out how to approach some of the garden's animals. What's been up with you?"

Rarity replied, "Well, Rainbow Dash went to check on the Wonderbolts while I went to get some of this delectable ice cream before Applejack closed up shop." She then smiled, "I must say this year's gala has been absolutely fabulous compared to my first. The only way it could get any better is if I can go the rest of the night without having to see…" She paused for a moment as her gaze was directed to the doorway leading further into the palace. "No… Why, oh WHY, did they invite him again?!"

I turned to look to see what had suddenly gotten Rarity so flustered. My gaze soon fell upon a unicorn stallion I had yet to notice at the GGG. He was fairly tall, possibly standing slightly taller than Shining Armor. His coat was white or a very light gray with his elegantly styled mane and tail being a light amber hue. His eyes were a rare shade of artic blue. Like Shining Armor, his fetlocks were cut short to allow his hooves to be seen. He was wearing a black and white vest with a blue bowtie in the center. His cutie mark… Hm. How do I describe this? It seemed to consist of two overlapping four-pointed stars. The one below seemed to be a lavender hue while the one atop it was a golden hue. In all, it resembled a star with eight points. He had a calm smile on his face, not seeming to be unpleasant in any way. What was wrong with this stallion that had Rarity looking so disgusted?

"Him?" I asked, pointing at the white unicorn stallion. Or was he gray?

Rarity growled, "Yes, that is him. The same prince you are a hundred times better than."

I cocked my head slightly, "Him? Worse than me? He seems like an OK guy from a glance."

Rarity glared at me, "Do not be deceived. He is, by far, the most unpleasant prince I have ever met. Do not make eye contact with him. Do not get involved with him. Do not say I did not…"

Rarity paused as we both looked to our sides. While we were in that brief moment of conversation, the same unicorn stallion we were discussing had approached us and was standing not even two feet away. He seemed to be looking at Rarity with a somewhat angry stare. My elegant unicorn friend groaned, "Great. What do you want?"

The prince looked up at me before regaining his calm smile. "Before I deal with her, allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Blueblood."

I nodded, "An honor, m'lord."

He then chuckled, "Well, it seems SOMEONE has some manners and a respect of authority…" He then frowned harshly while looking at Rarity out of the corner of his eye, "Unlike a certain wench."

I winced at that word. Insulting Rarity? How dare he! She has always been one of the most reliable and supportive friends I have ever…. Sorry, I lost my cool right there. It is just that Rarity is very precious to me and I cannot understand why anyone would ever say such things about her. Anyway, I decided to wait and listen before making accusations.

Rarity's face became flushed with anger, "Wench?! You would dare call me such a vulgar term?! If anypony is a wench, it is you, you ungrateful self-centered scoundrel!"

I then asked, "Um… Rarity? I really don't see what the big deal is… What did he do?"

My friend suddenly faced me. "What did he do?! So much, I would rather forget! No chivalry at all, using me like a personal servant, and even using me as a living shield to keep himself from becoming dirty from a falling cake!"

The mention of being used as a shield was what really got my blood boiling. "He WHAT?!" It was all I could say. It also seemed that our argument had drawn an audience, since numerous ponies had begun to gather around us.

Blueblood did not seem apologetic in the slightest, nor did he try to deny those accusations. He raised his head somewhat before replying, "Commoners like you are meant to serve the royals. I would not expect a mere peasant to understand."

By this point, I had lost all prior respect for Blueblood. Before Rarity could lash out any further at such insults, I spoke boldly, "You, sir, are nothing more than a lout."

There was a gasp from the crowd at my words. Blueblood even seemed temporarily stunned by my choice of words. "You… I beg your pardon?" He asked, seemingly not used to being flat-out told to his face.

I replied, "Lout. An uncouth boorish person, or a mere oaf. That sums you up quite nicely." There was an even louder gasp as I spoke the general definition of 'lout'.

Rarity smirked, "Well said, darling. I could not find a better comeback even if I tried."

Blueblood could only stare at me, his face starting to become flushed with red from anger. I bowed, "I believe I have made my point. And with that, I bid you adieu." I then turned and walked away with Rarity by my side.

"…..Take that back." I heard Blueblood speak with a tone of malice to his voice before I even made ten steps.

I stopped in my tracks and turned to face him. "Why should I? It's the truth."

Blueblood then smirked slightly, "I see. If that is your choice, then I challenge you to a duel!"

There was a great deal of commotion in the crowd around us. Rarity then spoke, "James, he's not worth your time. Just leave him be."

I nodded and turned to walk away. However, Blueblood spoke in a jeering tone, "What's this? Is Equestria's lone human really a coward?!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. While I do not mind insults like that, tending to just blow them off and let others think whatever they wish, I entertained the thought of accepting Blueblood's challenge. I asked without turning around, "Is it a duel of swords you want?"

Blueblood replied, "But of course. What else could there be?"

I crossed my arms as I considered my options. I looked down at Rarity, shaking her head to try to dissuade me from agreeing. Of course, if this is a duel of swords he wants, and I have always had a deep fascination of swordplay…..

"…..I accept." I spoke. The crowd let out another gasp at my words.

I heard Blueblood speak in a satisfied tone, "To the courtyard." He then walked past me, flashing Rarity and I a foul smirk. The rest of the partygoers followed in a massive drove.

"James… Are you sure about this?" Rarity asked with a look of deep concern on her face.

I nodded, "I'm a little nervous, but actually fighting someone with a sword? That's something I'd like to try." I then flashed her a slight smirk, "Besides, how skilled with a sword can a pampered hoity toity lout like him possibly be?"

"Ahem…" I heard Hoity Toity speak as he walked by.

"Uh… I didn't mean you!" I replied, probably feeling my body temperature rise enough to induce sweating.

Rarity did not seem convinced by my words. "I worry about you…I know you know more about swordplay than I do, but still… I dread the thought of you getting hurt."

I kneeled down and caressed her face, "Don't worry about me, Rarity. Besides, I can't just let him get away with what he forced you through."

Rarity sighed, "Just… Don't go charging in without a plan…"

I nodded, "That's not how I do things, Rarity. I'm a defensive fighter." I then turned and walked out into the courtyard.

I suspect every last pony at the GGG had gathered in the courtyard to watch the duel. Ponies were absolutely everywhere. Blueblood himself was standing in the middle of a large clearing, which would likely serve as the battlefield. As I drew near, he smirked, "Our weapons should arrive shortly. But you may forfeit anytime."

I replied with my arms crossed without looking directly at him, "Only cowards recommend their opponent forfeit." This prompted a glare from Blueblood, but he spoke no words.

"Weee! What's going on down there?!" I heard Pinkie Pie shout from somewhere above me. I looked up and noticed a balcony above the courtyard with Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack looking down at us. Spike was seated on the railing while Celestia and Luna stood by them.

"Pinkie Pie, honestly! Would you just sit still for five minutes?!" Twilight groaned in irritation. It seemed that Pinkie Pie's intoxication had not yet run its course.

Fluttershy spoke quietly as usual, but I think I heard her speak, "I hope he'll be OK… I know James isn't the fighting type."

Rainbow Dash shouted, "Are you kidding?! He'll be fine! This is gonna be. So. AWESOME!" I snickered, amused that Rainbow Dash was so fired up to see me take on Blueblood.

"Yes, I'm certain this will be quite a spectacle. But I still can't help worrying that this is a bad idea." I heard Rarity speak.

"Ya worry too much, girl. Ya saw how he was at Nightmare Night. He can handle that hoity toity pretty boy." Applejack added.

Spike shouted, "C'mon, James! Rip him a new one!"

I finally decided to reply, "The weapons aren't even here yet! Knock it off!" That seemed to shut them up.

After a few more minutes, Shining Armor approached Blueblood and I while pushing a tray on wheels. Lining it was a slew of weapons, most of them melee types. "Choose your weapons, gentlemen."

Blueblood stepped forward and levitated what seemed to be an embarrassingly small rapier into the air and held it close to his head. The magic aura that surrounded his horn and the rapier were similar in color to his mane. The rapier itself was completely blunt, probably being a fencing foil or epee.

I decided to choose the same type of weapon to be fair, even though rapiers are not my preferred weapon of choice. But once I was actually holding it, I realized just how tiny it was compared to the one I had used during Nightmare Night. It was barely longer than a dagger, a short sword's size at most. Probably due to the ponies of Equestria being smaller than humans.

I looked at Shining Armor and asked, "We're supposed to duel using toothpicks?!"

Blueblood replied, "That is a foil…"

I glanced at him for a second before examining my tiny weapon. I held it in two different angles before literally using the capped tip of the sword as a toothpick, cleaning out two places in my teeth. "Yeah, it's a toothpick."

Shining Armor burst into laughter, as did a good amount of our audience. However, Blueblood seemed frustrated by my attempts at poking fun at the undersized weapon I was being forced to use. "Enough of this banter! Shall we begin?"

As Blueblood walked towards the center of the courtyard, I sighed, "Ugh, fine. Whatever you say, Prince Blueballs."

At those words, Blueblood froze in his tracks while the audience gasped in unison. He rigidly looked over his shoulder at me with a truly furious glare. "Come again?"

I smirked and held my hands out to my sides. "Oh, don't you give me that look! You know it's true! What self-respecting mare would ever spend a single night in your company?!" The entire audience burst into hysterical laughter. Chances are I was being dead-on accurate with my claim.

With a deep red blush on his face, Blueblood shouted, "SILENCE!" He then held out his rapier, "I will not put up with anymore of your insults, you cretin! Ready yourself!" I did not feel intimidated in the slightest. It was actually starting to be entertaining to see Blueblood so flustered.

"Fine, let's get on with it." I spoke as I approached him and took my stand. I bent my knees slightly while holding my left hand against my lower back while holding my sword out in my right hand. I kept it tilted on a 45 degree angle to parry or attack right away.

The two of us stared each other down for a moment. Luna then called out, "Begin! And fight with honor!"

Blueblood smirked, "Have at thee, cretin!" He suddenly stabbed his foil towards me.

I said nothing as I smacked his foil away and stepped forward while keeping myself fairly low to the ground. One thing I found was that although my weapon was much smaller than I was used to, it allowed for swifter strikes to the point where I could stab rapidly. I did just that, rapidly stabbing at him in a quick flurry that caused Blueblood to back away while trying to parry some of my strikes.

"Not bad! Seems I underestimated you!" Blueblood spoke as we kept trying to outdo each other. Neither of us could really make any headway against the other. We were both fighting on equal ground, balanced in both offense and defense. It was rather impressive how well Blueblood could control his weapon despite not having any physical connection to it.

After a minute of striking at each other, we both hopped back. Blueblood was actually starting to seem fairly agitated that he could not strike me. I was beginning to sweat as my pulse quickened. I had never been in an actual fight before. Although this duel was more along the lines of friendly competition with little risk of injury, my concentration was intensely focused on this. I could feel a type of rush going through my head that usually only happened back on Earth when I got too into a fighting genre video game. I was pumped.

I breathed deeply as I kept a close eye on Blueblood as he also seemed to be scanning me for an opening. Out of nowhere, he shouted, "There!" He suddenly thrust his sword towards me. I tried to parry, causing it to go off course. However, the sound of a loud rip filled the air, causing us to both freeze. I think even Blueblood was baffled at just what it was he did.

"Please tell me that wasn't what I think it was." I asked, hoping that my robe was still undamaged.

Out of nowhere, I heard Rarity scream at me. "JAMES! TAKE HIM DOWN!"

I looked up at the balcony she was standing on and noticed that she was glaring down at me with the most furious expression I had ever seen on her face. I glanced at Blueblood, "What the hell did you do? I've never seen her this mad before!"

Blueblood replied, "I… I don't know!"

Rarity then shouted again, "YOUR ROBE! LOOK AT YOUR ROBE!"

My…robe?! That work of art?! I immediately glanced down to see where Blueblood's foil had gone. It had gone down to my side, tearing a gash is the fabric.

Under normal circumstances, I would not have minded my clothing being lightly damaged. But this? That robe is the most precious piece of clothing I had ever received, not to mention it is a one-of-a-kind garment woven by one of my most beloved friends. So naturally, I felt my blood beginning to boil.

I flashed a glare at Blueblood and growled, "You got a death wish?" Blueblood seemed to detect my change in mood, since he suddenly backed away from me. Rather than attack though, I turned and walked towards Shining Armor.

"Where are you going?! This duel is not over yet!" Blueblood called out to me.

I looked back at him and shouted, "Shut it, Blueballs! I'm not done with you yet!" That seemed to shut him up while also causing him to glare at me.

"Something wrong, James?" Shining Armor asked as I drew near.

I replied, "I need a weapon change." I set my foil down on the table and began to browse my choices. I saw clubs, crossbows and… Excellent.

"Ooh, that's what I'm looking for!" I exclaimed as I grabbed what seemed to be a side sword. It was the largest sword on the tray, actually looking like something made for human use. Although looking more dangerous than the other weapons, I could see that the blade was completely dull. The blade itself was over two feet long, perhaps two and a half. And for something, a murmur ran through the audience as I took up my new weapon.

As I turned to walk back towards Blueblood, Shining Armor asked, "Um… Are you sure you know what you're doing with that?"

"Why do you ask?" I replied as I held my sword in hand.

He then spoke in a slightly louder voice, "That's a greatsword! It's not for beginners! Are you sure you…uh…" I was in no mood for an argument, so I turned and pointed my sword at his face to shut him up. The tip was an inch or two from his snout.

"I'm using this and nothing else. Got it?" I replied. And really? A greatsword? I suppose a side sword would seem pretty large to a pony that does not even reach four feet when down on all fours.

Shining Armor smiled nervously, "Well…uh… Suit yourself! I'm pretty sure you know what you're doing."

I turned and walked back towards Blueblood, muttering, "You're darn right, I do."

Before I got too far, I paused. Blueblood then shouted, "What are you doing?! This is not a duel for swords of that size!"

I replied, "You're free to forfeit if you don't like freestyle duels." I then stabbed the blade into the ground to give me full use of both hands.

I began to undo the buttons that held my robe in place. Once they had been undone, I removed my glasses and closed one of its temple arms over my robe's collar to keep it in place. I then slid my arms out of the sleeves, leaving the robe draped over me like a cloak.

"Armor, could you do me a favor?" I asked while looking over at Twilight's brother.

"Yeah?" He replied.

I then grabbed my robe in my right hand and flung it towards him. "Hold onto this for me. And don't let it get anymore tears in it." The audience gasped as the removal of my robe left me with only the pure white t-shirt on my upper body, the cutie mark of the pony whose work had just been damaged being worn proudly over my chest and back.

Shining Armor's horn was engulfed by a pink glow that was identical to his sister's. As was my robe once it began to float in midair. "OK. I'll keep it safe."

I nodded to him with a smile, and then glared at Blueblood before widening my stance and taking my sword into my right hand in a reverse grip. I held the blade vertically behind me, knowing a few things about backhand sword wielding.

Blueblood actually seemed rather intimidated at that moment, probably because I was using a weapon with one hand that, by their standards, would require two hands to properly wield. I then spoke, "No one disses Rarity's work like that. When I'm done with you, you'll have to start calling yourself Prince…"

I was suddenly interrupted by Rainbow Dash, who called out from above us, "Blacken Blueballs!"

The entire audience burst into laughter at those words, but I facepalmed. "How'd she know what I was gonna say?"

Blueblood, who seemed both embarrassed and frustrated, called out, "E… Enough of this! Are you going to duel me or not?!"

I scowled at him, "Fine." I then dashed towards him, sword ready to strike.

Blueblood clearly wasn't expecting me to take the offensive so suddenly. He backed away slightly while holding his foil out in a defensive stance. Of course, that tiny toothpick was not going to be much use against my 'greatsword' unless he knew exactly how to counter it.

As I came within range, I stopped running and just used my momentum to slide a bit over the grass. In the process, I swung my sword upward, striking Blueblood's foil and very nearly knocking it out of his magical grasp. I then let go of the sword just slightly so the blade would rise up before grabbing it again in a standard grip before swinging it back down at the startled prince.

"Where did you learn how to fight like this?!" Blueblood shouted as he tried his best to parry my swings.

"I didn't!" I replied. It is true. I never once had a fencing lesson in my life. I was completely improvising with my weapon.

The audience was very quiet. Probably enthralled by the sight of two duelists going at it. Even though I was completely on the offensive, Blueblood was doing a decent job of staying on the defensive. Then again, he looked absolutely frightened of me. On the other hand, how would you feel if someone who stood nearly twice your height was coming at you with a weapon that was almost as long as you are?

His defense was good. Frustratingly good. Finally, I could not take the frustration any longer. After one more slash that struck against his foil, I quickly smashed my sword's pommel into his nose to stun him. I then reached out with my spare hand and grabbed his horn.

"What the… What are you…?!" It was all Blueblood had enough time to say before I threw him to the ground. Immediately after that, I made an underhand swing with my sword and struck… Well… I will say that by tomorrow, his 'balls' are going to be blacken blue… I mean black AND blue.

Blueblood let out a high-pitched shriek as I struck him where I probably should not. He curled up on the ground in obvious agony. I would normally feel bad after causing someone such pain, but I was too angry towards him at the time to feel any guilt. At that moment, I heard Pinkie Pie call out, "Ooooh, nutcracker!"

I stood back while hoisting my sword's blade to my shoulder, lightly tapping it against my shoulder while tapping my foot as well. "Are you done?"

After a moment, Blueblood glared at me while struggling to climb to his feet. "You… How dare you?! Have you no shame?!"

I glared at him, "You should try asking yourself….. Lout."

Once he had climbed to his feet, Blueblood levitated his foil again. "I have had enough! Peasants like you need to be put in their place!"

He was clearly going on the offensive, so I stood ready. My longer and heavier sword was more difficult to parry with though, so I tried something else. Probably due to the pain between his legs, Blueblood did not move from his current position, instead opting to levitate his weapon forward to strike me.

His foil struck rapidly, stabbing at me in a flurry. I could not effectively use my sword to parry or block such a small nimble weapon, so I used my left arm and hand to swat it away however I could. Some of his strikes got through, landing stinging blows on my torso. However, he suddenly performed a feint, starting to stab, but then pulling the foil away from me. I was caught unprepared as the foil slapped me across the face like a stick.

I yelped in pain, the strike leaving a long narrow red welt on my cheek. As I reeled from the blow, I heard Fluttershy shriek, "James, no!"

I felt a twinge of guilt, feeling bad that Fluttershy had to see me get hurt. Blueblood then smirked, "Hm. How does a peasant counter such rapid blows? Would you care to show me?"

By this point, my anger and irritation was higher than it had been in a long time. I watched and waited as Blueblood moved his foil in for another strike. But as it stabbed at me, I reached out and snatched it out of the air by the blade.

"What?! Release it!" Blueblood demanded, the foil jerking around in my hand like a bird trying to get away. I then stabbed my sword into the ground so I could use my right hand. While glaring at him without blinking once, I held the foil's hilt in one hand and the blade in the other. After around two seconds of straining, I snapped the blade off like a twig, leaving the useless hilt intact.

Blueblood was clearly frightened by the loss of his weapon, the audience gasping as the now disabled foil fell to the ground while I took my sword in hand again. I then began to approach Blueblood without taking my eyes off him once.

"You… You stay away!" Blueblood shrieked, trying to back away. Of course, he was still immensely sore, so it was probably painful just to move his hind legs at all.

Once I had come close enough, I swung my sword with as much force as I could muster, slamming the edge across Blueblood's face. He fell flat on his side, a small trickle of blood oozing from his mouth.

I stood over him, my sword pointing at his face. He then looked up at me with an expression of terror. "Please! No more! I yield!"

After a moment of saying nothing, I spoke, "If you're gonna run, don't let me stop you." And that is just what he did. Without saying a word, Blueblood hastily clamored to his feet before running inside the palace despite the pain he was in. I never saw him again for the rest of the night.

"Coward." I muttered as I hoisted my sword to my shoulder. However, as the seconds went by, I heard a steadily rising noise filling the air. Was it stomping? No, not quite. "Applause?"

As I looked around, the entire audience were stomping the ground with their hooves, generating a noise that was not too different from the clapping of hands. Only this time it was the clopping of hooves.

I noticed Rainbow Dash swoop down to me as Fluttershy followed her. I am impressed they could effectively fly while still wearing those flowing dresses. Rainbow laughed, "Dang, James! I never knew ya had it in you! You totally OWNED his sorry flank!"

Fluttershy then hovered next to me with her hoof on my cheek. "Oh my, that looks like it must sting. Are you all right?"

Now that I had begun to calm down, I actually felt rather bad for how much damage I had done. "I'm OK, Fluttershy. It doesn't hurt that much unless you touch it right now."

There was a flash nearby as Twilight Sparkle seemed to use a teleportation spell to bring herself and the rest of the balcony viewers down to ground level. Luna spoke, "Bravo, James! Who knew you have such skill with a blade?"

I meekly smiled, "Thanks, Luna…"

Twilight asked, "Hey… What's wrong? You won the duel! You should be happy!"

I replied, "It's just… I don't like hurting anyone. I even made the guy bleed… Did I go too far?"

Rarity shook her head, "Nonsense, James. He deserved every blow you made against him. Besides, it's not like you broke his legs or dislocated his jaw.

Pinkie Pie hiccupped, "Nope! You just broke his balls!"

Applejack groaned, "Can we drop the ball jokes now? Anymore and I'll have 'em stuck in my head all night!"

I chuckled lightly, "Sorry for starting that. I just couldn't help making fun of his lack of popularity with the ladies."

Celestia chuckled, "Truly, you shouldn't be feeling bad about this. That duel was the highlight of the gala this year!" I could only avert my eyes out of embarrassment at her praise.

Rarity then asked, "Speaking of him… Princess Celestia, why does he get invited every year? His character is far from being worthy of the Grand Galloping Gala!"

Celestia rolled her eyes, not seeming very happy about it herself. "In all honesty, his stature in Canterlot's society puts him on the list of 'required' attendees. We have to invite him per protocol." She then smiled, "And you are right, James. He is, without a doubt, a lout."

Spike then smiled, "Man, I hope I can be like you when I grow up! A rough tough swordsman who can take on anypony!"

I shook my head and sighed, "I'm not rough or tough at all, Spike. That was all being channeled through anger for what he did to…"

Shining Armor then approached us, "You mean this?" He then threw my robe at me. I caught it in my hands, the gash in it visible for all to see.

Rarity grumbled, "Ugh, that horrid prince. How dare he mar my masterpiece?" She then faced Celestia, "Excuse me, your highness. You would not happen to have any sewing equipment, would you?"

The princess of the sun nodded, "We certainly do. Luna, if you don't mind."

Luna nodded, "Right this way." She began to lead Rarity into the palace.

"James, come along now. And please bring your robe. I can't repair it unless I have it with me." Rarity said to me while looking over her shoulder.

I nodded, "I'll be right there." I then handed my sword to Shining Armor. "Here you go, captain."

He smiled while levitating the sword away from me, "Nice work taking on the prince. Let's chat when you get back." I nodded and hurried along to catch up with Rarity and Luna.

I cannot recall which route we took, but I soon found myself walking long empty dark halls with Luna and Rarity. From where I was, the overall design of the interior was not terribly fancy. The lighting was a bit poor since it was night time, so I could not make out my surroundings that well.

"Are you certain you are leading us down the right path, your highness?" Rarity asked, trying to shine some light with some of her magic by effectively turning her horn into a glow rod.

"Right over here, Rarity." Luna led us to what seemed to be a supply closet. It was fairly spacious inside with enough room to move around in, even for me. "I think this is what you're looking for."

Rarity and I stepped forward and saw that Luna was pointing to a sewing kit. "Perfect! James, if you will?" Rarity spoke with delight.

"OK then." I replied, laying out my robe on a small table with the gash on top.

Rarity began looking back and forth at the robe and several spools of thread. "Hmm… Yes, this will do nicely." She levitated a sewing needle with a dark blue spool of thread and prepared the needle with it. She then began to stitch the gash shut, the color of the thread blending in well. "That should do it."

I examined the area around where the gash had been and found that the stitching was nigh undetectable. "I can hardly see… Wait, where'd it go?" I asked, losing sight of the stitching.

Rarity giggled, "That's the point!"

Luna smiled as she put the sewing equipment away while I slid my robe back on and placed my glasses back on my face. "Just follow me and I'll lead you back to the gala."

Right after we left the closet, Rarity spoke, "Your highness, wait."

Luna and I stopped and turned to face her. Rarity then looked up at me and smiled, "James… I am honored by how hard you fought to protect my honor out there. You truly are a fine gentleman." She then asked, "To that effect… May I ask you for the honor to have you as my knight for the evening?"

I pondered what she meant by this before asking, "Hang on… Are you asking me out on a date?" Luna chuckled at my words.

Rarity smiled sheepishly, "In a sense, yes."

I felt a slight increase in my body temperature. Did Rarity have a crush on me? It was awkward enough when Twilight did, and I honestly do not find myself particularly attractive. "Um… Are you sure Fluttershy won't mind?"

Rarity chuckled, "It's not what you think, darling. Just some personal time between friends. I'll have a word with her."

Luna spoke, "The gala doesn't last all night, you two. Let's hurry back to enjoy what time we have left." Rarity and I looked at each other before nodding. We then followed Luna down the hall back towards the festivities on the ground floor.

At the main hall, we found Celestia with my six other friends and Shining Armor. Luna spoke, "We're back! Did we miss anything?"

Celestia smiled, "Oh, not much. We were just waiting for you." She then seemed to eye my robe. "Hm. I can't even tell where it was torn."

I replied, "That's because Rarity is a master of the needle and thread."

Shining Armor then approached me, "So, James. I just want to say how thoroughly impressed I was at how well you handled the prince out there. Tell me again. Who tutored in how to use a sword?"

I replied honestly, "Nobody."

Shining Armor flashed me a perplexed expression. "Really? Well, what particular style was that you were using?"

I replied again, "It wasn't. I just improvised."

All of my friends looked on in shock. Armor then asked, "What?! Seriously?! But… Where did you learn how to fight?"

I was starting to feel embarrassed by all this attention, but I replied anyway. "Over ten years of analyzing various styles of swordplay."

Armor suddenly laughed, "Really?! That's it?! How many styles have you seen and analyzed?"

I tried thinking this answer over carefully. Having played many video games that featured swordplay as the main means of attack, I have seen many different styles. "Uh… Well over thirty. Maybe over fifty. I really don't know."

Shining Armor stared at me with a look that said 'Holy hell, man', as if he was struggling to find the right words to use. He finally muttered, "Dang… Maybe I should have the guards try that…"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Rarity locked in conversation with Fluttershy. I felt a twinge of worry, but remained silent. Eventually, they turned to face me. Rarity smiled, "James? Fluttershy has given us her consent."

I asked, "Huh? Really?"

Fluttershy nodded with a smile, "It's just for a little while. And it's just some time spent between friends. I don't see anything wrong with that."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I then kneeled down and placed a kiss on Fluttershy's cheek. "Let's spend time together right after that."

Fluttershy smiled with a faint blush, "I love you, honey."

"I love you too, baby." I replied, embracing her for a moment.

"Hey, where's Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow Dash asked out of nowhere.

In the next room over, we heard that crazy party animal's voice speaking over an intercom system. "Come on, everypony! Let's get down! Woooo!"

I facepalmed, "WHY did I give her that drink?!"

Applejack groaned, "Ugh, I'll go grab 'er." She then ran off towards what I think was the ballroom.

Rarity chuckled uneasily, "Well… Why don't we go in the other direction instead?"

I nodded, "Sounds good, m'lady. Lead on."

As we approached the door that led out into another part of the courtyard, Rarity stood by it while looking at me. She then tilted her towards the door. I realized what she wanted and smiled. "Allow me."

I grabbed the door's handle and pulled it open. "Thank you, James. You truly are a gentleman." Rarity spoke with a smile as I followed her outside.

"Ooh, aren't those roses just lovely?" Rarity asked as she approached a bush adorned with thornless red roses.

I examined them closely, but then noticed that Rarity's eyes were looking upward. As if she was trying to see something on her mane. I then understood what she was thinking and snapped a rose off of the bush and shortened its stem.

"I know where they would look even better." I spoke with a smile before placing it on her mane next to her ear.

Rarity seemed surprised that I had done such a thing without her even having to ask. "James… Thank you." She spoke with what seemed to be a faint blush.

I bowed, "It is an honor, m'lady."

Rarity was unusually quiet as we went along. She seemed to be lost in thought about something, so I decided to not bother her. We eventually came to a more open area where various couples were seated around on red velvet pillows. They were either locked in conversation or watching and listening to the same quartet of ponies playing music in the center. The sight of the musicians filled me with a feeling of anxiety. If they were out here instead of in the ballroom like they were earlier, then just what kind of havoc is Pinkie Pie wreaking in there?!

I grabbed a pair of pillows from a table that was covered with them and followed Rarity to an area that offered a great view of the band. "This spot will do nicely." She spoke with a smile.

I then set the two pillows down a short distance apart from each other and took my seat on one. Rarity smiled, "Thank you for bringing one for me. That's three things you did for me tonight that Blueblood did not."

I asked, "Three?"

Rarity nodded, "He took a rose for himself, forced me to open the door for him, and only brought a pillow for himself. Among a few other things."

I rolled my eyes, "You would think someone with the title of 'prince' would know something about chivalry."

Rarity nodded, "Yes, it is quite hypocritical of him. I would be pleased if I never had to lay eyes on him again."

As we watched the quartet play, Rarity leaned towards me and spoke, "That's Beauty Brass on the sousaphone, Frederic Horseshoepin on the piano, Harpo on the harp, and Octavia on the cello. They perform here every year. Quite a team, are they not?"

I nodded, "Quite." My gaze fell upon the cello player in particular. Octavia was her name, as Rarity just spoke. She had her eyes closed as she played, her cutie mark being a treble clef. She was wearing a white collar with a pink bow on the front. Her coat is a pale gray while her mane and tail are a darker shade of gray with a brighter tint to it. Her mane is very long and beautifully kempt, reaching past her shoulders. As the song came to a close, she opened her eyes, which are a faded purple. They were calm and serene, being only half open as she gazed out at her audience. In my eyes, she was the most beautiful earth pony I had seen so far.

"Octavia is quite lovely." I spoke.

Rarity smiled, "Yes, she truly is. And the sounds coming from her cello are quite chilling, are they not?"

I chuckled, "You'd be surprised how a cello can sound. I've seen someone play the cello in such a way that it sounded like an electric guitar."

Rarity glanced at me, "Truly? A cello sounding like an electric instrument? How bizarre!"

The next song the quartet played was very mellow and warm, almost like a love song. Rarity and I listened quietly, our eyes directed at the quartet. But after a short while, Rarity asked, "James… May I ask you something personal?"

I nodded while looking at her out of the corner of my eye. "Sure."

A rather somber expression was on her face. "If… And this is just an 'if'… If you had not gone to move in with Fluttershy and chose to remain with me…" She then looked directly at me, "Do you think things would be different between us now?"

I felt myself beginning to sweat at that question. "I honestly don't know… Why do you ask?"

Rarity sighed, "It's just…there are times when my mind wanders. You have been a wonderful friend to me, James. And there are times where I wonder what could have been." She then directed her gaze skyward, "Would we still be friends? Would we be a couple right now? I just don't know…"

I felt uneasy about this. As much as I adore Rarity, Fluttershy is the girl I love more than anything. I asked, "Rarity… Do you love me?"

She sighed, "I would be lying if I said I do not. You have become an important part of my life, James. And I am grateful to have you." She then set her right hoof on my hand, the opal-studded silver bracelet I had bought for her still being worn on it.

I sighed, "I'm not sure you would want me in the long run. I have a lot of flaws…"

Rarity chuckled, "Oh, yes. I've noticed them. You can fail to think some things through at times before acting. You have low self-esteem. You dwell heavily on things. And you are very hard on yourself when you feel you have wronged somepony. At least, I think those are all of them." She then smiled warmly at me, "But you have more than enough good things about you that overshadow your flaws. You're a wonderful person, James. Do not fault yourself so much."

I sighed, still not feeling very proud of myself. However, Rarity then leaned against me. "I love you, darling. And I always will."

"But… Fluttershy…" I replied, fearful that if her feelings for me became too strong, it would cause a rift between them.

"Oh, James. You know I can't go against Fluttershy's wishes. She's been my best friend for quite some time. She is your betrothed and I must respect that."

I slowly wrapped my arm around Rarity and held her close to me. "You're my best friend, Rarity…"

The lovely unicorn mare sighed, "You have no idea how honored I am to hear that." After a moment longer, Rarity asked, "Now that I think about it, was Fluttershy your very first love?"

Those words caused a dull pain to strike me in my heart as unpleasant memories came flooding back to me. If I have ever written in my previous entries that may have pointed to me having never had a girlfriend or anything similar….. I am sorry. I lied.

"No…" I replied quietly.

Rarity clearly noticed that I had become distraught. "Darling, what's wrong?"

I replied, "Too many memories…"

Rarity then moved closer to me. "If it helps, can you tell me about it? Like… Who was your first love?"

At this point, I wanted to do anything to shake off these unpleasant memories. So I decided to try venting with her. "Her name was… I don't really care enough to recall… But…she was the best thing to ever happen to me."

Rarity's expression became one of deep concern. "Then…what went wrong?"

I sighed, "I fell in love with her before I even knew what she looked like. We lived hundreds of miles apart, but it didn't matter. I confessed to her my feelings after a few months of waiting. And I eventually found out that she had come to develop feelings for me too before I even told her."

Rarity smiled, "Sounds like a match made in heaven. Mutual love is always important in any relationship."

I smiled slightly, "When she heard my voice for the first time, she said she was on cloud nine. She was shy at first, but the more we talked, the more she opened up. I helped her with all sorts of problems, helping heal old emotional scars that she had suffered throughout her life." I then bowed my head. "She even told me during a late night phone call, that on a scale of one to ten, her life had improved by fifty since meeting me."

I looked at Rarity to see that her jaw was hanging open. "Rarity?"

The white unicorn manually closed her jaw with her hoof. "My word… Fifty out of ten? That… I'm impressed. I always knew you were a fine man, James. But… That is astounding! Well… How long were you together?"

I sighed, "Three years… I was always faithful to her… Never wavering. I never once considered for even a minute breaking up with her. She was my angel. The first woman I had ever felt so strongly for."

Rarity then spoke with a hint of hesitation in her voice, "Then…what went wrong?"

I bluntly replied, "Her family and friends."

Rarity remained silent for a moment. "Wait….. Her friends? And her family? How could they possibly be a problem?"

I sighed, "They hated me. Not because of my character. But because of my age. Our age is six years apart. I was always kind to her. I never forced her to do anything. I even tried to give her as much control over a situation as possible. But… They never once judged me by my character. Only by my age. They had never even met me, yet they…"

I heard Rarity growl, "That… How dare they… What prejudice is this?! I can understand judging a child by their age because of their immaturity, but judging a grown man by his age?! Six isn't even that large of an age gap! If it was eight or nine, then yes, it may seem odd. But… That…" I leaned away from Rarity at that moment. I could not believe how disgusted she looked and how vocal she was being. "If I was there to see them… Ugh, the things I would do to those idiots! You do NOT judge anyone by age! Only by character! That's nothing short of discrimination!"

As touched as I was by Rarity's support, I noticed that quite a few ponies around us had begun to stare. "Uh… Rarity?" I muttered.

She looked around, her face changing to one of embarrassment. "Oops… I will…uh…keep my voice down from now on."

I then sighed, "No matter what she told her friends about me, they always were against us just because of my age. And her family… Don't get me started on her father. I have never met a man so unpleasant in my life. Irrational, irritable, and always blaming things on those he does not know well even when that person tries to help. Even if he tries to be good to her by buying her all sorts of stuff, he still has a long history of violence and uncouth behavior that I just can't ignore. He nearly hit her with a heavy metal space heater and nearly beat one of the family's pets to death. And finally, when she tried to hurt herself out of stress caused by daily arguments with him, with one being over a missing hairclip, he sent her to an asylum instead of trying to calm her down like a responsible parent should."

Rarity seemed utterly shocked by my words. "How… What… I have never heard of such a monster…"

I held my face in one hand. "After my first visit with her, our relationship fell apart. She hid from me for a week…" I sighed, "She said she loved my touch… She gave me my first kiss… It was….a wonderful time being with her…" I then gritted my teeth, "I became distraught from being kept in the dark over why she left me. When we finally got in touch with each other after a week of silence, we said such angry words to each other." Tears had begun to roll down my cheeks, the scars in my mind still there. "It was over… All because of those idiots who refused to judge me for what I am on the inside…"

Out of nowhere, I felt Rarity embrace me. "You are right. They are all idiots. They cannot tell her how to live her life. And if they really are her friends and family, they should respect her choices." She then gave me a harsh glare. "Do not blame yourself for what happened, darling. It was outside your control. She was born to the wrong family and made the wrong friends. It was….." She then moved her hoof along my cheek. "James… Are you crying?"

I looked away, "How can I not?"

Rarity then moved my face before I was looking at her once more. She then shocked me with a kiss on my lips. "Do not cry, darling. No matter what happened back then, you are safe with us. Equestria is a land where no such ridiculous mindsets exist. And remember, you have Fluttershy. She loves you for what you are. And you can't choose who you fall in love with." She then confidently smirked, "And if anypony has a problem with that, they will have to get through us first."

Even though the pain of my memories were still present, I felt immense gratitude for Rarity's support. I embraced her as tightly as I could, squeezing tears out of my eyes. "Thank you…"

Rarity smiled, "You are very welcome… A wonderful man like you deserves to be loved…" She then rested her head on my shoulder. "It seems we all got what we came for this year. Twilight spent quality time with Princess Celestia, Applejack made a hefty profit from her sales, Rainbow Dash spent time with the Wonderbolts, Fluttershy made friends with the animals in the garden, Pinkie Pie managed to have a good time… Although I must wonder if she is even going to remember tonight tomorrow morning…" That last bit made me chuckle.

However, Rarity then sighed happily, "And I finally found my prince."

I said nothing as I think a blush spread across my face. She then whispered into my ear, "James… Never change." I nodded in silence, my hands caressing her back.

After spending what I believe was close to an hour with Rarity, we reunited with our friends at the main hall. Fluttershy smiled, "Did you two have a good time?"

Rarity nodded, "It was an enlightening experience." However, she then looked Fluttershy in the eye. She spoke quietly, but I still heard her. "Don't ever leave James, dear. He needs you."

Fluttershy seemed puzzled by Rarity's words. "Did something bad happen out there, Rarity?"

Rarity smiled while looking over her shoulder at me. "Let's just say I learned more than I expected." I smiled back at her with a nod.

It seemed that all of the GGG's attendees had finally arrived and had gotten settled in since neither Celestia nor Luna was standing at the top of the stairwell anymore. The royal sisters seemed to be locked in conversation with Twilight Sparkle at the base of the stairs.

"Yeah! I teleported Rarity, Spike, Rainbow Dash, and myself from there to… Oh, hey there, James!" Twilight spoke as I walked up behind her.

"Hey there, Twi. Having a good time?" I replied with a wave.

"The whole night's been great! Much better than the last time!" Twilight said with a bright smile.

Celestia nodded, "I concur. It's been great, even if somewhat less chaotic than the last… Oop, never mind about that." She was cut off by the sound of a distant crash in the ballroom, probably a result of Pinkie Pie's semi-drunken antics.

"Well…. At least she's not complaining, right?" I replied with a nervous chuckle, knowing it was my fault that she ended up that way.

When Twilight looked away from Celestia to speak with Luna, I approached Celestia. I had thanked Luna for bringing me to Equestria, but I had yet to personally thank Celestia. "Celestia? May I have a word with you in private?" I whispered to her.

The princess of the sun nodded before looking towards Twilight and Luna. "Excuse me for a minute, ladies. James and I need to discuss something." Twilight and Luna nodded in unison before going right back to their conversation.

Celestia led me out into the palace garden where there were no other gala attendees to interrupt us. "I don't think we've spent any personal time together yet, James. This is a pleasant surprise."

I nodded, "Yeah…"

Celestia, being the wise pony she is, was quick to notice that I was not entirely happy. "Is something troubling you? I don't think I've ever seen you look this insecure."

I felt some tears welling up in my eyes again as the memories came back to me. "I… I just wanted to thank you for bringing me here, Celestia. You couldn't have chosen a better time to do it."

She smiled compassionately, "I do think Luna and I made a good choice by selecting you. I've been hearing nothing but praise about you from Twilight."

I continued, "It's not just that… I was going through… I'm glad I met…" My voice had begun to break, my tears beginning to stream down my cheeks.

Celestia seemed mildly alarmed at the sight of my tears. "James? Are you all right?"

I could only stammer a bit. "Celestia… Permission to embrace you?"

The princess of the sun stared at me for a moment with a concerned frown, but soon smiled warmly. "Permission not needed."

It was all I needed to hear. I walked over to her and threw my arms around her neck, just letting my tears fall while trying to not burst out sobbing with carefully controlled breathing. I felt Celestia wrap one of her forelegs around me, her hoof against my lower back. "Just remember, if you have nopony else to turn to, you can always come to me." She spoke softly.

"Thank you… Celestia…" I muttered through my tears.

The hours rolled by, the lot of us just having fun together and enjoying each other's company with all of their friends and family. Before we even knew what time it was, the clock struck 1 AM.

"Whoa. Where'd the time go?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she realized what time it was.

"Well, that's what happens when you spend time with friends. It flies by as fast as I do." Spitfire replied with a chuckle.

Fancy Pants let out a yawn, "Indeed. Although I do believe it is time I departed. It is much too late for a gentleman to stay up. Shall we get together another time?"

Rarity smiled, "Oh, it would be wonderful for us all to get together again."

Shining Armor smiled, "It was awesome to see you all again. And I'm really glad I got to meet you, James."

Cadence nodded, "Me too. I hope we can get together again sometime, James."

I nodded and shook their hooves. "I'm glad I got to meet you too. It was a pleasure."

One by one, we saw our friends off. By the time they had all departed, the palace had become rather quiet. Spike in particular was out like a light, just lying across Twilight's back while fast asleep.

Applejack yawned, "Well, I think I've had enough partyin' fer one night."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "What're you talking about?! This party's just getting started! Wooo! Part…" She collapsed on the floor, her drink having finally run its course. "Urgh… My head…"

Fluttershy spoke, "You sound like you have a hangover. Did you drink any water?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, "She'll be fine. But we should be going now, right?"

However, Celestia spoke up. "Actually, with it being this late, would you all prefer to stay the night in the palace?"

We all looked at each other in surprise before Twilight asked, "Really?!"

Luna smiled, "It will take well over an hour to get back to Ponyville if you leave now. Why not stay the night? We have plenty of guest rooms."

Applejack grinned, "That's a might generous of ya, yer highness. And I'll admit, we're a might tuckered too."

I smiled, "I wouldn't mind staying the night. I can pick up Scootaloo tomorrow morning or afternoon."

Celestia smiled, "Right then. Let me show you to your rooms." We then followed Celestia and Luna up the stairs and into the main bulk of the palace once again.

At this moment, I am resting in bed in a guest room in the palace. The size of this room is still quite spacious compared to how most rooms are in others places in Equestria. The door is big enough to walk through without ducking and the ceiling towers above me. Even the windows are a bit bigger than me. An old-fashioned lantern chandelier hangs from the ceiling as the main source of light, although I am merely using a candle right now. The bed I am in is a large canopy bed, not unlike Rarity's. Dark faded purple curtains are hanging on the walls near the tops of the walls, lending the room a very elegant atmosphere that I am not used to.

Fluttershy is right beside me. She seems very relaxed and has already fallen asleep. I hope her animals can manage without us until we get home tomorrow. I am a bit concerned for Angela, but since she is a bird, she can probably sustain herself with seeds and berries if she gets hungry.

What an evening. So many new faces, finally gave the princely lout the punishment he deserved, and had a genuinely fun time. I must say that this night was quite possibly the best night ever for me. Well, since arriving in Equestria, that is.

My days in Equestria just keep getting better. I am most curious of what the future holds, but it can be nothing but good as long as Equestria remains the blessed paradise it is. Right?

Still, I am only just now starting to truly grasp how grateful I am for Celestia and Luna's intervention in my life. I am far better off here than I ever was back on Earth. I have friends who will never leave me that I will never give up on. And I have the greatest girlfriend I could ask for.

Now I must sleep. Partying that long and this late really takes a toll on you. Still… I am getting a strange foreboding feeling. Is something odd going to happen soon?

Heh, I am probably just expecting Pinkie Pie to try something crazy upon waking up. Let me write a quick note here before I go to sleep.

Pinkie Pie + alcoholic beverages = bad things. That should get my point across to myself in the future if I ever read this again.


	16. Return of Nightmares

A couple of weeks have passed since I attended the Grand Galloping Gala for the first time and things have been absolutely wonderful with my friends in Equestria. However, early into May, something bizarre occurred when I woke up in Fluttershy's cottage. I awoke in the morning, as usual, but noticed something was wrong. Why was it so dark in the room?

I sat up and looked around. Did I just wake up a few hours after I went to sleep? Well, that cannot possibly be it. I was feeling well rested and was wide awake too. Did I sleep through the entire day and woke up during the following night? I know that happened to me once before as a child, but that was due to being ill at the time and sleeping through most of the day. I reached for the nightstand next to me and found my DSi. I had already set the clock and calendar to match that of Equestria's, so the time would likely be correct. I turned it on, the backlight on both screens becoming the only real source of light in the bedroom.

"Well, this can't be right…" I muttered to myself. The date was correct. And the time was only 8:30 in the morning. Then why in the world was it still so dark out?

I got out of bed and went over to the window after setting my DSi down to serve as a small lamp. The moon was high in the sky, a perfect pale orb in the dark blue ocean above me. I smirked as I wondered what the cause of this prolonged night could be. "Maybe Luna and Celestia are just being lazy today."

I heard some rustling behind me and saw Fluttershy sitting up in bed. She groggily looked at me and asked, "Did I wake up too soon again?"

I shrugged my shoulders before offering my usual morning greeting. "Morning, honey. And no, you didn't. I just checked the clock and it said 8:30 AM. I just think that Celestia and Luna haven't gotten around to bringing out the sun yet."

Fluttershy hopped out of bed and went over to the window I was standing by to see for herself. "The moon's still out? But… That can't be right."

I shrugged once more before heading over to my wardrobe. "Well, they'll get around to it eventually. I'm gonna go wake Scoot up and get her ready for school."

Fluttershy nodded before spreading her wings. "I'll get started on breakfast. Even if the sun's not out yet, everypony needs to eat before they start their day." I watched as she flew down the stairs, leaving me to get dressed.

Since it was still fairly early in spring, I decided to wear long pants and a long sleeved shirt. I slid on some blue pants and a gray shirt. Once I was dressed, I went downstairs and into Scootaloo's bedroom to find my little sister still fast asleep.

"Rise and shine, Scoot. Time for breakfast." I said while rubbing her little head.

The little pegasus filly slowly stirred before yawning. "Five more minutes, Dad… The sun's not even out yet…"

That got a chuckle out of me. "Yeah, I know the sun's not out yet. But it's still 8:30 in the morning. Come on, you'll be late for school."

Scootaloo groggily opened her eyes and stared at me. "Huh? Seriously? It's morning, but the stars are still out?"

I nodded before glancing at the nearest window. "Yeah. No idea why, but it's still night time even though it clearly should be morning. But the clock's right, so get up. Fluttershy's starting on dinner… I mean breakfast."

Scootaloo sniffed the air in an attempt to pick up the aroma of cooked food. "Ooh, that always gets me awake! I'll be right there!" She suddenly bounded out of bed, going from sleepy to energetic in a second. I chuckled to myself, impressed by how effective hunger is as a motivator.

I turned on every light switch I could find on my way to the kitchen. Upon entering, I found Scootaloo seated at the table while Fluttershy seemed to be making omelets. I felt my mouth water at the sight of shrimp, spinach, and mozzarella cheese being wrapped in one. "Mmm, you know what I like, honey." I said while feeling my appetite spike.

Fluttershy smiled as she looked my way. "I know you love seafood and spinach, so I combined them." She then set the omelet on a plate and started on another.

"Strawberries and apples for mine, please!" Scootaloo spoke with a grin. Fluttershy nodded with a grin as she held a spatula in her mouth.

Scootaloo and I waited for her to finish all three omelets before we started to eat. Fluttershy's contained cheddar cheese and carrots. "Thanks for waiting for me." She spoke with a smile while taking a seat.

"And thank you for these wonderful treats." I replied as Scootaloo started on her breakfast.

We all dined together, enjoying friendly conversation. But eventually, Scootaloo asked, "Hey, Fluttershy? Why is it still dark out? I thought this is supposed to be morning!"

She replied with a puzzled expression. "I really don't know… The only explanation I can think of is that maybe Princess Luna got sick and isn't well enough to lower the moon."

I then asked, "But isn't Celestia capable of doing that on her own?" I recalled the legends of the Mare in the Moon, where after Nightmare Moon's imprisonment, Celestia took up both roles as the controller of the sun and moon to… Wait. Nightmare Moon?!

A chill spread through me as I remembered the alicorn I had not seen for eight months. According to legend, she had originally attempted to bring about an eternal night. Could it be that… Wait. When I saw her, she seemed very weak. She was only a billowing black shadow on the wall. If the eternal night had not begun again at the time I saw her, then she clearly did not possess the strength to carry out that plan.

What is more, she seemed very sorrowful during our first encounter. Clearly not the kind of behavior one would expect from a mad tyrant. She even watched over me as I slept and vocally expressed genuine gratitude for my praise of her beautiful night. Would she really do the same thing as before if she had become a more caring person while stuck out there in the Everfree Forest?

So many questions swam through my mind. Is Nightmare Moon back to normal? Is this abnormally long night a result of laziness on Luna and Celestia's part? Or is this the work of some sinister third party I have yet to learn about? Or is it even sinister at all? I must admit I am feeling slightly more chipper at this moment than I usually am during the day. I guess I really am a night owl.

I was careful to not bring up Nightmare Moon for the rest of our breakfast. "Man, that was good. Thanks, Fluttershy!" Scootaloo spoke up while licking her lips.

Such praise easily brought a smile to Fluttershy's lips. "You're very welcome. Now, go get ready for school." Scootaloo nodded before trotting away to her room.

I gathered up the plates and placed them in the kitchen sink for cleaning. "You think this long night is a bad sign, honey?"

My girlfriend replied while stilling looking somewhat puzzled, "I hope not… The last time this happened was when Nightmare Moon appeared. But that's impossible. She doesn't even exist anymore… Right?"

As tempted as I was to tell her the truth, I knew that telling anyone with connections to Celestia and Luna about Nightmare Moon is a bad idea. I nodded while playing along. "Yeah, I can't imagine how she could still exist nowadays."

Fluttershy then nodded while showing a tiny smile. "Well, on the bright side… Or maybe dark side, I can spend more time with the bats and owls at this hour." I cracked a grin too, pleased to see that Fluttershy was looking at the advantages of a longer night.

"You still have to take care of the animals that are active during the day. I doubt they'll be slowed down much by the dark." I said while glancing at the nearest window, knowing that Fluttershy has to tend to various animals every single day.

She smiled softly at me. "Don't worry about that. I'll get to work right after I do the dishes. Could you walk Scootaloo to school?"

I nodded without delay. "Don't I always?" The two of us chuckled in unison.

"OK, James! I'm ready!" I heard Scootaloo call out from the central room of the house before I could even leave the kitchen.

"Oops. Gotta go. See you in a bit, honey." I spoke before kissing Fluttershy on the cheek.

Fluttershy giggled while trying to look past me at Scootaloo. "OK. Take care out there. No telling what might happen at this hour when it's this dark out." I then hurried out the door, knowing that Scootaloo had just stepped outside.

"Well, this is gonna be an odd walk. Going to school in the middle of the night? What's next? Nightclubs at noon?" I said in an attempt to poke fun at the situation, finding it extremely odd taking my little sister to school when it felt like 2 AM.

Scootaloo laughed along with me. "Yeah, it feels like I should go back to bed. But school's starting soon, so we better get going."

I nodded before looking ahead. "Lead on, Scoot." The two of us proceeded down the path, crossing the stream in front of the cottage and crossing the meadow on our way to Ponyville.

While we walked, Scootaloo kept glancing around. Possibly out of fear of what might be lurking in the dark during this unnaturally long night. I spoke up while glancing down at her, "Something wrong?"

She replied while trying to keep a straight face, "Uh... Nope! Nothing's wrong! Just a little… Uh… Just don't know what might be out there. It's not supposed to be this dark out right now, ya know."

I snickered while shrugging my shoulders, "Relax, Scoot. Night time might be dark, but it's not dangerous. I actually find it relaxing. And just think, if this was summer, we would be seeing lots of fireflies right now."

Scootaloo smiled while her little wings seemed to buzz in a bit of excitement. "Oh, right! Yeah, it would be cool if there were fireflies around right now."

Before we got much further, a familiar voice called out to us. "Mornin', James! Hey, Scootaloo!" We both turned south to see Apple Bloom running towards us.

"Morning, Apple Bloom! And don't you mean 'good evening' instead?" Scootaloo replied with a chuckle.

I cracked a smirk before speaking up too. "I checked the clock. You didn't oversleep, Apple Bloom. It really is morning."

Apple Bloom nodded while looking both happy and bewildered. "Yeah, I thought so. This long night is messin' with Granny Smith's internal clock. She won't wake up! Even started sleepwalkin' a few times!"

I chuckled as that sight popped up in my head. "I just hope it's not messing with everyone else. I'm really liking this extra long night."

The three of us walked along, engaging in conversation while my eyes glanced around at my nocturnal surroundings. I really have always enjoyed the night. Rather than be intimidated or worried, I was enjoying it thoroughly.

"So, any idea what might be causin' this really weird weather?" Apple Bloom asked while looking at the sky.

Scootaloo replied before jumping in excitement. "No idea… Hey! Maybe we should try to solve that mystery! Cutie Mark Crusaders Eternal Night Solvers!"

Apple Bloom grinned at that proposition. "Ooh! Why didn't I think of that?! It's SO obvious! We gotta tell Sweetie Belle when we get ta school!" I could only chuckle at their enthusiasm.

"Well, you girls have fun with that. Too bad I already got my cutie mark. I wonder what kind of cutie mark you'll get if you do solve this mystery."

The two fillies looked at each other before looking back up at me. "Hey, James? Just what does yer cutie mark mean again?"

I paused. After all this time, I should not be surprised that they had forgotten. I kneeled down and raised my left sleeve, displaying my cutie mark for all to see. "Well, I'm not entirely sure myself, but Twilight said the doves represent a gentle and loving nature and that they stand for eternal love while the heart shape represents… Actually, that's pretty self-explanatory."

Apple Bloom then asked with her head cocked sideways a bit, "So, ya love everypony?"

I smiled sheepishly as I lowered my sleeve. "Well, I try to give everyone a chance. You'd have to work pretty hard to make me hate you."

Scootaloo smiled brightly at me. "Yeah, you are a loving guy. I'll bet you'd even love Nightmare Moon if she was a little nicer!" I tried to suppress a chuckle, recalling the first time I ever encountered her remnants in the Everfree Forest.

As we walked along, the schoolhouse came into view. It was a little hard to make out the colorations on it due to the low amount of light. However, there was plenty of light shining through the windows. "Remember. If Cheerilee falls asleep at the desk, it gives you no right to goof off." I spoke up while being both serious and silly in my words.

"Got it!" The two fillies replied in unison. As we drew closer, I saw Sweetie Belle approaching us from the opposite direction.

"Morning, everypony!" Sweetie Belle called out upon seeing us. She then ran over to us while asking, "Weird weather we're having today, huh? You think Princess Luna is sleeping late today?"

Scootaloo raised a hoof while shrugging her shoulder. "I don't know. Maybe she and Princess Celestia are just giving us a few more hours to sleep today."

Apple Bloom then asked, "What's the point of that if we're already awake?!"

I shrugged as well, but then motioned my hand towards the schoolhouse. "No clue, but school is clearly starting. Better get in there before you're tardy."

The three fillies looked at each other and nodded before looking up at me. "Cutie Mark Crusader Group Hug!"

I grinned while letting out a chuckle. "Oh, you girls…" I then got down on my knees and held all three of them in my arms.

"Heheh… To think I used to not like these cuddly hugs." Scootaloo chuckled as she nuzzled me.

Sweetie Belle smiled while nestling her head against me. "Who doesn't like hugs?"

Apple Bloom replied promptly, "Not me!"

I then smiled while feeling all warm inside. "Well, I better not keep you any longer. Get in there and have a good time, girls." I then stood up and gently patted each of them on the head.

Sweetie Belle nodded before waving at me. "Will do! See you later, James!" The three of them then bid me goodbye and headed inside the schoolhouse. With nothing else to do, I turned and headed back home to Fluttershy's cottage.

As the cottage came into view, I noticed that Fluttershy was going about her duties with the feeding of the animals that resided nearby. Among the usual animals I saw during the day, such as rabbits, robins, squirrels and so on, there were also nocturnal creatures in the mix. Such as owls, bats, and a few others that I cannot quite recall.

"And who says creatures of the night and day can't get along?" I asked as I approached Fluttershy, who was tossing….. Ugh, even though I know it is their natural diet, how can Fluttershy give owls dead mice with a straight face? Even if they were already dead… Nature can be so cruel.

Fluttershy turned to face me and smiled. "I know I didn't. I was actually worried that the little animals that are active during the day would've been upset by this unnaturally long night. But they've been taking it very well." I heard a few robins chirping nearby. Then again, I have heard robins singing at the crack of dawn just before the sun had come up. So it should be no surprise that they are all right with having to live in the dark for a while longer than usual.

"Well, I know I'm liking it." I said in return. I then felt something perch upon my shoulder. I glanced to my right to find Angela looking at me before she let out a coo. "And I see my little angel of the night likes it too." I added while gently caressing her neck.

Fluttershy smiled while looking up at us. "You know, under that full moon, it feels very romantic out here right now…" My little pegasus lover said as she took a seat at the edge of the bridge that spanned the brook in front of her house.

Angela flew away from me at those words. My gaze fell upon Fluttershy, who I must say looks striking in the moonlight. I then approached her and took a seat by her. "They say love is strongest in the dark." I muttered, recalling the saying from somewhere.

Fluttershy smiled as she looked at me. "Whoever said that is right." I draped my hand across her back, placing my hand on her opposite shoulder. "I love you, James." She spoke softly.

"I love you too, honey." I replied quietly. My hand began to caress her cheek very lightly.

Fluttershy then quietly asked, "James… I heard from Rarity about your…past love. Was that all true?"

I tried my absolute hardest to not think about those days. But Fluttershy could clearly tell what I was thinking. She then leaned against me and spoke softly in a very reassuring and sweet tone. "I won't let the same happen to us. I… I won't give up on you. Even if my closest friends end up being against you being with me, I won't leave you."

I sighed while I took in those words. "Are you sure about that?"

Fluttershy looked at me and warmly smiled. "True love is worth fighting for. And…you're the first man to ever love me unconditionally for what I am despite my flaws." She then draped her wing across my back. "If our relationship ended, the one who would be hurt most is me. You're so loyal and faithful… You've never once tried to force or persuade me to do something against my will… It's rare to find a man like you."

I nodded while looking at her. "I don't like forcing anyone through anything. I'm a believer in freedom of choice."

Fluttershy reached up and moved my face so I was looking right at her. She then pressed her lips against mine for a tender kiss. I then closed my eyes and pressed into it as well. Over and over, we softly kissed each other. It was a very magical feeling that is difficult to describe. Those who have actually experienced it will know what I am talking about.

I embraced Fluttershy tightly once our kissing had ceased. She did the same, wrapping her forelegs around me the best she could. "I'll never leave you, James… I promise." She said softly to the point of her voice being nearly a whisper.

I replied in kind while feeling especially warm and tingly. "Likewise… I'll never leave you."

Seconds later, I noticed a tear roll down Fluttershy's cheek. "I'm so honored to have you…"

My hand moved along her cheek, removing the tear from her face. "Don't cry, honey. There's no reason to be sad."

Fluttershy nodded with a smile spread across her lips. "Sorry… I'm just so grateful… I wish I knew who brought you here so I could thank them." I nodded in silence. I know who brought me to Equestria. But since they requested I do not tell anyone, I decided to not tell Fluttershy who did it.

"Do you need to go to work soon?" She then asked, reminding me that today is a workday for me.

"Oops. Yeah, I should get going right away." I said promptly, knowing that I am needed at Sugarcube Corner today.

"OK. But before you go…" Fluttershy suddenly embraced me, kissing me deeply as her tongue snaked its way into my mouth. I did not resist, holding onto her as I returned my feelings. Our tongues touched and danced, our eyes closed to help enjoy the moment. The kiss did not last as long as I wanted since I had to get going soon, but it still really gave a boost to my spirits. "Have a good day at work, James." Fluttershy said upon breaking the kiss, a faint blush upon her face.

I smiled warmly while letting out a sigh of satisfaction. "I will. Feel free to pop in to see me today, honey." I then stood up, said my goodbyes, and headed on my way. My mind was adrift with loving thoughts of my girlfriend, wondering what we would do together once I came home that evening.

As I entered Ponyville, I noticed that everyone was still just going about his or her business as usual despite the odd weather. Some seemed indifferent to the unusually long night, some seemed to be having fun with it while glancing around in wonder, and others seemed genuinely bewildered by it. Even so, it was refreshing to see that their reactions were not ones of mass hysteria.

I too was rather excited by this night. I looked around, wondering what might be different at this time. Every single building or house I passed had light shining through the windows. It was a fairly magical experience for me.

"Hey, James! You all right?" I heard a voice speak in a familiar southern accent. I turned and saw Applejack approaching me while pulling a cart of apple products ranging from pastries to drinks. "Weird weather we're havin', huh?"

I nodded while glancing around at our surroundings. "Yeah, but I'm actually liking it."

Applejack paused and gave me a surprised expression. "Like it? Seriously? Ya get some kinda kick outta it bein' this dark out when it should be all bright and sunny?"

Once again, I nodded with a smile. "Come on, AJ. If you know me, you know I like the night more than the day."

This prompted a chuckle from her. "Heheh, to each 'is own, I guess."

I then asked, "Hey, AJ? Why is your cart full of apple treats instead of just apples?"

She looked over her shoulder at the cart before looking back at me. "Oh, these? They're made from apples we stockpiled over winter. Since they're a bit old, we turned 'em inta all sorts of goodies that won't spoil easily. Ya want one?"

I nodded while reaching into my pocket. "How much for one of those apple tarts?"

She gave me that smile she always shows her customers. "That'll be two bits. Help yerself ta whichever ya want." I reached into my pocket, took out two bits, and then placed them under her hat. "Heheh, that's one way ta hold onto my money without gettin' my register out. And thanks for bein' my first customer of the day, James."

"No problem, AJ." I replied while snatching an apple tart from her cart and immediately snacking on it.

The two of us conversed while heading into town. "So, what do you think is causing all this darkness? Has it happened before?" I asked, wondering if Applejack knew anything about what might be causing it.

"I got nothin'. Last time this happened, Nightmare Moon was behind it. Don't know who could be doin' it this time, what with Princess Luna bein' all good again." She replied while looking up at me.

I took another bite of my tart while pondering her words. "Hmmm… My guess is that Luna and Celestia are allowing the night to continue longer than usual. And it is making this day pretty interesting."

Applejack nodded while her frown of puzzlement quickly turned into a small smile. "Ya got a point there. Maybe I'll set up a campfire and some s'mores today and invite the girls over for some ghost stories! Oh, and you too, James."

I felt my mouth water slightly at the mention of s'mores. "Looking forward to it, AJ."

After a few more minutes, we came into view of Sugarcube Corner. Now that it was dark out, I saw that the 'candles' on top of the gingerbread house had their flames set aglow with light. Turns out they are just light bulbs. "Well, here's my stop." I spoke up, knowing that the Cake couple and Pinkie Pie were likely waiting for me inside.

"All righty then. Have a good one, James. See ya this evenin' at my place?" Applejack replied while gazing up at me.

"You bet. See ya there." I said with a smile. I then entered through the front door to get started on my work.

Pinkie Pie was already setting up some of the treats for display in the front counter. Upon hearing the door close, she glanced up at me. "Morning, James! That long night out there making you drowsy?"

I smiled at her while glancing at the window. "Nope. I'm actually really liking it today."

Pinkie Pie giggled enthusiastically like she often does. "I almost thought it was a second Nightmare Night going on! At least until I saw everypony wasn't in costume. Anyway, you ready to get started?"

I nodded while making my way behind the counter. "Yup. What's on our to-do list today?" I then followed her into the kitchen, ready to get started on our objectives.

"Well, first we need to whip up three dozen of those yummy chocolate drops and another three dozen of those chocolate chip cupcakes. After that, we can take a lunch break." Pinkie Pie replied while looking over a sheet.

"All right then. I'll grab the ingredients." I said before I began to look through the cabinets for the ingredients.

As an hour rolled by, Pinkie Pie and I managed to whip up two dozen chocolate drops. While we waited for the third to finish baking, we engaged in casual conversation. "So, you really like the night? No wonder you and Princess Luna get along so well!" She exclaimed with her signature cheerful tone.

I chuckled just slightly before replying, "Well, I've always been something of a night owl. Back on Earth, my average bedtime was around 3 AM."

Pinkie Pie gasped at those words. "3 AM?! Wow, did you ever have trouble sleeping?"

I turned my gaze to the nearest window and nodded. "For reasons I can't explain, I had a nasty case of insomnia for around two years. I had to use sleep aids just to get to sleep. Sometimes, it forced me to take five pills in one night. But the insomnia left me not that long before I came to Equestria. I was finally able to get to sleep on my own after a long time."

Pinkie Pie smiled cheerfully and said, "Wow, it must be really lousy not to sleep easily. You just might've ended up like Applejack!"

I raised an eyebrow as I began to look through a cookbook. "Applejack? What does she have to do with… Huh?"

Pinkie Pie trotted over to me upon seeing me getting distracted by something on the page. "What? Did you find something?"

I had found a peculiar recipe in the cookbook. "What's this? Ingredients are sugar, eggs, potato chips, soda, a cup of 'sour', and wheat worms/earthworms? What the hell is this recipe? Something for someone with a cast-iron stomach?!"

My friend shrieked in mild horror when she seemed to realize what the recipe was. "Ack! I thought I threw that out!" She then grabbed the edge of the page by her teeth and ripped it out of the book before tossing it in the trashcan. She then looked at me with a sheepish grin. "Uh… Heheh… Yeah, Applejack wrote that in there after going days without sleep."

I promptly asked, "She didn't actually make those, did she?! And did anyone eat them?!"

Pinkie Pie winced, looking slightly green in the face. "She did. And yes, lots of ponies ate them. Aaaaand if you wanna know what they're called, I call them Baked Bads."

I groaned at the mere thought of what such treats could do to someone. "Oh man, AJ. What was wrong with you?!" The two of us laughed in unison, myself wondering just what Applejack had been high on to come up with such an awful recipe.

Just after I took out the third batch of chocolate drops from the oven, Mr. Cake poked his head into the kitchen. "Pinkie Pie? Your friends are all at the front desk. They need to see you."

Pinkie Pie replied as she trotted towards the exit to the kitchen, "Coming!" Once I had set the tray of baked dough down, I peeked over the twin swinging doors that led out into the storefront, wondering what had come up that would bring all five of our friends here.

"Morning, girls! What's up?" Pinkie Pie asked once she was out from behind the counter. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were gathered in front of the counter.

Twilight had an uneasy expression on her face that seethed worry. "Hey there, Pinkie. Sorry to call you up on such short notice, but it's kind of an emergency."

The word 'emergency' caught my attention. Equestria has always been a very peaceful land. I cannot imagine anything significant occurring that could be terribly bad. Pinkie Pie then asked, "Ooh, an emergency? How bad is it?"

Fluttershy replied softly, "We don't know… Princess Celestia sent a message to Twilight saying she needs us to go to Canterlot and see her right away."

I finally decided to step out of the kitchen to see them. "Hey there, girls. Sorry, but I overheard."

Rainbow Dash grinned and waved at me. "Oh, hey there! Wasn't expecting to see you too."

Applejack then nodded before retorting, "Yeah, but sorry, James. We're gonna all have ta go to Canterlot for a while. I'm not sure when we'll be back."

I then asked, "Well… May I tag along too? I'm a little worried since this is an 'emergency meeting', after all."

Rarity raised a hoof to her chin in thought. "Hmmmm….. Well, the message never said you couldn't come with us… I don't see why not."

Twilight nodded with a smile forming on her face. "I think it'll be OK if you come along too. I know Princess Luna will be happy to see you."

I nodded with a smile of my own before starting to move back over to the kitchen. "OK. Just let me put a word in with the boss." I then peeked into the kitchen to see Mr. Cake spreading chocolate onto the chocolate drops. "Mr. Cake? I've been called to Canterlot with Pinkie Pie. Princess Celestia's orders. If I'm not back this evening, could you take care of Scootaloo for the night?"

He nodded while setting the…uh… It looks like a tiny spatula… Well, whatever it is, he set it down before answering. "Oh, sure! You and Pinkie have a good time up there."

I then pulled my head out of the kitchen and smiled at my friends. "OK, I'm all set."

Pinkie Pie then cheered almost as if on cue. "Weee! Away to Canterlot we go!" She then trotted out the front door.

"Is she always this cheery, even when faced with a potentially dangerous emergency?" I asked while watching the door close behind her.

Rainbow Dash shook her head while displaying an amused smirk. "That's just how Pinkie Pie rolls."

The seven of us went straight to the train station to find one such train waiting at the platform. Twilight led us to the conductor, who was standing next to one of the cars. "Excuse me, but we've been summoned to Canterlot on behalf of Princess Celestia."

The conductor replied without sounding too surprised. "Already heard. You're free to board." We all shuffled into the car and waited for the train to leave. After only a minute or two, I felt the entire train jerk forward as it began to accelerate. In moments, we were out of Ponyville and on our way to Canterlot.

While my friends engaged in conversation, I sat at the end of the train car and gazed out the window. The sight of watching the moonlit landscape roll by while the star-filled night sky hung overhead was a truly mesmerizing experience. I chuckled to myself, "And who says the night is all bad?"

As the train began to climb the mountain that Canterlot sat upon, I noticed Rarity approaching me in the aisle. "May I have this seat?" She asked, standing out quite beautifully in the train car as the moonlight shone on her through the window.

I nodded while moving my legs to allow more room for her. "By all means." My beautiful unicorn friend took a seat across from me and began to gaze out the window.

"Such a lovely view, wouldn't you say?" She asked, clearly as spellbound as I was by the nightly horizon.

"Yup." I replied, just watching the scenery go by. At least until we entered a tunnel. Due to the already low light conditions, the tunnel was pitch black to the point where I could see absolutely nothing. When the train finally exited from the tunnel, I found Rarity cuddling up against me. "Uh… Rarity?"

She giggled upon seeing that I had noticed her change locations. "That trick never gets old. Did you blink for too long, darling?" I chuckled, amused that she had literally moved under the cover of darkness to sneak over to me.

As Rarity leaned against me, I rested my hand on her opposite shoulder. "What do you think is causing this night to last so long?" I asked while gazing at the full moon.

Rarity replied while also beholding the pale orb in the sky, "I wish I knew. The only possible culprit I can think of is Nightmare Moon… But that isn't possible, right?"

I did not answer, my mind drifting back to my memories of my first encounter with Nightmare Moon. She seemed very weak at that time, and it was only eight months ago. Could she really possess the strength to bring about an eternal night again? And why would she? An eternal night would only bring disaster to Equestria. Crops would wither, the people would freeze… This day alone was feeling rather cool. Probably the mid 60s. But…she had changed. She was very grateful to me for my praise. She watched over me as I slept. She would not truly repeat her past mistakes….. Would she?

"James?" Rarity asked, breaking me out of my train of thought.

I shook my head to clear my mind. "Sorry… Mind was just wandering right there."

We did not talk much until the train finally pulled into the station in Canterlot. Upon disembarking, Twilight spoke up while barely looking at us. "Let's not waste any time. We need to see Princess Celestia right away." We all nodded and followed her through town, the various other ponies reacting the same way to the night as the ponies of Ponyville were. Just in a much more reserved manner.

We reached the palace without interruptions, finding a pair of royal guards standing at the entrance. Twilight spoke up right away, "We were summoned by Princess Celestia."

One of the guards nodded before both turned towards the door. "Right this way." We then followed them inside without a word.

The halls were barely lit with torches lining the sides, leading me to suspect that certain parts of the palace were too old to have electrical wiring installed. Regardless, we were led to a large door that seemed to stand out due to its size and elegant design. One of the guards faced us and spoke, "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will be with you shortly." They then walked back down the hall to whence they came.

"I guess we should just wait for them to come out and get us." Fluttershy said while she glanced around the hall.

Applejack nodded while looking noticeably troubled. "I just wanna know what we were called here for."

As we waited, I noticed that the door was just slightly ajar, allowing me to peer into the throne room. I quietly made my way over to the door and held my ear to the crack in it. Inside, I could hear Celestia and Luna speaking to each other.

"This just doesn't add up… Why will the sun not rise?" I heard Celestia speak with a slightly hushed tone.

Luna replied just as quietly, "Something must be keeping the night going…"

Celestia then said with a slightly more frustrated tone, "I would suspect it was Nightmare Moon, but that is no longer a possibility. What else could it be…?"

Luna then spoke with a hint of fear in her voice. "Celestia… You don't suppose it could be HIM, do you?"

This piqued my curiosity greatly. I waited for Celestia to reply, but did not have to wait long. "Impossible. He remains sealed like the others. And that seal will not break."

Despite these reassuring words, Luna still sounded uneasy. "But he is the only other who has tried to bring about an eternal night. This prolonged dusk must be the work of…"

However, Celestia shushed Luna before she could finish. "Shh. We must not mention that name ever again. He is no longer a threat. And he never will be again. Someone or something else must be at fault."

I was very disappointed that I did not hear the name of the mysterious entity that the two sisters were speaking off, but disregarded it. Even so, their words were etched into my memory. I would not forget what I had heard anytime soon.

I decided to knock on the door to get the royal sisters' attention and took a step back. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, revealing the two beautiful alicorns. Twilight smiled upon seeing her mentor. "Princess Celestia. We came as soon as we could."

The Princess of the Dawn smiled in return. "I am relieved to see all of you… Wait… James? What brings you here?"

Luna then spoke up with a smile as she embraced me, "I don't see any problem with this, sister."

I snickered as I too embraced my friend. "Sorry if I wasn't invited. I just tagged along out of concern for my friends. And for a chance to see Luna again."

Celestia chuckled at my words. "I should've known. In any case, please come in. There is much to discuss." All nine of us entered the throne room, closing the door behind us.

I found the throne room to be quite spacious and beautifully designed. There is a long magenta rug that leads from the door to the throne itself. It seemed to be less like a chair and more of a spot with a chair's back behind it to prevent the occupant from falling backwards. The back of the 'throne' is a large oval shape that is the same color as the rug. The throne is set upon a golden raised platform with two elevations, two slopes allowing access to it. At the sides of the lower of the two raised segments are two fountains that spill over into a basin on the floor below, probably to be carried back up to the top via a pump. Above and behind the throne was an oval-shaped stained-glass window set in colors of the sunrise, but I am uncertain of what it depicted. It just seemed to be many circles set above clouds. Behind the throne are two banners that are varying shades of blue. One seems to depict a tree growing under a shining sun while the other… Well, from what I could see, it just resembled a tower of flames. There are two massive stained-glass windows at the sides of the room, one being a pale shade of blue showing what seemed to be the sun with several planetary objects orbiting around it. In the foreground was what seemed to be Earth. Or at least the world where Equestria is located unless the world itself is referred to as Equestria. The other is two pale shades of yellow showing what I believe are four different phases of the moon. And for whatever reason, the creator of the window made the full moon phase look like a round content face not unlike one would see in a children's book. All in all though, I found the throne room to be quite befitting of the royal sisters.

"I am sure you are aware that the time is nearly noon despite the fact that it still appears to be around midnight out there." Celestia spoke, the room being brightly lit by what I believe are domelike chandeliers built into the upper walls.

"Yes, we've noticed, your highness. Is it your doing?" Twilight replied while we stood behind her.

Luna shook her head. "No. Celestia and I have been trying for the past hours to lower the moon to make way for the sun. But for whatever reason, even with our strength combined, the moon simply will not budge. We have no knowledge as to what may be keeping the night going!"

Fluttershy then asked in a nervous tone, "You… You don't suppose it might be… N…Nightmare Moon, do you?"

Luna shook her head once more while also looking displeased. "Preposterous. I was purged of my dark corrupting vices when the Elements of Harmony were used on me. I would never do such a thing anymore."

Applejack then asked, "Well, what does that leave us with? I can't think of anythin' besides Nightmare Moon doin' all this!"

I felt torn as I listened to them discuss this problem. I sympathize greatly with Nightmare Moon. She even seemed like a changed person when I first met her. But if she is really doing this… An eternal night will benefit no one. Not even her.

I finally spoke up to end the discussion. "I know who's doing this."

At my words, the eight ponies turned to face me. "You do?" Luna asked with a gaze of bewilderment.

I sighed, knowing I was going to regret this. "The one who is causing this eternal night. It's Nightmare Moon."

Pinkie Pie suddenly giggled at me. "Oh, come on, James! You heard Princess Luna! She's not Nightmare Moon anymore!"

I gave my friends a serious stare. "I didn't say Luna. I said Nightmare Moon. She still exists."

Rarity replied while showing a dismissive wave of her hoof, "Now, James, I know this points heavily to Nightmare Moon, but she doesn't…"

I interrupted her promptly. "I saw her. She's hiding in the castle ruins in the Everfree Forest."

Rainbow Dash was clearly caught by surprise. "Huh?! Hold on! Out there?! What're you talking about?!"

I then proceeded to explain. "That day when I hid out in the Everfree Forest after I found that outdated law in that book in the library? I found the ruins there after night had fallen and took shelter in there." I bowed my head, knowing Celestia and Luna would likely be angry with me for keeping her existence a secret for so long.

Celestia spoke to me in a surprisingly calm voice, "Go on. What did you find there?"

I continued, "She was there. Like a billowing shadow stuck on the wall. I saw her eyes open… She shed a tear and was so silent… I told her how grateful I was for her night…" After a brief pause, I let out a sigh. "She whispered to me her gratitude. And she watched over me while I slept. She's not the monster the history books say she is."

Twilight asked with a very quiet tone of voice, "You sympathize with her, don't you?"

I nodded and spoke only one word. "Yeah…"

Celestia then spoke with a hint of anger in her voice, "Why did you not tell us?"

I bowed my head, knowing I was in trouble. "I feared for her safety… I was sure you would attack her in her weakened state."

After another moment of brief silence, Celestia sighed as she approached me. "James… Look at me."

I raised my face until I was looking directly at her. She then spoke softly, "Your heart is in the right place. I understand why you would not want to reveal her existence to us, but you must understand. Luna is the true Princess of the Night. Nightmare Moon is an abomination that should not even exist. Even if she has indeed changed like you said, the fact that she is forcing the night to stay shows that her goals and motives remain the same as before. She is a threat to Equestria. She must be stopped."

I felt a great deal of shame at those words. I looked away. "Sorry… I just… I thought for sure she had changed…"

Luna then came forward before she stood up on her hind legs and embraced me. "Do not fault yourself. You have a big heart. And others may take advantage of it."

I placed my hand on Luna's back and sighed in some relief. "Thanks, Luna…"

Twilight then asked, "Wait… Just how does Nightmare Moon still exist separately from Princess Luna? I thought Princess Luna IS Nightmare Moon!

Luna and Celestia glanced at each other for a moment before Celestia began to speak. "That is difficult to explain, but I have a theory. Perhaps… Perhaps when the Elements of Harmony were used on Luna, they only purged her of the dark forces that corrupted her. Over time, maybe the existence retained Nightmare Moon's mind and desires, becoming a separate entity. Of course, this is just a guess. I really can't say for certain."

I bowed my head while averting my eyes. "She seemed to know exactly who she is when I met her. I don't think that guess is too far from the truth."

Celestia then faced my six friends. "Well then, if we are to deal with Nightmare Moon, the Elements of Harmony will be needed. Come with me."

Not expecting those words, I turned to face Celestia. "Wait… You actually have them?"

Luna smiled as she let go of me. "The Elements of Harmony take on the form of gemstones when they have materialized. They are contained within Canterlot Tower when not in use."

Twilight smiled at her mentor reassuringly. "Don't worry, Princess Celestia. We handled Nightmare Moon once before, so I know we can do it again."

I said nothing for about five seconds before those words clicked with me. "Wait… We? You girls? YOU defeated Nightmare Moon?!"

This small outburst prompted a chuckle from Applejack. "What? We never told ya that?"

I twitched before outstretching my arms to my sides and exclaiming, "No! Not once! You never told me you are national heroes! And I'm taking it the Elements of Harmony can only be used by you six as well?"

Fluttershy blushed as she sheepishly smiled. "Uh… Yes. There are six Elements, so each of us…"

I facepalmed, feeling both baffled and frustrated. "Can't believe I went this long without knowing this…"

Rarity smiled with a slight hint of nervous guilt on her face. "Don't feel too frustrated, James. We just never told you. It's not like we use them frequently, after all. They've only been used twice so far."

Luna then spoke up to get our attention. "I do not wish to interrupt, but we must be going. Please stay with us." We all decided to hold off on the discussion for the time being and followed the royal sisters through the palace.

We soon came to a long corridor that seemed more like a hall. Lining the sides were many large arched windows, alternating between normal windows and stained-glass windows with tall stone pillars between each one. I recognized one stained-glass window. It clearly depicted my six closest friends at the bottom rearing while what seemed to be beams of pinkish energy were coming from them and was engulfing an obvious depiction of Nightmare Moon in a sphere of it. It was probably illustrating Nightmare Moon's first defeat at their hands….. I mean hooves.

Before I could follow the eight ponies further, my eyes noticed several other windows depicting….. What in the world was I looking at?

It depicted a strange creature the likes of which I had not yet seen in Equestria. It had a long slender light brown body, but its tail seemed to be a shade of red and had scales. The head resembled that of a goat, but its wings and… What was with this creature? The arms do not match, the legs do not match, and even the wings do not match! Even the two horns on its head did not match each other. It was like looking at some sick mad scientist's attempt at making an Equestrian version of the Frankenstein monster. A living mess of patchwork. As I examined it further, I muttered, "A chimera…"

My eyes trailed downwards, finding what seemed to be a few puppeteer strings hanging below the creature connecting to three ponies. Each was one of the three main types, earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn. Each seemed to be very distraught. But I felt a slight chill as I saw what were clearly flames rising up around them. I could almost hear screams and pleading for mercy in my mind, wondering just what kind of dark past Equestria could possibly have. The world has always been a borderline paradise in my eyes. But what could have possibly occurred in the past that could have prompted the creation of this scene?

One other detail I noticed was that while the ponies were rounded and balanced in design, the chimera at the top had rough edges and was very jagged. As I gazed at the chimera, I felt a subtle hint of dread in my soul. What could that contrast in design possibly represent?

"James, are ya coming?!" I heard Rainbow Dash call from down the hall. I glanced back at the window one more time before running down the hall to catch up with my friends.

Aside from the windows, the hall was very elegantly designed and decorated. In all honesty, trying to describe every aspect of it will probably take up several pages. I will try to keep it brief to avoid boring the reader and to save me some ink. The floor was two shades of gray set in tiles while a wide red carpet led from the doorway down to the end of the hall with flowering ivy designs at the edges. There were intricate symbols woven into the carpet every several steps, but I have no knowledge of what they could have been. Higher up on the pillars were baskets of white flowers, some of them spilling over the sides. At the far end of the hall was a door of three colors with what seemed to be a yellow sun symbol in the center. There were six segments, three on each side. Two were magenta, two were a very dull purple, and the other two were a very faded purple. Six round orbs were lined up vertically on each side. To the sides of the door were two unicorn effigies with manes that appeared to be designed to appear to be caught in a windy gust. The doorway itself was a combination of yellow and golden orange with an artistic alicorn design set above it that was very similar to the illustrations of Celestia and Luna I had seen in storybooks. Lastly, at the sides of the doorway were three crystals on each side. They were lined vertically, the top being a red triangle, the one below being a light green diamond, and the bottom being a purple octagon. From where I was standing, it looked like a fancy elevator.

There is a lot more detail to mention about this area, but it is somewhat overwhelming. I swear, some parts of Canterlot have so much color and artistic detail; they can trigger a sensory overload! I am stopping here with the detail. Use your imagination for the rest.

As we stood before the 'elevator', Celestia stepped forward. "This is where the Elements of Harmony are kept when not in use." I could tell she was speaking to me. She then inserted her long horn into a small circular hole in the middle of the sun design. Her horn was then engulfed with a light blue aura, indicating that she was using a very specific type of magic since her horn's natural aura color is a golden yellow.

The same light blue color shone outward from the sun, the very edges of it being illuminated by the glow. It then creeped out along the lines where the colors on the door changed. The six aforementioned circular orbs on the door then lit up with the same color one by one. The door then began to open as the glow shone so bright I had to look away. When the glow had died down enough for me to look again, I saw it. Resting on a stone pedestal behind the door was an azure chest with gold linings. The front was studded with several differently colored gemstones, the most prominent being two diamond-shaped stones of red and green. Rarity spoke up while gazing in delight. "Ooh, I just hope the contents of such a box are as dazzling as their container."

Rainbow Dash then asked, "Didn't you say something like that last time?"

Before they could discuss it further, Celestia used her magic to levitate the chest out of the chamber and held it before us. The chest's overall size was just slightly bigger than Celestia's head. Luna then spoke with a fairly stern expression, "I can guarantee that the Elements are inside." The chest's lid then flipped open, revealing its contents.

"One two three four five… Yep! That's all six!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed after quickly counting them. Luna then used her magic to levitate the contents out of the box. I looked on, fairly impressed that I was now beholding the most treasured artifacts in Equestria's long history.

After a few seconds of observation, I asked, "Um… Are they all the same, only with different shapes and colors?" Five of the Elements were set in gold necklaces while one that bore the same color and shape as the six-armed star of Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark was set atop a gold tiara. Each of them seemed to be cut and polished gemstones of varying color.

Luna promptly replied, "Not quite. Each of the Elements of Harmony have different properties." She then began to levitate the Elements toward each of my friends in a set order.

"To Applejack, the Element of Honesty." Luna spoke as she placed the Element's necklace around the farm pony's neck. The Element was in the shape of an apple, the fruit being orange with two tiny leaves at the top being green.

"To Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter." Luna continued as she placed the next Element on my cheerful friend. It bore the form of one of the balloons that makes up her cutie mark, being a shade of light blue or cyan.

"To Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty." Luna said as she placed the next Element on Rainbow's neck. It bore a gemstone in the shape of a red lightning bolt. The rowdy pegasus mare seemed to be wearing it proudly since she was sticking out her chest as well.

"To Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness." Luna spoke as she placed the next Element on the neck of my girlfriend. The gemstone on it was the same shade of pink as Fluttershy's mane, being in the shape of a butterfly.

"To Rarity, the Element of Generosity." Luna went on as she placed the last remaining necklace on Rarity's neck. The gemstone was in the shape of a diamond while being a royal shade of purple.

"And lastly, the Element of Magic goes to Twilight Sparkle." Luna ended as she placed the lone tiara atop Twilight's head.

I glanced back and forth at my friends with my arms crossed. "Honesty, Laughter, Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, and Magic. They all suit you just right."

Pinkie Pie beamed at me with pride, "That's why we all have the Elements that are meant for us!"

Celestia then tapped her hoof against the floor. "We do not have time to walk down memory lane, my little ponies. We must hurry."

All my friends stood at attention before the two princesses. Luna then addressed each of them sternly. "It is unlikely that Nightmare Moon knows you are coming, but do not get complacent. She likely has some defenses prepared to counter you. Return home and prepare before you head out to stop her."

Twilight bowed before the princesses along with our other friends. "We won't let you down, your highness. We defeated Nightmare Moon before. We can do it again just as easily."

Fluttershy then looked at me and smiled. "James, would you like to come with us?"

Under any other circumstances, I would have said yes. However, I am no fool when it comes to knowing my physical capabilities. After a few seconds of weighing the situation, I sighed deeply. "I'd love to…but I'll only slow you girls down."

Applejack merely shook her head with a reassuring smirk. "Aw, don't be that way. Yer just bein' modest again."

I frowned before looking at them with the most deadpan serious gaze I could muster. "Listen to me. I'm not going to be any help to you. I don't have an Element of my own. I'm not even as strong as an earth pony. I can't use magic. And I can't fly. When all is said and done, I really don't think I'll be able to contribute anything. I'll be nothing short of…deadweight."

Rainbow Dash frowned with a look of disappointment in her eyes. "Well… You can still…" I could tell she was trying to find something to say that would counter my claim.

I decided to stop Rainbow Dash before she could even finish. "It's OK, Rainbow. Besides, you girls don't really even need me. You've handled Nightmare Moon before. You'll be fine on this mission."

Rarity gave me a solemn smile. "True… Do not fret, James. We shall return promptly and in one piece."

Celestia then spoke up with a gentle yet urgent tone. "That is enough talk, everypony. It is time that you depart. Take care out there. And remember, you are all in this together."

Luna, Celestia, and myself saw my six friends out of the palace. Before I could follow them, Celestia tapped me on my shoulder. "You may stay here until they return, if you wish."

I nodded with a halfhearted smile. "Thanks, Celestia." My gaze turned to my six friends as they left the palace, their forms fading into the night. But before they could leave my sight entirely, I noticed Fluttershy look back at me over her shoulder. Our eyes locked for about three seconds before she looked ahead, following the others.

I spent the next thirty minutes just pacing back and forth in the main hall where Celestia and Luna greeted the guests during the Grand Galloping Gala. I could not sit still. Even though I knew I would have been of no help to them, I could not help worrying for the safety of my friends. Would they be all right this time around? Were there any traps waiting for them?

But more than anything, I was fearful for Nightmare Moon's safety. The last time the Elements of Harmony were used on her, she was driven from Luna's body. What would happen if they were used on her again without a host body to protect her? I felt a slight pain in my heart; almost able to feel the pain I could see her in. I cannot imagine the Elements of Harmony being a force of destruction, but still…

"James, what is troubling you?" I heard Luna speak behind me. I turned and found her standing beside Celestia.

I would likely be scolded if I told them that my thoughts revolved around Nightmare Moon, so I instead mentioned the other worry on my mind. "It's just… I'm worried about them."

Celestia smiled calmly in a clear attempt to reassure me. "You do not need to fear for their safety. They have overcome significant challenges before. They will be fine."

Even though I am sure Celestia knew what she was talking about, I could not shake this feeling of dread from my gut. I have learned in the past that if I do not follow my gut instinct, I will regret it. "I know, but… Something doesn't feel right. I can't shake this feeling that something will go wrong." I then asked, "Celestia. Luna. If there is anything I can do to help them, anything at all, I want to know what it is."

The two sisters looked at each other, as if having a silent conversation. I waited, wondering what they were thinking about. Celestia soon nodded and turned her eyes back to me. "There is a way. But be warned. In order for you to gain the means to help them, you must take up the sword."

I asked as I tried to decode the meaning of those words. "Uh… That's just a metaphor, isn't it?"

Luna chuckled at my puzzlement with her sister's words. "Not this time. She literally means you must take up the sword to protect them."

Intrigued by the concept, I decided to inquire more into what they had in mind. "I'm not sure what you mean, but I'm interested. What do I have to do?"

Celestia showed me a more serious gaze as she began to turn away. "Come with us. This is for your eyes only." I followed without a word, wondering what they had in store for me.

The royal sisters led me to the throne room, closing the great doors behind us. I glanced around, unsure of what it was they wanted me to see. "Ready, Luna?" Celestia asked as her horn was engulfed by a billowing golden yellow aura.

"I am." Luna replied, her horn being engulfed by a cobalt blue aura.

I watched in silence as they gazed at the throne. Suddenly, there was a rumbling as the throne and the raised platforms it sat upon began to…rise? It rose into the air, resting upon four sturdy stone pillars while lifting the red rug into the air with it. It stood almost as high as me when it stopped. Beneath the throne seemed to be an old stone stairwell leading downwards.

"How long has that been there?!" I asked, bewildered by this unexpected secret.

Luna glanced over her shoulder at me with a rather stern look. "Since the day this palace was constructed around a thousand years ago. The only ones left alive who know of it are Celestia and myself. And now you know of it too."

Celestia then motioned for me to approach them with her wing. "Follow us. The means to help your friends lies below." I nodded and followed the two sisters, very intrigued by what they were going to show me.

They closed the entrance behind us once we were all going down the stairwell. The only source of light afterwards was a gentle glow coming from Celestia's horn. The air was very musty, like that of a cellar that had not been opened in years. Only I suspect this secret passage had not been opened in centuries.

When we reached the bottom of the stairwell, we came out into a dark stone corridor. The design did not seem like that of the Canterlot palace. It felt more like a dungeon. Suddenly, numerous torches lining the walls ignited, bathing the area in soft light.

"This way." Luna said as she and Celestia led me down the corridor. There were no other ways in or out of it, so it probably was not a dungeon at all. But at the end of the corridor was nothing. Just a flat wall.

"Um… This is what you wanted me to see?" I asked, starting to think that this may be a joke of sorts.

Celestia smiled with a rather whimsical look in her eyes. "Wait for it." Her and Luna's horn were engulfed by billowing auras as the wall began to retract into the floor. Once it was lowered, I looked ahead and saw that another hidden chamber lied before us. And its contents intrigued me.

"That's…" I muttered as I walked past the two sisters. Hanging from the far wall above a stone alter was a large shield. Adorning its front was what seemed to be Luna's cutie mark. A white crescent moon rested in the center while surrounded by black and some dark sapphire blue. "A shield?"

Luna smiled while she nodded. "The Lunar Shield. As stalwart and enduring as the full moon."

I was quite enthralled by the shield's design as I took it down from the wall. It was large, probably better qualified as a great shield, but was not so large as to hinder movement. I could probably completely hide behind it while keeping myself low to the ground. However, I noticed what seemed to be a sword hilt sticking out of the top.

"Don't tell me this is…" I muttered as I grabbed the hilt and pulled. As expected, it withdrew from the shield easily. As I held it above me, I found that it was indeed a sword. About the same length as a broadsword or bastard sword, its crossguard looked exactly like the sun of Celestia's cutie mark. The blade was the purest shade of white I had ever seen and gave off a gentle glow like the sun at dawn while it and the hilt extended between two of the sun's wavy 'arms'. The overall length seemed to be that of a hand-and-a-half sword with the hilt being just long enough for both hands to grasp it if needed.

Celestia, most likely noting my great fascination with the weapon, spoke next. "The Celestial Sword. A sword that shines where the sun does not."

I held up the sword above me, thoroughly impressed by the design. I immediately deduced that Luna had crafted the shield while Celestia had forged the sword. I noticed that the sword's scabbard was on the backside of the shield, built right into it. What is more, there were two brass clasps on the back of the shield. Instead of having one strap to put one's arm through and a second to grasp with the hand, these clasps seemed designed to hold the shield in place while keeping the hand free. I was worried that the sword would be a bit too heavy to effectively wield with one hand for me, but my increase in strength from regularly helping out at Sweet Apple Acres put those fears to rest. I performed a few practice swings, finding the Celestial Sword to be easy to use.

"Aside from the sword giving off light, do these tools have any special properties?" I asked, wondering just how magical the sword and shield are.

Luna promptly replied, "The shield was designed to be a perfect defense. Absolutely nothing can penetrate it. And it was designed to be large enough to completely shield the wielder without being oversized."

Celestia then explained, "The Celestial Sword has an edge that will never dull. There are very few substances it cannot cut through. And as you can see, it generates light. The darker your surroundings, the brighter it shines. And do not worry about damaging it. The sword, like the shield, cannot be corroded in any way."

I looked back and forth at the shield and sword before asking, "But which is stronger? The sword? Or the shield?"

The two sisters looked at each other, clearly unsure if I was merely asking a simple question, or if I was implying that one of them may be weaker than the other. Celestia then shrugged her shoulders while cocking her head just slightly to one side. "I guess there's only one way to find out."

I nodded before placing the Lunar Shield on the altar while making certain it was facing up. I took the Celestial Sword in both hands to increase my striking power. I was worried I might end up damaging the blade, but I decided to have faith in Celestia's words. I performed my strongest overhead chop, slamming the blade into the shield. I staggered back from the recoil, a long clang ringing out through the air. I then looked the shield over carefully for any signs of damage.

"Not a scratch…" I said to no one in particular, impressed that the unbreakable Lunar Shield had stood up to the unstoppable Celestial Sword. I looked over my shoulder and smirked. "Looks like the night wins over the day." Luna smiled proudly while Celestia rolled her eyes with a frown on her face instead.

"Use them well, James. They are yours now." Luna spoke while smiling.

I turned to thank them, but then asked, "Wait… I'm supposed to go out there with these weapons, but no armor? What if something gets by the shield?"

Celestia smirked and pointed behind me. "Take a closer look at that altar."

I turned and looked down after returning the Celestial Sword to its scabbard and leaning the Lunar Shield against the altar. Hollowed out of the altar was a basin that seemed to be filled with a peculiar substance. It was a swirling combination of what I believe was a dark sapphire blue and pure white… Actually, not quite. The white seemed to have a barely noticeable pink tint to it. "Um… What's this?" I asked, puzzled of what this liquid substance could be.

Celestia again replied while apparently enjoying watching how confused I was, "That is your armor. Place your hand in it and watch."

I took a step back before looking at her. "Excuse me?"

Luna got a brief chuckle out of that. "It's a liquid metal. It responds to physical touch. Although you may want to remove your shoes first."

I looked back at the swirling liquid after sliding my shoes off. "Heavy metals? That's poisonous, isn't it?"

Celestia grinned in amusement before approaching me. "Perhaps a demonstration will put your fears at ease." She then stepped forward and placed her hoof in the basin.

"Are you sure that's… Huh?!" I stood aghast as the liquid began to creep up over Celestia's leg. Before it could reach past her leg, she removed it from the basin. Most of it remained in the basin, but the liquid that had covered Celestia's leg quickly solidified. She was now wearing an armored greave, the coloration being mostly the shade of blue with some of the white on her lower leg. Some gold accents were in a few spots as well.

"See? Perfectly safe." Celestia said with a smile. Her horn was covered by a golden yellow aura, as was the greave. It then liquefied and was levitated back into the basin. "And don't worry about other unicorns using that magic on you. It's a spell only members of our family know."

I looked back down at the basin, hoping that it would not be dangerous. "Yeah, it would be troublesome if my opponent found a way to melt my armor off. But are you sure this is safe?"

Luna nodded without hesitation. "This armor was made specifically for human use. It's safe."

Human use. Why was I not surprised? That sword is an inch or two bigger than the sword I used during my duel with Prince Blueballs…. I mean Prince Blueblood at the Grand Galloping Gala. If that trainee sword was a 'longsword' by pony standards, then this sword is gargantuan. Clearly made for human use. And the shield is almost as big around as a pony itself. And those clasps will never work with a pony's forelegs. But if humans no longer exist in Equestria, why were these tools forged for them?

I decided to withhold any questions I had until after I tried to see if the 'armor' would work on me. I placed my hand into the pool of liquid metal and waited. The liquid felt…odd. How do I describe it? It felt thicker than water, but thinner than syrup if that makes any sense. Sure enough, it began to creep over my arm. Despite feeling like a real liquid, it did not soak into my shirtsleeve at all. But it did not stop there. It crept over my torso and down my legs as well. Pretty much the only part of me it did not touch was my head. I soon asked, "Is it done yet?"

Luna and Celestia watched with faces that showed genuine wonder. A few seconds later, Luna's wings sprang open, forcing me to suppress a laugh. Celestia seemed to notice my change in my expression and asked, "Huh? What's so funny?" I could only point at Luna. When Celestia turned, she suddenly laughed, "Wingboner?! Hehahaha!"

At those words, Luna noticed her predicament and folded her wings with an annoyed expression as a blush spread across her face. "Who asked you? I know you are just as dazzled by that armor, Celestia."

Celestia coughed as she regained her composure. "Yes, yes… But in all honesty, that armor… Just… Wow. I never expected it to look this impressive."

I looked down at myself. This armor… Amazing. I was now wearing a suit of plate armor. The design was not exactly sleek, but not entirely bulky either, being amazingly balanced without hindering my movement. I will describe each component separately. My greaves seemed to have a golden tri-pointed design at the tips not that unlike the designs of Celestia and Luna's shoes. Hanging over the sides and nearly reaching down to my knees were two tassets that rested against the sides of my greaves. I felt a short flap of metal hanging behind me, obviously to protect my backside. Hanging from the front by a diamond-shaped golden component was a strip of white cloth that reached just past my knees, apparently functioning as a loin guard. The majority of it was the white coloration of the liquid metal while the outer edges was that shade of blue. I suppose metal can have a silk-like texture and flexibility if it is tempered just right. My cuirass, the armor that encompasses my entire torso, was mostly dark sapphire blue. However, in horizontal lines, strips of gold underlined certain spots on it. My gauntlets were blue from the elbows down, but white from the elbows up. However, on the backs of my forearms were long hexagonal plates that were clearly designed for defense. They were at least an inch thick. The coloration was white, but at the ends of the plates was curving gold accents. In the center of each plate were two small golden crescent moon shapes that seemed to be 'dancing' around each other. At least they brought to mind crescent moons. Lastly, my pauldrons. At the sides were three stubby white spines that curved upward. At the base of each spine was a gold ring. The dominant color was blue, but they also had curved gold designs on the areas closest to my neck. What was more, there were two small decorations. On my left pauldron in the center was a tiny light blue crescent moon with an equally blue dot in front of its gaping 'maw', probably a star. On my right pauldron in the same location was an orange-yellow four-pointed sun. Another thing about this armor is how well it fit me. There was hardly any rattle when I moved. It fit me like a glove.

Before I could say anything, I happened to notice something behind me. On my back were two large white wings. I am sure that every individual feather was a thin sheet of metal, but they actually looked like real feathers. I am not sure how, but I could…'feel' them, despite them not being directly connected to my body. They spread open, reaching very wide and fluttering lightly. But when I looked back at Celestia, I noticed she had her wings spread open too. As I glanced back and forth, I realized that my armor's wings are identical to hers, only larger. That was when it hit me. "This armor's colors… They're the same as your coats!"

The two sisters laughed before Luna replied, "Took you long enough! Yes, Celestia and I forged that armor together, so we made certain one could tell who crafted it. My color may take up the bulk of the armor when you wear it, but Celesia's color makes up those grand beautiful wings."

Realizing that I had my wings spread, I smirked as I spread them further. "You girls like my wingspan?"

Luna cast a whimsical smirk at Celestia. "I know somepony who does." Just before Celestia could reply, Luna added, "Wingboner."

Celestia, finally taking note of her spread wings, groaned loudly. "Ugh, I couldn't help it! You know those are involuntary!"

I laughed heartily at the two sisters. "You ponies are so easy to amuse!"

Celestia then cleared her throat. "Yes… But in all seriousness, that armor will give you the edge you need and will compensate for your weaknesses." When I looked down at the armor, she continued to explain. "The armor overall increases your stamina and endurance, allowing you to keep up with even the burliest earth pony. Your greaves give you the kicking strength of an earth pony as well. Your wings, naturally, grant you the abilities of a pegasus. And each of your gauntlets function like a unicorn's horn."

I looked myself over again. This armor grants me the unique characteristics of the three races of ponies in Equestria? As I pondered this, I spoke, "Long story short, when I'm wearing this armor, I'm a human alicorn."

Luna chuckled in slight amusement before speaking, "Well, we don't have the physical strength of earth ponies, but you get the idea." She then added, "What is more is that your armor is very durable, being stronger than tempered steel. However, it does have its limits. Those white plates on your forearms are much sturdier than the rest of it. You can use those to deflect or block most attacks that get past the shield."

I glanced at my forearms, understanding that my assumption of those thick metal plates serving a defensive role was correct. Celestia then spoke, "But your armor's most defining feature is its resistance to magic. Only the most powerful destructive forms of magic can even hope to damage it. So don't be afraid to be bold in the face of a magic assault." I nodded in silence, confirming that I understood the explanation.

As I looked myself over more, I asked, "You know… Judging by your reactions, you've never actually seen this armor being used before."

Luna nodded at once. "True. It never had the chance to be used. Not to mention it looks differently for every person who wears it. It all depends on their preferences."

I then asked, "Really? Then what is this design effective for?"

Celestia promptly replied, "Yours seems to be a balanced design, allowing for effective defense without sacrificing mobility. You always did seem like someone who has a thing for a balanced approach to things."

It was at that moment that I noticed there was something missing from my armor. "Um… Not to sound ungrateful, but doesn't a helmet come with this? I can't imagine a suit of plate armor being without a matching helm."

The two sisters seemed taken aback somewhat by my observation. "About that…" Luna muttered while averting her eyes.

Celestia then proceeded to explain. "The helmet is separate from the armor. It will only appear when the proper conditions are met."

That certainly puzzled me. "Hang on. What do you mean it's separate?"

Luna replied with a question of her own. "Did you notice how the Elements of Harmony are set in gold jewelry?" When I nodded, she continued, "Well, in the same way they are, the helmet of your armor also houses an Element that, like the Elements of Harmony, will not appear unless someone comes along who personifies it."

It actually took me a moment to fully process those words. "Hang on… There's a seventh Element of Harmony? Is there anyone else who knows this?"

Celestia shook her head. "We never once said it is an Element of Harmony. There are only six Elements of Harmony. Although, it is an Element that has a strong connection to them. Similar to how you have a strong connection to your friends."

I paused for a moment, trying to comprehend what I was being told. "And what is this Element?" I asked while looking on.

Luna replied with a very stern expression set into her face. "That is the problem. You will never find this Element mentioned in any of the history books. It vanished from this world forever the day the last of humanity died out. For you see, where the Elements of Harmony were crafted by ponies, this Element was crafted by the hands of our human allies."

It was Celestia who answered my unspoken question. "This Element is known only by what it is. The Lost Element."

An Element forged by humanity… A sign of goodwill? And what are its properties? The possibilities ate away at me. If humans crafted the Element, does that mean only humans can use it? Or can anything use it, so long as they have the necessary qualities?

"Lost Element… You think I qualify to use it?" I asked, wondering if this Element will even be useful.

Celestia shook her head as she replied, "Don't worry too much about it. I'm certain the Elements of Harmony alone will be enough to handle Nightmare Moon in the end." She then asked, "Even so, do you still insist on joining your friends?"

I nodded without even pondering my thoughts on the matter. "Yes, your highness. Even if I'm not needed, I would feel a lot better if I was there with them without slowing them down."

Luna smiled at me before pointing at the Lunar Shield behind me. "Then come with us. We wouldn't want you to go out there without knowing how to get the most out of your gear. But first, put your shield on."

I turned and placed the shield down on the altar with the backside facing up. I then placed my left forearm under the clasps and locked them in place. The fit was perfect, the Lunar Shield never shifting once on my forearm. "It's like the gauntlets are made just to fit with it."

When I lifted my arm, I found the shield to be very large. It spanned both of my shoulders, allowing me to completely take shelter behind it. Despite its size, I did not find it overly large. I could still move around easily.

"Come with us. It's time for you to become accustomed to your new abilities." Celestia spoke as she led Luna and me out of the hidden chamber. Once we were back in the throne room, the throne lowered back into place, leaving no trace that anything had happened

I soon found myself out in the courtyard like before at the Grand Galloping Gala. Only this time, there were no partygoers to get in my way. I looked around, finding that Luna and Celestia were nowhere to be seen. I drew the Celestial Sword from its scabbard, holding it in my right hand. I was expecting to be tutored in the art of swordplay since I am very lacking in actual experience. Knowing and studying various types of swordplay may increase one's knowledge, but it will not do one any good unless they have practiced it.

After a moment longer, I heard the clopping of hooves. I turned to see what seemed to be Shining Armor approaching me from the palace. Only unlike the last time I saw him, he was clad in what seemed to be saddle-like armor. Its color scheme was pale gold and a faded purple, only darker than Twilight's coat. On the front was an emblem that strongly resembled his shield-like cutie mark. I spoke up once he came close enough for me to make him out entirely. "Captain?"

Shining Armor froze as he caught sight of me. "Whoa man, is that you, James?! Dang, where'd you get that equipment?! That armor looks like it could endure a pride of manticores!"

I chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Nah, it's not THAT durable. But it is highly resistant to magic."

The unicorn stallion grinned at me. "Well, I assumed it was. I mean, that stuff covers more of you than my own armor does. And that shield! It looks just about as big as I am! How do you lug it around?!"

I glanced down at the Lunar Shield on my arm and replied, "Well, I'm sure it's a lot lighter than you are."

Armor nodded after a second longer of observation. "Yeah, and a lot thinner too. But anyway, you look amazing in that gear, James. You'll be wearing that when you go to help my sister, right?"

I nodded while I looked ahead at him. "If I don't, I'll just be deadweight. And what about you? You're here to train me, right?"

The captain shook his head, "No, I'm only here to supervise. Your real instructor will be here shortly."

I waited by Shining Armor, scanning my surroundings. I noticed Luna and Celestia watching us from above on the same balcony they used during my duel with Prince Blueballs…. Bah, I cannot help calling that wretched oaf that term. Please bear with me.

After a few more moments, Armor glanced over at the palace. "Ah, Estoc. Just the stallion I was hoping to see."

I turned to face the palace and noticed a royal guard approaching us. He was a unicorn and was clad in the same armor as all the others, from the golden galea helmet to the metal shoes. However, his coat was black and the normally teal star on his chest was white. Probably to denote his rank among the guards.

The approaching unicorn flashed a glance at me before turning his gaze back towards his commanding officer. "Good afternoon, captain. Is this man my charge?"

Armor nodded while he extended a hoof in my direction. "Yes, you are to instruct him in swordplay. He's a bit unrefined, but he shows promise." I cracked a smile at Armor's praise. He then faced me and spoke, "James, I would like you to meet…"

I spoke up before he could finish, "Estoc. A rapier variant characterized by its long needlelike blade. The English version is known as the tuck."

The two unicorns gazed at me with surprised expressions. Estoc spoke first after a moment of minor stammering, "Yes, that's exactly what it is. You certainly know your swords."

I grinned while averting my eyes. "Well… I do consider myself something of a sword aficionado."

Shining Armor let out a short laugh before he could speak. "You two are gonna get along just fine, I know it! Anyway, Estoc here will be teaching you all you need to know about swordplay. He's my second-in-command and instructs all the new recruits."

He then made me kneel down so he could whisper into my ear. "Just between you and me, he's better with swords than I am. So you would do well to stick with him instead of me."

Considering that I had never seen Shining Armor carrying a weapon, I was naturally puzzled as to what his weapon of choice is. "If you don't use swords, what weapon do you specialize in?"

Armor smiled as he gave me an answer I really should have seen coming. "Spears. If you were using a spear or lance, I would be the better tutor. But you're not. So…"

I stood up while Armor turned back to face Estoc. "All right then, Estoc. I'm leaving him to you."

Estoc then gave Shining Armor a salute. "I will do what I can, captain. Nopony has ever walked away from my sessions without having learned something." Armor then walked over to the palace and watched us from the doorway. But before he went away, I handed him my glasses to make certain they would not fall off my head and get trampled during training.

Estoc turned his attention to me as I stood at attention. "Now then… James, is it?"

I nodded while replying briefly. "Yes, sir."

Estoc then continued, "I noticed during the Grand Galloping Gala that you do indeed have a penchant for swordplay. However, if I may be blunt, I must say that your style and overall skill was a bit…..lacking."

I was not surprised by Estoc's criticism. Having no experience in combat, I completely improvised during that duel. My instructor went on, "I have to say the only reason you bested the prince was out of sheer use of intimidation. You had him cowering before you with such a large sword being used in just one hand combined with your anger. What is more, he is not the most capable duelist in Canterlot. He believes that just because he knows the basics of swordplay means that he is an able duelist. But that only applies to duels with the meek and uneducated."

My disgust with Blueblood was only increased by that explanation. From what I gathered, the only reason Blueblood had challenged me was because he believed I knew nothing about swordplay. "He only fights those who don't know how to fight back?"

Estoc frowned with a look of contempt in his eyes. "Yes, the cowardly sod. I should know. I trained him, after all."

"Well, enough of that lout. You're going to train me, right?" I asked then asked while hoping we could change the subject.

Estoc nodded with a faint smile, "Yes, I will do my best to make certain you can use that sword effectively." I then noticed a sword in a scabbard strapped to the side of his armor. His horn was engulfed in a billowing gray aura, as was the sword's hilt. The sword was drawn from the scabbard and floated in front of Estoc. The sword in question was my instructor's namesake. An estoc. The blade was like a large needle, being a few inches shorter than the sword I used during my duel with Blueblood.

As I reached for my sword, Estoc spoke up, "Oh, wait. Don't use that sword. I heard about it from Lady Celestia. My blade won't hold if it clashes against yours."

Remembering Celestia's words on how few things can resist a slash from the Celestial Sword's blade, I then asked, "Then what do I use?" There was a thud next to me that may have come from the palace. I turned to my right and found what I believe was the same blunt 'longsword' I used during my duel with Blueblood.

"All yours, James!" I heard Shining Armor call out. I nodded and yanked the sword out of the ground, where it was standing straight up.

Estoc then gestured with his hoof. "All right then. Show me your best combat stance." I nodded, widening my stance while keeping my knees slightly bent. I had my shield raised with my left arm held parallel to my ribcage, but keeping it lowered just enough to peer over it. My sword was kept close to my side, ready to lash out at a moment's notice.

"Hmmm…" Estoc muttered as he began to circle me. I stood my ground since he did not seem to be acting aggressively. "Stance is good… Knees are bent… Completely concealed behind shield… You've got the battle stance down right."

I nodded while staying composed. "OK. So, what's next?"

Estoc retook his position in front of me. "First, I will attack you. Keep your shield up and be sure to be mindful of which direction I am coming from to keep your shield facing me at all times." I nodded and prepared myself.

The estoc's blade (that is the sword, not the pony) lunged forward, striking my shield hard. I felt the force of the blow, but held my ground. I watched from behind the shield as Estoc moved to my left quickly before striking again. I followed his movement, moving my arm to keep my shield facing him to block the blow. He then moved to my right and did the same, my shield always facing him. He then began to strike higher and lower than before, forcing me to raise my shield at points and turning my shield partially sideways to block lower blows more easily due to the Lunar Shield becoming narrower at the bottom.

"Hm… You're quite good on defense." Estoc said as he stood back.

This small praise coaxed a tiny smile from me. "Well, I'm not exactly aggressive most of the time."

Estoc smiled back at me before replying, "That's good. Reckless aggression weakens one's defenses. Now, it's your turn to attack me. Don't fear for my safety, I'm ready for you."

I nodded and tried lashing out with an overhead swing. Estoc held his blade laterally to catch it, a clank being heard as the two blades clashed. Despite having no physical support, the blade remained in the air despite the force of the blow.

"Now! Defense!" Estoc called out suddenly. I was caught off guard and resorted to bashing the incoming strike away with my sword arm.

"Sloppy. You should not react so desperately to defend against a sudden attack." Estoc spoke sternly as he relented.

I panted, still somewhat startled from the unexpected attack. "What do you mean?! I had to do something to block it!"

He nodded readily while once again taking a combat stance. "Yes, but you should use your shield arm instead. Let's try this again. Strike me."

Once I had regained my composure, I lashed out with another overhead swing. Immediately upon striking, Estoc pushed my blade away with his own blade. "Defense!" As instructed, I took a step back with my right foot while I threw up my shield, deflecting the incoming strike. "Good. Much better. Remember, if your attack fails, it is wisest to immediately go on the defensive."

I nodded promptly and asked, "OK. What's next?"

Estoc smiled as he held up his blade. "I will go entirely on the defensive. Do whatever you can to strike me. Don't worry, my armor will hold."

I felt a little uneasy about actually trying to hit my instructor, but I nodded and began to slowly circle the unicorn guard. I kept my shield up, concealing my weapon behind it. "Mmmm, that's a good strategy. Keep your opponent guessing by keeping your weapon out of sight." Estoc spoke while constantly facing me.

"Got it." I replied before suddenly lashing out with my sword. It was a horizontal strike aimed at his neck, yet he blocked easily by holding his sword's blade vertically.

"You'll have to be more inventive than that." Estoc said as he stood his ground. I frowned, analyzing his defenses. Overhead strikes can be blocked easily by holding one's weapon laterally while strikes from the sides can be blocked with a weapon being held vertically. I then had an idea. Thrust attacks are not easily blocked by blades due to how thin they are.

I lashed out with a thrust, expecting to strike him. Instead, my blade was parried by Estoc's blade. He waited for my sword to pass his before pushing it away. Aside from parrying, the only way to defend against a lunge attack is with a shield. "Try again." Estoc spoke calmly.

I had another idea, though definitely unrefined and unorthodox. I swung my blade down, Estoc's blade catching it again. Only this time, a second after the blades clashed, I lashed out with my right leg. My attack struck him in the side of the neck, a clank being heard as it hit the side of his helmet that was covering it. What shocked me was how far away he was sent rolling by that blow. What kind of strength do these armored greaves give me?!

"You OK?!" I called out as Estoc came to a stop around fifteen or twenty feet from me.

He staggered to his feet and shook his head, clearly not knowing what hit him. "Ugh… What was that?!"

I approached him cautiously, feeling like I had made a mistake. "I…uh…tried lashing out with a kick while your defenses were focused on something else. Was that a bad idea?"

Estoc looked at me, still a bit dazed. Rather than being angry, he chuckled. "Bad? That was brilliant! Maybe it's because we ponies can't do the same with our forelegs, but that's a brilliant follow-up to a botched attack. Especially with that kind of strength in your legs!"

I scratched my head while feeling mildly puzzled by his praise. "Really? It was the only thing I could think of to get by your defenses."

Estoc smiled before promptly replying, "In other words, a feint. And it worked. I think that will do for now though. We'll continue your combat training once you have finished the rest of your training." But as he sheathed his sword, Estoc added, "But before that, let me give you some advice."

I silently nodded and stood at attention. "Just remember, unless you plan to feint, make certain that you immediately go back onto the defensive when your attack fails. Another thing to be mindful of is to never overswing. There may be times when you are tempted to swing your weapon as hard as you can, like you did a few times during your duel at the Grand Galloping Gala, but you must resist that urge. If you try to strike your opponent with that much force and miss, you will be wide open to a counterattack. Never, and I really do mean it, NEVER overswing during battle. The only times you can ignore this rule is when your opponent is completely immobilized."

I took every word Estoc said to heart. But before he finished, he pointed at my head. "And one last thing. Be very mindful of your head until you acquire a helmet. As you are right now, your head is the most vulnerable part of your body."

I frowned as I rubbed my exposed head. "It's not my idea, if that's what you're wondering."

Estoc looked up at the balcony where Celestia and Luna were watching. "He's all yours now!" At those words, the two alicorns jumped from the balcony and slowly descended with their wings spread. They then folded their wings upon landing before us.

Luna immediately smiled at me. "You seemed to handle your swordplay training well, James. Are you ready for the next step?"

I turned to her and nodded. "Yeah. What's next? Obstacle course? Magic training?"

Celestia smiled while spreading one wing. "Next, you must learn how to fly."

This caught me by surprise. My head jerked up and glanced behind me. As if on cue, the wings of my armor spread right open. This got a snicker out of Celestia. "What's this? A wingboner?"

I felt myself blush at those words. "Shut up! I'm not even slightly turned on!" Celestia began to laugh, myself baffled as of why my wings had suddenly spread open.

Luna chuckled while she tried to speak. "It's not a wingboner every time, James. That's a reflex pegasi have. When surprised, their wings spread open like yours just did."

I glanced back at my wings as I somehow made them fold again. "So, my wings are partially connected to my emotions? And who's my flying instructor?"

Celestia looked skyward upon hearing those words. "I sent word to her a short while ago. She should be here any minute now."

I looked up as well. "She?" As if to answer my question, something passed under the moon. It went out of sight very quickly before swooping down close enough for me to see it. A pegasus clothed in a blue and yellow… Wait a second…

"Hey there, Princess Celestia! You called?" The pegasus called out while coming in for a landing. I recognized her fiery mane and tail right away. Spitfire of the Wonderbolts.

Celestia nodded as she replied, "I did. Seeing as how you are arguably the best flyer in Equestria, I felt you would be ideal to train someone how to fly." She then pointed in my direction.

Spitfire laughed at those words. "Training to fly?! What, does a fan of the Wonderbolts want to earn his wings by…" She stopped speaking upon looking at me, her mouth hanging open. She then raised her goggles, granting me a view of her eyes. "Whoa…"

I waved at her with my right hand. "Uh… Hey there, captain. Remember me?"

Spitfire nodded rather dumbly at first. "Uh huh… From the Gala, right? What's the name? James?" When I nodded, she smiled at me as she regained her composure. "Man… Awesome outfit. It puts the Wonderbolt uniform to shame. Ooh! Could you spread your wings for me?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Uh… OK?" I did as she asked, spreading the wings on my back as far as I could.

Spitfire whistled at the sight before her. "Nice wingspan. Soarin' would be jealous." She then trotted up to me. "So, you wanna earn your wings, huh? Well, you've got the #1 flyer in Equestria to help you on your way."

I smiled while feeling confident that I was in good hooves with Spitfire guiding me. "Thanks, captain. Where do we start?"

Spitfire spread her wings first. "First, you have to flap your wings straight down to propel yourself upward. Right after that, you need to pivot them slightly so you're not flapping them straight down and keeping it up in a steady rhythm. Lemme demonstrate." I watched closely as Spitfire flapped her wings straight down, launching herself up into the air a few feet before flapping them on a slightly different angle. "Just like that. Think you can match it?"

I nodded before glancing at my sides. "Let me see…" I spread my wings and raised them. Do not ask me how I was controlling them. They just moved the way I wanted them to. I then flapped them straight down, launching myself around five feet into the air.

The sudden ascension startled me, preventing me from even trying to flap my wings. "Woo! Hey! Whoa!" I yelped, falling right back down and somehow safely landing on my feet. "Sorry… Not used to this. Let me try again." Preparing myself for liftoff, I flapped my wings again. However, once I was airborne, I could not flap my wings on the right angle and fell flat on my back with a noisy clatter.

"Whoa! You OK, James?" Spitfire asked as she landed and came to my side.

I wheezed from the concussion of the impact. "Urgh… I'll never get used to that…" I sat up, not in any actual pain since the armor and wings shielded me from the brunt of the impact, but still feeling a bit dazed.

Celestia then came forward. "I think I can help with that." Her horn was engulfed in a golden yellow aura…..as was I. I was lifted off the ground and began to float upright.

"Huh? What're you doing?" I asked, puzzled by what Celestia had in mind.

She replied while gazing at me, "I'll just hold you in place until you've figured out how to move your wings properly."

Spitfire then began to hover next to me. "I'll watch to make sure you're doing it right. Now, start flapping!"

I did as I was told, flapping my wings in a steady rhythm. "Tilt them back just a bit." Spitfire said while closely observing where my wings connected to my armor. I nodded and adjusted my wings' angle. "A little faster. You'll just drop at that speed." I sped up the rhythm of my flapping, generating a noticeable gust in the process. However, I ended up slapping her in the face with my wing.

"Oof! Never been hit with so many feathers in my life!" Spitfire yelped as she reeled from the hit. But she just laughed it off. A few seconds later, she faced Celestia. "OK, your highness. Let him go."

The aura that surrounded me vanished, leaving me hovering off the ground using nothing more than my own wings. It felt very…invigorating to find myself being held aloft without any motors or vehicles. It was all my doing.

I grinned while beholding myself achieving the miracle of self-sustained flight. "I'm actually flying!"

Spitfire chuckled at my awe, "Nah, you're just hovering. Once you've gotten accustomed to controlling your aerial movements, we'll take you up to the next level."

I will not bore you with the details, but Spitfire continued to educate me, teaching me how to adjust my direction and how to even fly backwards while still facing forward. All in all, it was a huge boost to my confidence.

"Looking good, James! Ready to catch some air?" Spitfire asked once I had landed.

Seeing as how I had already come to understand how to fly on my own, I was a bit puzzled by her words. "Haven't I learned enough? I can fly now."

Spitfire showed me that really warm smile I came to know her for. "Like I said, all you were doing was hovering. If you wanna get the most outta those wings, you need to SOAR. In the SKY. Miles above the ground in ultimate freedom!"

I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. "Uh… Way up there?"

Spitfire showed a rather smug smirk. "What's the matter? Afraid of heights?"

I averted my eyes as I replied, "No, I don't fear heights. I don't even fear flying. What I AM afraid of is…..falling."

Spitfire stared at me before suppressing a laugh. "I know exactly where you're coming from. The first time you go into a dive is always something of a gut wrencher. But don't worry. I'll help you through it until it feels second nature to you. But if you really want to, we can let you stay grounded."

I looked back at my wings. If I was going to help my friends, and myself, I was going to need to learn how to get the most out of my gear. Although I was nervous, I knew what I had to do. "I'm ready, captain."

That warm and friendly pegasus mare nodded with a smile. "That's what I wanna hear. But before we start…" She then tossed me what seemed to be a pair of goggles that looked just like hers. "Put those on. Wouldn't want any dust to get in your eyes while diving at that speed."

"OK. Thanks." I replied before pulling the goggles over my head. But when I pulled them down over my eyes, I noticed that everything seemed more crisp and clear. As if I had just put my glasses back on. "Do these goggles have corrective lenses?"

Spitfire gave me a friendly wink. "Yup. Princess Celestia requested them, so I went and got you some. You ready?"

This got a big smile out of me. "Thanks! Yeah, lead on." Spitfire then went airborne and started to fly towards the top of the palace. I too went airborne and followed her, impressed by just how quickly I was ascending.

The higher I went, the more nervous I became. By the time I had reached Spitfire's location high above the palace, I was almost as giddy as a schoolgirl. "Oh jeez, oh man, I don't wanna fall…"

Spitfire waved at me as she hovered in place. "Hey there, James! Nice view, huh?"

I felt a tiny bit of my nervousness fade as I beheld my surroundings, the vast moonlit landscape surrounding us. The feel of freedom when you are floating high above the ground without anything supporting you aside from your own body… Simply indescribable. "Awesome view… So this is the freedom that comes with being a pegasus."

The captain of the Wonderbolts grinned at me. "Couldn't have said it better myself. You ready for the next step?"

I felt myself shudder before I could even reply. "Let's just get this over with…"

Spitfire nodded before she flexed her shoulders. "All right, I'll go first. Just watch." She then went into a sudden dive, going straight down while also moving away from the palace. After about eight seconds, she pulled out of the dive and flew right back up to me. "See? Nothing to it! Just lean forward and angle your wings down."

I tried to do the same, but my fear kept holding me back. Spitfire seemed to notice as she patted me on the shoulder… I mean pauldron. "Easy there. If something goes wrong, I'll catch you."

"Thanks, captain…" I replied before holding my breath. I finally managed to lean forward and went into a dive. I felt a terrible pulling on my stomach as I fell, my fear once again returning. I even began to flail about. "No! Help! I don't wanna do this!"

At those words, Spitfire swooped down and grabbed me, pulling me back up to my starting location. She got a good laugh out of my spazzing. "What're you doing?! You're gonna pancake yourself into the pavement if you just flail like that! If you have doubts, just hold your wings out to the sides to break out into a glide until you get your bearings. Or just hold them out straight and fan your feathers to slow your descent. I'm pretty sure wings as big as those would make for a good parachute." She then seemed to eye my shield. "Come to think of it, that shield might be useful as an airbrake. Just be careful with how it's positioned when diving. It might throw you off."

I glanced at the Lunar Shield on my left arm, taking note of its size. "OK… Just let me calm down and I'll try again."

I am not even sure how many times I attempted to dive. Probably around several dozen. But in time, I finally got used to it. I was performing dives, loops, even barrel and aileron rolls. I wonder if my wings can deflect laser fire when doing those?

After I was finally used to flight, Spitfire and I did one lap around the mountain. "Come on, James! Try to keep up!" Spitfire called to me as I followed her. I tried to keep the Lunar Shield held as flat as possible to minimize drag. I was impressed by the speed I could reach, the wind blowing through my hair with such force. And all the while, I was smiling. Such freedom!

After one full lap, Spitfire flew back down into the courtyard where the royal sisters, Shining Armor, and Estoc were waiting. Instead of flying though, I decided to just slowly descend. I righted myself before spreading my wings wide, my descent being slow and quiet. I landed fairly lightly before my friends and instructors before closing my wings. "Woo! Can we go again?"

My mentor let out a laugh at my increase in enthusiasm. "I knew you'd love it! I say you've passed."

Estoc then stepped forward. "Next, you must get used to your overall physical abilities."

I looked down at my greaves; all but certain he was referring to the enhanced strength of my legs. "You mean my earth pony enhancements?"

The unicorn guard nodded. "Exactly. We're just going to run a lap through the royal garden. Ready?"

I was baffled by how a simple run through the garden could be considered training. Regardless, I nodded and followed Estoc a bit further away from the palace itself.

"All right then. Ready?" Estoc asked while I stood beside him. I bent my knees as I prepared to sprint. "Let's begin!" He suddenly broke into a run. I did the same and chased him into the garden.

Right away, I noticed there was something different about me. Just how fast was I running?! My gait must have been around forty miles per hour. Do my greaves grant me the running speed of an earth pony as well?

"Don't fall behind, James!" Estoc called back to me. I paid close attention to him, watching and following his every move. Whenever we jumped an obstacle, like bushes, I noticed that I could jump quite a bit higher than I normally can.

As we ran, I noticed something else. I was hardly breaking a sweat. My heart rate had gone up, but I was not feeling even remotely tired. Does the armor give me the physical endurance and stamina of an earth pony as well? "Maybe this is how Big Macintosh feels…" I muttered under my breath.

Our jog lasted only around two minutes before we burst out of the garden and stopped in front of Celestia and Luna. Estoc looked back at me and smiled. "You certainly handled that well."

I nodded while giving one leg a shake to loosen it up. "I think that was the easiest and most straightforward exercise yet."

Estoc then pointed to what seemed to be a wooden beam sticking up out of the ground that was about as big around as his torso. "Your speed and stamina is great. Now, test your strength on that."

I approached the beam and examined it. It seemed very sturdy. "What am I supposed to do with it?" I asked, looking over at Estoc.

"Kick it, of course!" He replied with a flummoxed glare. I then understood this was to test how much stronger my legs had become since donning my armor.

I stood before the beam and braced myself. After checking my balance, I raised my right leg and slammed my foot into the beam. The result shocked me. My foot smashed right through the beam, splinters flying everywhere. I winced at the thought of what kind of damage this could do if I kicked someone in the same manner.

"Hm… That's definitely earth pony strength, all right." I heard Shining Armor speak from the sidelines.

I scratched my head with a nervous grin on my face. "I really don't know my own strength."

Luna then stepped forward, clearly pleased with my progress. "You've done well so far. I will be instructing you on the last subject, if that is all right with you."

The offer of being tutored by the Princess of the Night got me fairly excited. "You? Really? Sweet. What's the last subject to cover, Luna?"

The my dear royal friend smiled before replying, "Magic. Your gauntlets function like a unicorn's horn. Once you've finished that, you will be ready."

I looked down at my right hand. I have no idea how unicorn magic is even used. She then continued, "We don't have that much time to teach you much, so we will have to settle for the basics. The levitation spell will suffice for now."

I have seen virtually every unicorn I have ever met use the levitation spell at some point, so it is more than likely the easiest spell to use. Perfect for a beginner like me. Estoc placed a few spears up in the courtyard before leaving them to us.

Luna glanced up at me. "Now, the key to using magic is mental focus. Since your gauntlets bestow upon you alicorn level magic potential, you should have an easier time than most unicorns."

I then asked while glancing at my arm, "Why alicorn level magic potential?"

Celestia then came forward and explained, "Alicorns are extremely adept in the use of magic while humans are completely unable to use any form of magic on their own. Therefore, they would normally have a very difficult time learning any with even the strongest unicorn level magic potential." I nodded, understanding that having the magical capabilities of an alicorn would speed my training along. Time was of the essence, after all.

Luna lost her smile while she took several steps toward the row of spears. "I will demonstrate first." Her horn became engulfed in a cobalt blue aura, as did one of the spears. It then rose off the ground and began to move from side to side and up and down.

I looked down at my right gauntlet and tried to focus, yet nothing happened. Celestia then began to speak to me about….. Actually, I am still not entirely certain of what she meant. The use of magic is an extremely complex subject with arcane origins and I still cannot wrap my head around it. I learn better from experience than words. Or both combined.

Do not ask me how I figured out how to use magic. I know how by now, but I just cannot explain it. My right gauntlet was engulfed in the same billowing aura as Celestia's horn. I tried extending my hand towards the other spear, but Luna spoke up. "You don't have to aim your hand at it like a puppeteer. Just focus and move it using your will."

I lowered my hand and focused as directed, but I was still extremely tempted to move my fingers as well. The spear was covered in the same aura as my gauntlet and rose into the air. I then tried making it swivel around in the air to great effect. "This isn't so hard after all." I said with a smile.

"Good. Now use your other gauntlet." Luna replied while pointing to the other spear. I am not sure how I could focus on multiple objects in two separate directions, but I managed somehow. The spear became engulfed in a cobalt aura too, just like that of…Luna's?

I spoke up while glancing at her, "Luna, I thought I was supposed to get that one."

The Princess of the Night chuckled at my confusion. "But you did. See?" Her horn was not covered in an aura of any sort, meaning she was not using magic. I then glanced down at my left gauntlet, finding it coated in the same blue aura as my friend's horn.

"Huh?! Hang on!" I barked, breaking my focus and letting the spears fall to the ground. I focused enough to make the auras flare up again, my left gauntlet surrounded by blue while my right was surrounded by golden yellow. "Why are they the same colors as yours?"

Celestia looked at me and explained, "Because they both have the same polarities of my and Luna's unique magic abilities. For example, your right gauntlet can use magic that only I can use and vice versa. We could teach you some of them, but that will have to wait for another day."

I looked down at my hands. Granting a human the power of not one, but two alicorns? Let alone the most powerful alicorns in the world? That would require a grave amount of risk. How could they trust me so easily?

"Your highness… This is an awful lot of power to give to someone. Aren't you worried I might misuse it?" I asked, wondering if there was some sort of catch to this.

Luna smiled wholeheartedly at me without a hint of doubt in her eyes. "True. If this armor ended up in the wrong hands, it could very easily be used for terrible evil deeds."

Her sister then added, "But we've been watching you for the last eight months, James. You're not an enemy of Equestria. We know we can trust you. You are not someone who would willingly turn his back on his friends."

I sighed while taking in their words. "Thank you…I'll try to not depend on this stuff too much."

Estoc then stepped forward. "All right then, James. Now that you have become accustomed with your equipment, it's time to see how well you do when you put them all together."

Everyone other than Estoc and myself backed away to give the two of us some room. "Heads up!" I heard Shining Armor call. I noticed him toss the same blunt training sword as before at me. Only this time, I caught it in midair with magic and retracted it to me so I could grab it.

"Nice catch. You're getting better at using that levitation spell." Estoc said as he drew his sword.

"Well, I did learn from the best." I replied with a smile as I held up my shield.

Estoc nodded as he levitated his sword in front of his head. "Indeed. Now, just come at me with everything you've learned. Use swordplay, flight, strength, and magic together and don't let up until I say."

I nodded readily. "OK… Are you sure I should go all out?" I certainly did not want to harm anyone.

"As I said earlier, do not fear for my safety. I am well versed in the ways of self-defense. You'll have to work hard to actually do me harm." Estoc replied without any hint of concern in his tone. He then held his sword laterally for defense. "Come at me when ready."

I decided to start on the offensive. While holding my shield out in front of me, I charged Estoc at full speed. I was actually somewhat unprepared with just how quickly I closed the gap between us. I would have run right into him if he had not jumped back.

"What're you doing?!" He shouted, clearly just as surprised as I was.

"Sorry!" I replied, jumping back to give me some room. "Not used to my own speed."

I took a defensive stance with my shield up, watching Estoc from over the top. After counting to five in my head, I lashed out with a sudden thrust with my sword. He must have read me like a book since he parried my attack before lashing out with a thrust of his own. My legs were still bent forward, so I made my wings flap hard, pulling myself away from him before landing gently on my feet.

"What is this? A hit and run tactic?!" Estoc shouted, probably expecting me to block his attack with my shield instead of retreating out of range.

As I began to develop a better feel for my capabilities, I began to feel more sure of myself. A smile spread across my face, my legs gyrating as a song worthy of a battle played in my head.

"Heh… You must be confident if you're starting to dance." Estoc spoke, likely noticing my subtle side-to-side movements.

I replied while trying to not snicker, "Maybe… Right now, things just got a lot more fun."

I considered quickly leaping about with the use of my wings to try to disorient or frustrate Estoc, but decided against it since he could not attack me from a distance without being separated from his weapon, so the effect would be lost on him. His weapon, being an estoc, could only be effectively used to perform stabbing attacks. I would have to get in close to attack, and the only way to effectively defend against his attacks would be to use my shield.

I charged at him, this time more aware of my speed. As I slid to a stop, I kept my shield up until I came to a complete stop. Estoc remained where he stood in silence, probably waiting for me to make the first blow. At that moment, a thought came to me. How did that saying go? A good offense is the best defense? Well, what about the reverse?

I inched slightly closer to Estoc, who seemed to be standing ready with his blade held sideways. Clearly awaiting a vertical slash, but he could probably change stances quickly to block a horizontal slash as well. But what I had in mind was not a slash at all.

I must have been starting to have a little too much fun, since I suddenly shouted, "Gotcha!" At that instant, I lashed out with my shield, barging it into his face to stun him before swinging it to my left, slapping him across the face. Before he could recover, I managed to score a quick two hit combo on his head before kicking him away with a blow to the side of his chest.

"Oof! Using the shield to make a small opening! Not bad, James!" Estoc shouted as he regained his footing. "Keep at it!"

This time, I kept a slightly greater distance from my instructor. It was unlikely that the same trick would work on him twice, even if stopping such a large battering object would likely prove difficult. But as I kept my shield up, my eyes fell upon my left gauntlet.

"Hmmmm…" I formulated a plan as my eyes fell upon my shield. As my gauntlet was engulfed by a billowing cobalt aura, I called out to Estoc. "Here ya go!" At that instant, the clasps holding my shield to my arm opened and I sent my shield hurtling towards the unicorn soldier.

"What the?!" Estoc shouted just before the shield slammed into his face with a very loud clank. He was sent flying a great deal back before crashing into a tree. "Guh! Hurling the shield as a battering weapon?! Unorthodox…..but brilliant!" As he dropped down onto his feet, Estoc shouted, "Where did you come up with such a move?!"

I smirked as I recalled my shield, the large object floating before me. "Let's just say it's from the one fighting style I've seen that interests me the most." I then launched it at him again. "Just like this next move!"

Estoc seemed to believe he could parry the incoming attack since he stood his ground with his blade held laterally. I smirked, knowing one cannot parry an object as large as a great shield. You must evade it. As expected, it barged right through his defenses, bashing him in the face. But I did not stop there. I guided the shield, slamming it into his head from several angles before dropping it down onto his head, sending Estoc face first into the ground.

As I called the Lunar Shield back to me and placed it on my forearm, I muttered to myself, "Dang… I guess this really is the Ultimate Shield, huh?" I then ran towards him with my sword in hand before leaping high into the air with a flap of my wings and began to drop down towards him with my sword pointed downward in a reverse grip.

Estoc staggered to his feet, his magic grip on his weapon being momentarily broken. "Where… What…" I heard him groan. I am sure those blows may have knocked his brain around a bit.

As I descended, I noticed that it would be possible that Estoc would see me coming and jump out of the way. I muttered as I recalled his advice, "Don't overswing… Don't overswing…" I broke out of my killing dive and resorted instead to just trying to stomp on him. At the last second, he looked up to see me coming before jumping out of the way. I did the same upon landing, flapping my wings once to get away from him in case he tried to counterattack.

"Sir? Did I go too far?" I asked, feeling a bit of guilt. I certainly was not trying to really hurt him.

Estoc shook his head to clear up his dizziness. "No… No, of course not! You surprise me, James. I mean, really! Using your shield as a magic-controlled projectile?! You can't defend easily against that!"

I scratched my head with a sheepish smile from his praise. "Well, the use of a shield as a weapon is known for inflicting guard cru… I mean, you can't really muscle your way through a shield that hard and large."

My mentor chuckled as he levitated his weapon beside him again. "Yes, I was a fool for trying. But this time, come at me with just your sword. There are times where your shield may end up being taken out of reach, forcing you to rely on just your weapon."

I did as I was told and cast my shield aside. "Now then, come at me!" Estoc shouted, his sword held ready.

"Like this?" I asked as I hurled my sword at him, my right gauntlet being engulfed by a golden yellow aura.

"What?! No! I meant… Darn it!" Estoc yelped as he jumped to the side to evade it. "Fight fair!" He shouted as I made the sword swing at him in midair. Truly a frustrating situation. How can you defeat an opponent that is just a sword floating in the air? Our audience found this to be a very entertaining moment, since they were all howling with laughter.

"OK, OK, I'll stop." I eventually called out as I called my sword back and took it in hand.

"Cheeky little… Let's see how you like it!" Estoc shouted as his estoc… You know, it is rather confusing to call a weapon by its name when its wielder has the exact same name. I will continue to refer to Estoc's weapon as a tuck, since it is effectively the same thing. Anyway, he hurled his tuck at me in the same way I hurled my sword, the tip pointing directly at me.

I smirked, knowing I pretty much had this duel in the bag. "Yoink!" I shouted, my left wing folding down over my front. The sword went right into it, getting stuck in the feathers in the process. I then reached out and grabbed the tuck, holding two swords in total. "Thank you, sir!"

Estoc seemed rather unsettled as I held both my and his weapons at the same time. "Oh jeez, this is getting good!" I heard Spitfire shout from the sidelines.

Estoc spoke up with a rather uneasy tone of voice. "Now…uh… James? You really shouldn't steal your opponent's weapon like that. It's…uh…against the rules of fair sport and all…"

I smirked as I felt a surge in my confidence. "Rules? There aren't any rules in war, soldier!" I then dashed towards him, holding my twin blades out to my sides. "Say uncle!"

Estoc yelped in response to my sudden approach. "Uncle?! Never… Ack! Get away from me!" He began to run away from me with a look of desperate terror on his face. When he came within range, I made a horizontal slash with my own sword, followed by a thrust from the tuck, and a downward slash from my own sword again. My attacks missed, but he still went scurrying away from me. Of course, he could not outrun me with my new speed. With the constant chasing with weapons raised, I swear it would have been very fitting for a saxophone to be playing a very specific song right about then. Our audience would not stop laughing, and I was having a blast with how much fun I was getting out of that training exercise.

Finally, I decided to end it. I hurled both swords ahead of myself, making them levitate with their tips angled at Estoc. He froze in his tracks as they floated before him. "Say uncle." I spoke smugly, ready to send the swords flying at him.

Instead of seeming frustrated, Estoc burst into hysterical laughter and fell on his side. "Uncle! Uncle! I give in! Bwahahaha!" He continued laughing while managing to force out words every now and then. "This duel… Too much! I've never seen anything so versatile and sporadic! You made a fool of me!"

I did my best to not join in the laughter myself. Estoc slowly climbed to his feet and smiled while dusting himself off. "Really… That style of yours is truly unique. Using both sword and shield as weapons… That will get you out of so many situations." But he then gave me a stern glare. "But remember, you are not invincible. Do not become complacent. No fighting style is without flaws."

I nodded as I handed Estoc's sword back to him. "I will. Someone once quoted where I'm from, 'Overconfidence is the greatest enemy'. I think he was right."

Estoc showed a calm smile. "Well, stick with what you've learned and you will be fine. You've done well tonight."

Spitfire then flew over to me and patted me on my back. "Gotta hand it to ya, James. You're one funny guy when you get in the mood."

Luna then stepped forward with a whimsical smirk spread across her lips. "Yes, quite. You certainly have a fine sense of humor. But in all honesty, I do believe you are ready to go help your friends."

Celestia too smiled while she drew near. "It took some time, but you really seem to be quite at home in that armor now. Use it wisely."

I then asked as it occurred to me just how much I had lost track of time, "Wait… How long has the training been going on?"

Shining Armor replied promptly, "I'd say a few hours by now."

I looked at the sky, forgetting that the night was not going to end. The moon was in the exact same position as before. "How do you know that?! It's like time is standing still!" I replied in some bewilderment. Everyone present merely chuckled.

Shining Armor then unexpectedly stepped forward. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to ask a favor of you before you head out, James."

I faced Twilight Sparkle's brother and nodded. "Yeah?"

He smiled while his eyes were focused on me. "I would like to test myself against you, if that's all right."

I took a step back. The captain of the guard himself? In all honesty, I truly felt like accepting his challenge would be a bad idea. The leaders of any combat organization are always the toughest of the bunch. "Um… No offense, but I think you'd be better off going up against someone with more experience. I'm pretty sure I don't even hold a candle to you."

Armor chuckled at my wariness. "Oh, I know! You're still pretty green. But at the same time…" His smile became more sincere as he spoke. "Your versatility. And how you use everything in your possession to your advantage. It intrigues me. I just want to make sure that you really are capable of protecting my sister out there."

I decided to at least humor him, feeling very certain that I would not last long against the captain of the guard. "OK. I'll face you."

Shining Armor grinned broadly in excitement. "Awesome! Just a moment." He ran back inside the palace, returning later with a rack of spears. He levitated one from the tray, the aura around it being the same shade of pink as his sister's magic aura. "OK, you ready?"

I flapped my wings a few times to get some distance between us while the rest of our audience went to the sidelines to avoid getting in the way. I held up my shield with my sword at my side once I recalled it to my hand. Armor grinned as he kept himself low to the ground and called out, "OK… Let's keep it clean. Now, come at me, bro!"

I was actually rather surprised by how fired up he was getting, but decided to go along with the duel. I charged at him while he did the same, my shield being held out in front of me while his spear stayed constantly pointing forward. When I drew close enough, he swung his spear low, probably in an attempt to trip me. Fortunately, my shield was just low enough to block the strike. I retaliated with a shield barge to his face followed by swinging my sword at his head. It only struck his horn, which disrupted his magic projection.

"Hey! Hands off the horn!" Armor shouted as he regained his composure. He turned and lashed out with a kick using both hind legs. He struck my shield with a great deal of force, probably enough to send me flying about five feet away. However, my legs' enhanced strength enabled me to endure the blow without being knocked off my feet before I sent my shield forward, slamming into Armor and sending him sprawling away before the shield returned to me.

"Huh… Tricky guy." Armor groaned as he climbed to his feet. "Frontal assaults don't work against you, James." I smirked, feeling fairly confident if even the captain of the guard could not get past my defenses without getting a shield to the face.

However, I noticed that Armor had turned his gaze towards the same weapon rack that once held his spear. I looked on, my eyebrows being raised, as at least nine more spears levitated off of the rack and floated over to Shining Armor. "Well, that's not exactly fair, is it?" I asked while wondering if he was only trying to intimidate me.

Shining Armor replied while looking more focused than before, "Oh, I don't like playing unfairly. But I'm pretty sure your crueler opponents wouldn't mind using tactics like this. You gotta stay on your toes in case they pull a fast one like this."

He was right. There will always be scoundrels who are not above using any means necessary to win. Then again, perhaps I should do the same. Should I try uprooting a tree with the levitation spell and hurl it at him? Nah, probably too extreme.

"OK, James! Stay sharp! And mind your head!" Armor called out to me as he sent all ten spears flying at me in a parabolic trajectory. I raised my shield over me to protect my head, the spears either falling around me or bouncing off my shield. I then took a closer look at one and found that they seemed to be just as blunt as my sword.

"Not bad, but don't drop your guard yet!" The captain then called out to me as he retrieved his spears and began to hurl them at me again one after the other. Rather than block, I tried to evade. I ran and jumped from side to side and backwards, using my wings to increase my speed and distance. It felt very exhilarating to be moving about so quickly. However, I soon found myself backed up against the white stone wall of the palace.

"Pretty good, James! You're not an easy one to touch with those kinds of moves! But it looks like you're cornered. Wanna call it quits?" Shining Armor asked as he pointed all of his spears at me.

I looked around, checking my surroundings. My gaze then looked up at the wall as an idea popped into my head. My left gauntlet was engulfed by a cobalt blue aura, as were my greaves. "Keep it coming, Armor!" I called out before running right up the wall of the palace without stopping.

"Whoa! We've got ourselves a wallrunner here!" I heard Spitfire call out. In truth, I was not doing it on my own. I was using the levitation spell on my boots to 'lift' them into the air so I could rise up the wall. It is tricky to describe.

My antics got a laugh out of the captain. "Nice! But keep your head down!" He then began to hurl his spears at me once again. I kept my shield raised over my head like an umbrella, the majority of the spears missing me and bouncing off of the wall. I had to keep running constantly for fear of gravity pulling me down if I came to a stop.

After a brief moment, I noticed that Shining Armor was running towards the wall, probably to judge the distance between the two of us more easily. It was then that I tried to get the drop on him. Literally. During a brief pause in his attacks, I came to a stop, bent my knees, and then catapulted myself away from the wall with wings spread as I went into a glide. Just after that, I threw my sword at Shining Armor while using my right gauntlet's magic to guide its course. I directed it at the ground just in front of him, hoping he would jump back. He took the bait, jumping backwards in surprise right as the sword was stabbed into the ground before him. But just before he could jump out of the way again, I dropped right down onto him feet first, slamming him into the ground.

"Whoof! Where'd that come from?!" Shining Armor wheezed as I stood atop him. I then drew the Celestial Sword from the Lunar Shield's scabbard and held the blade next to his face. I saw him look at the blade without moving his head. "Uh… Heheheh… Looks like you got me."

"You mean…" I replied, wondering if he really was cornered.

Armor smiled while trying to nod. "Yeah. You've got me pinned with a deadly weapon right next to my head. I've lost."

I stepped off of him, returning my sword to its scabbard. "Did I go too far, Armor?"

The captain of the guard shook himself off as he rose to his feet. "Too far? Not at all! All you did was knock the wind outta me."

I snickered for a second while turning my eyes towards the nearest tree in the garden. "In all honesty, I was considering hitting you with a tree."

Shining Armor let out a lot snort in response. "OK, now THAT would've been going too far!" The two of us laughed together. "Although to be completely fair… I wasn't entirely sure of how to approach you! I've never gone up against someone with your body type before. So I might've gone just a bit easy on you."

I was hardly surprised to hear that. But I then noticed one of his discarded spears. With the use of the levitation spell, I called it over to my grasp. Although the spearhead was completely blunt, I found that the shape was identical to those used by the royal guard. Although it was still a bit taller than Shining Armor himself, it was still one of the shortest spears I had ever laid eyes on. "Well, to be completely honest… A spear like this wouldn't be much use to you when going up against heavily armored opponents like me in the first place. And I don't just mean the blunt ones."

"Wait… Seriously? Spears wouldn't work well against armor like yours? I can't say I've ever had the chance to try them out against an armored opponent, but… You really think spears wouldn't work on your armor?" The captain seemed genuinely baffled by my observations. Not too surprising, considering that armored enemies are probably not a common threat to the royal guard.

After looking the spear over some more, I continued to explain. "Yeah. Spears are too light to be of much use against heavy armor. Nor are they the sturdiest. One good chop with a sword is usually enough to take the head off of the shaft. You'd normally need a big sturdy lance to do some damage since it would have more weight behind it. On top of that, the spear's greatest strength is its length. And these… Well, they're too short to be of much use against anything that isn't that much bigger than you are. I can only see something this short being used as a throwing weapon. You'd need a spear with a much longer shaft made of the toughest wood and maybe wrapped in a tough metal shell to make it harder to break."

Much to my surprise, Shining Armor took the spear from me with his own levitation spell and held it before himself. He seemed to be closely inspecting it. "Length and sturdiness… Hmm…"

"Captain! Are you well?!" Estoc called out as he ran towards us, snapping Shining Armor out of his trance.

"I'm fine, Estoc. If you don't mind, clean up these weapons and return them to the armory." Shining Armor replied while passing the spear in his magical grasp to Estoc.

"Yes sir. And well done, both of you." Estoc said with a nod as he levitated the weapons we had used off the ground and took them back inside the palace.

"So… You think I'm still too green for the job?" I asked, wondering if my skills in swordplay had improved enough.

Shining Armor smiled while glancing me over. "Well… You lack experience. But then again, who doesn't when they take up the sword for the first time?" He then looked at me with an expression of sincere trust. "Trust the skills you gained here tonight and you will go far with them. I know my sister is in good hooves with you by her side."

I think I may have blushed at that bit of praise. "Heh… Thanks, captain."

He replied with a calm smile, "Please, call me Armor. All of my friends do."

I nodded and shook his hoof while he held it up to me. "OK then…friend."

"There you go. If you ever stop by Canterlot again, feel free to say hi. I'll be around." The captain said with a grin while I released my grip on his hoof.

Spitfire then swooped over to us. "Sweet moves out there, James! I'll bet even Rainbow Dash would've been a bit jealous."

I merely shrugged my shoulders while lifting my hand. "Oh, I doubt I can compete with that daredevil."

Spitfire chuckled while seemingly trying to find a point to counter my claim with. "Don't be so hard on yourself! You can… Um… Actually, you have a point. That's girl's got mad skills in flying. Speaking of which, you're gonna rendezvous with her tonight, right?"

I nodded while glancing up at the night sky. "That's why I'm here. To make sure I don't weigh her down."

The Wonderbolt captain grinned at me with a look of pride. "Well, with those moves, there's no way you'll be a burden. Just stick with her and you'll do each other a lot of good."

As Luna and Celestia drew near, Spitfire turned to face them. "Thanks for inviting me over, yours highnesses. But I really need to get back to Cloudsdale. The Wonderbolts have to rehearse for our next performance."

Celestia smiled while slightly bowing to her. "I understand. Thank you for taking the time to train James."

Spitfire pulled her goggles down over her eyes and smiled. "It was a pleasure. See ya! Good luck out there, James!" We all waved as Spitfire took to the air and soared away from the palace at impressive speed. I honestly have to wonder if she is as fast as Rainbow Dash.

Luna then faced me and asked, "Are you ready?" I nodded in silence. The two sisters led me back into the palace. But on my way in, I looked back over my shoulder and saw Shining Armor still watching me. He gave me a salute without moving from his spot. I smiled and waved back at him before looking away and continuing to follow the royal sisters.

I was led to a balcony of the palace that faced west towards Ponyville. The skyline from that view was absolutely sublime. I actually felt completely at peace as I approached the edge. But behind me, Celestia asked, "James. Are you sure you want to do this?"

I looked back at the royal sisters. "Well… I would feel better if I was with them right now."

Luna nodded with a more serious expression than she had been showing before. "That is understandable. However, I can all but assure you that they will be fine on their own. They have stopped Nightmare Moon once before, so they can certainly do it again. And the Elements of Harmony have not yet met a fiend they cannot defeat."

After a few seconds of thinking up a response, I gave her a smile. "Even so, I just….. I really just want to be there to make sure nothing bad happens to them." That was only a half-truth. The real reason why I want to go with them is to make certain that they do not end up harming Nightmare Moon.

Celestia smiled softly at my words. "There is no shame in that. They are your friends, after all."

Luna then added, "Then go to them. And watch them on their quest."

I nodded before approaching Luna and embracing her. "Thank you for these gifts. I'll try to use them well."

The Princess of the Night smiled as she wrapped a foreleg around me, "I know you will, my friend."

I then walked to the balcony's edge and stepped up onto the railing. It was a very steep drop down the mountain, but it stuck so far out from the mountain that I did not need to fear being splattered onto the side on the way down. I looked back over my shoulder at the two sisters and waved with my right hand. "See ya!"

I adjusted my goggles to make certain they were securely worn around my head. I then spread my arms out to my sides, leaned forward, and fell headfirst off the balcony.

Under normal circumstances, I would have been frightened as I plummeted to the ground far below me. However, after receiving training from Spitfire, I was fully aware that I was in complete control of my aerial movement. I kept my wings folded to minimize drag and to increase my falling speed, plummeting towards the ground like a human torpedo.

Once I felt I was halfway down the mountain, I decided it was time to break out of my dive. I spread my wings and began to pull up. Due to my speed, it occurred very slowly. It took around ten seconds before I swooped over the land and was flying over the moonlit landscape just a few hundred feet off the ground.

Due to the speed I was moving at the time I broke out of my dive, I was moving very quickly through the air as I flew west. I looked down at the ground below me. It was then that a thought clicked in my head. "I'm actually flying on my own…" No airplanes, no parachutes, just a pair of wings on my back to carry me wherever I wanted.

"Woooooo!" I could not help shouting as I spread my arms for balance, just soaring through the air with frequent flaps of my wings to keep my speed up. However, after a moment, I noticed what seemed to be someone flying through the air up ahead of me. "Is that who I think it is?"

I increased my speed the best I could to catch up. As I drew closer, I noticed that the person was a light blue pegasus mare. Only one name popped up in my thoughts.

I flew above the pegasus and called out, "Hey, Rainbow Flash! Enjoying the night so far?!"

I clearly caught her by surprise since she looked left and right frantically before looking upwards. At first, she seemed shocked, but an excited smile appeared on her face in a few seconds. "Whoahoho! Check YOU out!"

I descended so I was flying right next to my brash pegasus friend. "Like what you see?"

Rainbow Dash nodded promptly. "You bet! Awesome wingspan! Where'd you get that gear?! I totally want some for myself!"

I laughed at her enthusiasm. Completely predictable response. "This was a gift from the princesses! It helps me pull my own weight with you girls!" I then asked, "Wait a second… Where are they anyway?! It's been a while since you left Canterlot, right?"

Rainbow nodded while pointing ahead. "We all went home to get ready for the trip through the Everfree Forest. I'm all set, so I'm on my way over to the forest's entrance to meet up with the girls."

"Sweet. Lead on, Rainbow." I replied before turning my attention to the direction I was flying.

As we flew along, my eyes kept trailing back to Rainbow Dash. Now that I was out here flying alongside her, I was viewing her in a completely different element than usual. The way she looks in flight while flying at such speed is not only dazzling, but also enthralling. Her form in flight is both bold, yet elegant. And in the glow of the moon, she even looks… I cannot believe I am going to use this term to describe Rainbow Dash, of all ponies. But from where I was at the time, she even looked beautiful.

I suspect she may have noticed my gaze since Rainbow Dash looked at me out of the corner of her eye and smirked. "What's up? Like what you see?"

I averted my eyes out of modesty. "Um… Sorry. It's just that you look amazingly awesome now that I'm flying alongside you."

This got a laugh out of her. "You bet I am! I mean, is there any doubt that I'm the most awesome flyer in Equestria?!"

I grinned while feeling more excited than I normally am. "Nope! No one can top your speed."

She then asked, "Well, you're doing a good job of keeping up with me! Who taught you how to fly?"

I decided to answer honestly. "Does the name 'Spitfire' sound familiar?"

Rainbow Dash's mouth dropped open. "Whoa! Seriously?! The captain of the Wonderbolts?! She trained you?!"

I nodded once more and explained, "Celestia requested that she do so. So I guess you can say I learned from the best."

Rainbow Dash…squeed? The sound when an excited fangirl sees something they really like and… Well, you probably know what I mean. Anyway, she then spoke with some serious gusto, "That's so awesome! I wish my first flight instructor was Spitfire!" Before I could retort, she then gave me a rather bold smirk. "If that's the case, I gotta test you! This way!"

I watched as Rainbow Dash suddenly flew straight up in the air. I stopped in place and followed her. When we were around half a mile off the ground, Rainbow Dash stopped and began to hover in place. "What's it feel like to be on top of the world, huh?" She asked with her arms crossed.

As I hovered next to her, I looked around. How do I even describe the feeling of being high above the ground, floating in place, while being able to see for miles? "I…uh…"

"Left ya speechless, huh? At least you've got more guts than Fluttershy." She replied with a smirk.

"Yeah… So, what did you want to do?" I asked while wondering why we were taking longer to get to where we were supposed to meet up with our friends.

"I wanna race ya! It'll speed things up too, so we'll get to the Everfree Forest faster." Rainbow Dash replied with her trademark smile, her eyes showing determination that is normally reserved for men.

"Rainbow, that's a joke, right? Just because I was trained by Spitfire doesn't mean I'm as fast as her. You'll fly circles around me!" I retorted, suspecting my friend was just trying to stoke her ego.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Nah! I just wanna have a good time with ya! No Sonic Rainbooms, I promise!"

I then frowned at her while not entirely believing her claim. "You better play fair too." I have heard some disquieting rumors that not only is Rainbow Dash obsessed with loyalty. She is also obsessed with winning and will do ANYTHING to secure victory in ANY kind of competition.

Rainbow seemed to know I was onto her and grinned sheepishly. "Uh… Yeah, no problem there."

I was not entirely convinced of her sincerity, so I decided to mess with her. "Just to let you know, if you get any ideas about cheating, I'll just have to put you in some…" I then leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "Cupcakes."

Rainbow Dash froze as her mane and tail stood up on end. "Hang on… What?"

I then spoke in a slightly louder and teasing tone, "Cupcakes."

Rainbow looked at me with an expression of pure terror that I was not exactly expecting. "You wouldn't dare!"

I finally raised my voice to near shouting, "Cupcakes!"

Rainbow suddenly whimpered pathetically, "No! Please! I get the point! I'll never cheat again! Oh man, the memories are coming back! I don't wanna remember that nightmare! Why did I need to have a cupcake binge that night?!" She curled up in the air, her wings still flapping to hold her aloft. If she had a thumb, she would probably be sucking on it at that moment.

I probably should have been laughing, but I actually felt bad to bring up such awful memories for Rainbow Dash. Even if said memories are only from a nightmare she had once. I hovered forward and embraced Rainbow Dash the best I could, her back against my chest while the Lunar Shield was draped over her. This prevented her from flapping her wings, but her light weight made it easy for me to hold onto her. "Hey, hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to reopen old wounds."

Rainbow Dash looked up at me with one of the most vulnerable expressions I had ever seen on her face. I actually feared something was wrong with her since she has always seemed tough and independent. She muttered quietly, "It… It's OK. I know it's wrong to cheat… It makes ponies hate you."

I nodded and spoke in a calm voice, "Yeah… It does. And it's much more satisfying to win fair and square."

Rainbow Dash rested her head against my armored chest while she spoke softly. "Yeah… It really is… I guess I just gotta learn some humility."

After a moment more, I asked, "You ready to fly now?"

She nodded while letting out a sigh. "Yeah, I'm OK now. Thanks for holding onto me." I then released my grip on Rainbow Dash, the pegasus falling a few feet before she began to keep herself airborne with her wings again.

"So… We doing this?" I asked as I stood ready to dive.

Rainbow Dash nodded while regaining that look of confidence in her eyes. "Yup! On the count of three… One, two, three!" At those words, I dove headfirst through the air, Rainbow Dash doing the same while staying to my right.

"Fast enough yet?!" She called out as our speed increased.

"No, but we're getting whoaf!" I was interrupted when I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks upon colliding with…..something.

"What the?! James, what happened?!" I heard Rainbow Dash call back to me before flying back up to me.

I pulled my head out of a cloud that I seemingly crashed into and began to hover in place. Was there something inside the cloud that was solid? I know pegasi are able to touch and move clouds, but I am not one of them. "I think there's something in this cloud that caught me. Hang on." I replied as I began to root around in the cloud.

I felt a noticeable amount of resistance as I moved through the cloud. Almost as if I was moving around a malleable feather cushion. When I found that there was nothing inside the cloud, I asked, "Wait… Is this cloud responding to my touch?"

Rainbow Dash looked over my shoulder as I pushed part of it aside. "Looks that way. What, does that armor give you the abilities of a pegasus?"

I snorted in mild amusement. "I guess they weren't kidding about this armor leveling the playing field. Although I have to wonder…" I grabbed a small chunk of the cloud and took a bite only to have the white puff break up entirely in the process. "Tastes like…..nothing."

Rainbow Dash chuckled at my bewilderment. "Yeah, I tried that once. I thought it might be white cotton candy. Nope! Just flavorless air."

I then stood on what was left of the cloud. "In other words, stay away from clouds. They act like air cushions."

Rainbow Dash stood right next to me and smiled. "Yeah, but if you're going fast enough, you'll just barrel right through them."

"I'll make a note of that. In any case, wanna take this from the top?" I asked while flexing my armor's wings.

"Sure! You go first. I'll be right behind ya." Rainbow Dash replied while she flexed her legs. I suspect she was giving me a head start, considering how much more aerodynamic her body is.

"OK. Just don't humor me too much." I replied before falling off the cloud, diving headfirst.

About five seconds after I began to fall, Rainbow Dash caught up to me. "OK, ready for the real thing?!" She asked while looking at me.

"I guess. I'm not expecting to win." I replied without much enthusiasm.

"Don't be a sore loser! You haven't lost yet!" She retorted while seemingly trying to goad me into exerting more effort.

I frowned, knowing full well that Rainbow Dash was going to win at this rate. And she knew it too. The two of us flew swiftly through the sky while heading west, although I was still trying to think of a means to overcome Rainbow's speed.

My mind trailed back to when I first left Canterlot, diving down the mountainside at absurd speeds… Perhaps that is what I need.

I suddenly changed trajectory, flying straight up into the sky. Rainbow Dash seemed to notice since she called out, "Hey! Where ya going?!" I noticed her stop and watch, clearly puzzled about what I was doing.

I continued to climb higher and higher, the clouds passing me by. I am not certain how high off the ground I was by the time Rainbow Dash caught up to me, but I suspect it was around half a mile. I flapped my wings steadily while facing upward, almost as if doing an aerial backstroke. Rainbow Dash hovered right above me while looking down at me. "What's the matter?"

I smiled before lightly touching the tip of her muzzle. "It was fun, Rainbow." I then folded my wings, falling backwards with my shield draped across my torso to minimize drag. My speed rapidly increased while I squinted my eyes almost completely shut.

Rainbow Dash managed to catch up to me and pleaded, "James, snap outta it! Come on, don't throw in the towel just because you can't win!" She clearly thought that I had become suicidal. She could not see through my goggles due to the low lighting, so I may have even seemed unconscious.

We plummeted, Rainbow constantly trying to get me to 'wake up'. By the time I was less than five hundred feet off the ground, I decided to put my plan in motion. I suddenly spread open my wings, pushing Rainbow Dash away.

"What the?!" She shouted as she tumbled away from me. I pulled up, righting myself until I was soaring west again, my speed still at very high levels. As long as I maintained a proper glide, I could probably stay ahead of Rainbow Dash without my speed dropping too much. I might even be able to stay ahead of her long enough to reach our destination first.

I cleared Ponyville's rooftops in less than thirty seconds, most of the buildings' windows still illuminated by light sources indoors. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Rainbow Dash steadily catching up to me. The Everfree Forest was just ahead, so I was certainly going to win at this rate. However, I then smirked and spread my wings wide while also holding out my shield as an air brake. I rapidly decelerated, Rainbow Dash swooping past me in an instant. I saw her look back at me right after passing me with a look that seemed to say 'what the heck are you doing?!' to me.

I gently landed and began to walk the rest of the way to the entrance to the Everfree Forest, my greaves lightly clanking with each step. The cool night winds felt refreshing as it blew through my hair. My eyes constantly scanned ahead as I trekked through the meadow, keeping an eye out for my friends. It is actually rather shocking just how dark a place without additional sources of light can get at night. Very intimidating. And sure enough, once the Everfree Forest came into view, there they were. Those six wonderful mares waiting at the entrance.

Rainbow Dash seemed to be talking to them, probably informing them that someone would be joining them on their mission. I smiled as I drew closer, the clanking of my greaves getting their attention. They all turned to face me, everyone but Rainbow Dash looking absolutely awestruck. I waved and called out to them, "Hey there, girls. Lovely evening, isn't it?"

Rarity was the first to speak as she smiled brightly. "Ladies, it seems we have our very own knight in shining armor with us this evening!"

Pinkie Pie began to hop around me. "Ooh! Just look at all that gold and blue! And all that white too! Where'd you get this?! What's it made of?!"

Applejack then spoke up, "And that shield! It's huge! I reckon it's as big as one of us!"

I chuckled at just how enthralled the girls were with my gear while making certain to make no mention of the Celestial Sword contained in the Lunar Shield. "Glad you like it. They are gifts from the princesses so I don't slow you down."

Fluttershy then asked, "But…why are you out here? You don't have to put yourself in danger for us. We should be fine."

Twilight nodded in agreement. "She's right, James. We've handled Nightmare Moon before. We can do it again. Why are you here if you know that?"

I frowned as I sighed before I replied, "I… I just have a bad feeling about this. And…" The main reason I wanted to go with them was to prevent them from harming Nightmare Moon. But there was one other reason as well. "I just want to be with you girls. To make sure nothing happens to you this time."

Fluttershy smiled warmly as she flew up to me and embraced me with her forelegs. "Oh, James… Thank you." I embraced her back while the rest of my friends gathered around me to give me a group hug.

Rainbow Dash then chuckled, "Ya know, I think you'd suit the Element of Loyalty about as good as I do."

Rarity then spoke up rather suddenly, "Nonsense. Have you seen his level of generosity? My Element would suit him much better!"

Applejack joined in and chuckled, "He's pretty dang honest too. Maybe my…"

I laughed while trying to put an end to the argument. "Knock it off, girls! I don't think humans can even use them! Besides, I've got my own Ele….." I paused, not certain if I should mention the so-called Lost Element to them, seeing as it would be pointless with it being…well…lost.

Pinkie Pie seemed to catch on to what I was on the verge of saying though. "Ele…? Element? You have your own Element?!"

I tried to fib with her. "No! Elephant! I have my own…uh…elephant!" God, what a ridiculous claim! Who would buy that?!

Fluttershy then asked, "Elephant? I don't remember having an elephant living around my cottage… I've never even taken care of one before."

I did my best to not laugh. "That's because the elephant is back where I'm from. He's…uh…living in a zoo." It was one of the silliest lies I had ever come up with. Well, more along the lines of a joke.

Fluttershy grinned, apparently having been fooled. "Oh, a zoo! OK then."

However, Rainbow Dash then asked, "Hang on, James. Tell me something. Why'd you quit the race?! You could've won!"

I smiled as I shrugged my shoulders. "Winning isn't everything. I don't mind losing as long as I get some fun outta it."

Rarity smirked as she nudged Rainbow Dash. "I think you could learn a few things from him."

I was expecting Rainbow Dash to just blow Rarity off, but her next action surprised me. She just stood there, averting her eyes as her ears drooped. "Winning isn't everything… Yeah… I think I could learn a few things from him."

Twilight then spoke, "OK, girls. We don't have that much time to talk. We need to get going. Is everyone prepared?"

All of my friends faced Twilight with a smile. "We sure are! Ya got the Elements, Twi?" Applejack replied with a confident gaze.

"They're all in here." My unicorn friend said with a smile, her head motioning toward a pair of saddlebags on her sides.

Fluttershy then asked, "Um… James? I don't think there's anything to worry about in there, but…um…" She then leaned against me. "Is it all right if I stay by you the entire time?"

I smiled warmly at my girlfriend while stroking her mane, "That's fine with me, honey."

I better finish up this journal entry quick. We will be departing in just a few minutes. I am certain we will not run into any big problems in the Everfree Forest. Nightmare Moon does not know we are coming, after all. But still, I have a really bad feeling about this mission. It is like I am forgetting about something. Something dark. What could it be?

And there is that. The Lost Element. What could it be? I feel like I already know the answer, yet it eludes me. What is the title of the Lost Element? What does it even look like? Do I possess the qualities necessary to use it? Well, regardless, the Elements of Harmony should be enough to get the job done. I just pray my training is enough to deal with any threats we come across, if there are any.

I am nervous, yet excited, yet worried. I want to protect Nightmare Moon. But how? There has to be a way.

Please be safe, Nightmare Moon. I am on my way.


	17. Into the Shadows

I honestly did not feel afraid at all as my friends and I trekked through the Everfree Forest. Perhaps it was because I was more curious than intimidated by my surroundings since I never had the time to properly explore it at night up until now. My friends did not seem all that worried either, except for Fluttershy. She always stayed right by my side and would jump in fright at just the sound of the wind blowing or a squirrel scurrying up a tree.

"Um… Honey? I don't mind you being clingy, but would you mind clinging to something else?" I asked, Fluttershy clinging to my head.

"Um… Sorry. It's just…"

Applejack spoke, "We're all a bit nervous, girl. We're gonna be seein' Nightmare Moon in a while, after all."

Twilight Sparkle added as she led us, "It'll be a while before we get there too. The Everfree Forest is pretty big."

I nodded after prying Fluttershy off my head, "Yeah. It took me all day to find it last time."

Rainbow Dash then asked as she hovered a few feet off the ground, "How about we pass the time with some ghost stories?"

Fluttershy replied, "Um… Let's not?"

However, Pinkie Pie performed her signature hop, "Ooh! Great idea! Maybe a story about Nightmare Moon! Or maybe a story about the Changelings and their dark queen!"

As Pinkie Pie went on and on about potential story ideas, I stopped and looked around while my friends continued to walk along. I feel I should mention this. During the first day I spent in the Everfree Forest around eight months ago, I occasionally had the most curious feeling. As if I was being watched.

The same feeling as then had come over me. I crossed my arms and tilted my head up, crooning my neck back and forth to get a good look at my surroundings. Since my goggles were still covering my eyes, it was impossible to tell that I was scanning my surroundings out of the corner of my eyes.

As I slowly rotated my body while trying to seem as oblivious as possible, I saw them. In the distance, a pair of eyes staring at me from between two trees that seemed to shine in the darkness. They were an unsettling, yet alluring, shade of green; the pupils being slit like those of a reptile. I immediately thought it was a dangerous beast about to pounce on me, so I turned and reached for the hilt of the Celestial Sword.

The instant I showed a reaction to the creature's presence, it seemed startled. It suddenly backed away, allowing me to get a view of its silhouette. It was not a reptile at all. Its overall shape seemed to be that of…a pony? It was very tall, probably as tall as me. I could see a horn and…wings?

The creature had a strange crooked horn and the wings… I could barely see them in the darkness. Regardless, the creature continued to watch me from a distance. It did not seem aggressive, so I removed my hand from my sword's hilt. I said nothing, waiting for the creature to react.

The eyes closed just slightly as I could almost imagine the creature smirking at me. I then heard a woman's voice speak to me with a strange distorted effect, "Don't let me keep you. We'll meet again someday." I then saw the silhouette suddenly move out of sight while giggling in a bizarre way, the sound of insect wings buzzing in the distance.

What in the world did I just see? Some mischievous forest spirit? Before I could ponder it further, I heard Rarity call out to me. "James! Darling, don't trail too far behind! You'll get lost out here!" I decided to disregard the whole incident and ran ahead at a swift speed to catch up to my friends. Whatever that creature was, she did not seem like a threat.

Once I had caught up with my friends, Twilight asked, "What kept you, James? Did you see something?"

I shrugged, "I have no idea. Sorry if I kept you."

As we continued walking, Rainbow Dash constantly hovered around me. She seemed to be eyeing my wings while they were folded. I did not pay much mind. She was probably just jealous of their size. However, she suddenly flew behind me, leaving me thinking that she was just going to guard the rear of the group.

I heard Rainbow Dash whistle at me. "Hey, James! Turn around!"

I paused and looked behind myself. "Yeah?"

When I looked down, I saw that feisty pegasus waving her rump at me, her tail graciously hanging over anything too revealing. "Like whatcha see?"

I took a step back as I winced, "Rainbow, seriously! You know I'm already… What's with that look?"

Rainbow Dash had suddenly brought her hoof to her mouth, as if to stop herself from speaking. Before I could inquire further, she rolled onto her back while laughing herself silly. "Oh my god! Wingboner!"

I gritted my teeth as I realized what she had done. I looked out at my sides and found that my large white wings were spread as wide as possible for all my friends to see. "Oh, come on! I get wingboners too?!"

Fluttershy blushed as her wings suddenly sprang open. "Wow… Um…you have an impressive wingspan, James…"

I groaned, noticing my girlfriend's wingboner. "Ugh, what is with you pegasi and wings?!"

I looked down at Rainbow Dash, who was still rolling in laughter. "I couldn't help it! I just HAD to see if you could get wingboners!"

I looked down at her for a moment before snickering. I pointed at her, "Ya know, that was actually pretty good, Rainbow. Clever."

Applejack then spoke, "Well, look on the bright side, James. At least now ya can brag that ya got the biggest boner in Equestria."

I winced before doing my best to not laugh. "That sounds SO wrong!" In unison, we all burst into laughter.

Once I had managed to fold my wings again, we continued onward. Under normal circumstances, I would have been a little intimidated of my surroundings in this unnaturally long night. However, the presence of my friends kept my spirits high. I suppose it is true. Everything is more enjoyable with friends.

As we walked, Pinkie Pie asked, "Hey! I just had an idea! Why don't YOU tell us a ghost story, James?"

I glanced down at the silly pink pony, "Huh? Me?"

Twilight smiled as she continued to lead us, "Actually, that sounds like a great idea! You can share some of your homeland's culture with us!"

I cocked my head to one side, "I dunno… I'm not exactly big on horror stories."

Rarity replied, "Oh, James, don't be silly! Surely you must know of just one ghost story!"

I tried searching my memory the best I could for anything to share with them. And after a moment, a smirk spread across my eyes while I adjusted my goggles. "OK, I've got one."

Pinkie Pie hopped up and down in place, "Ooh, let's hear it!"

I turned around to face my friends while giving them the creepiest smirk I could muster. "You might regret those words. I'm gonna tell you about….." I then leaned forward while shifting my weight to one leg while also draping my right arm across my knee, "The Slenderman."

At that name, Rainbow Dash burst into laughter, "The Slenderman?! Come on, that's not scary! What is he? The ghost of dieting?"

I kept my smirk up, "Well, yes, he is very slender, hence his name. He resembles a human man, always dressed in a black businessman suit with a red tie, but his arms reach down to his knees. And be warned. He is not human at all."

Rainbow Dash smirked, "Yeah, right. If you're not scary, how can he be scary?"

I replied, "You're right. From those aspects alone, he shouldn't seem intimidating. But his most defining feature…is his face."

Fluttershy asked, "His face?"

I nodded as I began to speak in more of a whisper to add atmosphere, "Exactly. His head looks like it is tightly wrapped in white bandages, but you can't tell from a distance. He has a nose, but the rest of him is featureless. No hair. No ears. No mouth. No eyes. And despite these apparent handicaps…he ALWAYS gets his prey."

I could tell that my friends were starting to become genuinely spooked by my words. Except for Pinkie Pie, that is. But then again, what CAN spook her? Applejack asked, "Uh… OK then, so he's got a creepy face. What else does he do?"

I began to slowly circle my friends without taking my eyes off them, "He stalks heavily wooded areas. Just like this one. He might even be nearby right now."

My friends gasped in unison as they started to look around frantically. Even Pinkie Pie was starting to look intimidated.

"His preferred prey are children who wander into his territory. But I'm sure that he might make an exception for cute colorful ponies too." I hissed, trying to sound as creepy as possible. My friends seemed too creeped out to offer a reply.

"When you start to hear your own heartbeat in your head for no apparent reason, be on guard. He has found you. Oh, and I don't mean that he is on his way to your location. It means he is looking at you from somewhere nearby. And he will get you." I went on.

Rarity whimpered, "I…. I think I hear my own heartbeat right now…"

Pinkie Pie shuddered, "Ooooh…. I do too…"

Twilight Sparkle replied, "Ea….Easy, girls. It's just a ghost story. The Slenderman is just fictional."

I leaned in close to narrow the distance between my and Twilight's faces. "Are you sure? How would you know? You've never seen the Slenderman before." I then straightened my posture, "Probably because he never approaches from the front. He always sneaks up behind you or from the sides, always out of your field of vision."

Rainbow Dash shuddered, "So… He just might be right behind…"

I smirked, "When your ears are being filled with noise and mist is blowing across your vision, he is right next to you. You must run when that happens, or you will become his next prey."

Fluttershy was breathing deeply in sheer terror, "Please, don't come any closer, Mr. Slenderman…"

I grinned wickedly, "But if he gets too close to you, it's over. And the last thing you will ever see is his blank, emotionless, featureless, empty face."

Rainbow Dash shrieked, "NO MORE! I ADMIT IT, YOU'VE GOT ME SCARED!"

I began to walk backwards from my friends, "You never know. He might be behind that tree. He might be right behind you. He might even be standing right behind…" I noticed my friends beginning to back away from me while apparently gazing at something that was taller than me. "Girls, where are you…"

I froze as I realized what was happening. "Oh god… He's…right behind me, isn't he?" They did not respond, their eyes fixated on whatever was behind me.

Was the Slenderman truly right behind me? My vision was not clouded with mist, a sign that always points to him being in close proximity to someone. Were the magic-resistant qualities of my armor protecting me?

I tensed up, knowing that if I locked eyes with the Slenderman, I would be doomed. But maybe if I struck before he could get me…

I counted to five in my head before turning my gaze to the ground and spinning around with my foot lashing out for a kick. Instead, I felt myself strike something hard and sturdy. When I turned my gaze upward, I found that I did not strike the Slenderman at all. Instead, it seemed that I had kicked a very stout tree with a grotesque hideous face carved into it. I winced, "Stupid face!"

"More like scary face!" I heard Fluttershy shriek. My six friends were backed up against each other while apparently cowering at the sight of all the trees around us being hideously deformed with frightening faces carved into them. Except for Pinkie Pie, that is. Honestly, what is that silly mare NOT unafraid of? Does she take anything seriously?

As I looked around, I found that the trees certainly looked frightful in the darkness. But as anyone with half a brain would know, they were still just trees. I asked, "Girls, what's wrong?"

Rarity replied, "How can you be so calm?! Just look at them!"

I groaned, "They're just trees! What are trees going to do to you?!"

All of my friends faced me with looks that seemed to show a combination of realization and embarrassment. I walked up to one of the trees. "Besides, if they're looking this unpleasant, I think that's because they woke up with some morning wood." I then gently tapped a low upturned root with my foot. "Get it? Morning wood?"

Pinkie Pie started snickering, "Ooh, I get it!"

Rarity smirked, trying to contain her laughter, "James, don't… It's very ungentlemanly…"

I went over to another tree and smirked at it, "So, how do you call yours? Mr. Twig or Sir Branch?"

More and more, my friends began to crack up at my attempts at poking fun at the scary trees. "Ooh, someone likes what he sees! This one's leaking!" I shouted, pointing at a tree that had some sap oozing down its side.

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash flew up to a tree that was right next to the one I was 'talking' to and smirked, "How's your nuts, bark breath?"

I turned and pointed at her with a grin, "Ooooh, good one!"

She faced me while hovering and pointed at me with her hooves while also grinning, "Hey, I learned from the best!"

Pinkie Pie then hopped over to a tree to join in. "Ooh, just look at the way this one's watching me! I better go grab a nutcracker!"

Applejack then chuckled at another tree, clearly having gotten over her fear. "Ya know, I've bucked lots of trees back home. I wonder if I'll hit yer 'nuts' if I give ya a buck."

On and on, we kept coming up with silly jokes before all six of my friends fell into a giggling pile, our raucous laughter filling the cool night air.

"Oh man… No more laughing… My sides hurt… Huh?" I spoke while looking around. All of the creepy frightening trees had somehow changed back to ordinary trees. "Umm… What happened here? They stopped glaring at us for some reason?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Laughter! When you laugh at scary stuff, they don't seem scary anymore!"

I frowned, "I fail to see the logic in that… But since there's nothing in the way anymore, should we get going?"

Twilight nodded as she and the other mares climbed to their feet. "Yeah, we shouldn't waste time. Let's get going." She led on, the rest of us following her lead.

One thing I noticed about Twilight Sparkle is that she seems to have a knack for taking charge in difficult situations. I suppose being tutored by one of the rulers of Equestria gave her a boost in confidence and bestowed upon her strong leadership skills. I really do feel like she is the right girl to ask to lead this mission. Then again, she is the most logical and rational person here.

As we walked, Rainbow Dash was hovering next to me. As I noticed her, I realized something. About 90% of the time I have seen her, she has been airborne. Why? What compels her to always be flying?

"What's the matter, Rainbow? Afraid you'll get your hooves dirty?" I asked.

The pegasus mare looked at me, "Huh?"

I replied, "You're ALWAYS flying. Don't your wings ever get tired?"

She replied with a grin, "Nope. I just love flying! That's not a problem, right?"

I frowned, "If you don't do some walking regularly too, your legs might shrivel up and become useless from lack of use. Seriously, you need to balance yourself better." I tapped her leg, "It's no wonder you pegasi are so light. You've got hardly any muscle on those bones."

Rainbow Dash groaned, "OK, I'll mix in some walking." She then landed before me with a loud clop looking rather irked.

"You'll thank me later, Rainbow. I actually think Fluttershy is physically stronger than you." I spoke while looking down at her.

"Seriously?! Guess I better step things up then!" Rainbow Dash replied while appearing to be doing jogging warm-ups in place.

As we continued on, I asked, "Hey, Pinkie? Is your Pinkie Sense telling you anything?"

She replied, "Um….. Ooh! Twitchy tail! And you know what that means!"

We all stopped and looked up. But from what we could see, there did not seem to be anything above us that might fall. "Maybe it's not going to happen yet?" But as Rarity took a step further in the direction we were heading, there was a rustling above us.

"Halt!" A woman's voice shouted as a trio of pegasi dropped through the canopy and landed before us. They were all clad in full-body jumpsuits and goggles. The Wonderbolts? No, something was off. Were they the same pegasi that were pulling Celestia's gnarly-looking chariot during Nightmare Night?

The three pegasi consisted of two stallions and one mare, who stood between the two men. They had dark gray coats and blue tails and manes styled in a windswept look not unlike those of Spitfire, although the mare's coloration was slightly lighter. Their goggles had lenses that were yellow and seemed to be 'half-closed', bringing to mind angry or determined eyes. Their jumpsuits seemed to consist of a very dark gray and purple, the main body covered in purple while the head, front of the neck, and lower legs were dark gray. The two colors were separated by jagged lightning bolts. Lastly, where one would find a cutie mark on their flanks, there was a strange skull with a bony wing attached. I instantly got a sinister vibe from this group, my legs bending slightly to prepare for any incoming assaults.

Rainbow Dash seemed to recognize them. She trotted right up to the three pegasi and grinned, "Hey, long time no see! I know what you're gonna ask me, and my answer still stands. I'd love to be your team captain, but my friends come first. But if you ever change your…you know…requirements, I'm always up for it."

However, the lone mare of the group replied, "We are not here to ask you to lead us, Rainbow Dash. We are here to prevent you from going any further."

Applejack stepped forward, "Now hang on one pony-pickin' minute. What do ya'll have against us goin' on our merry way?"

One of the two stallions spoke, "We are the Shadowbolts. Nightmare Moon's right hoof guardians. If you wanna get to her, you'll have to get through us first."

Rainbow Dash growled, "So THAT is why you tried to get me to abandon my friends last time! You jerks!"

The other stallion spoke in a slightly deeper voice, "No. That time, it was Nightmare Moon herself in disguise. This time, we are ourselves. If you want to get by us, you will have to use force!" The three pegasi branched out a bit, lowering their bodies to the ground in a clear display of hostility.

"Ha! You three against us?! This'll be a snap!" Rainbow Dash spoke as she raised herself, standing on her hind legs while doing a few boxing jabs with her hooves. Did I ever mention she is a black belt in karate?

"Heh, they don't know who they're messin' with. Got room fer one more?" Applejack said as she stepped forward, flexing her legs and neck. She is certainly the physically strongest pony in the group, so Applejack can definitely lay the smackdown on anyone who tries to tangle with her.

"I'll help too. I think I have a few types of magic that can help in a fight." Twilight Sparkle said as she stepped forward. Considering her vast knowledge of different magic, I am certain that what she said was not a bluff.

One earth pony, one pegasus, and one unicorn against the three Shadowbolts. It seemed like a balanced approach. However, I felt a twinge of fear in my gut, as I feared what may happen to my friends if they got into a fight.

Usually, when confronted with a challenge such as this, I tend to respond nonverbally. And that is what I did. Squinting my eyes under my goggles, I calmly walked forward, passing Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity before passing my three friends who stood ready to face the Shadowbolts. As I stood before the three pegasi, a deathly silence fell over the area as I could feel all eyes fall upon me.

I stared my enemies down for a moment before the mare of the group asked, "You got something to say to us?"

I held my left arm straight down so the Lunar Shield was on its side as I reached for the hilt of the Celestial Sword. "No." I replied calmly as I drew the sword from its scabbard and held it out to my side, its shining white blade giving off a glow that shone light over the area.

"A sword?!" Twilight shouted as I stood ready. I did not want to fight, but I was clearly the best suited of the group for engaging in combat.

Rarity gasped, "Oh my stars! Just look at that visage! He is truly our knight in shining armor! Now all he needs is a helmet." How right she was.

Fluttershy spoke, "Princess Luna's cutie mark on the shield with Princess Celestia's cutie mark on the sword… Did they make those?"

Pinkie Pie replied, "Maybe! But they go together so well, don't they?!"

Rainbow Dash squealed behind me, "Oh man, this is gonna be tight! Let 'em have it, James! You can bring these losers down!"

However, Applejack stepped forward, "Hang on a minute there, pardner. Are ya sure yer up ta this? I mean, I've never known ya fer bein' the fightin' type. We can probably handle 'em."

I replied, "I'm gonna have to get my hands dirty at some point. Might as well start now."

One of the male Shadowbolts laughed, "Just listen to this guy! The pup thinks he's a timberwolf!"

Twilight stepped forward, "James, it's OK. I'm sure we can handle them. You don't have to put yourself in harm's way for us."

I replied without taking my eyes off the Shadowbolts. "Twi, the entire reason I'm even out here is to make sure you girls come home safely and in one piece. I didn't do all that training in Canterlot for nothing. And besides…" I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, "Your brother entrusted me with bringing you home safely."

Twilight gasped, "Armor? He asked this of you?"

I replied while turning my gaze back to the Shadowbolts. "He supervised my training. He said he knew you would be in good hands with me. The fact that he placed so much faith in me means I must be the right man for the job. I don't intend to fail him."

Fluttershy spoke, "James… When did you get so brave?"

I replied, "You girls are all I have. Remember when I disappeared from Equestria? Can you imagine how I felt when I lost you? I don't want to feel that again. That's why I'm doing this. I don't want to risk losing any of you."

I think I heard Rainbow Dash sniffle a little before she spoke, "Dude… You rock. If things get rough, just say something and I'll back you up."

I smiled, "Thanks, Rainbow. But I'm pretty sure I can handle this. I've got the weapons and gear while they have nothing."

Rarity spoke, "Just don't drop your guard against them. I strongly suspect that ruffians like them do not fight fair." I heard the clopping of hooves behind me as my friends backed away to give me room.

"OK…" I muttered before pointing my sword at the mare of the group, suspecting she was the captain.

She growled, "You better point that sword somewhere else, punk."

I replied bluntly, "I will not."

The captain gritted her teeth before suddenly trying to head butt me. I flapped my wings once to retreat out of range, landing around twenty feet away from them. I heard Rarity squeal, "Eeee, just look at how he moves! So divine! Floating gently through the air before landing as lightly as a feather!" I tried to not snicker, finding Rarity's praise to be somewhat entertaining and embarrassing at the same time. I bent my knees as I held the large Lunar Shield out in front of me, the tip at the bottom nearly touching the ground. I then twirled the Celestial Sword forward in an underhanded motion, as if to taunt my opponents.

"Heh. Looks like he's serious, captain." One of the males spoke.

The captain smirked, "He's in over his head. Look at how he carries himself. He's probably humming a tune. The guy's probably never even seen combat before."

The second male spoke in a somewhat lower pitch than the other, "I've got this, captain." He then walked towards me before taking a defiant stance. "Your move, newbie."

Any other newcomer would probably just charge at their opponent without a second thought, but I knew better. I watched and waited, trying to figure out what would be the best way to tackle this obstacle while never lowering my shield.

After a moment, Rainbow Dash started cheering, "C'mon, James! What're you waiting for?! Spice things up! Rip 'im a new one! Don't just stand there! FIGHT!"

This went on for a moment before I turned and faced my friends. "Knock it off, Rainbow! It's not smart to just… Gwah?!" I felt something ram me in my lower back, pushing me forward. I spiraled and staggered out of control before falling flat on my face in front of my friends.

"Are you serious? Is this guy for real?" I heard my opponent ask behind me. All three Shadowbolts laughed in unison at me.

"Oh no… Are you all right, James?" I heard Fluttershy ask right in front of me.

I felt rather embarrassed from making such an amateurish mistake in front of my friends. I growled in frustration as I started to climb to my feet. "Rule #1 of combat: Never turn your back on the enemy."

I then glanced at Rainbow Dash before pointing my sword at her, "Rule #2 of combat, and this goes for you, Rainbow Dash! Never distract your allies from a fight!"

My brash pegasus friend chuckled sheepishly as a blush spread across her face. "Uh…heheheh… Oops?"

I brushed myself off before walking back over to the Shadowbolt that had just rammed me and resumed my stance, shield out in front of me. "Now then, where were we?"

I noticed the stallion relax a little too much. Perhaps that little mistake caused him to think I am not a threat at all. "Heheh, fire when ready." He said with a smirk, his stance being not as low to the ground as before.

While studying him, I developed a plan in my head. While I was disgusted of the thought of harming other people, I had to make an exception if I was going to protect my friends. And if things went the way I was planning, this next attack was sure to hit. "Rule #3 of combat: Never charge into a fight recklessly."

I slowly inched forward, my shield constantly being held out in front of me while I carefully moved my sword into a reverse grip while using my shield to mask my actions. After a minute, I was probably less than six inches from my opponent.

"What're you doing? Letting me admire the paintjob on your shield?" The stallion asked with a chuckle.

"Nope!" I replied, ramming the shield into his face to stun him.

"Ow! Wha…" Less than a second later, I performed an underhanded upward swing of my sword, cleaving through his leg, neck, and up through the middle of his head on an angle. The shining blade of the Celestial Sword cleaved right through my target as if he was made of paper. Strangely, there was no blood spilling from him. Only a strange blue mist.

"Dang… I gotcha good, didn't I?"I asked, not expecting a response from him. Seeing the blue mist billowing out of my target as he just stood there gave me the impression that he may not even be truly alive. Just extensions of Nightmare Moon? Regardless, the lack of blood helped soothe the guilt of having just struck a living creature with the intent to kill. Moments later, the Shadowbolt collapsed to the ground without a word, his body bursting into a plume of the blue mist.

"Woo! Nice one, James! Now ya just gotta bring down the other two!" I heard Applejack shout.

"That wasn't…as bloody as I expected…" I heard Fluttershy speak. I too was puzzled by the fate of the Shadowbolt I had just 'killed'. What are they even made of?

As I looked down at the blade of my sword while returning it to a standard grip, I felt a boost in confidence. If I could take down that Shadowbolt this easily, the other two would be easy prey as well. I smirked as I faced the remaining two pegasi and pointed my sword at them. "Next!"

Strangely, the remaining two Shadowbolts did not seem fazed at all by the loss of their comrade. The captain grinned wickedly at me, "Heh… Don't know what you are, stranger. But you're not bad… However…"

The lone stallion then smirked, "Think you can handle both of us?!"

My eyes went wide as they suddenly charged me as a duo. I heard Pinkie Pie shriek, "Hey! Two against one isn't fair!"

I was still feeling confident since I was completely armed and armored while the Shadowbolts were entirely without weapons or armor of any kind. But when I made a swing at them, they swooped to the sides with the captain sailing into my back with a kick. Or was it a punch? Are any strikes from a pony a kick regardless of what leg they use to attack? Regardless, I staggered forward from the kick, somewhat startled from the hit.

"What the…" I muttered, the swagger having been knocked out of my step.

"Told ya you can't handle us, kid. Now put your sword away and go home. You're not getting to Nightmare Moon." The captain spoke as she and her partner hovered by me.

I backed away, starting to wonder if I could handle them. Forget any movies or TV shows you may have seen. Taking on two opponents at once is extraordinarily difficult. Certainly not something a novice like me could handle.

Rarity called out, "James, they're too much for you! Leave it to Applejack and Rainbow Dash!"

Applejack added, "She's right! Just back off and we'll handle the rest!"

But when I looked back at them, Rainbow Dash stepped forward. When we locked eyes, she gave me a determined gaze. "James! Forget everything I ever said about you being a total softy! You've got guts! The fact that you're fighting them in our place shows it!"

Fluttershy spoke, "Rainbow, he really needs to…"

My friend did not stop talking, a determined smile spreading across her face. "You can handle these two fakers! Go for it! You're the man!"

I was genuinely touched by the dramatic change in opinion Rainbow Dash had for me. All I could do was smile at her before turning to face our enemies. The stallion asked, "So, you done yet?"

I began to look back and forth while tilting my head, "What's that word I'm looking for? It's right on the tip of my tongue…... Oh yeah, right!" I then took a sudden swing with my sword. "Nope!"

My sword narrowly clipped the captain's leg, creating a tiny rip in her suit. "Heh! Wise guy, huh?!"

I spoke, "Bring it." I took another swing at her, forcing her to back away while the stallion came at me from my left.

"Oh, no you don't!" I shouted as I hurled my shield at him, pushing him away and bulldozing him into a tree.

"Whoa! Since when could you do that?!" Rainbow Dash called out.

I immediately pursued the stallion, calling my shield back to my left arm as I closed in with earth pony speed. My opponent seemed dazed, leaving him wide open to an attack. But just as I closed in and lashed out with a kick, he regained his bearings and leaped away, causing my foot to miss and crash through the tree. A large chunk of it was kicked out, showing just how much force was behind it.

"Whoa nelly… Where'd ya get that kinda power?!" I heard Applejack ask. I did not have time to give a response since I had to block an incoming tackle from the Shadowbolt captain with my shield.

The two Shadowbolts backed off from me, apparently surprised by my flexible fighting style. I asked while twirling my sword at them, "Having fun yet?!"

The captain growled, "Oh, it's about to get fun. Gonna be pretty entertaining when we snap you in two!"

The two of them suddenly charged at me in unison. Only this time, something was different. They were mirroring each other perfectly, almost as if they shared the same mind. Even so, the greaves on my legs enabled me to hold my ground when they both rammed my shield. But in the blink of an eye, they swooped to the sides and began to attack me simultaneously.

I was helpless as they performed hit and run strikes on me, ramming or kicking me on the run before darting away and coming back for another less than a second later. I was not feeling any real pain since my armor was protecting me from the strikes, but I was being constantly disoriented from being knocked around so erratically.

"COME ON! FIGHT FAIR!" I heard Rainbow Dash shout.

At that instant, the attacks ceased. I stood there, trying to collect my bearings. I then heard the male Shadowbolt shout, "Then how about one at a time!" I glanced up, seeing him coming in for an attack.

I stood ready, my shield pointing at him. I intended to block and then smack him in the face with my shield. But an instant before he struck, I noticed out of the corner of my eye the Shadowbolt captain coming in from my right, where my defenses are weaker. It was as if time had slowed down. She was going to strike the instant after I blocked her ally's attack. And judging by her height, that hoof was about to be sent right into…my unarmored head.

I felt a terrible chill flow down my spine. Equines kick extremely hard. If that attack struck me in the head…

"Lights out, punk!" The captain shouted just as her comrade struck my shield.

I thought I was a goner. But just before I thought she was about to strike, someone else came into my field of vision and blindsided the captain with a flying punch to the ribs. I heard the voice of Rainbow Dash shout, "BACK OFF!"

I saw the captain go flying before rolling across the ground, that blow having caught her entirely by surprise. Taking advantage of the confusion, I smacked my shield across the face of the male Shadowbolt before delivering a kick of my own to his body, sending him towards his captain. I then asked, "Rainbow?"

She looked up at me while standing by my side. "That was too close. That kick would've broken your jaw if it hit."

The captain groaned as she climbed to her feet, "I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST BETWEEN US AND HIM!"

Rainbow Dash smirked at her while looking at me out of the corner of her eye. "Let's just say I've learned that playing unfairly just isn't cool. Right?" She then winked at me with her big rose-colored eye. I smirked back down at her, grateful for her assistance.

"Fine." The captain spoke as she and her comrade began to hover in place.

Rainbow Dash looked at me and asked, "Tag team?"

I nodded, "Let's rock."

Rainbow Dash began to hover, throwing a few mock punches towards the Shadowbolts while I stood my ground, my sword at my side with shield out in front. I felt a large boost to my moral, knowing I could not ask for a better battle buddy than Rainbow Dash. We were sure to win now.

"You take the captain." Rainbow Dash spoke as she zoomed over to the male Shadowbolt for a high-speed tackle. No matter how swift the Shadowbolts are, Rainbow Dash will always be faster.

"Heh, bring it on, babe!" I heard the male Shadowbolt shout as he evaded Rainbow Dash's charge by swooping over to the side. What they did for the next few minutes, I am not certain. I had my own opponent to focus on.

"Just you and me now, punk." The captain said with a smirk as she swooped at me. This time though, I knew better than to take on fast flyers while grounded. I jumped straight up, causing her to swoop right under me while I began to flap my wings to hover in the air.

Out of nowhere, I heard Rarity squeal, "Oh my stars, the way he flies! So angelic! Like a guardian from on high! James, take me into your arms and let me fly with you!"

I felt my face flush red from listening to Rarity praise me once again. What Applejack said next summed up exactly what I was thinking. "Give it a rest, girl. He's got more important things ta tend to."

"OK, flyboy. Let's rumble!" The captain shouted as she turned back to attack again.

This time, I moved to the side at the last second, swinging my sword at her while she passed by. "Whoa!" She just narrowly ducked it, the sword clipping the tips of her wings.

"You sure you wanna keep going? I really don't have any desire to hurt you." I asked, starting to feel like I had a fighting chance facing the captain 1-on-1.

She turned back, swooping at me again in a surprisingly predictable pattern. "Like I said. If you want to get to Nightmare Moon, you'll have to get through… OW!"

Out of nowhere, the male Shadowbolt came crashing down onto the captain, slamming them both into the ground. "Aw yeah! The Fantastic Filly Flash! Works every time!"

Rainbow Dash swooped down from the canopy and began to hover next to me. "Didja see that?!"

I nodded, "If my guess is correct, you grabbed him before diving towards the ground and letting go."

"Yup! That's how it works. I supercharged his descent so he couldn't stop!" She replied, grinning proudly.

The two Shadowbolts seemed very dazed by the collision, slowly staggering to their feet. I asked, "Rainbow? Is it fair to use unfair tactics against opponents who don't fight fair?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged, "Well… We are in a hurry, so why not?"

I nodded as my left gauntlet was engulfed in a cobalt blue aura. As the two Shadowbolts were engulfed in an identical aura and lifted into the air, Rainbow Dash asked, "Hang on! You're using magic?!"

I nodded, "Yeah, but we'll talk once we deal with them. I'm sending the stallion towards you. Get ready." I raised my sword to my left shoulder, preparing to perform a swing to my right.

"OK. Let me at 'em!" Rainbow Shouted as she stood several feet to my left.

"Let us go! This isn't fair!" The Shadowbolt captain shouted as she and her comrade began to struggle in the air.

"Sorry. We're in a hurry, so we need to wrap this up quick." I replied as Rainbow Dash got in position. I then added, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but….. GET OVER HERE!"

At my will, the two pegasi began to hurtle towards us at high speed. "Gotcha!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she jumped. As they began to pass through the gap between us, I slashed with my sword while Rainbow Dash lashed out with a kick. Our attacks struck home, my sword cleaving the captain in two at the waist while I heard a sickening crack as Rainbow's hoof connected with the other Shadowbolt's jaw.

The two halves of the captain rolled and flopped over the ground due to the momentum, blue mist spilling out of her before she burst in a plume of it. The stallion did not seem to be done at first, slowly staggering to his feet.

"Rainbow, he's not done yet! Watch… Whoa! What happened?!" Pinkie Pie shrieked once the last remaining Shadowbolt looked at me. Ugh, that sight made my stomach churn. His head was on backwards. Rainbow had snapped his neck with that kick! He stared at me with a blank expression, mouth hanging open slightly. After only five seconds, he collapsed. His body burst into blue mist upon hitting the ground.

"Well, that's that!" Rainbow Dash spoke, the tension in the air having calmed down.

"Are you OK, James?" Fluttershy asked as she rushed over to me.

I nodded, "Thanks to Rainbow Dash, yeah." My brash pegasus friend beamed proudly at me, clearly feeling pretty proud of herself.

"Thank goodness… I was so worried whenever I saw you get hit." Fluttershy replied as she hovered up to me and embraced me gently.

Twilight then stepped forward. "James… Was that magic you were using? Just what does that armor do?"

I looked down at my right hand, the Celestial Sword still glowing in my grasp. "I was told that this armor compensates for the inferiority of the human body. It grants the wearer all of the abilities of the three races of ponies. Including a unicorn's magic."

Rarity smiled, "How practical! You should wear that armor all the time if it's that useful!"

Twilight then asked, "And that sword… And the shield. What are they?"

I smiled, "I think you can guess who made them. The Lunar Shield is a perfect defense. Nothing can get through it. The Celestial Sword is a sword that can cut through almost anything. So far, only the Lunar Shield itself has stood up to a strike from it. That, and it makes for a handy portable light source."

"Whoa… That's a lotta gifts fer just one guy. The princesses must really have a lotta faith in ya, James." Applejack spoke.

"I'll bet it was Princess Luna who gave him all of that! She really really likes him, you know!" Pinkie Pie added with a giggle.

Twilight smiled, "No time to chat, girls. We need to get going. The night has already overstayed its welcome. And James?"

I nodded, "Yeah?"

Twilight asked, "If you don't mind, would you mind leading us? That sword can be used to light the way. And you're definitely the best armored and armed out of the group. You would make for a great first line of defense."

I nodded, "OK then. But I'll be counting on you girls to back me up. I'm not a soldier. My mind isn't honed enough for heavy combat situations."

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah, you already showed us back there. You got confused way too easily. If you get in over your head again, I'll be there to back you up." She then held out her hoof to me for a brohoof.

I smiled as I returned the favor, lightly bumping my right fist against her hoof. "Thanks, Rainbow. Anyway, where to next?"

Twilight pointed, "That way. I'll be right behind you to give directions." I nodded and began to walk, Fluttershy right by my side while everyone else walked behind me.

However, not even twenty seconds later, I began to feel slightly lightheaded. I knew what it was. The adrenaline that had built up inside me during the fight was beginning to fade out. I staggered over to a tree and propped myself up on it using my sword arm.

"James? What's wrong?" Rarity asked as my friends gathered around me.

"I told you… I'm not a soldier… I'm not cut out for fighting… My body isn't used to it." I replied, the changes in my body's adrenaline levels leaving me slightly fatigued. Imagine playing a hardcore FPS game or a fighting game for an hour with intense focus on what you are doing before stopping and walking away. That is similar to what I was feeling at the time.

"We know you're not, James. You never once came off as the aggressive type to us. Rest all you want. We'll continue on once you're feeling better." Twilight retorted.

"Nah… I can manage. Walking should help speed it up anyway." I spoke as I pushed myself off from the tree and began to walk again. It did help. In a matter of minutes, I was feeling fine.

We continued on for a while before coming to what seemed to be a wide flowing river. "Hmm… How did we cross last time?" Twilight asked.

Fluttershy replied, "I think that friendly sea serpent helped us cross. Is he still here?" I looked around, seeing no signs life anywhere nearby.

Rainbow Dash asked, "Fluttershy, James, and I can fly across, but what about you girls?"

Twilight turned to face our friends, me standing at the water's edge right behind her. "I guess we'll either have to swim or find some shallows to cross."

The idea of swimming did not sound like a good idea. The river could potentially carry my friends downstream, separating us. Not only that, but with how cool the air was at the time, getting soaked would certainly run the risk of catching a cold. But as I watched Twilight, I smirked. I could easily get my friends to the other side.

"So, who's up for trying to swim acro… Wha… What's going on?!" Twilight shrieked as she began to rise into the air. Her body was coated in a golden yellow aura.

"What the… James, what're ya doin'?" Applejack asked, my right gauntlet coated by the same aura.

"What does it look like?" I asked, Twilight starting to float out above the river.

"James, I don't like this! Put me down! This doesn't feel natural!" Twilight shrieked as she began to flail about in the air.

"Give it a minute, Twi! You're almost there!" I shouted. In a moment, I set her down on the opposite side of the river.

"Whoa… Um…thanks?!" Twilight called out.

"Ooh, ooh, I wanna be next!" Pinkie Pie shrieked.

"Me too. Ya don't mind waitin' a bit, do ya, Rarity?" Applejack asked.

Our elegant unicorn friend smiled, "Go right ahead."

As Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy began to fly across the river, Applejack became coated in a cobalt blue aura while Pinkie Pie was covered in a golden yellow aura. The two of them slowly drifted over the river.

"Weeeehee! Can we go again after this?!" Pinkie Pie asked halfway across the river.

"Maybe on our way back!" I replied.

Once our five friends were on the opposite side of the river, I turned to Rarity. "Ready, m'lady?"

Rarity smiled warmly, "Yes. But instead of carrying me with magic, would you be so kind as to carry me in your arms?"

I raised an eyebrow at her, "Are you still going on about that?"

"Pretty please, dear James? I want to know what it's like to fly in the arms of an angel at least once in my life." Rarity replied, batting her eyelashes at me with a pleading gaze.

I could not for the life of me resist Rarity's wiles. "OK, I'll do it." I then sheathed the Celestial Sword, the area becoming darker from the lack of its light. Fortunately, there were no trees covering the riverbank, so plenty of moonlight was illuminating the area.

I levitated Rarity into the air and set her down in my arms, the back of her head resting against the top of my shield. "Ready when you are, darling."

I nodded, "OK, hang on." I spread my wings and took a running start. When I neared the water's edge, I jumped into the air, my wings carrying me across the river in a type of glide before gently landing on the opposite side. "There we go."

When I set Rarity down on the ground, Applejack asked, "So, how was the ride?"

Rarity giggled, "Simply sublime."

I then asked, "So, Twilight. You never thought of levitating people with magic?"

Twilight blushed, "Um… I have no idea why I didn't think about it. But we're on the other side now, so let's keep moving."

"Fair enough." I retorted before leading the way after drawing the Celestial Sword from its scabbard.

"You think we should stop by Zecora's place while we're out here?" I asked after a few minutes.

Rainbow Dash replied, "I'm pretty sure we passed it a while back. Besides, I don't think we have time to stop."

Twilight nodded, "True. This night has been going on longer than the last time. We need to end it as soon as possible. We mustn't sidetrack."

After some time, I paused. "Hm?"

"What's wrong, James?" Fluttershy asked.

"There's someone up ahead…" I replied, a small clearing just ahead of us.

Rarity stepped forward, her eyes scanning the distance. "Oh my… Is that another human?!"

My eyes went wide. There is another human in Equestria? Impossible. Only the royal family knows how to bring beings from other worlds to Equestria. "Let's be careful until we know who it is." I spoke, inching ahead while staying close to the ground.

When we entered the clearing, we found the entity that I had detected standing near the opposite side. It certainly looked human. Only it was not. "Um… Is this a joke?"

The creature standing before us was not a living being at all. It was just an empty suit of iron plate armor. The design was much more basic than my armor, leading me to suspect it had no special qualities about it. What was more; the entire thing was encrusted with rust. It must have been centuries old with constant exposure to the elements. Standing up next to it in its right gauntlet was a large battleaxe that seemed equally rusty. The head of the axe was over half the size of the Lunar Shield.

"Um… An old forest decoration?" I asked, wondering why it was just standing there. However, another thought passed through my head. That armor was obviously designed for human use. And that axe looked like a powerful weapon. Was it a remnant of Equestria's past? And that armor was clearly designed for combat. Why would humans in Equestria, which is virtually a paradise, need to develop armor and weapons of war?

"Looks pretty dang old, if ya ask me." Applejack spoke up.

"Yes, and certainly outdated. James' armor puts that pile of scrap to shame." Rarity added. I could not agree more, but it seemed irrelevant with the mission.

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Well, if it's not dangerous, let's get going!" She began to trot ahead through the clearing, humming merrily.

As I watched, I noticed the armor beginning to move as Pinkie Pie was about to pass it. I felt a sense of dread as it raised its axe into the air. "Heads up!" I shouted, holding out my left hand as I used the levitation spell on Pinkie Pie, pulling her back a second before the armor could smash the axe into the ground with a thunderous crash.

"Eek! Is that thing alive?!" Pinkie Pie shrieked before I released my magic grip on her. The armor slowly pulled the axe back up and returned to its previous stance as if nothing had happened. A deep groove had been left in the ground where the axe had struck. "Woo… You saved me, James." Pinkie Pie said as she looked up at me with a relieved expression.

I nodded, but then looked back at the armor. Rainbow Dash smirked, "Well, looks like we've got another punk to rough up!"

Twilight nodded, "It seems to be a sentinel, just preventing us from passing. It might pursue us if we don't do something about it first. James, do you think you can handle it?"

I gulped, "I'm not sure if I wanna get anywhere near this one…"

Pinkie Pie asked, "Why?! You handled the Shadowbolts no problem!"

I looked at her before speaking, "That thing is just a suit of armor! How do you take down something that isn't even alive?!"

Fluttershy nodded, "Oh… Good point. Then… Should we turn back?"

Twilight shook her head, "That's not an option, Fluttershy. If we don't get by this thing, the night will never end."

I looked back at the armor, scanning it carefully. If the Celestial Sword is as sharp as Celestia claimed, it might be able to cleave right through the armor. But maybe not. It might take a few swings to do it, since I had no actual grasp of the blade's sharpness when used on metal. And there were no metal objects to test it on nearby aside from the armor itself.

"Any ideas, girls?" Applejack asked.

"Um…" I muttered while studying the motionless suit of armor. Just who was controlling it? Nightmare Moon? Was she doing it directly over long range, or is it a basic animation spell with some type of simple programming, making the armor try to block anything that may pass it? Regardless, I eyed the rust that was all over the armor. As anyone can tell you, rust weakens a metal's integrity. Perhaps a powerful blunt strike… "I think I have an idea…"

"Sweet! Let's hear it!" Rainbow Dash replied as she hovered next to me.

I pointed at the armor, "Rainbow, swoop towards it and pull away as you get close. I need to test how quickly it can swing that axe around."

"You got it!" Rainbow replied before flying directly at the armor at high speed. When she was around halfway across the clearing, the armor began to move. Rainbow Dash seemed to notice this since she veered away and flew back towards me. Strangely, even though Rainbow had pulled away, the armor continued to move, swinging the axe down into the ground in the direction Rainbow Dash had been approaching from before returning to its primary stance. The process of swinging the axe was very slow, taking around three seconds to pull off.

"I think this thing was placed here more for intimidation than attack purposes." I spoke.

"It is rather sluggish, isn't it? I'm hardly afraid of it at all by this point." Rarity added.

"It'll still be a threat if it gets anywhere near us, though. Any idea on how to take it down?" Twilight asked.

I nodded, "Leave it to me." I began to casually approach the armor, knowing it was too slow to actually hit me. I walked up to it, waiting for it to move. I knew it would not stop the attack process, even if I backed away.

Sure enough, once I had come within striking distance, it began to raise its axe. I jumped to the side and waited. It then slammed the axe's head down into the ground, embedding it in the soft ground. But before it could pull the axe back up, I put my foot down on the head's back, keeping the axe stuck in the ground. The armor seemed to strain, not releasing its grip on the axe's long handle. "You've got no meat in those arms, you know that?"

I looked over at my friends and called out, "OK, AJ! Your turn! Time for some applebucking!"

The country pony grinned, "Ooh, I getcha! All righty then, James. Hold 'im steady fer me!" She then began to run towards the armor, her head tilted down with a determined smirk on her face.

I raised my shield to face the armor just to be on the safe side. With the armor bent over, Applejack's legs could easily reach the center of the torso. As she came closer, she turned around while still on the move, her hooves sliding over the grass.

"Yeeeeeeehaaa!" She shouted as she lashed out with her hind legs. A thunderous clang filled the air the instant her hind hooves struck the animated armor in the chest. The sheer force of the impact shattered the entire rusty cuirass, fragments flying everywhere with only its gauntlets and greaves still intact. The remaining unharmed armor fell to the ground, the centerpiece no longer holding it together. "And that's how it's done!" Applejack said with a smug smile as she turned to face our friends, her right hooves crossing the left ones in a casual stance.

While our friends cheered, I stood utterly unnerved by Applejack's show of strength. No horse from Earth could possibly do that to a suit of even the rustiest armor. Earth ponies really are built like tanks. "Um… AJ?"

She turned to face me. "What's up, James?"

I looked back at the shattered remains of the armor before glancing at her, "Remind me to stay a good ten feet away from your hindquarters from now on." Applejack could only laugh at my fear of her strength.

"Well, another one bites the dust! Let's get moving." Rainbow Dash spoke as she and the other girls began to walk past the shattered remains of the armor. However, she then glanced at the discarded axe and asked, "Hey, James! Why don't you take the axe with ya? You're bound to do lots of damage with it!"

I replied, "No can do. I have no experience with that thing, it's way too big and heavy, and I need to cast away my shield since it requires both hands." I then added, "Besides, it's inferior to the Celestial Sword! I'm better off with what I have right now."

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Oooh, I gotcha. Never mind then!" However, Twilight stopped and examined the armor closely.

"Twilight, we should be going now." Rarity spoke upon looking back at the purple unicorn.

Twilight looked at us, "This makes no sense…" She then added, "Humans only appear in myth in Equestria. Why is there a suit of armor here that is meant to be worn by them?"

I felt a sense of anxiety come over me. Where did Nightmare Moon even find that armor? Buried in the ground somewhere? I know part of the reason why humans had disappeared from Equestria, but was certain I should not speak of it.

"Where did this armor come from? It's very old… Ancient, even." Twilight went on.

I spoke, "Twi, it's not important. We have something else to tend to right now." I was hoping to get her mind off the armor so as to not inquire about the truth behind humanity's past in Equestria when we returned to Canterlot. Whatever happened, I have a strong feeling in my gut that I do not want to know what it was.

"Right, we can't wait. Let's hurry." Twilight replied with a nod. We continued onward, no mention of the armor being brought up again.

Some time passed before I felt the need to ask. "Is your Pinkie Sense detecting anything, Pinkie Pie?"

She replied, "Nope! Everything's fine over… Woohooohho!" She suddenly began to vibrate as if suddenly hit by a seismic tremor.

"Uh oh… What's that for?" Rarity asked.

Twilight spoke, "I remember this one… It means something's about to happen that we will never expect."

Fluttershy gasped, "Oh no… What could possibly happen out here that we won't expect? Is Nightmare Moon coming for us directly?"

Rainbow Dash asked, "Pinkie, do you know where it's gonna happen?"

Pinkie Pie shuddered again before replying, "Um… It's gonna happen right here. And…it's something dark…scary…and smells bad."

Applejack chuckled, "Really? Sounds more like a skunk ta me."

I rolled my eyes, "Oh, please. A skunk? I know it's darkly colored, but it doesn't smell bad all the…time… And isn't…scary…"

I felt a chill of impending doom fill my soul. Dark. Smells bad. Scary. In the Everfree Forest. At night. No… Not them!

"James? Something wrong?" Rainbow Dash asked, clearly noticing the fear in my eyes.

I stepped towards the direction we had been heading a moment earlier and took a defensive stance with my shield raised. "Girls, get behind me."

Twilight asked, "James, what do you think…"

I spoke louder, "Now! They're close!"

My friends huddled behind me while peeking past my shield. They said nothing, seemingly placing a lot of faith in my actions.

"James, what did you even find out here last time?!" Rainbow Dash asked.

I replied while my eyes slowly scanned ahead of me, being very mindful of the gaps between the trees. "If my guess is correct, you're about to find…" I froze. There they were. Peeking between two trees in the darkness in the distance were two glowing red beacons, glowing with an unholy crimson light. "They're here!"

Fluttershy peeked out from behind the shield before immediately ducking back behind it in terror. "Those eyes… James, what are they?!"

I replied, "The Blanks."

Applejack gasped, "Blanks… Hang on… Apple Bloom told me 'bout them once… How they almost…"

I nodded, "The same… And they only look like this at night… But what're they doing so far from Sunny Town? I'm pretty sure we're nowhere near it!"

Twilight replied, "Oh, come on, everypony. There's no such thing as zombies… Right?"

We did not wait long. More and more of the zombified ponies began to appear in the darkness. Four red beacons appeared. Then eight. Then ten. The number kept rising, a mass of them steadily drawing near. "Right? Zombies aren't real… They can't be real, right?" Twilight kept muttering, clearly in denial.

Just before the zombies of Sunny Town could come close enough for us to make out, I finally decided to scold Twilight. "Twi, come off it! These guys are the real deal! I saw them before eight months ago! They're monsters!"

At last, they came into the gentle glow that was being given off by the Celestial Sword. Their forms in the light were arguably more hideous than in the dark since now I could make out every single detail on their grotesque rotting bodies. The majority of them were barely more than skeletons with bits of rotting flesh hanging off of their bodies. However, five of them seemed vaguely familiar. Their bodies had much more flesh on them than the others, but were still hideous to behold. Each looked slightly different from each other, two being mares with the other three being stallions.

Finally, Twilight shrieked, "They're real! They're actually real! James, do something!"

The male zombie at the front of the swarm of zombies spoke in a familiar raspy tone. "James…? Hey…" He then took a few steps toward me, "James? Is that really you? Where've you been for the last eight months? Or has it been nine? Maybe seven?"

Rarity asked, "They know you?"

I nodded in silence, being careful to watch myself. I was certain they could not get through my armor, but I had to be mindful of them in case they went after my friends. Even so, I was still uncertain of just whether or not they were a threat to us. The last time I escaped Sunny Town, they pursued me while spouting words of friendship. Even so, why are they cursed?

The zombie at the front of the pack spoke, "Yeah! It's you! Long time no see! Remember me? Gray Hoof? Celebration planner extraordinaire?"

The name clicked with me almost immediately. I tried to smile, but kept my shield up anyway. "Oh, yeah. Hey there, Gray Hoof. What brings you out here?"

One of the other two stallions stepped forward, the eye hanging by its optic nerve bringing to mind the name Gladstone. "The night. It's never lasted this long, so we went outside to look around. Then we found you."

Gray Hoof seemed to smile, the minimal amount of flesh around his mouth leaving his teeth constantly exposed. "Since we've found you, how about a little party between friends? And who're your new friends…. Oh no…"

Rainbow Dash waved nervously, "Uh…heheh… We're from Ponyville. The name's Rainbow Dash…"

However, Gray Hoof did not seem to pay any mind to her words. "This is bad… They have the mark…"

Mark? What mark… Wait! Every last pony I had seen in Sunny Town was missing….. "The cutie marks!" I spoke as I realized what they meant.

"Huh?! Our cutie marks?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she and our other five friends looked at their own cutie marks.

"What about their cutie marks?" I asked, starting to sense some hostility from the zombies.

"The mark… They are cursed… We can't let them ruin the party… They have to go…" Gray Hoof spoke as his glowing red eye sockets seemed to glow brighter.

The zombies started to moan and chant together as they began to slowly stagger towards us. "They have the mark… They have to go… Don't let them get away…"

"No… Go away! Please! We didn't do anything wrong!" Fluttershy shrieked as she and the rest of my friends began to back away.

"Stay back! Don't you dare lay your grimy filthy undead hooves on us! …..Please?" Rarity shouted, clearly trying to stay brave.

Their words did not seem to faze the zombies. They continued to chant, clearly hell-bent on getting to my friends. A horrid thought spread through my mind. What were they going to do to my friends? And the curse… Wait. During Nightmare Night, Apple Bloom told me that the curse is contagious. So…if they even so much as touch my friends…

"Please! Leave us alone! We didn't do anything!" Fluttershy pleaded, cowering at the feet of my friends as they huddled around each other.

Hearing Fluttershy's pleas filled me with a sense of desperation I had never felt before. I was not going to allow these monsters to harm the woman I love or the friends who have come to mean the world to me. I was the only one there who could face the zombies without fear of being harmed. I had to act!

I swung my sword suddenly at Gray Hoof, trying to make him back away. "Not another step." I growled, standing between them and my friends.

Applejack called out, "James, yer nuts! Ya can't take 'em all by yerself!"

Gray Hoof spoke in his creepy raspy tone, "James, you're making a mistake… They have to go. They have the mark…"

Gladstone then began to approach me, "Come on, James. Just stand aside so we can…"

I did not give him the chance to finish. When Gladstone came too close, I lashed out with my sword. It cleaved him in two right down the middle, his head and neck hanging open and spilling…lord knows what out onto the ground before collapsing in a heap.

The zombies stopped cold in their tracks, their hellish red eyes gazing at Gladstone's motionless corpse as his own eye sockets dimmed. "Go away…" I spoke with a stern tone.

"James… You didn't…" Gray Hoof spoke as his hideous face gazed at me.

"They're my friends. Get any closer and I can't be held responsible for what happens next." I warned, holding the Celestial Sword out at my side.

"You just don't understand, James… Somepony hold him down…" Gray Hoof replied, the mass of undead ponies slowly shambling towards me and my friends.

"James, you can't!" I heard Fluttershy shriek.

Twilight pleaded, "Let's retreat! We'll deal with Nightmare Moon another time!"

I looked back at them, "You don't understand! They'll chase us! If we're gonna get to Nightmare Moon, we have to get rid of them first! Besides…" I then looked back at the approaching zombies, "What's more satisfying than mowing down zombies?"

No video gamer can say that they have never played a game that never involved destroying zombies and I am no different. The chance to actually experience a survival horror scenario made real was an interesting opportunity. Besides, I was covered with armor from neck to toe, the zombies are not tall enough to reach my exposed face, and they are totally sluggish. And without hands to grab me with, they were nearly harmless to me.

Rainbow Dash shouted, "James, I know you've been having a lot of fun tonight, but you must have a death wish if you're serious about taking on those zombies!"

I looked back at my friends and smirked, "Hey. Unless they have a tank or boomer, I'll be fine. Just stay back, OK?"

Rarity replied, "Uh… Very well… Just…don't get too reckless."

I nodded and faced the undead army before me. "OK, deadheads. Let's dance."

Holding my shield up, I charged into the hoard of undead ponies. I bulldozed my way through them, several getting struck on my shield as I shoved them along. When I found myself slowing down from too many obstacles being pushed, I shoved my shield away with magic. The zombies were sent sprawling as my shield went flying before I called it back to my arm. "OK… Just a bunch of zombies… I can do this…" I muttered to myself.

My sudden offense had shifted their attention away from my friends and towards me. The zombies all faced me, their glowing eye sockets and the Celestial Sword being the only sources of light in this particularly dark area of the Everfree Forest. I glanced back and forth before slashing my sword through the head of the nearest zombie.

I felt very little resistance as my blade cleaved through the bone and flesh like a hot knife on butter. The top half of the head fell off while the rest of the body collapsed in a heap. "Peh, that's it?"

No longer feeling any fear at all, I began to chop and hack my way through the zombies that were staggering towards me from all directions. A lateral slice here, a vertical chop there, and even a kick to a head that swiftly decapitated the creature at times. I did not even need much of a strategy to deal with this threat. They were far too slow and inept to provide much of a threat.

Something that did surprise me was just how many of them there were. At first, I only counted 28 pairs of glowing red eyes in the darkness. But as the zombies collapsed, more would begin to rise out of the ground to take their place. I groaned as I watched another ten crawl out of the ground, "Oh, come on! Just go home already!"

The sheer numbers of these zombies puzzled me greatly. Sunny Town is far too small a settlement to house all of these zombies, even during the day when they look like normal ponies. Where were all of these replacements coming from?!

After taking down what I suspect was twenty zombies, I flapped my wings to go airborne to get my bearings. All of the zombies gazed up at me, clambering over each other to reach me even though I was out of range. I tried counting them. In all, there seemed to be 29 left.

The fact that there were an odd number of zombies remaining left me feeling uneasy. I glanced around, wondering if I had miscounted. My gaze fell upon my friends as they kept their distance from the melee. Fluttershy seemed to have backed away further, clearly out of fear of the swarm of zombies. However, a short distance behind her was…

I felt a chill and a sense of panic fill me as I saw a pair of glowing red beacons steadily approaching Fluttershy from behind. "They wouldn't…" I then hurled my sword at it, using the levitation spell to guide its course. "Fluttershy, get down!"

Fluttershy shrieked as she ducked, covering her eyes with her forelegs. Just before the zombie could reach her, the Celestial Sword was skewered through its head directly between the eyes. Fluttershy looked behind herself a second later and quickly stepped backwards at the sight of the zombie standing before her. A second later, the red glow in its eye sockets vanished before the corpse collapsed to the ground.

"You guys are sick!" I shouted at the zombies below me, the Celestial Sword returning to my right hand a second later. I then dropped down, crushing one of the bonier zombies beneath my armored greaves in a clattering of bone.

I began to count the number of zombies I began to hack through. I had cut down a total of twenty a little earlier, so I was nearing fifty kills. "45…46…47… C'mere, you! 48… 49…" I then began to glance around for the last one. "Where's… Hey!" I staggered back as the last remaining zombie rammed my shield.

"Right… You're the only one left, Gray Hoof." I spoke as I caught myself. I was standing between him and my six companions. With how many zombies I had dropped in the last few minutes, I was feeling very confident that I could take him down too.

"James… You hurt your friends. What kind of jerk hurts his friends?" Gray Hoof asked, seemingly bewildered by my actions.

"What kind of friend tries to hurt the friends of his other friends?" I retorted.

He seemed to smile, "Yeah, that's right. We're friends, aren't we? Before the party starts, how about one little game between friends?"

"What game?" I asked, wondering if this was a sign of goodwill or a form of deception.

Gray Hoof began to turn away, "Catch me if you can!" He then suddenly burst into a sprint, taking off into the trees.

"What the…?" I spoke, amazed by how quickly he was moving. What kind of zombie is able to run as fast as the swiftest earth pony?

I looked back at my friends and shouted, "Stay here! And don't turn your backs on anything!" I then turned and ran after Gray Hoof, my greaves clanking with every step.

The trees passed me rapidly as I ran, my speed probably reaching nearly forty miles per hour. I was still amazed at how fast I could run while wearing this armor. Of course, I had to be careful to not run into anything while moving at that speed. Without a helmet, I was all but guaranteed to have my skull fractured if I collided with something.

After only a brief moment, I saw him. Gray Hoof galloping through the trees just ahead of me. I tried to catch up to him by moving in from his right; his decayed form being vaguely illuminated by the glow coming from my sword with trees passing between us frequently. I noticed him look in my direction before speaking, "That's it. Just try to keep up!" He then increased his speed slightly, lowering his head while he charged through the dark forest.

I did my best to close the gap between us, but his speed was too great. We were running at the exact same speed. "How the hell is he this fast?!" I groaned to myself, utterly amazed by his speed.

A minute passed before we suddenly made a very wide turn. Gray Hoof suddenly ran to his right, crossing my path before running in another direction. "What the?!" I shouted as I slid across the ground before running after him again. "What're you trying to pull?!"

I continued to chase him for a minute, the distance between us still no less than before. However, after a moment, I began to notice something. "Wait a minute… Didn't we just do a 180 degree turn?"

I gasped as I realized what direction we were heading in. "That means… We're heading right back towards… No!"

Gray Hoof… He had pulled a fast one on me. He knew he could not take me down with my current gear, so he tricked me to get me out of the way so he could reach my friends! There was nothing standing between them now!

I heard Gray Hoof shout, "It's time to start the party!" Somewhere up ahead, I could see my friends in the distance. I had to act now! Using the levitation spell, I sent my shield flying while keeping it low to the ground. I then sent it sideways while lying flat once it had caught up to Gray Hoof, tripping him. He rolled and tumbled along the ground while I flapped my wings to fly into the canopy to catch up before he could regain his footing.

As it turned out, he came to a stop just a few feet away from my six friends while stuck on his back. I heard him speak while looking at them, "Um… Not the way I was expecting to start the party."

I was right above him when I took the Celestial Sword into both of my hands in a reverse grip and dropped down through the air. I was not going to miss, so there was no risk of overswinging this time. As everyone looked up at me descending rapidly, I shouted, "Party's over!"

My aim was true. I drove the Celestial Sword squarely through Gray Hoof's chest, pinning him to the ground. Strangely, he did not scream in pain despite clearly wretching upon being impaled. I suppose zombies are no longer capable of feeling pain, considering how rotted their bodies are.

"Is it over?" I heard Fluttershy ask meekly.

I nodded, "I think so… Wait a sec. Is something burning?" I noticed an unpleasant stench fill the air, a thin trail of smoke starting to rise from…..Gray Hoof?

I jumped off him just in time, noticing the trail of smoke rising from the impalement wound in his chest where the Celestial Sword was lodged. A second later, the zombified pony burst into flames.

"Whoa! What do ya suppose that's 'bout?!" Applejack shouted in surprise.

Gray Hoof groaned, "It can't be over yet! We were just about to start the par…" He was cut off, the flames dying out in seconds. There was nothing left of Gray Hoof. Not even bones. Only ashes remained.

I pulled the Celestial Sword out of the ash pile and looked it over. The brilliant white blade still glowed warmly, almost feeling like the rays of the sun. "This sword… Prolonged exposure to the blade's warmth is toxic to creatures of the dark…"

Twilight nodded, "They can't stand the light…"

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash flew forward and got up in my face. "Man, James! The way you sent those zombies packing! And when that last one came barreling at us, and the way you went diving through the treetops and BAM! That was totally badass!"

I think I may have blushed at that compliment. "Whoa… That's a pretty intense compliment, Rainbow."

Rarity nodded, "You were very valiant, James. The way you rose up to defend us was truly how a knight would've reacted to them."

Fluttershy then stepped forward, "And…the way you stopped that zombie that was sneaking up on me…" She then blushed with a smile, "You really are my knight in shining armor."

I chuckled, "Oh, honey…"

Twilight smiled, "Well, I would say those zombies were the last thing I ever would've expected to see out here. I guess your Pinkie Sense got it right again, Pinkie Pie."

However, Pinkie Pie then shook again. "Uh oh! Those weren't it! I'm STILL getting the shudders!"

Twilight stared for a moment. "Still getting… Wait… WHAT?! Are you serious?!" She then pointed at the motionless dismembered corpses behind me, "We just ran into a doozy of an ambush! What could be doozier than a pack of zombies?!"

Pinkie Pie replied, "Maybe… Maybe there's still one more!"

Applejack pointed, "I see it! Right over there!"

I turned to face the threat, sword ready. Sure enough, there was one last pair of glowing red eyes in the darkness. "OK. I'll handle this too."

We waited, the owner of the eyes drawing closer. But when it stepped out into the light that was being given off by the Celestial Sword, I felt my heart leap. "Wait a minute… It's you!"

I stabbed my sword into the ground and walked toward the last remaining zombie, her dull crimson mane and mangy dark coat still as filthy as the last time I saw her. "Mitta… It's been a while."

She spoke with a solemn tone, "You remember me?"

Twilight called out, "James, hurry up! Kill it!"

I looked back at my friends as I got down on one knee. "It's OK, girls." I then gently embraced Mitta, "She's not like the others."

Mitta muttered, "I missed you…" I felt her stand on her hind legs, her forelegs gently wrapping around my torso.

I smiled, "It's been months. I was hoping I could see you again."

My friends cautiously began to approach us. "So… This creature isn't going to harm us?" Rarity asked.

Mitta replied, "I don't want to hurt anypony… Are you all OK? Did they hurt you?"

Rainbow Dash grinned, "Nah. James here mopped the floor with them. A bunch of pushovers."

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie seemed to…..inflate? It happened in an instant. She suddenly inflated like a balloon before reverting to normal in less than a second. She then smiled, "Hey! That's it! The last thing I was expecting was to meet a zombie who is NICE!"

Twilight facepalmed… Or should I say facehoof? Regardless, she groaned, "Of course…" She then faced Mitta, "Don't mind her. She's just being Pinkie Pie. But really, it's OK. We know you're not like the others now."

Mitta sighed, "I'm sorry… I kept trying to convince them to stay in Sunny Town, but they went to explore anyway. This night has been lasting too long. The curse has been in effect for much longer than it usually is."

Twilight spoke, "We're going to fix that. We heard that Nightmare Moon has returned and is hiding in the castle ruins a little further ahead.

Pinkie Pie began to hop toward Mitta. "Ooh, you look just like I did during Nightmare Night! You in costume too?"

Twilight smiled, "That actually would be a good way to get by the zombies! Maybe we should've dressed up before we went into the Everfree Forest."

I noticed Mitta crack a smile. "Just maybe…"

Applejack then patted Mitta on the shoulder, "Well, it's nice ta meetcha, Mitta. I'm Applejack."

My cursed friend gazed at Applejack, "You're not afraid of me?"

Fluttershy smiled, "Not anymore. You don't act like the others did."

Rarity gagged, "Although… You could use a bath. And your coat and mane could certainly do with some sprucing up. You should stop by the spa next time you come to Ponyville!"

I smiled, "I'll handle the massaging."

Twilight then stepped forward, "I think we should all introduce ourselves. My name is Twilight Sparkle."

Rainbow Dash then flashed Mitta a grin, "The name's Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in Equestria!"

Rarity bowed, "I am Rarity. It is a pleasure, Miss Mitta."

Pinkie Pie then hopped, "I'm Pinkie Pie! And I'm friends with absolutely everypony in Ponyville!"

Lastly, Fluttershy stepped forward. "I'm Fluttershy. And I live just at the edge of the Everfree Forest, if you ever want to visit." She then asked, "Um… Are you a friend of James?"

Mitta nodded solemnly, "Yes… Even though I shouldn't be…"

Rainbow Dash grinned, "Well, any friend of James is a friend of ours. Right, girls?"

Rarity smiled, "Of course! So sorry if we seemed hostile at first glance. You have the same eyes as those monsters that tried to…do whatever it was they had planned for us."

Mitta seemed troubled as she bowed her head, "You're too kind…"

I placed my hand on Mitta's shoulder, "It's OK, Mitta. If there's one thing I've learned about the ponies that live in Ponyville, their hospitality is without equal."

Mitta seemed to survey the lifeless fallen corpses that littered the area. I noticed and spoke, "I'm sorry if I hurt any of your friends. They were coming for mine, so…"

Mitta shook her head, "It's OK… They'll be back by morning."

Fluttershy asked, "They'll be…back? Even that one that was burned to ashes?"

Mitta replied, "Nothing can destroy them entirely. They are doomed to walk the Everfree Forest until they have learned from their sins. By morning, they will return to Sunny Town as if nothing had happened to them."

This revelation bothered me. Even if someone were to completely destroy each of the Sunny Town zombies, they would return from the grave without fail. But only when morning arrived, which meant… "Well, at least we don't have to worry about them until morning gets here. Which won't happen until we do something about it."

Twilight nodded, "Oh, right! And our destination isn't that much further! Excuse me, Mitta. We really need to be going."

Mitta nodded, "I see. I guess I'll go home too. Maybe I can spend some time with Ruby now that there's no one there to bother us." However, she then turned to me and embraced me tightly. "Thank you for coming back, James…"

I hugged her back, "I'm glad I got to see you again. Take care, Mitta."

As she began to walk away, my friends waved goodbye. "Come by Sugarcube Corner next time you're in town! I'll throw a party just for you!" Pinkie Pie spoke with a bright grin.

Mitta replied, "You're… You're all wonderful ponies…" She then turned and walked away, the darkness of the night engulfing her once she had gone out of range of the Celestial Sword's glow.

"She seems very sweet, James." Twilight spoke with a smile.

I nodded, "She's one of the few friends I have out here."

Applejack smiled, "Well, let's hope we get ta see 'er again."

Twilight spoke, "I don't think we have anything else to worry about now. Let's hurry on." She led on, the rest of us right behind her.

Minutes later, we emerged from the trees to find a familiar sight. A deep ravine filled with fog while a rope bridge spanned it. And on the other side of the ravine, there it stood. The remains of the castle I had found before. "We made it." Fluttershy spoke while standing at my side.

"Well… Shall we go?" I asked, starting to walk towards the bridge.

"James. Wait." I heard Twilight speak behind me. When I turned to face her, I found my other five friends facing me with her.

"Hm?" I retorted, wondering what she wanted.

Twilight smiled, "I just want to thank you for being here for us."

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Yeah! I don't think we would've gotten this far without you!"

"Huh? Really? You wouldn't have?" I replied, surprised that my presence may have made a difference.

Rarity nodded, "Of course! We may have found a way to get by the Shadowbolts, cross the river, and shatter that walking suit of armor, but there was no possible way for us to get by those zombies without you."

I asked, "Um… Are you sure? I thought I was just here for support."

Rainbow Dash smirked, "Maybe, but face it! We would've been zombie chow if you weren't there to mow them all down for us!"

Applejack nodded, "We owe ya one, James."

Fluttershy flew up to me and embraced me by my side. "We're glad you decided to come with us."

"Make some room!" I heard Applejack speak just before the rest of my friends embraced me in a group hug.

I chuckled, my face becoming flushed with a blush. "Easy there, girls. The mission isn't over yet."

Twilight nodded, "Right. Nightmare Moon's right over there. Let's go." One by one, my friends crossed the bridge. However, Rainbow Dash and I decided to just fly across.

As we stood before the wooden doors that led into the chamber where the Elements of Harmony used to be kept, I became filled with anxiety. Is Nightmare Moon really the same monster she used to be? Is she really a changed person? Or was she simply playing with my emotions when I first met her? Or… Is HE responsible for this eternal night? Whoever HE is. I really wish Celestia and Luna had spoken his name while I was listening.

"I'll go first." I spoke, gently nudging the door open. The chamber looked exactly the way I remembered it. I already described the appearance in an earlier entry, so it is unnecessary that I describe it again. However, I did not see any signs of life.

"No one's here." I spoke, the rest of my friends following me in. My greaves clanked against the cold stone floor with every step I took while the clopping of hooves rang out from my companions.

"Well, then she must be…" Twilight then looked to her left out of one of the chamber's ruined windows. "Over there."

Right outside the chamber was the same stone tower where I had last seen Nightmare Moon. "Yeah… That's the spot." Rainbow Dash said with a nod.

Fluttershy then asked, "Um… Can we rest here for a bit?"

Twilight nodded, "Sounds good. We want to make sure we're ready for this."

I am writing this while watching my friends chat, play a few games of tic-tac-toe with pebbles, and enjoying snacks. This whole journey through the Everfree Forest has been tiring. But at the same time, I really feel like I have accomplished something. Like I really have become someone my friends can depend on.

However, fear still gnaws at the back of my mind. With Nightmare Moon being so close, a confrontation is imminent. I have never enjoyed such confrontations, and I am fearful of what will become of Nightmare Moon if the Elements of Harmony are used on her again.

I have a plan that may save Nightmare Moon. I will talk it over with my friends soon. I can only pray they listen.

They are starting to gather up their belongings. Time to head out. Rarity has volunteered to carry my journal entry. I have agreed so long as she does not read it until we return home.

This is it. Do or die. I feel heat building up in me. I am stressed. But I need to have faith that my friends will listen.

Wish me luck. I am going to need it.


	18. Tears of the Moon

Well, here we are. My friends and I are standing at the very bottom of the staircase that leads up into the stone tower where Nightmare Moon is certainly waiting. I can tell that each of them seem a bit nervous with the exception of Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. I, in particular, am especially nervous. I do not wish to see either them or Nightmare Moon harmed.

"OK, girls. Elements on." Twilight spoke as her saddlebags opened. Out of each bag came three of the Elements of Harmony. One by one, they floated over to each of my friends and clipped around their necks while the Element of Magic rested atop Twilight's head.

"Now then, it's time we settle this once again." Rarity spoke with confidence. If she went from nervous to smug so quickly, the Elements of Harmony must be a force to be reckoned with.

I decided to speak up before we could enter the tower. "Girls… Hang on. There's something I need to tell you."

"Yes, James?" Fluttershy asked as all eyes fell upon me.

I sighed, "To be honest… I didn't come out here just to make sure you all come home safely…"

Pinkie Pie then smiled, "Then why else are you here?"

I paused, certain they would be angry with me. "I'm out here to make sure no harm comes to Nightmare Moon."

Rainbow Dash frowned, "James, come off it! You saw what she did! She sent the Shadowbolts after us to hurt us and put that armor in our way to smash us if we tried to pass! She even sicced a freaking pack of zombies on us! Does that sound like a nice pony to you?!"

I replied, "I'm pretty sure the zombies were entirely by chance. I don't think she has any control over them at all. But yeah… You're right about the other two."

Applejack then spoke, "Then why're ya still protectin' 'er?"

I sighed, "I met her once before… She isn't cruel. She's…hurt. She's gone over a thousand years without appreciation. Imagine what that can do to a person's mind."

Fluttershy spoke, "I don't think that's enough to really…"

Twilight nodded, "I know you mean well, James. But you need to accept the truth. Nightmare Moon is nothing more than a being of pure malevolence. This whole eternal night is proof of that."

I then frowned, "Really? Pure malevolence?" I then glared at them, "Maybe you should imagine yourselves walking a hundred miles in her horseshoes. For example…"

I looked down at Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie Pie. How would you have felt if you threw the biggest most elaborate parties in Equestria every weekend and no one ever attended?"

My gaze turned towards Applejack before I spoke, "Applejack. Imagine you working yourself to the bone on almost a daily basis. Harvesting apples from the hundreds of apple trees in Sweet Apple Acres. Thousands of apples to sell and hours upon hours of backbreaking labor, and no one ever bought a single apple from you. What would you have done if that happened?"

I then faced Twilight Sparkle. "And what about you, Twilight? Would you be happy if you studied diligently every single day for Princess Celestia, year after year, and your services were never once acknowledged?"

I then faced Rainbow Dash, "And let's not forget about you, Rainbow Dash. What would you do if you spent years developing your skills, becoming the fastest flyer in Equestria and being able to perform a Sonic Rainboom pretty much at will? What if you ended up outshining even the best members of the Wonderbolts? And despite your superiority, all of your attempts to join them were turned down?"

I then gazed at Rarity. "And what about you, Rarity? What if your garments, which you put your heart and soul into crafting, were of the absolute highest caliber? As in being fit for a king or queen. And not a single pony ever showed interest in them?"

Lastly, there was my girlfriend. "And you, Fluttershy. What if you spent years trying to win the hearts of the many animals that live near your home? Nothing but acts of kindness day after day, and the gentle creatures always thanked you by fleeing from you or baring their fangs. How would you have felt?"

I watched, waiting for a retort. The expressions on their faces seemed to be ones of deep thought and even a tiny bit of horror. I saw a tear trickle down Pinkie Pie's cheek. "That would be…awful."

Rainbow Dash sighed, "That would suck… I mean, royally suck."

Rarity nodded, "I cannot fathom such an existence. No recognition at all? Who could endure a life of that?"

Fluttershy bowed her head, "How did Nightmare Moon endure it for more than a thousand years? It's no wonder she became so bitter…"

Applejack sighed, "When ya put it like that… Now I feel a might awful fer thinkin' so harshly of 'er…"

Twilight frowned as she looked up at me. "I never once thought about that, James." She then smiled, "I think you're right. She just wants appreciation."

Pinkie Pie beamed at me, her sorrow and shame already gone. "Yeah! How do you humans think so deeply of stuff like this?!"

I smiled sheepishly, surprised that my words struck my friends so deeply. "Well… When I become interested in something, I tend to do a lot of thinking. Nightmare Moon is no exception."

Rarity smiled, "I would say that you have a better head on your shoulders than even Twilight here.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight retorted. We all chuckled in unison.

Fluttershy smiled, "I think we just need to go up there and have a nice chat with Nightmare Moon so she knows we understand how she feels."

Applejack grinned, "Then what're we waitin' for? Let's mosey."

I spoke, "Hold on, girls. Let me go first. She has no hostility towards me."

Fluttershy's eyes opened wide, "Oh… Right. We were the ones who…"

Rainbow Dash scratched the back of her head, "Yeeeeah… I don't think she'll be happy to see us after last time."

I nodded, "Like I said, I'll go first. She might listen to me since I have a clean slate. Give me fifteen minutes. If I'm not out by then, feel free to head on up." I then removed my goggles and handed them to Twilight. "Could you hold onto these for a while?"

All of my friends nodded while Twilight placed my goggles in her saddlebag. "OK then, James. Good luck. We'll have faith in your judgment." Twilight spoke with a smile. Keeping the Celestial Sword sheathed, I marched up the stone stairs and into the tower.

The stone spiraling staircase led up in the same way as last time, the lack of light making it hard to see. Some moonlight was shining through tall vertical stone windows in the walls at times, but I still had no trouble climbing the stairs since I was just feeling my way along with my feet.

After a minute, I finally reached the long throne room where I had taken shelter during my first visit eight months earlier. The many large windows were allowing the moonlight in, filling the room with enough light for me to see. At first, I saw no one there. From the entrance, there were no signs of life. But after a moment of surveying my surroundings, I heard the clopping of hooves echoing through the chamber. I froze; ready to throw up my shield on a moment's notice.

Several stone support pillars down the room, someone walked into view. She… My god, is that really how she looks in person? She is beautiful!

An alicorn with a coat as black as the darkest night sky was walking across the room, her head hanging low. Her wings were folded, although if the illustrations I had seen were accurate, their overall shape was similar to bat wings. They seemed to be coated in feathers though. Her mane and tail were very long, probably taking up more space than even those of Celestia. They billowed constantly, leading me to suspect that it is a trademark of the royal family for their manes and tails to move on their own. Each was a deep blue, sparkling stars filling them. Her cutie mark was identical to Luna's, the only difference being that the 'night sky' color spots were a vibrant purple. Like the royal sisters, she was clad in metal clothing that I suspect was armor. On her feet were light blue shoes that strongly resembled Celestia's, although they reached higher with the tips nearly reaching the knees. A light blue chest plate hung from her neck, the design resembling a fleur-de-lis with the top spire splitting to reach around her neck. A white crescent moon symbol was in the center. On her head rested a light blue helmet, her ears and long pointed horn sticking out of it. Unlike the helmets worn by Canterlot's royal guards, it had no plume. It covered the back and parts of the sides of her neck. Her unhappy eyes had purple eye shadow on the lids and lashes, the eyes themselves being very unnatural in appearance. The irises were the same shade of teal as Luna's eyes, but the sclera was a lighter shade instead of white. Her pupils were slit and narrow like those of a cat. Despite these oddities, I found this alicorn to have beauty that rivals that of Celestia.

I watched the alicorn closely; hardly able to believe I was seeing Nightmare Moon herself in the flesh. I have long wanted to see her again, and now she was right in front of me. With a smile on my face, I took a step forward. However, the action of my greave colliding with the hard stone floor made a sound that seemed to get her attention. Her ears perked up as her eyes opened wide. Her head jerked up as she called out, "Who goes there?!"

Her voice was deeper than Luna's and had a great deal of boldness to it, exactly how I imagined her. Her expression showed one of hostility, but the instant she saw me, her expression changed to one of shock. I said nothing while I waited for her to act first. I wanted to speak out, but I was naturally nervous in the presence of this dark princess.

"It's…" She spoke. A few seconds later, her expression changed to one of true delight, a happy smile spreading across her face. "It's you!"

She began to approach me, the sound of her hooves clopping echoing throughout the great stone chamber. Her unusual eyes were fixated on me with no hostility in them whatsoever. She spoke in a bold, yet friendly, tone. "Welcome back, my friend. Has this eternal night been to your liking so far?"

I asked, "Well… I have been enjoying it quite a bit."

The alicorn stopped around twenty feet from me. "I knew you would…but wait. That armor… Isn't that the same one Celestia and I crafted? And that….. Is that the Lunar Shield and the Celestial Sword?!"

I nodded, starting to feel even more nervous. "Where did you even get those?"

I replied, "Celestia gave them to me…"

She nodded, "I know that much. Those are sacred treasures that only the royal family has access to. But if you truly appreciate me, then why have you come here brandishing weapons of war?"

I looked towards a window, "The Everfree Forest isn't the safest place in Equestria. Especially at night."

The alicorn nodded, "Fair enough. Even so…"

I asked, "May I come closer?"

She replied, "Only once you have cast those weapons aside."

I did as I was told, unclipping the Lunar Shield from my arm before levitating it away and setting it against the nearest support pillar with the Celestial Sword inside it. The alicorn smiled, "Now you may approach me."

I approached the alicorn slowly, not sure if she trusted me yet. I asked, "Are you…her? From eight months ago?"

She smiled warmly, "Yes. I was touched by your compassion, my friend. And before you ask, yes. I am Nightmare Moon."

We were eye-to-eye when I was standing right in front of her. I gazed at her and spoke, "You're more beautiful than I imagined."

Nightmare Moon's ears drooped as a blush spread across her face. "Me? Beautiful? You are sure of that?"

I nodded, "Very. Just as beautiful as Celestia."

She averted her eyes, "Why…thank you. I have never once been called beautiful. Frightening and hideous, but never beautiful."

I reached out and embraced the dark alicorn, "Well, that's mean. You really are gorgeous, your highness."

There was a moment of silence before I realized what I was doing. "Um…" I released my grip on her and held up my hands, "Sorry! Sorry about that. I'm just… Well, I'm just…"

She smiled, "You are very sweet."

I froze, surprised that she did not mind me reaching out and touching her so intimately. Nightmare Moon then asked, "Could you…do that again?"

I nodded, reaching out and embracing her gently. "This feels lovely…" She spoke next to my ear.

"That's because hugs are a sign of affection, your highness." I replied, stroking her mane. Up close, I could see that it was semitransparent, the rest of the room being visible through it. It, like Luna's, had physical mass. I could feel it in my hand as I stroked it.

Nightmare Moon spoke softly, "Friends don't need to use honorifics when speaking to each other."

I smiled, "Yeah… They don't. But what do I call you?"

I released my grip on Nightmare Moon, allowing us to look at each other again. She replied, "You may refer to me as whatever you wish. Moon. Nightmare. Or even just Nightmare Moon."

I smiled, "I think Nightmare Moon has a nice ring to it. Doesn't really sound scary at all."

She chuckled lightly, "You are the first to ever say that." She then motioned for me to follow her. "Let's get more comfortable. Right over here."

I followed the princess of the night as she led me to the throne near the back of the room. It looked exactly the same way it did last time.

Once I had taken a seat by the throne while the princess herself was seated on it, I asked, "So… How did you go from a shadow to…this?"

Nightmare Moon replied, "For the last two or three years, I have been steadily leeching off of the moonlight. With every night, I grew stronger. Although…" She then frowned, "I also got a nice boost from your surge of negative emotions."

I asked, "Negative emotions? When did… Oh." I remembered when I woke up to find myself transformed into an earth pony due to exposure to Poison Joke. "Yeah… That was a lot of negative emotion. But how did you get power from that?"

She replied, "I was practically born from negative emotions." I suppose it was not necessary to inquire further about that. "When I had regained enough of my strength, I regained my physical form."

I then asked, "I heard you used to be Princess Luna herself. How are you a separate entity?"

She paused for a moment, as if pondering my question further. "Well… I am not entirely certain how myself. I was Luna at one time, but I became myself later, if that makes any sense. I have all of Luna's memories from up until the Elements of Harmony purged me from her body."

I nodded, "Uh huh… So you're kinda like Luna, but at the same time you're different. But I still don't get the same vibe from you as I get from Luna. You really do feel like a unique person."

Nightmare Moon smiled, "I'm glad you understand that. You are far more open-minded than any other human I have known." I was not surprised that she had met humans before, but I decided to not ask about it.

"I think however I wish. I don't always think the way others do." I replied. I have always believed in the concept of free thought. The action of being forced to think how others want you to think is something that utterly disgusts me.

Nightmare Moon spread her wing that was closest to me and draped it across my back under my armor's wings. Its form was identical to the illustrations I had seen. "I'm sure that way of thinking is what allowed you to understand me."

I draped my arm across her back and gently leaned against her, "And I'm glad you're not the mad tyrant everyone has always made you out to be."

After a moment more of chatting, I decided to ask the fateful question. "So… Nightmare Moon. If you really aren't as evil as the stories claim, why have you brought out this eternal night again?"

She smiled at me, "It was a gift. For you."

I was taken aback by this revelation. "Hang on… This is all for ME?! Just for me?!"

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "Of course. You were the first and only person to ever thank me for my work in crafting the night. So I made it possible for you to enjoy it constantly."

I chuckled nervously, "Um… Wow. Thanks… And yeah, I have been enjoying it. However…" I then frowned, "This eternal night has to end."

She clearly did not expect those words. "WHAT?! But… You… You claimed… You…"

I placed my hand on her hoof. "May I explain?"

Nightmare Moon calmed down a bit at my touch. "Very well… Explain."

I nodded, "I know you mean well and that you only want to be appreciated for all you've done, but this isn't the right way. True, I love the night and prefer it over the day. But the world needs the sun if it is going to survive."

Nightmare Moon nodded in silence, showing that she was listening to me. "Without the warmth of the sun, crops will not grow. The land will freeze. Ponies will starve. And those that do not starve will freeze. To DEATH. Do you want that?"

This simple truth seemed to shock Nightmare Moon greatly. She looked away from me, "No… I don't want to see my people…die."

I then smiled as I patted her on the shoulder. "You know, the world needs the night too. An eternal day, like an eternal night, would only bring disaster. Rivers and lakes would dry up. Crops would whither. Grasslands and forests would become deserts. The night is needed to balance it out to prevent drought and the like."

Nightmare Moon looked at me, "I never once considered it like that…"

I then stroked her mane, "Also, the night is very much appreciated. All sorts of things happen at night that don't during the day. Meteor showers, campfire parties, catching fireflies during summer, and certain holidays. Do you know about Nightmare Night?"

Nightmare Moon's ears perked up, "Nightmare Night?"

I explained, "It's one of the most popular holidays in the world. And it only takes place at night. I think you would love to join it this year."

Nightmare Moon's gaze became one of deep gratitude. "All this… And only at night? There are ponies who enjoy the night?"

I nodded, "Yeah. And besides, it's not like absolutely everyone goes to sleep as soon as the sun goes down. Most ponies stay awake a few hours longer. So everyone stays up through the night to a certain point, meaning they get to enjoy it."

Nightmare Moon then did something I was not expecting. She nuzzled my cheek. "Thank you… I had no idea. All this time…"

I nuzzled her back, "So, will you end this night?"

She nodded, "When morning comes. Right now, it's past midnight."

I chuckled, "Well, that would make sense. Since when does the sun come up at three in the morning?" We both chuckled heartily.

Nightmare Moon then smiled, "Now that I think about it… I never asked you your name."

I replied, "It's James."

She grinned, "James… I like the sound of that name."

I am not entirely sure how much time passed. The two of us just talked and talked. I really could not see why Nightmare Moon always seemed so scary to the ponies of Equestria. But before long, I thought I heard someone call my name. Nightmare Moon and I looked towards the stairwell at the far end of the throne room. Against the wall of the stairwell was a moving shadow.

"It really IS Nightmare Moon…" I heard Fluttershy speak with a hint of surprise in her voice, apparently having heard Nightmare Moon's voice echo down the chamber and into the stairwell.

"Are those…?" Nightmare Moon asked, clearly intimidated by the presence of the six mares who defeated her the previous time.

I placed my hand on her shoulder, "Relax. They're good friends of mine. And I had a word with them on our way here. They're not here to hurt you."

Nightmare Moon nodded, "I see…"

I then stood up and began to approach the stairwell just as Twilight's face emerged into the moonlight. "James! How'd it go?" One by one, the rest of our friends emerged as well.

"It's OK, girls. She understands! The night will end when morning comes!" I then turned to face Nightmare Moon, "Right?"

However, Nightmare Moon seemed to be gazing at my friends with a look of shock. But that expression quickly changed to one of anger as she glared at me. "You would dare deceive me?!"

I took a step back at her claim. "Huh? Deceive?"

She began to approach me, her angry eyes now focused on me. "You said they are not here to do me harm, yet they have the Elements of Harmony ready to be used!"

Crap… The Elements! They were still wearing them! "Oh man…" I muttered, realizing that Nightmare Moon had mistaken my friends as a threat since they were now wearing the Elements of Harmony, the very tools that had been used to defeat her twice before.

"You wretched… How dare you!" Her billowing mane lashed out at me like a tentacle or a beast's paw. I flapped my wings to retreat out of range, placing myself directly in the middle of the throne room.

"Nightmare Moon, stop! We're not your enemies!" Rarity shouted.

"Really! We're just here to…" Pinkie Pie added before Nightmare Moon could shout.

"SILENCE!" The dark alicorn screamed. "I know why you are here! To use the Elements on me so I may be erased from existence!"

I held out my right arm, "No! I swear, we're not here to fight! I don't want to see you harmed!"

Nightmare Moon seemed to pause for a moment before she asked, "Really? You are certain of that?"

I nodded, "Yes. I didn't come out here to help destroy you. I came here to save you."

Applejack grinned, "Ya see, yer highness? We're just here ta set things right an' help ya out."

Nightmare Moon seemed to scowl at my friends. "I know I cannot trust any of you. But…" She then turned her gaze to me and smirked, "You, I know, have deep appreciation for the night."

I said nothing, watching as Nightmare Moon extended her hoof to me. "Stay by my side, and you will always be bathed in the soothing glow of the moon."

It was a tempting offer. I do prefer the night to the day. However, Rainbow Dash then called out, "Don't listen to her, James! We need your help to stop her!"

Nightmare Moon retorted, that calm smirk never leaving her face. "Come with me, James. I know this is what you want. We are friends, aren't we?"

It had come down to being a moral choice. Choosing between what I wanted and what was right. I bowed my head, thinking for a moment. It is true I had come to view Nightmare Moon as a good friend despite us knowing each other for such a short time. And spending an eternal night with her does sound lovely. But if only we would benefit from it while the rest of Equestria suffered…..

I began to walk towards my six friends, all eyes focused on me while no one spoke. The only sound that was heard were the clanks of my greaves stepping on the stone floor. When I was just ten paces from my friends, I turned and looked back at Nightmare Moon. "I'm sorry, Nightmare Moon. I'm choosing to do what is right."

Fluttershy flew up to me and embraced me from the side. "I knew you would make the right choice, James."

However, Nightmare Moon asked, "Why… I thought you are my friend. That you wanted to save me… Explain yourself."

I replied once Fluttershy had let go of me. "True, I do prefer the night to the day. And I have been enjoying this night so far. But if the sun never rises again, Equestria will become a barren frozen wasteland. That's why I'm going to help my friends end the eternal night."

I then smiled at her, "And before you ask why, it's because it's the right thing to do."

Right when I said those words, I felt the air become heavy. I glanced around, feeling an odd presence. Pinkie Pie gasped, "Whoa! Look at them!"

When I turned around, I saw the six Elements were beginning to glow. Twilight spoke, "The Elements of Harmony are resonating! What does it mean?!"

I then heard Nightmare Moon speak, "It can't be…"

Just ahead of me, white lightning began to spark in the air. It did not seem any of my friends were causing it, so I merely watched. The bolts became more fierce as the seconds went by, seemingly forming an orb of electricity. Suddenly, the lightning compacted before exploding outward, engulfing the entire chamber with a white flash. I had to close my eyes. It was that bright.

"Eek! What is it?!" I heard Fluttershy shriek behind me.

Once the light had dimmed, I looked ahead. Floating in the air just ahead of me was what seemed to be a helmet. The majority of it was the same shade of blue as most of my armor, a white crest surrounding the face area that fanned out to look somewhat like wings. "Hey, that's my helmet! And…" I spoke, but paused when I took it into my hands.

"Is that…" Rarity asked, her eyes fixated on the same spot my eyes were.

Situated above the slanted groove at the center of the white crest was a polished white gemstone that had been carved…into the form of two doves facing each other with wings spread. Forming the general shape of a heart while the gap between them was a perfect heart. I spoke, "My cutie mark?"

Twilight gasped, "Then… That's an Element! But…how? There are only six Elements of Harmony!"

I spoke, finding that the gemstone was polished, but not cut like the Elements of Harmony. "It's the Lost Element…"

"Lost Element?" Applejack asked, clearly having never heard of it before.

I replied, "It's something that's been missing from this world for a long time… But what is it really called?"

Nightmare Moon then spoke up, "Well well… I never once dreamed I would see the day when the illustrious Lost Element would make its presence known again."

Rainbow Dash frowned, "You sound like you know what it is. Spill it!"

The dark alicorn explained, "Crafted by human hands, this Element can only be used by humans."

She then gave us a stern gaze, "The Lost Element. The Element of Humanity."

Humanity….. Of course! It is so obvious! Humanity! I looked at the Element on my helmet, amazed that I did not once consider its true title.

"Humanity? That's silly! What kinda Element is called the same thing as the people who use it?!" Pinkie Pie giggled.

I replied, "No. It's the other definition that this Element represents."

Fluttershy asked, "Other definition?"

I faced them, "Humanity is also the quality of being human. Being able to choose right from wrong. Good from evil. Compassion and the willingness to help others. Humans are creatures that epitomize morality, which is what humanity is all about." I then held the helmet in my hands, my eyes fixated on the gemstone on the forehead. "We can go either way. White, black, or gray. I think that's what this Element represents. Spiritual balance."

Rainbow Dash whistled, "Whoa… That's deep."

Nightmare Moon then spoke, "That is EXACTLY what that Element embodies. What you see is the Element in its purest state. You must have a kind, yet imperfect, heart just for it to appear."

Twilight smiled, "That's something you've almost always had since the day you came to Equestria, James."

I nodded, "Yeah… Almost. I know I faltered a few times. But that's part of being human. They always make mistakes. We aren't perfect, but we try."

Rarity then smiled, "But still… You have your own Element, darling! And, like your cutie mark, it is absolutely dazzling!"

Fluttershy nodded, "It's beautiful… It really shows what you're all about."

Twilight grinned, "You've always been about love, James. That's part of what humanity is, right?"

I nodded, smiling as I held my own Element before me. "Yeah… I don't like to hate. It's hard for me to hate, even." I then looked ahead at Nightmare Moon, "That's why I have to save you, Nightmare Moon. Because I can't bring myself to hate you."

The princess of the night glared at us, "You must understand, James. I have made up my mind. I will NOT allow the night to end until I know for certain that Equestria truly has come to appreciate me! It is time that you decide! What will you do?!"

Twilight spoke softly to me, "James, I don't think there's any other way. We have to use the Elements of Harmony. If she survived the first time, I don't think we have to worry about them hurting her."

That is right. The Elements of Harmony are not a force of destruction. I cannot imagine them killing anyone. But still… My fears were strong. What would happen to her now that Nightmare Moon did not have the kind heart of Luna to shield her?

Applejack spoke, "James, she's yer friend. It's up ta you if we use the Elements or not."

I faced Nightmare Moon. She did not seem even remotely intimidated that the Elements of Harmony were right before her. Did she know for certain that she would not be harmed if they were used on her?

After a moment of contemplation, I threw up my left hand while holding the helmet against my chest with my right. "Do it."

Twilight nodded, "You made the right choice, James."

Applejack seemed to notice how smug Nightmare Moon was at the time. "Uh… Shouldn't ya'll be a might more worried than that? I mean… Ya don't exactly have anythin' ta stop us."

Nightmare Moon smirked, "You cannot stop me this time. The night will end only when I say it will."

Fluttershy sighed, "Well… I guess we don't have a choice."

"Stand back, James." Twilight spoke to me. I did as I was told, moving closer to Nightmare Moon to give them more space.

My six companions closed their eyes, the Elements of Harmony beginning to glow in six colors. Strangely enough, they began to float off the ground. I noticed a white glow beginning to expand out, engulfing them in its field. How do I even describe what it is like to see such power at work? I cannot, to be completely honest.

My gaze turned back towards Nightmare Moon, wondering why she was not panicking. To my surprise, I could hear what sounded like a chuckle coming from her before it escalated into wild cackling befitting a mad tyrant. "Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice, shame on me!"

Behind me, the Elements seemed to activate. A pair of rainbows, one of warmer colors with the other being mostly cooler colors, began to spiral out of the white glow and straight up into the air as if dancing around each other. But when they converged near the ceiling and swept down at Nightmare Moon in a single colorful rainbow, the dark alicorn shouted, "Fool me thrice… NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!"

I looked on, me eyes noticing dark sparks starting to appear around her. They seemed to be six orbs of dark lightning. Seconds before the rainbow could reach her, I saw something emerge from each crackling spark of electricity.

"Girls, there's something there!" I called out. As each orb of lightning vanished, six gemstones appeared and floated around Nightmare Moon. Strangely, they were identical to the gemstones that made up the Elements of Harmony minus the gold jewelry they were embedded into. However, the coloration of each gemstone was much darker than the real Elements.

Just as the rainbow was about to engulf her, the six gemstones glowed darkly as an equally dark swirling rainbow pillar shot up out of them. It swirled around her, looking much like the spiraling colors of one of those rotating cylinders you would find outside a barbershop. I could feel the air ripple as the two rainbows collided. After only a few seconds, the rainbow that came from the Elements of Harmony dissipated while the darker rainbow did the same a few seconds later.

"What happened?! Where'd that other rainbow come from?!" Pinkie Pie shrieked as she and the other mares dropped out of the air and landed on their hooves.

"Those gemstones… They look just like the Elements of Harmony. Minus their fabulous gold accents, that is." Rarity added.

"But they're so…dark… What are they?" Fluttershy asked, clearly intimidated that Nightmare Moon was unaffected by this seemingly unstoppable power.

Twilight shouted, "Explain yourself! Why didn't the Elements of Harmony work this time?! And what are those?!"

I asked, "I take it this is the first time the Elements failed?"

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah! Every other time, they worked perfectly! This is a first!"

Applejack then called out, "So, what gives?! Why didn't they work on ya this time?!"

Nightmare Moon smirked, "You foals… Ask yourselves this. Do you really believe I would allow the Elements of Harmony to be used on me a third time?"

None of my friends answered, looking back and forth at each other. I suspect they really did believe the Elements of Harmony would have worked for certain this time. Nightmare Moon then growled, "What kind of idiot do you take me for?!"

"Then… Those dark…things…" Fluttershy retorted.

Nightmare Moon regained her composure, "They are my finest work. I knew that sooner or later, Celestia and Luna would figure out where I was. It was only a matter of time. And the Elements of Harmony would certainly be used against me once more. That is why I crafted these."

The six gemstones all floated up in front of her, allowing us to see them more clearly. "After gathering the residual harmonic energies that still lingered in this chamber, I diluted them and compressed them into these as the perfect counter for the Elements of Harmony. And I see that they performed just as splendidly as expected."

She then smirked at us, "These are the Elements of Lies, Wrath, Betrayal, Cruelty, Greed, and Force. The Elements of Chaos. The opposites of the Elements of Harmony."

I instantly felt a very sinister vibe at those words. What kind of harm can the polar opposites of the Elements of Harmony cause when used?

"You wouldn't dare use those on Equestria, would you?!" Rarity shrieked, every bit as worried as I was.

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "Heavens, no. Besides, they are not strong enough to be used for offense. Their purpose is strictly defensive. To prevent the Elements of Harmony from being used on me. Nothing more."

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief, "Phew… Ya had us goin' fer a minute there."

Nightmare Moon then extended her hoof to me, "Of course, if the Elements of Harmony cannot be used on me, then my grasp on the night will not loosen. James, stop wasting your time. I know you will enjoy this with me."

I said nothing. I knew that the night had to be stopped, but the sudden introduction of the Elements of Chaos had complicated matters. I slowly walked backwards towards my friends and kneeled next to them. "So… What now?"

Twilight replied, "I… I don't know…"

Rainbow Dash scowled, "Only one thing we can do. We're gonna have to force her to surrender."

Fluttershy whimpered, "You mean… Attack her? But…she's…"

Attacking someone as powerful as Nightmare Moon would certainly be a bad idea. Even two earth ponies, two pegasi, and two unicorns would be overwhelmed. I had not even seen Nightmare Moon fight and I was STILL wary of her power.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Rainbow… We'd just be settin' ourselves up fer a lotta hurt." Applejack spoke, clearly just as intimidated as everyone else. Except for Rainbow Dash that is.

"Quite. I doubt we can truly hold our own against here. Not to mention not necessarily all of us are capable fighters." Rarity replied, her eyes gazing at Fluttershy out of their corners.

I sighed, knowing exactly how to face Nightmare Moon. The only kind of being that can stand up to a royal alicorn is another royal alicorn. Or a being who has access to their abilities.

"I'll do it." I spoke while returning to a standing position.

"What?! Are you loco in the coco?!" Pinkie Pie asked, getting right up in my face by standing on Applejack's back.

I replied, "The only one of us here to can stand up to her is someone with similar strength and abilities. I'm the only one here who qualifies."

Rainbow Dash stared at me with an uneasy expression that reeked of worry. "I'll back you up."

I shook my head, "No, Rainbow. I need to do this alone. If Celestia or Luna was here, that'd be a different story. But I gotta do this alone."

Using magic, I called the Lunar Shield back over to me and attached it to my left forearm. "This is my problem now."

I took a few steps forward, but stopped when I felt someone embrace me from behind. "Please… Don't do it." I recognized the voice being that of Fluttershy.

I turned around, finding all six of my companions gazing at me with worried expressions. "James… I'm sorry, but I'm against this." Twilight spoke first.

Rarity took one step forward, "We have known you for less than a year, but you've become an integral part of our lives… We don't want to lose you."

I perfectly understood their points of view. I certainly have no desire to ever leave them either. Even so, I knew full well about my armor's limits. If I minded my defenses, I would probably be all right. I smiled at them, "I'll be OK, girls. I'm just going to stop her, but not kill her."

Applejack nodded, "Just…be careful in there, pardner. We'd hate ta lose ya."

I nodded, turning to face Nightmare Moon while spreading my wings. "OK… I'm not sure how I'll do this, but…"

I then placed my helmet on my head. "I… If you're my friend, I have to make you listen… Um… What's with that look?"

Nightmare Moon was looking at me with a rather…..surprised gaze. She spoke, "Well… That certainly IS dazzling."

Dazzling? What happened? Wait, I did hear some sort of faint sound right as the helmet was placed on my head. I then heard Rarity let out a gasp, followed by the sound of a thud. "Ugh, what is it this time?"

I turned to face my friends, each of them gazing at me while Fluttershy seemed to have a…wingboner. What was more, Rarity was on her back while seemingly dazed. "Uh… Is she gonna be all right?" I asked, wondering if my wingspan was the only thing that blew her mind.

Twilight slowly shook her head, "Whoa… James, I think you better take a look at yourself."

What? Myself? I had no actual mirror, but I suspected the shining polished blade of my sword would suffice. I drew the Celestial Sword from its scabbard and held the blade in front of me. I tried adjusting the blade to view from different angles by using it as a makeshift mirror. I have to say the helmet looked quite good on me, the Element of Humanity aligned with my upper forehead. "I really don't see what the big deal is." I spoke, wondering just what it was they saw.

Rainbow Dash seemed to be trying to keep a straight face. "Your hair! Look at it!"

I replied, "You can't SEE my hair when I'm wearing a helmet… Huh?" I noticed something moving right behind me that seemed to be trailing downward. I adjusted my sword's angle, my gaze never leaving the blade. I could see…a constantly wavering billowing mane.

"I have a mane?" I asked, noticing that it seemed to be extending from the back of my helmet. Down the middle of the mane, it seemed to be a deep blue night sky with stars filling it just like Luna's mane. But around the edges and tip, it had the multiple colors of Celestia's mane. Like the night being embraced by the gentle colors of the dawn. It was quite long, nearly reaching my feet. This was not a problem since it seemed to lack physical mass. This is a good thing, since it would have easily gotten in the way of my wings if it was solid.

"Dang… That's gorgeous." I muttered, looking at the mane the best I could by looking over my shoulder.

"Gorgeous? I think that armor is a work of art." Fluttershy replied, sporting a blush on her face.

I smiled, "Yeah. Beautiful, yet functional." I then struck a pose, holding my shield slightly lower than usual while standing straight up. I held my sword far out to my side while keeping my wings spread.

Applejack whistled, "Woo nelly, James! Ya know how ta strut yer stuff!"

Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves, "I need to ask the princesses to help make decorations for some of my parties if they're that good at making fancy armor!"

However, Rainbow Dash spoke, "Yeah, it's cool. Now, would ya stop looking so dang awesome?! I almost feel like you're TRYING to give me a wing… Dang it." Before she could even finish her sentence, her wings sprang open in a large wingboner. Every last one of us, minus Rarity, burst into laughter. I then decided to sheathe my sword since I had no desire to use it.

"Enough! What are you hoping to accomplish?!" We all stopped as Nightmare Moon shouted at us. I turned to face her, finding the dark alicorn to be looking at us with an annoyed glare. "So, your armor is now complete. But what are you going to do with it?"

I looked down at myself before looking back at Nightmare Moon. "I'm going to do the right thing. The sun needs to rise."

Nightmare Moon's face seemed to show one of shock, but it quickly changed to one of anger. "You… I gave you this wonderful gift. And now you are throwing it away?!"

I could not offer a reply. I truly felt bad that I had only just met her again yet had already angered her. Before anything else could happen, I noticed a deep blue aura surround a small chunk of rubble near a support pillar before the rubble came flying at me. "Ungrateful scum!"

I held out my empty right hand, stopping the rubble from striking me by countering with a levitation spell of my own. I then grabbed the rubble and looked at it for a moment before directing my gaze back at Nightmare Moon. I then spoke, "I am grateful, Nightmare Moon. It's just that the night has outstayed its welcome. If it goes on for too long, the people of Equestria will begin to crave the sunlight to the point where they will never want to see the moon again. Do you want that? For them to HATE the night?"

Nightmare Moon seemed surprisingly unfazed by my words. "Like I said, I have made up my mind. Now, choose! Who will you side with?!"

I looked back at my six companions, their faces showing genuine concern for me. Even Rarity had joined them after regaining her bearings. I then looked back at the dark alicorn and began to approach her. "I already answered that."

She growled, "So, you wish to use force? So be it. Draw your sword."

I replied, "You're kidding, right? I came here to save you, not to slay you."

My refusal to fight seemed to only anger her more. "You dare to mock me? Claiming you stand against me yet refusing to draw your weapon?" Her horn was engulfed in a deep blue aura, a small orb of light forming at the tip. "Enough of your charade! ATTACK ME, COWARD!"

To my surprise, a flash of lightning was launched from the tip of her horn. Even though lightning moves almost at the speed of light, this bolt was somewhat slower. I had enough time to throw up my shield, easily blocking the blow. It had no physical force behind it, so I felt like nothing had hit the shield at all.

I moved the shield aside, not feeling very intimidated at all. It almost felt as if I was simply listening to a friend vent about something that had angered her while I stood and listened. Only the words were bolts of magic lightning while the ears were the Lunar Shield. I actually felt quite safe in the secure confines of my armor; even more so now that I had completed it by adding its helmet. My face was still exposed, but I was doubtful Nightmare Moon's aim was precise enough to hit me there.

My goal at the time was to try to get Nightmare Moon to listen to me by being as nonviolent as possible. If I drew my sword, it would be a sign of aggression. Although I must admit I may have looked rather silly holding a large shield on my left arm, but no weapon in my right hand.

I asked, "Are you done?"

Nightmare Moon growled, "I will never be done until Equestria embraces the night just as they do the day! And if you will not stand down…" She let out a yell as a much larger arcing volley of lightning was launched from her horn.

"James, get outta there!" I heard Rainbow Dash shout. I did not retreat, opting instead to get myself lower to the ground to make certain not a single part of me would be exposed around the edges of the Lunar Shield. The shield held, the lightning surging past the edges while I stood my ground. This lightning actually had a great deal of force behind it. I would have been blown right off my feet if I had not braced my legs a second before it struck.

Unlike before, this electrical assault kept coming. A constant stream of powerful lightning trying to push me away. I decided to try to get closer to Nightmare Moon, hoping that maybe my touch would calm her. I began to push my way against the lightning, effectively bulldozing my way through with the Lunar Shield acting as a barrier. It felt like I was pushing against a powerful gust.

I kept a close eye on the walls at my sides, knowing that they began to curve inwards near the end of the throne room where Nightmare Moon was standing. I could not look past my shield without risking getting my face fried. Once I was sure I was close enough, I engulfed my right gauntlet with its golden yellow aura. Hopefully it would give it a little more protection. I reached past the shield, my hand grabbing something long and narrow.

As soon as I grasped what was in front of me, the lightning stopped. I moved my shield aside to find that my hand was now holding Nightmare Moon's horn. Near the base, her aura was still billowing. But above my hand, the aura was nonexistent. It seemed that the opposite polarity of the magic in my gauntlet had disrupted the channeling of her magic.

The two of us shared a momentary gaze. "That's enough, Nightmare Moon." I spoke softly, trying my best to calm her. At that time, my gaze glanced at the Elements of Chaos that were still floating around her. They seemed to not be reacting to my presence at all.

Nightmare Moon growled, "No… It will never be enough." She jerked her head away, forcing me to let go of her. Before I could regain my balance, she held the tip of her horn squarely to my chest. "This night shall last forever!"

Before I could react, Nightmare Moon blasted me at pointblank range with a massive bolt of electrical magic. I felt a chill pass through my body as I stood paralyzed. That feeling you get when you are about to fall off a ladder or when an incoming vehicle is about to collide with you.

"No!" I heard Fluttershy shriek somewhere behind me.

A few seconds later, I stood frozen with my right arm raised over my face. Was I dead? Was I alive? I muttered, "Am I dead yet?"

There was no response at first, so I opened my eyes while lowering my arm. Nightmare Moon was looking at me with a bewildered expression. "I'm OK?"

Nightmare Moon shouted, "What?! That was one of the strongest spells I could muster!"

I flapped my wings to give myself some distance from her, still slightly shell-shocked from the experience. "This armor really is magicproof…"

Right after landing, I felt something bonk me on the top of my helmet. "You dummy! I thought you were dead right there!" I recognized the voice as Rainbow Dash.

I glared at her, "You think I was TRYING to get myself zapped?"

Before we could get into an argument, I heard Nightmare Moon roar again as she sent another bolt of lightning at me. Only it was likely that Rainbow Dash would get caught in it too.

"Dang it!" I yelped as I levitated the Lunar Shield up to Rainbow Dash to shield her from the lightning. I had nothing to fear since my armor on its own could endure the magical attack.

"Whoa! Thanks, James!" Rainbow Dash spoke while looking down at me.

"No problem. Now get back." I replied. Rainbow Dash did as she was told, flying back over to our friends.

I turned to face Nightmare Moon again. Since my armor was capable of enduring any of the spells she threw at me, I decided that the Lunar Shield was no longer necessary. I cast it aside, standing completely unarmed in the center of the throne room.

"You think your armor can save you from everything? Think again!" Nightmare Moon shouted at me. I then heard what sounded like creaking and crumbling.

I heard Pinkie Pie shriek, "James! Heads up!"

I glanced up and stared wide-eyed as two support pillars were beginning to fall towards me on opposite sides. "Knock it off, Nightmare Moon! Keep that up and you'll bring the whole house down!" I shouted while trying to use the levitation spell with both gauntlets on each pillar.

"James, they're too big and heavy! Stopping those pillars from falling requires great focus!" Twilight called out.

I was too focused on saving myself to really pay any mind. I am not certain how I managed it, but the pillars stopped descending towards me with less than ten feet of distance from me. I 'pushed' the pillars back up to their original positions, hoping that Nightmare Moon would not try it again.

"How did you manage that… No novice of the levitation spell can stop something that large so easily!" Nightmare Moon shouted at me. I did not immediately offer a reply as I shook my head, although I did know that each gauntlet possesses alicorn level magic potential.

"I dunno! I have no idea how magic works!" I replied, truly having little understanding of the process of using magic.

Rarity called out, "Oh, the levitation spell is as easy as it comes!" I looked back at my friends for a brief moment. "All you must do is… James, look out!"

I looked back at Nightmare Moon to see what seemed to be a 'drill' of blue that was the same color as Nightmare Moon's mane coming right at me. I stood my ground and held up my shield after quickly calling it back over to me, but the thing ended up pushing me through the air and slamming me into one of the support pillars.

I let out a brief yell the instant I was smashed into the sturdy stone pillar. My armor protected me from actual harm, but the force of the impact still knocked the wind out of me. The 'drill' backed away, the swirling mist dissipating to reveal Nightmare Moon herself. I wheezed, "Whoa… Nice one, m'lady."

I was held against the wall, probably being held aloft by Nightmare Moon's own levitation spell. Her mane reached forward and seemed to cup my chin as she looked me in the eye. "You know you can't win. Please, stop this. I know you want the night to last forever, so stop trying to end it."

It was puzzling to me to hear Nightmare Moon tell me to stop fighting her. Moments ago, she hit me with one of her strongest spells and even demanded that I try to harm her. Was she merely testing me to see where my loyalties lie?

"Get away from him!" I heard Twilight shout just before a bright pink beam of sorts hit Nightmare Moon in the neck, pushing her away. It must have broken her mental focus since I immediately dropped down to the ground.

Nightmare Moon seemed unharmed, just hovering in the air while glaring at my friends with a most irritated gaze. Her horn was then engulfed by a dark blue aura as a sphere of sparking electrical energy began to form at the tip. "You foals dare to raise your hooves against me?!"

I knew what was coming next. I quickly flew over to my friends and held up my shield just as Nightmare Moon launched another volley of lightning at us. My shield held, being just large enough to protect the six ponies from being fried. I then hurled my shield at Nightmare Moon, pushing it through the lightning before it struck her in the face, disrupting her assault

"It's no use! She's not gonna stop!" Rainbow Dash shouted as Nightmare Moon hovered between us and the throne.

Twilight nodded, "I know! James, we don't have a choice! We need to use the Elements of Harmony!"

I replied, "But the Elements of Chaos…" I noticed Nightmare Moon flying back towards the throne before landing in the circle made up by her own false Elements.

Pinkie Pie spoke, "Ooh, I got it! Why not use your own Element with ours?"

My eyes glanced up, trying to look at the Element that rested on the forehead of my helmet. "That's not an Element of Harmony! I don't even know what it's supposed to do!"

Fluttershy then asked, "Well… Could you at least try to use it?"

I looked back at Nightmare Moon, who seemed to be looking quite confident while surrounded by the Elements of Chaos. I must admit I was impressed. Despite being a pony, her power is not something to gawk at. She really can fight. And with my lack of combat experience, I could not hope to overcome her without risking injuring her.

"Darling… I know you want to save her, but it just doesn't seem possible anymore. We must use the Elements." Rarity spoke while placing her hoof on my folded wing.

"We need ya more than ever now, James. Yer Element might be the straw that breaks our enemy's back." Applejack spoke, looking up at me with a somber expression.

No matter how many times I told myself in my head that there had to be another way, I could not deny the truth. Nightmare Moon's bitterness had consumed her and she was not going to listen to reason. The only way we were going to end this eternal night was by using the Elements of Harmony.

Twilight looked at Nightmare Moon and spoke, "I'm sorry, Nightmare Moon… I was really hoping that we could be friends."

The dark alicorn smirked, "You can use the Elements of Harmony as many times as you wish. The result will stay the same!"

My friends stood in a circle, the Elements glowing as they once again began to float into the air. Rainbow Dash called out to me, "James! Use it! The Element of Humanity!"

I was uncertain of what to do. What would happen to Nightmare Moon if seven Elements were used against her instead of six? I walked into the circle made up by my six friends and looked up. The two rainbows shot up from the Elements, swirling around each other. But this time, they stood their ground.

"What's this?" I heard Nightmare Moon speak as she looked on from the far end of the room. This too baffled me. Instead of combining and rushing towards Nightmare Moon like the last time, they just swirled around up there as if waiting for something.

I could feel a strange presence just above my forehead as a white glow began to emanate from it while a gentle hum filled the air. Was the Element of Humanity resonating with the other six Elements? Could it be that the Element of Humanity has a connection to these Elements so pure? Even stranger was the sensation I was feeling. Surrounded by my friends and the Elements they represented, I felt a serene calm fill me. I have never before felt such comfort. As if knowing that as long as I was with them, everything would turn out fine. Like I knew that this truly was the right thing to do.

I closed my eyes, holding my arms out to the sides while looking upward. My wings spread, my feet beginning to rise off of the floor as I floated in the air with my friends. I opened my eyes just in time to see a seventh color shoot up from the center of the circle my friends had form. It was white.

The seventh color was coming from the Element of Humanity.

Between the two swirling rainbows, the white strip shot up, forming a small white light at the top of the two rainbows like a guiding beacon. The two rainbows converged upon it before swooping down at Nightmare Moon. Along with the six colors from before, a white strip stood in the very middle of the rainbow.

"Oh, please! This again?!" I heard Nightmare Moon shout, the Elements of Chaos reacting to the incoming purifying rainbow. The dark crystals began to glow just before an equally dark rainbow pillar shot up from them, the rainbow from the seven true Elements colliding with it.

"You cannot stop the night! This night shall last for… What?!" I heard Nightmare Moon shout. Over the sound coming from the Elements of Harmony and my own Element, I could hear the sound of…glass cracking?

The Elements of Chaos. They were buckling under the strain of the seven Elements! They could resist six, but not seven. I heard Nightmare Moon shout, "No, please! Stop!"

Her confident bold tone had developed into a very fearful and even pleading voice. She called out, her form still obstructed by the dark rainbow barrier. "James, don't do this! Please!"

It was painful to hear her call out to me in such a frightened voice. What made it all the more painful was that I was powerless to help her at this point. All I could do now was have faith that the Elements of Harmony would not harm her. Speaking of them, as the seconds went by, the six colors of the rainbow began to become thinner while the white color remained the same size. Were they exhausting themselves against the Elements of Chaos?

Finally, with a powerful sense of finality, I heard the sound of cracking being immediately followed by the sound of glass shattering. The dark rainbow barrier that surrounded Nightmare Moon vanished, allowing me to get one brief look at her just before the rainbow of seven colors engulfed her as she screamed in horror.

I felt my pulse quicken in anticipation. What was going to happen to her? The rainbow continued to surge like a vortex. What I found odd was that its angle seemed to be moving further down and closer to us. I soon found out why. I could see her. Nightmare Moon struggling against the power of the seven Elements as she pushed through it.

Her eyes were squinted shut, tears streaming down them while being sucked right off her by the vortex of colors. Her unnaturally colored eyes opened wide, her expression painful to behold. "Why?! I thought… You…"

Her hoof began to reach out, her body trying to resist the pull of the rainbow. Probably acting more on instinct than thought, I dropped down to the ground and ran towards her with my arm reaching out to her.

"I thought… I thought you were…my…" Nightmare Moon was not able to complete her sentence. Just as I came within one foot of her, Nightmare Moon let out a wail as her resistance finally crumbled. She was swept off her feet and carried by the rainbow further down the chamber before landing somewhere before the throne. The seven colors erupted upwards in a pillar of seven colors with a shocking amount of force. I looked on in horror as it began to dissipate. Chunks of stone from the ceiling came loose and fell right onto the area where Nightmare Moon had fallen, burying my friend in a pile of bone-crushing rubble.

How do I even describe the sense of horror I was experiencing at that moment? The air became still and silent. I had just…watched my friend… She was looking at me while reaching out to me only a moment ago, yet now she was… Where did I go wrong?

My body began to carry myself forward at a sluggish pace, my eyes fixated on the rubble before me that now served as Nightmare Moon's tomb. There was a light metallic clink that filled the air. Her helmet, the only part of her that was not buried, rolled off the rubble and stopped before me.

I was almost expecting my friends to cheer at their victory like cheerleaders whose team had just won a football game. However, the area was deathly quiet, with the only sound being heard being my own shuffling footsteps.

Once I was standing before Nightmare Moon's helmet, I dropped to my knees with a clank. I gently picked up the helmet in my hands, looking at it as Nightmare Moon's final words echoed in my mind.

Why. That was the question she asked. Why did I allow this to happen to her? The longer I beheld her helmet, the more blurred my vision became. I have never once witnessed someone I care about die. Until today.

I could not contain my emotions. I clutched the helmet tightly against my armored chest, teeth gritted as tears streamed down my face. I wanted to speak, but I was too choked up to string together any words. Nightmare Moon's helmet… It was all I had left of her.

I heard the clopping of hooves, my friends approaching me from behind. I said nothing, not even really able to think clearly. I could only think of her. The beautiful dark alicorn I was not able to save.

The clopping sounds stopped shortly before I felt a hoof on my shoulder. I slowly turned my head, finding Rarity looking at me with the most mournful expression I had ever seen on her face. I then looked to my right, finding Fluttershy gently holding my body in a tender embrace. All around me, the six mares stood, the Elements of Harmony still rested upon their bodies. At that moment, as my eyes beheld them, I felt a twinge of hate towards the very forces that had slain my friend.

"James… She…" Pinkie Pie muttered, clearly trying to find the right words to say without inducing more pain. Her face, like all the others, showed nothing but a profound sorrow.

I nodded, gritting my teeth as I held Nightmare Moon's helmet against my chest tightly. Rarity reached out to me, wiping a tear from my cheek. "Do not blame yourself, darling… You did the right thing."

I sobbed, "Then why… Why does it feel like I made a horrible mistake?"

Fluttershy replied, her eyes too beginning to build up tears. "You didn't make the mistake… We did."

Twilight nodded, "We never should've taken out the Elements of Harmony so soon. We should've waited until it was clear we would need them…"

Pinkie Pie added, "She must've thought we came here to get rid of her when she saw us wearing them… And we kinda did…"

Rainbow Dash bowed her head, "Well… At least now, maybe she can catch a break. No more suffering where she is now."

This was only a small comfort in a sea of guilt for me. I asked, "But… I understood her… I never tried to hurt her…" I then looked at my friends and raised my voice, "So why couldn't I save her?!" Never before in my life have I felt like such a failure.

"James… Sugarcube…" Applejack reached out and placed her hoof on my hand. "It wasn't yer fault… We didn't want this ta happen either. Yer heart was in the right place the whole time. I think… Nah. I know Nightmare Moon felt lucky ta have a friend like ya."

Together, my six companions embraced me. There were no words, their eyes closed in silence. I could not speak. All I could do was bow my head as my body shuddered. I could hear my armor rattle as I shuddered in their grasp.

"James… I think she may have loved you." Twilight spoke.

"Wha… Loved me?" I muttered, my eyes looking at her, their grasp on me not releasing.

She replied, "The way she kept trying to make you join her. And how she called out to you just before the Elements of Chaos shattered. I think…"

Pinkie Pie nodded, "Yeah… I noticed too. She really seemed to want you, James."

Fluttershy smiled faintly, "I think you were the first person to ever show her love. At the end… At least she was kind of with you."

This revelation did nothing to lift my spirits. If anything, I only felt worse. If she had indeed loved me… Not only had I been unable to save her. I had utterly betrayed her.

"Girls… Let go of me." I muttered. My friends did as they were told. "I…need some time alone…"

Twilight nodded, but she and the others then faced Nightmare Moon's makeshift grave. After a brief moment, I noticed tears beginning to roll down their faces.

"Nightmare Moon…" Twilight spoke. "I am so sorry it had to end like this. We used to think that you were nothing but a monster. However, thanks to our new friend, I think we were able to understand you a little. I wish… I wish we could fix this mistake… You deserved better…" She then bowed her head, "I hope you can forgive us in time… It was…an honor getting to meet you one last time. Goodbye, Nightmare Moon. And…thank you for being there for James when he needed you."

My friends turned and began to walk past me, their heads hung low. However, Rainbow Dash placed her hoof on me, a somber frown on her face. "Take your time. We'll wait over at the exit." I could only nod in silence. I watched out of the corner of my eye as my bold pegasus friend walked past me.

I said nothing as I kneeled there, clutching Nightmare Moon's helmet in my arms. I am not even really certain how much time passed. Time meant nothing to me right there. I wanted to ask Nightmare Moon for forgiveness. But no words came. I began to wonder if I was truly worthy of being connected to the Element of Humanity. I followed my heart, but still failed to save her. Was it truly the humane thing to do?

A moment later, I heard a clank next to me. I looked to my left and found the Lunar Shield on the ground, the Celestial Sword still securely lodged in its scabbard. Rarity stood next to me, giving me a somber smile. "I was saving you the trouble of fetching it yourself." I nodded silently. "I'll be over there with the others. Come along when you're ready, darling." She then left my field of vision as I turned my gaze back to Nightmare Moon's tomb.

I am not certain how much more time passed, but I finally stood up and returned the Lunar Shield to my left arm. Grasping Nightmare Moon's helmet in my right hand, I began to debate whether or not to take the helmet with me. I finally decided that it would be best to leave it where Nightmare Moon had fallen.

I approached the rubble and gently set the helmet on the floor before it while making certain it was facing the only entrance to the chamber. This way, if anyone else were to visit this place, they would know who it was whose corpse was buried beneath this pile of rubble.

I reached out, placing my right hand on the pile of rubble. Once again, tears began to stream down my face. I muttered, "Our time together was short….. But I'm glad I got to meet you…"

I could not bring myself to say more. I turned and began to walk across the throne room towards my friends.

I do not know if I will ever be able to recover from this failure. I truly wanted to save Nightmare Moon. At least now… She can finally be at peace. I can see my friends waiting for me at the end of the room. They are saying nothing, just waiting for me just past the doorway. I really do not have anymore desire to continue writing now, so I will… Wait… What is that?

The air has just become heavier… And it is becoming heavier still.

"Somethin' don't feel right…" Applejack spoke as she and the other five ponies began to glance around.

This foreboding presence… I can almost hear my own heartbeat in my head. Could it… That sound. What was it?

I could hear the faint sound of pebbles rolling around. Was it…coming from behind me? I turned, facing the pile of rubble. Without my glasses or goggles, I could not make out the details from my current distance. However, I could distinctly hear a sound coming from the rubble.

I froze, watching and waiting to see if my suspicions were true. A moment later, it happened. The rubble exploded as something burst out of it and high into the air while letting out the most wrathful scream I had ever heard in my life.

My heart swelled with hope as I saw her high above me, Nightmare Moon alive and well. However, as soon as she stopped rising into the air, she threw her head forward. A powerful blast of lightning was launched from her horn at the entryway into the chamber. My friends shrieked, parts of the wall collapsing over the entryway while still leaving enough room for them to peer through. A dried tree that seemed to have grown out of the wall at some point in the castle's history was dislodged and fell across the rubble before igniting upon being exposed to the lightning.

This…was a very aggressive change to Nightmare Moon's demeanor from before. I was happy to see that she still lived, but at the same time was intimidated by her angry and violent actions. "Nightmare Moon…?" I muttered while looking up at her.

The dark alicorn's blue armor was bent and fractured, but it was mostly intact. With her helmet missing, I could now see her entire face. She hovered in the air, her wings making loud flaps as she maintained altitude. However, her eyes were filled with a bright white glow to the point where I could no longer see her eyes. Her breathing was deep and harsh, as if seething with rage.

I took a step back, already feeling fearful of my friend. She growled, "My grasp on the night has been severed… The sun will soon rise… You have succeeded in ending this eternal night…"

Pinkie Pie cheered, "Yes! You hear that, girls?! We did it! Everything's gonna be OK!"

However, Nightmare Moon then seemed to glare directly at me as a sphere of white electrical energy began to form on the tip of her horn. "But you….traitor…will not escape."

I gulped, realizing that she was referring to me. "Traitor?! But he didn't…" Fluttershy called out.

Nightmare Moon roared, "If I cannot have my eternal night, then YOU will not live to see the next sunrise!"

She pointed her horn directly at me. Even though all of her magic had failed to penetrate my armor thus far, I immediately had a bad feeling about this one. Even so, I was rooted to the ground. I could not move.

"James! RUN!" I heard Twilight scream at me. That was all I needed to get moving. I sprinted forward, just narrowly evading the blast of lightning as it exploded into the floor where I used to be standing. I ran under Nightmare Moon, hoping I could jump out a window and fly away. I was no longer relying on complex thought. I was so afraid; I could only act on instinct.

"Heads up!" I heard Rainbow Dash call out. I looked over my shoulder just in time to see Nightmare Moon on the ground launching another blast of lightning at me. I turned and stood my ground, holding my shield up to block the attack. It held, but Nightmare Moon kept the lightning going in a constant stream of electricity. I tried to push against it, but soon found myself being pushed back while being held aloft in the air as it swept me off my feet.

What happened next still blows my mind whenever I think about it. The lightning pushed me across the room before bulldozing me right through the stone wall! The force of the impact was jarring enough to stun me. The armor protected me from any real injury, but the sheer force of the impact probably made my heart stop for a second.

As I fell with stone bricks falling around me, I had to act quickly. I managed to turn myself over with a flap of one wing and immediately tried to fly away. However, I found that I was not rising as much as desired. When I looked at my wings, I felt a sense of dread. The wings were tattered. Nightmare Moon had successfully damaged my armor!

Knowing I could not hope to properly fly with my wings being as damaged as they were, I tried to break out into a glide. This approach was successful as I streaked across the Everfree Forest's canopy. During that moment of peace, I noticed some light coming from the east. It seemed that Celestia was already hard at work in making the sun rise. I felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps if she could get the sun back in its proper place, something might happen.

I looked over my shoulder, seeing the large hole in the wall at the back of the throne room. However, I then saw Nightmare Moon leap from the hole, dive for a moment, and then spread her wings as she began to pursue me. "Coward!" She screamed, clearly having detected me.

I felt a twinge of horror as I glided along. She could fly while I could only glide. In a desperate move, I folded my wings and dropped down through the canopy below. I landed safely on a tree branch before jumping down to the ground. At this point, all I could do was run.

I sprinted through the forest, my armored legs carrying me as swiftly as they could. The dark and twisted trees passed by me rapidly, almost giving the feel of me being in a horror film with a crazed killer or monster chasing me. And considering Nightmare Moon's state of mind at the time, she easily qualified as one.

After a moment, I began to feel like I had escaped my pursuer. I heard no sounds that may have been coming from her. Still, I did not relax. Until the sun had risen, I could not drop my guard. I had to keep running to insure that she would not locate me.

My surroundings had already started to seem slightly brighter than usual despite the thick canopy above me. Was the dawn already on the verge of arriving? However, I then heard a crash just to my left, the trees buckling and being uprooted as Nightmare Moon swooped down at me while letting out a yell.

I lowered my head as I sprinted, trying my best to stay ahead of her. I could hear the flapping of her wings growing louder. She was probably going to ram me from behind. I stopped and flapped my wings as hard as I could. Tattered as they were, they were able to trap just enough air under them to launch me around twelve feet into the air, more than high enough to jump over her. As expected, Nightmare Moon swooped under me and just ahead, her horn constantly cracking with electrical energy.

"On your knees!" She shouted, turning and launching a powerful concentrated bolt of lightning at me. Her aim… What did she hit? I suddenly felt myself lurch to one side as I noticed half of my right wing had been shot off.

"What?!" I shouted in surprise as I realized what had happened to me. What kind of power is she using to rip my armor apart?! I hit the ground with a clatter, landing on my side. Nightmare Moon then followed her previous strike with another bolt. I was able to move out of the way slightly, but it still struck my right pauldron. I heard a loud crack and found that it had been fractured.

"Immune to all but the most powerful destructive spells…" I muttered, reciting the words Celestia had said to me when I first received my armor. Before I could be struck again by lightning, I threw up the Lunar Shield to block the attack. I then quickly drew my sword, "Please, stop this!"

Nightmare Moon's wrathful expression became even more defiant. "You raise your sword to me as well?!"

I shook my head, maintaining a defensive stance. I had no desire to harm Nightmare Moon further, but my fear was driving me to do whatever it took to survive.

Nightmare Moon did not approach me, instead trying to strike me with another blast of lightning. I stood my ground, blocking the bolt with my shield. However, I then felt myself float off the ground while being surrounded by a deep blue aura.

"Levitation?!" I shouted, surprised that a nondestructive spell like the basic levitation spell could be used on my armor. Perhaps the armor is resistant to magic that is meant to PENETRATE it.

Before I could say anything else, I was slammed into a tree against my back. I let out a shout, the impact stunning me. Before I could relax, I was then yanked through the air and slammed into another tree. For the next twenty seconds or so, I was at Nightmare Moon's mercy as she smashed me into our surroundings like a rag doll.

Finally, Nightmare Moon threw me facedown into the forest floor, knocking the wind out of me. As I tried to climb to my feet, she once again lifted me off of the ground before slamming me back down into the ground onto my front. She did this again several times, greatly whittling down my stamina. By the time she stopped, I felt so weak. I coughed hard, having great difficulty breathing during the abuse from the constant whiplash.

I turned my head up, too worn out to move. Nightmare Moon was pointing her horn at me, magical electricity sparking from a sphere at the tip not even six inches away from my face.

"I'm sorry…" I spoke weakly, not feeling afraid at all. Somewhere inside me, I felt as if I deserved this fate.

"Not good enough, traitor." Nightmare Moon growled as the electricity surged more. "I trusted you and you threw it all away! It's time you receive your judgment!"

I said nothing, looking at the enraged alicorn while lightly panting. But just before she could unleash her magic upon me, something came sailing into Nightmare Moon's face from my left, sending her flying with what looked like a kick. "I got your back, James!"

I recognized my rescuer immediately. "Rainbow?!"

Rainbow Dash looked down at me out of the corner of her eye while still facing a staggering Nightmare Moon. "I was worried I wouldn't make it in time. You OK?"

I replied, "Forget me! Where are the rest of the girls?!"

She retorted, "They're on their way. But they were too slow, so I went on ahead." She then looked back at Nightmare Moon with a confident smirk, "I'll hold her off! You get outta here!"

Suicide. As fast as she is, Rainbow Dash could not possibly hold her own against Nightmare Moon. If someone with even my equipment could not stand against her, how could she possibly hope to triumph?!

"Rainbow, I'm the one she wants! Get outta here!" I shouted at my friend, fearful of what would happen if even just one of Nightmare Moon's lightning spells hit their mark.

Rainbow Dash looked down at me and smiled, "Hey, my Element is Loyalty for a reason, ya know."

Nightmare Moon growled, "The Elements of Harmony were not enough to defeat me, so what makes you think the Element of Loyalty alone will make a difference?!"

Rainbow Dash smirked, "I don't care. You're not getting James!"

"RAINBOW, NO!" I shouted as my friend swooped at Nightmare Moon using her characteristic speed.

Nightmare Moon wasted no time in bombarding my friend with lightning while I took shelter behind the Lunar Shield. Much to my shock, Rainbow Dash darted and weaved around the lightning without slowing down while sometimes making 90 degree turns. How are her reflexes that responsive?!

"Pesky insect!" Nightmare Moon roared, trying her best to shoot Rainbow Dash down.

"Man, you couldn't hit the broad side of Applejack's barn! And she has a HUGE barn!" Rainbow Dash laughed as she began to swoop around and circle Nightmare Moon. How could she be having fun in such a situation? I was scared out of my wits for her safety.

"You cheeky… Agh!" Nightmare Moon yelped as Rainbow Dash barged into her several times over the course of a few seconds.

"Cakewalk! Why were we even scared of you in the first place?!" Rainbow Dash called out while still circling Nightmare Moon at high speed. By that point, even my eyes were starting to roll around in my head from trying to track her movements.

"Why?" Nightmare Moon asked. She then pointed her horn in one direction, "Perhaps because of THIS!"

Rainbow Dash suddenly froze in the air. Her wings were still flapping, but she was now floating in the air without moving forward. She was coated in a deep blue billowing aura. "What the?! No fair!"

I felt a great chill course through me as I saw that Rainbow Dash was now helpless, trapped in Nightmare Moon's levitation spell. Yet, for some reason, I could not get my body to move. I prayed that Nightmare Moon would spare her; I was too overwhelmed with fear to do anything.

"You're mine now, you wretch!" Nightmare Moon growled as she pulled Rainbow Dash closer until she was being held a short distance from her horn, a sphere of electrical energy beginning to grow on the tip.

"No… No, I don't want this!" Rainbow Dash pleaded as an expression of profound horror spread across her face. She then reached out to me with her foreleg, "James, help me!"

My body was shaking. I knew then that if I did not do something soon, I was going to lose her. Still weakened from my earlier beating and too full of fear to move quickly, I tried to stagger to my feet. But once I was finally standing, Nightmare Moon roared, "TOO LATE!"

It felt like time stopped. Or at least slowed down. I saw a flash of white bolts of electricity. Rainbow Dash was engulfed in it to the point where I could no longer see her. Seconds later, which felt like minutes at the time, I saw her. She fell from the lightning limply, rolling across the ground for a second before coming to a stop. Her eyes were closed, her light blue coated heavily singed.

She did not move. She was not breathing. Rainbow Dash was…..

I could only stare motionless. My mind was a mess of emotions. I could feel myself quivering, my armor rattling as I clutched the Celestial Sword tightly in my right hand. Nightmare Moon approached Rainbow Dash, her eyes still filled with a white glow. She pointed her horn at my friend as another sphere of electricity formed at the tip.

My ears began to go haywire. All I could hear was noise and possibly my own heartbeat. I took a step forward, then another step. The last thing I remember before everything became a blur was that I was starting to run towards them with my sword being raised.

I am not certain how much time passed before I began to regain my senses. Ten seconds? Thirty seconds? A minute? Regardless, it did not feel like much time had passed. I was panting hard, my heart pounding in my chest. My vision began to become clear as Nightmare Moon stood before me. Only… What happened to her?

All over her body were deep cuts in her coat, crimson blood oozing down her body. There was an exceptionally deep stab wound behind her left shoulder. Her eyes had returned to normal, but were now gazing at me with sheer fright. Her long black horn was coated in blood as well, but I could see no indication that it had come from her.

Who did this to her? I was overcome with fear for her safety. However, my gaze soon gazed down at the blade of the Celestial Sword in my right hand. Coating the glowing white blade was fresh blood that was dripping from it. I was filled with horror as I began to understand what I had done. I dropped the sword, my hand quivering. "Was… Did I…do this to you?"

Nightmare Moon panted, "Such malice… What were they thinking, bringing a monster like you back into this world?" She then spread her wings, which had somehow escaped harm. "I can't let you live… I will not let you bring ruin to Equestria like your predecessors…"

She began to hover high into the air above me, slowly ascending above the canopy. A billowing black orb of magical force began to form at the tip of her horn before very slowly expanding outward. Witnessing this filled me with a powerful sense of dread as I pondered what this new spell would do to me. I took a step forward as I tried to think of a way to stop her. But the instant my body lurched forward, I hunkered forward as I groaned loudly. A powerful jolt of pain the likes of which I have never felt before surged through my body, stopping me dead in my tracks.

"Ugh… What the…" I groaned, not knowing what had hit me. It took every ounce of restraint I had to avoid screaming. It was then that I noticed a strange feeling. A warm sticky substance oozing down my left leg and making my pants stick to me. I slowly looked down and was horrified by what I witnessed. In the lower left side of my cuirass was a gaping circular hole. Blood was oozing from it constantly.

Nightmare Moon's horn… Had she stabbed me with it? And what kind of power could make it sharp enough to actually penetrate my armor? Wait… I could feel the same sticky fluid oozing down the back of my leg too. My hand reached around behind me and found a slightly smaller hole on the backside of my cuirass in the same position as the front. It was then it dawned on me.

I had not been stabbed. I had been impaled.

"James… You're…" A familiar voice spoke behind me.

I felt a surge of hope and relief fill me as I recognized the voice. I slowly turned around, trying to avoid bringing more pain to myself. On the ground behind me, Rainbow Dash was looking up at me, her face showing silent horror. A few drops of blood was on her face, probably my own. I must have been standing between her and Nightmare Moon when I was impaled. "Rainbow…?" I asked, already starting to feel weak from blood loss.

"You're bleeding… We need to get you to… Ergh…" Rainbow groaned as she tried to climb to her feet, but failed. "Dang it… I'm fried…"

I carefully lowered myself until I was on one knee. My hand touched her side, "I thought you were…"

Rainbow Dash shook her head, "I'll be fine… I'm tougher than I look, ya know. But… We need to get you outta here! That wound will…" She coughed, clearly still weak from being blasted by lightning.

I looked over my shoulder at Nightmare Moon, the black sphere having already engulfed her and was now expanding further outward. Was it a type of capture field?

I looked at Rainbow Dash and myself. I could barely walk with my injury and with one of my wings nearly destroyed; there was no way I could fly. And Rainbow Dash could barely move. And there was still no sign of our friends. We were not going to escape. But perhaps…

"We can't get outta here, Rainbow… But…" I then unlatched the Lunar Shield from my arm and draped it over her. "I can at least save you."

The shield was large enough to completely conceal her entire body. As long as it was between her and Nightmare Moon, she would be fine.

"What?! But… What about you?!" Rainbow Dash shouted, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

I replied, my left hand clutching myself over the wound on my body. "Your injuries aren't that bad. You'll be fine. And she's not after you. Just stay here and you'll be OK."

She asked, "OK… But…will you be OK?"

Me… It was only then that I began to grasp just how dire my situation was. Circular gashes are very difficult to treat as opposed to vertical cuts. And with how much blood I was losing…

I bowed my head, a sense of silent doom beginning to come over me. "I'm not an idiot, Rainbow… I'm not going to survive this wound."

At those words, the tears began to stream down my bold friend's face. It was actually painful to see her cry. "Don't say that! C'mon… We'll get you back to Ponyville! The ponies at the hospital can…"

She stopped when I placed my hand on her hoof. We locked eyes for a moment before she sobbed, "I… I just don't wanna lose you…"

I smiled, "Rainbow. These last eight months were some of the best days of my life. And I partially have you to thank for that. You've been a great friend to me and I'm honored that you came to my aid when no one else could."

I slowly climbed to my feet, "If you don't see me again, tell the others I was honored to be their friend." I then added, "And tell Fluttershy I love her."

I levitated the Celestial Sword to my right hand before turning around to face Nightmare Moon's direction. "Thank you for always being there when I needed you, Rainbow Dash…"

As I began to stagger forward while clutching my wound with my left hand, I heard Rainbow Dash call out, "No… James, don't go! Please… Come back!" I gritted my teeth, my own tears beginning to stream down my face. Rainbow Dash's pleas were replaced by sobbing that was painful to hear.

I knew I was not going to see my friends again. But at the very least, I could protect Rainbow Dash from Nightmare Moon's wrath. I was soon standing just before the spot where Nightmare Moon was hovering above me, the dark alicorn being just above the treetops. The growing black sphere was engulfing everything it touched, like a blanket of blackness.

If I was going to stop Nightmare Moon at this point, I was going to have to throw the Celestial Sword at her with magic. However, I could not bring myself to harm her further. What was more, I no longer felt afraid. In fact, I felt calm. Like this fate was something I had come to deserve. After the hell I had put Nightmare Moon through, I certainly did deserve to be punished.

As the expanding sphere of darkness began to reach me, I quietly pleaded, "Do whatever you want to me… But please… Spare Rainbow Dash."

Seconds later, there was a strange sound somewhere above me that seemed to echo. When I looked up, I saw that the expanding sphere of darkness had vanished. Nightmare Moon was…

The dark alicorn seemed to be frozen in time while a beam of white light was impaled through her body. It seemed to be coming from the east… The sun? Was it Celestia's doing?

Even though she did not seem to be bleeding from where she had been 'stabbed', Nightmare Moon seemed strangely silent. The beam of light soon vanished, the dark alicorn still floating in the air without her wings flapping.

I could feel tears beginning to fill my eyes as I began to understand what had happened. Seconds later, Nightmare Moon went into a freefall. Her body was limp; eyes wide open as she fell. I felt as if I had gone deaf, no other noises caught my attention. My eyes were glued to the sight of my friend as she fell. Halfway through her descent, my tears spilled over and cascaded down my face uncontrollably. Seconds later, she hit the ground with a crash.

She did not move. Did not speak. Did not even so much as groan in pain. I could only stand there, looking down at my friend. This time… She really was… Oh god, what had I done?!

A complex mixture of guilt, anger, disgust, and sorrow filled my mind as I slowly staggered forward, my body no longer able to notice the pain from my injuries. I had failed… I truly tried my hardest to save Nightmare Moon. And now she lied dead before me.

I did not know what to do. I could only cry as I slowly approached her. But as I drew near… The sound of quiet sobbing. And it was not coming from Rainbow Dash behind me.

I saw tears beginning to trickle down Nightmare Moon's face, her mouth quivering. Her voice weakly spoke, "So… It happened again…" She then gritted her teeth and squinted her eyes shut, tears being pressed between her closed eyelids. "Is it all futile? Am I…really just a monster who can't change? A monster Equestria wants destroyed?"

Nightmare Moon looked up at me for a second before laying her head back down. "Just get it over with… I don't…care anymore…"

She was alive. But…she had clearly given up. She seemed so weak. So fragile at that moment. I had to do something to help her.

I took the Celestial Sword into a reverse grip before stabbing it into the ground, its gentle glow illuminating the area like a lamp. Nightmare Moon seemed surprised, probably expecting me to stab her. "Why… Even you hate me… If you really do have pity, then put me out of my misery…"

I dropped to me knees, ignoring the pain brought on by sudden movements. I then reached out and lifted Nightmare Moon's head until I was cradling it in my arms. I sobbed, trying to hold back my tears. "I didn't come out here to kill you… I came out here to save you…"

Nightmare Moon's expression remained unchanged, showing true defeat. "Lies… You just tried to kill me a moment ago…"

I gritted my teeth, "I don't even remember that… I don't know why… I saw Rainbow Dash fall and…"

She interrupted me, "You became determined to save her… You… You really are a great friend…"

I nodded, "That's why I can't let you die… I want to save you… You can become a princess everyone admires. Celestia and Luna will listen to me. I swear they will…" I then looked her in the eye, "But you need to live for that to happen. Please, trust me…"

Nightmare Moon weakly asked, "How can you possibly not hate me… I harmed your friend… Nearly killed you…" She then raised her voice, "Look at yourself! You've been mortally wounded! Why do you not hate me?!"

I frowned, my tears beginning to slow. "I don't remember being impaled….. I'm glad I don't remember…" I then stroked her face, "Besides… I don't hate easily. You would have to work hard to earn my hate."

More tears began to stream down her face, "You…" She then leaned her head against me, "James… I'm…honored to have a friend like you…"

I embraced her gently, hoping that no more harm would come to us. I gently stroked her exposed face and faintly smiled, "You have a lovely face… You look better without your helmet." She could only smile weakly at me in return. However, I began to feel even weaker. And cold. We both looked down at the blood that was oozing from the hole in my armor. I asked, "Nightmare Moon… Am I going to…die?"

She replied, "No… Be still."

Nightmare Moon then pointed her horn directly at the hole in my armor as a deep blue aura engulfed it. But before anything could happen, I heard a voice shout, "Get away from him!"

The two of us turned to face the direction Rainbow Dash was in. We saw her slowly crawling along the ground while still wearing the Lunar Shield over her back like a turtle shell. She grunted and groaned, slowly drawing closer. "Don't…ugh…you dare lay another hoof on him…"

Nightmare Moon moved her head away from me and watched Rainbow Dash just as I did. Once Rainbow Dash was right in front of us, she began to struggle to her feet. Very slowly, while groaning constantly, the bold pegasus mare slowly rose from the ground as the Lunar Shield slid off and fell to the ground. I was amazed she was able to move in her condition, let alone stand.

Rainbow Dash panted and glared at Nightmare Moon once she was completely standing in front of us. "If you even TRY to hurt him again…"

I spoke, "It's OK, Rainbow. She's not evil anymore."

She looked at me, "But…look at you! That wound didn't just come outta nowhere!"

Nightmare Moon replied, "I know. And I'm going to set things right." She then pointed her horn at the hole in my armor again. "Relax, both of you. I know what I'm doing."

Before she could protest further, I placed my hand on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "It'll be OK, Rainbow. Give her one more chance."

Rainbow Dash did not reply, instead choosing to let out a snort while watching Nightmare Moon with a cautious glare. As the glow of her horn began to shine from the hole in my cuirass, I felt my pain rapidly fading away. I felt the blood stop flowing on both sides of my torso as well. "There. You should be fine now."

I looked down at myself. I could see my bare flesh inside the hole in my armor. It did not even look like I had been wounded at all. I was still feeling somewhat weak from blood loss though. "You healed me?"

She nodded, "I undid the damage I had inflicted. I only wish I could use it on myself."

I felt an immense sense of relief as I realized that I was no longer in danger of dying. "Thanks… You see, Rainbow? She's not bad anymore… Rainbow?" When I turned to face Rainbow Dash, I saw that she was looking at me with an unusual gaze that seemed to show… I am not sure. Relief? Sorrow? Fear? I cannot honestly say. Her mouth was hanging open slightly while just looking at where my wound used to be. "Rainbow?"

Out of nowhere, tears began to cascade down her face as she gritted her teeth. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, squeezing more tears out before she collapsed into my arms while choking on her tears. "I thought…that was the last time I was ever gonna see you alive…"

I embraced her gently, trying to comfort Rainbow Dash the best I could. For her to be showing such weakness, she must have been utterly overwhelmed with emotion. "I'm gonna be OK, Rainbow… Really. I'm not gonna die today."

She slowly began to calm down. "I know… It's just… I was scared…"

I nodded, "Me too, Rainbow… But…everything's gonna be fine now. Right, Nightmare Moon?"

My new friend panted faintly, seeming very weak. "I… I hope so…"

It was then I noticed that Nightmare Moon's wounds were still oozing blood. I asked, "Are you sure you can't heal those wounds?"

She nodded, "I'm sure… It's a safeguard to prevent the magic from being misused."

I felt a twinge of fear. Nightmare Moon needed immediate medical attention if her wounds were that bad. I looked at Rainbow Dash. "Hey, Rainbow? I need to ask you a favor."

My friend dried her tears and smiled faintly, "OK... Whatcha need?"

I explained, "I need you to fly to Canterlot and let Celestia and Luna know we need emergency medical attention right away. Lead them to us so Nightmare Moon can be taken to a hospital."

Rainbow Dash glared at Nightmare Moon for a second before looking back at me. "No offense. I mean, I don't exactly like her yet, but even if I wanted to help her, I'm not exactly in the best shape of my life right now."

"I can fix that." Nightmare Moon said just before casting another healing spell on Rainbow Dash.

"What the?!" She yelped. But in a flash of light, Rainbow Dash's singed coat looked completely normal. She glanced down at herself and began to stretch her legs and wings. "Whoa! I feel great!"

Nightmare Moon smirked, "Satisfied?"

Rainbow Dash nodded with a grin, "Yeah! That works fast!" But when they locked eyes for a moment, she frowned, "But don't go thinking we're buddies now. I can't trust you that easily."

I spoke, "Rainbow…"

The bold pegasus nodded, "Yeah, I know. And you're right, James. She must be nicer than we thought if she healed me." She then began to hover, "So, go to Canterlot, tell the princesses, and lead them back here?"

I nodded, "That's what we need, Rainbow. Think you can handle it?"

She smiled, "Yeah, piece of cake. Just don't move so I don't have trouble finding you when I get back!" Rainbow then looked at Nightmare Moon, "And you! Don't let anything else happen to James while I'm gone. Got it?"

Nightmare Moon solemnly nodded, "Understood."

"OK, I'm outta here. See ya in a bit!" Rainbow Dash spoke before quickly rising above the canopy and flying east.

"OK… All we can do is wait." I muttered, sitting down next to Nightmare Moon.

My friend looked at me and sighed, "James… I'm sorry for any trouble I put you through…"

I gently stroked her beautiful billowing mane, "It's OK. I don't even really remember getting hurt. Just don't move too much. You'll speed up your blood loss the more you wiggle."

"I know… I'll be still." She retorted, resting her head against me. After everything she went through tonight, she must be exhausted.

The two of us spoke little. We just rested against each other while enjoying each other's company. It truly felt like a well-earned moment of respite after a massive ordeal.

Not much later, I began to feel a faint tremor in the ground. "Huh?" I muttered, sitting up while letting out a yawn. I was not sure how much longer I could stay awake with how weak I was feeling.

Nightmare Moon spoke lightly with a hint of fear in her voice, "They found us."

I looked into the trees. Seconds later, five ponies ran forward and stopped before us. I recognized them immediately.

"Phew… Ya'll had us worried, James. Did Rainbow Dash find…" Applejack spoke as she looked at me. After a second, her face changed to one of horror. "James... What did…"

Rarity spoke up, "What did you do to him?!"

I felt anxiety fill me as I realized that while my wounds had been healed, the blood that had already been spilled was still caked onto my left greave and lower cuirass for all to see.

Nightmare Moon looked away, probably in shame. Fluttershy then got right up in her face and growled, "How could you?! After all the trouble he went through just to protect you from us?!" Nightmare Moon could only grit her teeth, her ears drooping.

Pinkie Pie lowered herself closer to the ground. "I thought he was your friend! Since when do friends make their friends bleed?!"

Finally, Twilight shook her head, "I'm sorry, Nightmare Moon. I really wanted to believe you could change. I really did! But… This just proves it!" I noticed Twilight beginning to levitate what seemed to be a thick tree branch into the air before raising it up. "You're still just a monster!"

I am not sure where I found the strength, but I lunged in front of Nightmare Moon and raised my right arm. The branch clashed against the thick white plate on the back of my arm. "James?!"

I panted faintly, already more exhausted than I can ever remember. "Stand aside! She's not your friend!" Rarity called out.

I tried to stay calm, not prepared to have to defend Nightmare Moon from my own friends. "She IS my friend."

Applejack spoke, "Snap outta it, James! She ain't yer pardner! Not after what she did ta ya!"

I then pointed at where my wound used to be, "Then tell me this. Do you SEE any blood being spilled right now?"

My five companions said nothing as they took a closer look. The skin on my torso that had been exposed was completely bare with not a speck of blood on it. "You're…NOT bleeding?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"She hurt me, yes. But she also healed me. I would be on my way to the grave if it wasn't for her." I explained, still making certain that my friends could not get by me.

"Still… After all she did, how can you be so certain she is not a threat anymore? You saw that rage! She is dangerous!" Rarity spoke to me, clearly itching for a chance to hurl a rock at Nightmare Moon.

I growled, "Just listen to you girls. What happened to all the compassion you had for her from earlier?"

Applejack nodded, "Yeah, we know whatcha mean, but that don't…"

I explained, "You know how she felt. Don't you think she would be bitter and easily angered after centuries of frustration? I dare you to tell me you wouldn't have done the same things she did tonight if you went through the crap she did!"

This seemed to catch them by surprise since they looked at me with expressions of shock while glancing at each other. I spoke, "Look, I know she's done some bad things. But it wasn't entirely without reason. Besides, I'm pretty sure the reason the Elements of Harmony spared her is because somewhere inside her bitter heart lies some genuine goodness. She was Luna at one time, you know."

Fluttershy gasped, "That's right… If she really was too evil… The Elements of Harmony probably would've…"

Twilight nodded, "I don't think she would even exist right now…"

Rarity smiled, "Perhaps… Perhaps we should have a little more faith in the Elements."

I nodded with a smile, "There you go. So, are you going to be civil?"

Fluttershy stepped forward and walked past me until she was looking at Nightmare Moon. "Um… Nightmare Moon? Are you still going to try to keep the eternal night going?"

My new friend bowed her head, "No… Equestria needs the day…just as much as it needs the night."

Fluttershy then smiled, "Then you really are a changed pony. Um… If it's OK with you…could we…" She then partially hid her face behind her long locks of pink hair. "Could we…be friends?"

It was clear Fluttershy was not comfortable asking such a powerful entity with ties to the royal family such a personal request. However, a single tear trickled down Nightmare Moon's face. "You…mean that?" Fluttershy nodded with a whimper. Nightmare Moon's expression of guilt changed to one of somber delight. "I… I would like that."

Fluttershy then cautiously reached out and placed her hoof on Nightmare Moon's. "I'm Fluttershy…" Nightmare Moon nodded with the calmest smile I had seen on her all night.

Applejack stepped forward while the rest of our friends followed. "Well, it's great ta see yer all settled down after that whole mess. The name's Applejack, yer highness."

Rarity smiled warmly, "I am Rarity. And now that I have a chance to approach you without fear of being harmed, let me be the first to say that your mane is fabulous to behold with all those stars shining in it."

Nightmare Moon chuckled faintly, "Yes, I suppose it is…"

Pinkie Pie then hopped forward and grinned before speaking very quickly, "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie and I can't wait to show you around Ponyville! I know you've been all mean and scary for a while, but I just know the ponies back home will welcome you if they take the time to know you! Then I can show you to…mmph!" She stopped when Nightmare Moon stuck her hoof into her mouth.

We all watched in silence, surprised that there was someone who would be bold enough to interrupt Pinkie Pie when she was on a chatting tirade. Nightmare Moon gave her an irritated glare, "Stop that. I'm in enough pain already. I don't need a migraine as well."

Pinkie Pie nodded silently before Nightmare Moon removed her hoof from that silly pink pony's mouth. Lastly, Twilight Sparkle stepped forward, "It's my turn. Nightmare Moon, my name is Twilight Sparkle."

Applejack then spoke, "C'mon, Rainbow Dash, yer next… Wait a sec! Where's Rainbow Dash?! Did she find ya?!"

I nodded, "Yeah, she caught up to us. She went to go get help and…" I then dropped to my knees, finally feeling my exhaustion kick in. "I need a nap…"

Applejack trotted over to me, "Easy there, pardner. Ya'll OK?"

Twilight looked down at the blood that was caked onto my left greave. "Heavy blood loss will do that, Applejack. He needs to rest."

I moaned before letting out a yawn. "Ugh… Now I know what it's like for people when they donate a pint of blood." I felt lightheaded as well, everything around me seeming to move without me doing anything.

I removed my helmet and let it roll away from me. "Awww… I'm going to miss that fabulous mane of yours, James…" Rarity spoke. I noticed a vertical golden slit in the back of my helmet with small golden engravings near the hole. It would seem that the helmet's mane only appears when it is being worn.

Twilight used her magic to help me lie down gently. "You've done enough work for one day, James. Leave the rest to us."

However, I then forced myself up, propping myself up with an elbow. "Hang on… I need to tell you girls something."

Fluttershy smiled, "What is it, honey?"

Nightmare Moon smiled, "Honey? Is he your lover?"

Fluttershy blushed deeply, "Um…no? …..OK, we are…"

I spoke, "Listen… I'm not gonna be awake much longer, so you girls need to make sure Nightmare Moon doesn't suffer anymore harm… She…" I paused for a second to yawn. I cannot recall the last time I was so tired in my life.

"If anything comes up that might try to hurt her, it'll be up to you to protect her. Use my sword if you have to…" I then pointed at them, "But seriously… When I wake up, she better be alive and well… I mean it. Promise me!"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Leave it to us! We Pinkie Promise! Cross our hearts, hope to die, stick a cupcake in our eyes! If somepony tries to hurt her, they'll have to get through us first!"

"Good…" I muttered before leaning back. However, I felt like I was resting on the most luxurious air cushion. "Huh? What's…" It turned out I was relaxing on Nightmare Moon's tail.

"Um… May I stay here? I really don't want to be moved." I asked, Nightmare Moon looking at me over her shoulder.

She smiled, "You've given me so much tonight, James. You may do whatever you wish. I owe you at least that much."

I yawned, "Thank you…" I then rested my head back onto her soft blue tail.

What a night. I am amazed by how much I did today. Perhaps it feels that way because time seemed to stand still as long as the night went on forever. But regardless, I feel like I accomplished something important tonight. I am somewhat fearful of leaving Nightmare Moon in the care of my friends, but I have faith in them the same way they have faith in me. They have never let me down before and I am certain they will not start now.

Nightmare Moon is…truly a good person. I can only hope Equestria will be just as open towards her as they were with me when I first arrived.

Ugh… I cannot keep my eyes open. I need to sleep. Never before have I been so eager to just let myself be carried away to dreamland. But wait… What is that voice I hear singing so beautifully?

"Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed."

…Thank you, Fluttershy. That is all I needed. Good night.


	19. Fulfilling a Promise

Hello. My name is Twilight Sparkle. I have noticed that my friend James has been writing quite a few journals over the last eight months, so I decided to write an entry myself.

I am currently in the Everfree Forest with five of my closest friends. Six if you include Nightmare Moon. Yes, I know what you may be thinking. Nightmare Moon is supposed to be gone forever, right? And she is supposed to be evil, right? Well, yes. That is all true. At least until recently.

I still do not fully understand how she became separate from Princess Luna, but Nightmare Moon still lives. And she may have been evil once before, but my dear friend James somehow converted her. She is not hostile towards my friends or me anymore. And she certainly seems to have come to adore James. I can understand that. He was, for a time, the only friend she has ever known.

She is resting on the ground right across from me. Her wounds are grave, but she should survive if she does not move much. I still cannot believe how much damage James did to her and why he did it. Did something happen when Rainbow Dash caught up to them?

I probably should not ask. Nightmare Moon has changed, James is going to be fine, and Rainbow Dash has gone to get help. All we can do is wait.

James is sleeping so soundly on Nightmare Moon's tail. He certainly deserves the rest. Even though he wasn't supposed to be with us this evening, he ended up working the hardest out of all of us. I am grateful he decided to come with us.

He has been a wonderful friend to me and my other friends. Actually, he is more than just a friend to me. After spending so much time getting to know him, he has become something of a brother to me. We have a lot in common. I am just relieved that he is going to be all right.

Things are pretty quiet right now. Rarity seems to be passing the time by playing tic-tac-toe with Nightmare Moon while Pinkie Pie and Applejack seem to be telling each other ghost stories. Fluttershy is watching over James constantly and I really cannot say I blame her.

Looks like Rarity just lost. Again. "Ugh, that's 35 games in a row." She groaned as Nightmare Moon smirked confidently. But Rarity then smiled, "Best out of 71?"

Nightmare Moon smiled, "As many times as you wish. Unless you have another game to play."

Rarity sighed, "Well, I would prefer a wider variety, but there is only so much we can do with pebbles and twigs."

"Hm… Fair enough." Nightmare Moon retorted. She certainly does seem bored. But she also keeps glancing over at James. It is amazing to see how close they have become.

I feel I should also mention Nightmare Moon's face. Her helmet was lost in the battle earlier, so her face is bare for us to see. And I have to say she is very beautiful. Her eyes seem less scary now and more…alluring. I really hope we can be good friends from now on. I am eager to learn about her on how she is different from Princess Luna.

I am going to try listening into Pinkie Pie and Applejack's conversation. I am curious of what kind of ghost stories they came up with.

"And then… The three little fillies wandered into the deepest darkest corner of the Everfree Forest. Oh no, the pegasus filly cried. The Slenderman is probably close by!"

Oh boy, looks like Pinkie Pie is already spinning her own ideas about the Slenderman thing James told us about. But it is just a silly ghost story, right?

Applejack nodded, "Uh huh… And what happened next?" I am not sure what Pinkie Pie said to her earlier, but Applejack definitely seemed anxious.

"And then… The air became heavy. The sense of impending doom fell over the three fillies. The sounds of their own heartbeats filled their ears. He's… He's right behind me, isn't he? The little unicorn filly asked. The pegasus and earth pony filly backed away before turning and running."

I decided to ask, "And what happened next?"

Pinkie Pie smirked, "And then, the unicorn filly turned around… And then…"

"YAARRGGGHHH!" Pinkie Pie shrieked right behind the two of us. Honestly, how does she do that?! Going from right in front of us to behind us in the blink of an eye?! Needless to say, I was very startled by it.

"The unicorn filly met her untimely end, another victim of the Slenderman!" Pinkie Pie added, Applejack shivering madly next to me.

"Da… Don't spook me like that again, Pinkie… Almost thought my heart stopped fer a second there…" Applejack replied while holding a hoof to her chest.

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Sorry about that! But you know what they say! A ghost story isn't a ghost story if it isn't spoooooooky!"

I rolled my eyes, finding Pinkie Pie's usual characteristic enthusiasm to be as pervasive as ever. "I won't deny that, but try to avoid making a lot of noise. One of us IS trying to sleep, after all."

Pinkie Pie covered her mouth, "Oops! Sorry! I totally forgot!" She then asked, "Speaking of him, how is James holding up?"

I looked over at Nightmare Moon, James still sleeping with his head on her tail. "Let's go find out."

The three of us walked over to James. Fluttershy was by his side, her hoof on his hand at all times. She looked so worried about him and I really cannot blame her. I was worried too. Even though he clearly was not hurt anymore, I had every right to worry about him since he is so dear to me.

"Howdy, Fluttershy. How're ya doin'?" Applejack asked with a smile.

Fluttershy looked at us and smiled faintly, "I'm OK. And James seems to be fine too."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Yeah! Just listen to him! Snoozing so peacefully. I'll bet he's dreaming of his upcoming birthday party!"

I chuckled, knowing that his birthday is sometime later this month. I forget the exact day, but I know Pinkie Pie has it marked on a calendar at her place. "That just might be the case." I then looked over at Nightmare Moon. "And you're surely invited when that happens, Nightmare Moon."

She looked at me and smiled just slightly, "I would be honored."

Applejack seemed to smirk, "Rarity, did ya just rearrange yer checkers with hers?"

Rarity replied with a flustered tone, "What?! Of course not! Just because I am losing more times than I win does not mean…"

Nightmare Moon smirked, "Put them back, or you're going in the dungeon when I get to Canterlot."

Rarity did not say anything, but she definitely did not like the sound of that threat. Her horn was coated with a familiar azure aura as the 'checkers' between her and Nightmare Moon were rearranged. Nightmare Moon asked, "Would you prefer a game of chess after this?"

Rarity seemed to smirk, "Oh, I excel far more at chess than checkers. I do believe I will be able to put up quite a struggle against you then."

It is an odd feeling. Even though we are in the deepest depths of the Everfree Forest with one of the most reviled ponies in Equestria's history, I actually feel like I am having a good time. I guess it is true. Everything is more fun with friends.

My eyes gazed at James before my sights rested on his helmet. What a lovely design. And the Element on it… The Element of Humanity, Nightmare Moon called it. Made by humans, she said. Upon closer inspection, it looks similar, yet different to the Elements of Harmony. Each of the Elements of Harmony look like gemstones that have been cut and polished. But the Element of Humanity looks like it was not cut at all with it being as rounded as it is. It brings to mind moonstone. Still, it is very beautiful. And the form just brings to mind peace.

If the Element of Humanity represents James in the same way the Element of Laughter represents Pinkie Pie, then it definitely sums up what James is like. He tries to make the right decision all the time, although he has at times made bad ones too. His heart is always in the right place though. If that is what the concept of humanity is all about, then that Element definitely belongs with him.

Hm? Nightmare Moon is glaring out into the forest. What did she see?

"Nightmare Moon, it's your turn." Rarity spoke after moving her 'pawn' forward a space.

That fierce gaze. What did she see? "Nightmare Moon, is something wrong?" Fluttershy asked from behind her.

"There is someone near us… I can sense its fell desires…" Nightmare Moon replied. She began to move her forelegs as if trying to stand.

"Hold yer horses, yer highness. Ya know yer in no shape ta move right now. We'll take a look fer ya." Applejack spoke as she tried to restrain her. She was right. Nightmare Moon's wounds had started to slowly stop bleeding, but she was still in a very delicate state right now.

"I'll go take a look." I spoke, fairly certain it was not anything serious. I mean, we had already taken care of a pack of zombie ponies earlier… All right, it was James who handled them. But still, I really cannot imagine anypony else in the Everfree Forest that might be radiating any malice right now.

"Are you sure, Twilight? We can tag along." Pinkie Pie spoke up. She seemed pretty excited, but she always is anyway.

"No, I'm sure it's nothing. I'll be right back. I'll just teleport if I run into trouble." I replied with a shake of my head.

However, as I began to walk towards the trees where Nightmare Moon had been looking, she spoke up. "Twilight Sparkle." When I looked back at her, Nightmare Moon spoke, "Be very careful."

I was starting to get a feeling that whatever she did sense was bad news. Still, I knew better than to try to fight anything on my own. I nodded without saying anything before turning and walking into the darkness.

It was dark and spooky especially since I no longer had James' sword giving off light to guide the way. Maybe I should have taken it with me. Still, the Everfree Forest is not THAT dangerous. I learned that the hard way.

After what I think was five minutes of walking, I began to feel like I was wasting my time. Maybe Nightmare Moon's senses were playing tricks on her. "Well, all clear on this end." I spoke out loud.

However, a strange distorted voice spoke up as if to answer. "Is that so?"

The sound of buzzing began to fill the air. Seconds later, I looked up. All around me, they hovered with devilish little smirks. Changelings!

I was scared. I was not sure of how to deal with this. They already had me outnumbered. But before any of them could do anything, the same voice spoke again. "Stand down, my subjects. Let me take a look at our guest." It spoke with a mocking tone that I instantly recognized.

I heard hoofsteps coming from nearby, the Changelings starting to move aside. And out of the shadows came a very familiar creature I remember all too well.

"You… The Changeling Queen." I growled, readying myself for a fight. Just looking at that face was all it took to make me mad after what she had done to my brother and Cadence.

She frowned, "Oh please, I have a name." She then lowered her head until she was just inches away from me. "Queen Chrysalis. Now, what brings you out here to my home?"

Home? I replied, "You tell me! You and your horde were banished from Equestria after your attack on Canterlot! What're you doing out here?!"

She replied with that infuriating smug smirk, "What are we doing? This is where we landed, you know. And my people and I have been residing here ever since." She then looked at me with those creepy green eyes. "And in all honesty, it's not so bad out here."

She did not sound like she was lying, but I did not drop my guard for a second. "OK… So you've got a new home that you're pretty happy with. You have any plans on invading Equestria again?"

The Changeling Queen…. I mean Chrysalis replied, "No, no, we're quite happy out here. Although…" She then lowered her head towards me and asked, "Your new friend over there. He is going to be all right, isn't he?"

She must have seen James. I replied with a glare, "He's going to be fine. He was roughed up pretty bad, but he's recovering. Why? You want him for something?"

Chrysalis smirked, "Oh…maybe. But that's not for you to know."

OK, that part really got my blood boiling. "Tell me what you're planning!"

She replied, "I can tell you…but then I would have to tell my subjects here to kill you."

The Changelings around me drew closer; those creepy empty eyes really making them all the more intimidating. "Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle. I have no desire to do him harm." Chrysalis spoke while looking down at me.

I was not sure what to do. I wanted to force her to tell me what she knew, but I knew I could not protect myself. Even if I did teleport back to my friends, they would just come to us. Nightmare Moon would get caught in the crossfire. And with her injuries, it would not take much to…

"Nightmare Moon…" I muttered under my breath. My hooves were tied. If I did not cooperate, Nightmare Moon would surely…die. James would hate me for breaking my promise to him. "OK… I won't ask anything else."

Chrysalis seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. She smirked, "Wise decision. You wear your Element well, I see." The Changelings behind me moved out of the way as if to let me go. "You may return to your friends now. But not a word of me to anypony. I am quite happy out here in the Everfree Forest, and I would not want to launch a counter invasion should some royal guards come out here looking for me."

I scowled, "Fine… Just stay away from me and my friends."

Just as I was beginning to head back to my friends, Chrysalis spoke, "Wait. One last thing." When I looked back at her and the Changelings that stood near her, she spoke while glaring at me harshly. "Take very good care of him." I did not say anything as I turned and walked away.

That Queen Chrysalis… What is she up to? I know she just said she is all right with living out here in the Everfree Forest, but I just cannot shake the feeling that she is planning something awful. Well, we defeated her once. I am sure we can just as easily do it again. Especially now that we have…

I felt a smile creep across my face. Yeah, we have James with us now. He can hold his own against Nightmare Moon, so he can just as easily handle Chrysalis should the need ever arise. I still cannot believe how much damage he did to Nightmare Moon, even though I know he did not mean to.

I found my friends right where I had last seen them. "How'd it go, Twi? Find any nasties out there?" Applejack asked right away.

As much as I wanted to warn them that I found Chrysalis, I had the nagging feeling that one of her Changelings was watching me. "No. Whatever it was, I think it ran off when I approached where it was hiding."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Wow! Who knew the Everfree Forest was full of such scaredy cats?"

We did not get to talk any further since we all glanced upwards at a sound. The kind of sound a pegasus makes as it swoops through the air at high speed. "Was that Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked.

"Why, I do believe so!" Rarity replied. Hovering above a gap in the canopy was indeed Rainbow Dash. She seemed to be motioning something towards herself with her forelegs.

A few seconds later, she descended through the treetops and landed before us. "Huh? Oh, hey girls! Miss me?" She asked with that confident grin of hers.

"You bet yer cutie mark we did!" Applejack replied. We all ran over to her and gave her the tightest hug we could. I was very worried about her when she flew off to help James when we got separated. I kept trying to tell her that it would have been safer if we all went together, but I suppose her Element is Loyalty for a reason. She and James bump heads more frequently than he does with any of us, but they're still very close.

"Hey, you know me! I'm unstoppable! Oop, heads up! Make some room!" Rainbow Dash spoke while pushing us away. Descending through the treetops was what seemed to be a trailer that was being pulled by a pair of royal guards. They landed at the edge of the clearing. The trailer was mostly painted white with a large red cross on the sides.

"Ooh, a medical transport! Good job, Rainbow!" I spoke. Nightmare Moon was going to be just fine with access to the best medical treatment available.

"Indeed. Well done on getting us here in time, Rainbow Dash." A voice spoke above us. That… All the way out here?

I looked up to see Princess Celestia herself descending towards us. "Princess Celestia?!" I heard Rarity ask as she bowed with my friends. I too bowed before her.

My mentor landed before us and folded her wings. "There's no need to bow, everypony. Is everyone here all right?"

Applejack nodded, "Yup! Everythin's A-OK, yer highness!"

She then asked, "And your friend. James. Is he well?"

I looked over to him. He was still fast asleep and was snoring lightly. "He had a rough night, but he's doing fine." I said with a smile. Now that Princess Celestia was here, everything would surely be fine.

Princess Celestia seemed shocked by all the blood that was coating James' armor. Not that I blame her. I have never seen such bloodshed until tonight as well. She nodded, "I see. I will see to it that he receives the medical attention you requested. But first…" She then began to approach…Nightmare Moon? "There is something that needs to be finished."

I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as Princess Celestia glared down at Nightmare Moon. "Nightmare Moon. You know what you have done."

Nightmare Moon did not say anything. She seemed petrified. Princess Celestia… She would not…

"This time, I will personally make certain that you never pose a threat to Equestria again." Princess Celestia spoke as her horn was engulfed in a billowing golden aura.

"What're you doing?!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she hovered between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon while holding her forelegs out to her sides. "It's Nightmare Moon that needs help! That's what I led you here for!"

Princess Celestia paused. "What?! Nightmare Moon?!"

I jumped in front of her with the rest of my friends. "It's true! Nightmare Moon isn't the same monster she used to be! She's changed, your highness!" I pleaded. I truly did not want to see our new friend harmed.

"You… Nightmare Moon, what lies did you plant in their heads?!" Our princess shouted. Nightmare Moon did not respond.

Rainbow Dash spoke, "Look. I don't like her that much myself either right now, but it was James who made us understand how she really feels! She's not some jerk who's bitter and envious!"

Unfortunately, Princess Celestia did not seem swayed. "He does not understand! He is merely ignorant! Nightmare Moon is only an imposter! Luna is the true princess of the night. Nightmare Moon…" She then aimed her glowing horn at our friend. "You must perish!"

"No!" I shouted as I tried to erect a magic barrier around us. It was the same kind of spherical barrier I had used several times before. Just as I used it, Princess Celestia fired a golden beam from her horn. It slammed into the barrier, trying to push its way through.

"Princess Celestia, please! Don't do this!" I pleaded. I was the only thing standing between Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon at this point. She was safe with me and my friends in the confines of the barrier, but… What power! My barrier was already buckling under the strain of Princess Celestia's might!

It was a struggle just to keep the barrier up. My head was already starting to hurt from the mental strain I was going through. "Princess Celestia, I won't let you!" I heard Fluttershy speak as she hovered behind me. She was hovering with her forelegs outstretched to shield Nightmare Moon in case the barrier failed. "You'll have to shoot me first!"

"Fluttershy, don't!" Rarity shouted in response. Fluttershy… How brave of you. But…Princess Celestia would have to get by me first.

"You're making a mistake, my subjects! Nightmare Moon is a threat! She must be…" Princess Celestia spoke as she continued to try to force her magic through my barrier.

I groaned as I did my best to keep the barrier up, "She's not a threat, your highness! We thought she was a monster at first! But James proved us wrong! He tried his hardest to save her! And we promised we would protect her until help arrived! Please! Don't make us break that promise!"

Right as I finished saying that, I heard Nightmare Moon speak behind me. "Twilight Sparkle… You don't have to keep protecting me anymore."

Princess Celestia's magical assault suddenly stopped as she raised her head and looked down at Nightmare Moon. "What?" She spoke in a shocked tone. I was exhausted from resisting her, but I kept the barrier up anyway. I was not going to drop it until I was sure that Nightmare Moon was out of danger.

Nightmare Moon spoke, "Celestia… Do to me whatever you wish. But… If I may… A last request."

Princess Celestia's expression seemed to change to one of curiosity. "I'm listening."

We all turned to face Nightmare Moon. She spoke, "I want to at least be allowed to live long enough to see my friend regain consciousness. So I can thank him for never once giving up on me." Her gaze turned towards James, who was still sleeping soundly on her tail.

Princess Celestia seemed very shocked by Nightmare Moon's words. She did not speak, just standing there with her eyes wide open. Pinkie Pie spoke, "Pretty please, your highness? Let her live and I'll bake you cupcakes every day for a whole year!" She was clearly trying to take advantage of Princess Celestia's infamous sweet tooth.

She asked, "Nightmare Moon… Do you still intend to bring forth an eternal night?"

Our friend bowed her head, "No… My friend made me understand the consequences of such an act… I have no desire to see my subjects harmed. And if my death is the only way to prevent them from suffering, I welcome it."

Applejack patted Nightmare Moon on the shoulder, "Don't say that, yer highness. Everypony in Equestria can get ta like ya if ya give 'em the chance."

After a moment of silence, Princess Celestia looked at me. "Twilight, you can remove that barrier now. Nightmare Moon will not be executed."

I strongly doubt she would ever lie to me to make me drop my defenses. I nodded as I allowed the barrier to disappear, the mental strain on my brain immediately vanishing. Although I was still left with a minor headache. Princess Celestia then walked past me and looked down at our friend.

"Nightmare Moon, I cannot grant your final request. You will not be permitted to see him one last time." Princess Celestia spoke with a stern gaze.

I… I could not believe what I had just heard. I shouted, "Princess Celestia, how could you?!" I shouted angrily. I was honestly considering attacking her at that point.

"Yeah! That's just mean! What's wrong with you?!" Pinkie Pie growled. All of my friends seemed ready to pounce on her.

However, Princess Celestia looked at us. "Let me finish, please."

Finish? What did she mean? All of my friends did not seem happy with her, but they seemed to relax slightly. Even so, I was prepared to attack if Princess Celestia tried anything.

"As I said, your request to see him one last time is denied. Instead…" Princess Celestia spoke. Nightmare Moon closed her eyes, clearly fearful of what her sister had in store for her. But then, Princess Celestia smiled warmly. "You will be permitted to see him as many times as you desire."

Rainbow Dash spoke, "Wait wait wait… Does that mean…?"

Princess Celestia smiled, "Don't go getting any ideas, Nightmare Moon. I do not trust you just yet. But…" She then seemed to look at James. "I can't ignore the efforts of those who went to great lengths to save you."

I think I saw a tear trickle down Nightmare Moon's face. "Celestia… I…"

Princess Celestia shook her head, "Do not thank me, Nightmare Moon. Thank him when he wakes up." Her horn was then coated by a billowing golden yellow aura, as was Nightmare Moon. "Let's get you to where you can be treated."

Princess Celestia… You know, I think I know why James always calls her and Princess Luna by just their names. It becomes repetitive saying their titles too. I think I will start leaving out their titles when I refer to them from now on. In any case, Celestia walked towards the medical transport with Nightmare Moon floating beside her. But as they passed us, Nightmare Moon looked at my friends and me and smiled gratefully. "Thank you all."

We all smiled at her in response. The doors at the end of the transport opened and Nightmare Moon was placed inside. Celestia spoke, "She is not dangerous. Make sure she gets all of the medical attention she needs." Chances are the sight of a former villain being brought in startled the medical personnel inside.

Celestia then came back to us and smiled. "Congratulations on a job well done, my little ponies. Defeating Nightmare Moon was one thing, but actually converting her into a friend is something I never thought was possible. You have really outdone yourselves this time."

We all looked at each other. She was only partially right. Applejack spoke first. "Beggin' yer pardon, yer highness. But…uh… We hardly did anythin' tonight."

Celestia gave us a puzzled expression, "What do you mean?"

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah, I hate to admit it. I mean, we're all pretty awesome, me especially. But…"

Fluttershy looked over at James, who was still sleeping nearby. "James did most of the work."

Celestia glanced at him and nodded, "Is that so?"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Uh huh. We could've handled the Shadowbolts by ourselves, but he really helped out big time!"

Rarity then spoke, "In all honesty, we would've never even made it to Nightmare Moon without his aid. In fact, I doubt we would've even been able to defeat her without him."

I nodded, "It's true. We encountered dangers this time around we had never seen before. Some of them required James' assistance." I then smiled, "Princess Celestia, thank you for allowing him to come with us."

Celestia smiled, "I am glad too. I was actually worried that he would only slow you down, but I am relieved that my fears were disproved. He must really work well with you all."

Rarity smiled, "Well, shall we get him inside too? He's in no danger of dying, but I just want to be certain he is going to be fine."

Celestia nodded, "That sounds wise. Just let the paramedics know and they will take care of him."

Rarity used her magic to levitate James off the ground and carried him towards the back of the transport. At that moment, Pinkie Pie let out a yawn. "Wow, I'm beat! What time is it?"

Celestia chuckled, "Almost 5 AM. You girls have been hard at work for nearly 24 hours now. You must be exhausted."

Fluttershy yawned, "Now that you mention it… I suppose we are."

Celestia then pointed at the transport, "There is a passenger compartment at the front. Climb inside and we will get you all to Canterlot. You may all spend the night, or morning, in the palace until you are rested."

Rainbow Dash flew over to the transport and opened the door to the seats. "In that case, let's get going! I'm beat!"

We all started to head towards our ride, but I paused when I remembered something. "Oh, right! We can't forget his helmet!" I looked around and saw James' helmet on the ground nearby. It would be a bad idea to leave the Element of Humanity behind.

"Helmet?" Celestia asked, seemingly confused. By then, all of my friends were inside the medical transport and ready to leave.

"Yes, right here." I replied as I levitated the helmet over to my mentor. However, her expression changed to one of absolute shock. Did she know what it was?

"This… How… He is the one it has chosen?" Celestia spoke as she observed the front, probably focusing on the beautiful white gemstone on its forehead.

I nodded, "Yes. Nightmare Moon called it the Element of Humanity."

Celestia paused before speaking, "Of all possible humans, it had to be you…" Her expression of shock seemed to be replaced by one of happiness. She looked up, probably at the sky in general. "Looks like we made the right choice after all, Luna."

Her and Luna? Wait. "Princess Celestia. Did YOU and Princess Luna bring James to Equestria?!"

Celestia glanced over at the transport. Our friends did not seem to notice. She then looked back at me and whispered, "Twilight. When we reach Canterlot, I need to speak to you in private."

I nodded, almost knowing what she wanted to talk to me about. "OK. I'll wait until then." I then boarded the transport with James' helmet with me just before I felt it rise into the air while Princess Celestia placed his sword and shield in the rear of the transport. The royal guards at the front pulled it through the morning sky as Celestia led the way.

I was kind of hoping that it would still be dark out once we were flying above the treetops, but I found that dawn had begun. "Isn't 5 AM a little early for sunrise?" Fluttershy asked from the far end of the passenger seats.

Pinkie Pie replied, "Maybe it's to make up for that extra long night we just had. It was getting kinda chilly."

Applejack added, "I hope my apple trees are all right after goin' this long without the sun."

I smiled, "I'm sure they're fine, AJ. Trees don't need constant sunlight to survive."

Rarity then beamed, "I can hardly wait to watch the sunrise from Canterlot. I only wish James could watch it with us."

Rainbow Dash spoke, "I dunno if he would even want to. He's kind of a late riser, from what I heard."

Our ride was fairly uneventful and mostly quiet minus a bit of turbulence at one point. Maybe it was because we were all so tired. I honestly am in a hurry to jump in bed myself.

We set down in the palace courtyard once we had reached Canterlot. Once we had all climbed out of the transport, Rarity asked, "Wait! Shouldn't we be getting Nightmare Moon to the hospital?"

Celestia replied, "It would cause too much of a scene if we allowed Equestria to see her right now. For the time being, she will be tended to here." As she spoke those words, a pair of unicorn doctors wheeled Nightmare Moon out of the back of the transport on a stretcher. She seemed to be asleep from the anesthetic with a variety of devices hooked up to her. A third doctor wheeled James out of the transport on another stretcher, although his armor had been removed. The lower section of his shirt and his pants were stained with dried blood.

"Princess Celestia, are you sure they will be all right?" I asked. I just wanted to be sure that our friends would survive their wounds.

She nodded with a smile, "Yes and I will personally make certain the medics take proper care of her. And James will be constantly supervised too."

Rainbow Dash breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thanks…" For some reason, the sight of James having so much blood on him seemed to unnerve her.

"Rainbow Dash? What's wrong? We all made it back in one piece! You should be happy!" Pinkie Pie spoke, clearly having noticed our friend's expression.

"Uh huh… It's just…" Rainbow Dash muttered for a moment.

"Rainbow, what's wrong?" I decided to ask. It takes a lot for Rainbow Dash to get disturbed, so it must have been bad.

"Sorry… It's just… I saw him get stabbed… His blood got all over my face…" Rainbow Dash replied, seemingly trying to hold back tears.

None of us said anything. I did not want to think about Nightmare Moon hurting James because I did not want to feel any hate towards her. Everypony else was clearly trying to do the same thing.

Finally, Rainbow Dash approached Celestia. "Princess Celestia… If it's OK with you… Could I…ya know…stay near James until he wakes up? I just… I wanna be there for him in case something goes wrong."

Wow. I was genuinely impressed by how loyal Rainbow Dash is to him despite them practically being polar opposites of each other. Then again, I think they bonded quite a bit tonight. They flew alongside each other, they fought alongside each other, and I am pretty certain they ended up risking their lives for each other. The friendship between them is especially strong.

Celestia smiled, "You may stay with him. But do not interfere with the medics if they need to do anything."

Rainbow Dash wiped her eyes before smiling, "Yeah, I know. I'm a klutz at first aid, so I always leave it to the pros."

Applejack then yawned, "Hoo… Beggin' yer pardon, yer highness. But I'm a might tuckered… Actually, I think we all are a might tuckered… Can we just turn in fer the night?"

Rarity added, "I think you mean turn in for the morning." True. The sun was still rising into the sky. It was almost 6 AM by then.

Celestia nodded, "Yes, I'm not surprised you are all this tired. To be frank, I'm amazed you haven't fallen asleep while standing yet."

She began to lead us towards the closest door into the palace, but Fluttershy stopped near the back of the medical transport. "Um… What should we do with James' armor?" In a pile inside were the battle-damaged components of James' armor.

Rarity sighed, "Such a sad state they are in. I pray that they can be repaired."

However, Celestia chuckled, "Oh, repairing them is far easier than you would expect." Her horn was engulfed in a billowing aura, as was the armor. Seconds later, the armor seemed to…liquefy?

"Whoa! What'd you do?!" Rainbow Dash shouted, the liquid floating towards us before being compacted into a sphere.

Celestia smiled, "The most effective way to repair a suit of armor is to melt it down and reforge it. The same applies to this armor." She then levitated his shield and helmet over to herself as well.

Wow, what other mysteries are in that armor? If it is in that liquid state, could it be forged to be worn by a pony too? Well, it was a gift to James, so I suppose it is up to him to decide who uses it.

"Guards, come here please." Celestia spoke. The two guards who had been pulling the transport flew over to us. "I must return this armor to its armory. Please escort our guests to their quarters."

"Yes, your highness." One of them spoke. Celestia then flew towards what I believe was a window near the throne room with the orb of liquid metal, the helmet, and the sword and shield floating along with her before disappearing inside. The other guard then spoke, "Come with us."

One by one, the guards dropped us off at empty guest rooms. But before they could drop me off, we stopped by another guest room that had beeping sounds coming from it. When we looked inside, we found James resting in bed with a heart monitor hooked up to him. Judging by the rate of the beeping sound, his heart rate was steady. His clothes seemed to be in a basket nearby and were still stained with blood. I hope somepony can get those stains out.

"Miss Rainbow Dash and Miss Fluttershy. This is the room you wanted?" One of the guards asked.

"Y…yes…" Fluttershy replied meekly.

"Yeah, that's the one." Rainbow Dash said with a nod before she and Fluttershy walked inside.

"Twilight Sparkle, this way." The other guard spoke as they began to walk down the hall.

I began to follow them, but decided to stop. "Wait. Give me a moment, please." I spoke before peeking back inside the room.

Fluttershy was resting on the bed next to James while gently caressing his face. I heard her speak, "You were very brave tonight, honey."

Rainbow Dash was on the opposite side of the bed while standing on her hindquarters. Her hoof was gently rubbing his hand. "Rest up, champ. We'll be right here if you need us."

I could not help but smile at their dedication. I only wish I was able to help more at the time, but I suspect all I can do is wait for now.

Once I was settled into my room for the night, I lit a candle in the hopes that the light would help me stay awake long enough for Celestia to come to me. I had closed the curtains since I wanted to give myself the impression that it was still nighttime to help me sleep better.

Minutes later, I heard a knock at the door before it opened just slightly. "Are you still awake, Twilight?"

I recognized the voice immediately. "Yes, I'm here, Princess Celestia." My mentor then entered the room before closing the door behind her.

"I'm glad I was able to get to you before you fell asleep. Are you settled in?" She asked me with a smile.

"More than you know. I don't think I've ever been this tired before." I replied. I was very tempted to just close my eyes and lay my head down, but there were still some questions I wanted answered first.

Celestia then stood next to my bed. "I know you will sleep soundly tonight. Luna is making certain that the weather here is staying serene." She then smiled, "But first, I need to discuss some things with you."

I smiled, "I'll tell you anything you need to know, your highness."

However, her expression became one that was more serious. "While you were out there, did you come across any indicators that someone else might have been keeping the night going?"

Someone else? Well, I did encounter Queen Chrysalis. Only I strongly doubt she possesses enough power on her own to match Nightmare Moon. And I really do not see how an eternal night would benefit her interests. I replied, "No, your highness. It was only Nightmare Moon. She even confirmed that her grasp on the night had been broken after the seven Elements were used on her."

Celestia breathed a sigh of relief, "I am relieved to hear that."

I then asked, "Why? Is there someone else who might have done it?"

I am not sure why, but that expression Celestia gave me seemed to say that she was lying. "No, of course not. But you never know. Equestria is vast and its people diverse. Someone may try to emulate Nightmare Moon's actions." I found that highly unlikely.

"Well, that is all I needed to ask you, Twilight. Is there anything you need before you go to sleep?" She asked me. Yes, there was one thing on my mind I strongly felt the need to ask.

"Well… There is one thing. On our way to Nightmare Moon, we came across a rusty suit of armor that was being manipulated by something that tried to block our path." I spoke calmly. I did not want to sound confrontational.

Celestia nodded, "Yes, that does sound like something that can be easily done with magic."

I then added, "But there's a catch. The armor was in the shape of a human, not a pony. It had been made for human use."

Celestia's face went blank for a moment before she muttered, "W…what?"

I continued, "And Nightmare Moon confirmed something about the Element of Humanity. That it was made by humans and can only be used by humans." I then asked, "Princess Celestia, what are you not telling me? Have humans existed in Equestria before? And if they have, why is there no mention of them in any of the history books?"

Celestia seemed to be silently debating something as she turned her gaze towards the floor. She finally spoke, "Very well, Twilight. You have proven time and again that you are very trustworthy. I have always had the utmost faith in you, so perhaps I can trust you with this information." But she then gave me a very stern gaze, "However, what I am about to tell you does not leave this room. Absolutely nopony can know of this. Can I trust you with this?"

I felt a nagging feeling in my mind. As if I wanted to know the truth, yet was afraid to find out. It was as if I was about to open Pandora's box. However, I finally nodded. "Yes, your highness. I want to know." I could only pray that my desire for knowledge would not backfire.

Celestia turned her gaze towards the door leading into the room as it closed completely followed by a click. "All right. Well, as you saw in the Everfree Forest, humans have existed in Equestria before."

I felt a surge of excitement as I was tempted to shout 'I knew it', but I restrained myself since this was a private matter and did not want to alert anyone who might be passing by the room. I asked, "I thought so. But where are they now? Did they die out from a plague?"

Celestia replied, "Banished. To distant worlds."

I paused for a moment as I tried to comprehend those words. They were sent to other worlds? Well, if Celestia and Luna can bring someone from another world to this one, I really do not see how that is not possible. At least I think they can. I am all but certain it was they who brought James here. Even so, one question remained. "Why did that happen?"

Celestia seemed very saddened as she spoke, "To put it nicely, they fell out of harmony with us ponies and had to leave before any long-term damage could be done."

I was very tempted to ask more questions, but a little voice in my head was telling me to not go further. I decided to ask one last question before letting this conversation end. "Then…why should I not tell anypony about that fact?"

Celestia replied, "I fear what may happen to your friend if Equestria finds out right now. Some scars may still remain. So please… Keep what I have told you quiet. Equestria is not ready to remember that memory."

I asked, "Well… Does James know of this?"

She replied, "Luna told him some of it when we brought him back to Equestria months ago. I am sure he does not know the full story yet."

Wait. My friend… James? Why would he be in danger if I ever told anypony about this? Still… I trust my mentor's words. If she says Equestria is not ready, she must know what she is talking about. "I see… I'll be careful to not tell anypony about this, your highness."

However, just before Celestia could speak, one more question popped into my head. "Ooh, wait! One more question. The Element of Humanity. What exactly is it? Is it a seventh Element of Harmony?"

Her expression seemed to brighten slightly at my question. "The Element of Humanity, as you know, was crafted by humans back when they were still at harmony with us. It was a sign of kinship. The Element of Humanity on its own is virtually powerless. But when used in tandem with the Elements of Harmony, as I am sure you saw, it empowers them further to the point where even the greatest disharmony is returned to harmony."

I felt a smile creep across my face. "Yes… I did see it. The way that beautiful white light merged with the six colors."

Celestia continued, "It is a type of cornerstone to the Elements of Harmony. The six Elements are a complete set, but the Element of Humanity is deeply connected to them nonetheless. When those seven Elements join, they become a force of true perfect harmony that transcends all differences that absolutely nothing can resist."

I nodded, but then asked, "But…James said that humanity is something that… How did he put it? Humans aren't perfect, but they try? It can go either way? White, black, or gray?"

My mentor's expression became more serious. "He was exactly right. The Element of Humanity, while certainly a force of harmony like those of the Elements of Harmony, is still imperfect. Like the human heart, it can go either way. It can just as easily be used as a force of evil as good. Because of this risk, it was crafted in such a way that it will only reveal itself to someone whose heart is 'white' at the time. But after that…if the bearer becomes gray or black, the Element of Humanity too will become that way."

This gave me a powerful sense of foreboding. The Element of Humanity…is also an EVIL power? "So…it's something of a wild card?"

Celestia replied, "I suppose you could say that. After all, since it is an Element of a type of balance, the scale can be tipped either way. The Element will become gray or black depending on its bearer's desires, changing form in the process to reflect this."

I am sure the gray form represents morally gray desires, not truly being evil but still not being all that honorable either. But the black… "Princess Celestia. What do you think the Element of Humanity will look like if it turns black as it looks now?"

She replied with a sigh, "I don't know… I truly don't know… And in all honesty, I do not want to know." She then added, "While the Element of Humanity does not have any unique properties in its gray and white states, you must be careful should it ever become black. In that state it oozes negative energies. I am doubtful it can actually cause any harm, but I am certain it can influence certain things."

As much as this information scared me, I know James well. There is no possible way for him to go from white to black. There is just no way. He is too gentle for that. "Yeah… James is definitely 'white', although I have seen him be a bit 'gray' at times too. But he never stays gray for very long."

Celestia smiled, "I can tell just by the fact that he wanted to protect Nightmare Moon so badly. I suspect that is the entire reason why he left to go help you."

I giggled; remembering how crazy I thought he was when he confessed that the main reason he went with us was to protect Nightmare Moon. "That's exactly why he was there. I thought he was insane, but he ended up proving us all wrong. Nightmare Moon really is a good pony. And really good at tic-tac-toe and checkers."

"I'm sure she gets that from Luna. She tends to do well in most forms of friendly competition." Celestia replied, the two of us chuckling together.

"Anyway, regarding what we just discussed… Don't worry about James, Princess Celestia. I'm sure that as long as me and my friends stay with him, he'll never turn 'black'. That's something I've learned tonight. Friends can help guide you away from the black and into the light."

Celestia smirked, "Is that one of your friendship reports?"

I nodded, "It is. I've learned that at times, some ponies may build up a reputation that causes them to be reviled or even hated. But if there is one person who understands that pony, even if everypony else claims that person is wrong, you should always at least hear them out. Because it is always possible for ponies to change. Especially when they have that one special friend who will never give up on them."

Celestia asked, "James endured quite a bit tonight, didn't he?"

I nodded, "Yes… It's amazing he did not hold any ill will towards Nightmare Moon. If anything, when something went wrong, he always blamed himself. I don't know… Maybe it's just a way for him to avoid feeling anger towards others."

Celestia sighed, "He really does try hard to not feel hate towards others… Truly the heart of a dove."

I smiled, remembering the form of his cutie mark. "Yes… A dove indeed." Right after I said that, I let out a yawn. "Whoa… I really need to get to sleep…"

My mentor chuckled, "I can imagine. I too feel the need to take a nap." She then began to turn to leave, "I'll let you get to sleep now. But just remember. What we discussed tonight never happened."

I nodded, "I know. Absolutely nopony must know."

Celestia opened the door and smiled at me. "Sweet dreams, Twilight Sparkle. And don't worry about your friends. They are in good hooves."

I nodded, "Thank you, your highness. And sweet dreams for you too."

I am utterly amazed by how much that has happened tonight. I am still trying to process it all in my head. That scuffle with the Shadowbolts, the struggle against Nightmare Moon, this new information about humans in Equestria… And zombies! Real zombies in the Everfree Forest! I still cannot believe they really exist! Now I am afraid to ever go there at night again…

Well, regardless, I am very grateful that everything worked out in the end. The eternal night has ended, we all made it back safely, and now we have a new friend to get to know.

James, thank you for coming with us. We would have never been able to succeed without you. And Nightmare Moon, I hope we can be good friends from now on.

Now it is time to sleep. I can only pray that tomorrow will be a great first day for Nightmare Moon as the princess of the stars.


	20. Rescue from Limbo

I awoke to the strangest sound. A steady yet slow rhythm of high-pitched beeps. I felt something attached to my chest…and something lying upon my stomach. Where was I? How much time had passed since… Nightmare Moon!

My thoughts immediately turned to the beautiful dark alicorn I had tried to save. She was badly wounded last time I saw here. I was instantly consumed with fear. I know my friends had promised to watch over her while I was asleep, but…

I slowly sat up in bed, still feeling somewhat weak from my previous endeavors. My eyes took a moment to adjust from being closed for so long. It felt like I had been asleep for days. Once my vision had returned, I got a good look at my surroundings. The room I was in seemed rather elegant. I was probably somewhere in Canterlot's royal palace. I looked to my left and found Celestia relaxing on the floor while looking over a scroll. After a few seconds, her eyes looked in my direction. She immediately smiled, "Welcome back. Are you all rested now?"

I knew exactly what I wanted to say. "Nightmare Moon. Is she…"

Celestia smiled at me as she stood up, "The first thing you ask upon waking up is about Nightmare Moon. She was right. You really never did give up on her." She then approached me and rested her hoof on my shoulder, "Relax, James. Your friend is alive and well."

I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I allowed myself to relax. "Thank god…"

Celestia smiled, "Twilight told me everything about what happened out there. It was a good thing you offered to go help them after all."

I then asked, "Well… What about my armor? It took quite a beating out there."

She nodded, "Yes, I noticed. Fortunately, that particular armor is easily repaired. Next time you use it, if ever, it will be good as new."

I sighed, "For recreational purposes, I hope…"

Celestia asked, "Is something wrong? Did I say something that…"

I laid my head down on my pillow. "I'll be honest. Although taking down those zombies was pretty fun… I really did not enjoy all that fighting. I'm not cut out for combat roles."

The princess of the sun smiled warmly, "That is good. You should never be someone who enjoys violence. I was honestly worried fighting with all that power would go to your head. I'm glad to see that is not the case."

I closed my eyes for a moment, the recent memories of the battles in the Everfree Forest dancing across my vision. Now that I had time to relax, I felt a great deal of unpleasant emotions fill my mind. Combat is stressful and I never enjoyed it. But before I could remember much else, my attention was directed at the weight that was on my stomach as I felt some movement.

"Wait a minute, who's on…" I spoke as I sat up a bit to look down at myself. Resting on my belly was…..Rainbow Dash?

Celestia chuckled, "She and Fluttershy were watching over you constantly while you were asleep. Yesterday, she promised she would watch over you alone so Fluttershy could return home and tend to her animals."

"Yesterday? Wait. How long have I been out?" I asked, my hand gently caressing my friend's mane.

Celestia replied, "Oh, at least two days. Right now, it's the middle of the afternoon."

I flinched at those words. "Just how much blood did I lose?"

Celestia smiled, "I'm not sure, but you'll be just fine now. How are you feeling anyway?"

I reached my arms up as I stretched. I felt very rested, but was also tempted to go back to sleep. I still felt some fatigue, probably due to my blood levels not being back up to 100% yet. "Feel good, to be honest. Not perfect, but I'll manage."

Celestia smiled before pointing to some clothes over on a table. "Your clothes are right there. I'll leave you be so you can get dressed without anypony watching."

I snorted, "Everypony but Rainbow Dash, that is." We both chuckled in unison.

"Well, I'll leave you two be. If you're looking for Nightmare Moon, you'll find her in the chamber that Estoc and Shining Armor are positioned at." Celestia spoke as she left the room.

However, before she got too far, I called out, "Um… Wait a sec."

Celestia looked back at me, "Yes?"

For whatever reason I was feeling terribly thirsty. Perhaps that is normal for someone who has been unconscious for over a day. "I don't want to be a bother, but I'm awfully thirsty. Is there any water here?"

Celestia chuckled, "I almost forgot about that." Her horn was covered by a billowing golden yellow aura. I heard water being poured and found a metal pitcher and tall glass being levitated in the air while also being covered in a golden yellow aura. The pitcher was pouring water into the glass, the clinking of ice cubes bumping against it from the inside filling the air. "Enjoy. You've earned it."

The glass floated over to me while the pitcher was set back down on an end table. I grasped the glass and began to gulp down the water greedily, even swallowing the ice cubes whole. I even nearly choked a few times, I was that thirsty. Once I had drank the glass dry, I let out a satisfied sigh. "Thanks, Celestia. I really needed that."

The princess of the sun smiled, "It was the least I could do. Now, if you will excuse me…" She then turned and left, her beautiful mane and tail billowing behind her.

I was tempted to get up and get dressed, feeling nothing but my boxers on me, but I was also hesitant to do so while Rainbow Dash was in the room. I know she can be a peeping Tom. Or since she is a girl…peeping Tammy? Regardless, I wanted her out of the room before I got out of bed.

Even though I wanted some privacy, I could not bring myself to roughly rouse Rainbow Dash since she was asleep. What was more, this was the first time I had seen her since she left to go get help for Nightmare Moon. But as I recalled that memory, I also recalled the moment when Rainbow Dash came to my aid. When she was nearly…

I felt a slight chill flow down my spine and a faint jolt of pain as I remembered that moment. When Rainbow Dash was engulfed in lightning conjured up by Nightmare Moon. I honestly thought I had lost her at that point. Seeing her right before me while sleeping soundly filled me with a massive sense of relief. I gently pulled her closer to me and held her in my arms, my hand stroking her back.

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply as Rainbow Dash's head rested against my upper chest. That familiar scent of water vapor filled my nostrils. I began to gently caress her wings, her soft feathers tickling my fingers. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash." I spoke softly.

A moment later, I felt the pegasus in my arms beginning to stir. I looked down at Rainbow Dash, waiting for her to open her eyes. Before long, those big beautiful rose-colored eyes drowsily opened. That is, they opened halfway. She let out a yawn, her gaze slowly turning to look up at me. For a moment, she stared at me blankly. I said nothing, merely giving her a smile. We just sat there in bed, gazing at each other without a word.

After a brief moment, Rainbow Dash acted first. She suddenly threw her forelegs around me and held me in a surprisingly tight embrace. Her eyes were closed. Or rather, squinted shut. "Rainbow?" I asked, concerned by this abnormally silent approach she was taking.

"I was worried about you, James." She spoke without releasing her grasp on me or looking at me.

"I'm fine, Rainbow. Really, I feel great. Maybe a little weaker than usual, but I really am feeling good right now." I spoke while stroking her rainbow-striped mane. I then asked, "Were you here with me the entire time?"

She nodded before looking up at me with a calm smile. "Yeah. Ever since they put you in this room to rest, I've been watching you like a griffon."

I raised an eyebrow, "I think the correct term is 'watching you like a hawk'. Isn't it?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled lightly, "Yeah, but griffon's are kinda like hawks. I should know. My former best friend is a griffon."

I nodded, "I remember. Gilda, right?"

Rainbow Dash nodded before nuzzling her head against my bare chest. This calm gentle demeanor seemed to be somewhat out of character for Rainbow Dash. This seemed more like something Fluttershy would do. I asked, "Uh… Rainbow? I appreciate the affection, but shouldn't you be flying around while shouting that I'm OK and cheering that I survived that ordeal two night ago?"

She snickered in my grasp, "Man, you read me like a book, don't you?"

I smirked, "I've known you long enough to know that your behavior is loud, rambunctious, and sometimes over the top."

Rainbow Dash replied, "Yup, read me like a book."

I then asked, "Then why this calm cuddly approach?"

Rainbow Dash did not speak for a moment while averting her eyes as if to try to find the right words. She finally sighed, "There are a few reasons. One reason is because I'm sure you're still recovering and I have to be gentle with you. Another is…" She then tightly embraced me again. "I'm just so glad you're all right. I don't want to get all jumpy because…well…"

I cocked my head to one side, trying to understand what she was trying to say. Rainbow Dash finally looked up at me and asked, "Can I just…you know…chill here with you for a while?"

I smiled, "I don't mind. I kinda don't want to get out of bed just yet either."

Rainbow grinned before cuddling up to me more. Yes, I suppose I should not be surprised. While she is all about action, she loves to just relax too. It is almost like she is one or the other and never in-between.

"How are the other girls doing?" I asked, just then remembering the other five mares who were with me when we went to Nightmare Moon in the Everfree Forest.

Rainbow replied with her head still nestled against my chest. "They're OK. We all stayed here until last night to keep an eye on you."

I then asked, "Then why are you here while they aren't?"

Rainbow looked up at me and smiled, "They had some stuff to tend to. You know, like checking on animals, harvesting apples, keeping an eye on Spike, those sorta things."

I nodded, but then asked, "Hang on, what about you? Don't you have some duties to tend to?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled, "Oh yeah, I'm part of the weather patrol. But we don't need the weather changed today. So I've got the day off."

I smiled, my hand caressing her sides before stroking her belly, but being mindful to not let my hand reach too low. "I hope the Cake couple and my bosses at the spa don't mind me being away for a few days."

Rainbow Dash did not reply, instead letting out a sigh. "Mmmm… Rarity was right. You have magic fingers."

I snickered, "Sorry if I can't keep my hands off you. Your coat feels nice and I love making my friends happy."

After a moment, Rainbow Dash seemed to frown slightly. I did not ask, my hand continuing to stroke her belly. Or was it her ribcage? She finally spoke, "James… I really appreciated our time together out there."

I nodded, "Me too. There wasn't a moment during that mission that I didn't enjoy when I was with you girls. Well…except for having to fight Nightmare Moon, that is."

Rainbow sighed, "That's not it. I mean… I've known you for a while now, but it feels like I only just started to get to know you. Does that make any sense?"

I shrugged, "Um… Care to explain?"

Rainbow Dash continued, "I always thought you were just a meek guy who was also kinda wimpy. You had other personality traits that made me like you though. But…after all that happened a couple nights ago…" She then looked up at me with a solemn smile, "It feels like I saw the inner you."

I tilted my head to one side, showing that I did not fully understand. She went on, "I got to fly with you and I got to fight with you. That felt amazing, doing things with you that I never thought you could do. And the way you handled the whole thing…"

Rainbow Dash then sighed, "What I'm trying to say is… You're not tough all the time. You only get tough when you really NEED to. Like you need some kinda trigger for your tough side to come out. And being tough only when you have to be is way cooler than being tough all the time."

I felt somewhat flattered at those words. She grinned brightly, "I'll be honest. After all you did back then, I'd say you just got 20% cooler."

I smirked, "Really? Thanks! Now I just need to find a way to get 30% cooler." We both laughed together.

After a moment, Rainbow Dash placed her hoof on my hand. "Still… I gotta admit. That moment when you attacked Nightmare Moon to protect me… That was awesome, but scary."

I asked, "I don't even remember that moment. It's all a blur to me. What exactly happened?"

Rainbow Dash explained, "You just came charging in and swung your sword at Nightmare Moon's horn. At least I think you did. I woke up with you in front of me with your sword down. That look on your face… That was scary. I never saw you look that mad before. You went hacking and slashing at Nightmare Moon while always staying in front of me. I saw her horn being covered in her magic aura before she charged you. I saw the tip of her horn come out through the back of your armor."

Rainbow Dash held onto me tightly, her eyes squinted shut. "I felt your blood get on me… But you didn't even groan in pain. You stabbed your sword down into her instead. That made her back off. And…I think that's when you started to calm down."

I felt a great deal of shame as I listened to Rainbow's eyewitness recollection of the events that occurred. Even though Nightmare Moon and I seemed to have made amends with each other before I fell asleep, I was fearful that she may still hold a grudge against me for my actions. Rainbow Dash held me tightly, "Even though you were way scary back then…I felt honored that you went to such lengths to protect me… You're awesome, James."

I wrapped my arms around my friend, holding her close to me. "I didn't want to lose you, Rainbow. You're one of the best friends I've ever known."

The two of us just cuddled together for a little while, not moving much. I did not speak and neither did Rainbow Dash. But after a while, Rainbow Dash asked, "Hey…James? Got a question for you."

I nodded, "OK. What's up?"

She did not reply right away, but that expression on her face was puzzling to me. It seemed to show…uncertainty? Mental debate? Regardless, she spoke while not looking directly at me. "Have you…ever felt like you…I dunno…missed out on something?"

I really was not sure of what she meant by that. "Um… Missed out? On what?"

Rainbow Dash replied with a bright grin, "Oh…don't worry about it. Just wondering about something. Not important!" She then hopped down from the bed, "Anyway, I better let you get outta bed. Wouldn't want your legs falling off from lack of use."

I smirked, "Hey, that's my line!"

She then approached the doorway before looking back at me. "I'll go on ahead and let everypony know you're coming home today. Take your time, OK?" I nodded to show I agreed. But as she looked away, I thought I saw something sparkling in the light as it fell from Rainbow Dash's face. "See ya there, James." Rainbow spoke before spreading her wings and flying out of sight.

Was that a tear I saw fall from Rainbow's face? What could she possibly have to cry about? Well, it clearly was not important. She is a tough girl. I climbed out of bed and promptly put on my shirt and pants after turning off my heart monitor. I was expecting the shirt to still have a hole in it from when Nightmare Moon impaled me, but it seemed that someone had repaired it. But once I had put on my socks, I decided to leave my shoes off for the time being. I did not want to leave just yet.

My stance was a little shaky at first, my body still a bit weak from heavy blood loss. "Maybe I should've stayed in bed another day." I muttered to myself.

I staggered out of the room and looked both ways. I was in a hall somewhere in the Canterlot palace. Approaching me from the left was one of the royal guards. When he came closer, I asked, "Excuse me, sir. Have you seen Shining Armor and Estoc?"

The guard calmly replied, "Right this way." He continued down the hall as I followed him. After a few minutes, I noticed a pair of familiar unicorn stallions up ahead stationed just outside another room. "Captain. This man wanted to see you, sir."

Estoc and Shining Armor looked our way before smiling. Armor spoke, "Thank you. You're dismissed." My escort nodded before continuing on his way.

Shining Armor trotted right over to me, "Hey there, James! How're you feeling? Back up to 100%?"

I replied, "I estimate 85%, but I'll manage. Is Nightmare Moon in there?"

Estoc nodded, "She is, but try to not raise your voice. She's in a delicate condition right now."

Armor chuckled, "Man, remind me to stay off your bad side! I can't believe the kind of damage you did to her! You sure you're not some crazy psycho who hides his victim's corpses in a bin somewhere?"

I could tell he was poking fun at the injuries I had inflicted on Nightmare Moon, and that did not sit well with me. I glared at Shining Armor, "That's not funny, captain. I don't even remember doing that to her."

Estoc nodded, "I must admit, sir, that what you just said was in poor taste."

Shining Armor bowed his head as his ears drooped, as he seemed to realize what kind of impact those had on me. "Uh… Sorry about that. It's just… Never mind." He then sighed, "I guess I was just so impressed by how well you fought against her by judging how much damage you did. Guess I got too fired up."

I nodded, "Well, just be careful where you say that. You never know. Nightmare Moon might be behind you right now ready to fry you."

That look on Shining Armor's face… How do I even describe it? I suppose it is the kind of look that seems to say 'Oh god, no.' all over it. Estoc seemed to glance at the doorway before speaking, "There's nopony there, sir."

Armor chuckled nervously, "I knew that."

I replied with a smirk, "Then explain the sweat. It's not summer yet."

Armor cleared his throat before regaining his composure, "ANYWAY, you wanted to see Nightmare Moon?"

I nodded, "Is she accepting visitors?"

Estoc replied, "We were told to not allow anyone through until you saw her first aside from the medical personnel. Princess Celestia's orders."

I cocked my head to one side, "No one allowed in until I visited? OK. Well, may I see her now?"

Estoc and Shining Armor stood aside. Armor nodded, "Go right ahead. And let us know if she's hostile. Estoc and I aren't entirely sure yet."

Skeptical, it would seem. Well, considering Nightmare Moon's reputation, it does not surprise me. "Thanks. I'll let you know if she's safe to be around."

Immediately after entering the chamber, I was greeted by a somber sight. Along with the beeping of a heart monitor, I saw numerous IV drip lines hooked up to Nightmare Moon as she rested on a bed. There was a crumpled blanket next to her, probably left off for easier access to her body. All of her blue armor had been removed, leaving her beautiful black body fully exposed. However, thick white bandages had been wrapped all over her, clearly to cover the gruesome wounds I had inflicted on her.

I felt a twinge of guilt as I beheld the wounded princess before me. Even though I knew she was going to be fine at this point, I could not help feel that she was going to be angry with me. Her eyes were closed, leading me to believe she was asleep.

Here she was, a changed person and forgiven by the royal sisters, yet I still felt fearful to approach her. I was sure I would be punished for what I did to her. Even so, she is my friend. I know I fell asleep after we had come to terms, but still…

I froze as I saw her stir. Nightmare Moon let out a yawn, before her beautiful teal eyes opened. She gazed right at me, not a word being said. After a brief moment, she smiled faintly. "James… Are you well?"

I nodded without saying anything. "Please come closer." She spoke quietly. I did as I was told and approached her nervously. Once I was before her, she pushed herself up in bed and threw a foreleg around me before resting her head on my shoulder. "Thank you again…"

I was not sure of what to say at the time. But I decided to not restrain myself and embraced her as well, the musty scent of an old stone room being in her coat. "I'm sorry for anything I did."

I heard Nightmare Moon whisper, "Don't be, James. If you hadn't done this to me, I probably wouldn't be here right now."

I leaned into the embrace; a massive sense of relief washing over me as I came to understand my friend was out of danger. The memories of the earlier night danced through my head. The joyful memories intertwined with the sorrowful ones; making me all the more grateful I was able to save the illustrious Mare in the Moon.

"Has Celestia and the guards been good to you?" I asked, my hand constantly stroking her long billowing mane.

Nightmare Moon replied without releasing me, "She has been kind to me, but also stern. I think she is keeping her distance until she can confirm that I'm not a threat. I really do not blame her, but I was hoping I could bond with her at least a little."

I sighed as I pulled away so I could look at her directly. "Give her time. I just talked to her and she seems to not hate you at all." I then asked, "And the guards? What about the medical personnel?"

Nightmare Moon smiled, "They were wary at first, but they began to warm up to me after a short while. They began to converse with me and asked me if I needed anything."

I smiled, "That's Equestrian hospitality for you." However, I was interrupted by a knock at the door before watching a familiar earth pony walk in while pushing what seemed to be a tray on wheels.

"It's lunch time, your highness." The pony spoke. I recognized her as Redheart, a nurse from Ponyville Hospital. She has a white coat while her light pink mane was tied into a bun. A nurse's headdress rested atop her head. Her cutie mark consists of a red cross with a heart between each arm pointing to the center. Her eyes are a light shade of blue. When she saw me, the nurse smiled, "Oh, hello there, James. Visiting hours haven't started yet, but I guess I can make an exception with you."

I smiled, "OK. But it's too soon for my check-up, right?"

She nodded as she set the food tray up next to the bed for easy access, "Yes, that's not until next month."

Nightmare Moon frowned, "I was hoping for something a bit more flavorful today." I suppose she knew what she was talking about. I have never been admitted to a hospital before, but I have heard that the food there is far from impressive.

Redheart chuckled, "Well, I'm sorry to hear that. That food is meant to be as nutritious as possible without sacrificing too much flavor. Please bear with it, your highness."

As Nightmare Moon levitated a spoon and scooped up what I suspect was some mashed peas, I asked, "How has she been today, nurse?"

She smiled as Nightmare Moon nonchalantly consumed her meal, "She has been a very good patient. I honestly thought Princess Celestia was crazy for asking me to tend to Nightmare Moon, but she has been very cooperative and a good conversation partner. I love listening to the stories she has to share."

I then asked, "Well, what was the diagnosis? Will she be OK?"

Redheart nodded, "She had numerous gashes and a deep stab wound as well as some bruising on one side, but the biggest problem was how much blood she lost. Fortunately, she was in no hurry to die. Her will to live has been very strong. She's going to be fine."

I looked over at my friend, who was reluctantly eating her meal. I then asked, "Um… I know Celestia has been checking in on her, but has Luna met her yet?"

Redheart shook her head, "I don't think so. I actually think Celestia has been going out of her way to keep Princess Luna away from Nightmare Moon for the time being. Something about not being the right time yet or something."

Looking at Nightmare Moon again, I began to wonder if Celestia feared that Luna meeting Nightmare Moon would trigger the age-old clone hostility between them. By which I mean the clone of the original lifeform is naturally hostile towards it. In some ways, Nightmare Moon could easily be viewed as an evil clone of Luna, although that obviously is no longer the case with her.

A short while later, Nightmare Moon groaned, "Ugh, I'm done now." Her tray was practically devoid of food aside from some scraps here and there.

"All right then. Time to check your blood pressure." Redheart replied as she wrapped a familiar device around Nightmare Moon's foreleg. I honestly do not know what that device is called, but its appearance in Equestria was no different than its Earth counterparts. The sack around her foreleg inflated with each push Redheart made on the rubber bubble at the end of the tube that was connected to it. She turned her head to the gauge and smiled, "Looking better, your highness. Your blood pressure is almost back to normal."

Nightmare Moon cracked a small smile, "That's good. Maybe the world will stop spinning soon."

I then asked, "Hang on, could you check mine too? I don't feel like I'm back to 100% yet myself."

Redheart nodded as she removed the device and wrapped it around my forearm. "Sure. Just give me a minute here."

I felt the sack inflate around my arm as the pressure on it increased. Redheart then smiled as she observed the gauge next to it, "Looks like your blood pressure is up to around 90%. Just take it easy and you'll be fine in a day or two."

I smiled, "Yeah, I feel OK, but I'm a little wobbly sometimes."

Redheart packed up her gear and set them on the tray before pushing it towards the door. "I heard that you two have a lot to catch up on, so I'll leave you be for now. I'll be back this evening to change your bandages, your highness."

Nightmare Moon nodded at the nurse, "Thank you. Take care." I waved goodbye as the door was shut.

Once we were alone, Nightmare Moon groaned, "Ugh, that food. I appreciate her efforts, but why can't they come up with something to serve to patients that's at least halfway decent?"

I chuckled, "I wouldn't know. I've never stayed long enough in a hospital to eat their stuff."

"Lucky you." Nightmare Moon spoke with a scowl before both of us chuckled. It was then that I noticed something. We were talking and even laughing with each other. Like friends.

As we chatted a bit more, I found that Nightmare Moon is not quite like Celestia or even Luna. She is bold, always tells things like it is, and can be snide. But she still commands an air of elegance about her and certainly does not come off as rude. And like Luna, she does indeed have a kind heart and more often than not minds her manners.

"Is that so? Zombies in the Everfree Forest? Hmmm… Must be the curse I placed on them for that crime so many centuries ago." Nightmare Moon spoke as I told her about my trek through the Everfree Forest with my friends a few nights ago.

I asked, "Just to be sure, was it you who sent the Shadowbolts after me and my friends?"

Nightmare Moon nodded, "Do not think I wanted them to harm you. I never expected you to be with the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. If I had known you would be with them, I would have instructed them to escort you to me."

"Then why were they out there?" I asked again, wondering what they had been doing out there if it was so unlikely for anyone to have guessed Nightmare Moon was behind the eternal night at the time.

"Just a failsafe. They seeped into the trees to twist them into hideous shapes to ward off any potential attackers. If the deterrent did not work, they would use force." Nightmare Moon replied. She then asked with a worrisome gaze, "They did not hurt you, did they?"

I smiled, resting my hand on her hoof, "It all turned out for the best in the end. To be honest, I think Rainbow Dash and I became closer partially because of them."

Nightmare Moon smiled warmly, "I know. The way she risked her life to protect you from me and when she still would not stay down afterwards. She must truly love you."

I chuckled as I averted my eyes, my body temperature spiking. "Love me? Not likely. We're polar opposites in terms of personality." I then paused before I nodded, "But I know she loves me as a friend. I love her too. Heck, I love all my friends."

Nightmare Moon nodded, "Very true. Your friends were very adamant in protecting you. You must be very precious to them."

I sighed, "Yeah… We've been through ups and downs. At this point, I don't know what I'd do without them."

I froze as I felt Nightmare Moon place a kiss on my cheek. "Regardless of what happens, I know you will always have me. You worked hard to earn my friendship and you succeeded."

After a moment more of chatting, Nightmare Moon finally asked, "James, I'm still rather hungry, but am in the mood for something sweet."

I retorted, "Come to think of it, when was the last time you ate ANYTHING since separating from Luna?"

Nightmare Moon's face changed to one of shock, "Actually…. Never! No wonder my frame is so slim! I'm anorexic! I need something to fix that!" She then looked at me with a pleading smile, "To that effect, I have a request. I overheard some of the palace personnel mention a donut parlor in Canterlot."

I nodded, "I think I heard Spike mention it a few times. You want some?"

Nightmare Moon nodded, "Yes, about a dozen. I'm not even sure of what a donut is, but they sound tasty. As for what kind… Bah, any will do. Surprise me."

Never heard of a donut before? Considering how long Nightmare Moon had been away from Equestria, I suppose it should not surprise me. I smiled, "Well, you're gonna like them. Donuts come in all sorts of forms and flavors." Ugh, I am developing a strong donut craving even as I write this.

My friend smiled, "Well, I'll leave it up to you on what to choose. And don't worry about me. I'll be patient."

I gave my friend a gentle embrace. "OK. I'll be back soon." I then turned and left the room only to find Celestia waiting right outside.

"Going somewhere?" She asked with a smirk. That look in her eye told me that she had something planned for me.

"Um… Celestia? What's with that look?" I asked, noticing that Estoc and Shining Armor were looking at us out of the corner of their eyes.

"Oh… Nothing. It's just that I'm going to have to throw you in the dungeon…" She spoke with that smirk. Suddenly, she smiled brightly, "For not asking me what kind of donuts I would like!"

I snickered, "You had me going there! And sure. What would you like?"

Celestia replied, "I would… Actually, I recall that the shop owner developed a special recipe around a year ago. I would like to try that."

I asked, "A special recipe? Like…..the daily special?"

Shining Armor replied, "Tell him you want his latest masterpiece. He'll know what you mean." He then glanced at Estoc. "Estoc, I think it'll be too heavy for him to carry. Would you mind accompanying him to assist in carrying it back?"

Estoc nodded, "Yes, sir." Estoc then approached me, "Now that I think about it, are you familiar with Canterlot's layout?"

I crossed my arms for a moment as I tried to think. "Um… Probably not. The only other time I ever came here was during the Grand Galloping Gala."

He nodded, "Then you should let me lead the way so you don't get lost. Shall we be going?"

Celestia nodded, "Please do. And let the shop owner know to send the bill to the Canterlot palace." This made me ponder what kind of price tag this so-called 'masterpiece' carries.

"OK then. See you in a bit." I replied before following Estoc down the halls and out of the palace.

Canterlot still gave me the same upper-class feel as during my first visit, the ponies around me still carrying their heads high in what was likely overblown sophistication. Some would stare at me in what was likely curiosity since I have rarely visited Canterlot before and that they had never seen a human before by extension. It was not quite as overwhelming as the first time, so I was not all that nervous.

Hoping to pass the time, I tried to engage in conversation with Estoc. "So… Estoc. Shining Armor is your commanding officer?"

He nodded while continuing to lead me, "He is. Captain is the highest rank among the royal guards."

I then asked, "Well… Has there been any…um….incidents where the royal guards had to intervene?"

Estoc replied, "It's very rare when we have to resort to force on anything. It's usually in response to arguments that get out of hand or dangerous creatures that wander into town, although the highlight of my career was during the Changeling invasion a while back."

Changeling? If memory serves, Pinkie Pie mentioned that word a few nights ago. What is more, the word 'Changeling' reminds me of… Of course. I recall reading once that Changelings, at least on Earth, are closely associated with demonic, perhaps even satanic, lore. "That word gives me a sinister vibe. Are they bad news?"

Estoc stopped walking as he looked back at me. "Very bad. They are creatures that can perfectly mimic anypony. Their queen even mimicked Princess Cadence on her wedding day. It was a close call in the end. If you want more details, you will have to ask the captain." He then averted his eyes, looking rather disgruntled. "I was…uh…captured early on in the invasion, so I did not see much of what happened until the Changelings were repulsed from Canterlot."

I crossed my arms, "Well, they're gone, right? You think they'll come back?"

Estoc replied as he turned around and continued walking, "It's possible, but their queen is far from stupid. She's probably out there, carefully planning her next scheme. Who knows what she may do next." But he then looked at me and smiled, "But if you were to face her after that training you went through, I think you could slay her."

Evil or not, I did not like the idea of killing the Changeling queen. Still, if she were to invade again and intended to do my friends harm, I would have to take up the sword again. "I just hope it never comes to that."

After weaving through the streets for a while, Estoc led me into what seemed to be a small shop. "Here we are. I'll wait by the door for you."

When I stepped inside, it felt like I was in an old-fashioned café. The floor was in a checkerboard design consisting of tiles of two shades of gray while a diagonal checkerboard design covered the walls consisting of two shades of green. Small round tables were set up around the area with small stools set up in front of the counter like a bar. Is there any such thing as a donut bar? Behind the bar were numerous shelves lined with a wide variety of donuts as well as some other pastries.

"Looks like donut heaven to me." I muttered as I approached the counter. But where was the clerk?

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone in the corner of the shop. A unicorn stallion was moving a mop around with magic. His body structure was very similar to Big Macintosh, although his face seemed a bit broader. Like Big Macintosh, his tail was cropped and his mane was somewhat unkempt. His eyes were a vibrant green while his coat was a very light shade of tan. His tail and mane were light brown while his cutie mark depicted a typical round donut topped with pink icing. He was wearing a white cook's jacket and a small white hat on his head.

"Um… Sir?" I asked, hoping to get his attention.

When the unicorn stallion looked my way, his eyes opened wide as his magical grip on the mop was released. He spoke in a somewhat gruff voice, "Hey, I heard about you! Don't tell me. I heard your name somewhere…"

His eyes squinted shut as he held a hoof to his chin as if closely examining me. "Definitely a human… And the name… You're James, right?"

I nodded, "Yeah, but how do you know my name? I've never seen you before."

The pony replied, "Whenever Twilight Sparkle visits Canterlot, Spike always pays a visit to my shop for some donuts. He mentioned you the last time they came around."

I smiled, "Heh, he did?"

The shop owner then trotted over to the counter and stood behind it, "Enough of my babbling. Welcome to Donut Joe's Donut Emporium. What can I get you today?"

I suspected the shop owner was Donut Joe himself. As I browsed the selection of goods, I remembered what Celestia had requested. "Um… Before I forget, you have some sort of 'masterpiece' available for purchase?"

Joe's face brightened instantly, "Ooh, good choice! First time here and you're already going for the good stuff! Just a second. I don't put this baby out with the rest to make sure no one steals any of the parts."

As Donut Joe ducked through the swinging doors to the rear of the shop, I raised an eyebrow. "Parts? What kind of donut dish can be considered to have 'parts' on it?"

A moment later, Donut Joe pushed his way through the doors, but stopped halfway. At his sides seemed to be the forward-most components of a cart attached to a harness on his back. "OK, ready for your eyes to be as dazzled as your taste buds?"

I crossed my arms, not sure if his enthusiasm and confidence were genuine or just trying to make his product sell. If it was the latter, I was finding his attempts to be rather overblown. "Um… Sure. What's your secret weapon?"

Joe then walked out into the storefront and pulled his creation into view. He then raised his foreleg towards the cart, "First-time customer, I present to you Donutopia!"

Donutopia, huh? It certainly looked the part. This 'Donutopia' thing seemed to be…well… I must admit Donut Joe must have put a lot of time and effort into coming up with that. It seemed to be a model city. Made of donuts. The colors ranged from purple to pink to orange to a few other colors. It even had spires atop the tallest 'buildings', giving the whole thing a metropolitan look. I cocked my head to one side as I beheld this impressive piece of work. There were probably around a hundred donuts in it. "Joe… How long does it take to put these together?"

Donut Joe chuckled, "It takes a few hours to put together just one of these. That's why I only make one every week."

I smiled slightly, "Well, that does look like a work of edible art. Just don't tell me the price tag."

Joe then spoke, "The price? You ARE gonna pay for this, aren't you?"

Estoc stepped forward, "Send the bill to the royal palace. The princesses will deal with it."

Donut Joe smiled, "Oh, I getcha. OK then, give my best to them." He then levitated an upside-down cardboard box onto the cart, covering the edible structure. Probably as a means to keep any wind from blowing it over.

Estoc then slid himself into the harness and pulled the cart out of the shop. "Thank you." I spoke instinctively towards Donut Joe.

The shopkeeper smiled, "Anytime, man. Tell Twilight and Spike I said hi."

Estoc led the way since I was still unfamiliar with Canterlot's layout. In the back of my mind, I was glad that Pinkie Pie was not with us. Knowing her, even though she has done an admirable job of cutting down on sweets, she would probably devour the entire Donutopia in one gulp if presented with the opportunity. Fortunately, she was still back in Ponyville.

"Um… James?" Estoc spoke up, interrupting my train of thought. He then pointed ahead. "Why is there a box in the middle of the road?"

Right ahead of us was a cardboard box of similar size to the one that was covering Donutopia. On its own, it did not seem strange. What puzzled me was that it was out in the open. **Smack dab in the middle of the road. **"A box? Here?" I asked as I began to approach it.

"I can just go around it, sir." Estoc spoke as he followed me.

"Nah, it's no trouble. I can move it." I replied. But as I lifted the box and looked down, I locked eyes with a familiar pink earth pony mare. When she noticed me looking down at her, there was a sudden loud noise as….a…red exclamation point appeared above her head while she suddenly jumped in surprise.

"Uh… Hi, James! Feeling better?" Pinkie Pie asked, a sheepish grin on her face as I noticed that she was sweating. However, I did not speak as I observed the floating red exclamation point in front of my face.

I looked down at my friend after a moment and asked, "Pinkie… Why were you hiding in…"

She giggled, "Oh, the cardboard box? Um… Yeah. Interesting story there. You see… It all started with…" She suddenly pointed behind me, "Look! A twin-headed manticore with candy corn for teeth and a gummy worm for a tail!" She then turned and dashed out of sight, my eyes still fixated on her as she ran.

A few seconds later, Pinkie Pie rushed back over to me and pointed at the red exclamation point that was still dangling in the air…while appearing to be two-dimensional. Honestly, what causes these bizarre phenomena to happen? "You gonna eat that?" She asked, her hoof still pointing at it.

I blankly stared at her and replied, "Uh… Help yourself."

"Thanks!" Pinkie Pie spoke before chomping the thing and running away again. I suppose I should have asked what it tasted like. Until I remember to ask, I will assume that red exclamation point tasted like a combination of cardboard, gunpowder, military rations, and maybe raw snake meat.

I heard Estoc walk up alongside me. His face looked just as bewildered as mine. "Estoc?" I asked blankly.

"Yes, sir?" He replied just as blankly.

"Did you hear that noise a moment ago?" I asked again.

"Yes, sir. Never heard anything like it before." He retorted blankly.

"Then I wasn't seeing things when that red…"

"No, sir. I saw it too." Estoc said with a nod.

"I think we should forget what we saw and never speak of it again." I muttered.

"Speak of what again?" Estoc asked.

"Exactly." I spoke as I continued walking with Estoc by my side. Best not think too hard about what happened right there.

We returned to the palace without a hitch, although I stayed behind the cart the entire time to make certain Pinkie Pie would not get to Donutopia. Honestly, it seems like that girl has a sixth sense when it comes to gourmet sweets.

Estoc led me to what I assume was the main hall of the palace, the room where Celestia and Luna welcomed guests during the Grand Galloping Gala. Celestia was already there waiting for us. "Mmm, I can already smell it. What was the masterpiece the donut parlor had?"

I lifted the box that was covering it. "According to Donut Joe, it's a little slice of heaven in a tiny corner of Equestria. Known only as…" I then dropped the box and held my hand out towards the city of donuts. "Donutopia. Population: 500 sprinkles."

Celestia's jaw dropped open as her tongue hung out of her mouth. "Oh my goodness… So THIS is the completed form of that entry!" As she stepped forward, I noticed that the princess of the sun had begun to drool.

"Um… Celestia?" I spoke, pointing at her face.

She seemed to notice what she was doing and immediately wiped the drool from her chin. "Oops… Not very refined of me."

Estoc then smirked, "There's no way we can finish these by ourselves." He then suddenly called out, "Royal guards, assemble! Donut break!"

At those words, a slew of royal guards swarmed into the room with Shining Armor being at the front. "Did somepony say donuts?!"

I snickered, realizing that like typical police officers the royal guards have a taste for donuts. There was a sudden flash next to me, followed by a familiar voice speaking, "Huzzah! It's been too long since I last tasted donuts… Oh?" I looked down at my right and found Luna looking up at me. "James! Are you well?" Before I could react, she had her arms/forelegs around me in a tight embrace.

I smiled as I embraced my dear friend. I had not seen her since departing Canterlot a few nights ago. "I'm feeling fine, Luna. Have you seen Nightmare Moon yet?"

She replied with a nervous smile, "Um… Not yet… Celestia told me to wait until the proper time. Although I will admit I am somewhat apprehensive about facing her."

I suspect she was feeling nervous about facing herself. That would certainly weird me out if I had to talk to someone who was me, if that makes any sense. "Don't worry too much. I spoke to her today and I can safely say she is a good person."

Luna nodded as she dropped back down to the floor and nodded, "So I've heard. Still… I suppose I have to face her eventually…" She then faced the cart that was carrying Donutopia. "You there! Stand down! I believe James should taste that first!"

The royal guards stepped back, allowing me to easily reach the cart. It turned out that someone had set up another cart next to it that dispensed coffee, milk, and other things one would find near a tray of donuts. Which was exactly what I needed. I stepped forward, grabbed a plate, and began to carefully pick donuts from the structure while being careful to not let it topple.

"Whoa. Ten donuts are a little much for one guy, isn't it?" Shining Armor asked as I moved to the drink cart with ten colorful donuts stacked on my plate.

"Not if you're Pinkie Pie. Besides, four donuts are my limit. The rest are for Nightmare Moon." I replied as I poured myself a glass of milk. I then faced Estoc, "Could you guide me back to her quarters, please?"

Estoc then glanced at Shining Armor. "Captain, please make certain that a few are left for me when I return."

Shining Armor chuckled, "Will do. Carry on." Estoc then turned and led me up the stairwell and into the hallway on one end.

"That's it right there." Estoc spoke while pointing ahead to a room that had its door slightly ajar. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" He then turned and ran back down the hall, clearly in a hurry to get some donuts before his coworkers claimed them all.

I peeked into the room, finding Nightmare Moon looking absolutely bored while she lay sprawled out on her bed. I snickered to myself at her very inelegant position, finding it very amusing to see a princess like this.

I pushed the door open further with my shoulder as I walked in. "Someone looks bored."

Nightmare Moon's ears perked up upon hearing my voice. She looked at me over her shoulder with a smile, but her expression then became one of curiosity. "Hm? Are those donuts?"

I nodded as I pulled a chair over to the bed, "Yup. Colorful sight, huh?"

My friend nodded, "Indeed. Are they just as tasty as they look?" One was engulfed by a deep blue aura before floating over to her. I did not have time to respond before she took a bite. "Mm! Very tasty! Who came up with these wonderful delicacies?"

I replied, "Donut Joe of Canterlot. Although I'm not too sure of who invented the donut in Equestria. I know how they were invented on my world, but I'm not sure about this world."

Nightmare Moon smiled once she had finished her first donut, "Well, whoever did invent them must be a culinary genius. Another, please?"

I set the plate down on an end table next to the bed while I took a seat. "Help yourself." The two of us sat there and chatted together, feasting on donuts. I prefer dunking my donuts in milk before consuming them.

By the time we finished eating, the entire plate was empty. Four donuts has always been my limit, but Nightmare Moon ate the other six. What an appetite! "Hoo… Can't eat another bite…" Nightmare Moon groaned.

"Yeah. That hit the spot." I replied, stretching as I stood up. But just before we could speak further, I heard a knock on the door. I looked to the doorway and saw Celestia motioning for me to approach her. I looked at Nightmare Moon and smiled, "Excuse me for a minute." Nightmare Moon nodded in silence before I left the room.

Celestia smiled, "How is she doing?"

I replied, "Very well. She has a hearty appetite and is pretty chatty."

The princess of the sun smiled, "If she's that much better, then now is the proper time. Luna?'

I turned and found Luna approaching us down the hall. Celestia then smiled, "Are you ready, Luna?"

My friend seemed very nervous. Her eyes kept shifting around, unable to look at us for very long. "I… Well, I suppose it has to be done, but… You know she is…"

I nodded, "Yeah, it must be weird actually talking to yourself. But she's not exactly you anymore, is she?"

Celestia smiled, "You and Nightmare Moon must come to terms with each other, Luna. Don't worry. We'll be right here to intervene should something go wrong."

I patted Luna on the back of her neck, "Nightmare Moon trusts me more than anyone. If she gets hostile, I know she'll listen to me."

Luna took a deep breath before facing the doorway. "OK… Wish me luck." She entered the room very slowly, Nightmare Moon instantly noticing her. Those big teal eyes stared at the princess of the night with what I suspect was sheer nervousness.

"Nightmare Moon… Um… Are you well?" Luna spoke once she was standing before her former self.

"Uh… Yes, I'm doing fine…" Nightmare Moon replied while averting her eyes.

The two sisters of the night did not seem hostile at all, although the whole situation felt very awkward. They rarely looked directly at each other, their eyes often averted. "So… Have you…how do I say… Have you…um…eaten any good foods since returning?" Luna asked, clearly having trouble finding topics to help break the ice.

Nightmare Moon replied, "Not really. Until James brought those donuts, I've been stuck eating that horrid hospital variety food. Absolutely dreadful."

Possibly due to Nightmare Moon not replying with any hesitation, Luna seemed to open up a bit more. "Um… Yes. Quite. Well… That night a few days ago. That full moon was…um…very lovely."

Once again seeming somewhat nervous, Nightmare Moon nodded, "I did my best… I wanted to make the night as perfect as possible for my friend…"

Luna smiled just slightly, "Oh, that's right. You met James a while back." She then approached Nightmare Moon, "What happened that night in the Everfree Forest?"

Nightmare Moon seemed to relax as she spoke, "He told me how much he loved the night, so I watched over him as he slept." She then snickered, "But when he woke up, he had somehow become an earth pony."

I winced, remembering that day several months back when my exposure to Poison Joke had caused me to become an earth pony overnight. "He did? Was that your doing?" Luna asked.

Nightmare Moon shook her head, "No, although I found it amusing nonetheless. I got a good chuckle out of his frustration."

Luna then smirked, "Did he make for a handsome stallion?" I felt my body temperature rise as I probably blushed, Celestia starting to snicker beside me.

"Oh, I would say so. Certainly not bad on the eyes, although his posture was very clumsy and far from confident." Nightmare Moon smirked while eyeing the doorway. I suspect she was saying what she was only to mess with me. Regardless, I buried my face in my hands and groaned. By then, Celestia had propped herself up against the wall while laughing.

Luna glanced over at me and smirked before looking back at Nightmare Moon. She then spoke in a slightly louder voice, probably to make sure I could hear her. "Did he have a good pair of…"

I could not stand by any longer. Before Luna could finish what she was going to say, I burst into the room. "STOP, STOP! I don't wanna hear that!" All three of the royal sisters burst into wild laughter. "I'm sorry I didn't have anything to cover myself with! I didn't have any clothes on hand that was made for pony use! I wish I did, but I didn't! Gimme a break!"

Luna laughed and pointed at me, "Forgive me! I could not help myself! It's just your reaction was… Bwahahaha!" I facepalmed at their behavior. One thing Luna and Nightmare Moon both seem to share is a strong sense of humor.

Nightmare Moon began to cough after a moment. "Oof… Let's hold off on the humor for now. I don't think my body can handle it yet."

Luna nodded as she caught herself, "Yes, yes… Maybe we should change the subject."

Celestia then stepped inside, "Well, it would seem that you two are really hitting it off."

Luna and Nightmare Moon looked at each other for a second before looking back at their sister. "We are?" Nightmare Moon asked.

Celestia smiled warmly, "I had my doubts, but it seems that you and Luna get along very well. Nightmare Moon, I no longer see any reason to doubt you." She then stepped forward and lowered her horn toward Nightmare Moon's face. "As ruler of the day and co-ruler of Equestria, I hereby pardon you of your wrongdoings."

Luna did the same, lowering her horn towards her former self, "As do I, Nightmare Moon."

Nightmare Moon said nothing for a moment. But soon, tears began to trickle down her face. She then gave the royal sisters a most grateful smile, "Thank you…" However, she then faced me, "And thank you, my friend."

I bowed my head, somewhat embarrassed by her praise. However, Celestia then spoke to me, "James. Now that everything has fallen into place, I can properly thank you for your efforts."

Luna smiled, "You did not only help your friends end the eternal night. You did something absolutely everypony in Equestria had thought impossible. You changed Nightmare Moon."

I averted my eyes, finding the praise to be embarrassing. "I only tried to do what I thought was right…"

Celestia sighed, "You did. I only wish I could've looked at things differently at the time. It was very unbecoming of me to judge Nightmare Moon so harshly without listening to someone who had actually met her before."

Luna nudged her sister, "Do not fret, Celestia. Nightmare Moon has changed for the better, and in the end, that is all that really matters. Right?"

Celestia nodded with a faint smile after a moment, "Very true. And there are going to be some big changes in Equestria very soon."

Luna then asked, "If it is not too much to ask, may I remain here with Nightmare Moon a while longer? I wish to speak to her more."

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "The light side of the moon wants to listen to her dark side? Oh, the irony."

Celestia nodded, "That sounds fine to me. James, let's leave them be for now." I nodded and followed Celestia out of the room. But before I went too far, I turned and peeked back inside the room.

"So… Luna. What changes have occurred in my absence?" Nightmare Moon asked with her eyes fixated on her sister.

"Well… There is Nightmare Night, which is…" I decided to take my leave and let the two alicorns chat without anyone eavesdropping.

With nothing else to do and no one to talk to, I decided to just explore the royal palace. With most of the guards gathered around Donutopia, I did not encounter anyone. I did pass by the door to the throne room, but decided to leave it be. I already knew what was in there.

The halls were elegantly designed, but some seemed rather bare with the stone walls exposed. I do not feel it is necessary to go into detail on how every single hallway in the palace looked, not to mention it would take a long time to flesh out the words needed to describe such detail. But I eventually came to a familiar balcony that faced west. The same balcony where I departed from Canterlot a few nights ago.

The view from that balcony is fantastic. You can see for miles. I could plainly see Ponyville far below me and the Everfree Forest even further to the…

The Everfree Forest. It was then that I remembered something important. Mitta was still out there. Right now, she was probably in Sunny Town with all the other cursed ponies I had slaughtered a few nights ago. Do they even remember what happened?

I sighed to myself, remembering that I had made a promise to go back there one day to help Mitta. But is there a way? Can the curse be lifted from just one pony instead of…wait.

I gasped as my head jerked up. During Nightmare Night, Luna claimed that she had set the curse upon Sunny Town herself. And if she could cast the curse, she could also remove it!

A smirk spread across my face. I knew then what I had to do. "Hang on, Mitta. I'm on my way."

I knew better than to head into the Everfree Forest unarmed, so I made my way to the throne room. Upon entering, I found Celestia seated upon the throne with two unicorn guards standing at the base of it.

"Welcome, James. Is there anything you need?" Celestia asked with a smile.

I nodded, "I'd like to get to my armor, if that's OK."

This seemed to surprise Celestia greatly. "Your armor? But you just regained consciousness today! What could you possibly need it for?"

I replied, "It's…personal. I need it in order to do something."

After a brief pause, Celestia stood up. "Well, I can't tell you what to do with your own equipment. I trust that you know what you're doing." She then looked down at the two guards and spoke, "You are dismissed, gentlemen. Make your way to the lobby for some Donutopia."

No sooner had she said that did the guards suddenly make a break for the doorway, discarding their serious expressions for looks of excitement. "I take it the royal guards really like donuts."

Celestia chuckled as she approached me, "You have no idea. We frequently order batches from the local donut shop." She then turned to face the throne as her horn was engulfed by a familiar golden yellow aura. "Now then, let me get that for you."

Like before, the throne began to raise up to reveal the hidden stairwell that led to the hidden vault where my armor and weapons rested. "I'll wait up here for you." Celestia spoke once the throne had been raised as high as it would go.

"I won't be long." I replied before approaching the throne and making my way down the stairwell.

The stone passage still carried a cool musty scent. It could probably be effectively used as a food cellar if needed considering how cool it felt in there. However, the lighting was very poor. Without Celestia to light the torches along the walls, I had to clumsily feel my way along.

However, before I got far, I could feel a faint presence. As if something was guiding me. It felt familiar, but I could not quite place it. I stopped and looked around, probably standing right in the middle of the corridor. The presence was directly ahead of me, so I walked straight ahead. I did not collide with anything along the way, my hands held low to feel for anything that might get in my way.

Before long, my hands bumped into something cold and hard. It felt like…a stone altar. The first thing I decided to look for was my sword and shield. The Celestial Sword could be used as a torch thanks to its glowing blade, so I reached past the altar to try to find the Lunar Shield hanging on the wall. I did not search long. My hands dragged across an even cooler hard surface that did not feel entirely flat. I recognized the shape right away. My hands gripped the sides and pulled it down. The Lunar Shield was back in my grasp.

I felt along the top of the shield and felt a sword hilt. Not wasting any time, I grasped it and pulled the sword from its scabbard. The instant the bottom of the blade emerged, I was nearly blinded by an intense light. With so little light in the cellar, the blade was glowing almost as brightly as the sun. I looked away as I drew the blade. Once it was out, the entire chamber lit up, almost as if it had suddenly been taken outdoors.

The faint warmth that was being radiated by the Celestial Sword's blade was comforting and even gave me goose bumps due to the contrasting coolness I had been feeling moments earlier. I left the sword on the altar to be used as a simple light source for the moment as I looked around further. Resting in the basin in the center of the altar was a familiar blue and white liquid. And resting next to the basin was my helmet. The beautiful white form of the Element of Humanity was facing me.

I suspected that the Element of Humanity itself guided me through the darkness since it has a subtle connection to me now. I smiled, remembering what that Element had helped me gain. Without it, I never would have been able to save Nightmare Moon. I placed my hand on it, the twin dove-shaped gemstone shining in the light. "I don't know if you can hear me, but thank you."

Before I did anything else, I placed my hand in the constantly shifting liquid metal in the altar's basin. A second later, it began to creep up my arm and down my body. It certainly felt odd, but I felt sure I would get used to it over time. But what surprised me most was when the metal had solidified. Any and all damage my armor had suffered during my struggle against Nightmare Moon had seemingly been repaired. Both wings were intact and the circular gaps in the cuirass were gone as well. "Man, this armor is a keeper."

I spread my wings, finding that my control over them was just as precise as before. The process of flying and the use of magic started coming back to me. In order to practice, I tried using the levitation spell to bring the Lunar Shield to my left arm. My right gauntlet was coated in a familiar golden yellow aura, as was the shield. The Lunar Shield then levitated over to the side of my left forearm, the two brass clasps clamping down over it. But before I did anything else, I grabbed my helmet and placed it on my head. Where I was going, I would need as much of my body covered as possible.

I heard a faint sound from behind me once the helmet was on my head. Probably the mane…plume…whatever it was that comes out of the back of it. I took the Celestial Sword in my right hand and left the chamber with the light coming from the blade gradually getting dimmer the closer I got to the stairwell at the entrance. Once I could see clearly… Wait. See?

It then occurred to me that I had not been wearing my glasses at all throughout the entire day. I did leave them with Shining Armor, right? Well, I suppose it did not matter at the time. I could not really wear them with my helmet on. Regardless, I returned my sword to its scabbard once I had begun to climb the stairwell.

Once I was back in the throne room, Celestia looked over at me. She was about to say something, but her expression changed to one of what seemed to be shock. "Oh my goodness…"

I asked, "What? Is it my hair?"

Celestia regained her composure and nodded, "Yes. I know I said that armor looks fabulous on you, but it is even more breathtaking when it is complete. That mane… Just amazing."

I tried to look behind myself, seeing the end of the helmet's mane constantly billowing. Like before, it was made up of a fusion of Celestia and Luna's mane colorations. "Did you specifically make it this way?"

Celestia nodded, "Yes. It was our way of showing who crafted that armor. Although… Since the helmet had never been worn, we never had the chance to actually see it in action."

I smiled, "I'm just glad this stuff doesn't have physical mass. It'd just get in the way."

Celestia chuckled, "Yes, it would. But if it's not too much trouble, may I know what it is you need your armor for so soon after waking up? You're not even back up to 100% yet, from what I heard."

She was right. My blood pressure was lower than desired. But for some reason, I was feeling completely fine in my armor. Perhaps its effects of enhancing stamina were counteracting my fatigue. In any case, I decided to reply honestly. "I need it to help a friend. I promised myself that I would be back for her."

Celestia smiled, "I see. If that is the case, I will not stop you. Just be careful if you get into some sort of confrontation. As I'm sure you found out, that armor does have limits."

I nodded, "I know. I'm not looking for trouble though, so I should be OK." But as I was about to pass Celestia on my way to the door, I paused beside her. "Please make sure Luna knows about this. I'm going to need her help tonight. I'll be back. OK?"

Celestia nodded, "Will do. I'll be sure to let her know to expect you this evening."

I said my goodbyes and left the room. But as I made my way back towards the balcony so I could fly towards the Everfree Forest, I passed numerous guards who likely were on their way back to their posts after eating some donuts. They all stood at the sides of the hallway I was in, staring in awe at my armor.

I felt somewhat nervous at first now that I had become the center of attention, but I then heard Estoc call out from somewhere. "Looking good, sir!"

This gave me a slight boost in confidence, so I decided to dazzle the guards in a way. I stopped walking and stood in the middle of the hall for a moment. I then suddenly spread my wings, a gasp coming from the guards. I think I even saw a few of the pegasus guards spread their own wings, look at them, then scowl in envy at my wings. But I was about to find out that bigger is not always better.

I flapped my wings hard to get myself off the ground. After hovering for a moment, I then flew down the hall with the royal guards watching. However, I barely had enough space to move down the halls without my wings clipping something. A few seconds after I started, my left wing clipped…a pillar? A part of the wall that jutted out to form an arch in the ceiling higher up? I am not sure, but it sent me into a tumble. I crashed right into several guards, making a loud clatter with our armor. I was stuck on my back, the guards under me. Instead of feeling embarrassed though, I burst out laughing from just how silly the act was. The guards joined in, our raucous laughter echoing throughout the halls.

"That's what I get for showing off!" I laughed as I struggled to my feet.

I decided to walk the rest of the way to the balcony to avoid making a fool of myself. Once I was standing on the railing of the balcony, I looked down. I felt a twinge of dread as I felt the familiar fear of falling fill my mind. But I had done this before, so I had nothing to fear. I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. Once I was prepared, I leaned forward and allowed myself to fall off the balcony with my shield tucked over my torso and my wings folded.

I plummeted at great speed; my eyes squinted as I watched the scenery pass me by. I spread my wings after a certain amount of time and pulled up. I was soon soaring through the air to the west at great speed. Flying through the air during the night was one thing, but flying during the day gave me a sort of a sense of freedom and excitement that I had not felt before. I performed loops and spirals and a variety of other aerial maneuvers relying on nothing more than my own body and the armor that covered it. Simply sublime!

As I flew on, Ponyville was coming up fast. I had flown over the town during the night, but this was in broad daylight. While I normally have disdain for being the center of attention, I was strongly tempted to fly through the streets just to see the looks on the ponies' faces when they saw the closest thing to an angel swooping past them.

"Well, you only live once." I muttered out loud before I descended and flew into Ponyville.

I have no idea how many ponies I passed as I flew along. I was moving too fast to really keep count. I could hear shouts and whistles from some of the ponies that actually made me feel confident. At one point, I flew by Twilight's house and saw Spike leaving it with a stack of scrolls in his hands.

"Heh, why not." I spoke as I swooped past him, blowing all the scrolls out of his hand with the wind my speed was leaving in my wake. However, I used the levitation spell to make them follow me as I performed a loop.

"What the?! Where'd they go?!" I heard the young dragon shout just before I flew past him and left the scrolls in a tidy pile next to him. I am not sure what he said after that, but I am sure it went something like, "These scrolls must be getting some self-awareness. Better tell Twilight!".

I continued to weave my way through the streets, having no trouble maneuvering despite my speed. It was as if my reflexes improved to counter my speed. But at one point, I noticed what seemed to be an orange pegasus filly wearing a purple helmet riding a scooter down the middle of the road.

I swooped up alongside the pegasus filly and waved, "Heya, Scoot!" I then flew along, hoping she would try to catch up.

"What the?! Hey, wait up!" I heard the filly call out as the buzzing of her wings grew noisier. Her speed began to increase as she started to catch up to me. Once she was getting closer, she asked, "Is that you, big brother?!"

I nodded, "Yup! What's up, Scoot? You been a good girl while I was in Canterlot?"

She merely stared at me for a moment before replying with an excited grin, "Man, that armor's so sweet! Where'd you get… WAH?!"

With Scootaloo focusing her attention on me, she could not watch the road. Her scooter must have collided with something since my sister suddenly went airborne with her helmet coming off. At that speed, any injuries she would suffer would possibly be life-threatening. Acting more on instinct, I caught her with the levitation spell and moved her to my right arm before I held her in it.

"Oh man… Am I dead yet?" She muttered, her eyes squinted shut.

I smirked as I suddenly flew skyward, "See for yourself."

Scootaloo opened her eyes and stared aghast at our cloudy surroundings. "Oh man, I really am dead! I'm in heaven!"

I nuzzled the top of her head, "Nope! You're fine! Just a thousand feet above Ponyville."

Scootaloo looked down to see our hometown below us. She then muttered, "I'm flying…" She then looked up at me and grinned, "I'm really flying!"

I nodded, "You sure are, Scoot. But come to think of it, where were you going a minute ago?"

Scootaloo smiled at me, "I was just on my way over to our clubhouse to meet up with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. You wanna come too?"

I shook my head, "Sorry, Scoot. I have some important business to tend to. But I can at least get you there." My right gauntlet was then engulfed by a golden yellow aura, as was Scootaloo. "You ready to fly?"

Scootaloo gave me a baffled expression, "Me?! But I can't fly yet!"

I smirked as I let go of her, allowing my little sister to float in the air beside me. "Think again."

Scootaloo flailed about for a second, but soon relaxed when she found she was not falling. "What the… I really am flying!"

I then asked, "Shall we?"

Scootaloo nodded, "Oh yeah, let's rock!"

While constantly keeping Scootaloo to my right, I went into a dive with her doing the same. "All riiiiiiiight!" She shouted, her forelegs held out in front of her in similar fashion to how Rainbow Dash flies more often than not. Her little wings were flapping rapidly, clearly trying to simulate flying the best they could.

"Having fun yet?!" I shouted as I began to pull out of the dive, Scootaloo mimicking my every change in trajectory. I could tell she was having the time of her life. Always grounded, she had never actually been able to soar through the air like every other pegasus. Until now.

We swooped over the rooftops of Ponyville, heading southwest towards Sweet Apple Acres. I saw Big Macintosh carrying a few bushels of apples somewhere below me. Pretty hard to miss a stallion with such a vibrant red coat. I doubt he noticed me though. Regardless, Scootaloo and I flew on over the vast orchard of apple trees.

I was keeping an eye out for the clubhouse's observatory since it reaches higher than the other trees in the orchard. It did not take long to locate with an aerial search. I found the clubhouse in moments. "Man, no wonder Rainbow Dash is obsessed with flying. You get everything done so much faster with it!"

I stopped above the clubhouse, just hovering in place with Scootaloo beside me. "How was your first flight, Scoot?"

My little sister looked at me and beamed, "Way past cool! Can we go again?"

I spread my wings and slowly descended with Scootaloo remaining close to me. "Not today. I have something very important to tend to and it can't wait." Once we were both on the ground, I remembered her scooter. "Hey, is your scooter gonna be OK out there?"

Scootaloo grinned, "Oh, don't worry about that. It has my name on the underside. Somepony will bring it home since everypony knows I live with you now." But as she started to climb the ramp that led to the clubhouse, she looked back at me. "Hey, James? I know you're kinda in a hurry, but I want Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle to see you before you go. Can you wait?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Meh, why not?"

"Sweet! Just a sec!" Scootaloo replied before barging into the clubhouse. I turned around and drew my sword while waiting. If they wanted to see all of me, I was going to make sure nothing was concealed.

"OK, he's right out here!" I heard Scootaloo call out before I heard the clopping of hooves on wood behind me.

"Huh? Whoa, who's that?! Is that you, James?!" I heard the voice of Apple Bloom ask.

I spun around and pointed the Celestial Sword up at my friends who were standing on the balcony in a row. "That's SIR James to you!"

Sweetie Belle stared at me with her jaw hanging open. "Wow… I really like his mane!"

For whatever reason, Scootaloo asked, "Do you really mean it this time?"

Sweetie Belle nodded, "Yeah! I mean just look at it! So long and colorful! If only Rarity could see him now."

I smirked as I lowered my sword, "Oh, she has! She even fainted once at the sight of it… Uh, but you didn't hear that from me." The three fillies laughed together.

"Where'd ya even get that armor? Ya'll look like some knight outta some story book!" Apple Bloom asked as she looked down at me from the balcony.

I smiled as I replied, "It was a gift from Celestia and Luna. Very practical, if I do say so myself."

Scootaloo jumped, "Whoa, really?! From the princesses?! They must really like you to give you something so awesome!"

I think I felt myself blush as I scratched my helmet with my sword's pommel, "Heheh… Yeah, I guess they do."

Sweetie Belle then asked, "James, could you show us how you use that sword? I wanna see how amazing you look in a fight!"

This request caught me by surprise. I would have to take great care to not strike anything. "Uh… OK. I'll give you a little show. But stay right there. Don't come near me, OK? This sword is extremely sharp."

The three fillies nodded in agreement. I flapped my wings once to move myself backwards, gently floating across the ground before lightly landing on my feet. The three fillies watched me closely, vocally showing how mesmerized they were.

I felt slightly nervous of going through with this, not only out of risking embarrassing myself, but that I may accidentally get my friends caught in the crossfire. I sighed before speaking, "I'm sorry, girls. I don't feel comfortable doing this. I'll show you one move and that's it, OK?"

Apple Bloom groaned, "Awww… Fine. Just make it a good one, all right?"

I nodded before widening my stance while also getting close to the ground. Then, with a flap of my wings, I leapt skyward. I let out a yell as I went into a spiral, slashing my sword around me in a circular fashion like a rising vortex of blades. As I slowed, I held my sword high before hurling it straight down at the ground. The Celestial Sword became imbedded in the ground while sticking straight up out of it. I then dropped back down, landing on the pommel with just one foot. However, I was not able to keep balance like I had hoped and my weight even pushed the sword deeper into the ground. I was forced to flap my wings to carry myself off of it and land safely on the ground.

"Nice one, James!" Sweetie Belle called out as she and the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders applauded together. I smiled and took a bow before returning the Celestial Sword to its scabbard.

"Hey, James? Where were you going anyway?" Scootaloo asked once the applause had ended.

I replied, "I was on my way to fulfill a promise to a dear friend. And I really should be on my way now."

Apple Bloom nodded and waved goodbye. "All righty then. Good luck out there! And be sure ta introduce us to 'er sometime!"

Sweetie Belle looked over at Apple Bloom and added, "But we don't know if his friend's a girl yet."

I nodded, "Oh, I'm sure you'll be meeting my friend tomorrow. In any case, have fun! See ya later!" I said my goodbyes before taking to the air and flying north towards the Everfree Forest.

It would probably take me hours to actually find what I was looking for if I went into the Everfree Forest on foot at the entrance, so I opted instead to fly over the canopy until I was further along in order to save time. After a full minute of flight, I decided to drop down through the treetops to get my bearings seeing as the canopy stretched for miles. I doubt I could see what I was looking for from the sky.

I found myself surrounded by the wild twisted trees of the Everfree Forest. It strongly reminded me of the first time I ever set foot in it alone several months ago. Only this time I would not be staying too long. Regardless, I began to walk forward, not entirely sure of where I was going. I had to be quick. It would be nightfall in just a few hours.

Not even ten minutes into my search, I came across a particularly unusual tree with windows set in its sides. "Zecora's place?" I muttered as I took a peek through one of the windows. Sure enough, Zecora was standing over the cauldron in the center of the main chamber while sprinkling something into it. The liquid was a vibrant green.

Even though it would likely take me hours to locate what I was searching for, I felt I had enough time to visit my friend. "Oh, why not."

I walked over to the door and knocked on it. Seconds later, it opened inward to reveal the zebra mare I had just seen. "Hm? Such an impressive suit of a metal shell. Yet I feel I know you all too well."

I smiled at Zecora's chronic rhyming and replied, "Yes, you do. It's me, Zecora. James."

My friend took a step back before smiling, "Ah, how foolish of me to not notice right away. Please, do come in, my friend. You are welcome to stay."

I ducked low to squeeze through the small doorway, but found that my shield and wings made it a little tricky. I did manage to get inside after twisting and turning, but ended up closing the door on my mane. At least it would have if the mane had physical mass.

"Phew. They need to have bigger doors in Equestria." I chuckled once I had taken a seat on a stool.

Right after that, Zecora began to circle me. "The form and glamour of this armor is without measure. Where did you find such a fabulous treasure?"

I replied, "It was a gift from the princesses. You know, Celestia and Luna?"

Zecora nodded, "Oh, the friends of yours from Canterlot so royal. Their kindness is certainly constant and without fail."

I then asked, "Actually, I was hoping you could give me some advice. Have you ever heard of a village in the Everfree Forest known as Sunny Town?"

Zecora displayed true dread in her eyes as she replied, "I know not the name, but a village there is. But why do you seek a den where the undead hiss?"

I replied, "I have a friend there who I want to see. And don't worry about me. I've tangled with those freaks before. They can't hurt me with this armor in the way."

My zebra friend nodded as she seemed to relax a bit. "Hmm… So I see. However, I know not where you may find this village. Forgive me."

I sighed; slightly disappointed that Zecora would not know where I could find Sunny Town. But considering what its inhabitants might do to her, I cannot say that I blame her for not dedicating its location to memory. "I see. Thanks anyway."

I remained in Zecora's place for a brief time, chatting with her while sipping tea. Finally, I felt I had to leave. Things would get…..complicated if I reached Sunny Town after nightfall. "Excuse me, Zecora. I really need to get going. I need to find Sunny Town before it gets dark out."

Zecora nodded, "I understand. But take care, my friend. Dropping your guard around them will mean your end." I understood that all too well. I gave my friend one last friendly embrace with my right arm before squeezing myself through her doorway and heading on my merry way.

My search did not get me anywhere. I was walking about for two full hours with no results. I had come across Froggy Bottom Bog at one point, but knew better than to get anywhere near that place for fear of drawing out the hydra again. Even with my current gear, that thing was still way too much for me to handle.

I paused for a minute; trying to remember what path I took during my first visit to the Everfree Forest. That was impossible, of course. I only visited Sunny Town once, so there was no possible way for me to remember which route I took unless I have a photographic memory, which I do not.

Just as I was starting to feel mildly annoyed, I felt that familiar sensation. The way one feels when they think they are being watched. Was it that same forest nymph as before? I looked around myself without being subtle, knowing there was no way I could hide which direction my eyes were looking this time.

When I saw no one, I began to suspect that whoever was watching me was hiding in the trees. "Is that you again?!" I called out, hoping the entity would respond.

"Hm. Perceptive, aren't you?" A familiar distorted voice spoke. It seemed to come from everywhere. A type of magic used to project one's voice without giving away their location? Regardless, she continued to speak, "What brings you out here again so soon? It's not exactly safe to be out here with nightfall being a couple of hours away." I will confess right now that I was finding that voice to be very alluring. Perhaps even seductive.

"I'm trying to retrace my steps to find some place called Sunny Town. I promised myself I would help a friend there." I replied, hoping that strange creature would know which way to go.

"Sunny Town? You don't mean that little hamlet populated by the living dead, do you?" The unseen entity replied, her voice carrying a hint of concern.

I nodded, "I do. I'll be OK though. I've dealt with them before. I should be fine as long as I have this armor."

The voice spoke with a faint giggle, "Mmhmhm… Yes, that armor does look fabulous. Very eye-catching. Well, if you really are searching for that wretched village, I suppose I can point you in the right direction. I know the Everfree Forest's layout quite well by now."

I smiled as I spoke up, "Great! Which way?"

She replied, "Turn to your right… Yes, right in that direction. If you keep going that way, you should eventually find it. And be sure to get in and out of there before the sun sets. Staying in that village after nightfall is…..unadvisable."

She did not have to tell me twice. I nodded, "Will do. And thanks."

However, before I got far, the voice spoke again. "Wait." I stopped, wondering what she wanted now. "That gemstone on your helmet. Is that an Element, by any chance?"

I nodded without turning around, "Yeah. The Element of Humanity."

I heard the voice chuckle, making me feel uneasy. "It sounds…vaguely familiar. Interesting…" It then cleared its throat, "But don't let me keep you. Off with you now. Go and share your boundless love with that dear friend of yours."

Boundless love? That was certainly flattering. And what made her say that? I grinned sheepishly and waved behind me, "Uh… Thanks. I'll be sure to do that." Strangely, while I walked, that feeling of being watched never left me.

I walked and searched for around a few hours, but still could not find any trace of Sunny Town. Did it vanish into thin air? Did I simply go off course? Or was that forest nymph just messing with me?

However, just as I was beginning to feel frustrated, a voice spoke behind me. "Hello, mister. Are you lost?"

It sounded familiar, but I could not quite place it. When I turned around and looked down though, I instantly recognized the little gray filly before me. "Ruby! Been a while! What's up?"

The little gray ghost filly gasped, "Wait… James?! You look awesome in that armor! Mitta told me about it, but I never knew it looked like this!"

I smiled, "It's a long story, and now that it's starting to get late, I really don't have much time to talk. Do you know where Mitta is?"

Ruby nodded, "She's in Sunny Town right now."

I then asked, "Could you take me there? I can't seem to remember the way."

Ruby seemed to frown before asking, "Um… Are you sure you wanna do that? It'll be nightfall very soon. And you know what happens there after nightfall."

I nodded, "I do. And I'll be fine. Besides, it's important. I need to see Mitta."

Ruby nodded, but retained her frown. "OK. I'll take you. It's this way." She turned and began to walk. I stayed right behind her the entire time.

We did not converse much while we walked. But before long, we stopped in front of an obvious path that I recognized. "This is as far as I go. I'm not welcome in Sunny Town anymore."

I smiled and nodded, "Thanks, Ruby. I'll be sure to… Wait. Not welcome anymore? What did you do in there?"

Ruby's glowing yellow eyes seemed to show a hint of sadness as she bowed her head, "I don't want to talk about it… Mitta might show you though."

I was beginning to suspect that Sunny Town was harboring some dark secret. How long has Ruby been a ghost? Could the town's curse have something to do with her? Where all the other ponies become zombies at night, Ruby remains a ghost at all times.

I reached down and stroked Ruby's head, "OK. I'll let her know you said hi. Will you be out here when I leave?"

Ruby nodded with a slight smile, "Sure. I'll watch for you, James. I'll show myself when it's safe. And be careful in there." I nodded with a smile and headed down the path before me, the little ghost filly watching from where she stood.

As I drew closer, the familiar soft glow of light could be seen at the path's end. And once I reached the end of the path, I was greeted with a familiar sight. Sunny Town stood before me, with everything looking exactly the same way it did during my first visit. Even the same young couple from before was standing before the same table holding the same trays of food. "Do they hold a party every single day?" I muttered to myself as I entered.

Mere seconds after I stepped inside Sunny Town's borders, a familiar gray earth pony stallion trotted over to me. "Well, helloooooohh man..." The pony stared up at me, his dark eyes beholding me. I said nothing as I looked down at him, still very wary of him after what he and the rest of the Sunny Town zombies tried to do to my friends a few nights ago. "Um… Don't recognize the helmet, but… You're James, right?"

I replied dryly, my body ready to draw my sword at a moment's notice. "Yes, Gray Hoof. It's me."

He took a step back and chuckled nervously, "Oh, hey! I thought I recognized that awesome armor. I…uh…hope you're a bit more relaxed after that little scuffle a few nights ago. I mean, we are friends, right? Maybe you had a little temper tantrum or something, but I won't judge. In any case, welcome back!"

Gray Hoof's characteristic hospitality was still just as constant as the first time I saw him. I am not sure if it was genuine or an act though. "Uh… Thanks. In any case, I'm looking for Mitta. Have you seen her?"

Gray Hoof glanced around, "Sorry, she's the one pony here I can't seem to keep track of. She doesn't talk to us much, but she's around somewhere."

I nodded, "OK. I'll just look around then."

But before I could take more than one step, Gray Hoof spoke up. "Just a second." When I looked down at Gray Hoof, he smiled, "I know we're friends, but…" I felt myself tense up as his normally dark eyes began to radiate a faint crimson glow from the irises for a brief moment, "Don't cause any trouble, OK?" I merely nodded in silence before turning and walking into town.

I decided to grab a bite to eat while I was at it, so I loaded up a plate with various foods that were being offered on the table near the entrance. I held the plate in my right hand while using the levitation spell to move the food to my mouth since it would be difficult to move my left arm to the plate and to my mouth with the Lunar Shield still attached to it. "Hm… So this is how unicorns eat." I muttered softly.

As I walked along, the ponies of Sunny Town seemed to be giving me a wide berth. And I do not blame them. I was suited up for battle and prepared to defend myself when necessary. Regardless, I looked around in the small hamlet, trying to find Mitta wherever she may be. By the time I reached the very same spot where I had found Mitta for the first time, I began to wonder what the rest of Sunny Town even looked like.

I finished my snack before leaving the plate on a fencepost. I walked past the house Mitta had been resting against before walking along the backside and passing a simple well. A little further ahead, I saw an interesting sight. There was a path that led into the trees like a way out of Sunny Town. The lighting beyond that border was very dim, but it was the only place I had not yet searched. Drawing my sword, I walked along the path while being mindful of my surroundings.

It was much darker than in town as I walked along the path, although the gentle glow of the Celestial Sword's white blade helped ease my wariness. At this rate, I was surely going to be stuck here until nightfall. Hopefully I would be able to get by the zombified ponies without conflict.

After following the forest path for a minute, I noticed something up ahead. It seemed to be a humble cottage. There was no light coming from the windows despite being as late as it was, so I suspected it was either a storage shed or was simply abandoned. But when I went a little further, I noticed someone resting on the ground under the cottage's right window. A gray earth pony mare with crimson hair.

"Mitta!" I spoke softly, feeling a burst of relief flow through my mind. I ran over to her, my enchanted greaves carrying me across the ground at swift speeds.

When Mitta detected the sound of my clanking footsteps, she raised her head and looked my way. Her melancholy expression changed to one of shock. "What… James?! Why are you here?!"

I stopped in front of Mitta before sheathing my sword. "I couldn't stay away, Mitta. I needed to see you again."

Her face seemed to show amazement as she looked up at me. "That helmet and mane is…" She then shook her head, "Ugh, there's no time for that. You shouldn't be here! Go, now! The night will begin any moment now! If you run, you might make it to the town's entrance."

I shook my head as I got down on one knee. "I will, but not without you. I'm getting you outta here, Mitta."

My words clearly shocked my friend, her red eyes opening wide. "Get me out of here…" She then frowned, "James… You know that won't work. When morning comes, I'll be drawn back here…"

I shook my head as I placed my hand on her head, "I know someone who can break the curse on you. I'll take you to her. Don't worry, I'll make sure they understand if you look creepy by then."

I was expecting Mitta to look overjoyed from what I had just told her. Instead, she bowed her head with a very sorrowful expression. "James… Do you even know why we are cursed?"

I replied, "Some sort of crime, right?"

She then asked, "Yes. But what did we do?" I did not answer, having never once been told the details about the actions that led to the curse being placed on Sunny Town. Mitta then looked towards the cottage's front door. "The evidence is in there. You'll understand once you see it."

With how dark the cottage looked, I was beginning to get a deep sinking feeling in my gut that it may have been a makeshift torture chamber. "Um… Is it safe in there?" I asked, fearing the place may be booby-trapped.

Mitta replied, "It's safe in there. I'll wait here."

Curious of just what it was the ponies of Sunny Town did to provoke Luna into cursing them, I approached the front door and pushed it open. Once I had ducked through the small doorway, I closed the door behind me. However, with it being as dark as it was in there, I could not make out a thing.

"OK… Just how am I supposed to… Oh!" I remembered that the Celestial Sword can function as a torch. I quickly drew the sword from its scabbard but had to look away for a moment since the sword was shining brighter than it ever had before. Probably to compensate for the almost total lack of light in the place. "Ugh! Better not look at it directly."

I stabbed the sword into the floor in the center of the place to evenly spread the light around. I found that the cottage was very bare and actually very small, even by cottage standards. It only had one big room. Judging by the conditions of the walls and the few pieces of furniture in the cottage, not to mention just how dusty it was in there, this place seemed to be very much touched by the flow of time without any kind of magical intervention. It looked as if it had not been used for years, possibly even centuries.

The only furniture in the room seemed to be a table on one side with a bed in the far corner. There was also a fireplace in the center of the furthest wall. I looked around from the center of the room, but did not see anything particularly out of the ordinary. "Maybe I'm not looking hard enough."

I began to look along the floors and walls before closely examining the two pieces of furniture in the room. I let my curiosity take over, guiding myself around while taking in the atmosphere. I felt a twinge of excitement, as if I was exploring some sort of time capsule. It is rare to find dwellings like this that are centuries old while still being intact.

After searching the walls, I found something that caught my eye. In the corner of the room, I found what seemed to be…..dark stains on the floor. It seemed to be black, or maybe a very dark shade of…..red? "Is that…..blood?"

The overall amount staining the floor was rather small, but there was a barely noticeable trail leading to the right. Towards the…fireplace? Indeed, the trail stopped in front of the fireplace. I decided to examine the fireplace, getting down on one knee and looking closely. I noticed several chunks of something mixed in with a small amount of ashes. They were scorched black with carbon residue, a clear sign they had been exposed to intense heat and flames. However, it seemed that a fire had not been set here in quite a while.

One piece seemed a bit off to me. It was somewhat round. I reached in and picked it up to closely examine it. For some reason, its size and shape strongly reminded me of something. One thing about it did catch my eye though. On one side, there were two surprisingly large holes in it. Almost like a pair of…eye sockets.

I felt my pulse quicken slightly. The eyes of a foal are certainly large and the size of the holes in this round…bone object certainly fit with them. Was I holding a skull? And if it was, that meant the other solid chunks in the fireplace was…an entire skeleton.

I held the skull in my hand, the front side facing me. "Who were you?" I muttered, wondering who this child was. But as I looked at it closely, the face of one young filly flashed through my head along with the memories of one fateful night in the Everfree Forest.

"It's OK, James. They can't hurt me anymore."

I dropped the skull, quickly climbing to me feet and staggering backwards. A powerful sense of horror came over me. I knew who this filly was. "Ruby…"

That little ghost filly. Ruby had been murdered in this very cottage! Was it… Did the ponies of Sunny Town do it? No, who else could it have been? Who else could she have been referring to? And yet…

I held my hand over my heart. This realization disturbed me deeply. For as long as I had been in Equestria, I always felt that the act of murder was not something a pony could ever consider. These ponies of Sunny Town… They had defied the very laws of their nature to murder a child… It is no wonder Luna cursed them so terribly. And yet… One question remained unanswered in my head.

"Why…?" I muttered, still beholding Ruby's scorched remains.

I gazed down at the skull that used to be Ruby's head. What had she felt as her killers prepared to deliver the fatal blow? Did anyone try to save her? Did she truly die alone in this cottage? The very bottom of my vision became slightly blurred before I felt a single tear trickle down each of my cheeks. I wanted to reach out and embrace Ruby, but that was no longer possible.

I felt a twinge of anger. A faint desire to bring justice to the ones who had murdered this innocent child. But I did not know who to direct my anger to at the time. I needed to know who it was who had killed Ruby before desecrating her body. And the person to ask was clearly Mitta.

I retrieved the Celestial Sword and took it in hand before sheathing it. I did not need any light to make it to the doorway. However, when I approached it and reached for the doorknob, I froze. I could feel a subtle chill fall over the area. That kind of chill that makes cold sweat ooze from your pores. I am not sure how to describe how I knew, but I did. I could just somehow tell that the night had begun and that the curse of Sunny Town had taken effect.

Did I really want to leave this cottage? The fact that it did not change form with the curse active probably meant it was the only safe haven in Sunny Town at this point. I would probably stay safe if I remained indoors….. No. That was not an option for me. I had to see Mitta and get the truth from her. And, of course, I had to fulfill the promise I made.

I opened the door and stepped outside, finding the area darker than before. But I also noticed a faint red glow over the area and myself, as if someone was shining a red light in my direction from the left. I knew what it was.

"Did you see it?" I heard Mitta ask. When I turned to the left to see Mitta, I found that her form had changed. Like a few nights ago, her body had become grimy and dark, her mane and tail scraggly and dull. Her eyes had become like two glowing red beacons, but I did not feel any fear towards her.

I was blunt with my response. "Mitta… Was that Ruby?"

She bowed her head, "Yes… Those bones in there are all that's left of Ruby's body…"

I then asked while remaining standing, "What happened here? Why was Sunny Town cursed?"

Mitta sighed before she spoke, "Over a thousand years ago… During a party like you saw when you first came in, Roneo misplaced a gem he was going to give to Starlet. They're the young couple you always see together. Ruby was the one who found it, but in the process, she gained… What did you call that symbol on the flank again?"

I replied, "A cutie mark."

Mitta nodded, "Yes, that. We had never seen anything like it before. Gray Hoof thought it was a curse. He rallied the ponies together and tried to 'keep her from ruining the party'. They cornered her in her home right here. They…" Mitta bowed her head and closed her eyes as crimson tears began to stream down her face. "They beat her to death…and threw her corpse into the fireplace… I could've stopped them, but…"

I was both angered and horrified by what I had just heard. Being beaten to death is a slow and torturous way to die, especially for a child. And the fact that Ruby was just a child when they… Any and all sympathy I had for the ponies of Sunny Town was instantly destroyed. They deserved their fate. But Mitta… "You were cursed with them for not doing anything to save her, right?"

"Yes… I don't deserve your sympathy or friendship… I deserve this fate… Just go… Leave and save yourself…" Mitta replied, burying her face in her forelegs.

I sighed before I got down on one knee and rested my right hand on Mitta's shoulder, "I can't do that. I promised to get you outta here."

Mitta shook her head, "No… I know I don't deserve your help… That's the truth."

But I replied, "Are you sure that's the absolute truth? Or is that just your personal opinion?"

Mitta did not reply at first. She looked up at me, seeming very conflicted. I could tell she clearly wanted the curse on her to be broken, but her colossal guilt was holding her back. I then smiled, "And another thing. Ruby says hi."

Mitta's face displayed shock at my words. I continued, "You see? She holds nothing against you for what you did not do. And what's more, you saved me, Mitta. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't warned me about Sunny Town's curse when I first showed up several months back. I'd say that warrants some forgiveness."

Mitta sighed, "Are you really sure I've done enough to be worthy of being saved?"

I scowled at her, "Would I have bothered going out of my way to come out here to the middle of the Everfree Forest if you weren't?"

Mitta cracked a very slight smile, "I guess that goes without saying…" She slowly climbed to her feet, "OK… I'll…go with you. But do you really think there's somepony out there who knows how to lift the curse?"

I smiled while patting Mitta on the head, "Who better to do the job than Princess Luna herself?"

Mitta clearly showed some fear when I mentioned that name. "But… Princess Luna cast the curse herself! She was furious that we did such an unspeakable act under the cover of her night!"

I replied, "She's also one of my closest friends. She'll listen to me."

Mitta paused for a moment before nodding, "All right… I trust you, James."

I then turned to head back down the path that led into Sunny Town, "OK. Let's get going. We should hurry, right?"

Mitta nodded, "Yes, we need to have the curse lifted by dawn. When the sun rises, I'll be drawn back into Sunny Town."

Since the time of the year was late spring, we had easily nine to ten hours to get to Canterlot. "Got it. Let's get moving then." I then began to walk down the path with Mitta beside me, but I paused and looked back at the abandoned cottage that now served as Ruby's grave. We would have to go through Sunny Town to leave. And that meant…

"I'll slaughter them…" I muttered under my breath. I then turned and continued walking.

Upon reaching the outskirts of the village, I found exactly what I was expecting. With what little moonlight that was shining through the treetops, I saw that Sunny Town was now in ruins. It was deathly quiet save for the sound of our footsteps. I spoke softly, "You think we can get outta here without being detected?"

Mitta shook her head, "I strongly doubt it. You can't see them, but they're still close by."

Under other circumstances, I would have been eager to avoid confrontation. But after seeing what they had done to Ruby, I actually felt eager to attack them. It may have helped knowing that I was safe in the confines of my armor, even more so now that I had a helmet. "Fair enough. Let them come." I replied, prepared to draw my sword when needed.

The two of us walked through Sunny Town's dark ruins unimpeded, Mitta leading the way since her eyes acted as something of a light source. But once we were near the center of town, a raspy voice spoke up nearby. "Hey, you found Mitta. Was she hanging around by that old shed out back?"

Mitta backed up as she got behind me. "Gray Hoof… I don't want to talk to you right now."

I glanced to my left, the sound of footsteps coming from a collapsed cottage. A skeletal pony lined with exposed muscle and entrails emerged from behind some rubble, his empty eye sockets filled with an unholy red glow. It was Gray Hoof. I scowled at him the instant I saw him.

"You never want to talk to anypony anymore, Mitta. You've always been so melancholy." Gray Hoof spoke, his tone raspy yet friendly. Too friendly. Too…innocent. Just hearing him talk like he had never done anything wrong was starting to get my blood boiling.

I took a step forward and spoke, "It's because she doesn't want to associate herself with monsters like you."

Gray Hoof seemed genuinely shocked by my words. "Monsters? James, that's harsh. What'd we ever do wrong?"

I growled, "Does murdering a little filly ring a bell?"

Gray Hoof seemed to smile, "Oh, Ruby? A shame what happened. She was cursed with the mark. It came outta nowhere, so we had to take swift action. She had the mark, so she had to go."

His carefree demeanor remained constant. But as I listened, I began to understand what it was that could have happened a few nights ago. When I encountered them in the Everfree Forest with my six companions. What they would have done to my friends… To Fluttershy… They would have butchered them if I had not been there to stop them!

At this point, I felt that any explanation to Gray Hoof would be wasted. If he was indeed the one who orchestrated the entire murder, then he was clearly beyond redemption. "If that's the case, I need to show you something."

I unclasped the Lunar Shield from my left arm and let it fall off. I then grabbed my left gauntlet and managed to slide it off like a very long glove. I then raised my sleeve, revealing the white dove-like shapes of my own cutie mark on my upper arm. "I have a cutie mark too. Are we still friends?"

Gray Hoof said nothing as he observed my cutie mark. But after a moment, he finally spoke, "James… You… You have the mark too…"

I immediately knew where this was going. I quickly slid my gauntlet back on and made my shield stand up beside me, my left hand holding it up. Gray Hoof seemed to sneer at me, "Deceiver… You would dare come into our home while carrying that curse?"

I growled, "You're the ones who are cursed, moron! Look at yourself! You murdered a child because of something every single pony acquires at some point! It's completely natural, but you treat it like a plague!"

Gray Hoof seemed oblivious to my words. "She got what she deserved. I wasn't going to let her ruin my party. And now…" He then appeared to grin in a way that seemed to show excitement and genuine malice. "It's time for you to go too."

Something was wrong. The darkness between the trees that surrounded the border suddenly began to turn red. The area was becoming bathed in a crimson light, lending to a very intimidating atmosphere. Was it an effect of the curse? Was it reacting to Gray Hoof's hostile urges? Regardless, all I could really see was the black shapes of the environment around me and the black outline of Gray Hoof in front of me, his two red eyes making it seem like there were two holes in his head that allowed the red light around us to shine through.

This was something straight out of an animated horror flick. And I confess I too was starting to feel very edgy. Mitta spoke from behind me, "James, run! We need to go!"

Another raspy voice spoke, "What's the hurry? We need to send you off with one last party that's to DIE for." I recognized it as Gladstone. All around me, I could hear the earth shifting as dozens of undead ponies rose out of the ground. Only this time, instead of coming at me several at a time with new ones popping up to take their place, the entire undead army from a few nights ago was surrounding me.

I glanced around, feeling a sense of impending doom. All that red and black… God, it was something out of a nightmare! Even with my armor to protect me, I was gritting my teeth and unable to move from the spot I was standing.

Mitta spoke, "James… I'm sorry. You shouldn't have come back… I'll try to hold them off. Get outta here and leave me." She was standing to my right, looking up at me like a shadow in the red.

I looked down at my friend. It was then that in my fear I remembered why I was even there. I had returned to Sunny Town to get her away from that deathtrap. And I had already faced these monsters before with little difficulty. I felt some of my courage return to me, knowing that if I could best these zombies once, I could do it again.

"No… I'll take care of them." I muttered, my right hand reaching for the hilt of the Celestial Sword. I was not going to let their numbers intimidate me. "Mitta, take cover behind something. I don't want you caught up in the fight."

Mitta seemed hesitant, but she nodded, "OK… I know you've handled them before. I'll be right over here." She ran over to a crumbled cottage and jumped over the ruined wall, taking shelter inside.

I drew the Celestial Sword from its scabbard, allowing the Lunar Shield to fall to the ground. I did not even need the shield to protect me if my armor was good enough to repel their attacks. The only way they could harm me was if they managed to get to my face, and not one of them was tall enough to do that.

As I held my sword, the light that constantly emits from the blade caused the immediate area around me to return to normal, the dark ground and stone from the collapsed homes around me looking as it they were being bathed in the glow of a lantern. The area further away, as well as the zombies, were still black outlines against a crimson background.

I breathed deeply, trying to remember the little ghost filly these monsters had murdered. The filly who guided me to shelter eight months ago. The little friend I had made. The child whose corpse remained inside her own home. I felt a faint rage start to build up in me, my fear all but gone. My grip on the Celestial Sword tightened, my body prepared for battle.

As I looked at my sword, a thought occurred to me. Each of my gauntlets have unique magic properties that only Luna and Celestia possess. I had not undergone any training to harness any of that unique magic aside from the basic levitation spell, but I decided to experiment.

My right gauntlet was coated in its familiar golden yellow aura. I then focused further, channeling it into my sword. As the aura engulfed the entire thing, the white blade of the Celestial Sword was engulfed in surging white flames. I could feel the heat, the flames banishing the red light and allowing the area around me to return to normal, the village around me appearing to be during the evening while places further away were darker. The zombies looked on, their empty eye sockets still casting a red glow towards me.

After beholding my flaming sword for a moment, I turned my gaze back towards the Sunny Town zombies. "There's one thing I need to do before I leave." I then spread my wings as I grasped the hilt with both hands, "I'm sending you all back to Hell!"

One of the more skeletal ponies charged me, moving a bit faster than the last time I had seen them. It did not get me. Once I felt it had come close enough, I swung my sword. I think I may have swung too soon, since only the tip of my sword clipped its nose. Despite this, the instant it made any contact, the skeletal zombie burst into white flames before collapsing in a pile of ashes in only two seconds.

"I only barely touched him…" I muttered, amazed by just how toxic the white flames are to the undead.

After this, the entire undead army of around fifty zombies decided to just bum rush me. "Bring it on!" I shouted, swinging my sword to the right with both hands grasping the hilt. My sword cleaved through the zombies like air. They would burst into flames before collapsing in a pile of ashes in mere seconds, so intense was the heat of my blade.

Even though I was not afraid, I quickly noticed that while I swung my sword to one side, zombies would try to swarm me from my blind side. I would try to kick them away, but it was not very effective in repelling them. Although my armor more or less made me invincible to the zombies, they could potentially swarm me, drag me down to the ground, and attack my exposed face.

"Back off!" I called out, flapping my wings to jump over the swarm of undead ponies and landing among some rubble from a collapsed house. Dozens of glowing red beacons turned to face me. As I considered my options, my eyes glanced at the flaming blade of the Celestial Sword. If the magic in my right gauntlet could cause the blade to ignite, perhaps I could launch flames from my right hand as well. However, I quickly dismissed the idea. Due to my lack of training and experience in using that kind of magic, I risked losing control of it. And the last thing I wanted was to end up burning the entire Everfree Forest to the ground. It would be better if I did not even try to attempt it.

The zombies began to shamble towards me, moaning things about a mark this and burn that. It was just one big incoherent chant. But as I looked at my sword again, I had an idea. It would not be a fair fight, but do murderers like them deserve fairness?

I let go of the Celestial Sword as I used the levitation spell on it. The flames remained on the blade, still casting light over the area. As I beheld the undead masses approaching me, I muttered, "When outnumbered, fighting fair just isn't an option."

With a swing of my arm, my sword moved further away from me and lashed out with a wide horizontal slash, cleaving through several zombies at once. Like before, they burst into flames and were reduced to ashes. I could almost see a type of chain extending from my hand and attaching to the hilt of my sword. I smirked, realizing that I could use magic to attack foes from a distance without resorting to magical blasts or the like.

With waves of my arm, the Celestial Sword moved back and forth, cleaving through dozens of zombies in seconds. At this rate, the fight would not last much longer. I actually felt a little disappointed that the zombies could not put up a better fight. However, I felt a twinge of excitement when I saw the one remaining zombie actually jump and evade my sword's movements. "Gray Hoof… You always have to get the last laugh."

I called the Celestial Sword back over to myself and grabbed the hilt. I needed to make certain I had something to defend myself with incase that speedy cadaver managed to get too close. "James… You really are a monster… That curse made you so violent… Looks like we really need to get rid of you after all…" Gray Hoof hissed as he began to charge at me with speed that one would never expect from a zombie.

By this point, I was fed up with Gray Hoof's hypocrisy. I did not even offer a retort to his words. Once he came closer, I held out my left hand as a cobalt blue aura coated my gauntlet. Gray Hoof too was coated in the aura as he floated off the ground. "What the… Hey! This isn't fair!"

I replied dryly, "Were you fair to Ruby when you beat her to death?"

I said nothing else as I lifted Gray Hoof higher into the air. The flames on the Celestial Sword died down, leaving the glowing white blade untouched. I then threw the sword towards Gray Hoof while guiding it with magic from my right gauntlet. I then made it go into a spin while moving around Gray Hoof. Over and over, the blade cleaved through him from various angles while spinning like a wheel. After around ten seconds of slicing and dicing, I called the Celestial Sword back to my hand and allowed Gray Hoof to fall. Although it seemed his head was intact, his body was… Do not even ask me how many pieces he was in. I could not honestly tell you.

Even though Gray Hoof should have been incapacitated by the loss of his body, his empty eye sockets continued to glow that frightening shade of red. "I can't let you ruin the party… You have the mark… You have to…" I decided to end the fight right there. Before Gray Hoof could finish what he was saying, I placed my foot on his skull and applied more pressure before crushing it under my heel.

The area had become deathly quiet. My eyes scanned the area, the ground littered with piles of ashes and Gray Hoof's remains. Somewhere in my mind, I felt a distinct satisfaction from my actions. But at the same time, it did not feel all that fulfilling. It is a complicated feeling that I find difficulty in explaining.

I heard what sounded like a few rocks rolling and turned to face the source of the sound. Mitta was beginning to emerge from the crumbled ruins she had taken shelter in. I asked, "You think that was all of them?"

Mitta slowly approached me, her gaze fixated on me, the Celestial Sword being the only source of light in Sunny Town aside from the few rays of moonlight shining through the treetops. I still had my wings spread, a reflex that usually stays in effect until I have relaxed enough after a fight. "James… Are you…an angel?"

Her words actually surprised me. And perhaps…in that light surrounded by the shadows of a village cursed by evil… I suppose I did appear as an angelic figure with my large white wings spread. "No, not really. I'm just someone trying to do the right thing."

Mitta paused for a few seconds before running over to me and embracing me tightly. "Mitta?" I asked, not sure why she had become so clingy.

"Please… Let me stay close to you for now… I feel safe with you." Mitta replied, her face pressed against my cuirass.

I smiled slightly, resting my left hand on the back of her head. "I won't leave you, Mitta. But lets get outta here. We only have until morning before the curse drags you back here, right?"

Mitta nodded as she released her grip on me, "Yes… Let's hurry. I don't want to live like this anymore."

I nodded before calling the Lunar Shield back over and attaching it to my left arm. "OK. Let's go." Mitta led me along, weaving her way around the fallen debris from the crumbling structures around us.

Once the way out of the village was clear, I took the lead. I walked with Mitta by my side, the Celestial Sword bathing our surroundings in its soft glow. But once we were standing before the path that led into the Everfree Forest, we both stopped and looked back at the cursed remains of Sunny Town.

The dark and crumbling structures loomed in the distance, being a mess of rotting wood and crumbled stone. So much evil has happened here… I will never understand how these ponies became monsters. The ponies of Equestria are kindhearted by nature, from what I have learned. No matter how much they squabble, resorting to murder is not in their nature. Yet, the ponies of Sunny Town…

"Do you think they will ever learn?" I asked without taking my gaze off of the village.

"No. Even in death, they fail to understand. It has been over a thousand years since the curse was cast, and they are still no closer to redemption now than they were at the start." Mitta replied before looking up at me. "I hope I never have to set foot here again…"

I nodded in silence. I then turned and pointed my sword ahead. "Let's get going." Mitta turned and began to follow me down the path. I doubt I will ever see Sunny Town again, nor do I want to. Those monsters can rot here forever for all I care. I looked over my shoulder one last time at the cursed village before turning my eyes away for the final time.

Once the path started to become harder to notice, the two of us stopped. "Um… Where are we going again?" Mitta asked, her glowing red eyes gazing up at me.

"Well… We need to see Luna since she's the one who cast the curse." I replied, trying to remember which way is east. "She lives in the royal palace in Canterlot."

"Canterlot? Is that a town?" Mitta replied.

"Uh… Right, you've been out of touch with Equestria for quite a while, haven't you? Canterlot is the capital of Equestria." I replied with a slight chuckle. If she has been cursed as long as I suspect, then Mitta probably does not even know who Nightmare Moon is.

"Yes, it's been a long time…" Mitta replied while bowing her head.

"It's OK. You'll get caught up in time. But do you know which way is east?" I asked with a smile.

Mitta bluntly replied as she began to walk to my left, "This way. I'm sure it is." She seemed very certain, so I trusted her. I made sure she stayed by my side at all times as we walked through the Everfree Forest. I would have been very nervous without the light of the Celestial Sword guiding our way.

I am not certain of how much time passed, but we eventually reached the edge of the Everfree Forest. Sure enough, there was Ponyville not too far away. "I've never been outside of the Everfree Forest before… It's so open out here." Mitta spoke as she gazed around with wonderment.

"Get used to it, Mitta. Equestria is a big place." I replied. I then looked around and found that we were close to Fluttershy's cottage. Even though I only needed to take Mitta to Canterlot, I still wanted to check on my friends since I had been out cold for a few days. I would also feel more confident if my friends were with me when I go to Canterlot.

"Mitta, let's check on Fluttershy first." I spoke while starting to head south. Since the moon was out and bathing the area with its light, I felt it was unnecessary to have the Celestial Sword out and returned it to its scabbard.

"Um… OK." Mitta replied. I could tell she was utterly fascinated by her surroundings, those glowing red eyes glancing everywhere.

I led Mitta right up to Fluttershy's cottage and stopped in front of the front door. She asked, "Do you live here?"

I nodded, "Yup. But this cottage actually belongs to Fluttershy. She's my girlfriend." I then knocked on the door and waited for a response. A moment later, the top half of the door creaked open just a little.

"Who's there?" A meek little voice asked.

"It's me, honey. I brought…oof!" Before I could even finish what I was going to say, Fluttershy pushed the door open and flew right into my arms and gave me a tight embrace.

"I missed you…" I heard Fluttershy squeak out, her eyes squinted shut as tears trickled down her face.

Once I had calmed down from the surprise hug, I too embraced my girlfriend the best I could. "I missed you too, honey…"

After a moment, Mitta spoke up. "Um… Miss Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy glanced down at Mitta and gasped, "Eek! You're one of…" However, she then paused and let go of me while seeming to be observing Mitta. "Wait… You're…Mitta?"

Mitta nodded, "Yes, that's me. How are you?"

Fluttershy smiled, "It's good to see you again. I'm surprised James went to get you instead of coming home first. You must be very good friends."

Mitta bowed her head and sighed, "He's one of the few friends I have. I think I only have two."

Fluttershy smiled, "Well, you're always welcome in Ponyville. We don't judge ponies based on how they look. At least…we don't anymore."

I spoke up, "Honey, is Scootaloo in bed?"

Fluttershy nodded, "She went to sleep an hour ago, I think."

I then smiled, "OK. Now, we don't have all that much time. I need you to go get Rainbow Dash and meet up with us at Twilight's place. We need to get our friends together for a trip to Canterlot tonight."

Fluttershy frowned, "But… I haven't even spoken to you for two days now… I don't want to leave you so soon…"

I smiled and kissed my girlfriend on the cheek, "I'd love to stay with you too, honey. But this is a time-sensitive issue. We need to get Mitta to Canterlot before dawn. I got her out of the Everfree Forest so we could get rid of the curse that was put on her. And only Luna can do that."

Fluttershy gasped lightly and nodded, "Oh... I see. Then we really should hurry. But when this is over, I want to stay with you for the rest of the night. OK?"

I nodded, "I'd love that. But first, we need to gather up our friends. And when you're done with Rainbow Dash, could you tell her to go get Applejack too?"

Fluttershy nodded, "OK. I'll go to Twilight's place after that. We'll see you there, right?"

I nodded, "You bet."

Fluttershy smiled as she took to the air. "OK, we'll see each other there, James. Make sure you stay with him, Mitta."

Mitta nodded with a faint smile, "I will." We then watched as Fluttershy flew east towards Ponyville. Even after all this time, I am still not certain where Rainbow Dash lives.

"Let's go, Mitta." I spoke as I began to head back down the dirt path.

"OK. I don't know my way around, so please guide me." She replied after catching up to me.

However, before I got too far, I thought I heard something to my left. Towards the Everfree Forest. "Um… Mitta? Could you wait for me at the edge of town? I need to check something."

Mitta replied, "Um… OK. But please don't take too long." As she walked ahead, I went closer to the forest's edge.

"Is someone out here?" I called out. I did not wait long for a response. Out of some bushes walked a familiar gray filly with eyes that glowed like yellow beacons. "…Ruby."

I hurried over to the little gray filly as she smiled at me. "I still can't believe what they did to you… They really were all monsters…" I spoke, still feeling immense sympathy for the child before me.

Ruby replied, "It's OK, James. They can't hurt me anymore. And besides…" She then walked up to me and rested her head against me. "Thank you for helping Mitta. She didn't deserve to be stuck there."

I asked, "You and her have always been friends, right?"

Ruby nodded, "Ever since that night, Mitta was the only pony who ever cared about me. She's the only friend I've ever known. At least until you came along."

I got down on one knee and gently stroked her head, "What will you do now? Mitta won't ever go back to that place now that she's out here."

Ruby giggled, "I'll go where Mitta goes! And this place looks really interesting. I've never seen a place like this… Oh! Does Apple Bloom live around here?"

I smirked, "Yeah, I thought you knew her. She lives a little ways south of here on a farm called Sweet Apple Acres. Only she's probably asleep right now, so wait until morning before you visit."

The little ghost filly nodded, "OK. I'll wait until then." She then looked around, "I think I'll have lots of fun out here."

I nodded, "I can't imagine living anywhere else other than Ponyville. This is the best town I've ever known." I then asked, "Wait… You're just a ghost, right? When do you think you'll…ya know…move on?"

Ruby smiled warmly at me, "I'll move on once Mitta does. I don't want her to be alone. I mean I know she has you now. And she'll have your friends too really soon. But…just in case. I don't want to take that chance."

I lifted her up and kissed her on the forehead, "I'm glad to hear that. You're a sweetheart, Ruby."

The little filly giggled, "So are you! I don't think I've ever met a human like you!" She then nuzzled her face against my cheek, her forelegs wrapped around my neck.

I cuddled with her the best I could. However, I then remembered Mitta had gone ahead. She was probably still waiting for me. "Ruby, I need to catch up to Mitta. We don't have a whole lot of time to get her to Canterlot."

Ruby smiled as she let go of me and dropped down to the ground. "I know. I'll wait for you to come back. But…what IS Canterlot?"

I pointed to the east, my finger directed to the structure jutting out of the mountainside in the distance. "Right up there."

Ruby gasped, "Oooooh, that's it? Wow, I've never seen a city on a mountain! But how will you get up there? Fly?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I suppose I could, but I want my friends to be with us when we go. So we'll take the train."

Ruby cocked her head to one side, "What's a train?"

"It's a…" I then snickered, not surprised that she has never seen a steam locomotive before. "I'll tell you later. I need to get going anyway."

Ruby nodded, "OK! I'm gonna look around this place while I wait for you."

I nodded, but then smirked, "Just make sure you stay outta trouble. Ponies aren't supposed to have glowing yellow eyes, you know."

My little friend giggled, "Oh, don't worry. I know how to not get noticed. Anyway, see you later, James. And take care of Mitta." I patted her on the head and hurried along to catch up with Mitta. I could only hope she did not enter Ponyville without me.

I found Mitta waiting for me on the outskirts of town. She looked my way and spoke, "What happened? I thought you were right behind me."

I replied, "Sorry if I delayed too long. Anyway, let's get going. We need to stop by the library first."

As we began to walk along, Mitta asked, "Why the library?"

I looked down at her and smiled, "Twilight lives there. Or at least she lives in the loft."

Ponyville's streets at this hour were fairly deserted. We did not pass by many ponies. The ones we did encounter quickly turned and fled, more than likely at the sight of Mitta's rotting form. She would always bow her head and sigh, probably once again feeling guilt.

"Hey, don't dwell on it. By tomorrow, everyone will be smiling at you when they meet you again." I spoke, somewhat glad that the ponies were focusing more on Mitta than me. The last thing we needed were a bunch of awestruck ponies swarming us and inquiring about my armor.

As I realized that, I noticed I still had the Celestial Sword out. Its glow would probably draw attention, so I placed it back in its scabbard. The area was very dark, save for the light coming from a few lampposts positioned around town.

"Ah, there it is." I spoke as I pointed ahead. Directly ahead of us was the library. There was some light coming from the windows, so Twilight was likely still awake. However, Mitta asked, "That tree is a library?"

I replied, "Don't ask how Ponyville architecture works. I don't fully grasp it myself." I then led her to the door, kneeled down, and knocked on it.

"Ugh, who's knocking at this hour? Right when I was about to get to bed too…" I heard a voice speak. It was not Twilight, so it was likely Spike.

"Do you think she'll recognize me?" Mitta asked, sounding pretty worried.

"She should. If not, I'll try to remind her." I replied, resting my hand on her shoulder.

When the door opened, I did indeed find that the voice belonged to Spike. However, before I could say anything, he suddenly let out a horrified yell. And…did those green spines on his head temporarily become separated from his body? He then slammed the door in our faces. I could still hear him yelling from somewhere inside, "Twilight! I told you zombie ponies would take over the world! AND THEY HAVE!"

"Well, that was uncalled for." I spoke, trying to not smirk at Spike's overreaction to Mitta.

"Who was that?" Mitta asked as she looked at me.

"That was Spike. He's Twilight's assistant. And don't worry about him being scared of you. Lots of kids have very active imaginations." I replied before pushing the door open.

At the far end of the library, I could hear hooves clopping while Twilight's voice spoke, "Under any other circumstances, I would think you're just being silly, Spike. But after seeing real ones a few nights ago, I better at least check it out." Sure enough, Twilight Sparkle came into view.

"Huh? James! You're OK!" Twilight exclaimed as she ran over to me before sailing into my arms. "I heard from Rainbow Dash that you had woken up today. Are you all right?"

I nodded while stroking her mane, "I'm good. Thanks for your concern."

She then asked, "But what are you doing in your armor again? Did something happen?"

I replied, "Let's just say I had a promise to keep. And keeping it meant heading into zombie territory. Right, Mitta?"

Mitta poked her head out from behind me, her glowing red eyes giving off quite a bit of light despite the room being completely lit. Twilight gasped, "Oh, Mitta! It's good to see you again!"

However, Spike yelled from the far end of the room with a broom in hand and a bucket on his head, "That's it! The zombie! Get rid of it, Twilight!"

I laughed, "Spike, knock it off! Mitta's a friendly zombie! And get that bucket off your head, you look ridiculous!"

Spike slowly approached us, the broom's head pointed at Mitta like a lance. "You sure? Those eyes really creep me out…"

Mitta spoke with a melancholy tone, "I don't want to hurt anypony… Please stop that."

Spike seemed surprised to hear our friend actually speak. "Um… Really? You're not gonna pin me down and chew my skull open, are you?"

Mitta seemed to wince at those words. "That's…disgusting."

Spike breathed a sigh of relief before taking the bucket off his head, "OK… Sorry if I freaked out. I just never knew real zombies could also be friendly…" He then sniffed the air before covering his nose with one hand, "Although you smell like you could use a bath."

Twilight frowned, "Spike!"

Mitta shook her head, "No, he's right. My body is mostly rotting, so it's normal for me to smell like this."

Twilight then asked, "Come to think of it, what are you doing out here away from the Everfree Forest?"

I replied, "That's the promise I made, Twi. I'm going to take her to Luna so she can lift the curse that's causing Mitta to be like this every night."

Twilight asked, "A curse? There's no such thing as… Wait. Princess Luna cast it? Why would she do that? You look awful!"

Mitta gazed downward. I decided to reply, "It's a dark story, Twilight. You really don't want to know."

However, Spike asked, "Did they steal the crown jewels or something?"

Mitta sighed, "I don't want to talk about it."

Twilight nodded, "OK, I won't ask why. Although you really don't give me the impression you deserve this fate, Mitta."

I then asked, "Twi, could you send a message to Celestia telling her that we need to see her in a couple of hours?"

My unicorn friend replied, "It's awfully late right now. Can't it wait until morning?"

I explained, "That's not an option. When the sun rises, Mitta will be drawn back into the Everfree Forest. We need to see them tonight."

Twilight nodded, "Oh, I see. OK, give me a minute." She levitated a scroll and quill over to herself and wrote something down in it before rolling the scroll up. "Spike?"

The little dragon boy gave her a salute, "Yes, ma'am!" He then grabbed the scroll, walked over to a window, and blew a plume of green flames at the scroll. The scroll was burned down into ashes before drifting out the open window in a trail of smoke. "It's on its way!"

"That gives new meaning to the term 'hotmail', doesn't it?" I asked.

Spike chuckled, "Yeah, I guess that's one way to say it… Whoa. Now that I've got a good look at you…" Spike walked over to me while gazing up at me. "That armor almost looks like one outta my dreams! Totally awesome! Although the mane looks a bit girly to me."

While Mitta let out a giggle, I groaned, "Hey, it wasn't my call. I'm not the one who designed this armor."

Before we could converse further, there was a knock at the door. "We sure are getting a lot of guests tonight." Spike spoke as he approached the door before opening it.

"Howdy, Spike. Did Twilight send fer us?" I heard a familiar voice ask.

"Huh? She did?" Spike then looked back at us, "Twilight, did you want to see Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash?"

I spoke up, "Actually, that was me."

"OK. Yeah, you were… WHOA!" Spike yelped as he was launched into the air as Applejack came barging in. I managed to catch him upside-down in one hand, his eyes rolling around in his head. "Whoa… What hit me? I blinked and missed it."

Applejack then ran right up to me, "James, ya'll OK? Ya got any feelin' in yer hooves… I mean toes?"

I chuckled, "I'm OK, AJ. Honestly."

She then stood up on her hind legs and embraced me as tightly as she could. "Yeah, I knew yer a tough one ta keep down. But that don't mean I wasn't worried 'bout ya." I swear I could hear my own armor buckling under her strength. If that armor was not in the way, I would have likely been snapped in two.

Rainbow Dash then flew over to me and grinned, "I knew you were feeling fine, but what's with the awesome armor again? Ya just like it so much that ya gotta wear it all the time?"

I replied, "I needed it if I was going to get Mitta out here. Those zombies aren't exactly a kind bunch."

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped, "Whoa, hold on! You went up against those zombies AGAIN?! What for?! You just like messing with them for kicks?!"

I looked over at Mitta, "To get her outta there, of course. I promised I would help her someday."

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at my undead friend. "Huh? Oh, Mitta! Howdy! This yer first time in Ponyville?"

Rainbow Dash waved, "Oh yeah! Her! What's up, Mitta?"

Mitta smiled a little more warmly than usual, "I'm honored you remembered me…"

Applejack grinned, "Well, it just wouldn't sit right if friends fergot 'bout each other, would it?"

Fluttershy then flew over to me and embraced me, "I brought them all here like you asked, James. All that's left is Pinkie Pie and Rarity, right?"

I nodded, "Yup. The sooner we get them, the better."

Rainbow Dash then asked, "Hang on. What're we doing again? What's wrong with Mitta anyway?"

Twilight replied, "It's the effects of a real curse that was placed on her and the other zombies by Princess Luna. And we need to see her before the sun rises or else Mitta will be drawn back into the Everfree Forest again. So we really don't have that much time to waste."

Fluttershy then gasped, "Oh my… What if we miss the last train out of Ponyville? They don't run all night, you know."

Rainbow Dash hovered in the air while flexing her forelegs. "You guys leave that to me! I'll make sure they don't leave without us! Go get Pinkie Pie and Rarity and meet up with me at the train station!"

I smiled, "Thanks, Rainbow. Just don't overdo it."

My brash pegasus friend nodded, "Will do! See ya there!" She then bolted out the door in a flash.

"Well, guess we should get going, right?" Twilight asked.

Applejack nodded, "We should. Let's mosey, girls."

Spike let out a yawn as he made his way to the stairs, "Count me out… It's way past my bedtime anyway."

Twilight smiled, "It certainly is. Sweet dreams, Spike." Right after that, we all left the library and headed towards Sugarcube Corner.

As we walked, Fluttershy asked, "So… Mitta? If you're out here, does that mean the rest of the zombies are too?"

Mitta shook her head, "No. They have no interest in ever leaving that wretched place. Nor do they deserve to. And I don't think they can after what James did to them on our way out."

If Rainbow Dash was there, I am sure she would have lightly smacked my right pauldron and said, 'Aw yeah, zombie slayer James busting some boneheads! Never gets old, right?' At least I am sure that is what she would say.

I frowned, "There was no pleasure in that encounter. That was justice, not fun. They saw my cutie mark and turned on me. If I didn't take them down, they would've slaughtered me."

Applejack suddenly glanced up at me, "Slaughter ya?! That's a might extreme, ain't it?! What do they got against cutie marks anyhow?!"

Mitta replied, "They view cutie marks as a curse. And anyone who has one…has to go."

Twilight stopped in her tracks, "Then…when we met them for the first time. The way they kept going on about us having to go. They were trying to…"

Fluttershy then looked at me, "Then that means… James, we owe you our lives."

I shook my head, "You girls owe me nothing. If anything, that was my turn to repay you for all the good you've done for me over the past several months."

Twilight smiled, "Still… I'm glad you were there for us at the time, James."

However, Applejack then asked, "Hang on! Ya said that yer kind out there in the Everfree Forest have somethin' against us ponies with cutie marks? Does that mean ya also…"

Mitta shook her head, "No, I have nothing against them. My only friend out there has a cutie mark."

Applejack chuckled nervously, "Uh…OK. Sorry if I seemed a bit nervous. Wouldn't want a zombie gnawin' on my skull outta nowhere."

Mitta nodded, but suddenly glanced up. "What…is that?"

Fluttershy replied, "Oh, that's just Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie lives there."

It seemed that Mitta was absolutely enthralled by the appearance of Sugarcube Corner. "It looks so…delicious…"

I spoke up, "It isn't really edible though… Hey, Mitta!" I noticed that my undead friend was already chomping on the low railing along the steps that led up to the front door. They looked like gingerbread walls topped with white icing.

"Mmph… What's wrong with this? It's so…hard and tasteless…" Mitta grumbled, her hooves hanging over the sides of the wall as she rested on the steps.

Twilight giggled, "That's not really made of gingerbread and icing, Mitta. It's just made to look like that to go with Sugarcube Corner's theme. It IS a place where all sorts of sweets are made."

As Mitta took her mouth off the wall, I asked, "You don't get out much, do you?"

Mitta replied, "This is my first time outside the Everfree Forest…"

I averted my eyes, having temporarily forgotten that Mitta has never seen any kind of architecture outside of Sunny Town. "Oh… I guess you've got a lot of catching up to do, huh?"

I then snickered, remembering something from my first day in Ponyville, "Well, at least you satisfied my curiosity. I wanted to try tasting the place when I first showed up, but you saved me the trouble." Everyone present chuckled, though Mitta merely gave a slight sheepish grin.

I found that the door was locked when I tried to push it open. "Are you sure Pinkie Pie lives here?" I asked, having never actually visited Sugarcube Corner this late in the day.

Twilight nodded, "Yes, though she lives in the loft on the second floor. You have to actually go through the shop itself to get up there."

I tried ringing the doorbell in the hopes of getting Pinkie's attention. "Do the Cakes live here too?"

Fluttershy shook her head, "No, they live somewhere else. And… Mitta?"

We found Mitta still trying to eat the railing leading up the sides of the steps. Applejack groaned, "Mitta… Sugarcube, I swear that stuff ain't hard from bein' stale. It just ain't edible. Keep that up and you'll knock yer teeth out."

The door suddenly opened as a familiar pink pony wearing a sky blue nightcap with a pale yellow bottom and spherical plume at the tip stood in the doorway. She then yelped, "Ack! Bad zombie! No eating Sugarcube Corner's decorations!"

Mitta stopped gnawing on the wall and stepped back, "Oh… I'm sorry. It's just that it looks so…tasty."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Believe me, I know! Once, Granny Smith tried to take a bite out of it. And she had to get a new set of dentures after that!"

Applejack chuckled, "Oh yeah, I remember that day. Couldn't understand halfa what she was sayin' all day!"

After we all had a good chuckle, Pinkie Pie asked, "Wait a second… Aren't you…wait for it… Mitta?"

Our undead friend nodded, "Yes, it's me."

Pinkie Pie hopped, "Ooh, I knew it was you! Those creepy red eyes are so easy to remember!"

Twilight then explained, "We don't have that much time to talk, Pinkie. We need to get Mitta to Canterlot before the sun comes up! And we want you to come with us."

Our silly party animal friend smiled, "Oh! OK, I'll go! It's not even midnight yet though, so we have plenty of time! And…" She suddenly looked my way and gasped, "James! You're OK! I mean… You ARE feeling OK by now, right?" She seemed to be slightly nervous as she spoke to me. And I knew why.

I replied with a smirk, "I think the better question is what were you doing in Canterlot today while hiding under a cardboard box. Trying to make off with my shipment of donuts?"

Twilight asked, "Huh? She was in Canterlot today? What for?"

Pinkie Pie seemed to become more nervous. "I found her hiding inside a cardboard box while Estoc and I were delivering a batch of donuts to the palace. What were you doing up there, huh?" I asked with my right fist resting against my hip.

Pinkie Pie nervously giggled, "Uh… My Pinkie Sense told me that something really yummy and tasty was about to show up or something in Canterlot. So I hurried up there and saw you with that royal guard pulling a cart with Donut Joe's famous Donutopia on it."

I snickered, "I thought as much."

Pinkie Pie then seemed to try to change the subject. "Anyway… Mitta, you want something sweet? Come inside and I'll get you something before we go to Canterlot!"

Fluttershy smiled and stepped forward, "Sugarcube Corner is famous for all the sweets it makes. Come on in."

Mitta nodded, "OK… I'm already picking up a delightful aroma from just outside the doorway." She then entered with the rest of my friends.

However, before Pinkie Pie could follow them, I grabbed her by the tail. "One more question." Pinkie Pie then looked up at me. "That…um…red exclamation point you ate today… What did it taste like?"

Pinkie Pie held a hoof to her chin, "Ooh, that's a toughie. It was a whole bunch of flavors mixed together. Um… I'd have to say it tasted like a mixture of raw meat…nitro glycerin…really bland food…cardboard…naughty magazines…and lots and lots of drama."

I stared at her without speaking for a moment. "You…have a really creepy sense of taste, Pinkie. How do you even know what drama tastes like?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Oh, it would take waaaaay too long to explain. Just take my word for it! Trust me, even I don't entirely get it!" She then trotted inside Sugarcube Corner.

"I'll bet the last person she tried to explain it to ended up in an asylum the next day." I muttered under my breath as I followed her.

Once we were all inside, Pinkie Pie flicked on a light switch. "OK! So, whatcha wanna try, Mitta? Sugar cubes? Sugar canes? Sugar puffs?"

I retorted, "How about something sugar free?" Everyone present laughed, save for Mitta.

Mitta smiled just slightly, "Um… To be honest, I don't know where to start… What do you recommend?"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "How about something James came up with?"

I replied, "Oh, those. Hang on a sec." I tried to go into the kitchen, but found that my armor and shield added some extra bulk to my form. Especially my folded wings. When I found I was having trouble slipping through the swinging doors of the kitchen, I asked, "On second thought… Pinkie, would you mind bringing her a chocolate drop, a blueberry pound cake, and some of those vanilla chocolate chip cupcakes?"

Pinkie Pie trotted by me, "You got it!"

Mitta asked, "You came up with those, James?"

I smiled, "Not exactly. The cupcakes were a recipe that I tweaked a little while the chocolate drops and blueberry pound cake was something I brought from where I come from."

Twilight then asked, "Um… Not to change the subject, but are you OK? I'm amazed that armor actually got in the way of something for once."

I smirked, "Well, when I have enough trouble getting around Equestria's undersized housing on my own, of course my armor is going to make things worse." My friends all chuckled in unison.

A few seconds later, Pinkie Pie came out of the kitchen with a tray on her head. Resting on top was a blueberry pound cake sprinkled with sugar, a trio of chocolate drops, and a couple of those cupcakes with buttercream and chocolate icing. "Oki doki, Mitta! Here's what you asked for!"

Mitta sniffed the air once the tray was set on the counter before her. "That… It smells very sweet."

Applejack chuckled, "Just wait til ya taste 'em."

Mitta took a bite of the blueberry pound cake. Once she had swallowed though, her face became somewhat blank. "That's…" Her eyes seemed to glow a little brighter before she went to town on those sweets, devouring them nonstop.

We all stared, not sure what to make of Mitta's ravenous appetite. "Uh… Am I the only one here who thinks she's gonna eat us when she's done with that?" Twilight asked.

Fluttershy replied, "Um… I'm not sure… But she is eating all that with even more enthusiasm than Pinkie Pie does."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Maybe she's just gone way too long without something good to eat! Give her a minute!"

In only one minute, the tray had become bare. Mitta breathed a satisfied sigh, one hoof rubbing her own belly.

"So, what'd ya think?" Applejack asked.

Mitta's only response was a very loud belch. She then covered her mouth and spoke softly, "Sorry." We all chuckled together. It was actually somehow pleasing to see my friend having such a healthy appetite, even while under the influence of Sunny Town's curse.

Mitta sighed, "That was amazing… May I have some more?"

I replied, "I'm not sure we have time. Remember, we need to get to Canterlot ASAP. Can we come back later?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Or you can just take it to-go! You go on ahead, I'll catch up after I stock up on goodies!"

Twilight spoke, "Next stop is Rarity's house, right?"

I nodded, "She's the only one not here. And I'd hate to leave without her."

Pinkie Pie nodded, "OK! You go on ahead and I'll catch up soon!" After she had gone back into the kitchen, the rest of us headed out the door and made our way southeast.

Mere minutes later, I heard the galloping of hooves coming up behind us. Sure enough, it was Pinkie Pie. And…oh my goodness. Forget about her carrying a tray on her head. She was pulling a whole cart of treats! Although it seemed that she had remembered to leave her nightcap behind.

"Heya, girls! I made sure to bring enough for all of us!" She cheerfully called out.

"Um… Isn't this a bit much?" Mitta asked, clearly just as surprised as I was to see Pinkie Pie bring along so much food.

Pinkie Pie replied, "Oh, you can never have too many treats with friends!"

Applejack hung back to allow Pinkie Pie to pass by her. "In that case, don't mind if I do!" She then chomped down on a muffin.

We all enjoyed a little snack on our way to Rarity's home, although Mitta out-ate all of us. We actually had to restrain her to make certain there was something left for Rarity when we arrived. But before long, the elegant form of Carousel Boutique came into view.

"What's that? It's so…pretty." Mitta spoke, her glowing eyes clearly dazzled by Rarity's home.

Fluttershy smiled at her, "That's where Rarity lives. It's called Carousel Boutique."

I added, "Where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique." When they all looked at me, I shrugged my shoulders. "What? That's what she says to most of her first-time customers."

The lights were clearly on in the second floor, but the ground level section of Rarity's house seemed dark. "I'll go see if Rarity is available." Fluttershy spoke as she flew up to an open window.

A brief moment later, Fluttershy flew back down to us. "She's on her way down here right now."

Sure enough, the lights on the ground floor turned on followed by the door suddenly opening. "Well, hello everypony! To what honor do I owe such a late visit at this… Oh, darling! You're awake!" Rarity suddenly leapt at me and gave me a tight embrace. "I know the doctors claimed you were going to be fine, but you've been asleep for two full days! I was beginning to fear you had lapsed into a coma!"

As usual, Rarity was reacting with a great deal of flair and passion. Still, I would be lying if I said I was not happy to see her. I rested my right hand on the back of her head and stroked her beautiful indigo mane gently. "I missed you too, Rarity. But this isn't a social call. We need to get to Canterlot right away."

"Get to Canterlot? Whatever for… Oh, I see. You need to return that fabulous armor, don't you? Such a shame. I wish you would wear it all the time!" Rarity replied, clearly enamored by the armor that was coating my body.

Applejack then spoke up, "Beggin' yer pardon, Rarity. But the real reason we need ta go is…well…" She then pointed at Mitta, who was standing right behind me.

The instant Rarity locked eyes with Mitta, she suddenly jumped back. "Eek! Not one of you again! Begone! Don't you dare lay one of your wretched filthy hooves on…" She paused for a minute, taking the time to actually get a good look at the undead pony before her. "Wait… Are you… What's the name? Mitta?"

Mitta nodded with a faint smile, "Yes, it's me. Thank you for remembering."

Rarity smiled sheepishly, "Oh dear, please do forgive me for that little outburst. Those eyes combined with that frightful dark visage brought to mind those dreadful abominations that tried to do…..whatever they had planned for us a few nights ago. That is to say…the ones that looked bonier than you! I mean, you are also one of them… A zombie, that is. But you're not one of…" She paused for a moment before asking, "Am I rambling?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Yep! Keep going! It was getting funny!"

Rarity blushed, "How unbecoming of me… But…what was it again that we need to go to Canterlot for?"

I replied, "To get this curse removed. Mitta, that is. And only Princess Luna can remove the curse since she's the one who cast it."

Rarity gasped, "You?! Cursed?! Oh, that simply won't do! I must go with you to insure that Princess Luna listens to our pleas…" She then gagged, "But first, we really must do something about that horrid stench and your…off-putting appearance."

Twilight replied, "Rarity, I really don't think we have enough time for…"

However, Rarity stubbornly retorted, "Nonsense! I refuse to let Mitta meet with our princesses for the first time looking AND smelling absolutely dreadful! Before we go anywhere, I will fix this little problem!"

Before any of us could object, Rarity's horn was engulfed by a billowing azure glow. Mitta too was engulfed in it and was lifted off the ground. "Wait! What're you doing to me?!" Mitta called out, clearly not expecting this approach.

"I would've pulled you inside, but I am not placing my mouth anywhere on your grimy coat." Rarity replied before 'carrying' Mitta inside.

"You think we should keep an eye on her?" I asked, not entirely certain if baths and zombies mix well.

Twilight replied, "That might be wise."

Once we entered Rarity's home, we already found the beautiful unicorn hard at work on scrubbing Mitta down in a small tub. Several bath tools were floating around them. "Uh… Is this really necessary?" Mitta asked, her eyes squinted shut.

"Of course! You don't want to be shunned by the princesses due to that horrid odor, do you?" Rarity replied. But when she noticed us watching, she spoke, "A little privacy, please!" Several folding screens moved to block our view, boxing the two ponies in.

"Well… Ya'll think we should just make ourselves at home?" Applejack asked.

Twilight nodded, "With Rarity that dead-set on making Mitta 'prepared' for her meeting with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, I don't think we'll be going anywhere for a bit."

While the rest of us tried to pass the time any way we could, Pinkie Pie trotted over to a screen with her cart behind her. "Rarity! I brought you some goodies if you want a little snack!"

Rarity's voice replied, "I appreciate the offer, but I never eat anything sweet at this hour. I don't want to risk harming my gorgeous figure."

I chuckled, "Got that right."

I then heard Rarity speak, "I heard that, James! And thank you so dearly for the compliment!" I will admit right now that Rarity, at least in my eyes, is the most beautiful unicorn in Ponyville.

In any case, Pinkie Pie grinned, "Ooh! More for me!" She then devoured whatever was left on the cart. I am actually surprised she did not eat the cart itself.

While we waited for Rarity to finish dressing up Mitta, Applejack tried to hit me up for conversation. "So, James. Ya'll went back ta scrap with the zombies, right? How'd it go?"

I replied with a smile, "Very well, as you can see. They didn't stand a chance."

She chuckled, "Yeah, I thought so. After the way ya mopped the floor with 'em last time? Did ya finish off the last one like ya did before? Sword straight through the chest?"

I snickered, "Not quite. Diced him up into too many pieces to count."

"Whoa… Turned the guy inta mulch, huh? That's…uh…a mighty messed up thought there." Applejack replied, seeming slightly unnerved by the thought.

I paused, watching some of Rarity's various tailoring tools floating through the air along with some red fabric. When they fell behind the screens, I heard her start singing. "Thread by thread, stitching it together…"

"I haven't heard that in a while." I muttered, having always loved Rarity's singing voice.

Fluttershy seemed to notice the fabric and asked, "Um… Rarity? Will you be much longer?"

Rarity replied, "Not until I finish some proper attire for… Uh oh."

Applejack asked, "Whaddya mean 'uh oh'? What happened?"

She then asked, "James, could you hand me some black thread, please? It should be on the table near the front door."

I did as she asked, retrieving the spool of thread. I asked while approaching the screens, "OK, got it. But what do you need it for?"

Rarity replied with a hint of nervousness, "Oh, nothing much. It's just that…"

But Mitta then spoke up, "Is that my ear in the water?"

All of my friends looked at the screens with expressions of shock. "What?! Rarity, what're you doing?!" I shouted, beginning to fear for my friend.

"I can fix this, I can fix this! Just give me a moment!" Rarity called out as the spool floated out of my grasp and behind the screens. "Aaaaaand….done! See? I could fix this."

Mitta replied, "Um….all right?"

I then heard Rarity speak, "So sorry about that, Mitta. I did not know your body was this fragile." I then heard what sounded like some sort of spray being used followed by a delightful aroma filling the air. Some perfume? "Now, be still for a moment, dear." It sounded like Mitta had just stood up in the tub.

"A snip here and a stitch there… Voila! Oh, you look simply darling!" One of the screens folded back, allowing Rarity to step forward. "Even the undead can look striking in my designs!"

Fluttershy stared for a moment before speaking, "Oh my… That's just…lovely."

Mitta stepped forward, her eyes gazing at herself. Rarity replied, "I would've added some matching shoes, but we're running on a tight schedule, so I left them for another time."

Overall, Mitta did not look much different from when I last saw her. However, her mane, tail, and coat looked much cleaner. Although her coat was still stained black and her mane and tail still very dull, all the grime and such that had gathered on her had been washed off. She certainly smelled much better too. I suspect Rarity used her strongest perfume to overwhelm the stench that Mitta's body was giving off. What was more, she was now wearing a long flowing red dress that went surprisingly well with her dark body. The design was simple, yet elegant. I am sure Rarity made it that way to save on time. And on her head behind an ear was a red rose. For some reason, that attire brought to mind a flamenco dancer.

"Whoa… You look…great, Mitta." I spoke, surprised by just how elegant my undead friend looked. Her glowing red eyes were somewhat off-putting, but I could overlook that.

Mitta replied, "You…really think so?"

Fluttershy smiled, "Of course. Rarity can make absolutely anypony look amazing. It's what she lives for."

Rarity giggled, "Fluttershy, you are too kind."

Mitta seemed like she wanted to say something, but could not find the right words. Eventually, she did speak. "I'm… Nopony has ever done so much for me before… Are you sure you don't hold anything against me?"

Twilight smiled compassionately, "What makes you think we would? You've given us no reason to hate you. You're our friend, Mitta."

I suspect Mitta was trying her best to not cry. The poor girl. How long had it been since she last received an act of kindness before I met her? "Thank you all…"

I spoke up, "Not to spoil the moment, but we really should be getting to Canterlot right now. I'm not sure how much more time we have before sunrise."

Twilight replied, "Oh, we still have several hours. But you're right. I don't want to stay up too late. Let's go, everypony." Rarity helped Mitta out of her dress and removed the rose on her ear as well.

We made our way to the train station under the cover of night. I could only hope Rainbow Dash had succeeded in delaying the train from leaving. And once the station actually came into view, it seemed she was doing just that. Rainbow Dash was flying back and forth around the station, leading the engineer and conductor around on a wild goose chase while grasping something in her forelegs.

"About time you guys got here!" Rainbow Dash shouted once we were all up on the loading platform.

"Confound it, give it back!" The conductor shouted as he kept jumping while trying to grab the metal stick Rainbow Dash was holding.

"Rainbow, what did you do?!" Twilight shouted at our friend.

The engineer replied, "That's the brake lever! We can't leave if we have no means to stop the train!"

I laughed, "That's one way to buy some time! Make it impossible for them to leave!"

Rarity then stepped forward. The rest of my friends seemed to be gathering around Mitta to make sure the train personnel could not see her. "Excuse me, gentlemen. This train is destined for Canterlot, is it not?"

The engineer replied, "Yes, as soon as we get this brake lever back into the locomotive!"

Rainbow Dash dropped it down to them. "OK! We need to get to Canterlot too!"

The conductor groaned, "Finally. As for… You know what? Forget the tickets. Get inside if you want to go. We're behind schedule enough as is!"

That certainly was a lucky break. My armor does not have any pockets, so I would not have been able to pay due to being unable to carry money with me. But once the engineer and conductor had entered the train, Mitta seemed to be taking a closer look at the locomotive. "Is this a train?"

Fluttershy nodded, "Yes, Mitta. It uses steam power to move."

Our undead friend turned to face us, "Steam power?"

I replied, "Think of it as a combination of water vapor, heat, and pressure. Anyway, we better get going. They'll probably leave without us if we're not onboard soon."

We all boarded the closest car, though my wings still made moving around inside a bit difficult. I just decided to plop myself down onto the nearest seat and stay there since just standing up and walking was such a hassle.

Mitta was standing up between me and the seat across from me. "I've never seen anything like… Wha?!" When the train lurched forward as it began to depart from the station, Mitta lost her balance and fell onto me.

"Didn't see that coming, huh?" I asked, patting her shoulder to calm her down.

"Uh… No, I wasn't expecting that. Are we moving?" Mitta replied while looking up at me.

I pointed at the window, "See for yourself."

Mitta climbed to her feet and looked out the window. The scenery was slowly scrolling by while steadily picking up speed. "We're moving?!" Mitta propped herself up on the windowsill to get a better view. "This is… Wow… I don't know what to say."

Applejack approached us and smiled, "Just enjoy the ride, girl. That's all I can say."

Once the train had left Ponyville, I removed my helmet and set my shield up against the wall. Today felt so short, most likely from me sleeping through a good deal of it.

Mitta stood between me and the bench across from me, where Twilight and Fluttershy were seated. She was constantly looking out the window in wonder. Not that I can blame her. Trains have a certain quality about them that mesmerizes just about anyone.

As I looked around, I noticed that all of my friends were seated right next to me, either directly in front of me or across the aisle. "Um… Twi? Why is everyone always staying close to me?"

My unicorn friend replied with an amused smirk, "Well, let's see. You lost consciousness two nights ago after suffering an impalement wound and have been out cold until today. I think that gives us more than a little reason to be worried about you."

I facepalmed, but winced as I felt my armored hand smack my forehead. "Ow! Well, I guess that was a pretty dumb question."

Fluttershy then jumped from her seat over to mine and embraced me, "Sorry if we're making you feel uncomfortable. We just want to make sure you'll be OK."

I stroked her mane gently, "No, it's cool. Though it might get annoying if it happened every day."

When we entered the first mountain tunnel, the entire train car became pitch black. When that happened, Mitta turned around and faced us. Her two glowing red eyes were the only source of light in the car. "Jeez, that's creepy! No offense, Mitta, but keep your eyes closed until we get outta here!" Rainbow Dash shouted from somewhere nearby.

Mitta replied, "I'm sorry. I can't help it. They always look like this at night."

"Even so, that is truly a frightening shade of red. Perhaps if we… Oh?" Rarity spoke just as we came out of the tunnel.

"Phew, that's better!" Applejack exclaimed.

Pinkie Pie then asked, "Come to think of it, why do you look like this at night? You said something about a curse?" When Mitta nodded, Pinkie Pie asked, "Why?! Must've been something pretty bad! Did you raid Princess Celestia's cake collection?"

I scowled at Pinkie Pie, "That's not funny, Pinkie. The ponies of Sunny Town committed a horrible crime to deserve a curse this awful."

Twilight asked, "You never did go into detail about why you're cursed, Mitta. Why not tell us? It'll help pass the time on our way to Canterlot."

Mitta sighed, "Are you sure you won't hate me?"

Applejack chuckled, "That ain't gonna happen, sugarcube. Love and tolerance. That's what Equestria is all 'bout."

Mitta was clearly having difficulty mustering up the courage to confess her crime. Even so, I perfectly understood that she had changed. She did save me once, after all. "Mitta, if you want…" I spoke while motioning her towards me.

My undead friend seemed to understand what I was trying to say. She climbed onto the seat next to me. I then draped an arm over her in a type of embrace to show that I was there for her. "OK… I'll tell you. But…it's not a pretty story."

Applejack smiled, "It can't be all that bad, Mitta. C'mon, we can take it."

Mitta sighed, "One night…over a thousand years ago… We were having a party. A friend of mine, Ruby, located a missing gemstone that Roneo wanted to give to Starlet."

Fluttershy asked, "Roneo? Starlet?"

I replied, "They're a couple in Sunny Town. Where Mitta is from."

Mitta continued, "I don't know how, but Ruby got a 'cutie mark' as a result of finding the gemstone. But…we had never seen anything like it before. Some of us thought it was a curse or plague."

Twilight spoke up, "Hold on. It's only natural for a pony to get a cutie mark at some point in their life. Usually when they're still kids."

Mitta paused for a moment before replying, "We didn't. Ruby was the first pony in Sunny Town to ever get one. And…one of us rallied the rest of the ponies against her…" Thick crimson tears began to trickle down Mitta's face. "They cornered her inside her own cottage and…"

My friend stopped talking; her eyes squinted shut as she sobbed quietly with her head resting against my armored chest.

"They didn't… James, what happened after that?" Rarity asked, her face showing dread.

I sighed before looking away. "They beat her to death and threw her corpse into the fireplace."

There was a gasp as my six companions looked at us. "Are you kidding me?! That's just…sick!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

Pinkie Pie bowed her head, "How could… I don't… Is it even possible for ponies to kill each other like that?"

Mitta replied while keeping her eyes closed, "That's why we were cursed by Princess Luna. She could not believe the ponies of Sunny Town would do such a thing under the cover of her night."

Applejack then asked, "Wait a sec, Mitta. Why were ya cursed with 'em? Ya'll didn't take part in that murder, did ya?"

She shook her head, "No… I was punished for not doing anything to stop it… I should've defended her, but…"

I then asked, "Twilight… Are the ponies of Equestria violent by nature?"

My wise unicorn friend shook her head, "No, of course not! There are times when we might get into debates with each other and with other races, but killing? That's not in our nature. Murder in Equestria is rare. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it rarely does happen."

I felt a slight sense of relief at Twilight's words, but also a hint of disappointment. If murder does exist in Equestria, then this world is not as pure as I had initially believed. Still… Murder being rare instead of being frequent or constant… I suppose that still makes Equestria better than Earth.

Fluttershy then asked, "Mitta… Are you really sorry for what you did?" Mitta could only nod without saying a word. Fluttershy then smiled, "Then…it's OK now. I mean, you said this happened over a thousand years ago. That's an awfully long time to wait to be saved. I think you've changed by now."

My friend slowly opened her eyes and looked back at our friends, "You…really mean that?"

Rainbow Dash grinned, "Yeah! That sounds just like Nightmare Moon! She was sealed in the moon for a thousand years and look at her now!"

Mitta asked, "You keep mentioning that name. Who is Nightmare Moon?"

My friends looked at each other, apparently baffled as to why Mitta had no knowledge of one of the most infamous ponies in Equestria's history. I replied, "She was cursed by Luna over a thousand years ago. That means it happened before Nightmare Moon showed up."

All of my friends nodded and smiled to show that they understood. "Ooh, right! That makes sense!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

Mitta asked, "Still… Do you think Princess Luna will forgive me?"

Twilight nodded, "I think so. She's a prime example of how ponies that were once feared can become loved in Equestrian society."

I stroked Mitta's mane, "I'll make sure she listens. She's a good friend of mine."

Mitta looked up at me before looking back at my friends. "Thank you…"

Without a word, all seven of us embraced Mitta in a group hug. "Mmm… You still smell lovely, darling." Rarity spoke. I was actually impressed that the perfume was holding Mitta's rotting stench at bay for so long.

After a while, Mitta decided to get up and look around the car. Most of my friends stayed near her while engaging in conversation, but I remained seated due to my armored form making it a bit harder to get around. I continued to watch the scenery go by for a few more moments before I heard the clopping of hooves followed by the sound of someone taking a seat beside me.

"Mind if I sit here?" I heard a voice ask from my left. When I looked, I found Rainbow Dash seated beside me.

"Sure thing, Rainbow." I replied, my hand stroking her mane.

We just sat there silently. Watching the landscape moving past us without a word. However, I soon felt Rainbow Dash snuggle up to me a bit. I normally would not have minded, but this was not normal behavior for her. I know Rainbow Dash too well. "Rainbow, are you feeling all right?" I finally asked.

She looked up at me with a somber expression, "Heh, I guess anyone can tell when I'm not acting like myself, huh?"

"I've known you for almost a year by now, Rainbow. Of course I'll notice if something isn't quite right with you." I retorted.

Rainbow sighed, "I've just got a lot on my mind right now."

"About our time in the Everfree Forest?" I asked.

"That's part of it…" She replied, sounding fairly down about something.

"Do you want me to lend you an ear?" I asked, hoping I could help relieve her of whatever unpleasant feelings she was experiencing.

To my mild surprise, Rainbow Dash sighed while slowly shaking her head. "It's complicated, James. I don't even know half of what I'm feeling right now."

For some reason, she did not sound like she was being honest to me. However, I feared that prying for an honest answer might make things harder for her, so I decided to not inquire further. "OK. If you need anything, let me know."

Rainbow Dash looked up at me when I noticed what seemed to be tears streaming down her face. "Rainbow… Are you…" I did not get a chance to finish. She wrapped her arms around me the best she could and held her head against me.

"Can I just stay here for a minute?" She asked.

"Sure, Rainbow." I replied, my arms holding her close to me.

The rest of the train ride was without incident. When we reached Canterlot and disembarked from the train, Rainbow Dash was in somewhat better spirits. Unless it was just an act to not draw attention. "OK… So, we head to the palace from here." I spoke once we were on the train platform. There did not seem to be anyone around, which definitely made things easier for us.

"I'll lead the way. Just stay close to me." Twilight replied. However, she then looked back at Mitta. "Actually, Mitta, I think it would be a good idea if you kept your eyes closed until we got there. That red glow is bound to draw some unwanted attention from any of the guards patrolling the city."

Mitta asked, "But…nothing happened when I was in Ponyville. And I really want to see this place. I'm curious."

Twilight replied, "The ponies of Ponyville see more strange phenomena than the ponies of Canterlot do. If anypony here see you, especially with those creepy glowing eyes open, there will be trouble. If you keep your eyes closed, they probably won't pay any mind to you."

Mitta nodded, "OK, but just how will I find my way around?"

Pinkie Pie hopped in front of her and wiggled her poofy tail at her, "Just hold onto my tail! I'll guide you!"

Mitta shrugged her shoulders, "Um… If you insist." She then closed her eyes and bit down on Pinkie Pie's tail. However, she then spoke, "I swear this tastes like cotton candy…"

Pinkie giggled, "That's because it's absorbed lots of yummy smells from working in Sugarcube Corner for so long!"

"Shouldn't we be going? I don't think we should keep Celestia waiting." I spoke up while adjusting the Lunar Shield on my left arm.

"Right, good idea. Let's go, everypony." Twilight spoke as she led the way. The rest of us gathered around Mitta as we walked to try to hide her body from prying eyes.

We reached the palace without incident and entered through the main entrance. A pair of guards were standing at the drawbridge with a spear being held up in one of their forelegs. But their appearance seemed darker than usual. They seemed to be the same unicorn ponies I had seen at times, but their armor was a very dull shade of azure, I believe. Although they still had a golden plate atop their backs that reached down their sides. Perhaps it was the color worn by guards who patrol during the night shift. Once we were inside, Pinkie Pie spoke up. "OK, Mitta. You can let go now."

We stepped away from Mitta since we were now safe in the confines of the royal palace. She then let go of Pinkie Pie's tail and opened her eyes. She glanced around, taking in her surroundings. "This place is huge…"

"Makes for a nice change of pace, doesn't it?" I asked.

However, once we entered the main hall, a voice from our left shouted, "Halt!"

Two royal guards had blindsided us at the entrance. They each had a spear pointed towards Mitta. "Identify yourself! What are you?"

Mitta was clearly intimidated by this show of sudden aggression. "I… I'm…"

I stepped in front of her and held up my shield. "It's OK. She's with us. Princess Celestia is expecting her."

Twilight nodded, "It's true. We sent a message to her a little while ago. Please let her through." The guards nodded and returned to their positions at the sides of the entrance to the hall.

"Ya'll OK, Mitta?" Applejack asked.

Our undead friend nodded, "Yeah... Just wasn't expecting that."

Rarity then spoke, "All we need to do now is…"

A voice spoke up, "Looking for me?" Our gazes turned towards the staircase at the end of the hall and found Celestia standing at the top.

"Princess Celestia! Just who we were lookin' fer." Applejack spoke as we walked towards the staircase.

Celestia trotted down the stairs and stood before us. "I rarely get any messages at this hour. What brings you to Canterlot at the stroke of midnight?"

"Well… Remember when I borrowed this armor earlier today?" I asked. When Celestia nodded, I took a step sideways. "This is why I needed it."

Celestia gasped at the sight of Mitta. "You… Aren't you from…"

Fluttershy spoke, "She's from someplace called Sunny Town. We were told she's cursed."

Celestia nodded, "There's a name I haven't heard of in ages. Yes, I recall Luna speaking to me of a place called Sunny Town just a few years before Nightmare Moon came to exist." However, she then frowned, "I am sorry. I know what it is you want, and I am sorry to say I do not know of a means to remove the curse."

Rainbow Dash then asked, "But Princess Luna cast the curse in the first place. She's gotta know a way to get rid of it!"

Celestia nodded, "That she should." She then looked towards the guards behind us. "Guards. Please go fetch Luna. Tell her I need to see her in the main hall."

The guards nodded before galloping away down one of the side halls. "She should be here shortly. Now, who is this exactly?" Celestia spoke.

I smiled, "This is Mitta. She's a good friend of mine who helped me out several months back when I went into the Everfree Forest."

"It's an honor, your highness…" Mitta spoke before bowing before Celestia.

Before we could converse further, there was a flash at the other side of the room. "You called, sister?" When we looked, we found Luna standing nearby. It seemed that she had used the teleportation spell to come to us in order to save time.

I smiled as soon as I saw her. Her face lit up as well upon seeing me. But just as she was about to speak, he face changed to one of shock. "Wha… What is that abomination doing here?!"

Mitta immediately cowered at those words. Rarity spoke up, "Abomination?! Whatever do you mean?! Mitta is quite the lady, if I do say so myself!"

Luna approached us while keeping a look of anger and disgust on her face. "Do you have any idea what she did?! To that child?!"

Rainbow Dash frowned as she and the rest of my friends got between her and Mitta, "We know. She told us."

Luna stood aghast at those words. "You know…? Then…why?!"

Twilight replied, "It's simple, Princess Luna. Ponies can change."

However, Luna growled, "Change? Look at her! The curse is still in effect! If they had learned from their sins, it would've been lifted by now!"

I stepped forward, "Luna, she HAS learned from her mistake. But the rest of Sunny Town hasn't. Is it really fair for her to suffer along with those monsters when she herself has changed for the better?"

Luna seemed to retain her defiance as she sneered, "Even so, she…"

Before the argument could continue, a voice spoke from the top of the staircase. "Luna, what's wrong with you? Is this really how the benevolent princess of the night should behave towards one of her subjects?"

We all turned to look up at the staircase. Standing at the top, still bandaged, was Nightmare Moon. "Nightmare Moon! You're OK!" Pinkie Pie shouted in glee as she hopped once.

Mitta asked, "That's Nightmare Moon?"

Celestia spoke, "Nightmare Moon, you really shouldn't be out of bed just yet. You haven't recovered enough."

However, Nightmare Moon began to casually descend the staircase, "I couldn't stand to remain in that bed a minute longer. Besides, your shouting carries through the halls too well. I had to find out what was wrong."

Once at the bottom of the stairs, she approached Mitta. "Hmm… I remember you. From Sunny Town, right?"

"Yes…" Mitta spoke quietly, clearly fearful of the alicorn before her. I wanted to reach out and embrace Nightmare Moon, but decided to withhold any affection until after the conversation had ended.

Nightmare Moon frowned, "You do know the seriousness of the crime that took place there, don't you?"

Mitta bowed while covering her face, "Yes… I'm sorry… I should've protected her…"

Nightmare Moon then smiled compassionately, "I see. Then I suppose you do deserve to have the curse removed."

At this, Luna spoke up, "Nightmare Moon, no! I cast that curse! And I will decide when…"

Nightmare Moon slyly smirked, "Luna. If your supposed 'evil' side is being more compassionate than you, something has definitely gone wrong somewhere. Wouldn't you agree?"

We all burst into laughter at those words. "Ooooh, burned!" Rainbow Dash called out as she fell on her back.

Luna seemed to be quite embarrassed at being called out by Nightmare Moon. My friend then explained, "I am a textbook case of an evil pony becoming good. I can tell when someone who has sinned has had a change of heart." She then looked down at Mitta, "Although, I suspect you were not evil at all. Just another victim of Sunny Town's vices."

Nightmare Moon's horn became engulfed in a deep blue aura. "Be still, Mitta. This will only take a moment."

However, my undead friend backed away. Her face clearly showed fear. I know she wanted the curse removed, but she was also fearful of the same magic that had cursed her. "Mitta, what's wrong?" I asked, starting to feel concern for her.

"I… I'm afraid… I don't know what to expect…" Mitta replied.

I decided to comfort her the only way I could. I removed the Lunar Shield from my left arm and embraced her tightly. "It's OK. I trust Nightmare Moon. She won't hurt you."

Mitta gazed at me for a brief moment before closing her eyes while embracing me with her forelegs. Deep crimson tears were squeezed out from her closed eyes. I spoke, "Do it. She's ready."

Nightmare Moon nodded while the rest of our friends stood back. She lowered her head, her horn pointed at my friend. Suddenly, Mitta's stained black coat began to…evaporate. It began to peel off of her in the form of a black mist. As it rose from her, the natural gray color of her coat was left in its wake. It began at her snout before moving down her body. Mitta gritted her teeth, plainly afraid of what she was feeling. But once the gray color had returned to her eyelids, the crimson tears that were streaming down her cheeks had become clear. Her faded mane regained its bold crimson hue as the black mist rose from it. I watched, feeling a sense of excitement, as I knew Mitta would soon be free of the curse that has plagued her for a millennium.

Finally, the mist stopped rising. "Ooh, is that how she really looks?!" Pinkie Pie asked.

"She looks very pretty." Fluttershy spoke softly.

"Oh, most definitely. I can't wait to weave some fine ensembles for her!" Rarity spoke with excitement.

Mitta slowly opened her eyes, the unholy red glow gone. They had once again become the bold crimson color I remembered. "Did something happen?"

I smiled, her body having returned to its pre-night appearance. "Take a look at yourself and see."

I stood up and took a step back. "What? Did something actually…" Mitta froze as she looked at her own hoof.

"You're free now, Mitta." Nightmare Moon spoke with a smile.

At first, Mitta said nothing. But she soon spoke loudly, "I… I need to see this!" She suddenly ran towards the way to the drawbridge.

"Whoa, hold yer horses, girl!" Applejack called out as we all chased after her.

Once Mitta was standing on the drawbridge, she looked skyward. Probably at the moon. She then raised her hoof and looked at herself then the moon. "I'm… I'm really…"

Suddenly, Mitta began to convulse. Strange sounds that almost sounded like demented giggling started coming from her. Her head tilted back before she collapsed on the drawbridge.

"Mitta?!" I shouted before running to her side. Her body was still twitching, her eyes rolled back in her head. She was foaming at the mouth with an odd smile on her face. I looked back at Luna, "What happened to her?!"

Luna stepped forward and gently rested her hoof on Mitta's side. She still seemed to be conscious, but was oblivious to our presence. Luna sighed, "Emotion overload. With how long she has been stuck in that cursed deathtrap, I suppose it has been a very long time since she last felt joy. Her mind couldn't process it enough."

I looked down at my friend. I could only hope she was going to be all right. "Princess Luna, is she…?" Twilight asked with a strong presence of worry in her voice.

The princess of the night nodded, "She'll be fine. She just needs to rest for now."

Celestia then smiled, "Nightmare Moon, you never cease to amaze me. But just how did you remove the curse?"

Nightmare Moon smiled, "I was Luna at the time the curse was cast, so I remember the counter spell."

Celestia nodded, but then seemed to summon a tall mirror and a small white box with a teleportation spell. "Seeing you remove the curse so willingly reminds me. There is something I must give you." She then stepped in front of the mirror with Nightmare Moon beside her.

"You do? And why the mirror?" Nightmare Moon asked.

Luna stood beside Nightmare Moon opposite of Celestia and smiled, "So you can see the real you."

My friends and I watched in silence as Celestia levitated the contents of the box out and placed it upon Nightmare Moon's head. "Welcome home, Princess Nightmare Moon."

Resting atop Nightmare Moon's head was a beautiful blue tiara that perfectly matched her armor's coloration. It's design was identical to Celestia's, but with a key difference. On the center 'spire' rested an oval-shaped gemstone. It seemed to be white. Perhaps a moonstone?

I was very surprised to see that Celestia had gone out of her way to have a crown forged specifically for Nightmare Moon. Each of my friends let out a surprised gasp as well. But it seemed no one was more shocked than Nightmare Moon herself. Luna and Celestia leaned against Nightmare Moon with their necks against the underside of hers in the form of an equine hug.

Nightmare Moon's face was frozen in shock, her body standing perfectly motionless. But soon, tears began to cascade down her face while her body trembled. "Celestia… Luna…"

Luna spoke softly, "Say no more, sister. You're home now."

Nightmare Moon did just that. She said nothing else while bowing her head, lightly sobbing while draping her wings over her two sisters. At long last, the Mare in the Moon had finally returned to her kingdom. And I felt a great sense of closure seeing her completely at peace with her sisters.

My friends smiled and clapped their hooves together in applause. Except for Pinkie Pie, that is. She was literally crying a river of tears while holding a blue handkerchief. I suppose she is the kind of girl who cries at weddings.

Celestia soon looked our way and smiled, "All of you. Thank you."

Twilight Sparkle smiled, "It was no trouble, your highness. But if you really want to thank someone, you should thank James. It was all because of him that Nightmare Moon was saved."

"Very true. James, would you come here for a moment?" Celestia replied.

I nodded and approached the three sisters. Once I was standing before them, all three embraced me at once. Due to their size, they could not use their forelegs, so they resorted to draping their necks across my shoulders.

This was a very flattering moment for me. Being hugged by three princesses in front of my friends. Luna then spoke, "You have done us a great service, my friend. We can't thank you enough."

I asked, "What exactly did I do?"

Celestia replied, "Several things. You helped end the eternal night. You saved Nightmare Moon. You gave Equestria a third ruler. But most importantly…"

Luna then spoke, "You gave us the sister we never had."

I could only blush deeply at those words. I then embraced them the best I could, draping my arms over them. Nightmare Moon then whispered, "Thank you again."

I replied, "I just wanted to do what was right."

However, the moment was interrupted when Rainbow Dash called out. "Hey, guys? You think we should just leave Mitta right here?"

I snapped back to my senses as I suddenly remembered my friend that was lying on the drawbridge. She was still where she had fallen, still looking completely oblivious to everyone around her.

"She should be fine… But we really should get her someplace else to rest. She'll wake up sore if she sleeps there." Nightmare Moon spoke upon drying her tears.

I chuckled, "Yeah. Leave that to me." I used the levitation spell to pick her up off the floor before draping her limp body across my shoulders.

Applejack then yawned, "Come ta think of it… I reckon we could all use a lil' shuteye too."

Luna frowned, "Well, I'm afraid you can't go home just yet. The trains have stopped running at this hour."

Rarity then asked, "If that is the case, surely you would not mind if we stayed here tonight."

Celestia smiled, "You are very welcome to do so. Let us show you to your rooms." We then followed the three sisters up the stairs to the upper quarters of the palace.

A short while later after I had returned my armor and weapons to their resting place and took a shower, I was walking down the hall with Fluttershy to the guest room Celestia had assigned to us. But once we passed Mitta's guest room, I stopped. "Hang on a second, honey. I want to check on her." I spoke softly.

Fluttershy whispered with a nod, "OK. I'll wait here."

I gently nudged the door open, finding the room softly illuminated by a single lit candle. Resting in a large bed was Mitta, her eyes barely open. She still seemed to be heavily dazed. I could only pray that the experience did not break her mind.

I approached her as quietly as I could. My feet were bare at the time, so my footsteps made very little noise. I could see Fluttershy watching from the doorway with a look of concern on her face. I stopped beside the bed, Mitta appearing to be oblivious to my presence.

My hand gently stroked her crimson mane, the scent of Rarity's perfumes still lingering on her body. Her breaths were slow and deep, more than likely a sign that despite her mind having been overloaded from various emotions a short while ago, she was probably very relaxed. I felt I should not disturb her any longer, so I whispered, "Sweet dreams, Mitta."

However, when I was halfway to the door, a quiet voice whispered, "Wait…"

I stopped and turned around. Mitta was looking right at me, her face showing a type of want. "Please… Stay with me. Just for tonight…"

Considering Mitta's very distant relations with the ponies of Sunny Town, I suppose every night would have been very lonesome when Ruby was unable to reach her. And going through that every single night for over a thousand years… Truly a disheartening thought. Although I also promised Fluttershy that I would sleep with her tonight. After a brief moment of thought, I raised one finger and spoke, "One moment please."

I walked to the doorway and whispered to Fluttershy, "I don't think we should leave Mitta alone just yet. Would it be OK if we stayed with her tonight?"

Fluttershy replied, "Well… After all she's been through… I think she does need a little company tonight."

I looked back at Mitta and closed the door once Fluttershy and I were both inside. "OK. I'll stay. But Fluttershy has to stay too. OK?"

Mitta nodded with a faint smile, "That's fine…"

All I was wrapped in was a towel and my boxers, so I draped my towel over the nearest chair and climbed in bed beside Mitta while Fluttershy did the same. I was snuggled between the two mares, leading to a fairly awkward feeling.

Mitta immediately threw her forelegs around my neck. "Thank you…"

Fluttershy looked over me at her and smiled, "I'm so glad the curse was lifted from you. But are you all right?"

Mitta nodded lightly, "Yes… I'm still trying to adjust to being flesh and blood at night. I can't even remember how it felt…" She then let out a yawn, "Or how it felt to feel sleepy…"

I asked, "Sounds like you had a terribly dull existence."

Mitta nodded, "I did… Nothing ever changed. It felt like I was trapped in time. Not living, but not able to die…" She then looked at me, a tear trickling down her face. "James… You brought me back to life." She then placed a gentle kiss on my cheek.

I smiled, but was also a bit embarrassed that I had been kissed in front of my girlfriend. "Thanks, Mitta… But this still feels incredibly awkward."

Fluttershy asked, "What does?"

I replied, "Being sandwiched by two pretty ponies in the same bed. Doesn't that come off as odd to you?"

Mitta and Fluttershy looked at each other for a second before giggling. Fluttershy then placed her hoof on my hand, "I know it's not like that. You and Mitta haven't bonded enough for that kind of relationship to form. Right?"

Mitta nodded, "True. I've only met him three times so far. He's the best friend I've ever had."

I stroked her mane, "I'm honored to hear that. And we'll be seeing each other almost every day from now on."

My friend's face brightened with a smile. "Sounds…lovely."

The minutes went by before Mitta finally fell asleep. That left me with some much-desired personal time with Fluttershy. "Honey… I missed you." I whispered before placing a kiss on her nose.

The timid pegasus mare smiled with a faint blush, "I missed you so much." She kissed me back on my own nose.

"Let me show you how much." I spoke with a smile. I placed my lips on hers before gently prying my tongue into her mouth. Fluttershy let out a quiet moan, doing the same as her tongue reached out to mine. How I missed that taste. The taste that only my beautiful lover possessed.

After a moment, I slowly pulled away, gentle warmth filling me. A blush was on Fluttershy's face. She then quietly asked, "James… Once we help get Mitta settled in Ponyville… I'd love to…um…" She did not have to say anything else as I felt her long tail sliding up my leg.

I felt a faint giddiness fill me, knowing exactly what she wanted. "Sounds lovely, honey. I can't wait." I replied before kissing her again, our arms wrapped around each other.

As I write this, Fluttershy and Mitta are fast asleep. I really feel like I accomplished something today. I finally managed to get Mitta away from those monsters. I can only wonder how she will adapt to modern-day Equestria, but if Luna could, so can she. I am also looking forward to watching Nightmare Moon being welcomed by her people. Of course, knowing her reputation, that will undoubtedly take some time.

Still… There are some questions that remain in my mind. Who was that forest nymph who pointed me towards Sunny Town? And who was that chimera depicted in the stained glass windows in the palace?

So many questions linger in my mind, yet I feel I have nothing to worry about. Whatever happens, the three royal sisters of Equestria can handle it. Now that Nightmare Moon is with them, they are likely unstoppable.

So tired… Even though today was shorter than usual, I am exhausted. Perhaps it is because my blood supply still is not quite back up to 100% just yet. If that is the case, I had best get to sleep.

Sweet dreams, Nightmare Moon. Sweet dreams, Mitta. I hope your new lives in Equestria have a good start. And I will be there by your sides when it happens.


	21. Newfound Sanctuary

I awoke groggily at the feel of fine hair brushing up against me on both sides. At first, I thought it was the feel of Fluttershy and Scootaloo lying next to me. But when I opened my eyes, I found that I was only half right. Fluttershy was asleep on my right, but a gray earth pony mare with a crimson mane and tail was on my left. I recognized her immediately. "Mitta…"

It was then that I remembered what had occurred the previous night. Seeing her sleeping soundly beside me with an obvious smile on her face filled me with a sense of relief. She was no longer bound to the curse of Sunny Town. She was free at last.

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close to me. But a moment later, she began to stir in my grasp. She mumbled groggily before her big crimson eyes opened. "Ugh… Is someone there?"

I whispered, "It's just me, Mitta."

Mitta suddenly looked over her shoulder at me. Her face showed shock, just as it did when she looked herself over upon the curse's removal. "Where am I…? Is this Sunny Town?"

I chuckled lightly, "No, Mitta. You remember? Nightmare Moon removed the curse from you last night. You're forgiven."

Her face showed nothing but disbelief. But soon, tears began to stream down her face. "I do remember… James, you…" She then threw her forelegs around me as tightly as she could and whispered, "Thank you…"

I nuzzled her cheek, "It was no real trouble, Mitta. I'm just glad you're finally free."

Mitta whispered, holding back tears. "You don't know what you did for me… You brought me back to life… I was stuck in a permanent limbo out there… You… You really must be an angel…"

I shook my head, "I told you before, Mitta. I'm no angel. I'm just an ordinary guy who wanted to help my friend."

The two of us just cuddled for a moment longer. But we were interrupted by a tiny meek voice speaking from behind me. "Um… I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Mitta and I froze before we both looked behind me. Fluttershy was sitting up in bed and looking right at me. That expression on her face seemed to show disappointment or lack of amusement. I felt my body temperature rise before I replied, "This really isn't what it looks like, honey…"

At my words, Fluttershy smiled brightly and giggled, "Oh, I know. I just thought it was very cute how you two were hugging when I woke up." She then gave me a kiss on the lips, "I missed waking up with you by me, James. I love you."

I replied with a smile and a kiss of my own. "I love you too, honey."

When Fluttershy and I embraced each other, Mitta let out a giggle, "You two look so cute together… Should I look away?"

Fluttershy and I looked at each other and laughed lightly. "It's OK, Mitta. You can watch if you want." Fluttershy spoke with a smile.

"Actually, I think we should all get out of bed. I don't want anyone coming in and thinking…" I spoke, but paused when I noticed there was someone standing at the doorway. All three of us stared ahead. Standing in the doorway was Celestia.

"Um… I hope I'm not interrupting anything." She spoke with a somewhat unnerved expression.

Fluttershy instantly blushed deeply. "Oh… Uh… No, it's OK, your highness. We were…uh…just about to get out of bed."

She smiled a very awkward smile, "That's fine, Fluttershy. If you three want to spend a little more time together, I won't stop you."

I facepalmed, "Its not what you think! I'm clothed under here, after all!"

Mitta nodded, "We haven't been doing anything like that, your highness. I only just woke up myself."

Celestia chuckled, apparently relieved by those words. "Ah, I see. Sorry for assuming. In any case, I came to inform you that all your other friends are already awake. Estoc and Shining Armor went to the local donut shop to get some breakfast for all of you. Come on down to the courtyard whenever you're ready. Oh, and your clothes are right there, James." She pointed to a stool. My clothes from the previous day were neatly folded in a pile with my shoes on top.

"Ah, OK. Thanks. Would you girls mind leaving me to get dressed then?" I replied.

"I don't have to leave, do I?" Fluttershy asked.

I looked at her and grinned, "Oh, right. Everyone but you." My friends chuckled together.

"In that case, let me show you to where the rest of your friends are, Mitta. Come with me." Celestia spoke.

Mitta nodded and hopped out of bed. "OK, your highness… Just please don't let Princess Luna curse me again."

As the two of them walked out of the room, Celestia replied, "Don't worry about her. She is quite all right with you now."

Once I was alone with Fluttershy, I climbed out of bed in nothing but my boxers. But as I was sliding my pants on, I felt Fluttershy hover up behind me and embrace me. I could tell because of her soft thin coat rubbing against my back. I smiled and spoke, "Love you, honey."

Fluttershy replied in her quiet tone, "I love you, James."

Seeing as how we were alone and were in no hurry to go anywhere, I decided to take advantage of the moment. I wiggled out of Fluttershy's grasp and turned around before holding her in an embrace of my own. The two of us looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Words were not necessary. We both know what the other wanted.

We closed our eyes and joined lips for a brief kiss before repeating it over and over. So serene a feeling… But after that, we parted lips and pressed into the kiss further. Our tongues touched, our lips closing every few seconds before parting again. Such an experience is hard to describe. The sheer love I was feeling for her as we kissed. So wonderful.

We very slowly parted when the kiss ended. Fluttershy had a very deep blush on her face, her eyes somewhat dazed. I too was slightly overwhelmed as well, only able to stare at the face of my beloved. Finally, she broke the silence and rested her head against me. But what she said surprised me. "James… I want you…"

I knew what she meant by that. And to be honest, I was very tempted to do so at the time as well. But doing such a thing in the royal palace with so many people around who could just pop in at any time? The risk was too high. Granted, I doubt there would be any consequences, but poor Fluttershy would surely be mortified if someone walked in on us.

I gently stroked my lover's face, "Tonight, honey. It's too risky to do it here."

Much to my surprise, I felt Fluttershy drag her long tail up my leg to my hips. "But… I really want to… I'm sorry, I know this isn't like me, but… I just love you so much, I can't stand it…"

I was genuinely touched by my girlfriend's words. And as much as I was fearful of us getting caught, I wanted to please her. However, I listened to my gut on this one. "Me too, honey. But let's wait until tonight when we have some alone time. We'll do it for as long as you want, I promise."

Fluttershy's face showed true disappointment at my words, but she seemed to understand what I was getting at. She sighed, "OK… I'll wait." But she then gave me an unexpected smirk and whispered, "But don't forget, OK? Mama wants some loving."

I felt my body temperature spike at those words. "Uh… Honey? Since when do you get that…assertive?"

Fluttershy giggled nervously, "Sorry… I guess it's because of how badly I want you. And because of how much I love you. I guess my inhibitions are very weak when I'm alone with you."

I nodded and gave her a kiss on the nose, "Perfectly understandable. But let's get outta here. Everyone's going to come looking for us if we stick around."

Fluttershy nodded and dropped down to the floor. "OK. I better go make sure Pinkie Pie doesn't get all of the donuts before we get there." However, as she approached the drop, Fluttershy looked at me over her shoulder while concealing her lower face behind her gorgeously long mane. I am pretty sure she was smirking at me. As she started to lift her tail, I facepalmed, "Honey… You know now isn't a good time for that…"

She probably blushed after that, lowering her tail in the process. "Sorry… I'll try to restrain myself until tonight…" She then opened the door and ran out of the room. I hope she did not think I was mad at her. With how prone to arousal she was being at the time, I would have suspected that she was in heat. That was impossible though since her previous heat cycle came and went back in early April.

I got dressed as quickly as I could and stepped out into the hall. But just before I could go anywhere, I heard what sounded like Shining Armor shouting from somewhere down the hall. Before long he came into view while pulling a cart with white paper boxes stacked on each other. "Estoc, hold her off! We mustn't let her get to the cargo!"

"Cargo?" I muttered as I watched him run by.

Right behind him was Estoc, who turned and drew his tuck while standing firm. "You shall not pass! Turn back now!"

Who in the world was he trying to… Oh no.

"Wait for me! I just want a tiny nibble, that's all!" Hopping down the hall like a skunk chasing a cat was Pinkie Pie. She was moving along surprisingly fast too. Why did I compare her to a skunk chasing a cat? Well… That is what comes to mind.

When Pinkie Pie came closer, Estoc shouted, "Didn't you hear me?! YOU SHALL NOT PA- OW!" Pinkie Pie surprised us both by hopping right onto Estoc's armored head before springing off of it. And considering how muscular earth ponies are, there must have been quite a bit of weight behind that stomp.

"Wait for me, Armor! I swear I just want a little taste!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she hopped down the hall.

"Ugh… Hold it right there, lass! I said HALT!" Estoc shouted once his eyes stopped spinning. I certainly did not want my share of the food to be devoured by Pinkie Pie, so I ran down the hall after Estoc.

I was actually rather annoyed by how slow I was moving compared to Estoc. Without the armor I had been wearing recently, I was much slower than before. I suppose I could have gone to the throne room to retrieve it, but by then it might be too late. So I just ran as fast as I could in the hopes of catching up to her.

I ran down the stairs into the grand hall, where Celestia and Luna took turns welcoming the guests to the Grand Galloping Gala last month. Shining Armor was backed up to a wall with the cart behind him… Wait a minute. He would have had to go down the stairs himself. That must have been difficult to do while pulling that cart. And surely he would have to go up some stairs to get to the hall I was just in. Did Pinkie Pie force them to take a detour?

"Stay back! These aren't for you!" Shining Armor shouted as Pinkie Pie inched closer like a lion that had cornered its prey.

"Oh, I just want a little taste. Now gimme some!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she lunged for the boxes on the cart with her mouth opened impossibly wide. Honestly, does her skin stretch like rubber and are her jaws able to become unlatched at will?

Fortunately, Estoc was prepared for her. He jumped in front of her and stuffed his entire golden helmet into her gaping mouth. Somehow, it fit just right. Pinkie Pie could not swallow it or spit it out. "That'll hold you." Estoc spoke with a sigh of relief.

"Nicely done, Estoc." Shining Armor spoke with a smile.

The royal guard nodded, "It was no trouble." Without his helmet, I could see that Estoc's mane was just as pale as his tail. I am not able to describe its appearance very well, but he is a rather handsome fellow.

Pinkie Pie groaned with her mouth stuck open. She was clearly upset that she could not even eat as she was then. I sighed, "Pinkie, don't forget what I warned you about. Six donuts. Stick with that."

She gave me a rather frightened glance before nodding. Knowing her, it is not surprising that she forgot about me warning her about diabetes. "I think you can ungag her now, Estoc. She knows better now."

Estoc rolled his eyes, "If you say so, but I don't like this idea." Using the levitation spell, he plucked the helmet from Pinkie Pie's mouth. I suppose it is worth mentioning that it stretched quite a bit before the helmet popped out of it.

Pinkie Pie gasped, apparently from having trouble breathing while that helmet was jammed in her mouth. "Phew… OK, I promise. Six donuts is my limit."

I nodded, "Good." I then faced Shining Armor, "Hey, where is everyone anyway?"

Shining Armor chuckled, "Well, we WERE going to have everyone gather in the throne room for this, but I ended up taking a detour due to…well…her." Pinkie Pie gave a sheepish grin, clearly knowing that her love of sweets had gotten the better of her again.

I began to approach him, "If that's the case, you think one of us should… Jeez, warn me next time!" I nearly fell backwards from how startled I was when a group of ponies seemed to just appear right in front of me in a flash of light.

Celestia, who was among them, smiled with blush, "Oh, sorry. I heard you had all gathered down here, so I saved us the trouble of having to walk all the way here." Standing among her was Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Luna, Mitta, and Nightmare Moon.

"Morning, James! How…. Pinkie, what are you doing?" Twilight spoke to me before glancing over at Pinkie Pie, who seemed to be sneaking up behind Shining Armor. She backed down upon being caught with a giggle.

"Some things never change, huh?" Rainbow Dash spoke with a chuckle.

I noticed Applejack pushing what seemed to be a cast iron cart holding a milk and coffee dispenser towards the wall Shining Armor was next to. "There we go. Now, whaddya say we get started on some good eats?"

Nightmare Moon nodded, "That's what we're all here for. Shining Armor, did you make certain to bring enough?"

He nodded, "Five dozen, as requested."

Rarity smiled as she and everyone else approached the carts, "Sixty sounds like more than enough for us all."

I decided to go last to make sure everyone got their fair share. However, Mitta stayed right by my side. "Um… Mitta? You should get in line."

She replied while looking up at me, "Um… Is it all right if I stay by you?"

I replied, "Why? No one here is going to hurt you."

She sighed, "I know… Everypony here seems very kind, but… This all feels so…alien to me. You're the only one here I am completely familiar with. So…please." She then leaned against me, "Let me stay close to you. At least until I become more adjusted to this place."

This was one of the oddest requests I had ever received. Does Mitta view me as some sort of security blanket? I suppose being stuck out in the Everfree Forest for over a thousand years can make the rest of the world seem very strange to someone. And with how big Canterlot is and everything else around her….. I guess it can be overwhelming to those who are not used to it.

I nodded with a smile, my hand caressing her crimson mane. "OK then. Just stay close to me and everything will be fine." Mitta gave me one of the brightest smiles I had ever seen from her when I said those words.

Once we reached the carts of donuts and coffee and milk, I grabbed a paper plate and placed four assorted frosted donuts on it. Mitta did the same, but was unable to do anything about the drinks. "Um…what exactly is 'coffee', James?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "It's a bit on the strong side. Unless you like that stuff, I don't recommend it. I personally never cared for it… Wait. Has Nightmare Moon ever had coffee?" I looked over to my left and stared in horror as Nightmare Moon chugged an entire pot of the stuff. "This doesn't bode well…"

Luna smirked, "So, sister. Do you still feel normal?"

Nightmare Moon shrugged her shoulders, much of her body still coated in bandages while her new crown rested atop her head. "Ugh… Well, that gunk certainly is bitter. I don't think I will be having that again."

You ever get that feeling where you know something unpleasant is about to happen? Well, that was what I was feeling. "I hope they give her a heaping load of decaf before all that caffeine kicks in…"

Mitta asked, "What's caffeine?"

I replied, "Hypes you up. Coffee in particular has a lot of it." When Mitta still looked puzzled, I added, "It turns you into Pinkie Pie."

We both looked at Pinkie Pie, who was being restrained from devouring the rest of the donuts by a small platoon of royal guards. "I'm guessing she's going through withdrawals…"

Mitta looked genuinely disturbed by that sight. "Um… No thanks. I'll stick with milk."

We took a seat on the staircase that led back upstairs. Mitta seemed to be really enjoying the donuts she had collected. "Mmmm… Is all of Equestria's food this yummy?"

I nodded, "Yup, though I can't say the same for the grass and flower dishes. But maybe that's just me."

She replied, "Grass and flowers aren't so bad. I like them."

We continued to enjoy our breakfast for a few more minutes, but then Rainbow Dash trotted up behind me. "Heya, guys. Mind if I have this seat?"

I glanced behind me and saw Rainbow Dash balancing a plate on her head with a few donuts on top. I nodded, "Sure, Rainbow."

Mitta smiled, "That's OK. Go ahead."

Rainbow Dash then flung the dish into the air and caught it in her mouth before catching the donuts on it. She then lowered it to the steps and sat down beside me.

Things were fairly simple from that point on. There was nothing that happened that I really feel is worth mentioning. Although at one point, I felt Rainbow Dash gently leaning against me. She was still eating her donuts, but… Somewhere inside me, I felt that this was deliberate.

In fact, Rainbow Dash seems to have been acting very out of character at times since yesterday. What is wrong with her? Did she suffer brain damage when Nightmare Moon zapped her a few nights ago? Finally, I decided to speak up. "OK, Rainbow. What's the matter?"

She seemed to not have expected me to confront her. "Huh? Whaddya mean? I'm OK."

Mitta nodded, "I don't see anything wrong with her either."

I replied, "It's subtle, but something's not quite right with you. You've been unusually clingy ever since I regained consciousness yesterday. And only towards me. What are you not telling me, Rainbow?"

She was clearly unnerved by my prying. Her eyes glanced around rapidly while looking scared. "Uh… I'm feeling fine, James. I mean…I saw you get hurt a few nights ago… I'm just worried about you."

I sighed, "I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm just fine. Seriously, all of the fatigue I was feeling yesterday is completely gone. So stop worrying about me."

She nodded with a grin, "Yeah, OK. Sorry if I creeped you out."

I then added, "But I'm still not convinced that's the whole reason. Why are you getting this clingy with me? What are you not telling me?"

That look on her face clearly showed that I had backed her into a corner. Her eyes seemed to look towards our friends for a moment before she directed her gaze back at me. She turned her gaze towards the ground and spoke uncharacteristically softly, "I can't tell you that…"

I was not expecting this response at all. "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry… I can't tell you. Not yet." She replied, not looking at me at all.

I was starting to feel genuinely worried about my friend, but was also troubled by what she was hiding. "Rainbow, it's OK. You can tell me. If it's a secret, I can keep it."

She shook her head, "No… I can't tell you yet… But…next month. There's a special day coming up. I'll tell you everything then. So…" She then looked up at me with a pleading gaze while giving me an awkward smile, "Can you wait until then?"

I could tell she was clearly uncomfortable with the discussion, so I decided to just let it go. "OK. I'll wait."

Rainbow then surprised me with a hug, "Awesome. I promise I'll tell you everything then." However, she did not let go of me right away. Why? What was compelling her to hold onto me?

"Um… Rainbow?" I asked, my arms wrapping around her to hug her back. Her head was resting on my shoulder next to my head, so I could not see her face. I heard her let out a sigh though.

"James." Mitta whispered to me through the ear on the opposite side of my head. "Her eyes are closed. Is she feeling all right?"

Now that she mentioned it, Rainbow Dash had completely relaxed in my grasp. "Rainbow, are you just tired?"

That seemed to snap her back to her senses. She pulled away from me suddenly and chuckled, "Uh… Yeah, I'm fine. Guess I just didn't get much sleep last night."

I finally decided to spout how I really felt. I gave her a stern stare and spoke, "You're lying."

She could tell I knew she was up to something. She sighed and backed away from me, "S…sorry… I…"

I felt kind of bad that I had intimidated her like that. I sighed and pulled her close, "Sorry… I won't ask. If you want to hang with me, that's OK. I don't want you to stay away from me."

Rainbow Dash gave me a relieved smile, "OK… But let me go grab some more…" She then looked back at the donut cart and saw Pinkie Pie piling a tower of donuts onto just one plate. "Oh, come on, Pinkie! Save some for us!" I let out a laugh as she swooped back over to Pinkie Pie to stop her from taking the entire donut supply.

"Oh man, Pinkie Pie…" I muttered to myself with a chuckle. Hopefully she will finally overcome her sugar addiction. I would hate to see her come down with diabetes.

"Has she always had such an appetite?" Mitta asked while working on her last donut.

"Yeah, but only when it applies to sweets. It's like her belly is a black hole to anything with high sugar content." I replied while watching Fluttershy giving Pinkie Pie her infamous 'Stare'. I am not sure how, but that seemed to get Pinkie Pie to back off from the donuts with only three on her plate. "A meal with a show. Lucky for us."

Mitta giggled, "They're all so different, but their personalities come together in such a unique way. And you've been with them for a while?"

I nodded, "I'll have known them for a full year in a few months. And they're probably the best thing to ever happen to me."

My friend smiled slightly more brightly than she usually did. "Wow… You think I'll get to know them just as well?"

I smiled at her, "Definitely. Even if the others end up not caring for you that much, which I can guarantee won't happen, I know Pinkie Pie will do everything she can to be your friend. It's like a personal goal of hers."

Mitta smiled, but her smile then curved downward into a frown. "That sounds lovely…"

Just before I could ask anything, I heard someone speak from behind me. "Don't frown, Mitta. I know what you're thinking, but you've already been forgiven for that night. You have a clean slate now."

I looked over my shoulder and found Nightmare Moon resting on the stairs beside me. She smiled, "Trust me. You will be welcomed back into Equestria just like I have."

Mitta sighed with a faint smile while keeping her head bowed, "Thank you, your highness."

Nightmare Moon then inched closer, "You know, Mitta… You and I have a lot in common."

My friend looked up at the princess of the night, "We do?"

The dark alicorn nodded, "Yes. Two lonesome souls rescued from our sins." She then flashed a smirk at me, "By one man who happened to take the time to understand us."

I am very sure I blushed at those words. "Nightmare Moon, you're gonna spoil me if you keep this up."

She then nuzzled me sweetly, "What? It's the truth. Mitta and I owe you much, my friend."

I could not think up an argument to counter that claim, so I remained silent with a sheepish grin. Nightmare Moon then asked, "She will be staying with you in Ponyville, right?"

I crossed my arms, "Come to think of it… Where will you be staying, Mitta?"

She replied promptly, "I just want to stay near you, James… Or at least somewhere close to where you live."

I smiled, "I live at the edge of Ponyville right next to the Everfree Forest. I think the closest residence where one of my friends live is Sweet Apple Acres. But I'm sure we can arrange for you to stay with one of our friends… Huh?" I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Rarity had walked up beside me.

"Oh, don't mind me. I was just curious of what you three were discussing. Please, do go on." My beautiful unicorn friend spoke.

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "Oh, we were merely discussing with Mitta how much our lives have turned around."

Mitta then asked, "Will you be taking me home to Ponyville with you?"

Rarity beamed at her, "Of course, darling! Ponyville is such a cozy little town that anypony can enjoy. Right, James?"

I smirked at Mitta, "In all honesty, I prefer it over Canterlot."

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "I'm sure I'll be able to relate once I've spent some time here."

The four of us engaged in friendly conversation for a while. Eventually though, Mitta asked, "James, do you live alone in Ponyville?"

I replied, "No, I live with Fluttershy and…" It was then I remembered something important. "Oh, crap! Scootaloo! I left last night without making sure someone will be at the house to keep an eye on her!"

Rarity winced, "Oh dear… Do you think she will be OK?"

Nightmare Moon replied, "Well, it is a weekend. She's probably having fun with her friends right now."

I nodded, "I guess so… I just hope she found some sort of way to feed herself without us being there to cook."

Mitta asked, "Um… Who is Scootaloo?"

I replied, "She's my little sister… Oh, wait. Adopted little sister. She's a friend of Apple Bloom. You know her, right?"

Mitta's eyes opened wide, "Apple Bloom… Yes, I know her. She lives in Ponyville?"

Rarity smiled, "Oh, yes. At Sweet Apple Acres. They also happen to be close friends with my little sister. Her name is Sweetie Belle. Chances are you will meet them today."

Mitta gave us a faint smile, "That sounds nice. I wonder if Apple Bloom will remember me…"

I replied, "Pretty hard to forget the face of someone who used to be a zombie by night."

The four of us continued to chat for a while, Rarity and I talking about all sorts of things about Ponyville. Eventually though, Twilight Sparkle came over to us. "Hey, everypony. I don't want to intrude, but it's almost time for us to go. We've been away from Ponyville for quite a while now."

My gaze turned back towards the cart of donuts. The whole thing had been polished off. "Huh… I guess breakfast is over then." I looked at Twilight and asked, "Did Pinkie Pie go overboard?"

Twilight smiled, "Surprisingly, no. Although we did have to restrain her a few times…"

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes, "At least she didn't talk my ear off again."

I snickered, "At least your ears are better attached to your head than Mitta's are."

Rarity seemed to become very nervous at those words, "I'm terribly sorry about that, I really am! I was just scrubbing the best I could to remove all that grime and…"

I noticed Mitta wiggle her ears, apparently to test my words. "They seem just fine to me."

I replied, "OK, never mind then."

Minutes later, we were all gathered on the drawbridge of the Canterlot palace. I was with my friends facing into the palace with Mitta by my side. Twilight was approached by Shining Armor, who proceeded to embrace her. "Take care, Twily. Be sure to come see me and Cadence sometime."

Twilight smiled as she rested her head against her brother's neck, "I will. And tell her we all said hi."

Once the two siblings released each other, Shining Armor smirked at me. "James, I still owe you for that loss a few nights ago. Come back for a rematch anytime."

I sighed, not at all fond of the idea of fighting him again. "I'll pass." For whatever reason, everyone laughed. Perhaps they knew exactly how I would have reacted to those words.

Applejack then stepped forward, "Thank ya'll kindly, her highnesses. We all appreciated the stay."

Celestia smiled, "It was our pleasure. I sent word to the train station in town. You are all set to return to Ponyville."

Luna then spoke, "Mitta, just don't forget. You have a clean slate now. Use it well."

Mitta nodded with an uneasy smile, "I will. Thank you, your highness."

However, Nightmare Moon then stepped forward and stood before me. We were standing eye to eye without a word for a brief moment. She finally asked, "So… This is goodbye, isn't it?"

I nodded, "Yeah…"

She face showed a profound sadness. "We'll see each other again, won't we?"

Celestia seemed to know what was wrong. "Nightmare Moon, don't fret. As one of the rulers of Equestria, you are free to go where you wish, whenever you desire. Even if just for a visit."

Nightmare Moon's gaze brightened before she smirked, "In that case, I will be paying a visit very soon, my friend. At least, once I get out of these bandages. The doctor recommends I don't get around too much just yet."

Pinkie Pie hopped over to Nightmare Moon, "Ooh! You'll be coming to Ponyville soon! Oh, I have so much to show you! I've gotta show you Sweet Apple Acres! Oh, and the spa too! They give out the best massage sessions! And… Oh, I'm sure everypony will get to love you eventually! Then we can…mmph!"

Once again, Nightmare Moon had interrupted Pinkie Pie by stuffing her hoof into Pinkie's mouth. "Enough. I get the idea. Now stop. Like I said before, I am very prone to pain right now. I do NOT need a migraine."

I snickered, "Nightmare Moon. Equestria's finest chatter stopper." Everypony burst into laughter.

Nightmare Moon asked me, "Honestly though, how do you endure such constant noise?"

Twilight replied with a smirk, "You get used to it. She's just being Pinkie Pie, after all."

"Yeah? Well, I haven't!" Rainbow Dash spoke up. Once again, we all chuckled.

Before we could leave, Pinkie Pie stood between Luna and Nightmare Moon before motioning them to lower their heads to her. She then began to whisper something to them. A few seconds later, the two princesses of the night's teal eyes shot open wide in surprise. They then smirked at Pinkie Pie while Luna seemed to mutter, "We'll have to prepare a special gift then."

Pinkie Pie then hopped back over to the rest of our friends before Nightmare Moon and Luna approached me. I knew what they wanted and nodded. Luna stood on her hind legs and threw her forelegs around my neck while resting her head on my left shoulder. Nightmare Moon did the same, wrapping one foreleg around me while gently resting her head on my right shoulder. I sighed with a smile, my arms wrapped around their necks.

"Take care." Nightmare Moon spoke softly.

Luna added, "We'll be seeing you again very soon."

I nodded, "Can't wait. And take good care of your sister, Luna."

Luna chuckled as she and Nightmare Moon released their grips on me while she smiled, "Oh, I shall. We still have lots to talk about. I haven't even told her about the northern borealis yet."

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "Yes, I still have lots to catch up on."

Celestia stepped forward and smiled, "Take care, my little ponies. Oh, and you too, James."

I snickered, "We will. See ya." We all said our goodbyes and headed across the drawbridge with our new friend Mitta by our sides.

Once we were walking through Canterlot, Mitta seemed to be…slightly overwhelmed by the towering structures around her. She seemed to be slightly afraid or nervous. Applejack seemed to notice and asked, "What's the matter, Mitta? Somethin' catch yer eye?"

The crimson-eyed mare replied, "I… I've never seen a town like this… Everything is so…big. And the way everypony is staring… It's too much. I don't feel comfortable here."

Rarity replied, "Uncomfortable? Darling, whatever do you mean?! Canterlot is the capital of Equestria! It is THE place to live! Everypony who is anypony resides here. The living conditions are the best in the land, the fashion is the crème du la crème, and… Yes?" She paused when I tapped her on the head.

"Rarity, not everypony digs towns like Canterlot. I, for one, really don't care for places like this." I spoke, hoping to help her look at things from Mitta's perspective.

"Oh… I see. Well…to each their own, I suppose." She replied sheepishly.

"Well, there's somethin' I never thought I'd hear. I reckon ya'll could've known that way back when." Applejack spoke up with a smug smirk.

Rarity groaned, "There's a difference from doing things ones' own way and simply being uncouth and filthy!" I have no idea what they were getting at, but I strongly suspect Applejack and Rarity did not always see eye-to-eye.

In any case, we reached the train station without a hitch. Mitta still seemed to be drinking in her surroundings once we were on board. "I still can't believe I'm out here during the day…"

Fluttershy smiled, "Equestria is such a wonderful place, Mitta. You're going to love it here."

A faint smile crept across her face, "I hope so…"

I made sure Mitta was seated before the train could pull out of the station so she would not fall over. "It's all downhill from here, girls." Applejack spoke up, but she was likely directing that towards Mitta more than anyone else.

Mitta, like before, watched in awe as the scenery began to move us by just after the entire train suddenly lurched forward. She didn't seem to be paying much attention to me at all. I gently nudged her closer to the window while sitting next to her.

Pinkie Pie giggled, "She's easily pleased, isn't she?"

I replied, "More along the lines of easily impressed. I don't think she has seen much in the ways of modern technology with the exception of electrical lighting."

Before long, we were steadily moving down the mountain range with the train car tilting on an angle every time it made a dip. But when we eventually passed through one of the tunnels on the way down, the entire car became pitch black inside.

"Dark… Night… No!" I heard Mitta shout.

I suspect she feared that the curse of Sunny Town would take effect if she were plunged into darkness like then. However, I was quick to notice that the telltale crimson glow of her eyes was absent. "Mitta, the curse was removed last night. Remember?"

Seconds later, we exited the tunnel with the car filling with natural sunlight. Mitta glanced at herself, clearly surprised that she was still flesh and blood. "It was…? Oh, right. I remember. That was…Nightmare Moon, right?"

Applejack nodded, "Yup. Our new princess was the one who removed that creepy curse from ya."

Mitta sighed, "OK… I just need to get used to this."

Rarity then asked, "Mitta, exactly how long were you cursed until last night?"

Mitta replied, "Over a thousand years ago, but I don't remember exactly when anymore. It's too hard to remember."

Rarity winced, "Goodness, that long?! That would indeed be a hard thing to move on from!"

Twilight then smiled, "Don't worry, Mitta. We'll all be here for you to help you adapt to modern Equestria."

Our new friend gave us an unusually bright smile. "Thank you all. Although, would it be all right if I took a look around this…um…train?"

Applejack nodded, "Sure thing, Mitta. I'll stick with ya to make sure ya don't get lost."

Twilight smiled, "Me too. If you have any questions, I can answer them."

I watched from my seat as the three ponies walked through the end of the train car and into the next car. Fluttershy then took a seat between me and the window, "She's a very sweet girl, James. I hope she'll be OK in Ponyville with us." She said with a faint smile.

I nodded, "I'm sure she'll be fine. It's not like she's going to be living in a bustling metropolis like Manehatten."

The two of us watched the scenery go by, my hand resting on Fluttershy's shoulder. But suddenly, I was nudged towards her as I felt something slide up under my other arm. "Huh?"

Fluttershy also felt the sudden shift in my weight against her and turned to look. "Rainbow Dash?"

Our rowdy pegasus friend had my arm draped over her while looking up at me with a smile. "Heya, James. Got room for one more?"

Fluttershy asked, "Um… I think so. But why are you…" I think she too was starting to notice that Rainbow was being unusually affectionate towards me.

"Oh, this? I didn't sleep well last night, so…mind if I just nap here?" Rainbow Dash replied while letting out an obviously fake yawn.

I could tell Rainbow was up to something, seeing as how she just repeated the same lie from earlier, but it was likely harmless. "I guess that's OK. Just don't go drooling all over me in your sleep."

Rainbow grimaced, "Ew… Uh, don't worry about that. I've never had that kinda problem before." She then closed her eyes and rested her full weight onto me, which I might add was not very much at all.

"I hope she's OK. Rainbow Dash has been acting a little odd for the last few days." Fluttershy spoke softly while looking at her 'sleeping' friend. Of course, I knew there was no way she could be asleep that soon. She was probably wide-awake at that time.

"Yeah, I noticed too. Not sure what's wrong with her. You think she's just a bit traumatized from the whole experience a few nights ago?" I replied, feeling Rainbow Dash's right wing slowly reaching up and draping itself over my upper arm.

Fluttershy nodded with a frown, "I wouldn't be surprised. Just thinking about how you looked when we found you… Ugh, I get chills just thinking about it…" She then looked up at me and placed a kiss on my cheek. "I'm so glad you're OK after all that. I hope this is the last time we ever have such an awful crisis on our hooves."

I nodded, my arm draped across her. "Me too. Those are never much fun to deal with. Even though we got something very good out of it."

The two of us continued to watch the scenery go by in silence, just enjoying each other's company. Although I will admit it felt somewhat awkward with Rainbow Dash intruding on us. I could tell she was not really asleep by how she was slowly moving her wing across my arm. Seriously, what was going on in her head? Now I am beginning to fear that she is becoming just as hard to understand as Pinkie Pie. And that is an accomplishment!

After a while longer, Fluttershy stood up and walked out into the aisle. "Excuse me for a bit, honey. I need to use the restroom."

I nodded with a smile, "OK. Take your time." For whatever reason, Rainbow Dash seemed to have her left eye open a crack as Fluttershy walked away and out of sight. I did not pay much mind to it though.

Once I heard the door at the end of the car slide closed, I felt Rainbow Dash starting to straighten herself up against me. As if she was trying to find a more comfortable position. I could not help but feel apprehensive at this though. Almost felt as if something was about to fall on my head. I glanced over at Pinkie Pie to affirm this. Her tail was not twitching, so that risk was ruled out. But I still felt worried.

Bit by bit, Rainbow propped herself up against me more and more. It soon felt like her head was right next to mine. Curious of what she was doing, I turned my head to face her. What I saw right next to me surprised me. Rainbow Dash was indeed eyelevel to me. Eyes half-closed with a whimsical smirk on her face. Very slowly, she began to narrow the distance between our faces. What was she doing? And why could I not look away? It was as if I was bewitched.

Rainbow Dash's eyes opened fully the instant we heard the door at the far end of the train car open. A second later, I noticed Fluttershy approaching my seat. And for whatever reason, Rainbow Dash suddenly jumped away from me and into the aisle. "Oh, hey! Just remembered I gotta go do something. Be right back!" She spoke before galloping down the aisle and past Fluttershy. "Hi, Fluttershy!" She spoke in a slightly panicked tone when she passed my girlfriend.

Fluttershy came over to me and asked, "Rainbow Dash seemed to be in a hurry. Did something happen?"

I looked over at her and shrugged, "No idea. A minute ago, she seemed to be asleep. Claimed she was still tired, but she seemed pretty spry when she ran outta here."

Fluttershy looked back down the aisle to where Rainbow Dash had run off. "I hope she's all right. The events from a few nights ago must have been hard on her nerves."

I nodded as Fluttershy returned to her place next to the window, "Yeah… That's something I don't ever want to repeat."

She then asked, "You know… The way your faces were so close together. Do you think she was trying to kiss you?"

Kiss me? The thought had never occurred to me. Although… "I strongly doubt it. There is no way a wild woman like her could ever have that kind of interest in a laidback guy like me."

Fluttershy nodded, "I think you're right. You are almost nothing like her. She's loud, rowdy, and loves action. But you're quiet, reserved, and prefer to avoid situations that are dangerous. I think the only thing you do have in common with her is your loyalty to your friends."

I nodded while directing my gaze to the window. "Exactly. And one shared trait isn't enough to warrant romantic attraction."

Nothing of importance occurred during the rest of the ride. But by the time we had pulled into Ponyville's train station, Mitta had returned to the seat right in front of me. She sighed once the train had pulled to a stop. "Oh… Is it over?"

Pinkie Pie nodded, "Yeah, that's the problem with all trains. They always end at some point!"

Once we had all disembarked from the train, Mitta looked around at her surroundings. "This is Ponyville during the day? It's…pretty colorful."

Applejack smiled, "Just wait til ya take a closer look."

We all led her off the train platform and into town. As usual, plenty of ponies were going about their business. I, for one, was very glad to be back home. It felt much better to be in the humble and wide open streets of Ponyville than the narrow stuffy roads of Canterlot. I was about to voice how glad I was to be back home, but Mitta beat me to it. "I like it here more than Canterlot."

Rarity spoke up, "Whatever do you mean? Canterlot is THE place to be in Equestria. Anypony who is…mmph?!"

Pinkie Pie had stopped Rarity from talking by stuffing her hoof into our friend's mouth. "And ponies say I'm a broken record!"

Rainbow Dash snickered, "You learn that from Nightmare Moon?"

Our silly pink friend grinned, "Sure did! And it's very effective!" Rarity grumbled while rolling her eyes.

I spoke, "Rarity, everyone knows how much you love Canterlot. But you don't need to keep spouting it at every mention of the name."

When Pinkie Pie removed her hoof from her mouth, Rarity sighed, "Yes, I suppose I do have a problem containing my passion. I will try to reign in that urge more effectively from now on."

As we walked along, Mitta was constantly glancing around at her surroundings. She seemed to be just as curious as I was when I first entered Ponyville for the first time. I seemed to notice a smile spreading across her face after a short while. "Feeling OK?" Twilight asked as she walked up beside her.

Mitta nodded, "Yes. I'm just taking in the sights. And I… Are my cheeks sore?"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "That must be from not smiling enough! Come on! Smile a big one!"

Mitta let out a faint giggle, "Sorry. I haven't had much reason to smile in a very long time."

Fortunately for me, today is a Sunday. Therefore, I did not have to worry about getting fired from either of my jobs. That naturally meant I could spend the whole day with my friends.

Eventually, we came to the town square. The town hall was jutting up in the center like always with the prank parlor and spa being to our right. Rarity brought a hoof to her chin. "Now that I think about it… I do believe we could all use a good long soak after our most recent endeavors."

Fluttershy smiled, "Ooh, that sounds lovely. I know you'll love it too, Mitta."

Mitta asked, "A soak? Where?"

I pointed at the spa, "Right over there. They have excellent service and the spa workers are always friendly. I even work there on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, so drop on by if you want a massage."

At the mention of the word 'massage', Rarity's eyes brightened. "Oh, yes! You absolutely MUST come by when he is on duty! His fingers are like magic to your joints! I have never ever felt so limber after one of those sessions!"

Rarity had gotten right up in Mitta's face while saying that, which was clearly unnerving her. "Um… Wow. Sounds…uh…amazing."

Applejack chuckled, "Well, wanna find out fer yerself?"

Twilight nodded, "I think we all could use a little self-indulgence after all that's happened lately. Shall we?"

I shrugged, "OK. Just remember that I'm off-duty today, so no massages." Rarity let out a disappointed groan at those words. I swear I suspect she may be addicted to my touch. Assuming that is even possible, that is.

We all entered the spa at the same time. Seated at the front desk was Aloe, who seemed rather surprised to see us all come in together. She glanced up at me and spoke in her very distinct accent, "Mr. James, where have you been for the last few days? You missed two work days!"

Rarity spoke up for me, "Oh, we had some very important business to attend to in Canterlot and were not able to return home until not even thirty minutes ago! We are quite simply exhausted and absolutely need to relax for a while. The usual, please!

Aloe's eyes seemed to scan us over for a moment before nodding, "All right. This way, everypony." She stepped out from behind her desk and led us into the main chamber of the spa.

"She's very pretty." Mitta spoke softly to me.

I smiled, "Then you should see her sister. Some of the prettiest ponies in town."

Once we had entered the main chamber, I noticed Lotus tending to who was likely their only customer at the time. Lyra was relaxing on one of the massage tables while Lotus was rubbing her hooves into her back while standing at the side.

"Who's that?" Mitta asked, clearly having never seen her before.

I pointed, "The pony who looks just like Aloe is Lotus. And that pony with the harp cutie mark is Lyra. Some call her Heartstrings though."

At my words, Lyra turned her head in my direction and seemed to notice me right away. She motioned for me to approach her with a smile. As she did, Aloe spoke to my left. "Right this way, everypony."

All of my friends followed the spa sister, but I instead headed towards Lyra. But before I could speak to her, she spoke up first. "Hey there, James. Who's your friend?"

I glanced down to my left and found that Mitta was still standing near me. "Huh? Mitta? Why didn't you go with the others?"

She replied softly while looking up at me, "Because I feel safe with you…"

I could only smile warmly at those words. I then looked back at Lyra and smiled, "This is Mitta. She's new in town, so she's a little nervous about this place."

Lyra could only chuckle before looking at my friend, "Oh, don't be scared! Ponyville is one of the nicest places in Equestria! You're gonna love it here. Anyway, I'm Heartstrings. But you can call me Lyra if you want."

She then looked back at me, "Where've you been the last few days? I haven't seen you in a while!"

I took a seat on one of the unused massage tables and replied, "Business in Canterlot. It's a long story."

Lyra smiled, "Ooh, spent time in Canterlot? You lucky guy. I almost never get to go there. Last time I went was to attend Princess Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding."

I nodded, but then something occurred to me. "Hang on. If Princess Cadence got married, doesn't that make her a queen? And if so, doesn't that mean she outranks Celestia and Luna now?"

At those words, I got the strangest feeling. As if everyone in the entire room had turned their gaze towards me with expressions that seemed to be ones someone would give if I had just pulled out an assault rifle and threatened to massacre everyone in town.

Lyra did not have an answer to my question, but there was a sudden flash next to us as Twilight Sparkle seemed to pop up with the use of the teleportation spell. Although her mane was wrapped up in a towel while her face was coated in that thick green facial cream with a cucumber slice over one eye. The other was covered in the cream. "Sorry, but I overheard. I think the reason why Cadence isn't a queen is because she has very little ruling power in Equestria. To be a queen, you need to have absolute rule over a nation, right?"

Mitta nodded, "I think that's right…"

I smiled, "Well, that answers that question. How'd you come up with that so fast?"

Twilight grinned, "I'm a fast thinker most of the time."

I smirked, "Most of the time indeed. I haven't forgotten when you literally turned your entire house upside-down to find that copy of Mythological Mysteries as opposed to looking in the M section of the library."

One massive flaw I have found with Twilight Sparkle is that while she is indeed smarter than me, she has an incredibly bad habit of overreacting to certain events that could easily be solved by asking one question. And tragically, she consistently fails to learn to not repeat them. Fortunately, these overreactions come of as funny instead of annoying more often than not.

In any case, I could tell Twilight knew what I was talking about. And judging by that sheepish grin, she was not very proud of herself for them. "Yeah… About that day… Um…" A second later, she vanished in a flash. On the other side of the hot tub that was in the center of the room, I heard a crash along with Twilight letting out a yelp.

"Uh… Twi? Ya know yer supposed ta lie on the middle of the table, not just on the very edge, right?" Applejack asked. It sounded like Twilight had teleported back over to where she had been resting a moment ago and ended up not being very centered on the platform where she was having her facial done. And as a result, toppled off of it.

"I can't see anything through this stuff on my face! What did you expect?!" Twilight groaned in response.

I looked at Mitta and smiled, "Don't worry about her. She's actually very precise in just about everything she does. Usually, anyway."

Mitta actually looked a bit intimidated at my words. "Um… Should I keep my distance from her?"

Lyra smiled, "Oh, don't worry about that. She's not dangerous."

I then looked around and eyed the hot tub. I did not particularly feel up for a facial, although a massage sounded good after that ordeal a few nights ago. But first, a dip in the hot tub sounded best. Only once again….. I forgot to bring swim trunks.

"Um… Could you girls look away for a bit? I need to undress for the hot tub." I asked while stepping up to the platform next to it.

Mitta nodded, "OK." She then turned away along with Lotus and Lyra.

I managed to get my shirt and pants off in no time. But just after I set my boxers aside, I heard Pinkie Pie call out from somewhere over the wall next to me. "Heads up, James! Peeping Dash is trying to sneak a peek!"

I replied while glancing around, "Peeping what now?! Whoa!" I ended up tumbling into the hot tub, creating quite a splash in the process. When I resurfaced (and let me remind you that the hot tub is quite shallow) I found Mitta, Lotus, and Lyra soaked with water. "Uh… Everyone OK?"

Lotus gave me a very unamused stare, "That was uncalled for." She then went over to the other side of the hot tub, presumably to scold Rainbow Dash.

"Well, I'd say I'm done here." Lyra spoke before jumping down from the massage table and shaking herself off. "Let's talk again later, James. OK?"

I nodded while resting my elbow on the side of the tub, "Sounds good, Lyra. See ya." Mitta also waved goodbye with a slight smile as Lyra headed for the exit.

Mitta then looked back up at me, her tail and mane drooping from how wet they were. "Um… So, do I join you?"

I nodded, "If you want. There's no one stopping you." Mitta faintly smiled before walking up to the side the tub and slowly immersing herself in it. "Whoa… I've never felt anything like this before."

I smiled, "That's how a hot tub feels. Steamy, right?"

Mitta then asked, "Is my ear going to fall off again while I'm in here?" I had to suppress a snicker at those words.

"Probably not. You're not cursed anymore. Remember?" Mitta could only flash me a happy smile in response.

Mitta tried to find a comfortable position in the tub, but ultimately resorted to taking a seat next to me near the side. I asked her, "Come to think of it, where are you going to stay in Ponyville?"

She looked at me with those big crimson eyes and smiled, "I'd like to live with you, if that's all right."

I was worried she would say that. Unfortunately, Fluttershy's cottage does not have another room that could be used as a guest room. And I was uncomfortable with the idea of letting her sleep in the same bed as Fluttershy and me. "Um… Sorry, but I don't think that's possible. We just don't have anywhere for you to stay over there."

Mitta sighed while her ears drooped, "Oh… Never mind then…"

I then asked, "Why live with me though?"

My friend sighed, "You're the only friend I've ever known outside of Sunny Town… I'm…afraid of being away from you…"

I sighed, "Oh, Mitta… You know I'm not your only friend anymore. You can have lots of friends and never weaken the bond you have with your first friend." I wrapped my arms around her for a gentle embrace and rested my head on top of hers.

Mitta spoke softly, "I know… I'm trying to be friends with the others, but…you're the one I feel closest to right now."

"Awww, ain't that sweet of ya, Mitta. Now I've got a case of the warm fuzzies." I heard Applejack speak. I opened my eyes and found that our six friends had already taken a dip in the hot tub too.

Rarity spoke, "Mitta, I understand you are very close with James. Trust me, we had an incident not that long ago where we were separated from our dear friend here. When we saw him return, we were just as hesitant as you to leave him alone for a while."

Pinkie Pie then beamed, "But don't worry! As long as you know where to find your friend the next day, you'll never be apart for long!"

I looked at Mitta while she looked at me and smiled, "I always go to Ponyville every single day. So you can just ask around for me. I'm pretty hard to overlook, seeing as how I'm the only human in town."

Fluttershy then smiled, "But anyway, Mitta… We would love to be friends with you. That is…if you're all right with it."

Mitta looked around at our six friends. She then smiled, a single tear trickling down her cheek. "I would like that too."

All six of our friends let out an aww before moving closer and embracing Mitta in a group hug. I joined in as well, wrapping my arms around as many ponies as I could. Mitta spoke quietly, "I don't think I've ever gotten so many hugs in so few days before."

Applejack chuckled, "Then ya better get used to it, girl. Because we Ponyville folk just love givin' hugs."

Mitta let out a faint giggle, "I don't think I'll have any trouble there."

The eight of us sat in the hot tub, just idly chatting together for a while. Fluttershy always stayed close to me though. However, I soon felt her long tail gently caressing me somewhere under the water. "Um… Fluttershy?" I muttered quietly to her.

Fluttershy replied with a blush, "Sorry. I can't help it…" I then felt her tail rub me between the legs, causing me to gain an erection in seconds. I was grateful that it was hard to tell with the rippling water covering me though.

"Honey, please. Tonight. I promise." I spoke softly, trying my best to convince my beautiful girlfriend to hold off on her advances for the rest of the day.

She paused for a moment, but then leaned against me with a smile. "OK. I'll wait." Fluttershy then looked up at me with a meek frown, "I'm sorry that I'm being so…bold today. I just…"

I placed a kiss on her forehead to silence her, "I understand, honey. And to be honest… I want you too." Fluttershy blushed very deeply at those words. Her eyes were wide open with nervousness, but I could also tell that she was excited.

Minutes went by with us just chatting before I finally decided to get out of the hot tub. "Excuse me." I spoke while crawling to the edge of the tub. There was a dry towel at the edge. As I stood up, I held it between me and my friends to block their view of my lower body before wrapping it around my waist. But not before I noticed something. "I see that look you're giving me, Rainbow!"

That brash pegasus mare jumped, her wings spread wide in a wingboner. "Huh?! What?! How'd you notice?!" All of our friends laughed. That little pervert just cannot keep her mind off of such things when they present themselves to her, can she?

I walked down to one of the massage tables and took a seat on one while waiting for my body to dry so I could put my clothes back on. I could have just used the towel itself, but doing so would leave my lower body exposed while rubbing it all over myself. But I then heard a voice speak next to me, "Would you care for a massage, James?"

To my left was Lotus. She was looking at me with a smile. "Would that be OK with you?" I asked, not entirely sure if she would do a good job on a creature she has never massaged before.

"Of course. I am very confident in my skills." Lotus replied with a grin.

I smiled before lying myself down on the table the best I could. My lower legs hung off the end since the table was a bit short for a human though. Lotus then propped herself up next to the table while I rested my chin on a pillow that rested atop my folded arms. "Just relax."

I felt Lotus gently press her hooves down into my back. For whatever reason, the touch of her hooves was perfectly smooth. Perhaps she and Aloe file their hooves down to make sure they are as smooth as glass. "Mmm… I never knew hooves could have such a soft touch."

"Miss Fluttershy prefers this type of massage over Quake's." Lotus replied while gently kneading the flesh on my back. While her wide hooves made massaging my joints difficult, they were working wonders on my muscles. Since I am no expert in describing massage experiences, I will not try going into detail on how it felt. But by the time Lotus had finished, I had very nearly fallen asleep. I was that relaxed.

"Um… James? I finished." Lotus spoke while poking my neck.

"Uh… Huh? It's over?" I replied, snapping back to my senses.

I brought myself to a sitting position, feeling very relaxed and limber. "Man, that really works. Thanks, Lotus."

My employer smiled at me before looking up at the hot tub. Rarity was seated next to the edge. "Miss Rarity. Would you care for a massage as well?"

Rarity looked down at us before smiling, "Oh, I appreciate the offer, Lotus. However, I would rather save myself for my personal masseuse. I just can't get enough of his magic fingers." She then flashed me a wink.

I stood up and walked over to the hot tub. "Fluttershy, when do you think you and Rarity will be stopping in for your weekly visit?"

She replied, "Um… How does Thursday sound?"

Rarity grinned, "Oh, sounds like a perfect time. I'll be sure to make some room in my schedule."

I then asked, "Sounds good. Oh, and Rarity? Could you hand me my clothes over there?"

The beautiful white unicorn nodded, "My pleasure, darling." Her horn was engulfed by a billowing azure aura, as was my clothes. They then floated over to me and into my hands.

"Thanks, Rarity. Oh, and…" I then whispered to her, "Keep an eye on Rainbow Dash while I'm changing."

Rarity winked at me once more, "Got it. You leave her to me."

As I began to walk behind the tub where the wall stood next to the platform that allowed the occupants to climb out, I noticed Rainbow Dash eyeing me. But as soon as I dropped my towel to put my pants on, I heard Rarity let out some sort of…battle cry? It was immediately followed by a splash. "All right, Rainbow Dash! You and me! Let's go!"

I froze at those words. Just what the hell was Rarity doing to keep Rainbow Dash preoccupied? Rainbow Dash replied, "Oh ho, water wrestling, huh? All right, bring it on!"

While I got dressed, there was a constant orchestra of grunts, groans, shouts, and splashes coming from just over the wall next to me. When I finally peeked over the side after getting dressed, I found Rainbow Dash leaning over the side while panting heavily. Rarity was in the center of the tub while taking a bow. Pinkie Pie then cheered, "And the winner is Rarity! What a stunning aquatic performance!"

Rarity beamed, "Thank you, thank you. It was all about the flexibility."

Rainbow Dash groaned weakly, "Can't believe she beat me…"

I snickered at her worn out expression, "That's life, Rainbow. You can't win them all. It's just not possible." I can only imagine what Rarity did to tire her out. Did she try to drown Rainbow Dash?

Throughout the rest of the visit, I just sat and watched my friends go through the various stages of the spa with Mitta. From the sauna to the mud bath to the massages. Mitta seemed to be enjoying herself quite thoroughly, often smiling. It was rather entertaining to listen to my friends chatting together about various things. It is like everything involving them never gets old.

We must have been there for a few hours by the time everyone was ready to leave. "Hoo wee! Been a while since I had a good time that relaxin'." Applejack spoke as she stretched.

Rainbow Dash also stretched, "Yeah. Really loosened me up!"

Mitta also sighed with a smile, "That was all so…nice. Maybe I'll come by again soon."

Rarity then spoke to her, "Be sure to come with Fluttershy and me on Thursday. We'll be attending too." At that moment though, I heard their bellies rumble. "But first… Why don't we all go get a bite to eat?"

Pinkie Pie hopped, "Sounds good to me! I'll make sure the cupcakes are fresh!"

However, Twilight spoke up, "Pinkie, she meant lunch, not dessert. Let's save Sugarcube Corner for afterward." Mitta seemed rather disheartened by that, her face showing a frown while her head was tilted downward.

Fluttershy seemed to notice and smiled, "Oh, don't worry, Mitta. I assure you the local café has a lovely variety of all sorts of delicious food to choose from."

Mitta gave us a slight smile, "OK. I'll wait and see what they have."

Rarity then smiled as she led us towards the lobby, "You should save the sweets for after the proper meal anyway, Mitta."

We were soon heading through Ponyville together. Mitta, as usual, was taking in her surroundings without saying a word. But before long, Pinkie Pie gasped. "Uh oh! Twitchy tail!" Sure enough, her tail was twitching madly.

This seemed to get Mitta's attention. She asked, "Twitchy tail? What's that for?"

Rainbow Dash was looking up with a wary expression, "That's just her Pinkie Sense. It's kinda like a warning system. And when her tail twitches, it means…"

I pointed upward, "Something's falling!" I held out my arms and braced my legs as something fell towards me. I managed to catch it without being knocked to the ground. But when I looked at what I had caught, I rolled my eyes. "Oh. Hey there, Derpy."

That goofy mailmare looked up at me and smiled, "Hey there, James! Nice catch!"

Applejack chuckled, "Howdy, Derpy. What brings ya down here?"

She replied as I set her down, "Just making my rounds! But then I had muffins on the brain and forgot to keep my wings flapping."

I nodded, "I can relate."

Pinkie Pie then put her foreleg around Mitta's neck and pulled her close. "Mitta, this is Derpy Hooves! She's the local mailmare. Say hi!"

Mitta waved meekly, "Um… Hi there."

Derpy smiled, "Oh, hello, Mitta! Let me see if I have anything for you…" She began to rummage through her mailbag, but soon looked back at her, "Huh… I don't have anything for you, Mitta. Are you vacationing here?"

Twilight spoke up, "Actually, Mitta only just showed up here today. She's moving in, but we're trying to find a place for her to stay."

Derpy grinned, "Oh! OK then! Well, let me know what your new address is once you decide on it! Anyway, I better get moving. I'm on break and I need my muffin fix! See ya!" She then trotted away in the direction of Sugarcube Corner.

"She's…interesting." Mitta spoke with an awkward smile.

I replied, "Derpy's a sweetheart, Mitta. You can't help but like her. She's essentially Ponyville's loveable little derp."

Rainbow Dash groaned, "Yeah? Well, you don't know how much of a klutz she can be. You weren't here when she wrecked the town hall."

I winced, "She… What?!"

Applejack replied, "Ya really don't wanna know."

I decided to drop the conversation right there and continued walking with my friends beside me. Eventually, the café did come into view. There were not many customers about, so we were free to choose a table. Only we found there was a problem. "Um… Is there enough room for eight people around one table?" I asked while observing the tables.

"Come to think of it, all seven of us barely fit at a table." Rainbow Dash replied.

Twilight then spoke up, "Then lets sit at two tables that are right next to each other… Oh! And let me go get Spike so he doesn't end up being left out! I'll be right back." She then ran off while we stayed behind.

"Two tables? Why didn't I think of that?" Rarity spoke before she used her magic to levitate another table over to ours. They were round, so they could not be placed right next to each other. Instead, they were placed a short distance apart with piles of hay set up around them to function as seats. Thankfully, Rarity made sure to place a stool next to one for me to use.

"Do we just wait for Twilight?" Mitta asked while she stood next to a table.

"Yes. Although I think it would be OK if we took our seats." Fluttershy replied as she sat on one of the hay piles next to the stool. We all sat down as well, though Mitta sat on the hay pile that was adjacent to mine.

"Now we just gotta wait fer… Ah, there they come now!" Applejack spoke up. Walking towards the café was Twilight with Spike riding on her back.

Twilight smiled at us, "Hey, everypony. I hope I wasn't gone too long." She then looked back at Spike. "Spike, you remember Mitta, don't you?"

The little dragon boy looked past Twilight's head at my friend. "Huh? Isn't she the zombie from last night?"

I replied, "Not anymore. Nightmare Moon lifted the curse from her."

"Nightmare Moon… Wait! You're serious?! Nightmare Moon is…mmph!" Spike spoke, but was cut off when Twilight stuffed her hoof into his mouth.

Spike's shouting had drawn some attention from the other customers around us. They were all looking in our directions. Rarity then slunk over to Spike and patted him on the head, "Oh, don't mind us! Poor little Spikey Wikey here just had a bad dream last about Nightmare Moon force-feeding him diamonds until he couldn't move!"

Spike raised a finger and spoke, "Actually…..that's exactly what I dreamed about last night. I almost couldn't eat my breakfast after I woke up." I could not help but snicker at just how cutely Rarity was treating Spike. Her little Spikey Wikey? What is she? An older sister to him?

Once all eyes were off of us, Twilight whispered, "Don't freak out like that in public, Spike. Yes, Nightmare Moon has returned. But she's a good person now. I swear, she's changed. It's all thanks to James here."

Spike seemed bewildered by those words. He looked at me and asked, "Wait… She a good pony now? Really?"

I smiled, "Yeah, a very sweet mare. She can be snide, but what do you expect?"

Spike grinned, "If that's the case, we gotta tell everypony about it! Let's…"

Twilight silenced Spike again by placing her hoof over his mouth. "I'm sorry, Spike. But please don't do that. Reintroducing Nightmare Moon to Equestria has to be handled very carefully."

Pinkie Pie nodded, "Yeah, if you thought Princess Luna had it rough when she first came back, just imagine how hard it must be for the REAL Nightmare Moon!"

Applejack added, "She's got her entire reputation on 'er back, Spike. It's probably gonna take a long time before she can show 'er face 'round these parts."

Fluttershy spoke softly, "I'm sure Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are working very hard to find a way to let Nightmare Moon see her subjects without frightening them off. But it probably will take lots of planning."

Spike nodded when Twilight removed her hoof from his mouth. "OK, I see what you mean. I'll keep my mouth shut about it." He then added some extra hay to one hay pile around one of our tables and hopped up onto it. "She sounds like an interesting pony from the way you put it. I think I'd like to meet the new Nightmare Moon next time she comes to Ponyville."

Rainbow Dash then smirked, "Yeah, but make sure you don't run for the hills at the first sight of her."

Before long, the waiter came by. All of my friends placed their orders, though I cannot remember what they were. My response was 'The Usual'. I had developed a love for the OBG pasta that had shrimp and scallops in it with tomatoes and spinach. However, Mitta could not seem to make up her mind.

"Um… Uh… What do I choose….." She muttered.

Rarity then spoke up, "Allow me, darling." She then spoke to the waiter, "A cold bottle of sparkling cider and the special of the day for our friend here." The waiter nodded and used the levitation spell to carry our menus away before disappearing into the café.

Mitta asked, "What IS the special you ordered for me?"

Rarity replied with a grin, "I don't know! But anything that ends up on the menu as a 'special' is bound to be fabulous."

Fluttershy then asked, "So, Mitta… How has Ponyville been to you so far?"

Our new friend looked back and forth at her surroundings. "It's…"

Pinkie Pie leaned towards her with an excited grin. "Yeeeees?"

Mitta looked around a moment more before looking at all of us with a reserved smile. "It's perfect."

Rarity asked, "Perfect?"

Mitta replied, "Nopony has been judgmental towards me and they seem so at peace with each other. Everypony I have interacted with today has been very hospitable even though I've only just arrived here today. The atmosphere… There's no spite or hate here." She then looked at me with an almost tearful smile. "I never want to leave this place."

I nodded with a smile of my own, "My thoughts exactly."

Twilight smiled, "I'm glad to hear that, Mitta. I know you'll love it here in Ponyville. And pretty soon, you'll have plenty of friends."

Spike spoke up, "Yeah, it really doesn't take long to make friends here! We made a whole bunch of friends on our first night in Ponyville!"

Twilight, for whatever reason, rolled her eyes at those words. "Oh please, Spike. Those were just a whole bunch of ponies who showed up uninvited to my welcoming party." However, she then noticed everyone staring at her. I too must admit that she sounded like she really did not care for anyone back then.

The purple unicorn mare grinned sheepishly, "Oh, don't think I don't care about my friends! It's just that I had no interest in friendship when I first came to Ponyville. I'm actually surprised by how quickly that changed in just two days."

I nodded, "You ponies bond very quickly, from what I can see. A lot faster than we humans do."

Before we could talk further, the waiter returned with a large platter of all of our orders on it. It was floating in the air with the use of the levitation spell. I am actually surprised he was able to levitate so many objects at once, but then again, Twilight and Rarity can do it too with ease.

"Wow… That's a lot of variety." Mitta spoke once the waiter departed.

Fluttershy smiled, "Ponyville has many different types of foods to choose from since it has such strong agriculture. Didn't Sunny Town have lots of different foods like these?"

Mitta sighed, "Actually…no. No one ever visited and the types of crops we grew were very limited…"

Pinkie Pie must have been trying to add emphasis to just how dull such a life must have been since she let out a yawn. "Boooooring. I would've hated to live there!"

Mitta surprised us by smiling and letting out a chuckle, "Exactly. I hated it there too."

Rarity then smiled, "Well, there's no sense in dwelling on the past. Let's focus on the present. Such as enjoying these fine treats."

Applejack nodded, "Sounds good ta me. Let's chow down!"

We all went to work on our meals. All of my friends had ordered entrees I had seen before, but Mitta's was different with it being a special and all. It seemed to be a type of veggie and fruit salad topped with raspberry vinaigrette. Right after she took the first bite, Mitta really went to town on it. "Easy there, Mitta. Eat too fast and you'll get the hiccups." I spoke up, knowing all too well what happens when that happens.

In mere minutes, Mitta had polished off her entire plate while the rest of us were only half done. She then sighed in satisfaction and looked at me. "That was amazing…hic…" She then blushed, "Wait… Did I…hic…"

I snickered, "Hey, I warned you." The rest of my friends started laughing, but then Spike started hiccupping as well. His plate of hay fries were gone, so he likely ate too fast as well.

Mitta did not speak while the rest of us worked on our meals. Probably hoping the hiccups would wear off by the time we finished. Fortunately, they did. "Man, that hit the spot." Rainbow Dash spoke before letting out a belch.

"Ugh, mind your manners, Rainbow Dash." Rarity spoke with a disgruntled expression.

Pinkie Pie giggled, "I think that means the food was excellent!"

Mitta smiled faintly, "Thank you for the meal. I really enjoyed it. Do I owe you anything?"

Applejack shook her head, "Nah, it's on us, Mitta. Don't worry about it."

My friend seemed genuinely surprised by this heartfelt act, but then smiled while looking a little guilty. "Thank you…" We then all placed a pile of bits on the table and walked away.

Mitta asked as we walked, "Well… What do we do now?"

We all stopped at these words. We had been away from home very frequently over the last few days due to the incident with Nightmare Moon and getting Mitta to Canterlot last night to have the curse removed from her.

Rarity gasped, "Oh dear! I just remembered I have half a dozen dresses to finish by tomorrow!" She then looked at us, "So sorry to have to leave on such short notice, but I really must return home to finish up my work. Shall we rendezvous tomorrow?"

Fluttershy smiled, "I guess so. I know how important your work is, Rarity."

All of my other friends nodded and smiled too. "Oh, thank you all. Well, I must be going. Ta ta!" Rarity said with a smile before running off.

"Come ta think of it… I reckon we're all a lil' behind schedule with some things." Applejack spoke.

Rainbow Dash turned her gaze to the sky, "Whoa, we've got a pretty bad cloudcover today. I guess I've been away from home for too long. I better get to work too!"

Fluttershy nodded, "And I'm sure all my little friends at home are all starving. I need to feed them right away."

Pinkie Pie grinned, "I guess I don't have much to do, but I gotta get to planning a special party for this month!"

Twilight then smiled, "Well, I guess I'm free today. What about you, Spike?"

Spike, who was still seated on Twilight's back, smiled, "Oh, I finished up all my morning chores before you got home. I'm free too."

"In that case, we'll see ya'll later." Applejack spoke before all of our friends went on their merry ways.

"So… It's just us now?" Mitta asked.

Twilight nodded, "Looks that way. You want us to show you around Ponyville, Mitta?"

I added, "Actually, I think we need to find her a place to live."

Spike smiled, "Oh! Why don't you stay with us?! I think we have enough room for one more housemate!"

Twilight smiled, "Great idea! I've had guests stay over a few times. There's enough room for you to live there full time."

Mitta smiled for a second, but then seemed to frown. "That sounds nice, but…" She then looked up at me, "I was hoping I could live with you, James."

Those words actually surprised me. I know Mitta and I are close, but still… "Um… I'm not sure that's possible, Mitta. They only room we have that could be used as a guest room is already being used by my little sister. I'm afraid there's just no room for you there."

Mitta sighed, clearly disappointed. But she then asked, "Well… What's the closest place to where you live?"

Twilight replied, "That would be Sweet Apple Acres. That's Applejack's home and it's very close to where James and Fluttershy live."

Mitta paused for a moment, probably to ponder the choice. She then nodded, "OK. I'll take a look at it."

Spike smiled, "If you like apples, you'll never be without them while you're there. You can just go outside and kick a tree if you're hungry!"

Twilight giggled, "I guess so, but you'd probably have to get permission from Applejack first before you can eat her property."

A short while later, we were standing just outside Sweet Apple Acres. "Well, here we are." Twilight spoke with a smile. I was looking down at Mitta, expecting her to be pleased by the sight of the humble orchard. However, her expression was surprisingly neutral.

"Come on, Mitta! You can at least act excited!" Spike spoke up, apparently noticing her lack of enthusiasm as well.

Mitta sighed, "Um… Don't worry about me. Let's go find Applejack."

As we walked forward, I asked, "Are you OK?"

She did not reply right away, but we soon found Applejack emerging from the barn. She was quick to notice us and trotted our way. "Howdy, ya'll! What bring ya over ta my place?"

Twilight smiled and motioned towards Mitta, "Hello again, Applejack. Mitta here was considering moving in with you. Do you have a spare room?"

Applejack seemed very excited at those words, "We sure do! And the Apple family would love havin' ya bunkin' with us, Mitta. Want me ta show ya 'round?"

For whatever reason, Mitta looked around for a moment. Was she eyeing the barn and the vast orchard of apple trees? Finally, she replied, "Thank you, Applejack. But…I don't want to live here."

Applejack seemed puzzled by those words, as was I. "Huh? No? But I though ya wanted to… Isn't that why yer out here?"

Mitta replied, "I wasn't sure of what to expect. But now that I've seen the place… I don't want to be here. The architecture here and the many trees reminds me too much of Sunny Town… And I don't want to be reminded of that place."

Applejack seemed surprisingly saddened by those words, but she nodded. "I get what yer sayin'. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't wanna see lotsa trees again after spendin' a thousand years around them. Maybe ya would be better off livin' somewhere closer ta town."

Mitta smiled faintly, "Thank you for understanding, Applejack."

However, a thought popped into my head. "Applejack, are the Cutie Mark Crusaders at their clubhouse right now?"

My farm pony friend nodded, "They sure are. Wanna go see 'em?"

I nodded, "Yes, but I would like Mitta to see them too."

Mitta asked, "The Cutie Mark Crusaders? Who are they?"

I replied with a smile, "Remember Apple Bloom? She's a member of the group."

Mitta's face brightened slightly at that name. "Apple Bloom? She's there?"

I nodded, "You remember her, right? Want to see her again?"

She nodded, "Yes… I'd like to meet her again."

Applejack then nudged her towards one area of the many apple trees on the farm, "Well, you'll find 'em in that direction. Just follow James. He knows the way."

Twilight smiled, "Spike and I will stick with Applejack until you two get back. OK?"

Mitta smiled, "OK. James, you lead please."

I nodded, "All right. This way." I then started walking, leading my friend into the forest of apple trees.

As we walked, I asked, "Do these apple trees really remind you of the Everfree Forest?"

She looked around and replied, "Not by themselves. They're too spread out to give the same feel of the Everfree Forest." She then asked, "Um… James? Who are the Cutie Mark Crusaders?"

I replied, "They're a club of kids who are trying to earn their cutie marks by figuring out their special talents." I then noticed her blank flank. "Actually, I think they would love to invite you to join. Seeing as how you don't have a cutie mark yet."

Mitta looked back at her flank and sighed, "I honestly don't have much interest in figuring out what I'm good at right now… I just want to finally relax here away from that awful town."

I nodded, "Perfectly understandable. Get settled in, then decide from there."

After some wandering around, I finally saw it. A cozy wooden tree house lodged in a tree. "Is that it?" Mitta asked, more than likely having never seen a house in a tree before.

"Yup. And they're probably inside." I replied with a smile.

I walked up the ramp with Mitta behind me and bent down before I knocked on the door. "Huh? Who's out there?" I heard a voice speak with a noticeable southern accent.

Mitta gasped, "Is that…her?"

A second later, the door opened to reveal Apple Bloom. "Huh?! Oh, James! Howdy! Where ya been?!"

Before I could answer, another little girl's voice shouted, "James?! Outta my way!" Apple Bloom was immediately pushed aside just before Scootaloo jumped into my arms. "Where were you, big brother?! I never saw you or Fluttershy this morning! I had to try to find leftovers to snack on at breakfast…"

I cuddled with the little pegasus and stroked her mane, "Very sorry about that, Scoot. I had to keep a promise yesterday that involved heading up to Canterlot for the night. And Fluttershy tagged along too."

Sweetie Belle then walked over to the entrance and smiled, "What kind of promise? Was it important?"

I set Scootaloo down and moved to my right, "See for yourself. I have somepony I want you to meet, girls."

Mitta was standing at the very edge of the balcony, not quite off of the ramp that led up to it. Scootaloo waved, "Hi! Who're you?"

Apple Bloom, on the other hand, gasped and stepped forward, "No way… Mitta? Is that really you? Mitta?!"

My friend smiled solemnly, "Yes… And…you're Apple Bloom?"

Apple Bloom beamed with a bright smile, "Long time no see! How'd ya get outta Sunny Town?! I thought ya'll were cursed!"

Sweetie Belle spoke up, "Sunny Town?! Wait… Isn't that the 'death trap' village in the Everfree Forest you told us about several months ago, James?"

I nodded, "The same. I made a promise to myself to get Mitta outta there a while ago. And last night, I was able to fulfill it. We had to go to Canterlot to get the curse removed."

Apple Bloom asked, "All the way up there? Did the princesses hafta do the job?"

I nodded again, "Princess Luna was the one to cast the curse in the first place, so only she knew how to remove it."

Mitta smiled, "I'm grateful they gave me another chance…"

Sweetie Belle grinned, "You don't seem like a bad pony, Mitta. I don't see why you were cursed in the first place."

Scootaloo then asked, "Huh? Wait a second! Where's your cutie mark, Mitta?! You're all grown up! You should have one by now!"

Mitta looked back at her blank flank and sighed, "I never really had the chance to earn one… Nor did it really matter to me."

Apple Bloom gasped, "Don't matter?! Ponyfeathers! A cutie mark shows who a are! We gotta get ya inta the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

Mitta glanced at the little farm pony with a bemused expression. "Um… What exactly ARE the Cutie Mark Crusaders?"

Sweetie Belle explained, "We're a group of ponies whose goal is to find our special talents so we can get our cutie marks! You don't have one yet, so you're eligible to join! Even James is a member!"

Mitta looked at me and asked, "You? But…I thought you already have your cutie mark."

Scootaloo grinned, "Yeah, but he's still an honorary member. Once a Crusader, always a Crusader! Especially with that armor he was wearing yesterday!"

I snickered, "I would say I was more of a paladin than a crusader at that time."

Apple Bloom asked, "What's a paladin?"

Sweetie Belle grinned, "Oh, I know that one! It's a determined advocate or defender of a noble cause."

Scootaloo smirked, "You really are a dictionary sometimes."

Sweetie Belle frowned in response, "Oh, come on. I just looked in a dictionary to find that. Doesn't mean I AM a dictionary."

I smiled sheepishly, "I think that's the proper description of what I did last night."

Mitta nuzzled me sweetly, catching me by surprise. "It is. Thank you, James."

Apple Bloom then asked, "Anyway, Mitta… Wanna join? We've got plenty of room!"

Mitta seemed slightly baffled by the offer. "Um… I guess I can."

Scootaloo hopped in place, "Sweet! Then let's start the initiation!" Apple Bloom and Scootaloo pushed Mitta inside before I followed them.

I very nearly bumped my head on the ceiling again once I was inside the clubhouse. Mitta seemed to be taking in the sights; not saying anything while her eyes glanced around. She seemed to notice the four red capes hanging on the wall in particular, mine being exceptionally longer than the other three. "Are those capes?" She asked with a perplexed expression.

Sweetie Belle smiled, "Yeah! Every member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders gets one! James is the biggest out of all of us, so I had to make his a custom."

Mitta then asked, "You made them?" When Sweetie Belle nodded, Mitta smiled faintly. "They look great."

This praise seemed to surprise Sweetie Belle. The little unicorn filly jumped while looking absolutely ecstatic. "They're great?! Wow, I knew it! My talent must be in making stylish clothes!" However, when she looked down at her flank, she saw that it was still blank. She then sighed, "Or not."

I then whispered to Mitta, "Her talent is actually singing and coming up with lyrics. Just don't tell her. It'll be more satisfying for her to figure it out for herself." She let out a quiet giggle in response.

"Well, I better get started on your cape. Hold still for a second, Mitta." Sweetie Belle spoke while she used a tape measurer and checked the length and height of her body. "OK! I think I can do this!" She then went over to a sewing machine in the corner and began to snip off a big strip of red fabric.

"I could never figure out how to operate one of those." I spoke, eyeing the sewing machine.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Scootaloo pulling over a pair of bongo drums while Apple Bloom was moving a podium towards the back of the room. "Drums and a podium?" Mitta asked, clearly puzzled by what she was seeing.

"Fer the initiation ceremony!" Apple Bloom replied with a smile.

"Ceremony? We really need one?" I asked, thinking they were taking this a bit too seriously.

"Yeah! Kinda like how those old nomadic tribes do it! But with a Ponyville twist!" Scootaloo replied with a grin as she lined up the bongos.

"Kids…" I snickered with a smirk.

In a short while, Sweetie Belle walked up behind Mitta and tossed what seemed to be her new cape over her back. "All done! And…wow, you look great in it, Mitta!"

Mitta's cape looked identical to those worn by the younger members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, albeit being somewhat larger. The shade of red seemed to go well with her gray coat. Mitta looked herself over for a moment before giving Sweetie Belle one of the most sincere smiles I had ever seen on her face. "Thank you… I'll treasure this."

Sweetie Belle grinned, "It's no trouble at all! But now we gotta give you the initiation ceremony!" She then motioned me over to the podium, which seemed to hold a plaque of sorts. Or maybe it was just a sheet of paper. No, I remember. It was a very long sheet of paper. "James, would you like to speak the rites?"

In response, I asked, "Why didn't I go through the ceremony when you first took me in?"

Scootaloo replied, "I hadn't come up with it yet, but it's done now!"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie stood to the left of the podium while Scootaloo sat to the right with the bongos in front of her. When I took a seat behind the podium, Scootaloo began to play a slow beat on the drums in practically the same way a tribe of nomads would upon a tribe member completing some sort of trial. Mitta stood before the podium and slowly approached me while looking rather curious about this 'ceremony'.

Before I could say anything, Scootaloo suddenly went wild on the drums, beating out a fast beat. We all turned to face her, causing her to stop playing with a rather embarrassed look on her face. "Heheheh… Sorry." She then beat out three more slow beats before stopping.

Taking that as my cue, I began to read from the sheet before me. "We, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, elect enter name of newcomer….. Oh, Mitta to join us as a sister, friend, confidant…ally…bosom-buddy…gal pal….." The words were followed with more synonyms for 'friend' than I ever knew existed.

I looked up from the sheet with a very bemused expression on my face. "…What." I then looked at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle looked past the podium and spoke, "Well, YOU wrote this." Scootaloo chuckled nervously at those words. I suppose it would have been wiser to let Sweetie Belle write it since she has a penchant for coming up with lyrics in songs.

With a sigh, I went back to reading through the sheet. Although I was quick to notice that Mitta seemed to be holding back laughter. I began to quickly scroll through the sheet to find the most important parts of the initiation speech. "Homegirl… Amiga… Ugh, blah blah blah yak yak yak stuff and fluff tarter sauce sizzling circuits…. What?!" Out of nowhere, Mitta burst into hysterical laughter and fell onto her side. The other three Cutie Mark Crusaders seemed just as surprised as I was.

"Whoa, what's wrong, Mitta?! James wasn't bein' THAT funny, was he?!" Apple Bloom spoke.

After a brief moment, Mitta calmed herself. "Sorry, sorry… It's just… His reaction to reading some of that… I couldn't contain myself."

That was the heartiest laughter I had ever seen out of Mitta up to that moment. I smiled, "Well, it was good to see you that happy. Anyway…" I went back to reading through the sheet. "Ah, finally. And fellow Cutie Mark Crusader. You are solemnly sworn in, here this day, in witness of your sisters, friends…confidants…bosom bud…"

By this point, I felt I needed to say something. I looked down at Scootaloo and raised my voice, "Scoot! Just how many synonyms of 'friend' do you even need?!" At those words, everyone else in the clubhouse cracked up laughing.

Scootaloo quickly snatched the sheet from the podium and smiled at Mitta, "Congratulations!" I then heard her mutter under her breath while rolling up the paper, "Gotta remember to revise this…"

I sighed, "Well, with that nonsense outta the way, welcome aboard, Mitta." I then extended my hand to her.

Mitta, once she had stopped laughing, reached out and placed her hoof in my hand, allowing me to grasp it. "Thank you…"

The three Cutie Mark Crusaders then ran up to Mitta and held her in a group hug. "It's great ta have ya with us, Mitta!" Apple Bloom spoke with a smile.

Sweetie Belle grinned, "Yeah! From now on, we'll always be your sisters, friends, confida…"

Before she could finish, I spoke up loudly. "Oh, don't you start that again!" At this point, all five of us burst into raucous laughter. Heh, things are never dull when those three fillies are around.

"Hoo… We're gonna have some fun times, Mitta." Scootaloo spoke with a grin once she stopped laughing.

Mitta smiled surprisingly brightly, "I hope so. I'm already liking being a Cutie Mark Crusader."

I stood up and stepped around the podium. "I hope so too. But we need to get back to finding you a place to stay."

Apple Bloom jumped, "Well, why didn't ya say so?! You know what this means, right?"

Scootaloo beamed, "Yeah! Another opportunity!"

Sweetie Belle spoke, "Cutie Mark Crusaders house hunters! ….Oh, wait. Is that really a talent?"

I replied, "Not unless you've got a career in real estate. But we really must be going. Mitta only just came to Ponyville today and she'll be staying with us fulltime now. But we need to find a place for her to stay first."

Apple Bloom spoke, "Well, the barn on the farm has plenty of space in it."

Sweetie Belle smiled, "Maybe Rarity would take her in. She let you live with her for a while, James. Remember?"

Scootaloo, on the other hand, frowned. "I don't think we have anymore room in our house though… Fluttershy's cottage isn't all that big."

Mitta nodded and smiled at our little friends. "That's OK. I'm sure I'll find a place to stay tonight." She then looked up at me and smiled, "I'm in good hands, after all."

I nodded with a smile of my own. "Yes, you are." I then looked back at the Cutie Mark Crusaders and spoke, "Let's catch up on things tomorrow. OK?"

Sweetie Belle nodded, "OK! See you tomorrow, James!"

Scootaloo added, "I'll see you this evening, big brother. And I'll be sure to revise that thing for next time."

Apple Bloom then waved at Mitta, "Come by and visit anytime, Mitta. Yer always welcome in Sweet Apple Acres."

Mitta smiled and nodded, "Thank you all." We then turned and left the clubhouse. After walking down the ramp, we headed east towards the main area of Sweet Apple Acres.

As we walked through the forest of apple trees, I asked, "So, what's it like being a Cutie Mark Crusader?"

Mitta looked up at me and smiled, "It felt wonderful being a part of a group of genuinely good people. I hope I'll see them again soon."

I smiled in return, "Oh, you will. I see them almost every day. Especially Scootaloo since she lives with me."

My friend looked ahead as we walked, "They're all good kids. But…do you think I'll ever get my cutie mark?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "No idea, really. But I'll always recognize you thanks to the combination of your crimson hair and gray coat. Just take it as it comes. You'll figure out what you're best at someday."

Mitta sighed with a faint smile, "I guess so. It's never bothered me until now… I guess it's because I've never seen so many ponies in one day with those marks on their flanks."

Once we made our way back over to the main area of Sweet Apple Acres, we found Twilight and Spike still engaged in conversation with Applejack. Spike soon noticed and waved in our direction. "Hey, they're back!"

Twilight and Applejack looked in our direction and smiled, but Applejack then asked, "Whoa, where'd ya get the cape, Mitta? Did the Cutie Mark Crusaders take ya in?"

Mitta nodded, "They did. And I'm happy to have friends like them."

Twilight smiled, "I'm glad you bonded so quickly with them. They tend to be very caring towards anypony who is like them."

Spike then asked, "So… You still need a place to stay?"

Mitta nodded with a faint smile, "Yes… Though I don't know where to look."

I then asked, "Hey, does Rainbow Dash have spare room at her place for Mitta?"

Twilight looked at me with a bemused expression, "I'm sure she can easily add a second bedroom, but unless Mitta is a pegasus, I don't think she'll be able to even stay there for longer than a second."

I asked, "Why's that?"

Spike answered with a snide smirk, "Because she sleeps with her head in the clouds, if you know what I mean."

I pondered this for a moment before asking, "Wait… Her house…is made out of clouds?"

Applejack chuckled, "Ain't it obvious? I'm surprised ya'll haven't seen it yet!"

I groaned, "Now there's a pegasus who spends too much time with her head in the clouds." We all had a good chuckle at that.

Applejack then spoke, "Well, that leaves ya with Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Rarity. Plenty ta choose from."

I then spoke, "If I might make a recommendation, I used to live with Rarity. She's an excellent landlord and is a good choice for a housemate."

Mitta smiled and looked up at me. "That sounds like a nice choice. Does she live close to you?"

Spike spoke up, "Uh… Not really. She lives pretty much on the other side of town from where Fluttershy lives."

Those words seemed to immediately dampen Mitta's spirits. "Oh… I'm not so sure I…"

It was actually rather endearing to see how dependant on me Mitta had become. Or is dependant even the right word? I too wanted to be there for her, but I could not be there all the time. "Mitta, at least give her a chance. It's not like Rarity lives THAT far away from me. You could easily visit at any time." I spoke, my hand stroking her mane.

Mitta seemed to pause for a minute before sighing, "OK… I'll at least check it out."

I asked, "Would you like me to take you there now? Rarity's my best friend, so I can put a good word in with her."

Mitta nodded, "OK. Should we go now?"

I looked over at my three other friends. Applejack nodded, "Ya'll go right ahead. We'll catch up later."

Twilight added, "I hope you find a good home for Mitta, James… Wait, that sounds like something you would say to an orphan. Sorry!"

Spike then spoke, "If all else fails, you can bunk with us!"

I smiled, "I'll keep that in mind. Shall we, Mitta?"

My friend nodded, "Yes. Let's go find Rarity." We said our goodbyes and headed back towards Ponyville.

Once we had entered Ponyville again, Mitta stayed close by my side while gazing around at her surroundings. She certainly was a curious girl. I did not say anything, allowing her to take in her new home the best she could. But after a while, I felt the need to speak up. "So, you liking Ponyville so far?"

I did not get a response. "Mitta?" I asked before looking down at my side. To my surprise, she was no longer there. When I raised my head, I saw her running away from me towards… I lifted my head further to see the cupcake spire on top of Sugarcube Corner over the rooftops. "Oh, come on!" I groaned before running after her.

When I finally caught up to her, I noticed a small crowd gathered outside Sugarcube Corner. I noticed Lyra in the crowd and asked, "Excuse me, Lyra. Have you seen a gray earth pony mare with crimson hair around?"

Lyra pointed upwards, "Uh… She's closer than you think." When I looked up… Oh good lord… Mitta was on the roof of the building while trying to eat the roof shingles. Only the roof looks like gingerbread, so I understand where she got the idea.

Mr. Cake was in the crowd too and shouted, "Get down from there, missy! I know our establishment looks delicious, but it isn't edible! Pinkie Pie tried to eat the roof on her first day to work and had to get her stomach pumped afterwards!"

Mitta seemed to listen and asked, "It's not edible?"

I called out, "No, it's not! And you'll end up hurting yourself if you eat any. Just how did you even get up there anyway?!"

Mitta opened her mouth to speak with her hoof raised, but then held her hoof to her chin as if to think hard about something. "Um… How did I get up here again?" Everyone in the crowd burst into laughter while I facepalmed.

Mitta started to inch her way down the sloped roof. How she managed to keep from sliding off with next to no traction on her hooves, I will never know. At the edge of the roof, she paused while looking very edgy. "Oh my… That's quite a long drop."

Lyra spoke up, "I got it!" Her horn was coated in what I believe was a turquoise aura, as was Mitta. Mitta gasped in surprise as she floated off the roof before being gently lowered to the ground. "There you go. Are you OK?"

Mitta breathed a sigh of relief while the crowd around us began to disperse. "Thanks… I don't know what came over me. I saw that giant cupcake on top and just…"

Lyra giggled, "I don't blame you! It looks so real!"

Mitta smiled faintly and replied, "Thank you, Lyra. Um… I forgot. Do you know James?"

Lyra beamed before glancing up at me, "I sure do! I love hearing stories from him. Researching humans is my hobby, so we became good friends."

I smiled, "She's new in town, Lyra. We're trying to find a new home for her before nightfall."

My unicorn friend nodded, "Oh, then I better not keep you. Take care, James! And you too, Mitta." She waved goodbye and trotted away.

"She seemed nice." Mitta spoke with a smile.

"Just about everypony in town is nice. I can't imagine living anywhere else." I replied. But when I glanced at Sugarcube Corner, I asked, "Well, since we're here, you wanna pick up some goodies?"

Mitta beamed at me with an excited grin, "Oh, yes please." I snickered at her enthusiasm and opened the door for her.

Mitta trotted inside, her eyes opened wide in wonder. "It looks even better than before…"

Mrs. Cake just happened to be standing at the counter and smiled, "Well, hello there, dear. Can I help you?"

I stepped through the door and smiled, "Hey there, Mrs. Cake. Sorry that I haven't been in for a few days."

My boss smiled, "Oh, I heard the news from Pinkie Pie, dearie. Don't worry about it. Just be sure to come in tomorrow on time." She then looked at Mitta, "But who's this? I don't think I've ever seen her before."

Mitta's smile became one a bit more reserved. I stepped forward and smiled, "This is Mitta. She's new in town and a good friend of mine."

Mrs. Cake smiled with her usual motherly air, "Well, it's good to have you with us, Mitta. I hope we'll be seeing you some more."

Mitta smiled slightly brighter, but soon frowned again. Mrs. Cake then asked, "Now then, is there anything I can get you two?"

I winced and held onto my pocket. Knowing how much Mitta loved the sweets Pinkie Pie gave her the previous night, I was sure she was going to bleed my wallet dry. Much to my surprise though, Mitta replied with a melancholy tone. "I'm not sure."

I asked, "Do you have any recommendations, Mrs. Cake?"

Mrs. Cake replied, "Hmmm…. Well, how about one of our milkshakes? The best in town!"

Mitta perked up just slightly at those words. "That sounds nice. Um… Make mine chocolate please."

I spoke up, "Strawberry banana for me."

Mrs. Cake nodded, "Excellent choice, James. And I know you'll love yours, Mitta. I'll have Pinkie bring them out when they're ready."

Mitta and I waited at a table that was not far from the main counter. The same table where Fluttershy and I first met. My friend sighed as she rested her chin on her forelegs. I asked, "Are you OK?"

Mitta sighed again, "I don't know… Maybe it's some lingering guilt of mine… But it's also just how…different this place is compared to Sunny Town."

I nodded, "Yeah. A much nicer place, right?"

Mitta nodded, "But…it's also the ponies here… They're so open… So accepting… I'm not sure I deserve it…"

I replied, "I think you're just not used to it yet. I know I wasn't when I first came here. But trust me, your friends will make the transition bearable."

Mitta raised her head until she was looking at me with a somber smile. "Why do you think I've been staying close to you all day?" I chuckled at that response.

Mitta then asked, "What was it like for you when you first came here, James?"

I sighed, "Traumatizing at first. I was lost and scared. I had never seen anything like this world before or the people who live here." I then smiled, "Those six mares… I don't know what I would do without them."

Mitta clearly knew who I was talking about. "They are very lovely, aren't they?"

I nodded, "They have their pros and cons. But they all value friendship. And making friends too. I'm glad they were there for me."

Just before we could talk further, a voice spoke from beside us. "Hello! Somepony order some milkshakes?"

Pinkie Pie was standing beside the table with our milkshakes resting on her upturned hooves. Mitta's was a light brown while mine was a shade of pink. Each was topped off with a plume of whipped cream and a cherry with a straw sticking out of the cream. Mitta stared wide-eyed, "That looks amazing…"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "You bet they are! I made them myself!"

I took a sip. The strawberry and banana flavors blended together perfectly. "Mmm… Better than expected, Pinkie."

My silly pink pony friend grinned, "That's what they all say! Anyway, I gotta get back to work. See ya!" Pinkie Pie then trotted back into the kitchen.

"Good stuff?" I asked Mitta while she sipped away at her milkshake.

She nodded with a smile, "Yes, very good. Pinkie really knows how to make a good milkshake."

However, before we could converse further, I heard Mrs. Cake speak up from inside the kitchen. "Pinkie, did you do something with one of the bottles of my milk?"

Pinkie responded, "Huh? YOUR milk?"

My boss replied, "Yes, I keep some of it in the refrigerator for Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake. You didn't happen to use any, did you?"

Mitta asked, "Who's Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake?"

I replied, "They're the children of Mr. and Mrs. Cake. They're still just babies, so….."

Mitta and I stared at each other with unnerved expressions. Our eyes slowly gazed downward at our milkshakes. We… Well, what do you think we were thinking about?!

We soon looked back up at each other. Very slowly, we closed our lips around our straws and took another sip. "Never knew pony milk made for such amazing milk shakes." I spoke softly.

"Mmhm." Mitta muttered with a nod.

Mitta did not speak much while she drank her milkshake, so neither did I. Although I was quick to notice Pinkie Pie trot upstairs. She seemed to be in a slight hurry too. I asked, "Mitta, can you wait a minute? I want to ask Pinkie something."

She nodded, "Mmhm." I suppose she was too busy enjoying her milkshake to mind where I went. Those milkshakes certainly were impressive. I nodded at her with a smile before walking up the stairs.

When I peeked over the top of the stairs, I found Pinkie Pie hard at work setting up what seemed to be a party. She was carrying a large cake on her back before making a little hop to 'toss' it off of herself and onto a table. I was about to speak up to ask her what was going on, but then I remembered what happened on MY first day in Ponyville. I knew who that party was for. With a smirk, I slunk back down the stairs without being noticed.

Mitta noticed me approaching our table and looked up at me with a faint smile. "Is everything OK up there?" She asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, she's fine. A bit busy, but fine." I then sat myself down opposite from her and went back to enjoying my milkshake.

The two of us finished our milkshakes roughly within the same minute. Mitta let out a satisfied sigh, "Phew… That was delicious. And very filling."

I nodded, "Yup… Good stuff." I then reached into my pocket and placed some bits on the table.

Before we could leave, Mrs. Cake approached us to retrieve our empty glasses. "I trust everything turned out as amazing as you hoped?"

Mitta nodded with a smile, "Oh, very amazing. It was all wonderful."

I added with a slight smirk, "The best milkshake I ever had. I don't know what kinda milk that was, but I hope it becomes the norm if it isn't already."

My words clearly unnerved Mrs. Cake since she instantly became nervous with a blush. "Oh… That type of milk? Um… That's not our usual stock…"

I shrugged, "That's a shame. You should consider using it all the time."

Mrs. Cake grinned sheepishly, "Yes… Well, you two dears have a great day. Bye!" She then snatched up our glasses, placed them on a tray on her back, and rushed back into the kitchen.

I chuckled, "You think she knows we know?"

Mitta giggled faintly, "Maybe."

The two of us then stepped outside Sugarcube Corner and glanced around. "Where do we go next?" Mitta asked while looking up at me.

I replied, "We were going to Rarity's place to see if she would let you stay with her, right?"

Mitta nodded, "Oh, right…" I then turned and started heading southeast again with my friend by my side.

The walk there was fairly uneventful. Once we did arrive, Mitta gazed up at the Carousel Boutique. "It looks even lovelier in the light."

I explained, "Rarity has always had fancy tastes. Not sure where she picked that up though since I know she comes from a family of commoners."

Mitta smiled as she approached the door, "Maybe she's just living her guilty pleasure."

My friend was startled by the bell that hung over the doorway, causing her to take a step back. A familiar voice then spoke, "Commming! Welcome to Carousel Bou… Oh, hello! What brings you two over here?'

Rarity trotted right over to us with a smile. Mitta spoke shyly, "Hello, Rarity… Um… Nice place you have here." Perhaps Mitta was nervous about asking Rarity to allow her to stay with her.

I smiled, "Everything OK here, Rarity?"

My beautiful friend smiled, "Oh, most wonderful. I only JUST got caught up on all of the commissions I had not finished."

I nodded, "Glad to hear. And...well…" Mitta ducked behind me, apparently just as nervous to ask for a place to stay as I was.

"Darling, why so uptight? Is something wrong?" Rarity asked me with a puzzled expression.

I replied, "Well, Mitta wants to stay in Ponyville, but we're not sure where she sound stay…"

Rarity's expression brightened immediately at my words. "I see what it is you mean. Well, ask no further! Mitta is welcome to stay!"

I admit I was rather surprised by just how quickly Rarity had agreed. Mitta poked her head out from behind me and asked, "Re… Really?"

Rarity beamed at her, "Of course! I would love to have such a lady of subtle sophistication as my housemate."

I looked down at Mitta, who looked back up at me with a surprised expression. When she looked back at Rarity, she smiled tearfully. "Thank you, Miss Rarity…"

My friend and former landlord reached out and wiped Mitta's tears away. "Oh, darling… There's no need for such tears. They mar your beauty." She then smiled, "And I can hardly wait to get started on your new ensembles. Trust me, your self-esteem will skyrocket after only a week of living here!"

We did not get much more time to talk. There was a knock at the door before we could converse further. "Hm? Who could that be?" Rarity asked while approaching the door.

Just before she could reach it, the door flung open. "Hey there, everypony!"

Mitta asked, "Pinkie Pie?"

Pinkie Pie was maintaining a pose while standing on just her hindquarters with her forelegs held out to her sides, almost as if awaiting a hug. Her eyes glanced back and forth before she dropped back down onto all fours. "Phew! I got the address right. Sorry for popping in like this. I've been going from Sweet Apple Acres to the library to Fluttershy's cottage looking for you, James!"

I asked, "Why me?"

She replied with a smile, "I really really REALLY need your help with something. Something only someone as tall as you can do! Do you have time?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Sure, I've got nothing better to do right now. What's up?"

Pinkie replied, "Great! I need you over at Sugarcube Corner with me. I'll explain along the way."

Mitta then stepped forward, "May I come too?"

Pinkie Pie seemed somewhat nervous by that request. "Um… Nope, sorry! All I need is James! But I'll bring him back as soon as possible, OK?"

Rarity then patted Mitta on the shoulder, "Don't you worry, Mitta. I'll keep you company in the meantime. Why don't I show you around my home?"

Mitta sighed, but then smiled. "OK… Please don't be long, Pinkie."

She nodded, "No problem! Let's go, James!" We waved goodbye and headed out the door. Pinkie led the way while performing her signature springy hop.

As we walked along, I asked, "So, whatcha need help with?"

Pinkie Pie stopped hopping and began to trot along beside me. "Take a wild guess! Come on! Guess!"

I crossed my arms while I walked, trying to think of a possible reason why she needed my help. "Um… Hint?"

She giggled, "It happened the first day you came into Ponyville!"

I tried thinking back further before it finally occurred to me. "You're throwing Mitta a party?"

Pinkie Pie hopped once, "Bingo! But since I got started a bit late, I need your help to finish up in time."

I smiled, remembering how welcome I felt when I attended my own welcoming party. "Yeah… She's gonna love that."

Pinkie Pie grinned, "You know it! Come on, let's go!" She broke into a faster trot, forcing me to jog in order to keep up.

We did not stop to chat with anyone along the way, so we reached Sugarcube Corner in fairly little time. Once we popped inside, we were greeted by Mr. Cake. "Welcome back, James! You helping out with the decorations upstairs?"

I nodded, "That's what I'm here for. You don't mind, do you?"

He smiled, "Oh, of course not! Go right ahead. We'll be closing up in a little while anyway, so feel free to use the kitchen whenever you need to."

Pinkie Pie smiled, "Thanks, Mr. Cake! OK, James. Let's get started!" I nodded and followed my cheery friend upstairs. When we reached the top of the stairs, I found that Pinkie had already done quite a bit of work. There was a table with a large punch bowl and a towering cake on it that looked pretty much identical to the one she used for my party. There were bundles of colorful balloons tied to various parts of the room and confetti scattered along the floor. I noticed Pinkie's phonograph in a corner, so there would be plenty of music for the party.

"Looks like you've already got the place almost finished… Wait a second." I noticed one little decoration that seemed oddly familiar. A string of paper lanterns hanging along the wall. "Aren't these a bit out of place?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Nope! I used them at your party, so I'm using them again!"

However, as I observed it, a memory flashed through my mind. I remembered when I visited Sunny Town for the first time and found strings of decorative lanterns hanging throughout the village to provide light. I sighed while I searched for where they were being held to the wall. "Sorry, Pinkie. These need to go."

She clearly did not agree with my opinion. "Awwww, why?!"

I replied, "These look almost identical to the lanterns that were hanging around Sunny Town and I don't want Mitta to be reminded of that place."

Pinkie surprised me with a giggle, "James, don't be silly! She's not THAT sensitive, is she?"

I glared at her, silencing her in an instant. "We stopped by Sweet Apple Acres today to see if Applejack wouldn't mind Mitta moving in there. But Mitta chose not to live there because the area reminds her of Sunny Town. I don't think she's somepony who wants to see anything that would remind her of that place."

Pinkie Pie's ears drooped at my words. "Oh… OK then. Yeah, then those lanterns really need to go." She then grabbed one with her teeth and dragged the entire string of lanterns down with one yank. "You leave these to me. And I'll be right back with the decorations I need help with." I nodded with a smile before going around and observing the decorations.

A minute later, I heard Pinkie Pie trotting back up the stairs. When she reached the top of the stairs, I noticed a large cardboard box on her back. "Is that all we need?"

She nodded, "Yep! Now, could you please…" She then dropped the box off to her side before reaching into it and pulling out a light blue paper ribbon with her mouth, "Hang this right up there?" She pointed to a spot just under the walkway that encircled the entire upper area of the room.

"Oh, sure." I replied before grabbing the ribbon and holding it up. The spot I was reaching for was definitely too high for the average earth pony to reach without a stepladder, so I could see why I was needed. I was able to see a small nail sticking loosely out of the wall, so I removed it before placing the end of the ribbon over the hole in the wall. I noticed a hole in the ribbon too, probably because Pinkie had used it before, so I aligned the hole in the ribbon with the hole in the wall before sliding the nail through it. "OK, where does the other end go?"

Pinkie Pie pointed up, "Right up there! In the middle!"

I looked straight up, seeing a simple wooden chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling. Despite me being taller than the majority of Equestria's pony population, this one was still out of reach.

"I think I might need a hand with this one." I muttered out loud.

Pinkie Pie trotted to the middle of the room and stood in the center. "Oki doki loki! Climb aboard!"

I looked at Pinkie Pie, seeing her standing perfectly still with her back raised as high as she could. "Pinkie… What're you doing?"

"Giving you a boost! We don't have any stepladders up here, so you'll just have to use me!" She replied with a grin.

Due to Pinkie Pie's back not being completely flat; I was very hesitant to actually stand on her. I was not even sure if she could support my full weight. Although she is an earth pony, so she probably can. And it was not like I could reach that part of the ceiling from the walkway above us since it was too far out. "Well, I don't have any better ideas, but I don't like this either." I grumbled before I climbed onto her.

"OK! Now, just… Whoaohoooo!" Pinkie Pie yelped as she started to stagger from just how top-heavy she had become now that I was standing on her. I will never understand how I managed to keep myself from falling off.

"Pinkie, quit it! I can't stand straight up with you wobbling! And I don't wanna fall in the cake!" I yelled, doing my best to keep balance without tearing the ribbon.

"I can't help it! You're too tall and heavy!" Pinkie replied. She honestly did not seem to be straining under my weight though, so the issue was clearly just her trying to keep my weight centered.

I kept trying to reach for the ceiling, but still found it to be several inches out of reach. Although I did see the hooks on it that would hold the ribbon. "Darn it! Still can't reach!"

Pinkie Pie groaned, "Oh, OK! Now just… Eek!" She suddenly lurched forward, causing me to lean back dangerously far.

"Pinkie, you better not drop… Huh?" I yelped as I prepared myself for a fall. However, I suddenly felt myself being pushed back up to a full standing position. I could feel something pushing against my upper back. "Someone there?"

A familiar meek voice replied, "That was close. I almost thought I wouldn't reach you in time. Are you OK, James?"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Fluttershy! Great timing! You can help us with the decorations!"

I managed to hop down from Pinkie Pie before turning around. Sure enough, hovering before me was my girlfriend. "Phew… Thanks for the save, honey."

Fluttershy smiled sweetly before placing a kiss on my cheek. "You're welcome, James. But what were you doing?"

Pinkie Pie replied, "Wait, how'd you know we were setting up Mitta's welcoming party? I haven't sent out invitations yet!"

Fluttershy gave Pinkie Pie a bemused look. "You are? Oh… I just went looking for James. When I went to Rarity's house, she told me you had come by and asked him for help with something. So, I came over here to check if you two were here."

I then held out the end of the ribbon to her, "Well, while you're here, could you please help us put these ribbons up?" I then pointed upwards at the ceiling.

Fluttershy looked up before looking back to me before nodding with a smile. "I'd be happy to." She then took the end of the ribbon in her mouth and flew up to the circle of hooks. Once she had hung it, she came back down and asked, "All done. Are there more?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Oh, just a few! I'll let you two lovebirds handle the ribbons while I go get the tub for the apples." She then trotted back down the stairs.

I started looking around the walls just under the walkway above me for the rest of the nails that were meant to hold the ribbons. Once I found one, I stuck the nail through the hole in that end of the ribbon before handing the other end to Fluttershy. She would then fly up to the hooks on the ceiling and hang the other end on the hook that was aligned with the nail I had just used. We repeated the process over and over until every last hook on the ceiling was in use.

"I think that's all of them." Fluttershy spoke while we surveyed the results of our work.

"Yup. Looks good too." I said with a smile. The ribbons really did add some flair to the room.

"Everypony doing OK up here?" I heard Pinkie Pie groan from the stairs. When we turned to face her, she was standing at the top with a wooden tub on her back filled with water and apples.

"That looks awfully heavy… Do you need some help with that?" Fluttershy asked with a look of concern.

Pinkie Pie slowly carried the tub over to the side of the table that held the punch and cake. "Nope… I got it…" Her legs then slid out from under her until all four were stretched out with her lying on her belly.

I honestly thought she was in trouble. "Pinkie, are you all right?"

Pinkie Pie looked at me and grinned, "I'm fine! This is just how I get it off of me!" She leaned to the side slightly before quickly pulling herself away. The tub slid off of her without any trouble. And with it being so low to the ground, the water could not spill on such a shallow angle.

"I was wondering how you even got that up here in the first place… Wait, couldn't you use your bathtub instead? It's on this floor, right?" I asked, remembering that the bobbing for apples tub was used at my welcoming party too.

Pinkie Pie was silent for a moment before grinning sheepishly, "Uh… Oops. Guess I should remember that. I just used the kitchen since that's where the apples are stored."

Fluttershy nodded, "That's understandable. But wasn't it tiring?"

Her response surprised me. "Nah! I just had to be careful how I moved so I wouldn't dump the whole thing!"

I shrugged, "Well, whatever works. Anyway, what's left to do? It looks like the decorations are already pretty much done."

Pinkie Pie held a hoof to her chin while glancing around the room. "Now that you mention it… I guess we ARE done!"

I smiled, "Should we go get Mitta then?"

Pinkie grinned, "Leave that to me! Gotta be subtle about it so she doesn't know until she finally gets here."

Fluttershy smiled, "I'll go get Rainbow Dash and Applejack. James, would you like to get Twilight and Spike?"

I nodded, "Sounds good. We'll meet up here, right?"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Yep! Let's go!" We all headed downstairs and out the front door before separating and heading out to find our friends.

I headed directly to the library, hoping that Twilight and Spike were still home. Nothing of importance occurred on my way there, but I made sure to peek in the window to make certain no one was approaching the door. Yes, I have been slammed in the face and against the library's outer wall a few times since I last mentioned it happening.

To my relief, Spike was rearranging books while Twilight was reading something on the table in the center of the room. I hurried over to the door and gave a light knock. A moment later, Spike opened the door and peeked outside. "Oh, hey there! What's up?"

I replied, "Hey, Spike. I just wanted to know if you and Twilight would like to attend Mitta's welcoming party."

Twilight apparently heard me since she came over to the doorway. "Pinkie Pie's throwing her a party? Just like old times. I'd love to go!"

Spike nodded, "Sure! Count me in too!"

Twilight walked outside her home before letting Spike climb onto her back. She then asked, "Is it being held at Sugarcube Corner?"

I nodded as we began to walk. "Yep. Pinkie and Fluttershy went to fetch our other friends too. They'll probably get there before us."

While we walked, Spike spoke up. "How's Mitta been doing? Did you find her a home?"

I nodded, "Rarity took her in. Mitta wasn't too fond of living that far away from me, but I think Rarity's hospitality won her over."

Twilight smiled at me, "Knowing how good she was to you during your stay there, I'm sure Mitta will love it."

It did not take us long to reach Sugarcube Corner. Our walking pace must have slowed us down quite a bit since I saw Pinkie Pie going inside with Rarity right behind her. "Guess they're all here by now."

Once we stepped inside, we found all five of our friends there. With the exception of Mitta, of course. Applejack waved, "Howdy, ya'll. That makes all of us, right?"

I asked, "Hang on. Was Mitta OK when you left, Rarity?"

My beautiful friend smiled, "Oh, she was a little unwilling to be left alone, but I assured that I would return shortly."

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah, she really seems to hate being alone. I mean, she's almost always sticking to you like glue whenever I see her!" I bowed my head, slightly embarrassed from that praise.

Fluttershy then spoke up, "Maybe it's because he was the first real friend she ever had. I think it's that since she's finally tasted friendship, she's terrified of letting it go."

Twilight smiled, "That's a very poetic take on it, Fluttershy. And I think you might be right."

Pinkie Pie then asked, "In that case, you wanna go get her now, James? We'll put on the finishing touches upstairs while you're gone."

I nodded, "Sounds good. I'll hurry back. Just don't start without us, OK?"

Spike smirked, "Don't worry, I'll make sure they don't." I am not sure why he was giving me that look, but he must have had something pretty devious in mind. Regardless, I hurried out the front door and made my way southeast towards the Carousel Boutique while maintaining a brisk pace.

I waved at a few ponies as I walked, but had no time for conversation. I was especially worried about how Mitta was faring on her own now that there was no one with her. Well, no one sentient, to be precise. I know Opal was probably in the Carousel Boutique at the time, but I know she is not always sociable.

Once I had reached the Carousel Boutique, I approached the door slowly. I honestly did not know what to expect upon opening it, so I nudged it open very slowly to avoid setting off the bell that hung above it on the inside. What I found on the inside surprised me. Mitta was in the very middle of the room, lying on her back with her legs curled up. Almost like a dog playing dead. "Uh… Mitta?" I asked as I drew near.

At the sound of my voice, Mitta sprang to life and clambered to her feet. She then galloped towards me and practically tackled me before wrapping her forelegs around me. It was then I noticed that she had removed the cape she had received from the Cutie Mark Crusaders. It was draped over a stool nearby. "Uh… Mitta?!"

She spoke softly, "I missed you… And…I was lonely."

I smiled warmly, my hand stroking her crimson mane. "Sorry that Rarity was called away. It was for something important."

Mitta smiled while looking up at me, "But you're here now. May I just stay with you until Rarity comes back?"

I was tickled that Mitta was so reliant on companionship, not that I could blame her after spending so much time trapped with the zombified ponies of Sunny Town for a millennium. But I still had to get her to the party at Sugarcube Corner. What would have been a subtle way of getting her to follow me without hinting that something might be in store for her?

"Say, Mitta? You wanna head over to Sugarcube Corner for some goodies? I think they're still open." I spoke while looking down at her.

Mitta's crimson eyes lit up at those words. "Yes, please! Do they have more of those…um…chocolate drops?"

I nodded, "Sure do. Shall we go?"

Mitta jumped out of my grasp and ran to the door. "Yes! Come on!" I smirked at her, utterly enjoying her enthusiasm. I approached the door and opened it to let her out. Once we were both outside, I closed the door behind me and headed northeast with Mitta by my side.

The sun was just starting to get low in the sky since it was the late afternoon by then. Plenty of ponies were still going about their business. Of course, since we had a party to attend, we did not stop to speak to anyone. That, and I doubt Mitta was settled in enough to have the courage to speak to anyone at this point.

As expected, Mitta made a dash to Sugarcube Corner once it came into view. "Oh lord, not again…" I muttered as I broke into a run to catch up to her. Much to my surprise, she went to the flowerbed just to the left of the doorway and seemed to survey them before eating one.

"Hey, Mitta! No eating the…architecture?" I felt like I was scolding a dog. Although I relented when I saw it was indeed real flowers she was eating and not part of the building's decorations.

Mitta looked back at me with a bemused expression, a pink flower still in her mouth. "These don't taste very sweet… Still tasty though." She gulped it down, though still looked rather disappointed that it was not as sweet as she had hoped.

"Well, unless they're honeysuckles, I don't imagine that they would be very sweet. But since we're here, why don't we get to some real sweet stuff?" I replied, hoping to get Mitta inside so we could get started on her party.

She gave me a soft smile, "Yes, please." We then both entered Sugarcube Corner, though I made certain to block her view of the 'Closed for private party' sign on the door so she would not suspect anything.

Once we were inside, Mitta immediately glanced around. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were nowhere to be seen. Mitta frowned as she looked around, "Who do I ask for some of the pastries here?"

I replied, "I'll go see if Pinkie Pie's around. She'll help you." I went behind the counter and walked upstairs. But before I went out of sight, I looked back at Mitta and smiled, "I'll be right back. OK?"

She nodded with a faint smile, "OK. I'll wait."

I walked up the stairs at a modest speed to avoid raising suspicion. Once I was at the top, I found my seven friends waiting for me. "Hey girls. Everything ready?" I spoke softly to avoid letting Mitta know downstairs that something was going on.

Rainbow Dash nodded with a grin and replied quietly, "Yeah. Everything's good to go."

Twilight then whispered, "All that's left is the guest of honor."

I looked around the room. It seemed that nothing had been altered from before, but there was now an extra table displaying various other sweet treats that Mitta would surely like. I then went to the top of the stairwell and called down it, "Mitta, could you come up here for a minute?"

I heard her reply, "Up there? Um…OK!" I jumped back and stood next to my friends. "OK, she's coming. Ready?"

Spike gave me a salute, "Ready!"

The clopping of Mitta's hooves steadily became louder as she trotted up the wooden stairs. As soon as she became visible to us, all eight of us called out together. "SURPRISE!"

Mitta jumped back and nearly fell down the stairs. We clearly got her good. She glanced around frantically before slowly regaining her composure. "Huh? A…surprise?"

Pinkie Pie trotted over to our friend and grinned, "Yeah! Surprise! We threw this party just for you! Did we surprise you?"

Mitta glanced around at her surroundings before replying, "Very…"

Fluttershy smiled, "I know this is on such short notice, but this is how Pinkie Pie welcomes everypony who comes to Ponyville. I hope it's OK with you."

We all watched in silence as Mitta looked around the room. She peered into the apple tub. She sniffed the cake. She even picked up a party blower that was on the floor and gave it a blow. The rolled up paper on the end furled out while making a comical toot like a kazoo.

Once Mitta had set down the party blower, she turned to face us with a somber expression. "And this… It's all for me?"

I nodded, "All for you, Mitta."

Mitta glanced around at her surroundings again. Very slowly, a modest smile crept over her face as big wet tears trickled down her cheeks. Rainbow Dash held out her hoof, "Hey, easy there. Nopony cries at a party. Especially when it was thrown just for them."

Our friend smiled at us, her face still soaked with tears. "I can't help it… I've… You don't know what this means for me… I wish I could put it into words…"

Pinkie Pie hopped forward and gave Mitta a very tight hug. "That's OK! Just as long as you get settled in as our newest friend, everything will be just fine!"

Mitta seemed to relax greatly in Pinkie's grasp. She then threw her forelegs around the pink party pony and sighed, "Thank you, Pinkie Pie…"

Applejack then spoke up, "Hold on, there. When Rainbow Dash came ta get me over at Sweet Apple Acres, we made sure ta bring 'long a few more friends of yers. And they should be here any…" Right at those words, we heard hooves clopping as someone came up the stairs.

"More friends?" Mitta asked with a perplexed expression, releasing her grip on Pinkie Pie and looking towards the stairs.

A moment later, a little yellow earth pony filly with a large pink bow on her head stuck her head past the stair post at the top. "Hello!"

Then an orange pegasus filly stuck her head out from behind the post just above the earth pony filly and spoke in a slightly higher pitch, "Hello!"

Then a white unicorn filly did the same above the pegasus filly and spoke in the highest tone of voice out of the three, "Hello!"

I grinned, noticing a familiar pattern in their greetings. But just before anyone could say anything else, a fourth filly stuck her head out from above the unicorn and spoke in a normal tone, "Hello."

Her appearance clearly caught them by surprise. All three let out a shout of surprise before the earth pony filly on the bottom fell forward, causing the entire filly tower to topple. And in case you have not figured it out by now, the three of them were the Cutie Mark Crusaders. However, the fourth filly did not seem to be part of the group. She had a gray coat and a magnifying glass cutie mark. Her eyes were closed as she giggled, apparently having enjoyed catching my three little friends by surprise.

Rainbow Dash spoke up, "Who're you?! Sorry, squirt. This is a private party. Only friends of Mitta's are allowed to be here."

However, Mitta stepped forward with a surprisingly happy expression on her face. "But she IS my friend!"

I nodded with my arms crossed, "Yup. You two go back quite a ways. Right, Ruby?"

The little gray earth pony opened her glowing yellow eyes and smiled. "We sure do. And sorry for popping up uninvited. I just wanted to see how Mitta was doing."

However, all seven of my other friends, as well as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, were staring in bewilderment at Ruby. "James… That filly's eyes are glowing…" Rarity spoke with a clearly unnerved tone in her voice.

Twilight then asked, "Wait… Her name is Ruby? You don't mean…..THAT Ruby, do you?!"

Mitta could clearly detect their apprehension. She nodded with an awkward smile, "Uh huh…"

Fluttershy then shrieked, "That means… SHE'S A GHOST!"

However, Pinkie Pie then giggled. "A real ghost? Well, you know what this calls for, right?"

Sweetie Belle asked, "We…uh…go suck her up with a vacuum cleaner?"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Nopey dopey! Let me show you!" She then began to trot towards Ruby, who was looking up at her with a puzzled expression.

"Wait… She's not going to…" Twilight spoke with a frown.

Pinkie Pie then began to…..sing? "When I was a little filly and the sun was going down..." She lengthened the 'ow' sound to make the word last much longer than just saying it.

Rainbow Dash suddenly flew over to Pinkie and stuffed her hoof in her mouth. "Pinkie, I really don't think giggling at this ghostie is gonna make it go away."

I asked, "Giggling at a ghostie?"

Pinkie Pie looked at me and giggled, "It's something my Granny Pie taught me! Giggling at the Ghosties!"

Ruby then asked while looking up at us, "Do you really want me to go away?"

Mitta stepped forward, "Please, no. Let her stay."

Applejack then spoke up, "Ya know, Mitta… I don't think ya'll ever told us Ruby was still hangin' around as a ghost."

Fluttershy retorted, "Wait! James, you mentioned somepony named Ruby to me when you came home from the Everfree Forest several months ago. You meant THIS Ruby?"

I nodded, "Yeah, this is her. Cute, isn't she?" Ruby giggled with a smile at my words.

Twilight approached her and smiled too, "Actually, yes. She is very cute."

Apple Bloom then stood next to Ruby and placed her foreleg across her back in the same fashion one would do the same with one's arm across a friend's shoulders. "I've met 'er before. I can tell ya'll right now Ruby's a good pony! Can she stay, Applejack? Pleeeease?"

Applejack chuckled, "Well… I think that's really up ta the guest of honor. What's yer call, Mitta?"

Our friend did not show much hesitation. She walked over to Ruby and smiled sincerely, "Ruby. Would you like to attend this party?"

The little ghost filly beamed, "I'd love to! Um… Only if there are no lost gemstones for me to find." No one really had a retort to that, since we did not understand what she meant by that.

Off to the sides, Pinkie Pie nudged the needle of a phonograph onto the record that was resting in the middle. "No more waiting, girls! Time to party!"

Everything got underway without a hitch. Apple Bloom wasted no time in introducing Ruby to the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders while Mitta was being shown around by Pinkie Pie. "Here, we've got cake, punch, and a whole bunch of other goodies I just knew you would love!"

Mitta was glancing back and forth at the long list of treats that Pinkie had set out. I too was eager to grab a plate and help myself. She spoke, "Can't…decide…where to start…"

Pinkie replied, "Then how about you just go for all at once?" She then started to gather up a bit of…well…everything. "One of these, one of those, a couple of these, ooh! A whole bunch of these! And a slice of cake on top!" Do not even ask me how to describe the monstrosity that Pinkie Pie made. It kind of looked like a pastry version of a towering Dagwood sandwich that stood about as tall as my leg.

"Hey, save some for the rest of us!" Rainbow Dash grumbled from nearby while hovering in the air, hooves on her hips. Mitta looked her way and grinned sheepishly.

"Thanks, Pinkie. I think this will be enough." Mitta spoke before balancing her plate on top of her head. She then trotted over to me with the towering stack of treats on her head swaying, but miraculously never falling over.

I asked once she came closer, "Just how are you going to get that off your head without the whole thing falling off?"

Mitta's eyes glanced up before looking back at me. "I have no idea."

"Allow me, dears." I heard Rarity speak from next to us. The entire tower of treats levitated off of Mitta's head before resting on the floor. "All done! So much easier to deal with now, don't you think?"

I looked at Rarity and smiled, "Yeah, much easier. Thanks, Rarity."

As Mitta observed the stack of sweets before her, she turned to me and smiled, "I don't think I can finish this by myself. Would you like to help me with that?"

I nodded with a faint smile, "Thank you, I'd love to. But…uh…let me grab a plate first." The only plate she had with her was the one the 'sandwich' was resting on.

I approached the table that held the cake and grabbed a pair of plates. But before I could walk away, I noticed Ruby talking to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They seemed to be enjoying her company, smiles constantly adorning their faces. Ruby soon turned sideways, showing the three fillies her cutie mark. They were clearly impressed, each of them drawing closer to get a better look. I smiled to myself, "Kids…"

"They certainly can be entertaining, huh?" A voice spoke up next to me. I looked down and found Twilight Sparkle smiling up at me.

I nodded, "Yup. Never gets dull with them around."

Twilight nodded before looking at the four fillies. Her gaze seemed to be directed at Ruby in particular. However, she soon frowned. "The poor dear's been through so much… I'm amazed that she's this cheerful." She then looked up at me again, "James… Do you think we should tell her that we know what happened?"

I did not think long before I replied, "I don't think it's relevant at this point. She's finally as far away from that place as she's ever gonna get. There's no point in bringing up the past now."

Twilight nodded with a faint smile, "Sounds like a good idea. I'll be sure to pass the word along to the other girls."

I then brought the plates back over to Mitta. "Here we go. Um… Do we have forks?"

Mitta shrugged her shoulders, "I'm not sure… But it looks like Spike has one."

I looked at where she pointed and saw Spike standing off to the sidelines. He was holding a plate of cake in one hand while eating it with a fork that was being held in the other. His eyes seemed to be focused on Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. They were dancing in the middle of the entire room. While I still cannot describe equine dancing very well, Pinkie Pie was still the liveliest dancer of the three. She sometimes performed handstands and even seemed to moonwalk a few times. Or is the correct term for her 'moontrot'? Mooncanter? Moongallop? Whatever, I will end up hurting myself if I think too hard about it. Regardless, I went over to Spike and kneeled next to him.

"Hey, Spike? Where'd you get that fork?" I asked.

He looked up at me, clearly not noticing me next to him until I spoke. "Huh? Oh, this? I grabbed it from the kitchen downstairs. Most ponies can't even use these, but unicorns can."

I gently patted him on the head, "Thanks. You enjoying yourself?"

His eyes turned back towards the center of the room. "Me? I can enjoy myself through anything…as long as she's around."

His expression became rather love struck. I tried to figure out exactly which of the three ponies he was looking at and found that his gaze was tracking Rarity.

I glanced down at him before glancing back at Rarity. I honestly cannot say I blame him. Despite Fluttershy being my girlfriend, I cannot deny that Rarity is ungodly beautiful. So much so, I actually found myself rather…mesmerized by her graceful gyrations. And whenever she ended up turning away from us… I am ashamed to admit this, but I could not stop myself from staring at her white hindquarters.

I had to slap myself to knock me back to my senses. "Uh… Yeah. Her. I don't blame you. She's gorgeous."

Spike smiled, "I know, right?"

I honestly cannot see Spike getting involved with Rarity, since she must be at least several years older than him. That, and he is still just a child. Although I can possibly see him and Sweetie Belle becoming an item at some point. She is just as sweet as Rarity, as her name would imply. And for a little filly, she is also quite beautiful. Maybe I should recommend her to Spike someday. Anyway, I digress.

I stood up and made my way back over to Mitta. "They don't have forks up here, so I'll go grab one from the kitchen. I'll be right back, OK?"

She nodded at me, "OK. And I'll try to keep my eyes off of these." I am sure she was trying to restrain herself from devouring the stack of treats Pinkie Pie had given her.

"Yeah, you do that. See you in a minute." I replied before heading back downstairs.

I went straight into the kitchen and started searching through the drawers, trying to find a utensil to eat with. Most were filled with an assorted mishmash of cooking tools, from mixers to rolling pins to stuff I do not even know the names of. And this is coming from someone who has actually worked in a restaurant. But I did eventually find a drawer filled with neatly sorted silverware. "Finally."

Before I could grab a fork though, I noticed the spoons. Thinking back to what was available upstairs, I knew there were things I could eat with just my hands without making a mess and cake in itself is usually soft. I decided then to go with a spoon instead of a fork.

I ran back upstairs to find the party moving along just fine. Although I noticed that Ruby had now joined in the dancing. However, I soon noticed that she was moving dangerously close to Pinkie Pie. "Oh crap…"

My gut feeling was right. Pinkie Pie suddenly moved her rump towards Ruby with surprising speed. She ended up decking Ruby right in the face. And thanks to that earth pony strength, she sent the filly sailing towards a wall. "Weeeeeeheeee!" Ruby squealed, clearly having felt no pain and even seemed to enjoy being launched through the air.

Before anyone could say anything, Ruby reached the wall and…went…right through it. As in…phased through it like…like…the ghost she is. This event was so unexpected and so random that I just could not stop myself from cracking up into laughter.

"What in the hay just happened there?!" Applejack shouted, clearly just as bewildered as everyone else in the room. But a moment later, there was a knock on the window.

Rainbow Dash trotted over to the window and pushed it open. "Huh? Oh, hey! What's up, Der…" Rainbow Dash spoke before she snickered. From what I could see, Derpy was hovering just outside the window with Ruby on her head.

"Hiya, Rainbow Dash! Did you throw your hat out the window?" Derpy asked with her silly walleyed expression.

Ruby giggled, "This funny-looking pegasus caught me before I could even hit the ground. She thinks I'm a talking hat."

Rainbow rolled her eyes, "Yeah… My hat… Can I have her back, please?"

Derpy reached out with her head, allowing Ruby to hop back inside the room. "Sure! Just let me know if you lose your hat again. See ya around!" She then flew off, leaving us with Ruby.

Before anything else could happen, Pinkie Pie hurried over to Ruby. "I'm so sorry! I just don't know my own strength! And I got so caught up in the music that I just didn't notice you! Are you OK?"

Ruby beamed happily, "Don't be sorry! That was fun! Can we go again?"

Rainbow Dash then stepped forward, "Hang on a minute. Just how did you even do that back there?! Ponies don't go through walls like that! At least not without leaving a pony-shaped hole behind them!"

Ruby seemed puzzled. "Huh? You mean…this?" She then reached out and… Oh lord. She pushed her foreleg right into Rainbow Dash's side. By which I mean pushing it THROUGH her side.

"Gah! That's creepy! And it tickles! Get your hoof outta my ribs!" The rowdy pegasus mare yelped, backing away with one foreleg raised while an unnerved expression adorned her face.

Ruby giggled, "I've been able to do that for a looooooong time. I honestly don't remember how long by this point."

Scootaloo laughed, "That's totally awesome! Can you tickle my ribs too?"

Ruby grinned, "OK! Just hold still." One by one, each of the Cutie Mark Crusaders burst into laughter as the ghost filly quite literally took turns tickling their ribs. It was both entertaining to watch…yet also a little creepy.

I took a seat by Mitta and moved a slice of cake to my plate. "She ever do that back in Sunny Town?"

Mitta shook her head as she moved a chocolate drop and cupcake to her plate, "Sometimes, whenever she got caught by the other ponies in town, she would run right through a tree so they would crash into it while chasing her." She giggled slightly afterward, "It was one of the few things back then that could make me smile."

I smiled before I took a bite of my cake, "At least she's… Mmm, that's good. Anyway, at least she's out of there now. Who knows what antics she'll get into before long."

Mitta nodded, taking a bite of a chocolate drop resting on her upturned hoof. "I'm not sure. She's not a mischievous filly. But she is curious. I think that quality is what led her to Apple Bloom in the first place."

I looked over at the fillies again and snickered. Ruby had her head sticking out of Scootaloo's shoulder. She smiled, "Look, Scootaloo! Now I'm your Siamese twin!"

Scootaloo looked a little blue in the face before running towards me, "Oh man… No! James, help! I can't get her… Huh?" As soon as Scootaloo ran from her spot, Ruby's head left her body. It turned out that Ruby had been standing 'inside' Scootaloo with her head moved to the side.

I grinned, "You don't need my help. You're fine!"

Scootaloo looked at her shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I was worried that extra head would throw off my balance on my scooter!"

Ruby asked, "What's a scooter?"

Sweetie Belle replied, "You don't know what a scooter is?! Scootaloo's only the best scooter rider in Ponyville!"

Apple Bloom then spoke, "How 'bout she shows ya some of 'er tricks tamorrow? I can promise you'll like it."

Ruby grinned, "Sounds fun! But…what exactly IS a scooter?"

Scootaloo trotted over to Ruby with a proud smile, "Well, let me tell you all about it! I know more about scooter tricks than anypony!"

While those four fillies went about their business, I went back to enjoying my food with Mitta. But before we could converse much more, Rarity approached us. "I do hope you dears are enjoying yourselves today. Is the party to your liking, Mitta?"

My friend nodded with a sincere smile, "It's more than I could've ever hoped for. Thank you."

Rarity then looked back and forth at us. "Would you dears care for anything to drink?"

It was then that I noticed neither of us had picked up any beverages. Mitta smiled, "Yes please. I'd love to try the punch."

Rarity then looked at me, "And you, James?"

I replied, "Not right now. Unless you happen to have some milk available."

Rarity cocked her head to one side slightly, "Milk? Truly?"

I nodded, "Yeah, it goes very well with pastries and chocolate. The creamy fluid really washes it all down."

My elegant friend smiled, "I know exactly what you mean. Wait right here and I will fetch you your beverages." She then trotted away and headed downstairs.

"She's very generous." Mitta spoke softly.

I nodded with a soft smile of my own. "Very. I think generosity is her defining trait…" It was then that I remembered when I had witnessed the Elements of Harmony for the first time several days ago. Rarity is the bearer of the Element of Generosity. "Yeah. All about generosity."

Moments later, Rarity came trotting back up the stairs with a milkshake glass filled to the brim with milk. It was floating next to her as it and her horn were coated in a billowing light blue aura. The glass seemed to be very cold with a layer of frost coating it. Rarity then trotted over to the food table and levitated a ladle that was resting in the punchbowl. She did the same with a wide-brimmed cup before filling it with the punch. The cup seemed to share characteristics with wine glasses since it stood on a leg that was wide at the bottom, but narrow up the middle. It had engravings around the sides that brought to mind ivy, but I am unsure what the cup was made of. Pewter? Tin? Hard to say, really. Regardless, Rarity approached us with both beverage holders floating beside her.

"Here you are, darlings." Rarity spoke as she set Mitta's cup beside her before placing a bendy straw in it while also giving me my drink.

"Thanks, Rari… Whoa, this is cold. Right out of the freezer?" I asked, finding that my glass of milk was indeed frosted over.

She nodded with a grin before sweetly nuzzling the side of my face. "Of course! Milkshake glasses are kept cold to insure the milkshakes stay cold longer. And milk is best served cold, is it not?"

I smiled before throwing my arm around her neck and also nuzzling her back, "It most certainly is, m'lady. Many thanks."

Rarity giggled, "You're too sweet, James. But when you're ready, do feel free to join in the festivities." She then turned and walked away, although I made certain to avert my eyes to avoid being rude.

Mitta smiled at me, "Rarity really seems to like you, James."

I smiled, feeling very lucky that she and I had become so close. "She's my best friend, Mitta. She was also the first person to ever give me anything after I ended up in Equestria."

My friend smiled warmly, "She is very sweet. And very beautiful."

Moments later, Fluttershy approached us. "How are you liking your party, Mitta? We worked very hard to make sure everything was perfect for you."

Mitta nodded with a smile, "It is perfect, Fluttershy. And thank you."

Fluttershy then looked back and forth at us. "Um… Aren't you going to take part in some of the activities? You both look bored."

I am not much of a partier, preferring to do things at my own pace. I replied, "Don't worry, honey. We may not look it, but we are enjoying ourselves. Right, Mitta?"

Our friend nodded, "I am. Sorry if I don't seem that…enthusiastic right now. It's just how I am."

To my surprise, Fluttershy asked, "Well… May I join you? I'm the same way."

That actually did not surprise me too much, considering how long I have known her. I nodded, "Sure, honey. Have a seat." Fluttershy grinned and sat down to my left with Mitta on my right. We just sat there, enjoying Sugarcube Corner's delicious treats, at the side of the room while watching everyone else having fun. It may not sound like a very enjoyable way to have fun at a party, but that is just the way I roll. And apparently it is also how Mitta and Fluttershy roll.

As we chatted, Fluttershy asked, "James, are there zombie ponies where you're from too?"

I snorted, "No, there are no zombie ponies there. But zombies are a popular subject in fiction."

Mitta seemed slightly unnerved by my words. "You mean…there are zombies there too?"

I shook my head after swallowing a bite of a cupcake. "No, not at all. Zombies are completely fictional. At least…on Earth, they are. The last thing I ever expected seeing in Equestria was real zombies, let alone zombified ponies."

Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good… I can't imagine a world where zombies could be all over the place."

I nodded, but then smiled, "Although it is very satisfying to kill them."

Fluttershy winced, "Fun to…kill?"

I paused before waving my hand, "Oh, wait. That came out wrong. I mean… Zombies bring nothing but bad things to the living, right? So it's very satisfying to know that you are both ridding the world of those monsters while also freeing their souls from their undead limbo. Makes sense, right?"

Mitta nodded with a hoof on her chin, "That actually makes a lot of sense…"

Fluttershy also nodded, "That really does sound like a good deed. And I think Rainbow Dash might enjoy it."

"Assuming she could take them down while making sure they don't bite her, that is." I replied.

As we glanced around, I noticed Applejack and Rainbow Dash once again bobbing for apples together. "Anyone up for bobbing for apples?"

Mitta looked at where I was pointing and asked, "How do you bob for apples?"

Fluttershy stood up and smiled at Mitta, "It's very easy. Let us show you." The two of us then stood up and followed my girlfriend over to the tub.

As usual, Applejack was doing a fine job of grabbing the apples. And like before, she would chomp them down with a single bite. "Top that, Rainbow."

Rainbow Dash smirked, "My pleasure." But just as she was opening her mouth to try to grab an apple, Rainbow paused and looked at us. "Oh, hey! What's up, guys?"

Fluttershy smiled, "Mitta wanted to try bobbing for apples. Can she?"

Applejack took a step back, "Go right ahead!"

Mitta looked down into the tub, probably eyeing the apples that were floating around in it. "How do I do this?"

I stepped forward, "I'll demonstrate." But once I had removed my glasses and was about to dunk my head in the tub, a thought occurred to me. "Just a second." I then reached over and grabbed Pinkie Pie, who just happened to be standing nearby.

"Woo! What's up? We bobbing for apples?" Pinkie Pie asked when I yanked her over to the tub.

"Pinkie, is your Pinkie Sense acting up right now?" I knew for a fact that the wooden container that held the apples and water was indeed a tub of sorts, and when Pinkie's shoulder gets achy, it means there is an alligator in a tub nearby. And I was not in the mood to have Gummy bite my face again.

Pinkie Pie looked at herself and shrugged her shoulders, "Nope! Everything's clear!"

I smiled, "OK then. Guess it's safe."

Just as I dunked my face into the tub with my mouth open, Mitta asked, "Safe from what?"

I tried feeling around, waiting for an apple to drift between my jaws. But all of a sudden, I felt something soft and slightly squishy clamp over my face. I instantly pulled my head out of the water. Fluttershy and Mitta let out a gasp, clearly startled by what they were seeing. I could not see anything. It was pitch black in front of me. I tried feeling what was on my face. It felt wet, yet somewhat rough. Like an alligator's hide. "NOT AGAIN!" I tried to yell, though it came out heavily muffled. Like before, I could not breathe.

"Darn it! Let go! That's not funny anymore, Gummy!" Rainbow Dash yelled. I then felt my head suddenly jerk back before feeling myself…rise off the ground? I tried to feel for the floor under me, but the tips of my shoes met no resistance.

"Easy there, Rainbow! Don't wanna tear the poor thing in two!" Applejack called out. Seconds later, light returned to my vision as I dropped straight down. I managed to land without falling over and saw Rainbow Dash hovering above me with Gummy dangling from her mouth by his tail.

I panted for a moment, trying to relax after nearly suffocating again. I then glared at Pinkie Pie and raised my voice, "Why didn't your Pinkie Sense act up?! There was CLEARLY an alligator in that tub!"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Oh, James! When I say my shoulder's achy, it means there's an alligator in a BATHTUB."

I paused for a second before hunching over with my head hanging low while I sighed. I then looked at her, extremely annoyed by this point, and asked, "NOW you tell me?!"

Rainbow Dash dropped Gummy nearby and also glared at Pinkie Pie, "Actually, I don't think you ever told any of us that! A tub's a tub, so why didn't you clear that up?!"

Pinkie's response made me facepalm. "Because you never asked!" She then trotted away, humming a merry tune.

Fluttershy hovered up next to me and gently held her hoof to my cheek, "You had me worried for a moment, dear. Are you OK?"

I nodded, smiling just slightly. "Yea, I'm good. Gummy's bites don't hurt. Gave me a heck of a scare though."

Applejack then looked at Mitta and smiled, "Well, the coast is clear now, Mitta. Wanna take a shot at it?"

Mitta actually looked more hesitant than before. "I'm not sure I want to after that."

I sighed, "OK, let's try this again. I'll show you it's safe." I then kneeled next to the tub again and closed my eyes before I dunked my head into it. In seconds, I felt something drift into my gaping jaws. I bit down to secure the object and pulled myself out. I grabbed whatever was between my teeth and found it to be a yellow apple. "See? It's safe." I then took a bite, enjoying my prize.

Mitta smiled slightly, "OK… I'll give it a try too." She approached the tub before taking a deep breath. She then dunked her head into the tub. A few seconds later, she emerged with a red apple in her teeth.

"Nice one, Mitta!" Rainbow spoke with a smile.

Mitta looked at us without removing the apple from her mouth, apparently cracking a smile of sorts before chomping the apple down. "Mmm… Are these Sweet Apple Acres apples?"

Applejack nodded, "Sure are! Most of Ponyville's apple supplies comes from my farm durin' the warmer seasons."

Fluttershy then tried her hoof at the tub. I watched as she submerged her face in the water, curious of what she would get. But when she pulled her head back up, I took a step back as I saw Spike hanging from her mouth by his tail. "What the… Spike?!"

He shrugged with a nervous grin, "Uh… Heya, James. Scootaloo told me she thought there was a gemstone in the tub, so I tried to find it."

Fluttershy gently set him down and spoke, "I never saw anything that looked like a gemstone down there. I think she may have been joking with you."

Spike sighed, "Yeah, mayb…gwah?!"

Before he could finish speaking, Ruby stuck her head out of his belly. "Hello! Did I miss anything?"

I snickered, "Oh man… Chest burster!"

Spike looked down at the filly head protruding from his body and let out a yell. "Help! There's something inside me and it's gonna rip me apart!" He started running around in a panic, Ruby trotting along to make sure her head stayed in the same spot in front of his belly at all times. Everyone present was laughing. Except for Spike, that is. Ghosts certainly can be impish.

The party continued on and on. Truth be told, I ended up losing track of time. Before we even knew it, the sun had set. I looked at the window, seeing that the sky had turned dark. "Wow. How long have we been here?" Rainbow Dash asked, clearly noticing how late it had gotten.

Applejack glanced at an alarm clock that was resting next to Pinkie Pie's bed. Yes, the main room on the second floor of Sugarcube Corner is mostly Pinkie's bedroom. "Looks like it's 8 pm, girls. We've been here awhile."

Mitta let out a yawn, "I was wondering why I was feeling so tired…"

Ruby smiled, "You're not used to being like this at night, aren't you?"

Mitta smiled a bit groggily, "No. It's refreshing."

Rarity let out a yawn herself, "Well, I certainly did enjoy myself. Though I do believe we should all be returning home soon?"

Twilight nodded, "That may be a good idea. What do you think, Spike? …Spike?" As it turned out, Spike had already fallen on Pinkie Pie's bed. Twilight then rolled her eyes with a smile, "I guess that's a yes."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "I better watch out when I climb in bed tonight. I don't wanna prick myself on any Spikes in there!" Most of my friends laughed, though I merely smiled.

Apple Bloom let out a yawn too. "I'm a might beat myself… And I got school tamorrow…"

Sweetie Belle nodded a bit groggily, "Me too. We should probably get going…"

However, Scootaloo seemed just fine. "What're you talking about? I'm not tired at all! Come on, let's party some more!"

I smirked and looked at Applejack, "AJ, would you mind escorting the kids home? I still need to see Mitta home."

Applejack nodded, "Sure thing. Come 'long now, youngin's. I'll getcha home."

Apple Bloom nodded and followed Applejack towards the stairs, "Sure thing, sis… Ooh, wait!" She then stopped and looked at Ruby. "Ruby, we'll see each other again, won't we?"

The little ghost filly nodded with a smile, "Of course! I'll be around. And I'll be sure to say hi if I see you."

Sweetie Belle nodded and waved goodbye, "You're welcome over at our clubhouse anytime! See you tomorrow! Come on, Scootaloo."

As Applejack and the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders trotted down the stairs, Scootaloo once again groaned. "But I just told you I'm NOT tired!"

Fluttershy smiled as she approached me, "You think she'll still be awake by the time we get home?"

I shook my head, "Doubt it."

Rainbow Dash then yawned, "Man, I'm beat. Parties sure take a lot outta ya, don't they?"

I nodded, "They really do. No idea why either."

Mitta then approached me, "But it was still a great party. Best party I've ever attended."

Pinkie Pie nuzzled Mitta with a smile, "Awww, you have no idea how happy I am to hear that! I wanted your first party in Ponyville to be perfect!"

Rarity smiled and spoke, "And you most certainly succeeded. Just like the last one."

Twilight then smiled, "You can leave the cleaning up to me and Pinkie. Together, we should have everything cleaned up in no time. We'll see you tomorrow, OK?"

Mitta nodded and smiled, "Yes. Good night, Twilight and Pinkie. And thank you again." We all said our goodbyes and went downstairs and out the front door. Rainbow Dash gave me a hug before flying off that I will admit I did not expect. Was she feeling all right? Regardless, we all followed Rarity back towards Carousel Boutique to see Mitta settled in at home.

"Fabulous party, was it not?" Rarity asked as we walked along.

Mitta nodded with a smile, "Very. Best party I've ever attended. And I've attended lots of parties."

Fluttershy asked, "You have? But…wasn't it awful in Sunny Town?"

I replied, "Would you have enjoyed attending a party where everyone else was a murderer?"

Fluttershy winced, "Oh… I see now."

The sky was filled with stars and a beautiful crescent moon as we walked along. Few ponies were outside, giving me a feeling of great freedom. It almost felt like we had the place to ourselves. A cool spring breeze blew through the quiet air. I cherish times like those and always have.

We did not take very long to reach Rarity's home. "Well, here we are, Mitta. Your new home." Rarity spoke while opening the door for Mitta.

Mitta nodded at Rarity with a smile before turning to face me. She then asked, "We'll see each other tomorrow, right?"

I nodded, "You'll see me everyday, if you want. I'm not that hard to find."

Mitta then stood up on her hind legs and embraced me tightly with her forelegs. I heard her whisper, "Thank you for everything…"

I whispered back while gently stroking her crimson mane, "You're very welcome, Mitta."

In a moment, Mitta released her grip on me and dropped back down to the ground. "I'm really sure I'll love staying here in Ponyville. Thank you for taking me in, everypony."

Fluttershy smiled at her, "I know you'll love it here, Mitta. And we can see each other everyday."

Rarity then spoke up, "As much as I would love to keep chatting with all of you, I do believe we must prepare for bed. And don't you have one particularly rambunctious filly to see to back home?"

I winced, "Oh, right. Scootaloo. You're right, we should get back home to make sure she's not getting into trouble."

Fluttershy nodded at her two friends, "Let's talk again tomorrow. Goodnight, Rarity. Goodnight, Mitta."

"Goodnight…and thank you again." Mitta spoke with a somber smile. We then turned and headed on back home. I did pause to look over my shoulder on the way and found Mitta looking at me over hers. We both smiled and shared one last wave before turning away and going back to our business.

The walk home was fairly uneventful, though I cherished the cool night wind blowing through my hair. The lampposts shone a gentle glow over the areas they were positioned in. Few ponies could be seen, giving me a great sense of freedom.

"It's a lovely evening, isn't it?" Fluttershy asked while looking up at me.

I nodded with a faint smile, my gaze turning towards the distant Canterlot to the northeast. Surely then, Luna and Nightmare Moon were at work settling Equestria in for the night. "It is. Probably because we now have two princesses of the night doing the job twice as well."

Fluttershy giggled faintly, "I'm sure they are. I hope Nightmare Moon is doing well now that she's finally home."

I felt even more at ease once we were trekking across the meadow that separated our cottage from Ponyville. The air was especially calm and quiet now that we were in a more natural environment. I think I may have even seen a few bats fly by. "It's good to be home."

Our cottage slowly came into view in the moonlight, a single light shining from the closest window. "It looks like Scootaloo made it home." Fluttershy spoke as we drew near. Upon crossing the bridge that spanned the brook in front of it, I opened the door and peeked inside.

"Scoot? Are you… Oh." I noticed right away that the light source was a simple lantern near the doorway. And sound asleep on the sofa across the room was Scootaloo.

"But I thought she said she wasn't tired?" Fluttershy asked when we stepped into the room.

I smirked, "The rambunctious ones always tire out the fastest." I then gently cradled Scootaloo in my arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Sweet dreams, sis."

A moment later, I had tucked her into bed with her head adorably poking up out of the covers. Fluttershy smiled, "For such a tomboy, she's so cute when she's asleep." I nodded, agreeing with her in silence. She then looked up at me and asked, "It's a bit early to get ready for bed. Would you like to take a walk around the house, honey?"

I looked down at her and smiled, "That sounds lovely. Lead the way, Fluttershy."

The two of us went outside and began to slowly circle the cottage. We did not say much at first, mostly because I was busy taking in the sights and sounds of the night. But after a brief moment, Fluttershy asked, "James? Do you miss your old home?"

This question seemed to come right out of nowhere. I asked, "Huh? My old home? Why do you ask?"

Fluttershy averted her gaze, as if embarrassed for asking. "Um… I'm sorry. I've just been wondering at times and…"

I smiled, "Don't be ashamed. I don't mind telling you." When Fluttershy looked back up at me, I explained, "Well… I guess there are times when I do long for some of the things back on Earth. I do miss my family and old friends at times. But it's OK because I know they're just fine. And no matter what, I would never trade my life in Equestria for any other world."

Fluttershy smiled, "It does sound like you had a lot of good things back home… Oh, do you think your family would accept us being together? Since…you know…we're not the same species?"

I stopped in my tracks and crossed my arms. "Hmmm… It might take some explaining, but my folks might understand once they met you."

My girlfriend then asked, "What about your brother? Would he?"

This actually got a chuckle out of me. "Oh, I can guarantee he would not accept us being together."

Fluttershy seemed rather surprised by my response. "He wouldn't? Why?!"

I replied, "Do you know what a video game is?"

Fluttershy nodded, "Uh huh. I've seen them around. Those blocky things with screens on them with buttons and joysticks?"

I was honestly surprised that Equestria does have video games, even if they are only in arcade-style cabinets. Perhaps I will try them out sometime. Though I doubt they have classics like Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, and Super Mario Bros. like back on Earth. In any case, I explained, "There was this one game he was playing that had a massive world with many races. One race that caught my eye was a feline race. But not animals. They were built like humans. You know, two arms, two legs, and walking around like this?"

Fluttershy nodded, "I think I can picture them. They sound very elegant."

I nodded, "Yes, they are. Very exotic. In any case, you could actually get married in the game… Wait, it's not what you think. You don't get married, but the character you control gets married. I asked my brother if the marriage concept went as far as to allow interspecies relationships."

My girlfriend then asked, "And his response?"

I sighed and shook my head, "He told me I was going to become a crazy cat person someday. Someone who marries his pet cat."

Fluttershy was clearly unnerved by my brother's words. "He…what?! Who would marry an ordinary cat?! That's just…creepy! They're just animals, not people!"

I nodded, "Exactly. My brother is younger than me, but is incredibly close-minded and old-fashioned in his way of thinking. And this is coming from someone who got into an inter-species relationship in another sci-fi game. He would've been better off born fifty years ago if that's how he thinks."

Fluttershy nodded, "I'm honestly worried about what he would do if he ever came to Equestria. Would he view us as animals just because we aren't human?"

I sighed, "More than likely. He can't seem to tell the difference between animals and sentient beings. I honestly pity him for that."

Fluttershy then asked, "But…how did you learn how to tell the difference between animals and people?"

I smiled, "Not too sure, really. If I had to guess though, I would say through video games, comic books, and other mediums of fiction. It's really not too hard to tell the difference between animals and creatures with sentient thought. I guess seeing enough of them in fiction taught me to keep an open mind."

Fluttershy seemed to blush at my words, "No wonder you were so open to us ponies when you first came here. You could tell we were not animals."

I kneeled down and caressed my girlfriend's face, "Yeah. I could tell when I first entered Ponyville that you ponies were way too intelligent to be mere beasts. The way your faces showed expression, the movements of your lips to show speech, the movements of your hooves to show emphasis to your actions, and these big…beautiful…expressive eyes."

As I spoke that, Fluttershy gazed at me with her large shimmering eyes. They looked so beautiful in the moonlight. "James… You're a marvel. I'm amazed by how wise you are by that."

I think I may have blushed at those words. "Oh… I'm not that wise. I just do my best to keep an open mind and not let anyone tell me otherwise."

My girlfriend suddenly embraced me. "I'm grateful for that…" I too wrapped my arms around her for a tender embrace. But I then heard her ask, "Do you want to show me just how open-minded you are?"

I noticed Fluttershy's tail was partially raised. It was then I remembered how needy she had been much earlier that day. It must have been very tiring for her to keep her urges restrained for so long. "Was that an innuendo?"

Fluttershy blushed while looking a bit flustered, "Oh…uh… Maybe? I mean…if you want to…"

It was so endearing how Fluttershy tried to be ever so slightly seductive towards me, but always ended up going back to her meek timid self at the drop of a hat. I smiled and whispered into her ear, "I'd love to, honey."

I suspect my whispering may have turned Fluttershy on a bit. Her hindquarters shuddered, possibly in anticipation. "I… I want to experiment this time… To see just what we can do…"

I smiled, "Shall we get started then?" Fluttershy let go of me and nodded with a look of excitement before trotting back around our home to the front door. I too was excited to spend some…..personal time with my girlfriend. I followed without a word and hurried inside with her.

After making certain that the door to Scootaloo's room was shut tight, Fluttershy and I hurried upstairs to our own bedroom. In all, I was rather nervous. But I could tell Fluttershy was too. My girlfriend took a seat on the bed. She was blushing constantly and moving in a slightly jittery fashion. "So… Um…how should we do this…honey?"

I actually felt a little sorry for her. I could tell Fluttershy truly wanted me, but was also too reserved and timid to really seize what she desired. I spoke softly, "Let's just take it slow…"

Hoping to help Fluttershy relax, I slowly pulled my shirt off. "Is this helping?" I asked, dropping my shirt to the ground. Eight months of healthy Equestrian cuisine had really helped trim down my waistline and occasionally helping out at Sweet Apple Acres had added a healthy dose of muscle to my body.

Fluttershy nodded with an even deeper blush, her wings spreading open. "Uh huh…" She seemed to have relaxed just slightly by then.

I calmly took a seat beside her and slowly draped my arm over her shoulders. "Are you feeling relaxed, Fluttershy?"

She bowed her head just slightly, showing that she was enjoying my touch. "Y…yes…" She then gently leaned against me, letting out a sigh.

I slowly moved behind her, my hands caressing her sides and wings. She felt so delicate in my grasp, as if made of eggshells. But it only made me love her more. Her coat was soft and thin, tickling my fingers as I dragged them along. She shuddered in my grasp, a labored gasp escaping her lips. "James…"

I replied with a whispered, "Yes, honey?"

She smiled with a blush, her eyes closed. "Could you…reach my underside too?"

I smiled warmly, feeling myself becoming more relaxed and more amorous. I wanted to please her however I could, which she clearly also wanted. My hands reached under her, gently caressing her chest. At this point, she melted in my grasp. Fluttershy leaned backwards against me, allowing me to do whatever I wish. I began to kiss her on the ears, causing them to flick every now and then.

My hands slid up and down against her underside, moving lower with every movement. I reached her just between the legs, my hands caressing her two teats. They felt soft at the touch, her coat only making them even plusher. I could feel her shudder in my grasp, her hind legs twitching harshly. Despite this, a delighted smile crept across her face. When I felt my fingers caress her nipples, I found them to be surprisingly hard by then. She was completely overwhelmed with pleasure. I too was becoming increasingly aroused, my body preparing for our imminent lovemaking.

I continued to gently grope my lover's teats for a moment, my hands slowly squeezing and rubbing them. At last, Fluttershy looked up at me with a remarkably amorous gaze and whispered, "That's enough, James. I'm all ready for you now."

I smiled warmly at her, "What would you like me to do?"

Fluttershy responded by gently wiggling out of my grasp before lying on her back. Her forelegs were curled up in a very cute way while her hind legs were spread, giving me a perfect view of her teats. "Do whatever you want with me. I trust you."

As I looked at her teats, I felt a certain urge. I lowered myself further to the bed before bringing my face to her teats. They were remarkably large for an equine. I recalled Fluttershy once telling me that Rainbow Dash had been jealous of their size. I still do not know how she got a good look at them, nor do I want to know why she looked, but I can understand her jealousy. If they were breasts on a human woman, they would be nearly B cup in size. It felt very awkward since they were very close to her vulva, but I did my best to focus on what was right in front of me. "James? What are you… Ooh!" Fluttershy gasped as I began to gently lick her hardened nipples.

Her areola was dark and quite large, almost as large as those on a pregnant woman. I began to gently suck on one, Fluttershy moaning softly at the sensation. But after a moment, I started to get more into it. I began to tease her further with my tongue before clamping my lips over it and sucking harder. Fluttershy gasped loudly at this sudden change, but clearly enjoyed every second of it. Her moans continued to turn me on more, the erection in my pants starting to become almost painful.

After a moment of suckling from her other teat, Fluttershy gasped, "James… I… I want to try something now…"

I pulled my head away from her teats and asked, "OK. What is… Hm?!" Fluttershy moved surprisingly swiftly, standing up and gently pushing me down to the bed. "Honey?"

Fluttershy looked at me with a tender smile and blushed, "OK… Here I go."

Her teeth gripped the waistline of my pants before she started to step backwards to pull it down. Once my pants were below my hips, she did the same with my boxers. The instant my boxers had been lowered enough, my erection sprang up for her to see.

"Honey… You don't have to do this if you don't want to." I spoke, not wanting her to feel pressured into pleasing me.

She did indeed seem a bit embarrassed by the sight of my erection, but she soon smiled with a very deep blush. "But I do want to."

She lowered her head towards my crotch and began to slowly lick my length. I shuddered, having not felt such a thing in a while. Fluttershy has always been…well…shy about trying unorthodox lovemaking methods, but she has started to become a bit more open in her explorations. I said nothing as she licked me, but I could not help letting out a gasp when she took the whole thing into her mouth.

"Honey… Whoa…" I moaned, not expecting her to be this bold. She moved her head up and down my length. I could feel her tongue rubbing me, even wrapping around my length partially. As she continued to…well…suck me, her beautiful strong cyan eyes opened partially and gazed up at me. I could tell that, even though her mouth was preoccupied, she was smiling at me. I returned the favor with a smile of my own. "I love you, honey."

A few minutes passed, silence occasionally broken by quiet moans from each of us. Suddenly, Fluttershy sped up her head's movements. This intensified my pleasure and even caught me by surprise. I was expecting Fluttershy to stop so we could mate normally. However, she continued to suck me as hard as she could. "Honey…?" I asked, wondering if she was even aware of what she was doing anymore.

Fluttershy was moaning loudly as she sucked me, (my apologies if that sounds vulgar, but I cannot think of a better term to describe it) her movements becoming steadily faster. She almost looked as if she was in a trance. I groaned, an orgasm starting to build inside me. "Honey… I'm almost there…"

My words only seemed to make her speed up, as if an orgasm was what she wanted from me. Sure enough, when my length began to twitch and throb on the verge of orgasm, she ceased her movements and took my entire length into her mouth and waited. I groaned loudly, moaning her name and speaking my love for her as my thick sperm burst from my length. Fluttershy moaned as she seemed to drink it all down, her blush becoming deeper than I had ever seen before.

"Fluh… Fluttershy? Honey?" I asked with a bit of a wheeze in my voice. She slowly raised her head from my exhausted member and gazed at me with an almost intoxicated expression. Her mouth, which was hanging open just slightly, curved upward into a faint smile.

I waited for a response, not sure if I should have let her go through with what she did. Fortunately, I did not wait long. She collapsed forward in my arms, nuzzling my chest lovingly. "I love how you taste, James…"

I smiled with relief before I kissed her on the forehead. "I'm glad you did. Now it's my turn."

My hands reached further down until I felt her vulva between her legs, which was absolutely soaked from her arousal. "J…James!" Fluttershy squeaked in surprise, but she quickly dissolved into pleasure and relaxed against me.

"Shh… It's only fair after what you gave me, honey." I spoke softly, trying to pleasure my lover to an orgasm too. My other hand rubbed her cutie mark on her left flank, knowing that it functions as a pleasure point.

Fluttershy did not say anything at my touch, but she soon looked up at me with a loving gaze. I knew what she wanted. I closed my eyes and leaned towards her, sealing lips with my beautiful girlfriend. Our kiss was brief, but we then kissed again and again, enthralled with each other.

When she began to moan in the kiss, I parted my lips and reached out to her with my tongue while she did the same. I became lost in that kiss, losing all track of time and of what my hands were doing. However, Fluttershy suddenly moaned loudly in the kiss, her body shuddering harshly against me. I could feel my hand becoming soaked with…something.

Very slowly, we broke the kiss and stared into each other's eyes. Fluttershy now looked absolutely tipsy from pleasure. She was slowly swaying before me. "That was…" She whispered, but soon smiled with tears streaming down her face. "Amazing…" She then leaned forward and embraced me tightly.

I returned the favor and embraced her with one arm, but was careful to not touch her with my other hand. It seemed to be coated with a clear fluid with a rather…alluring smell to it. "I love you so much, Fluttershy…"

My girlfriend whispered, "I love you too, James… So much… Please, don't ever leave me… I swear I'll never leave you like your last love did…"

I felt so happy to hear those words. Even if she did not need to say them since I already knew that, I was still touched. "I'll never leave you either, honey…"

I am now writing this from bed with Fluttershy sleeping soundly beside me. We took a shower together once we were done and then went straight to bed. It is actually hard to wrap my head around all that has happened over these last few days. Nightmare Moon is finally home in Canterlot and now my new dear friend Mitta is living with us in Ponyville. It is very uplifting to know how well things have turned out.

Fluttershy looks so beautiful when asleep… I cannot help kissing her.

So tired… I will end this entry here. I know not what lies in store for me or my two newest friends, but I know I have nothing to worry about. Good times lie ahead, I am sure of that much. Sweet dreams, Fluttershy. And sweet dreams, Mitta. I know you will love your new life here.


	22. Once a Year

I heard the sound of birds chirping just outside my window as I rolled over in bed. Morning had come, but I was in no hurry to get out of bed. At least, I did not feel like getting out of bed as long as my girlfriend was near me. However, when I turned to look at her, I found that the other side of the bed was empty. "Fluttershy…?"

My beautiful pegasus lover was nowhere to be seen. The bed sheets were still a bit messy, so she had clearly been in bed a short while ago. However, I also noticed that there was a note resting where she had been sleeping. "Hm? What's this…" I muttered as I sat up in bed and took the note in hand. "Gone to do some shopping. See you in a few hours?"

I smiled with a shrug, "Well, I guess that's OK. Better go see what Scoot is up to." I got out of bed, knowing that I had to head into work in a short while. I tend to sleep late on weekends, so it was past 11 AM.

I got up and went to put my clothes on, sliding on my pants before slipping on my socks and shoes. When I went to get a shirt, I paused while I browsed my options. Among my list of shirts were the six shirts my friend Rarity had woven for me. While I tend to wear the colors of Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack when I work at Sugarcube Corner, I tend to resort to wearing either Fluttershy's, Rarity's, or Twilight Sparkle's colors were I work at the spa. After a moment of contemplation, I decided to wear the shirt that matched Fluttershy's coat colors with her cutie mark on the chest and back. "I'm wearing your colors today, honey." I muttered to myself, imagining her blushing upon seeing me.

I went into the bathroom and wetted down a comb while looking myself in the mirror. My bed head was pretty bad, so I had to use a significant amount of water to smooth it all out. For whatever reason, my hair has a tendency to curl a bit in the back, so I suppose my overall hairstyle is a bit unkempt… Wait a minute. I almost always start out my journals like this. That is to say, always starting when I wake up and get dressed. Is this becoming somewhat repetitive? I honestly do not mind writing about it, but… Well, if anyone has been reading my journals, let me know if it would be a good idea to stop starting them like this.

Anyway, I went downstairs to check if Scootaloo was in her room. "Morning, Scoo… Huh?" Much to my surprise, I found that even she did not seem to be home. In fact, the entire cottage seemed to be abandoned. Where was everyone? It was not like things for me to wake up with no one around.

I began to fear that maybe something dark had occurred, so I rushed outside to see if there was anyone there. I ran down the dirt path in front of Fluttershy's cottage and stopped on the tiny bridge that spanned the brook in front of it. As I gazed around, I felt some relief flow into me. While I still saw no signs of pony life, there were still plenty of Fluttershy's many animal friends going about their business. I could see Angel resting in his house while nibbling a carrot, but I am sure he would not give me the time of day unless Fluttershy was present.

I looked back towards the house, wondering if I should go back inside and eat some breakfast. However, I felt dreadfully lonesome at the thought of sitting in that quiet house without anyone to keep me company, chat, or even just have some music playing. Rather than do that, I decided to just pick up something to eat at Sugarcube Corner and maybe spend a bit of time with Pinkie Pie in the process. And I always do enjoy that silly party animal's antics.

I walked across the meadow that separated my home from Ponyville and soon reached it without incident. As usual, many ponies were just going about their business, though I did not see any who I felt particularly close to. I was actually already feeling quite lonely. I had not gone this long without any interaction with any of my friends in Equestria since… Ugh, I would rather not remember that time.

I ended up passing through the local market on my way to Sugarcube Corner. I felt my spirits rise when I remembered that Applejack runs her apple stall on Saturdays. Perhaps I would find her there. I weaved through the crowds of shopping ponies, trying to find a stall or cart loaded down with apples.

"Apples… Apples… Oh, there we go!" I muttered, finally spotting a cart with a few bushels full of apples. However, I did not see who I was hoping to see. Applejack still did not seem to be around. Instead, I found two other familiar faces minding the stall. Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh.

Still pleased that I had found a couple of my friends, I approached them with a smile. Big Macintosh was still just looking about with that absurdly relaxed expression he always has while Apple Bloom kept striking some cute poses while holding apples in various ways as if she was auditioning to be the Sweet Apple Acres mascot. But as soon as she saw me approaching, Apple Bloom immediately dropped the apples and waved at me while a joyous smile spread across her face.

"Morning, you two." I spoke with a smile as I drew near.

"Mornin', James! Great ta see ya! Right, Big Mac?" Apple Bloom replied before glancing up at her brother, who in turn was looking down at her.

"Eyup." He replied briskly, his calm expression remaining unchanged.

I kneeled down and gently placed my hands on Apple Bloom's sides as she stood up on just her hind legs, a sign that she wanted me to hold her. "Everything been OK with you two?" I asked as I lifted the little filly up and cradled her in my arms while she cuddled with me.

Apple Bloom giggled as she nuzzled my chest, "Everythin's been fine. We only just opened, so we ain't got many customers yet."

I then looked down at Big Macintosh and asked, "Have you two seen Applejack today?"

Big Macintosh replied, "I dunno, but she said she had somethin' real important ta tend to taday. Ain't sure what though."

I then asked while directing my gaze to Apple Bloom, "OK. Oh, and Apple Bloom? Have you seen Scootaloo today? I didn't see her at all when I woke up."

Apple Bloom seemed to avert her eyes for a second before speaking, "Oh, she's hangin' out with Sweetie Belle right now. They were doin' some research on somethin'. Once we close up shop fer the evenin', I'll go see 'em too."

I smiled before rubbing my nose against hers, provoking a delighted giggle from the little earth pony filly. "OK then. You tell them I said hi when you meet up today. All right?"

Apple Bloom nodded, "Will do!"

Once I set her down, Big Macintosh spoke up. "James, hang on." He then reached into one of the bushels and grabbed an apple by its stem using his teeth. He then swung his head and flung it towards me. When I grabbed the apple out of the air, I found it was a golden delicious apple. "All yers. It's on the house."

I grinned before patting Big Macintosh on the head, "Thanks, Big Mac. I could really use this. See ya later." I waved goodbye and tried to make my way through the market.

On the way, I stopped and looked around at my surroundings. Fluttershy had said that she needed to do some shopping in that note she left behind. If she was going to do any sort of shopping, this would likely be the place to do it. I still had around thirty minutes before I needed to be at work, so I took the opportunity to search for her.

I had to weave my way through the many ponies who were going about their business in the market, making certain I did not trip over any while the cluttered noise of commerce roared around me. I saw many ponies of many colors, but no matter where or how long I looked, I could never find the color combination of yellow coat and pink mane. I have actually been able to identify ponies based entirely on their color schemes, provided I have seen them often enough to recall them off the top of my head.

Just as I was about to turn and continue my walk towards Sugarcube Corner, I paused when I thought I heard my name being called. Suddenly, I felt someone embrace me from behind. "What the…" When I turned and looked down, I found a familiar gray earth pony mare gazing up at me with crimson eyes. "Mitta!"

My friend grinned brightly, "Hello! How are you today, James?"

I kneeled down and embraced her, "I've been good, Mitta. Though I am trying to find Fluttershy. Have you seen her today?"

Mitta glanced around before motioning to lower my head further. I could tell she wanted to tell me something secretive, so I did what she wanted and lowered my ear to her. She then whispered, "She told me not to tell you, but she won't be able to see you for a while today. She had something very important to do."

This caught me by surprise. Why would Fluttershy not be honest with me? Could she…be seeing someone else? …No, I strongly doubt that. I cannot remember last hearing of infidelity in Ponyville. I am sure that she was dealing with something very unusual. "Huh… OK then. Did she seem OK when you saw her?"

Mitta nodded and dropped back down onto all fours, "Uh huh. She didn't seem nervous or anything. Is something special happening today?"

I shrugged, "I have no idea. I know next to nothing about the holidays of Equestria."

Mitta shrugged her shoulders, "Me neither. Although… Have you seen Rarity today?"

I shook my head, "Can't say I have. Why?"

My friend glanced around, "She told me she had something important to do and left. I haven't seen her since. I pretty much came out here just to get some shopping done for her."

Hmm… So even Rarity seems to have disappeared for the day. Well, knowing her, I strongly doubt there is any foul play involved. I then shrugged, "Well, I doubt it's anything we have to worry about. Anyway, I need to get going. I want to grab some breakfast before I head into work."

Mitta smiled and nodded, "It was good seeing you, James. Take care." The two of us waved goodbye before I turned and walked through the market while searching for Sugarcube Corner. I looked back over my shoulder to see Mitta walking away. She has really come to fit in quite well in Ponyville over the last few weeks. She is still a little on the modest and quiet side, but she has a habit of really opening up around me.

I continued on without incident and soon came to Sugarcube Corner. I was almost expecting Mitta to have ran on ahead and beaten me to it just so she could nibble on the architecture, but she was surprisingly nowhere to be seen. "Huh… Guess she finally got it through her skull that roof shingles are indigestible." I could not help but speak with a smirk. Mitta really has developed quite the sweet tooth since arriving. At least now Pinkie Pie has a candy fiend to relate to now.

I pushed the front door open and found Mr. Cake standing at the counter while arranging the merchandise inside the glass display case that served as the counter itself. He looked up at the sound of the door swinging open and immediately looked at me. "Ah, welcome, James! What can I get you today?"

I replied, "I think I'll have a blueberry muffin and one of those chocolate chip cupcakes."

"Will do. Coming right up." Mr. Cake replied before walking through the twin swinging doors to the kitchen. Moments later, the swinging doors opened. But to my surprise, it was not Mr. Cake who emerged, but Pinkie Pie.

"Morning, Pinkie!" I said with a wave. I suspect Pinkie Pie was not expecting to see me, since she jumped slightly and turned to face me with a surprisingly shocked expression.

"Huh?! James?! When did you get here?!" She asked, almost sounding like I really spooked her.

It was rather unusual for Pinkie Pie to be anything but happy to see the face of a good friend of hers. I thought maybe something bad had happened. "Are you OK? Did something happen?"

Pinkie Pie regained some of her composure and grinned, "Huh? Oh, I'm fine! I'm peachy keen! Or is it Pinkie keen?"

I frowned, "You sure? You seemed really freaked out a second ago."

Pinkie giggled with a very nervous expression, "Oh, everything's OK! I just didn't expect to see you today!"

Before she could speak further, someone called from upstairs. I distinctly remember the voice sounding like Rarity. "Pinkie Pie, I seem to be having trouble remembering where you wanted me to hang these ribbons! Would you be a dear and show me again?"

My friend clearly seemed to become even more nervous from Rarity's words. I raised an eyebrow, "Uh… Is something going on up there?"

Pinkie Pie began to fluster, "Oh, her?! Um... She was…uh… Juuuust looking for some diamonds she loaned me to practice decorating cakes with!"

I crossed my arms, not really buying her story at all. "And who exactly would even be able to eat such cakes?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, clearly beginning to sweat. "Spike, silly! He loves gemstones, and he likes cake! So why not combine the two into one awesome treat?!" She then reached under the counter and pulled up what seemed to be a photo, "See?! At his last birthday, Mr. and Mrs. Cake made this special sapphire-studded cupcake for him! Doesn't it look amazing?"

I must confess that cupcake looked very appetizing. It was a cupcake with blue icing with shimmering chunks of sapphire sticking out of it like rock candy. Seeing this photo may as well have loaded my doubts onto a one-way rocket and just flew off to the moons of Jupiter because it was a very convincing tale. "You know, I just might try that sometime… Wait, then what does this have to do with the ribbons Rarity just asked?"

Pinkie Pie put down the photo and giggled, "Well…uh… Interesting story there. It all started with…" She then made a mad dash upstairs without looking back, causing the rocket containing my doubts to have engine trouble and not achieve liftoff. My apologies if that analogy was in poor taste.

Before I could think about it further, Mr. Cake came out of the kitchen with my order on a plastic tray. "Here you go, James. And they were just baked too."

"Thanks, Mr. Cake." I replied while reaching into my pocket for the payment.

However, he then shook his head. "Oh, don't worry about the payment. It's on the house today."

I gave him a surprised glance, "Huh? Really?"

The yellow stallion nodded, "Absolutely. Go ahead, enjoy them."

This day was starting to become a real oddity for me. First, I wake up to find Fluttershy having gone to the market only to discover she was never there, something suspicious is happening upstairs in Pinkie Pie's loft, and now Mr. Cake was giving me my breakfast for free when I cannot recall the last time he ever gave out treats for free. "Is there some sort of catch?"

Mr. Cake chucked at my question, "Of course not! Go ahead and enjoy them!"

I shrugged and took the tray in hand. "OK. Thanks, boss."

I took a seat at the closest table and started on the cupcake first. The vanilla buttercream went very well with the vanilla cake and chocolate chips baked inside, but I already went into that in an earlier entry, did I not? Anyway, I doubt it is interesting to read about how one enjoys eating a cupcake, so I will move on. Not to mention I did not have that much time to sit down and relax. I needed to get to work soon.

Once I had finished my cupcake, I left Sugarcube Corner and proceeded onward to the spa. Along the way, I was nibbling on my muffin while bits of sugar would occasionally fall from the top with every bite I took. The walk was uneventful, though I was keeping a constant eye out for any of my friends. I did find it odd that I had spoken to so few today.

I finally came to the spa and scarfed down the rest of my muffin before stepping inside. I found Lotus seated at the desk while looking over what seemed to be a list of reservations. "Morning, Lotus. I… Huh?" I noticed a pair of royal guards standing at the entrance to the main chamber. Each was of the pegasus variety. "Why do we have extra security today?"

Lotus smiled, "Good morning, Mr. James. Oh, and don't mind the guards here. Though we do have a guest who wishes to have one of your luxurious massages today. Please head on in and tend to her when she comes to you."

I nodded and headed on in and proceeded over to the massage tables. I then took a seat on one and glanced around, but was very surprised to see who our customer was. She was seated in the hot tub, that long gorgeous mane of hers completely soaked. She then turned to me and smiled, "Ah, just who I was hoping to see. How are you today, James?"

I was honestly flabbergasted to see just who my first massage of the day was going to. "Wha… Lady Celestia?"

The princess of the sun herself was sitting across from me in the hot tub. For whatever reason, her mane was no longer wavering and seemed to be ordinary hair. "Huh… And here I was thinking your hair did not have physical mass."

Celestia chuckled and pushed her mane out to the side with one hoof, "Of course it has physical mass, James. Although you should see my mother after a bath. She always looks bald."

I snickered, "What, is her mane and tail made of fire?"

Celestia smirked, "It may as well be. Father always teases her about that."

It was then that a thought occurred to me. I have never once seen the king or queen of Equestria once in my life, nor have I ever seen any mention of them in even the most arcane records of Equestria's history. "Celestia, I'm curious. Where are your mother and father? I've never even heard of them before."

She sighed and looked towards an upper window, "They are out there somewhere, watching silently. They entrusted Equestria's safety and rule to Luna and myself, but I know they are alive and well somewhere."

I then asked, "You think I will ever meet them?"

Celestia smiled, "I honestly cannot say. I have not seen them in well over a thousand years. But maybe someday. Although I am sure that as long as Luna and I continue to guide Equestria properly, they may not deem a visit to be necessary."

This honestly made her parents sound rather cold and distant. Or was there a deeper meaning behind them keeping their distance that was over my head? Regardless, Celestia did not seem bitter about them at all as she recounted her parents, so they were clearly on good terms with each other.

"Well, are you ready for your massage?" I asked, feeling now was a good time to change the subject.

Celestia responded by lifting her bare hoof out of the tub and examining it. "Hmm… I feel that if I spend much longer in here, my hooves will start to get pruney. Give me a minute and I will be right there."

I watched with my arms crossed as Celestia made her way to the edge of the tub and began to climb out of it. But once she had emerged, her amazingly long mane was draped over her back and I was given a good view of her long watered down tail and hindquarters. With that gorgeous slender body combined with all that, I could not stop myself from muttering under my breath, "Hot..."

Celestia must have heard me since she turned her head to look at me and asked, "Hm? Did you say something?"

I instantly became flustered and replied, "Huh?! Oh, uh… Nope! I didn't say anything!"

Celestia just stared at me for a moment before a whimsical smirk spread across her face. "If you say so."

I felt intensely nervous at that look. Knowing just how impish she can be on occasion, I began to fear that she was going to have the guards just outside the room arrest me. However, she did nothing at first and wrapped her massive mane in a towel. She looked rather odd without all that hair trailing behind her. I could not help but ask, "Just how do you fit all that hair in there?"

Celestia chuckled, "I honestly have no clue, but I'm not complaining." She then descended the steps beside the hot tub and began to canter on over to me.

I must have been nervous and possibly even blushing since Celestia was starting to give me a curious look that seemed to show she was studying me. Once she was standing right before me, the alicorn finally asked, "James, are you all right?"

I must admit it felt rather awkward to be standing before Celestia when she was not wearing anything at all. I had become so accustomed to seeing her wearing all that gold jewelry, seeing her without it was the equivalent of walking in on her when she was just stepping out of a shower. Or a hot tub, in this case. I replied, "Um... It just feels awkward when you're…um…not wearing anything."

Celestia surprised me with a laugh, "That's all?! James, you flatter me. Don't worry so much about that. I mean, honestly. Most ponies don't wear anything most of the time to begin with."

I brought a hand to my chin, "Huh… I guess that's true."

Celestia then smiled, "If you do not mind, may we get started?" She used the levitation spell to move a few pillows to one end of the massage table and relaxed her forelegs on them once she was resting on the table.

I was quite nervous, in all honesty. This would be my first time massaging someone from the royal family. I know Celestia is a very reasonable woman, but I was still worried what she might do if I displeased her. I decided to play it safe and start with a spot I knew I could not mess up on. "May I start with your wings?"

Celestia spread one of her large beautiful wings and looked at it, "You massage wings too?"

I placed my hands on the joint closest to her body and began to gently knead it with my fingers, "I do."

I heard Celestia let out a sigh at my touch, "Mmm, that's lovely. I never knew just how tense my wings are."

I nodded, "Actually, they're not that bad. I've massaged wings before and yours don't feel that tense. But then again, I've never massaged an alicorn's wings before, so maybe they are and I just can't tell."

Celestia replied, "Well, that feels great either way. Please keep it up."

I spent the average three minutes on each joint. Despite their size, I found that an alicorn's wings are not that different from those of the average pegasus.

Once I finished with Celestia's right wing, I walked over to the other side of the table. "Other wing, please." Celestia folded her right wing and extended her left. She was deathly quiet throughout the massage, though she would often sigh in pleasure.

Since I am aware just how long a massage takes, I will not bother writing down the process of it anymore. Although I was quick to notice that Celestia has a few more vertebrae than the average pony. Probably due to her greater height. I did not mind it so much, since the mass of muscle in her body felt somewhere between unicorn and pegasus capacity and I know how I have explained just how burly earth ponies are.

Once I had finished with the joints on Celestia's body and forelegs, I turned around while straddling her and faced her hindquarters. Looking down at her flanks, I noticed her two large sun cutie marks. "Uh… Celestia? Are your cutie marks…sensitive in any way?"

Celestia looked over her shoulder at me and replied, "Sensitive? Um… Not that I know of."

I smiled, "Oh, OK. Just making sure." However, as soon as I dug my fingertips into her flanks and cutie marks, Celestia let out a loud gasp and shuddered under me.

"Wha… What was that?!" She exclaimed, looking back at me.

I instantly tensed up, my body temperature skyrocketing as hot sweat began to ooze from my pores. "Uh… Did I do something wrong?"

Celestia asked, "That was my cutie mark, wasn't it?" I nodded silently. "Is that what you meant by sensitive?" I nodded again. "Well, that was new. I never knew a cutie mark could do that."

I groaned, "You have no idea how many ponies come in who have that problem. And they usually don't know it until they find out the hard way!"

Celestia chuckled, "Oh my, that must be so embarrassing for you. Well, now I know what you mean by sensitive. Just go around them please."

I nodded, "OK." That was a close call. I was honestly afraid she would have thrown me in the dungeon for touching her there.

Once I had finished with the ankles and knees of Celestia's hind legs, I breathed a sigh of relief. "There. All done, your highness." I then climbed down from the table so Celestia could stand up.

Celestia slowly stood up and hopped down from the massage table before flexing that gorgeous slender… My god, I could not help getting a little hot and bothered from just watching. "Mmmm, my goodness, I feel great! I was sure you would do a good job, just not this good!"

I smiled as innocently as I could, but blushed again when I watched her gorgeous mane unfurl like a flag, once again returning to its naturally billowing form. Celestia seemed to notice and asked, "James, are you well? You seem to have a fever, judging by that red face of yours."

I waved my hand at her, "Oh, it's nothing. I swear I feel fine."

I could tell Celestia was not convinced. She frowned and asked, "James, you can tell me what's wrong. I'm really starting to become concerned for you."

I sighed, knowing that she probably would not leave me alone until I confessed. "OK, I'll talk. But promise me you will not slap me or anything like that."

Celestia nodded, "You have my word. Now then, what seems to be troubling you?"

I took a deep breath before speaking, "It's just… You're hot. Ungodly hot."

I was expecting Celestia to be genuinely offended by my words. I mean how often does a princess get called 'hot' by one of her subjects? She stared at me with a blank expression for a moment, her eyes just focused on me. However, she then burst into laughter. "That's all?!"

I asked, as bewildered as I could possibly get. "You mean…it doesn't offend you?"

Celestia calmed herself down and chuckled, "You would not be the first. I cannot tell you how many suitors I have received over the centuries."

I replied with a bemused expression, "Seriously? Uh…how many did you…"

Celestia shook her head and smiled, "None. Duty comes before pleasure, after all. I have no time for romance unless the man is capable of ruling alongside me."

This thoroughly surprised me. To think that Celestia would put her role as one of Equestria's rulers before any personal pleasure. I honestly always thought that she was remarkably free-spirited for a princess, but she actually seems to be a very responsible ruler.

However, Celestia then smiled, "Although, I will give you one thing. You are the first human to ever compliment me like that."

I think I may have blushed at those words. "I am?"

She then whispered, "Yes. You know that humans have lived in Equestria before. It's just that none of them came to view me quite like that."

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't see why they wouldn't. You're arguably the most beautiful pony to ever exist."

Celestia chuckled, "Yes, some have told me that. I even modeled for a single issue of Playcolt once." She then rolled her eyes, "Although…that did generate quite a scandal in the process."

I shook my head and chuckled, "I can imagine… Doing that is very adventurous for a princess." I then glanced at the clock and found that the time was just past noon. "Actually, I really should be getting to my lunch break now. Can we talk later?"

Celestia then glanced at the clock too and asked, "Actually, may I join you?"

This request surprised me. "You sure? I was going to the local café. I'm sure they don't have anything overly fancy that you might like."

The alicorn smiled, "James, just because I live in Canterlot does not mean I have a taste restricted to upper class cuisine. My tastes are quite well rounded."

I was honestly surprised to hear this and rethought my response. "Well… OK. I'd be glad to have you along."

Celestia beamed, "Excellent. Just give me a moment." I watched as she went over to a corner that seemed to have her shoes, necklace, and crown resting by it. She stepped into each of her shoes before sliding her gold necklace over her head…or is it a collar? It is far too broad to be a traditional necklace… Well, regardless, she then placed her crown atop her head just behind her horn. She then looked my way and smiled, "Shall we?"

I replied, "After you, your highness." While she went ahead, I reached into a cabinet that was installed under the counter right next to the massage tables. Inside were a few magazines and a notebook I had stashed in there. Taking an ink quill in hand that was also kept inside, I added to a list of over three dozen names. "Princess Celestia…" In case you have not figured it out by now, it is a list of ponies I keep on hand so I do not forget who have sensitive cutie marks.

When we entered the lobby, the two guards I had seen before followed Celestia's every move without saying a word while keeping their constant display of serious silence up. Celestia turned to face the receptionist desk, where Aloe was now seated. "Everything was delightful, Miss Aloe. Although, if it is not too much to ask, I wish to accompany James on his lunch break."

I stepped out into view so Aloe could see me. "Is that OK?"

Aloe smiled, "Of course! Just please be back no later than an hour."

Celestia nodded, "Many thanks, Miss Aloe. James, this way." I waved goodbye to my employer and followed Celestia and her guards out the door.

As we walked along, I noticed that the two guards were staying at my sides constantly while I followed behind Celestia. I tried to move out from behind her so I could walk beside her, but the two armored pegasi used their bodies to keep me boxed in. Was it simply because of standard protocol to keep peasants from placing themselves alongside royalty? Regardless, Celestia seemed to notice this right away and spoke with a displeased expression, "Guards. Please do not restrict James' movement."

The guards seemed rather surprised, their stone-faced expressions changing briefly while one replied in a deep gruff voice, "Uh… Yes, your highness." They regained their composure immediately afterward, but did not respond to any of my movements. I sped up my pace until I was walking alongside the beautiful princess.

Celestia looked to her left, her face parallel to my own. "I apologize for the strictness of my guards. Despite my efforts to encourage them to relax and not be so stern, they have a habit of taking their roles very seriously."

I nodded with a smile, "It's OK. I honestly don't blame them for being so protective. It would be a shame if something awful happened to someone as sweet and caring as you."

Celestia seemed to blush ever so slightly at my words and smiled sincerely. "James, you are such a sweetheart. And thank you."

As we walked, Celestia asked, "So, where would you recommend we stop for lunch?"

I replied, "The local café is my usual lunch spot. Great service and a good selection."

Celestia smiled at me, "Then let's head over there, shall we?" I nodded and led the way with the two royal guards in tow.

The walk to the café was fairly uneventful; although I noticed quite a few ponies were bowing as we passed by. Surely they were bowing out of respect to their princess. Although I also noticed several ponies whispering to each other while eyeing us. "Uh…Celestia? What do you think is up with them?"

The alicorn princess glanced over at a couple and seemed to frown unsmilingly at them. "Oh dear… I suspect they may be gossiping over why I have the only human in Equestria in my company and no one else. Ugh, this happens every time I am seen with a single man."

I snickered, "Only you don't have those kinds of feelings for me, do you?"

Celestia chuckled, "Oh, James. Granted, you are very sweet, but I am sorry to say that I simply have no time for romance. Not to mention I do not know you nearly well enough to even consider courting you." In all honesty, that kind of hurt. Probably because of just how gorgeous she is. However, she then muttered, "Besides, Nightmare Moon would be rather cross with me if that ever happened."

I raised an eyebrow and asked, "What about Nightmare Moon?"

Celestia suddenly glanced at me and grinned nervously, "Oh?! You weren't meant to hear that! Uh… Just forget I said anything."

I gave her a bemused glance, "OoooK? If you say so."

We finally came to the café and found that most of the tables were open. However, as we approached a table, the waiter approached her. "Ah, your majesty! Welcome! Right zis way." He then led us to an empty table and swept away one of the piles of hay situated around it with his hoof before setting down a fancy purple pillow with shiny gold threads around the seams in its place.

Celestia smiled, "Thank you. Although could you please fetch one for my friend here too?" She motioned her hoof towards me as she spoke.

The waiter stared at me with a rather surprised expression before looking back at Celestia out of the corner of his eye. "Erm… Yes, your highness." He then hurried inside the café while Celestia took a seat on her pillow.

I asked while trying to not laugh, "Did you see that look he gave us?"

Celestia rolled her eyes and sighed, "Yes, I did. I'll tell you right now that there are times where being a princess can be a pain in the royal tush."

For whatever reason, I had to catch myself from laughing at those words. "Um… No disrespect, Celestia. But…did you mean to use 'royal tush' in that sentence?"

She gave me an awkward smile, "I honestly could not think of a wittier response, so yes."

Moments later, the waiter returned and placed a pillow identical to the one Celestia was sitting on beside the table across from her and left a pair of menus for us before heading over to a distant table to speak to a young couple.

I took a seat on the pillow, but would have preferred a stool since now the table was a bit too high for my liking. Regardless, I took my menu in hand and began to look through it. However, I was quick to notice each of the guards standing at each side of the table. They had their heads held high with a familiar dull expression, as if they were dismissively keeping a constant vigil.

I finally asked, "Uh… Guard?"

The royal guard on my right seemed to act as if he did not hear me at all. Glancing back over at Celestia, I saw that she had her menu open and was holding it aloft with a levitation spell, the menu and her horn being engulfed in a billowing golden yellow aura. She then lowered it slightly and directed her gaze towards me without saying a word.

The two of us shared a brief stare before I glanced over at the guard to my right. Starting to feel a bit impish, I glanced back at Celestia with a whimsical smirk. She seemed to know exactly what I was thinking because she too was giving me a delighted smirk as if to say 'Go for it'. I then looked over at the guard and spoke, "Excuse me, sir. You seem to have a spider crawling up the back of your helmet."

Man, those guards are trained well. He did not respond to my claim at all. I added, "It's very small… I think I see a red hourglass symbol… Whoa, that's a black widow. Very strong venom. You better get rid of it."

The guard still remained completely calm, his expression remaining the same. I then noticed what seemed to be a tiny plume of pebbles, probably more like sand, levitating behind the guard's head with a familiar yellow aura around it. I glanced over at Celestia, who gave me a wink. I then sighed, "OK, you're right. It's not a spider." I then picked up my menu and began to look through it again. "It's just a large scorpion."

At my words, the plume of sand began to lightly rub against the back of the guard's helmet, probably to simulate the light footsteps of a scorpion climbing up it. Sure enough, that did it. The guard's wings sprang open as his expression became one of fright. He threw his head back a few times while letting out a few startled shouts, eventually flinging his helmet off. He turned and faced his discarded helmet while Celestia and I burst into laughter. It did not take him long to realize that we had pranked him together, his gaze becoming one of silent irritation. The other guard to my left merely rolled his eyes at us. Now that I had a good look at the guard without his helmet, I saw that his blue mane was combed down.

Celestia stopped laughing and spoke, "Guards, please relax. This is a safe town. Not to mention I am more than capable of protecting myself."

The guard I had just pranked sighed, "Yes, your highness." He and the other guard then returned to their positions once he had retrieved his helmet, but then sat down at the table instead of standing up like before.

I looked at the guard I had pranked and asked, "So…uh…how is Shining Armor and Estoc doing?"

The guard replied in his deep gruff voice, "The captain and sergeant are doing well."

The other guard replied in a slightly higher pitch, "We have a few new recruits now, so they are at work training them."

The waiter then returned and asked, "Have you made your decision?"

I looked towards the guards and asked, "Do you want anything?" I then turned my menu to the one on my right.

"Uh… I'll…" The guard seemed rather flustered, apparently due to never ordering lunch while on duty. "I… I'll have the sub sandwich."

The guard on my left nodded, "I will have the same."

I then looked at the menu again and replied, "The seafood and vegetable pasta with a small house salad with French dressing, please."

Celestia then spoke, "I would love the same as him, only hold the seafood, please. And a slice of your finest cake on the side. And we would all like sarsaparilla for drinks." The waiter nodded silently before gathering up the menus and entering the café.

As I thought back to Celestia's order of cake… Oh lord, I knew this was going to be corny, but I had to say it. "You ordered some cake, Celestia?"

The alicorn princess nodded, "Yes, I've always had a fondness for cake."

I then smirked, "Make sure you save some for Companion Cube. He loves cake too."

The two guards looked at me with bewildered expressions, as did Celestia. She then replied with an awkward smile, "Well… I can't say I know of a pony named Companion Cube. But if I ever meet him, I will be certain to treat him to cake." I chuckled as I saw my joke was wasted on them. It made sense that she thought Companion Cube is a pony since most ponies have two words in their names. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Nightmare Moon, Shining Armor, to name a few. Who knows? Maybe there really is a pony somewhere in Equestria with the name 'Companion Cube'.

I then faced the guard on my left and asked, "So…uh… Has anything come up in Canterlot over the last few days?"

He replied, "Altercations are rare in Canterlot. More often than not, we get called to break up arguments between bickering couples."

I rolled my eyes, "Splendid… And you would think that those hoity toity buffoons would put themselves above petty bickering." At times over the last several months, I have met a few Canterlot ponies while visiting Rarity. And I can say that they are partially why I have no desire to live there. Their lack of respect for those living in more modest societies and laughably shallow morals absolutely disgusts me. I will never understand what Rarity sees in people like that and why she used to be so enthralled with the idea of living among them. The idea of living in glamour I can understand, but having to put up with them in the process? I fail to see the logic in that. Even their laughter sounds shallow and fake! ….I am going far off topic here. Forgive me.

Celestia nodded at my words and spoke a very surprising response. "It is a most regrettable grievance of Canterlot. I have been trying to find a way to educate them to understand the finer things in life that you simply cannot acquire with money, but it is difficult when I have to tend to all of Equestria's interests."

I sighed, "Nothing short of a volcanic eruption will teach them what it's like to live with less than us… Not that I want it to happen, but…"

The guard on my right frowned, "We understand, sir. And it is frustrating when those of us from humbler towns have to serve and protect those who look down on our kind."

I looked at the guard to my right and asked, "Guard… May I ask your name?"

The guard turned his gaze towards me and stared for a moment before cracking a slight smile. "It is Fuller, sir." For those who do not know, a fuller is the central segment of a sword's blade that runs up from the center of the crossguard.

I smiled, "A pleasure to meet you, Sir Fuller."

He cracked a more awkward smile, "I have not been knighted, sir. Few ponies carry that honor."

I averted my eyes, feeling a little silly from misjudging the pegasus guard. "Yes, sorry. I keep forgetting that." I then turned my gaze to the guard on my left, "And you?"

He replied, "Lance, sir."

I then asked, "Judging by your names… You wield a spear…" I then turned my head to Fuller, "And you use a sword?"

Lance nodded, "You are correct, sir."

Fuller then asked, "You use a sword too, do you not?"

I nodded, "Yeah. I've always had a fascination with swordplay for ages, so it was a real treat to actually use one for real recently…" I then frowned, "Though I can't say it feels good to strike someone with it."

Lance then spoke, "We never fight to harm. We always fight to protect."

Fuller then added, "You should do the same, sir."

I sighed, "I know… It's just… It's awkward when you are fascinated by swordplay, but hate hurting others, you know?"

Celestia spoke, "You are enthralled by the thought of being a valiant defender who protects those he holds dear, aren't you?"

I bowed my head, smiling slightly, "Yeah, I guess that's it."

Fuller spoke, "The captain was the same way. He joined the royal guards because he was always fascinated by old folklore depicting bold knights who protect their homeland. At least that is what I heard."

I smiled faintly, "Heh… I can relate. I remember the days when I thought the only way you could attack with a sword was by making a straight stab or an overhead swing."

Lance chuckled, "Kids don't grasp the versatility of swordplay."

At last, the waiter returned with a tray on his head carrying our orders. "Let me help you with that." Celestia spoke as the plates and bottles levitated off of the tray and landed on our table as lightly as songbirds. The waiter then bowed before carrying the tray back indoors.

Fuller spoke, "That…actually looks very appetizing, sir." His eyes were directed at my order, an appetizing aroma rising from the OBG sauce.

"It is. Though I'm not sure you ponies have a taste for seafood." I replied with a smile while moving my salad closer.

Celestia moved her plate of pasta closer to herself before using a fork to twirl up the linguine for easier consumption. She made certain to get some bits of spinach, tomato, and broccoli in it too. The three of us watched in silence while Celestia took that first bite. She chewed, making no sudden motions. But she soon swallowed and looked at me. "Mm! Delicious! And you get this often?"

I replied, "Usually. I just stick with what I like. Though I do try new things at times."

The four of us began to eat our orders without much conversation, the two guards eating their sandwiches by pinning them between their hooves and lifting them to their mouths. Celestia was taking her time, delicately twirling her pasta while making certain to catch some of the veggies in each bite. I was especially drawn to the slice of cake she had ordered. It was a delectable strawberry shortcake slice. I have tasted strawberry shortcake rolls before, so I assumed it tasted the same.

My pasta tasted just as good as always, the seafood blending well with the sauce and veggies mixed in. The two guards seemed pleased with their meals as well, their faces showing slight smiles every time they took a bite of their sandwiches. Before long, the two guards and I had finished our meals. However, Celestia had only just started on her dessert. She seemed to be quite enthralled with it, as if she has a possible addiction to cake. It looked so good; I could not help but want a slice of my own. As soon as the waiter passed by again, I flagged him down and whispered for him to bring me a slice too.

A minute later, the waiter silently placed a slice of strawberry shortcake on the table before me. Celestia was only half done by then, so I had plenty of time to finish mine. I cut a piece off with my fork and took a bite. "Mmmm…" That was all I could say. It was that tasty. But then again, I have always been a sucker for strawberry treats, so what can I say?

Celestia and I finished our cake at roughly the same time to the point that we set our forks down at the same moment. "Couldn't resist, hm?" She asked with a smirk.

I replied with a satisfied sigh, "Nope. That slice of cake you were digging into looked so tasty, I just had to try it myself."

Celestia smiled, "And it was delectable. You made a good choice."

Since we could not leave until the waiter returned with our bill, I tried to ask Celestia a few things while we waited. After making certain no one was within earshot, I asked, "So… Celestia? How has Nightmare Moon been doing?"

She replied, "Very well, actually. She has completely recovered from that night a few weeks back. And she looks stunning without those bandages covering her form."

I felt a slight sting in my heart from hearing about that night again. "Any scarring?"

Celestia shook her head, "None. She looks spotless. I made sure she got the best medical attention as possible. And she won't stop talking about you. I can't go through a single conversation with her without your name being brought up. She really misses you."

I felt extremely flattered to know that my newest and quite possibly most precious friend was keeping her memories of me so close to her. I then asked, "What about Luna?"

The alicorn princess replied, "She has been doing well also. She and Nightmare Moon really seem to get along. They have even developed a special routine whenever they bring out the night. Have you noticed lately that your dreams may have been more pleasant than usual?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I honestly couldn't tell you. It's hard to remember most dreams after you spend an hour awake."

Celestia chuckled heartily, "Oh, I know what you mean. But anyway, whenever Luna brings out the night, Nightmare Moon casts a unique type of magic herself that spreads over Equestria, bringing sweet slumber and pleasant dreams to all."

I smiled at those words. "Huh… That actually makes sense since 'Nightmare' is a type of dream. So… Does this make Nightmare Moon the princess of dreams?"

Celestia nodded, "I suppose you could say that."

Before we could speak anymore, the waiter came back and placed the slip of paper on the table showing the cost for our meal before moving over to another table. I reached into my pocket to pull out some bits for my portion of the meal, but Celestia then spoke up. "Don't worry, James. I'll take care of it this time." In a flash, an elegant purple and gold purse appeared on the table before her.

"Are you sure? I don't mind paying for my share." I replied, my hand still in my pocket.

Celestia looked my way as a surprisingly large about of bits floated out of the purse while surrounded by a billowing golden aura. "It's all right, James. Besides, I'm sure I have much more income than you do." I averted my gaze with a bemused smile while trying to not snicker at those words. I could only imagine how much currency someone from the royal family gets every month.

I tried to look away from the pile of bits on the table to avoid feeling any jealousy towards Celestia. She and her guards stepped away from the table while I followed her. We engaged in idle chitchat while on our way back to the spa. Once we got there, Celestia smiled, "It was good seeing you again, James. But I need to see the mayor very soon." She glanced over at the town hall, which was right across from the spa.

I nodded, "Likewise, Celestia… Um…" I wanted to reach out and give her a hug to say goodbye, but I was not sure if it would be a good idea with her being royalty and that I simply do not have the same kind of bond with her as I do with Luna or Nightmare Moon.

Celestia seemed to notice my uncertainty and asked, "James? Is something troubling you?"

I replied, "Um… Permission to hug you before we part ways?"

Celestia gave me a blank stare for a moment before chuckling, "That's all?!" She then stepped forward and rested her head on my right shoulder with an equine hug. "Permission not needed."

I could not help cracking a smile at this. I gently wrapped my arms around her neck. I heard her mutter, "You really are very sweet, James."

I sighed as I held the beautiful princess against me, "I try to be."

After a moment, I released my grasp on her while Celestia lifted her head away from me. She smiled at me, "I know you and I don't see each other very often, but I do hope we can become good friends over time, James."

I nodded with a smile, "That sounds nice. And please say hi to Luna and Nightmare Moon for me when you get back home." I then looked down at Fuller and Lance. "Please give my best to Shining Armor and Estoc."

The two royal guards each gave me a salute. "We shall, sir." Lance spoke first.

"Take care, sir." Fuller spoke briskly.

As I turned to go back inside the spa, Celestia spoke up from behind me. "Don't worry about Nightmare Moon and Luna. I have a hunch that you will be seeing them again very soon." I looked over my shoulder to see Celestia smirking playfully at me.

"Uh… If you say so. I really should be getting back to work though. Let's chat again soon, OK?" I spoke while waving goodbye.

Celestia nodded with a smile, "Definitely. Take care, James." I then ducked through the doorway and found myself back inside the spa's lobby.

Lotus was seated at the front desk and greeted me with a smile. "Welcome back, James. We have a couple of customers inside right now and both want massages."

I nodded, "I'll get right on it." I then walked inside the main chamber and returned to my workstation. I noticed a pair of ponies on my way in who seemed to be in the process of getting facials with one of them getting a cornicure, Aloe hard at work rubbing a file on the horn. I peeked past the hot tub to get a better look at them. Both were mares, but then again most of the ponies who visit the spa are mares. Since their faces were covered by that weird green facial cream and cucumber slices and their bodies were mostly covered by bathrobes with their manes wrapped up in towels, I had to rely on their cutie marks for identification.

The unicorn was easy to recognize. A harp cutie mark. "Well, there's Lyra. But… Who's that?" The other pony seemed to be a…well, either an earth pony or pegasus. I could not tell because the robe would be covering her wings if she had any. But from the little bit of her coat I could see on her flank, I saw that she was a vibrant yellow with a fiery orange tail that seemed to have two different hues to it. It was also styled in a very windswept manner. For whatever reason, I felt I had seen that pony somewhere before.

I decided to take a closer look at the pony and walked over to the two customers as quietly as I could. They naturally could not see me with the cucumber slices over their eyes and did not respond to my presence at all. Aloe glanced up at me as I drew near, but I held a finger over my mouth to signal her to not speak. She seemed to understand what I was trying to get across to her and returned her gaze to the file being held in her mouth.

I silently walked up beside the pony I did not recognize and took a look at her cutie mark. From what I could see… Well… Actually, describing her cutie mark is a challenge for me. It seemed to depict a bird in flight with its wing raised as if about to flap it downwards. Only it seemed that the bird was made entirely out of licks of flames. I could not possibly guess who this woman was, so I decided to leave her be and returned to my post.

I went looking through a random magazine from my stash while waiting for my next customer to come my way. In several minutes, the pony I did not recognize was being led towards me by Aloe. "Right this way. Your masseuse is ready for you."

The pony then spoke up in a voice that seemed vaguely familiar to me. "Sweet. My wings could really use it."

Well, that confirmed that she was a pegasus. But where did I hear that voice before? When the pony was standing right in front of me, I asked, "Excuse me, but have we met?"

The pony's mouth dropped open a bit before replying, "Huh? I swear I know your voice…" She then suddenly raised a hoof, "Ooh! I know you! I…uh…uh… OK, no I don't." I could not help snickering at her losing track of her thoughts.

The pony then looked towards Aloe, apparently knowing which direction she was in. "Aloe, would you mind getting this stuff off my face? I think half an hour's long enough."

Aloe nodded, "Just a moment, please." She then placed a towel over her roof and began to rub the cream off of her face.

When the pony's yellow face became bare of cream, she opened her big amber eyes. Her expression changed to one of delight as she looked up at me. "Oh, hey! James! How's it flying?"

I crossed my arms while looking down at her, "I feel like I know you from somewhere myself…"

The pegasus mare chuckled, "Oh, it's because of all these clothes covering me, isn't it? Hang on a sec!" She then twirled herself, somehow flinging every bit of fabric off her body. Her mane unfurled, displaying a wild windswept look that matched her tail's colors. Now that her body was bare, she flashed a wink at me. "So, am I ringing any bells yet?"

I was genuinely surprised to see who was standing before me. "Wha… Captain?!"

She replied with a chuckle, "No need to use honorifics. Just Spitfire will do."

I then smiled, "Well… What brings you all the way out here from Cloudsdale?"

She grinned, "What else? I have the day off and I heard there's an awesome masseuse working here that does things differently than most ponies. So I flew down here to see for myself and… Don't tell me YOU are the guy?!"

I nodded with a smile, "I am. I don't use hooves to massage with. I use my fingers."

She took a closer look at my hands. "Hmm… You've got some nice hands. Very smooth and tender, from the looks of it."

I chuckled, "Yeah, I try to keep them from getting roughed up."

She then flashed me a smile and hopped up onto the massage table before lying down with her forelegs and chin resting on a few pillows. "In that case, wanna show me how they work?"

I nodded, "Gladly. Shall we start with your wings?"

Spitfire looked very surprised at my words. "Huh? My wings? You can do that?"

I was not surprised. I suppose it is nearly impossible to massage wings with hooves. "I don't massage muscles very much. I specialize in massaging joints."

The Wonderbolt captain smiled a bit nervously, "Huh… I see. Well, I've never had a wing massaged before." She then extended her right wing towards me. "Knock yourself out, James."

I felt along her wing, trying to find the first joint. "Ooh… That feels nice. Where are you gonna… Oh! There! Right there!" She nearly squealed in pleasure as I began to massage the joint in her wing.

"Easy there, captain. When was the last time you ever had your wings massaged?" I asked, a bit startled by that sudden outburst.

Spitfire sighed, "Mmmm… Would you believe me if I said never?"

I cracked an awkward smile at that response. "Man… Years of use and no relief? No wonder these feel so tense."

Spitfire began to mutter while keeping her eyes closed, "Mm, yeah, that's the spot… A little more… Oh man, I really needed that… A bit lower… Ooh, right there…" Man, she was really getting into this. It almost felt awkward with her constantly muttering in pleasure like that.

Looking at her then, I realized this was the first time I had ever seen Spitfire out of uniform. Looking her bare body over then, that wild unkempt mane and tail of fiery orange drew my attention. I must confess that Spitfire exudes a type of bold untamed beauty that I had only seen in Rainbow Dash. Perhaps even more so. She is a very attractive woman with a very warm personality, but also oozes an authoritative air about her. I suppose that would make sense since she commands an entire flight team.

Once I finished with the first joint, I moved onto the second. "Huh? Why did you… Oh man! There!" I grinned in suppressed laughter as Spitfire became engulfed in more intense relief when my fingers dug into the next joint in her wing.

"You've been pent up lately, huh?" I asked with a smirk.

"Mmmm… Yeah… Can't remember the last time I felt this relaxed. I think I'll take a nice long nap when I get home after this." She replied, sighing in pleasure.

Once again, she would not stop muttering her approval of my touch. It was actually becoming hilarious how she simply would not shut up. But after three minutes, I let go of her wing. She immediately noticed and pouted at me. "Oh, come on! Why'd you stop?!"

I pointed to her left, "It's time for your other wing."

Spitfire glanced at her left wing as it extended. "Ooooh. OK then." She regained her smile while I walked to the other side of the table and once again applied my fingers to her joint. "Oh yeah, there! Just like before…"

I chuckled, "Do you ever shut up?"

Spitfire smiled, "You'd have a hard time keeping your mouth shut if you were feeling this kind of… Ooh! That really hit the spot right there!"

"I'll take that as a no." I muttered with a smirk. Once again, it turned into another three minutes of constant muttering from Spitfire, then a brief respite, and then another three minutes when I moved on to her next joint. It was like clockwork.

"Oh, come on. Did you have to stop?" Spitfire asked as I finished massaging her left wing.

I replied while rubbing my hands to keep them flexible and ready, "Three minutes per joint. That's how it works."

Spitfire then let out a yawn as she flexed both wings at once. "Well… At least they feel better. Mmmm… Yeah, MUCH better."

I nodded, "They did feel unusually tense. But now it's time for the rest of you. Please fold your wings and I'll get started." Spitfire did as she was told, allowing me to get above her before straddling her body. "OK. Just relax."

I heard Spitfire let out a sigh as she went limp under me. As usual, I started on her neck. I was relieved that she was a pegasus since they have the least muscle mass out of the four types of ponies. This left little resistance in the way of my reach.

Spitfire sighed, "Oh man… I didn't know it would feel this good…"

I asked, "Am I doing OK?"

She chuckled lightly, "More than OK. You're doing awesome."

"Glad you like it." I spoke softly, going from joint to joint with every three minutes. Of course, I made sure to ask her before starting on her flanks. "Spitfire, are your cutie marks sensitive in any way?"

She looked over her shoulder with a somewhat groggy expression. I suspect she was about to fall asleep from how relaxed she was becoming. "Huh? Sensitive? You mean…like a pleasure point?"

I sighed with a grin, "Finally! Someone who actually knows what I mean!"

Spitfire chuckled, "What, do they not understand what you mean and always find out the hard way? Anyway, mine don't work like that. Massage them all you want." I was honestly relieved to hear that. Without waiting any longer, I began to dig my fingers into her flanks.

Once I had finished with the knees and ankles of her hind legs, I slowly climbed down from the table. "How'd I do… Spitfire?" I found that the pegasus mare had completely fallen asleep on the table. Light snoring came from her as she just rested there with her head resting on her forelegs.

"Dang… Am I really THAT good?" I asked, not really talking to anyone in general.

"I'd say you are." A voice replied from the direction of the hot tub. I glanced up and found Lyra looking at me.

"Uh… I didn't mean for anyone to hear that." I replied, feeling embarrassed that she had just overheard me talking to myself.

Lyra grinned, "Yeah, you looked pretty absorbed with the massage. I'm surprised you didn't hear me get in the tub." By then, she had removed the cream from her face, the robe from her body, and the towel from her mane.

I nodded while looking down at Spitfire, "Yeah, she really seemed tense. It must be tiring leading the Wonderbolts all the time."

When I looked back at Spitfire, I eyed her wings. They were still spread, but were now drooping down the sides of the table. "Oh… Why not?" I muttered before lifting one and beginning to massage the joints again.

Lyra giggled, "I'll bet she's gonna like that when she wakes up."

"If there's one thing I've learned over the last several months, it's that pegasi wings tend to get pretty tense over time since nopony can massage them very well with hooves. Especially when it comes to those who have a bad habit of staying airborne at all times." I replied while rubbing Spitfire's right wing joints.

"Does Rainbow Dash have that problem?" Lyra asked while looking at me over the edge of the hot tub.

I tried to be witty and replied, "She spends 90% of her time flying when she is awake. What does that tell you about her wings' condition?" Lyra gave a hearty chuckle at my response.

I looked down at Spitfire as she slept just after I finished massaging her wing's first joint. She looked so at peace, just sleeping there without a care in the world. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was running my fingers through her fiery orange mane. Lyra seemed to notice and asked, "You two good friends?"

I looked back up at her and smiled, "Well, I've only met her twice before. Once at the Grand Galloping Gala and the second time a few weeks ago. She taught me everything I know about flying, so I guess we did bond a bit."

Lyra cocked her head to one side and asked, "You can fly?"

I averted my eyes for a moment before replying, "Uh… It's a long story."

I continued to massage Spitfire's wings, one joint at a time. "She'll be feeling extra limber when she wakes up."

Lyra then asked, "Now that you're done with her, mind if I come on down?"

I replied, "Just a minute." I then stepped forward and sank my hand in the hot tub. "Don't want these to be sore in any way when I start."

Lyra smiled, "Good idea. I don't like the feel of cold fingers myself."

After no more than five minutes, I removed my hands from the water. Thanks to the heat, they seemed a bit more red than usual. "OK, I'm all set."

Lyra then made her way to the tub's edge and climbed out before shaking herself dry. "Me too!"

I took a seat by an empty massage table and watched as Lyra approached me. She then hopped up onto the table and turned around. "Hang on a minute." I asked while I pulled out the sheet of paper containing the list of names of ponies with sensitive cutie marks. Sure enough, Lyra's name was on the list. However, I had added an extra two words next to her name.

"So, you are ticklish and musical, if I recall." I spoke while placing the list of names back into the cabinet next to the massage tables.

"Huh? Ticklish and musical in what way?" Lyra asked, apparently not remembering the last time I gave her a massage.

"Oh, nothing. Forget I said anything. Now, please relax." I replied while climbing onto the table and straddling her. I then dug my fingers into the back of her neck while she went limp under me.

Nothing of importance happened over the course of the massage. But when I turned around to massage her flanks, a smirk crawled across my face. While massaging Lyra last month, I got a little curious and made an interesting discovery about her. My hands then gripped her flanks and began to massage them. But after a moment, I moved one finger over her lyre cutie mark and flicked my fingertip over one of its strings.

"Eek! What was that?!" Lyra yelped while looking back at me.

I replied while 'strumming' her strings again, "Oh, just tweaking your Heartstrings, if you know what I mean." With every flick of the strings on her cutie mark, a delightful hum would arise from it as if I was strumming a real harp.

Lyra began to giggle, "Heehee... St… Stop that! That... I'm ticklish like that! Hahahaaa!"

After strumming a short tune out of her cutie mark, I decided to stop. "Sorry, I just can't help myself whenever I get that chance. Are you OK though?"

Lyra breathed a sigh of relief and wiped some tears from her eyes, "Hoo… That gets me every time. How'd you know I was ticklish like that?"

I smirked while massaging her flanks again, "I wrote your name down." Lyra chuckled at my response.

A short while passed before I finished massaging Lyra's hind legs and dismounted her and hopped down from the table. "All done. How're you feeling?"

Lyra slowly climbed to her feet and flexed her body. "Mmm… Much better! Thanks!"

I then asked, "Is there anything else I can get you?"

Lyra shook her head, "Nah, I'm good. I gotta get going though. I need to attend a party today, and I don't want to be late. But I'm sure I'll see you again today." She then stood up and embraced me with her forelegs.

I hugged her back and smiled, "OK. Have a good time, Lyra. I'll see you later." We then said our goodbyes before she trotted out to the lobby, leaving me with the sleeping Spitfire.

I looked down at the dozing pegasus and sighed, "Come on, captain. You've been out for over an hour. Don't you think you should be getting up by now?"

The Wonderbolt captain did not respond to my words at all. She was still dead asleep. I then tried to wake her as gently as possible. I dipped my hand in the hot tub again and then dangled it over her head. I let a single drop of water fall onto her ear. It flicked as soon as the droplet touched her. Very slowly, she started to come around.

"Huh…? Ugh, how long was I out?" Spitfire asked groggily before letting out a yawn.

I replied, "I'd say over an hour. You OK?"

Spitfire weakly chuckled, "Heheh, yeah. I guess I just got so relaxed that I passed out. You really know how to make a girl feel good."

I think I may have blushed at those words, "It's not just you. A lot of the stallions I massage compliment me on their massages too."

Spitfire then flexed her wings. "Hang on… These feel even more loosened up than before…"

I nodded, "I massaged them again while you were out."

Spitfire started flexing herself, stretching her wings while groaning and grunting. "Ooooooh yeah, this feels awesome! I really needed this!"

I then stepped forward and asked, "If you want, I can throw in something for free."

Spitfire paused at my words while looking at me, as if trying to deduce what I meant. She then smiled warmly, "Aw, I see what you mean. I'll gladly take one, you loveable lug."

I grinned before gently wrapping my arms around her for a hug. Spitfire sighed before wrapping one foreleg around me. "This is one nice freebie. You really give great hugs."

I smiled at her words, "Thanks. I try to be nice all the time."

When we let go of each other, Spitfire hopped down from the table. "Man, I can't wait to tell the rest of the team about your massages. Next time I show up, I'll bring the whole squadron along."

That sounded like a lot to do in one visit to me. "Uh… Are you sure that's a good idea? My massages take around an hour to do!"

Spitfire paused while holding a hoof to her chin. "Hmmmm… Good point. I'll just bring four along!"

I nodded with a sigh of relief, "That sounds much better. Who do you think you'll bring along?"

Spitfire smiled, "Well, I'll definitely want to bring Soarin. Fleetfoot would probably love it too. I'll have to look over the others." She then began to make her way towards the doorway to the lobby before looking back at me. "It was great seeing you again, James. You take care."

I smiled and nodded, "Likewise, captain. Give the team my best." She then gave me a salute and trotted out of sight. Once she was gone though, I crossed my arms and bowed my head. "First Celestia, then Spitfire… Why am I getting all the hotties today? Is it some sort of special… Hang on!"

I am not a superstitious man, but I started looking around for a calendar. I went from corner to corner of the spa, but found that there was none to be seen. "Huh… Is it my birthday? Nah…"

We got several more customers that day, though none of them opted to have me massage. Before I even knew it, the clock struck 5 PM. Right as that happened; Aloe came over to me with a smile. "How are you doing, James?"

I replied with a shrug of my shoulders, "I'm OK. It's a bit dull when I have nothing to do though."

Aloe nodded, "Actually, you are free to clock out early, if you want. Miss Rarity came by a little while ago and asked that we let you out at 5 o'clock. She would like to see you at Sugarcube Corner."

I raised an eyebrow at those words. From what I understood, all of my closest friends had been busy to the point of not being seen all day. What was going on out there? "Really? Well… I guess it would be rude to keep her waiting. I'll get going right now."

Aloe stepped to her right to get out of my way. "See you on Tuesday, James." I waved goodbye and headed into the lobby and out the door.

As I walked through Ponyville, my thoughts trailed back to the six mares who had come into my life several months ago. I see them every single day, but with a brief sighting of Pinkie Pie, they were nowhere to be seen today. Where were they? What were they up to?

Nothing of importance happened on my way over to Sugarcube Corner. Although I was starting to feel suspicious of my six closest friends. In fact, standing outside Sugarcube Corner and looking up at it strongly reminded me of the first party I ever had in Ponyville when I first came to this place. Was this another 'ambush' being set up?

I snickered to myself, "Oh, you girls…" I was really overthinking this too much. They have never given me reason to doubt them. Deciding to take things as they came, I pushed the door open and stepped into the storefront.

"Gotcha!" I heard a voice shout before finding myself blindfolded right after feeling my glasses getting snatched from my face. I recognized the voice as Rainbow Dash's.

"Oh, hey, Rainbow. What's this for?" I asked, finding that I literally could not see anything with that strip of cloth over my eyes.

"No questions. Just walk." She replied, placing her hooves on my shoulders and directing me.

"Huh? Well… OK." I replied, walking straight ahead.

After several steps, Rainbow Dash spoke, "OK, now left." I then turned left. But she then shouted, "Wait! NO, YOUR OTHER LEFT!" Then I walked forehead first into the doorway that led into the kitchen.

"Ow! Dang it, Rainbow! You really want me to relive my first day in Ponyville again?!" I turned and yelled at her while rubbing my forehead. Fortunately, I was not walking very fast when I struck it.

"Uh… James? You're yelling at a wall." Rainbow Dash spoke blankly.

I paused for a moment without saying anything. "Let me guess then. You wanted me to go upstairs?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled, "Uh… Yeah."

"Why didn't you say so then? I've been in this building so often that I can walk it blindfolded. By the way, thanks for giving me the chance to." I grumbled before feeling my way along the wall until I found the stairs and slowly climbed them while feeling my way along with my feet.

"Are you sure you've got this?" Rainbow Dash asked while following me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I know how to climb stairs in the dark." I replied, soon reaching the top.

"OK. Don't move." Rainbow Dash replied. The room was quiet, but I had the strangest feeling there were others standing in front of me now.

I felt Rainbow Dash starting to undo my blindfold. "OK, keep your eyes closed for a second." I did as she was told and closed my eyes. The dark blur on my eyelids became a much brighter blur as I felt the blindfold fall from my face. Once I felt my glasses being placed on my face again, Rainbow spoke, "OK, take a look!"

I opened my eyes and was immediately greeted by loud cheers. "SURPRISE!" Standing before me were my six dearest friends. And all around the room, there were…presents? A grand cake with a bowl of purple punch sat on a table while a banner stretched across the ceiling that read 'Happy Birthday James' on it.

That was when it hit me. "Hang on. It's my birthday?!"

Everyone present burst into laughter. "Silly filly! Who forgets their own birthday?!" Pinkie Pie spoke with a grin.

Applejack then snidely replied, "I reckon somepony like you." For whatever reason, that shut Pinkie Pie up quite well.

Along with my six closest friends, I noticed several other familiar faces in the mix. I saw Mitta, Big Macintosh, Lyra, the three Cutie Mark Crusaders, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and even Spike. I glanced around and smiled, "Whoa… I've got quite an entourage today, don't I?"

Big Macintosh replied with a calm smile, "Eyup."

Lyra giggled, "We've been planning this for a while now. I'm surprised you never caught on."

I shrugged my shoulders, "What can I say. When living in a world as great as Equestria for so long, you have a bad habit of forgetting about things that you associated your previous life with. And that included my birthday."

Rarity sighed with a smile, "Well, even here in Equestria, it is still May 25th."

Before anyone else could say anything, Spike suddenly belched up a plume of green fire that quickly solidified into a scroll. "Huh? What's this about?"

Twilight then asked while Spike began to read it, "What does it say, Spike?"

He replied, "Uh… I think we're about to have a few more guests."

Fluttershy then asked, "A few more guests? But who could they be?" As if to answer that, we could hear distant screams coming from outside.

Mitta cocked her head to one side, "Is it just a coincidence?" She then peeked out the window.

Rainbow Dash then asked, "What's going on out there?"

Mitta looked back at us and replied, "Everypony's just running around in a panic. But I don't see anything bad happening."

Before we could discuss it further, there was a knock at the front door downstairs. "Ooh! More guests!" Pinkie Pie gasped with a hop before trotting down the stairs.

"You think I should go look too?" I asked.

Lyra smiled, "Well, they must be guests for your party. So, sure! Go say hi!" I nodded and made my way down the stairs, wondering just what had happened outside that caused all the ponies to start scurrying for cover.

Right when I entered the storefront of Sugarcube Corner, I saw Pinkie Pie open the front door. Right when that happened, I heard a familiar voice speak from outside. "Salutations! Are we in time?"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Oh, just in time! The birthday boy only just got here himself and… Ooh! There he is now!"

Pinkie Pie stepped out of the way as Princess Luna herself came trotting in. As soon as we locked eyes, I made my way over to her and held her in my arms as she reared up on her hind legs before wrapping her forelegs around me. "Great to see you, Luna."

My regal friend replied, "Likewise, my friend. And a very happy birthday to you."

Pinkie Pie then spoke, "Come on in! Guards are welcome too!" I watched as a pair of royal guards also entered through the door. And right behind them was another alicorn I immediately felt excitement at seeing.

"Nightmare Moon!" Temporarily forgetting about Luna entirely, I wiggled out of my friend's grasp and hurried over to the dark alicorn. She reached out with one foreleg and held it against my back when I embraced her around the neck.

"How I have longed to see you again, dear friend." She spoke softly as she closed her eyes, leaning against me while I did the same.

The two of us just stood there for a moment, holding each other in a tender embrace as if in perfect harmony. I then heard Luna chuckle, "My sister was right. You do share a deep connection that is difficult to describe."

I suppose she was right. That night was a horrible ordeal for us both, yet we forged a very strong friendship in the process. Nightmare Moon is more than just a friend to me. It is difficult to put into words what she means to me. And I am sure the same applies to her.

After a minute, the two of us released each other from our grasps. I got a good look at my friend, finding that she had finally had her bandages removed as Celesia had claimed. She looked stunning, that glossy black coat being completely free of scars. The armor she wore was still present, but each component seemed to have received a polish since I last saw her. The light blue greaves and the chest plate that hung below her neck seemed to shimmer. Her crown still rested proudly atop her head, the white gemstone in the center appearing to almost glow. Truly, she was a beauty to behold. Although now that I think about it, her presence here explains the panic outside Sugarcube Corner a minute ago.

Nightmare Moon smiled at me and asked, "So, I suppose you can hazard a guess as to why we are here?"

I smiled back at her, "You AND Luna are here to attend the party?"

Luna grinned, "Of course! We would not miss this for the world! And I made sure to bring a couple of friends I know you've met before." She then turned her gaze to the two pegasi in gold armor standing at the sidelines.

I crossed my arms and gazed at them. For whatever reason, all of the pegasi royal guards look completely identical to each other. I will never know how the princesses can tell them apart. "Um… And I suppose I know you?"

One of the two pegasi raised his hoof to give me a salute and spoke a deep and gruff voice, "Fuller and Lance, sir. We met earlier this afternoon."

I felt rather silly that I had forgotten all about them. "Oh, you guys! Celestia allowed you to come?"

Lance then replied, "She said it would be a good time to get to know you better, sir. And it is an honor to be in the presence of the man who rescued Princess Nightmare Moon."

That kind of praise caught me by surprise. "You mean… You don't mind being in the service of Nightmare Moon?"

Fuller replied, "Daily interaction with her has eliminated any doubts we may have had."

Nightmare Moon then smirked, "They were cowering like frightened schoolchildren the first time I stood before them." Both Fuller and Lance rolled their eyes with very embarrassed expressions.

Pinkie Pie then spoke up, "Come on, everypony! We don't wanna keep this part held back any longer, do we?"

Luna nodded, "Ah, yes! No sense in delaying! Lead on!" Pinkie Pie then led us back upstairs, though Nightmare Moon stayed at the back of the line.

When she reached the top of the stairs, Pinkie Pie hopped forward. "Good news, everypony! We have a few more guests!"

I then emerged from the stairwell and stepped aside to allow Fuller and Lance to pass, who stood at the sides of the stairwell before Luna came into view. The princess of the night then greeted them with her hoof held high, "Greetings, everypony. I pray it is not too much trouble that I attend my friend's birthday party."

Everyone present bowed before Luna. Mr. Cake then spoke, "It's no trouble at all, your highness. We can always make room for a visit from royalty."

Luna smiled brightly, "Thank you kindly. However, my sister is here as well." She then stepped out of the way of the stairwell.

Mrs. Cake then asked, "Oh?! Princess Celestia is attending too?"

I averted my eyes while a slightly giddy grin spread across my face, "Uh… Not quite." A second later, Nightmare Moon stepped up and came into view from the stairs.

Right on that cue, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Lyra, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and even Big Macintosh let out a frightened shout and immediately huddled together in a corner of the room. "N…N…Nightmare Moon?! But how?!" Lyra shrieked, behaving exactly as I expected her to.

Nightmare Moon was clearly disheartened that her subjects were so frightened of her, a solemn frown spreading across her face while she bowed her head. However, my six closest friends merely laughed at their terror. Mitta then asked, "Why is everypony so scared all of a sudden?"

Apple Bloom then replied, "Why?! Because she's the Mare in the Moon! Don't ya'll know the legend?! She comes 'round once a year ta gobble us ponies up!"

This revelation seemed to clearly bother Nightmare Moon, who raised her voice, "I do WHAT?! What do I look like to you, a cannibal?!" She glared at my cowering friends before suddenly approaching them and baring her teeth. "Do these teeth even look like they can cut flesh?!"

They were all shivering like mad at Nightmare Moon's close proximity. However, Big Macintosh still managed to voice an answer. "Uh… Nope."

Nightmare Moon then raised her head and scowled at them. "Thank you. I know not what led to such an absurd legend, but I advise you to stop believing such a thing. I am NOT a carnivore and never will be. And besides, I could never harm my subjects."

She continued to look down at the cowering ponies before her for a moment before letting out a sigh. She then looked at them with a much more somber expression. "Please… I know I have done some bad things in the past. But please believe this. I am no longer the monster you all know. I rule Equestria alongside my sisters now. I am not the Mare in the Moon. I am Nightmare Moon, the princess of dreams."

I then looked down at the three Cutie Mark Crusaders and spoke, "Come on, girls. You remember what I told you a while back in class? How Nightmare Moon was a changed person and helped me when I was in the Everfree Forest?"

Sweetie Belle immediately smiled, "Ooh! I remember now! You said she watched over you in your sleep!" She then stepped forward and looked up at the dark alicorn, "Do you remember that night, Princess Nightmare Moon?"

My friend smiled somberly and replied, "Yes, I remember that night." She then closed her eyes and smiled, "I felt…so happy when he thanked me for the night. He…" She then turned her head and smiled warmly at me, "He became my first friend."

I could see that my friends were beginning to relax in her presence since they were starting to climb to their feet. They still seemed somewhat wary, but at least they were calmer now. Twilight Sparkle then stepped forward and smiled, "She's not lying, everypony. I was there when she changed. She really is a new pony now. Please give her a chance. She's our friend."

One by one, the seven frightened ponies began to approach Nightmare Moon. Lyra then asked, "So… Uh… You're not going to do anything to hurt us?"

Nightmare Moon shook her head with a smile, "Of course not. You are my subjects. And I want you all to be happy."

Scootaloo grinned nervously, "Uh… That's pretty awesome. So…you're friends with my big brother?"

Nightmare Moon flashed a puzzled expression at the little pegasus filly and replied, "Your brother? I do not recall ever getting to know a pegasus stallion from Ponyville. Is he stationed with the royal guards?"

Scootaloo then let out a laugh, "He's not a pegasus! He's James! He adopted me and made me his little sister!"

Nightmare Moon's expression went blank for a moment, prompting a laugh from all of my friends. "He… Well, that's a surprise." She then looked down at Scootaloo and smiled, "And I trust he has been a good big brother to you?"

Scootaloo grinned, "Yep! He's been awesome! I couldn't ask for a better big brother!"

Luna then stepped forward, "Sister, if it is not too much trouble, I think now would be a good time to give James his gift before we forget all about it."

Nightmare Moon nodded, "Ah, excellent idea. My apologies, everypony. I know we should give out his gifts in unison, but this one is special." She then approached me along with Luna until they were standing alongside each other in front of me.

What I noticed that was odd was that neither of them seemed to have a present on hand. "Um… Where is the gift?"

Luna replied, "As she said, it is special. By which she means that it lacks physical form. Now, please remove your glasses."

I had no idea what they had planned for me, but I did as I was told. I removed my glasses from my face and folded the temple arms. "OK, now what?"

Nightmare Moon then smiled, "Be still. And don't blink." Her horn was engulfed by a billowing deep blue aura while Luna's was coated by her own cobalt blue aura. They then seemed to…aim their horns at my face? No, it was…more like they were aiming directly at my eyes.

I felt somewhat apprehensive about what was going to happen, seeing as how sensitive the eyes are. "Um… Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Luna replied, "Of course. We practiced this before we came here. Altogether now, Nightmare Moon."

The princess of dreams replied, "Yes. And here it goes."

At those words, my vision was completely engulfed in two shades of blue. It was as if I was looking at a wall of blue paint. Ever so steadily, my vision slowly cleared until I saw the two princesses standing before me again. Nothing seemed any different, so I proceeded to put my glasses back on. "OK, nothing seems different. So, what exactly did… Whoa, what's wrong with my glasses?"

For whatever reason, my vision was terribly blurred when I put my glasses back on. I could not even clearly make out anything that was right in front of me. "Wait a second… Did you really do what I think you did?!"

Nightmare Moon probably smirked as she replied, "Take them off and see for yourself."

I did as I was told and removed my glasses. Nightmare Moon and Luna were still standing before me. At such close range, my vision of them was perfect. However, I then noticed that everything and everyone further away from me was perfectly clear. My vision was just as good as it was whenever I wore my glasses. Only one explanation came to mind. "Did you really just fix my eyes?"

Luna smiled, "Well, what else could it have been?"

I looked around at everyone, being completely unable to remember the last time my eyesight was this good. All of my friends were smiling at me, as if silently congratulating me on my gift. I then looked at the two princesses and smirked, "OK, what's the real reason you did this for me? I'm sure this kind of spell costs money to have it used on you."

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "It is. It takes great precision and a talent for the spell in order to master it. That is why eye doctors require a hefty payment for it." She then leaned towards me and whispered, "Between you and me, Celestia let me know even Twilight Sparkle was never able to get this spell down." I smirked at those words, finding it surprising that there was one spell out there she could not perfect. Oh well, it just goes to show you cannot do them all.

Luna then whispered to me, "The main reason for this gift was so your eyesight can remain clear the next time you ever have to take up the sword. It must be difficult to wear glasses while wearing your helmet." I certainly was not looking forward to getting involved in combat again, but it was definitely a good idea to plan ahead just in case.

I whispered to them both, "Thank you again for this. I honestly can't really explain how practical this gift is."

Just then, Pinkie Pie then clapped her hooves, "Hey! Why don't we ALL start handing out presents now?!"

Applejack added, "That's a mighty fine idea, Pinkie. C'mon, ya'll! Line 'em up!"

All of my friends began to shuffle towards the stack of presents, although I noticed that hardly any were wrapped. I would rather not spoil what was what, so read on to see.

Mrs. Cake spoke up with a smile, "I say we should let the fillies go first."

Rarity nodded towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders, though I think her attention was directed mostly towards her sister. "Did you girls get something special for James?"

Sweetie Belle was grinning while performing a cute little hop. "Oh, we didn't get him something. We MADE him something!"

Scootaloo then spoke up with her tiny wings fluttering and buzzing like a locust, "Yeah! And it's totally awesome!"

Apple Bloom then called out from somewhere behind the stack of gifts, "Gimme a hoof here, girls! It's too long fer me ta carry it by myself!"

Scootaloo looked rather nervous at those words and replied, "Whoa! Hang on, we all need to move it!" The two fillies then ran behind the stack while I crossed my arms, wondering just what was going on over there.

Sweetie Belle spoke up, "OK, you get ready to catch it, Scootaloo."

My sister replied, "Why do I have to catch it? Apple Bloom's got the stronger back!"

Apple Bloom probably nodded, "Yeah, I do! I'll catch the end and Scootaloo gets in the middle! Give it a nudge, Sweetie!"

Sweetie Belle then spoke, "Timber!" I saw Apple Bloom trot out into the open before a flat wooden object fell onto her back.

"OK, I got it! Let's get it out here!" Apple Bloom spoke while beginning to walk sideways. Soon, Scootaloo came into view while walking sideways before Sweetie Belle did the same. They then walked over to me while lined up next to each other with a long wooden object on their backs. "Can ya guess what this is? We made it outta the toughest oak wood!"

I immediately saw what it is they had made for me, and I was genuinely surprised, "Girls, seriously? You forged me my own sword?!"

Scootaloo grinned, "You bet we did! Although Apple Bloom did most of the work. Sweetie Belle and I did all of the measuring."

Sweetie Belle then smiled, "After we saw you show us how cool you were with that sword, we thought we'd make you one ourselves! But…uh…"

Apple Bloom then sheepishly grinned, "I think we made it too long. That's OK though, right?" Indeed, the wooden sword on their backs was longer than the Celestial Sword, the blade probably a good four feet. Not that this bothered me. I have long had a deep fascination with longswords.

"OK? This is more than OK." I spoke while taking the sword in hand by the hilt. "A sword this long is my dream sword!" The wooden blade was blunt, the width being around three to four inches. I had never actually held a sword that long before, but its wooden form reduced the weight enough for me to wield it effortlessly. The hilt was wrapped in cloth that seemed to have been stapled on while the pommel was a spherical wooden ball that had probably been screwed on. The crossguard was fairly simple and was actually made of metal that curved up towards the blade. In all, it was surprisingly well made.

My friends backed away to give me room while I took a few swings with my sword. I performed a back and forth swing before turning around and performing a diagonal upward swing using only one hand before letting the blade come down and rest on my shoulder. I then looked down at the three fillies and smiled, "Thanks for this, girls. This is way awesome."

I kneeled down and embraced the three fillies with one arm as they snuggled up against me. Scootaloo grinned, "Only the best for my big brother!"

I stood up and propped my sword against a corner in the wall before looking back to my friends. Lyra was looking through the stack of gifts. "I know I put it here somewhere… Aha!" Her horn was engulfed by a billowing turquoise aura while a pair of gloves floated over to me. They seemed to be the traditional shade of brown for leather and seemed to be of the fingerless variety.

Looking at the gloves, a thought occurred to me. "Wait. They make gloves for humans in Equestria?"

Lyra blushed in embarrassment; "Actually, those were custom made for me a while back. I always wondered what it would be like to have hands, so…yeah. When the fingers didn't move while I wore them, I had them removed. But they still didn't fit me very well, so…" She then grinned at me, "Well, I'm giving them to you since you can get more use out of them than me! Are they OK?"

I tried sliding them onto my hands and found that they fit me well. "Yeah, they're great. I've always liked fingerless gloves too. Thanks, Lyra."

She then trotted over to me and gave me a hug, "Anytime."

Mitta then spoke up, "If it's OK, I'd like to go next." I looked over at my newest friend and nodded. She then began to root around in the stack of gifts. "I know I put it in here somewhere…"

Rarity then asked, "Mitta, I don't recall you ever picking anything up for James. What did you get him?"

Mitta glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and smiled sheepishly, "I didn't get him anything until just today. I had no idea what to get him for a while. I thought long and hard about it. And when I couldn't think of anything to get him that was practical, I tried researching the language of flowers for an answer."

The language of flowers? How philosophical. Mitta must have put a lot of thought and dedication into thinking of something to give me. Rarity seemed especially impressed and smiled, "The language of flowers?! How romantic! What was it?! What flower did you choose?!"

Mitta blushed from the praise and spoke while sticking her head into the stack before replying, "It's right here." She then approached me with a flowerpot on her head, slender white flowers blooming from green leafy stems.

"Are those…honeysuckles?" I asked, recognizing them right away.

Mitta smiled, "They are."

I do know a bit about the language of flowers, such as blue roses symbolizing impossible miracles while the red rose represents the truest deepest love, but my knowledge is still very limited on the subject. "And…what do these represent?" I asked while taking the pot in hand and taking a deep breath through my nostrils to enjoy their fragrance.

Mitta seemed to shyly bow her head before speaking softly, "Devoted affection or bonds of love." There was an audible aw as most of the other partygoers looked on.

I looked down at my friend, genuinely impressed that she went through so much trouble to find this one special gift to not only please me, but to also show in an artistic fashion the bond we had formed by then. She whispered, "You're the best thing to ever happen to me, James. And you're the greatest friend I've ever known. I just wanted to find some way to say that, but I couldn't find the proper words. I hope this gets my point across though."

I nodded and embraced her tenderly. "It does. You're too sweet, Mitta." She closed her eyes and smiled, gently nuzzling me while the rest of our friends looked on with warm smiles.

After a moment, Mr. Cake spoke up. "OK, I think it's time for me and the Mrs. to show James what we have in store for him."

I stood up while rubbing Mitta's head, "Huh? You?"

Mrs. Cake smiled with that motherly expression of hers, "Of course, dearie! I saw how you were eyeing that photo earlier today and we decided to give you a taste of it." She then held out…the exact same kind of cupcake Pinkie Pie had shown me that day.

Spike grinned and spoke, "Oh boy, that's a sapphire cupcake! I love those!"

I winced at those words, "Seriously?! Sapphire's in a cupcake?! Mrs. Cake, you know I can't digest gemstones! That stuff will rip my intestines apart! It'd be like eating glass!"

Mr. Cake let out a hearty laugh, "Oh, we know! Only Spike can eat gemstones. All those sapphires you see? Those are just hard candy. Blue raspberry flavor."

That made the thing sound much more appetizing to me. "Oh! OK then. I'd love to try it." I took the cupcake in hand and took a bite. The cake itself was moist and not crumbly or dry at all, and the light blue buttercream was delicious as always. However, while I did find the candy in the cream to be sweet, the hard consistency did not go well with the soft cake and smooth buttercream. I smiled to the Cake couple once I finished my first bite and spoke, "It's really good, but the hard candy really doesn't mix well with the rest of it."

Mr. Cake chuckled, "Well, can't blame us for trying!"

As I ate the cupcake, Applejack and Big Macintosh approached me with a barrel on Big Mac's back. "Our turn! And we got somthin' ya don't see in stock too often."

As I observed the barrel, one thought came to mind. "Is that your special Sweet Apple Acres brand of apple cider?"

Big Macintosh replied with his trademark calm smile and nodded, "Eyup."

I get the feeling he really should not have said that since Rainbow Dash then made a lunge for the barrel while shouting, "MINE!"

"Ponypile!" Pinkie Pie squealed before she suddenly belly flopped onto the unsuspecting pegasus along with Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity.

"We all know you love that brand of cider, Rainbow. But give it a rest! If you really want some, ask first!" Twilight spoke with a rather irritated expression.

Rainbow Dash groaned while everyone laughed at her overenthusiastic obsession with that cider. I then smiled, "I can pour you a glass, if you want."

My friend's face brightened at once. "You mean it?!"

I found a nozzle on the side of the barrel and held a punch cup under it before turning the handle to allow some of the golden cider to flow out. Once I had filled the cup enough and turned the nozzle off, I held the cup down to Rainbow Dash. She suddenly got all teary-eyed and held the cup between her hooves. "You… You'd do this for me?"

It was rather silly to see Rainbow Dash getting so sentimental over a glass of cider. But I nodded, "Yup. All yours."

In a surprising show of strength, Rainbow Dash suddenly jumped into the air, flinging our friends off of her. "YEEESSS! THANK YOU!" She chugged the whole glass, instantly calming back down. "Man… That hit the spot." But I was surprised further as she threw her forelegs around me and nuzzled me while giving me a tight embrace. "You're the best, James."

I was honestly not sure how to react to that rather random show of emotions and replied, "Uh… But I thought YOU were the best."

"OK, Rainbow. Give him some breathing room. We still have a few more presents to hand out." Twilight spoke while a book wrapped in gold ribbon floated over to her.

Rainbow grinned and backed away from me, "Heheh, right. I'll go last, if that's OK."

Twilight then had the book float over to me. "I hope you don't mind if my gift to you is a book I've had for a long time."

Spike sighed while rolling his eyes with his arms crossed, "That's all she ever gets anyone for their birthday. Every single year on my birthday, I always get the same kind of gift from Twilight. A book." Twilight instantly blushed; clearly embarrassed that she was as easy to read as…well…a book.

I snickered while taking the book in hand, "Come on, Twi. Think outside the box sometime! Of course, I can't complain. This is the first time I ever got anything from you." I then looked the cover over. The book was fairly thick with a sturdy cover and back that led me to believe it was more of a small tome. "Fundamentals of Magic?"

Twilight Sparkle nodded, "It has a long list of many types of spells. From basic to intermediate to advanced. I've already learned all the magic I can from that, so I decided you could use it."

I then cocked my head to one side, "Twilight, I'm pretty sure you know I can't even use magic on my own."

She then smirked and whispered to me, "Not without your armor, you can't."

My armor… Of course. Perhaps I should plan a magic training date with the princesses so I can actually get some use out of that book. Regardless, I threw an arm around Twilight and held her close to me in a hug. "Well, I'm sure I'll be getting lots of use outta this. Thanks, Twi."

My dear unicorn friend nuzzled my face with her cheek, "Happy birthday, James."

Rarity then stepped forward with a present wrapped in indigo paper and a white ribbon. "I tried to make something for you that is both fashionable, yet functional. I do hope that you like it."

Once Twilight had backed away and I had set my book among the rest of my gifts, I took the present in hand. "Aww, thank you, Rarity." I then began to gently unwrap the gift while everyone watched. The box itself seemed to be similar to a shoebox since the top could just be lifted off, only larger. And when I lifted the lid off, I stared with a smile at its contents. "Well, what do we have here?"

I reached into the box and lifted up a neatly folded sheet of dark blue fabric. Was it a cape? I unfurled it, finding that when held parallel to my neck, it nearly reached my ankles. No, not quite a cape. It was a cloak. Rarity spoke, "I know it is out of season and only a lunatic would be found wearing a cloak at this time of year, but I just know it will serve you well once winter arrives."

I tried it on, finding that the cloak completely wrapped around me while also having a hood attachment that pulled over my head. Nightmare Moon smirked, "Ooh, very mysterious visage, I must admit."

I grinned while removing my new cloak, "OK, now this is awesome, Rarity. I'll be sure to wear this every day when winter arrives."

Rarity giggled, "I just knew you would adore that little trinket. And I can't wait to see you marching through the snow with all that white starting to coat you. Just like something out of a novel!"

I smirked while folding up the cloak and placing it among the rest of my gifts, "You planning on writing one soon?"

My elegant friend shook her head, "Oh, darling, I think that is YOUR talent. I've read some of your journals before."

Before our conversation could drag on any longer, Rainbow Dash trotted over to me. From the looks of things, she was the last one. "My turn! And I promise it's totally awesome!" Hanging from her muzzle was a gift bag that seemed to depict a blue background covered in yellow lightning bolts.

When I took the bag in hand, I found that it was light. Even lighter than the book Twilight gave me. Perhaps it was a magazine. "Thanks, Rainbow. But…what exactly is it?"

My rambunctious friend gave me a wink, "It's something I worked hard to find. There aren't very many of these around. Enjoy it, big guy!"

I chuckled while reaching into the bag, "That rare? Aw, Rainbow. You shouldn't have… Huh?" Next thing I know, everyone present is staring at me with shocked expressions while Mr. and Mrs. Cake are trying to block the views of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I looked down at what was in my hand before chuckling, "Uh… Heh…Heheh…. Um… Wow, Rainbow. You… Uh… You really shouldn't have!"

In my hand was a copy of Playcolt. Yes, Equestria's version of Playboy. I suppose I should have been utterly shocked, and I had every right to be, but I still was not that surprised to see it coming from Rainbow Dash, of all ponies. Everyone was just speechless, but Nightmare Moon was howling with laughter.

Applejack raised her voice, "Rainbow, what's wrong with ya?! Ya'll shouldn't show that kinda stuff 'round kids!"

Pinkie Pie then said something that really caught me off-guard. "Yeah! Don't you know this doesn't have a mature content label on it?!"

Fluttershy then asked, "Um… A mature content label on…what?"

Pinkie Pie then raised her hoof with the bottom upturned, "You know! Mature content! This story doesn't… Wait a second." She then…stuck her head into the stack of gifts I had received before looking back at me with a bemused expression. "Huh… I guess this DOES have a mature content label. What've I been missing?!"

I then asked, "What're you even talking about?! What story?!"

Pinkie Pie was about to respond, but Twilight then stuffed her hoof into Pinkie's mouth. "Don't mind her. I don't know what she saw or what she knows, but I'm scared to find out. Can we please drop the subject?"

Everyone present hurriedly nodded in unison. I decided to do the same. I swear, even after spending nearly a year with her, Pinkie Pie still baffles me sometimes. But regardless, Rarity then spoke up. "Regardless, what were you thinking, Rainbow Dash?! James isn't the kind of man who ogles over a mare's hindquarters!"

Rainbow Dash replied, "Oh, come on! You're one to talk! I know you get a new issue of Playmare every month!" Rarity instantly blushed madly at those words while everyone laughed.

I decided to confirm that claim by adding, "It's true. I saw a copy during my first night at your place last year."

Rarity shrieked, "James! You were not meant to see that! I…"

Sweetie Belle then waved from behind Mrs. Cake, "Ooh, I never saw it! Can I read it sometime?"

Rarity stared blankly at her little sister, who I will admit is probably the most innocent of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and replied, "Heavens, no! Perhaps when you are older, but no!"

I facepalmed and tried to suppress my laughter, "Oh my gohahoood….. Still… I think I might enjoy this magazine, Rainbow. Never got anything like this before."

My friend then flew up to me and threw her foreleg around my neck from the side and held me close in a chummy fashion. "Oh, you're gonna like this one. This copy is completely one of a kind! The only one like it in Equestria! It's got content that only you own now!"

I replied, "Well…uh…you sound like you went through a lot of trouble to get this. I'll treasure it."

Rainbow Dash winked at me, "You better. And don't let anypony else see its contents. Those are for your eyes only." Just why was she so concerned over who saw what was inside it? Was that copy THAT rare? Regardless, I hugged her back to show my gratitude.

However, I soon saw that Fluttershy was giving Rainbow Dash a rather irritated look as if to say that she did not approve of her gift to me. My friend seemed to become nervous at that glare, but I tried to change the subject. "Fluttershy, what about you? Did you get me anything?"

My words got her attention, causing her to give me a shy smile. "Um… I do have one. But…um…I want to show you tonight in private…"

This got me excited. I was instantly wondering what could be in store for me that evening. I smiled, "I'll do my best to remain patient. But let's just have a good time now. OK?"

Fluttershy nodded, "OK. But…please don't look at that magazine until later."

I snickered while placing the magazine back in its bag and placing it out of reach of the Cutie Mark Crusaders on top of my pile of gifts. "Thank you, everyone. I honestly can't remember the last time I got so many gifts on one birthday."

Rainbow Dash replied, "What're you talking about? Everypony gets gifts on their birthday!"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I guess that's true. It's just that as I got older, birthdays started losing their significance. They're not the same when you're not a kid anymore."

Luna smiled, "Nonsense. Every birthday is precious and should be recognized. That is why we are all here."

I chuckled, "I guess that's true. Anyway, gifts or no gifts, thanks for coming. I appreciate having you all here." One by one, all of my friends approached and gave me either a hug or friendly nuzzle. The only ones who did not partake were Lance and Fuller, who remained standing by the stairwell.

Once all of my friends had stepped away from me, everything else went off without a hitch. Only I found that it was not just the second story of Sugarcube Corner being used for the party. The entire storefront was too. It made sense since there were quite a few guests to fit in just that one room upstairs.

Much to my amusement, Lance and Fuller were standing watch over my keg of cider. Rainbow Dash would sometimes try to sneak behind them to make off with it, but they would grab her each and every time. "Never knew there was such a thing as cider addiction."

Taking a slice of birthday cake on a paper plate, I took a seat in the corner of the room and began to simply watch the other partygoers having a ball. Pinkie Pie had a phonograph playing cheerful music, herself and Mrs. Cake dancing in the middle of the room. Of course, Mrs. Cake ended up drawing too close to Pinkie Pie and ended up being on the receiving of one of her ungodly powerful hip bumps. My boss let out a shriek as she went hurdling across the room. Fortunately for her, Mr. Cake happened to be in the way and held out his forelegs to catch her, causing Mrs. Cake to stop while bending over backwards as if they were doing a dance.

"Oh my… My hero." Mrs. Cake spoke with a blush while looking up at her husband. That pose and those words were so clichéd, yet so cute at the same time.

Mr. Cake smiled warmly with a blush of his own. "Anytime, honeybun." I averted my eyes as they shared a brief kiss. Those two really go well together.

The Cake couple swaggered onto the dance floor, performing a duet with each other while being mindful to stay out of reach of Pinkie Pie's gyrations. It was quite endearing to watch those two sweethearts enjoying themselves together.

While I sat there and enjoyed my cake, I noticed Nightmare Moon approach me and sit down beside me before bringing her entire body to the floor. "Enjoying yourself, James? You seem rather bored just sitting here by yourself." She spoke with a smile, those exotic eyes gazing at me.

I smiled, "I know I'm not the liveliest guy here, but I'm really having a good time. I just prefer to do things at my own pace. Just look at Big Macintosh over there. He's just chilling too." Indeed, Big Macintosh was just idly watching things happening around him while enjoying a glass of punch on the far side of the room.

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "I suppose there are more ways than one to enjoy yourself at a party."

I just sat there with the beautiful princess, just watching the partygoers enjoying themselves. Eventually, she spoke up again. "James, I honestly can't thank you enough."

I looked over at her and asked, "Huh?"

She sighed, "If you had not been there that night… What would have become of me? Or of Equestria?" She then cast her gaze towards Luna, who was trying to get used to Pinkie Pie's more modern dancing style. "Did my sisters know you would have been able to save me?"

I shook my head, "Nah. They didn't even know you still existed until I told them I met you out there in the Everfree Forest."

Nightmare Moon sighed, "I see… Still, it was most wise of them to bring you to this world." After a moment more, she then asked, "Now that I think about it, do you have any friends back where you came from?"

At those words, I felt an unexpected sense of worry. I had been missing from Earth for…eight months? That is a remarkably long time. And I did not even get a moment to say goodbye. I know my parents and family would not have believed me if I tried to tell them I might disappear to another world and may even make me see a psychiatrist if I did, so an explanation would have been wasted on them. However, I did have a fair number of friends back home. Even if the only means of communication were by Internet and phone.

After a moment, I looked towards Nightmare Moon and asked, "Nightmare Moon. Do you think Celestia and Luna would mind sending a message and even a package back to my home world?"

She cast me a rather worried gaze. "Is there someone you wish to speak to?"

I nodded, "I just want to let a friend of mine know that I'm all right. I'm sure he's worried about me."

Nightmare Moon nodded, "I'm sure they would be fine with that."

Pinkie Pie then just happened to approach us and grinned, "Hey there, you two! Having a good time?"

I nodded and asked, "Yup. Oh, and… Pinkie, do you have a spare scrap of paper on hand? I need to write a message to someone."

She grinned, "Sure do! Just a sec." She then reached behind herself and seemed to pull a slip of paper and an ink quill out of nowhere and handed it to me. But just where did she…

Nightmare Moon seemed very perplexed by Pinkie Pie's bizarre action and asked, "Um… Just WHERE did you get that?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "I just pulled it out of Pinkie Space! How else do you think I carry my party cannon everywhere I go?"

I think I very nearly gave myself a migraine trying to process just what she meant. Eager to get it out of my head, I raised my voice at her. "You know what? Just forget it! I don't wanna know! Just… Go have fun! Waaay over there!"

She suddenly turned around and started hopping towards the other side of the room. "Ooh boy! Fun?! Where?!"

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "She's certainly easy to please." She then looked at me and asked, "Go ahead and write. Just let me know when it's ready to be sent."

I nodded to her while she went back to sipping from a glass of punch. After thinking for a minute, I held the paper in hand and started to write. "Hello, Richard. I am sure you know who this is. We have not spoken in probably a good eight months by now. I know you must be worried about me, and I really cannot say anything that can excuse me not writing back for so long. With where I am right now, I have been much more focused on things happening now than thinking about the past and anything or anyone involved with it. But that is beside the point. I honestly cannot do a good job of explaining where I am right now, but please believe me when I say this. I am fine. In fact, I am feeling great. I am probably happier where I am now than I have ever been in my life. Even so, I am writing to you to let you know that. Also, I have a favor to ask. If you can, please contact every last friend of mine you can as well as my family and let them know you heard from me. Let them know that I am alive, I am healthy, I am safe, and most importantly that I am happy."

I paused for a moment, making sure I did not write anything too odd. Since I was writing in ink, I could not erase anything. "Also, I am sending you a package of various goods I know you will enjoy, including a bottle of the best cider in the land. I know how much you love good booze, so this will please you for certain. And again, I know this may seem like a shallow attempt to apologize for any worry I put you through, but there is only so much I can do from where I am. Please understand that. Lastly, I cannot guarantee when I will be able to contact you again, but please take comfort knowing I am all right. And… Well, this is a rather silly request. But if you could, let all of the readers of my stories know that since I am no longer able to continue writing them, they are welcome to try their hands at continuing them if they feel they have the skill to do the job well enough. Sorry if that came out of left field. That just popped into my head a second ago. That is all I can think of writing right now. I hope you are well and please do not worry about me. You were always a great friend. And remember, I am all right. With hugs, James."

I set the ink quill down and rolled up the paper. "OK. Can you hold onto this, Nightmare Moon? I need to go gather some things up."

My friend nodded and placed her foreleg over it to keep the scroll from unfurling. I then walked down the stairs to the storefront. It was there that I found Rainbow Dash hanging out with the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Lyra. As it turned out, Lyra had brought along her lyre and was using the levitation spell to pluck out a tune on it. As lovely as it sounded, I did not have time to stop and listen. I went straight into the kitchen and started rooting around for the white paper boxes we use for deliveries. I did not take long to find them, though they are always collapsed until put to use.

"OK, what would he like…" I muttered to myself. I started going around and gathering up a little of everything I could find in the kitchen. Some cupcakes, some muffins, chocolate drops, cookies, candies… I had to make sure to leave room for a few other things too, so I placed those in the box, grabbed a lid for it, and carried it back upstairs.

I found my friends all enjoying themselves in whatever way they wanted, although Rarity had her hooves full keeping Sweetie Belle from climbing to the top of my gifts to sneak a peek at my copy of Playcolt. I shook my head, finding her innocent curiosity to be laughable. Of course, Fuller and Lance were still keeping a constant vigil over my barrel of cider with Rainbow Dash frequently glancing over at them. She looked like she was trying to distract herself from the cider, but really, she was fooling no one. It was obvious she had cider on the brain.

"OK… Better top this off with a slice of cake and a bottle of that cider." I muttered to myself, removing an empty glass soda bottle and a bottle cap from the box. No one paid me any mind when I approached my barrel of cider, although Fuller and Lance stepped aside to allow me by. I held the bottle just under the nozzle before filling it as high as I could with golden cider. I then managed to squeeze the cap onto the bottle's mouth, sealing the fluid within. I made sure to turn it on its side to make sure the cap was tightly affixed to it.

Once that was done, I placed the bottle on its side in the box to neatly fit in with all of the pastries. However, I was quick to notice Pinkie Pie eyeing the box, apparently able to detect the sweet scent of all the goodies I had in it. I knew better than to leave it alone, but I also could not risk giving Fuller and Lance more items to keep an eye on. I noticed Luna passing by and motioned her over to me.

The princess of the night approached me with a smile, "How are you, James?"

I smiled, "Having a good time, thanks. Anyway, could I ask you to keep a watchful eye over this box for a moment? I'm afraid Pinkie Pie might try to get to it and I need both hands for a minute."

My friend nodded with a smile, "I shall. No sugar addict shall reach the contents of this container while I am on duty."

"Thanks, Luna. I'll only be a minute." I replied before walking over to the table that held the birthday cake. Apple Bloom was trotting away with a slice of cake balancing on a paper plate on her head. It still impresses me how ponies have absolutely no difficulty whatsoever carrying flat objects on top of their heads without them toppling off like someone trying to sleep on a swinging plank instead of a proper hammock. Regardless, I proceeded to cut myself a slice of cake that took up as much space as possible on one of the provided paper plates. Before I forget, the icing was vanilla while the cake was a checkerboard cake with a mixture of dark chocolate and yellow cake. Of course, I then realized I needed to wrap up the cake to prevent it from drying out.

I walked back over to Luna and asked, "I'm sorry, Luna. Could you keep an eye on that for a moment longer? I need to properly wrap this first."

Luna nodded again, "I shall. But please don't be long. Pinkie Pie is starting to give me some strange looks. I am not sure how long I can ward her off."

I glanced over at Pinkie Pie and saw that she was looking under her bed in the corner. To my surprise, I saw her pull out a fishing rod. She grinned excitedly as she held it between her hooves, but when she looked my way, I crossed my arms and tapped my foot while giving her a stern gaze. She grinned sheepishly before slowly sliding it back under her bed before trotting away.

"Yeah, I see what you mean. Anyway, I'll try to be quick." I replied before hurrying downstairs with the slice of cake in my hand. Without paying any mind to my surroundings, I rushed into the kitchen and quickly found a box small enough to contain the plate and cake without leaving any excess space inside. I then placed the cake inside and then wrapped that box in plastic wrap. "That'll do it." I muttered before rushing back upstairs.

Much to my relief I found Luna still standing watch over the box of goodies with Pinkie Pie nowhere near it. "Everything OK up here?" I asked while approaching the princess of the night.

Luna glanced around, "Yes, Miss Pie seems to be keeping her distance at the moment. Although I did have to conjure up a large spider to shoo her away at one point."

I winced at those words. "Seriously? You can do that?"

Luna rolled her eyes, "She flung a toy spider at me in the hopes of scaring me away, so I flung it back at her after exposing it to a little animation spell I know."

I groaned, "Aww, why didn't you wait for me?! I would've loved to see that!"

Luna chuckled, "Yes, I suppose I should have. My apologies." I sighed in disappointment, popping the box open before placing the smaller box inside. With that in there, the box was full to near bursting. I could not possibly fit anything else in there. Well, everything besides the message I had written earlier, that is.

"OK, now we just need to find a way to get this to Canterlot without shifting anything around inside it… Uh… Oh, Spike!" I noticed the little dragon boy walking by and waved at him.

"Huh? What's up?" He asked, eyeing the box beside me.

I then asked, "You can send scrolls to Celestia by burning them with your flame breath, right? Can you send boxes too?"

He smiled, "Huh? Boxes? Oh, sure! I've sent packages to Princess Celestia before! Although I kinda am not allowed to."

I then smiled, "Well, I have a request. Could you send this box to her?"

He nodded, "Sure! You need it sent now?"

I replied, "Not just yet. I need to include a note telling her what to do with it."

As if on cue, Pinkie Pie ran up to me, "I got it!" She then reached behind her and pulled out another scroll with an ink quill.

"Let me guess. You got that from Pinkie Space?" I asked.

Pinkie Pie nodded before trotting away, "Sure did! If you need another, let me know!"

Spike chuckled, "Uh… Those are actually mine. She just keeps them handy in case Twilight needs me to write something down."

"Yeaaaah… Don't tell me how that works. I want my head to remain intact." I then took the quill in hand and wrote a brief explanation. "Celestia, this is James. I need you to send this package to my friend in Maryland on my home planet. I will greatly appreciate it." I then placed the note on top of the box and looked at Spike. "OK, it's ready."

Spike nodded before walking up to the box and blowing a plume of green fire at it. The box was engulfed and floated into the air as a puff of smoke that then floated out the nearest open window. "There, it's on its way."

"Thanks, Spike. I really needed that." I replied with a smile, gently patting him on the head.

However, seconds later, someone came flying through the window. "I'm late, I'm late, I'm so late!" She then sailed right into me, though I managed to react in time and braced myself to catch whoever it was. The person in my arms was a familiar gray pegasus mare with a blond mane and tail.

"Hey, Derpy! Glad you could make it!" I spoke before hugging her tightly.

Derpy giggled as she threw her forelegs around me, "Sorry that I didn't get here when the party started. I had a few accidents in the kitchen, so it took me longer than desired to get here. But I made sure your present turned out perfect!"

"You made a present for me?" I asked while setting Derpy down. On her sides was a pair of saddlebags. I could detect a faint sweet aroma coming from them.

"Yup! It's my special All-Berry muffins!" Derpy replied. She then pulled them open with her teeth and revealed six muffins in each bag, making a full dozen. Each seemed to be fresh out of the oven with noticeable warmth rising from them. I could make out various faint hues of color on them that seemed to be just under the surface.

Luna then asked, "What, pray tell, are All-Berry muffins?"

Derpy replied with a smile, her silly eyes not looking in the same direction. "I call them that because of all the different fruits in them! They have strawberries, blueberries, banana, raspberries, blackberries, and cherries in them. Oh, and I sprinkled a bit of sugar on top just before I put them in the oven to give it a bit of a crunch."

I smiled while looking at the colorful muffins, "Now that sounds like a feast for the taste buds. I'll take my time with these. Thank you, Derpy."

Derpy grinned before embracing me again, "You're welcome, James. Happy birthday."

However, Spike then let out a belch as a plume of green fire emerged from his mouth before solidifying into a scroll. "Huh? What's this…?" He then opened it and looked at me before passing the scroll to my hand. "Huh. It's for you."

I took the scroll in hand while Derpy hovered behind me. "Is it from Princess Celestia? What does it say?"

I spoke the scroll's contents out loud, "Uh… Dear James, I have no idea where you want me to send this. Could you please visit me in Canterlot tomorrow to help me send this package to the proper address? And I will keep it refrigerated to keep its contents preserved."

Luna rolled her eyes, "I was honestly expecting her to reply like this. Neither of us knows Earth well."

I chuckled before writing a little note on the back of the scroll letting Celestia know I agreed with her request. "Yeah, I should've seen that coming. Could you please send this back, Spike?"

The little dragon nodded while taking the note in hand, "You got it." He then engulfed it in green flames again before the scroll turned into smoke and floated out the window.

"Thanks, Spike. Now, can I get you anything, Derpy?" I asked.

Derpy smiled, "Well, that punch looks really yummy. I'll get some of that first." I then escorted her over to the food table, patting her on the head.

I have to admit, it is rather hard to go into detail on every last thing that happened at the party. There were more guests this time than at any other party I had attended in a while. Even so, I know that everyone had a fabulous time. Even Lance and Fuller got some time to enjoy the cake, although they made fools of themselves when they tried to dance. They often collided, their armor clanking loudly with each clash. I swear, watching them dance was like listening to a tumble dryer filled with pots and pans.

Eventually, Luna and Nightmare Moon made the sun set and night had fallen again. Quite a few of my friends seemed rather beat and it had been a long evening. "Wow, I haven't been this beat in ages! How long have we been here again?" Derpy asked while letting out a yawn.

Lyra too yawned, "I don't know… Good party, though."

Pretty much all of us gathered in the storefront, which quickly became crowded. "Whoa, somepony make some room!" Apple Bloom spoke up, hidden somewhere under all the ponies around me.

"Let's vacate the premises in an orderly fashion, please." Luna spoke up, Fuller and Lance leading her towards the door.

Nightmare Moon followed her sister outside. By then, there were few ponies going about their business, so no one was nearby to panic at the site of Nightmare Moon. She glanced around, "Huh… There isn't as much screaming this time…"

Luna replied, "Give it time, sister. It took some time for our subjects to accept me as well."

I smiled at them, "It was great to have you both here. Thank you for coming."

Nightmare Moon smiled back to me, "Likewise. It was an honor to attend. Oh, and if you do not mind…" Her horn was coated by a billowing deep blue aura as what seemed to be a slice of my birthday cake floated out from behind her while resting on a paper plate.

Luna rolled her eyes, "This again… Yes, I do believe Celestia will be most grateful for that, Nightmare Moon. She always did have a taste for cake."

I chuckled, "Well, make sure you don't drop it on your way home." However, Nightmare Moon then approached me and held me in a tender embrace. "Uh… Your highness?"

She whispered while everyone around me watched. "It was so good to see you again, dear friend. And I will be paying a visit again very soon."

I replied softly, "You don't have to, Nightmare Moon. If it is too difficult to work it into your schedule, you can…"

However, she then interrupted me, "That does not matter. If I want to see you, then I will come to you. My kingdom is indeed precious to me, but you…" She then whispered into my ear directly, giving me a very touched and fuzzy feeling inside. "You come first, my friend."

I really was not sure of how to respond to this at first. But I did feel genuinely lucky that my bond with Nightmare Moon was just as strong as the night where we were reunited for the first time, if not stronger. I wrapped my arms around her neck and whispered, "Thank you… I hope to see you again soon."

Luna chuckled, apparently enjoying the show. "Nightmare Moon, I apologize to cut this short, but we must be returning to Canterlot."

Nightmare Moon nodded and released me from her grasp before spreading her sable wings. "See you again soon, James."

I nodded, smiling at her. "Take care."

Fuller and Lance spread their wings as well, but before they could take flight, Luna spoke up. "One moment, please."

The princess of the night walked up to me and smiled, "You expect me to leave without a proper goodbye?" She then reached up and held me in a tender embrace as well. Nightmare Moon chuckled, clearly not surprised.

I grinned, feeling blessed to be receiving such affection from both nocturnal princesses. I threw my arms around Luna and spoke, "I never forgot about you, Luna. And thank you again for coming. This was one of the best birthday parties I've had in probably a good eight years."

The princess of the night whispered, "I am glad I was able to attend. Let us meet again soon, dear friend." We both released our grasps on each other and stepped back. I watched as the two guards and twin princesses of the night spread their wings and began to hover. "A very pleasant evening to you all! May we meet again!" Luna called out while they began to fly east towards Canterlot. We all waved goodbye, watching them fly off into the night.

One by one, we all stepped outside with the exception of Pinkie Pie and the Cake couple. "So, how was it?! Best birthday ever, right?!" Pinkie Pie asked from the doorway.

I turned back and looked at her. "Not entirely sure on best ever, but it's the best I've had in… Honestly, I'm not sure how long it's been since I've had a party this grand since I was a kid."

Applejack smiled, "Well, ya'll better get used ta 'em bein' this great from now on, because Pinkie Pie never settles fer anythin' less."

I looked back at Pinkie Pie and grinned, "Right, you set this all up. Thanks again, Pinkie."

She replied, "No problem! Now I just gotta figure out whose birthday comes next! Where's my calendar again?"

However, Mr. Cake then stopped her from going back inside. "Now, Pinkie, it's always best to keep those things a surprise, right?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Oh, right! DUH! I almost forgot!"

Fluttershy then whispered to me, "James, shouldn't we be going? I still have my gift to give to you."

I nodded at her with a smile before looking back at all of my friends. "Thanks again for the party, everyone. But Fluttershy and I really need to get home. It's getting late and I need to put all these gifts away."

Rainbow Dash chuckled, "Yeah, we know. We loaded them all into this cart for you." Standing nearby was Big Macintosh, who was wearing a harness that hooked up to what seemed to be one of Applejack's apple carts. And stacked in it was every last gift I had received.

"You're gonna help with that?" I asked, wondering if Big Macintosh had even agreed to it.

He nodded with his calm smile, "Eyup."

Twilight Sparkle then spoke as Spike climbed onto her back, "Well, I really enjoyed myself tonight. But it's late and I need to get Spike to bed."

However, Spike retorted with his arms crossed. "Bed? What're you talking about?! I can stay up as late as…" Much to my amusement, he slumped forward onto Twilight's neck and began to snore.

Twilight giggled, "See?" We all got a good laugh out of that.

Rarity and Mitta then approached me and held me in a hug with each at my sides. "It was a splendid party, James." Rarity spoke with her eyes closed.

Mitta added, "Let's talk again tomorrow, OK?"

I nodded while wrapping my arms around both mares, "That's a promise. And thank you again for all this."

One by one, each of my friends gave me a goodbye hug. Lastly, the Cutie Mark Crusaders came forth. Scootaloo then asked, "Hey, James? I'm gonna go to Sweetie Belle's place to do a little Cutie Mark Crusaders research. I'll head home as soon as we're done, OK?"

I nodded, knowing that I had nothing to worry about with all three of them together. "Sounds good to me. Just make sure you be careful on your way home."

Apple Bloom grinned, "No worries! We'll both go with 'er when she heads home."

The three fillies then gave me a group hug as I kneeled down to reach them. "Happy birthday, James! And good night!" Sweetie Belle spoke before she and her two friends galloped away chatting with each other.

"Heheh, sweet girls." I spoke with a chuckle while watching them run off.

Fluttershy then asked, "Shall we be going?"

I nodded, "Sure… Oh, wait a sec." I then walked over to Big Macintosh and reached into the cart. "Let me lighten your load a bit." I then pulled out the wooden sword the Cutie Mark Crusaders 'forged' for me and hoisted the great blade over my shoulder. "OK, I'm good. Let's go."

Big Macintosh nodded in agreement, "Eyup." We all said our goodbyes and began to head home with Big Macintosh in our company.

Walking along like a mercenary with his blade at the ready, I almost felt like I was Fluttershy and Big Macintosh's escort as we walked through the empty streets of Ponyville, streetlamps casting light upon the roads every few dozen meters. "Hey, should I put this sword away?" I asked, not sure if having such a long blade hoisted over my shoulder was intimidating her.

Fluttershy shook her head and smiled, "Oh no, you're fine. In fact… I think you look very dashing with that sword out. Doesn't he, Big Mac?"

Our burly stallion friend nodded, "Eyup."

I chuckled, "OK then. In any case, if something assaults us from the shadows, I'll deal with it." Of course, I strongly doubted that there were any threats in Ponyville. For as long as I have lived here, there has never been a big problem to deal with.

Our walk was fairly uneventful. It was actually a struggle to get Big Macintosh to say anything, so I did not bother. Before long, we crossed the meadow that separated Fluttershy's cottage from the rest of Ponyville. The exterior was quiet, none of our little animal friends to be seen aside from an owl and a few bats. There was no light shining through the windows, seeing as how no one was home to watch the house.

"Can you give us a hand with this, Mac?" I asked while taking the pot of Mitta's honeysuckle flowers in my left hand while Fluttershy carried the bag with my copy of Playcolt magazine.

Mac replied with a shake of his head, "Sorry. Can't. Gotta stay here ta make sure the cart doesn't tilt too far forward." The cart only had two wheels at the sides, so there was no real way to keep it from tilting without someone in the harness.

Fluttershy nodded, "That's OK. There's not too much to carry in." I nodded and carried my cargo inside the cottage.

The trip was repeated twice before we saw Big Macintosh off. I set Mitta's flowers near the window, but not within direct sunlight. Fluttershy then whispered into my ear, "I'll go get your gift ready, honey. Just relax on the sofa and I'll be down in a little while."

I was starting to suspect my girlfriend's gift to me was something not meant for innocent eyes. "OK, honey. Take your time." I replied, watching her trot up the stairs.

While looking around for something to do to pass the time, I eyed the bag containing Rainbow Dash's gift to me. Playcolt… I have never owned such a magazine before. But seeing as how it was a gift, it would be rude to turn it away.

I pulled the magazine out of the bag and reclined on the sofa nearby. The cover depicted what seemed to be a unicorn mare with a slender body and long legs with a light pink coat and mane with a glass of wine floating near her. I felt I had seen her before in person at some point. Perhaps at the Grand Galloping Gala? "She does look like she has 'Canterlot' written all over her."

As I flipped open to the first page, I heard a gentle coo above me. Looking up, I found Angela gazing down at me. "Aw, hey there, Angela." I spoke softly, caressing her neck. I know I do not bring her up very often, but rest assured she is always around.

It seems that Playcolt is not a magazine dedicated to just naughty pictures. There seem to be articles in them to read. Of course, Rainbow Dash would have never gotten me a magazine like this to read, so I started looking for just the pictures. I do not particularly care for reading magazine articles anyway. For whatever reason, Angela seemed to be watching too.

"Whoa… Hello there, captain." I muttered as I found a series of photos depicting Spitfire. Ironic since I had seen her just that day. The photos showed her in uniform, but with her mask down to reveal her face. Those warm eyes were gazing at the camera with a very inviting stare. Another showed her with her uniform's zipper pulled down, revealing her bare chest. Granted, ponies do not have the type of 'assets' a human woman would have there, but I still found that display to be shockingly enticing. The next photo depicted her in a more playful style, looking like she was in the middle of a hop while wearing a cheerleader's uniform, complete with pompoms and a skirt. It was then I noticed that when standing on their hind legs, mares have…quite a figure to them. "Whoa… I never knew pony mares had such…nice hips. I'll never look at you the same way again, captain." I muttered to myself, cracking a smile.

I got more of the same in the following pages, finding that Playcolt seems to focus on a mare's hindquarters, or dressing them up in flirty outfits. However, when I reached the halfway point of the magazine, I stared aghast at what I was looking at. "What the…?! Are you serious?!"

In the center of the magazine… What in the world… How… Why… What… Rainbow Dash?! The first thing that greeted me when I turned the page was of Rainbow Dash herself reclining on her side inside her own home, I suspect. She was giving the camera, or in this case me, an alluring gaze. "Rainbow… Are you serious?" I muttered to myself, noticing that Angela was covering her face with a wing while her eyes were closed, clearly laughing under her breath. I did not even know doves could really laugh.

I was feeling rather hesitant to go on, seeing as Rainbow Dash is my friend and I am already in love with another woman. Was this some sort of prank? I expected that to be the only picture of her, but boy was I wrong. When I turned the page, I found another picture of her. The shot was taken from behind her, head on her bed while looking at me from the side while her hind legs were still standing, proudly displaying her rump. Fortunately for me, her rainbow-striped tail was obstructing anything that might be under it. And on the page opposite from that picture was another that actually made me chuckle a bit. She was pouring liquid chocolate over herself. What, did she suspect I had a food fetish?

Out of suspicion, I took a closer look at the pages that displayed my friend. To my surprise, there were no page numbers in the corners. It seemed that these pictures of her had been manually stapled into the magazine. Meaning… She had modified this magazine personally for me?!

I felt sweat starting to trickle down my neck. I was becoming hot and bothered while looking at these photos. I confess I liked what I was seeing for the most part, but another part of me was telling me to close the magazine. I went against my better judgment and flipped one more page. On the page on the left, I was greeted with a tamer sight. It was a view of Rainbow Dash from behind, but she was standing on just her hind legs. Her wings were spread wide while her forelegs were folded behind her head. Her head was turned sideways, allowing her to look at the camera while flashing a rather naughty grin. I must confess, that was a very provocative pose and it really showed off her figure. I admit right now that I always did find that rowdy pegasus mare to be surprisingly attractive in her own unique way, but this… Just wow.

The page on the right was the final straw for me. I felt my body temperature spike as I gazed at a photo of Rainbow Dash smiling rather amorously at the camera while lying on her back, the shot taken from above. She had her forelegs crossed over chest, but the unobstructed view of her underside gave me a perfect view of her teats. This felt so wrong, but I was hesitant to look away. As it turned out, her teats were indeed smaller than Fluttershy's, but not by much.

After a moment of staring, I hastily closed the magazine. I felt so dirty and unclean from looking at that. Why did Rainbow Dash give me that magazine after planting photos of herself in them? She said it was for my eyes only, so it was clear she only wanted me to see them…but why? What was she trying to tell me? "Best not think about this too hard…" I muttered to myself, rushing to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

I quickly chugged the glass of cool water once it was full, feeling somewhat better instantly. Even so, it was hard to get those images out of my head. Why? Why did Rainbow Dash give me that? Fortunately, I did not have much time to wonder about it since I heard a voice behind me. "Happy birthday, honey. Do you like your gift?"

I turned to face Fluttershy and stared blankly at her. She… Whoa. She was wearing a lacey black choker around her neck with black lace reaching from it down to her hips. Around them was a pair of black lingerie, which greatly accentuated her shapely rump. She was clearly blushing, as would be expected from a shy reserved girl like her. "Is it…to your liking?"

After taking a few seconds to think of a witty response, I smiled with a blush on my face. "Let's just say that if I was wearing my armor, I would have the world's biggest wingboner right now."

Fluttershy's wings instantly sprang open with a wingboner of her own. Maybe she was visualizing me with said wingboner. "Oh my…"

I approached her while kneeling by her side, stroking my hand along her soft coat and over the lingerie that covered her rump. "Man… You must've went way out of your way to do this, honey… You're gorgeous."

Fluttershy shuddered at my touch, "Yes… Rarity suggested it. She made this just for us."

I smirked, "Rarity? Whoa. Never knew she ran THAT kind of clothing business." Fluttershy let out a giggle at those words.

After a moment more of gentle caressing, Fluttershy and I joined lips for a deep sensual kiss. However, it was interrupted by the sound of children talking from…somewhere outside.

"Is that…" I muttered, looking towards the front door. The voices were steadily becoming louder.

"They're back already?! Oh no, we can't let Scootaloo see us like this…" Fluttershy spoke while glancing around all flustered.

I smiled, "Then let's take this somewhere private." I pointed towards the stairs, knowing the bathroom was right next to our bedroom.

"Ooh! That should work! But let's keep quiet until Scootaloo's gone to bed." Fluttershy replied. I nodded and quickly followed her upstairs. I suppose I could go into detail on what happened in there, but not this time. Today is my birthday and I would like to keep that little memory to myself. You are welcome to imagine what happened next yourself though.

What a day… I am now lying in bed with Fluttershy beside me, sleeping soundly. I made sure to hide that magazine from Scootaloo as soon as she went to bed. No telling what might happen if she saw her role model posing for me like that.

It has been a long time since I last had a birthday so memorable. I never would have gotten one like this back on Earth. The gifts were great too, although that magazine was definitely weird. I should probably make sure to hide this journal for now. Not sure what Fluttershy would do if she ever read that part.

Well, it is time that I sleep. Today was fun, but it wore me out. Thank you again, my friends. I will not forget this day. Only one question remains. Will my next birthday party be just as amazing as this one?


	23. Between Rainbows and Butterflies

If you have been following my journals for as long as I think you have, then I am sure you know how I am going to start this one. However, you would be wrong. For whatever reason, I seem to remember my dream from the previous night quite clearly. And…what an interesting dream it was.

I recall my surroundings being a vast field with streams flowing through it. I was even wearing my winged armor as I trekked through it. I seem to recall looking around as the twin moons hung low in the night sky above me. Judging from how I was looking around, I was probably looking for someone. Was I just a traveling adventurer in that dream?

"Allie! Allie, where'd you go?!" I called out. Perhaps I was looking for my horse, if I had one. And Allie… Heh, now I see. My dream was triggered by memories of playing a certain video game. I could only hope that no bandits got to her. Although I know she could hold her own against the weaker ones.

I remember passing below a ledge in the field that reached just over my head. As I stood below it and gazed out into the distance, a voice spoke above me. "Who is Allie?"

I looked above me and replied, "Oh, she's my…horse?" Looking down at me from the ledge was another horse… No, not a horse. A pony. That great billowing blue mane filled with stars and those narrow eyes… "Wait… Nightmare Moon?"

The alicorn above me smiled and flapped her wings, jumping from the ledge before slowly descending until she rested beside me. "Indeed, it is I."

I then asked, "But what are you doing in… Oh, wait… Am I dreaming?! I should've known better when I passed those giants and mammoths. I'm pretty sure even Equestria doesn't have those."

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "Yes, I noticed them too when I was following you. Those creatures with massive sticks looked rather dozy. Perhaps they too wanted to get to sleep."

I replied, "Oh, giants aren't so bad. They won't pay you any mind when you're on horseback."

Nightmare Moon then slowly glanced around at the vast field before turning her gaze to the skyline. Her eyes stared at the twin moons before asking, "This world has beauty to rival even Equestria. Where are we, exactly? Do you know?"

I looked around, eyeing a heavily forested mountainside to the south with many more mountain ranges in the distance. There seemed to be a familiar hilltop settlement to the east. "If memory serves… Seems that we're in Skyrim right now. That's Whiterun over there. And if I remember correctly, I have a house there with two adopted daughters and a beautiful wife."

Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow, "Skyrim?! I thought you were from Earth! And… Wait, you were MARRIED when my sisters brought you to Equestria?! Oh my god, we need to send word to your wife and children right now! They must be worried out of their minds!"

At those words, I burst into laughter. "Good god, no! I was never married! Skyrim and everything in it is completely fictional!"

The princess of dreams stared at me with a blank expression. "Wait… What? This world does not truly exist?"

I shook my head once I had stopped laughing, "No, it doesn't. This world was conceived by people on Earth as part of a fictional series. I indulged myself in it and found it to be very enjoyable. Think of it as a story where you choose what happens." I then turned my gaze towards Whiterun in the distance. "When I was presented with the opportunity to get married, I jumped at the chance and went to find the only Argonian in Skyrim who was looking for a lover. Her voice may be less than feminine, but I can look past that since she is a total sweetheart."

Nightmare Moon approached me and stood by my side, her gaze also being directed towards the distant town. "Hmmm… She does sound kind. Would it be all right if I met her?"

I grinned, "Well, there's no telling when I'll dream about this place again, so I guess we better while we have the chance!"

The two of us spread our wings and took to the air before soaring towards Whiterun while gliding on the cool nightly air. "Man… I never actually had the chance to fly over Skyrim before… This beats out riding horseback by a long shot."

My friend smiled, "You sound like you love this place."

I sighed, "I do. The vast natural landscapes just suck you in and the sense of freedom you get while hiking through the beautiful expanses… There's nothing else like it. Granted, there is the occasional bandit and hungry predators, not to mention the odd skeleton wandering around, but those are only minor nuisances. More than anything, I loved being able to just go wherever I wanted whenever I wanted."

As we landed before the gates of Whiterun, I then spoke, "But it was always so good to come home to Whiterun and walk into my house."

Nightmare Moon sighed, "I know that feeling. I felt that when I finally woke up inside my palace for the first time… Hm?" She was quick to notice the two guards standing at the sides of the wooden gate, torches in hand. I always did love their helmets.

One of the guards spoke to me in a heavy accent while I reached for the gate, "I used to be an adventurer like you. Then I took an arrow to the knee."

I paused, having heard that phrase used far too often before. Nightmare Moon also gave me a bemused gaze, clearly puzzled by those words coming out of nowhere. However, I then smirked as I replied with an idea in my head. "Really? Well, she used to be an evil queen of the night…"

Nightmare Moon seemed to know where I was going with this and looked at the guard over my shoulder, "Then I took a rainbow to the face."

The two guards looked at each other, clearly not being able to comprehend that joke. Nightmare Moon then whispered to me as I pushed the gate open, "You think they'll get the joke?"

I chuckled, "Not in a million years."

When we stepped into town, I found virtually no one out and about other than the guards on patrol with torches in hand as they walked along the stone streets. For a dream, this whole thing felt so real… Too real, in fact. I honestly felt like I was wide awake. All the visual information my eyes were reading felt too concrete to be just an illusion played by my resting mind.

"James, what is wrong?" Nightmare Moon asked, clearly noticing me pause for an extended period of time.

I turned to her and spoke, "Nightmare Moon… I'm not sure I should go through with this… All this… This dream feels too real. I don't want to establish a bond with anyone here if I might never see them again in a dream and remember it when I wake up."

Nightmare Moon's expression became one of slight shock before she frowned sadly. "I see what you mean… Becoming friends with someone only to never see them again afterwards…" She then looked around, "But while we're here…may I at least see what is here? This world intrigues me."

I nodded, "All right. But no interactions with anyone. Let me show you to my home." I then walked along, passing the blacksmith's forge on my right before standing before the wooden house on its left.

"This is where I live in Skyrim. Pretty cozy, if I do say so myself." I spoke while reaching for the door handle. However, I then remembered to restrain myself and to lower myself to the ground to hopefully remain unnoticed.

"Why are you doing that?" Nightmare Moon asked, obviously noticing my unusual stance.

I replied, "It's a type of stealth stance. Don't ask me how it works. I don't fully get it myself." I then gently nudged the door inwards as slowly as I could. I did not want to barge right in just to be detected.

Standing over the fire in the center of the main room was my wife. Shahvee. She seemed to be at work preparing a meal. Her thick alligator-like tail would sometimes swish into view from behind her. She was still wearing the same humble blue dress she wore at the time of our wedding in Riften. I felt Nightmare Moon peeking through the door above me, her eyes cast upon the Argonian ahead of me. "Is that her?" My friend asked.

I nodded, "Yeah. Her voice is a bit off-putting, but I've learned to see past that. She's very beautiful and a total sweetheart."

Nightmare Moon nodded and smiled, "I agree. She does exude a type of beauty. Should we go in and say hello?"

I too wanted to approach Shahvee and greet her since I did hold some genuine affection for her. However, I had to remind myself that this was merely a dream and not reality. Getting too attached to a nonexistent person would only bring heartache. For all I knew, this would be the last time I ever saw her. "No… It's for the best that we don't get too attached to anyone here. Let's go."

As I stepped away from the door and closed it, Nightmare Moon asked, "James, are you sure? I understand they are not real, but…"

I sighed, "Trust me, I know what it's like to fall in love with a woman who does not exist. It hurts…"

Nightmare Moon looked back at my house before looking back to me. "Was it her?"

I shook my head as I began to walk towards the main gate, "No. It was from years ago when I was younger. And besides, my heart belongs to someone else now. Someone who is as real as me."

My friend trotted up alongside me as we left the town, the immediate area still bathed in light from the torches held by the two guards. "In all honesty, James… That is part of the reason I came to you tonight. Today is a very special day."

I turned my gaze to her while approaching the edge of the crumbling stone wall just ahead of me instead of following the path to my right, "It is? Which day is it?"

Nightmare Moon smiled while directing her beautiful exotic eyes towards me. "Today is Hearts and Hooves Day. Do you know about it?"

Judging by the name, this day is likely Equestria's equivalent to Valentines Day on Earth. "Um… Does it have to do with young couples?"

My friend chuckled, "Well, you have the right idea. It is a day that celebrates love and friendship."

I then smiled, "And that's why you're here?"

The beautiful alicorn gently nuzzled my face, "James, what I am about to say is not something to say lightly. You are the most important person in my life. Of course that is why I am here."

I felt immensely flattered at those words, my body temperature rising as I began to sweat in embarrassment. "Really?"

She chuckled, "What do you expect? After all you did for me? I would not even be alive right now if you never met me. You are my dearest friend. And you always will be. And since this is Hearts and Hooves Day, even if it is only in the earliest hours of the day, I want to be able to spend at least a little time with you while I can."

I asked, "You mean…we won't be seeing each other today?"

Nightmare Moon shook her head, "Sadly, no. I have too many duties to always have time to mingle with those I hold dear. That is why I am spending time with you as we both sleep. And I assure you that this dream will always remain in your memory."

I must admit this dream felt far too real, even though I felt like I was not feeling any sort of exertion. I could feel the chill of the night wind blowing against my face, the smell of the meadery churning out bottles of sweet mead in the distance. The smell of a campfire just below… Wait… Down there? Was that the Khajiit caravan?

"Hm? What are you looking… Oh! Are those giant cats?!" Nightmare Moon asked as she stood at the edge of the crumbling wall. Down below was the humble campsite where the usual caravan set up shop. Despite being as late as it was, it seemed that all four of them were still awake.

"Oh, them? They are Khajiit merchants. They carry… Huh?" I noticed that Nightmare Moon had gone airborne and was drifting down towards the caravan. "Oh boy, this won't end well." I muttered, jumping down the wall's collapsed chunks to reach the campsite as quickly as I could.

I was worried that the caravan's guard would mistake Nightmare Moon for a possible threat due to her darker features and decided it would be wise to keep her out of sight. I cast the levitation spell on her with the use of my left gauntlet, keeping it concealed behind my shield. Nightmare Moon was coated by a billowing blue aura, as was my gauntlet. I raised her higher into the air to help keep her out of earshot of the Khajiit, knowing one of them was a mage and could strike her even from a distance.

The caravan's guard passed near me as I strolled through the camp. She turned her feline face towards me and spoke in a Khajiit's trademark raspy sly tone. "Ah, such fine armor you wear. Are those wings just for show?"

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye and smirked before spreading my wings, "See for yourself." At those words, I flapped them and took to the air before soaring west over the vast field.

I released my magic grip on Nightmare Moon once I felt we were far away enough to avoid drawing attention. She flew down next to me and glided by my side before flashing an irritated gaze at me. "What was that for?! I just wanted to pet them!"

I replied, "Sorry, but I wasn't taking chances. This might be a dream, but I have no idea if you could get hurt in it or not."

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes, "Oh please, what harm would they have attempted to inflict on me?"

I sighed, "As beautiful as this world is, it's by no means a peaceful one. Virtually everyone in it carries a weapon. There are threats everywhere… In fact, I would say it's a world ponies should never have to see."

Nightmare Moon frowned with a most unhappy expression, "In other words… It is much like the world you came from."

I rolled my eyes, "Well… I guess it's a lot like my world from a thousand years ago, but yeah. This world is not nearly as pure as Equestria. So I would prefer to keep you from seeing the darker aspects of this world."

My friend nodded, "Yes… I suppose it would be regretful for this dream to become a nightmare…" She seemed to look behind us before smiling, her horn coated by that deep blue aura I had come to recognize as her own. "I think I know of a good place to relax while staying out of harm's way."

Next thing I know, I am standing on solid ground. Was that a teleportation spell? However, I found myself very nearly falling off due to the ground's steep slant. I felt myself rise into the air again through the use of a levitation spell and found myself being seated on a narrow beam… The top of a slanted roof? And…the view was amazing. When I looked down, I saw the rooftops of Whiterun. Was I on the very top of Dragonsreach?

"Quite a view… Though it is no Canterlot." I heard Nightmare Moon speak beside me. She was delicately perched upon the wooden beam that stood at the very apex of the slanted roof.

"Very true. Hard to beat the view from a city built right into the side of a mountain near the summit. We aren't anywhere near the highest point in Skyrim…" I replied before shuddering as a cold gust of wind blew against my face. "Jeez, I never knew just how cold it is in Skyrim! No wonder the Nords have a resistance to cold from living here."

Nightmare Moon chuckled, "And I have no idea what you are even talking about at all."

The view from the very top of Dragonsreach was simply divine. I could see from the fields below to the colossal mountains beyond. And with my dear friend by my side, the moment was all the more magical. To think that this was a dream when it felt so real.

I soon felt Nightmare Moon gently lean against me with her head resting next to mine. "It seems that you will be awakening soon."

These words were genuinely unpleasant to hear for whatever reason. "Already? But… It doesn't feel like much time has passed…"

Nightmare Moon sighed, "True. I only just entered your dream barely an hour ago. The sun has already started to rise."

With a sigh, I asked the classic question. "Five more minutes, please?"

The beautiful alicorn snickered, "Very well."

Moments passed as we just sat there, enjoying each other's company. Nightmare Moon then whispered, "I hope your first Hearts and Hooves Day will be an enjoyable one."

I smiled, "I'm pretty sure I know what to expect, but I'll still just take it as it comes."

The dark alicorn chuckled, "From what I have heard, those are words Twilight Sparkle could learn from."

I rolled my eyes, "No argument there, especially if what I've heard is true."

Minutes later, I noticed an odd sight. The mountains seemed to be fading away into a white veil of light. Or was it just an empty void? I started to feel unnerved when it began to reach the fields and engulf them too. And it was not just from one direction. It was closing in on Whiterun from all around us at an equal pace. "OK, that's creepy… What's going on?"

Nightmare Moon replied calmly, "The dream is ending, James. That's what it is."

If anything, this was a genuinely unnerving way for a dream to end. It felt like the wondrous world of Skyrim was being erased right before my eyes. The wall of white continued to close in, covering all that it moved over. It reached from the ground and towered above into the sky. How does one describe watching even the vast night sky disappear into a colorless void? It truly felt like the end of the world.

I was tempted to try to fly away, although that obviously would have been futile. It was closing in from all around me, so there was nowhere to run. However, Nightmare Moon rested her hoof on my pauldron. "James, it's all right. You will soon awaken in your bed and all will be well."

I looked at her and nodded, trying to calm myself and accept that this world was just an illusion on the lids of my sleeping eyes. "I know, but… This world just feels so real right now…"

Much to my shock, I felt Nightmare Moon's lips touch my cheek. "I know it does not feel pleasant to see a world you care about fade, but remember that an even more wondrous real world awaits you when your eyes open. You would much rather be in Equestria, right?"

I paused, taking a moment to process in my mind that the beautiful princess of dreams had just kissed. I replied frankly while trying to not be distracted by my own wandering thoughts, "Yeah… Skyrim is wondrous, but it is full of danger and evil. There is so much greed and corruption in the world. Equestria pretty much has all its wonders minus all the evil in it." I then turned to her and smiled, "I'll take Equestria over Skyrim any day."

She gazed at me with those beautiful teal eyes as the towering walls of white breached the walls of Whiterun. Not as a force of doom, but as a gateway to take me back to the world I love. She then reached out and kissed me on the cheek again, "As would I. Even though this world is false, I can sense that not all is well here. I too am eager to return to the beautiful land I was born in."

I smiled, gently touching my cheek, "I hope the peace and purity of Equestria never fades."

Nightmare Moon smiled as the walls of white void towered above us with only Dragonsreach itself left untouched. "It will never fade. Celestia, Luna, and myself will see to that."

I could feel my vision starting to become covered in white light. "It's time to wake up, my friend. Goodbye. And a have a very lovely Hearts and Hooves Day."

I slowly awakened, feeling very rested from the dream I had just experienced. My hand reached up and touched my cheek, still remembering the touch of Nightmare Moon's lips as if she had only just touched it. I very slowly sat up in bed, finding myself alone as the light from the newly risen sun shone through the open window. Hearts and Hooves Day… Today was going to be a very interesting day.

I took a moment to stretch as I let out a yawn. My hands clasped into fists as my arms reached out, shuddering while I let out a groan. Once that was done, I stood up and began to get dressed. Once my pants and shoes were on, I looked over my shirts. Today was a lovely summer day, so a t-shirt would be fine. However, I was unsure of which color to wear.

My eyes glanced back and forth at the six colorful shirts. Which shirt would go best for the day? I did not think long. My eyes fell upon the yellow shirt with pink butterflies on the back and chest. "Who else?" I muttered with a smile as I slid on the shirt that matched my girlfriend's colors.

As I went down the stairs, I noticed the scent of fried eggs in the air. Fluttershy was surely starting on breakfast. When I peeked into the kitchen, that was exactly what I saw. The beautiful pegasus mare was hovering next to the stove while stirring the crackling eggs while also checking on a waffle iron. I stepped forward and smiled, "Let me help with that, honey."

Fluttershy glanced at me with those big beautiful eyes and grinned while still holding the spatula in her mouth. She could not speak without dropping it, so she stayed silent. I went over to the waffle iron to make certain the batter inside did not overcook. After another moment, I popped the lid open and got blasted in the face with a cloud of fragrant steam. The waffle was quite large and a perfect shade of golden brown. I turned the waffle iron upside-down, allowing it to fall onto a plate Fluttershy had prepared.

Once I had set the waffle iron back down, I poured the remaining batter into the iron and closed it while it let out a hiss with the release of moisture. I then looked down, finding Fluttershy eyeing the crackling eggs in the frying pan. I then smiled before reaching down and wrapping my arms around her from behind and lifting her into the air with her back against my chest.

"Honey?" She asked calmly while trying to look back at me.

I replied while kissing her neck, "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, honey."

My girlfriend giggled at my touch, "You knew? I thought you had never had… Mmmm… I thought this was your first Hearts and Hooves Day. How did you know about it?"

I smiled as I began to nuzzle my face into her gorgeous mane. "A little alicorn princess told me in my dream while I slept."

Fluttershy giggled, "Princess Luna? Or… Nightmare Moon? Well, they spoiled the surprise I had for you."

I kissed her on the neck, "Don't worry about it, honey. All I learned was what day it is. You can still surprise me later in the day with something special."

My girlfriend smiled sweetly, "Now I just need to think of something special…. Ooh! I think I have an idea!"

I cocked my head to one side, "You do? What is it?"

Fluttershy winked at me teasingly, "I can't tell you. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if I did."

I snickered with a grin, "Good point…. Whoa! The eggs are gonna burn!" I only just remembered about the eggs frying next to us. "I got this." I spoke, gently setting Fluttershy down before taking a plate and pouring the scrambled eggs onto it. They seemed slightly overcooked with some crispy segments, but I honestly like my eggs like that.

Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief, "Phew… Almost forgot about… Ooh! I'll get the toast." She then approached the counter that held the toaster and removed the darkened slices of whole-wheat bread. I watched as she spread butter and delicious strawberry jam over them.

"Thanks, honey." I spoke as she carried the two slices over on a plate. Along with the toast, we had scrambled eggs and a waffle for each of us. A bottle of syrup and a small bowl of strawberry slices was nearby along with a bottle of ketchup.

"I know it's not much, but I hope you like it." Fluttershy spoke with a modest smile.

I replied, "It's all perfect, Fluttershy. Just the right amount. And if I get hungry again… Well, it'll just make lunch all the more satisfying."

Fluttershy flashed me a joyful smile, but then a voice spoke above us as we took our seats at the table. "Hi! Am I interrupting anything?"

I looked up and saw… Wait, how did she do that?! Pinkie Pie was sticking her head out of one of Fluttershy's decorative birdhouses! "What the?! What're you doing there?!"

Pinkie Pie grinned, "I know you're supposed to come in to work today, but I'm here to let you know that Mr. and Mrs. Cake have given you the day off! It's your first Hearts and Hooves Day and we don't want to take you away from your cuddly-wuddly boopsie-woopsie pumpkin pie!"

I honestly had to catch myself from bursting out laughing at that last line. "I'm sorry… Just what was that last part?!"

Fluttershy blushed, "Um… I don't think I've ever heard anypony talk like that…"

Our silly pink friend giggled, "Oh, Fluttershy. You know what I meant by that! And we wouldn't want you to not get to spend time today with your kissy-wissy snuggy-wuggy sugar bear!"

That time, it was Fluttershy's turn to stop herself from laughing. "Hee…heehee… Who honestly says stuff like that anymore?!"

I then asked, "And just where did you even hear that? I can't remember the last time I even heard stuff like that. Maybe from my grandmother when I was five or six years old, but never anywhere else!"

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes, "I overheard it from the kitchen in Sugarcube Corner on Hearts and Hooves Day last year and thought it was so cute! I never got the chance to see who was doing it, but the voices sounded kinda familiar…" She then stuck her foreleg out of the hole in the birdhouse…somehow…and waved to us, "Anyway, that's what I came here for! You two lovebirds have a great Hearts and Hooves Day!" And just like that, she…pulled herself back into the birdhouse.

"…..How did…" I then stood up and peered inside. There was absolutely nothing inside the birdhouse at all. I then looked back at Fluttershy and asked, "How does she do that?! I don't see any way she could've gotten in there!"

Fluttershy laughed, "I don't know! Even after all this time, I still don't understand how she does all that!"

I shrugged my shoulders, knowing I just might give myself a seizure if I tried to make any sense of what I had just seen. However, it was then I noticed someone was missing from the kitchen. "Hang on… Where's Scootaloo?"

Fluttershy replied, "She left early to go meet up with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle at the clubhouse before school. I think they wanted to make something special for Cheerilee."

I nodded with a smile, "Yeah, that Cheerilee is a sweetheart. You think if I hurry along, I can see them there?"

My lover replied after taking a bite of her eggs, "I think so. But when you're done, please come back home. I would like to spend a little time with you too."

I nodded, "Will do. Better hurry this up before I miss my chance." I then started working on my breakfast, eating quickly while not quite scarfing the whole thing down.

I poured a little ketchup on my eggs before spreading it around before eating while placing some strawberry slices on my waffle before pouring the syrup over it. Also, a little trivia. Whole-wheat bread makes better toast than white bread and is even better for your body. Needless to say, I was really enjoining Fluttershy's cooking despite the simplicity of it all.

"Hoo… That was…hu… Darn it. Don't tell me I got…hu…" I muttered right as I finished eating. Fluttershy held a hoof to her mouth as she smiled, my body twitching every several seconds.

"Hiccups?" She asked, her eyes watching me.

"Yeah… Happens every time I…hu….eat too fast." I replied with a frown. Regardless, I then stood up and kissed Fluttershy on her snout muzzle. "But it was all great, honey. I'm gonna go check on…hu…the girls and head on back for…hu… Oh, come on!"

Fluttershy tried to not laugh and kissed me back on my cheek, "OK, honey. And tell them I said hello. And I'll make some tea just in case those mean old hiccups aren't gone by the time you get back."

I grinned, "Please add honey to mine… Hey! I think the hiccups just…hu… Nope, not yet! Anyway, I better get going. See you soon!" I hugged my girlfriend briefly before heading out of the kitchen and out the front door. I then headed south towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Instead of entering through the main area of the farm, I ended up walking into the vast apple orchard itself from the north. Fortunately, after entering through this route so many times, I had figured out the way to the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse. While weaving around the many apple trees and taking note of one tree that never seemed to grow any apples, I soon found my way to that familiar little tree house.

"I wonder what the girls are up to…" I muttered while approaching the clubhouse. As I drew near, I could hear the three fillies discussing something inside through an open window.

"Huh… Does it feel like somethin's missin'?" I heard Apple Bloom speak.

Scootaloo's voice spoke next, "Yeah, it just doesn't look like we added enough… But we don't want it to look the way it did last year, right?"

Sweetie Belle spoke up last. "I know what you mean. We don't want to make the exact same thing twice in a row, right? How do we mix this one up a bit?"

I smirked and knocked on the underside of the clubhouse. "What the…?! Somepony out there?!" I heard Apple Bloom ask before the sound of little hooves clopping moved above me and out the clubhouse's door.

"Helloooo? Was someone knocking?" Sweetie Belle asked from above me on the balcony.

I stepped out into the open and found the three fillies looking down at me. "Morning, girls. What's going on?"

Scootaloo beamed at me, "Oh, hey! Morning, big brother! We were just trying to make a special gift for Miss Cheerilee! Wanna see?"

I smiled, "Sure! I'll be right up." I walked up the ramp and ducked through the doorway. Only to immediately bump my head on the ceiling when I stood up. "Ow! That gets me every time, doesn't it?" I heard the three fillies giggle before they followed me inside.

"Anyway, James… This is what we're workin' on. Looks good so far, right?" Apple Bloom asked while she and the other two fillies stood at the opposite side of a large heart-shaped rug in the middle of the clubhouse.

I looked down and smiled, finding that the rug very nearly spanned the entire length of the clubhouse. Along with being in the shape of a heart, it had elegant white lace around the edges while the heart itself was a lovely shade of pink. I noticed a few open paint cans nearby, finding that the place seemed to have an art studio vibe to it. What exactly were they making?

I shrugged my shoulders, "Nice rug, I must admit."

The three fillies looked at each other with bewildered expressions. "Wha…? That ain't no rug! That's a gift fer Miss Cheerilee fer Hearts an' Hooves Day!"

I smiled, "So you made a rug for her? I'm sure she'll like it."

Scootaloo then let out a laugh, "Heheh, no! It's not a rug! Think of it like a giant card!"

Sweetie Belle giggled, "We made it that big just to show how much we love her! Miss Cheerilee is one of the best mares in Ponyville!"

I smiled, having met Cheerilee numerous times over the last several months. She really is a sweetheart. "Sounds like your opinions of her are very high. And you're right. She is one of the nicest mares I've ever met."

Apple Bloom beamed at me, "She sure is!" But she then frowned, "Only trouble is we're tryin' ta get this one ta look different from the last one. Last time, we used ribbons, glitter, and hoofprints. This time, we wanna mix it up a bit."

I took a seat on the floor to avoid bumping my head again and crossed my arms. "So… This is to show her how much you girls adore her?"

Scootaloo nodded readily, "Yeah! She's the best teacher we've ever had!"

I then had an idea. If they wanted to portray their admiration and love to Cheerilee, then why not do so in one of the oldest and most artistic ways in history? "Well… Why not tell her how you feel in the language of flowers?"

The three fillies glanced at each other before Apple Bloom cocked her head to one side while giving me a very bemused expression. "Language of flowers? Never knew flowers could even talk."

I snickered, "They don't. You use them to speak for you." I then went over to a small bookshelf. "Hmm… Oh, you have an encyclopedia here?"

Sweetie Belle nodded, "Uh huh. We keep one there to help with homework sometimes."

I then opened the encyclopedia and began to flip through the pages. "Well, the language of flowers is an ancient means of communication through the use of specific flowers to speak with a type of code. For example, the red rose is a symbol of true love while the black rose is a symbol of intense hatred or even death. It doesn't apply to just roses though. Lavender can symbolize devotion while the white lily shows purity."

Scootaloo grinned, "You can talk just by using flowers? That's awesome! Is there any that say 'You're awesome' or 'Wanna hang out sometime'?"

I smirked amusingly at that question, "Uh… The messages with each flower are very specific and are not complex… But for those… I think your first phrase suits a carnation while the latter would… Um… I think a viscaria would suit it best."

Sweetie Belle then asked, "Well, what kind of flowers do you think we need to show Miss Cheerilee how much we care about her?"

I smiled, "Grab a quill and write down the flowers I'm about to tell you. Scootaloo, you'll have to go into town and get a bouquet of each."

My little sister gave me a salute, "You got it! I'll get those back here in no time!"

I began to look through the list of flowers and their meanings while Apple Bloom lied down with a sheet of paper before her with a pencil in her mouth. "OK. We need…red roses…asters…gardenias…red tulips…blue violets…heliotropes…agrimony…and top it off with some pear blossoms."

Apple Bloom then rolled up the sheet of paper and gave it to Scootaloo, who was in the process of putting on her safety gear. "All righty then! Scootaloo, it's up ta you ta find the flowers on the list."

The little pegasus filly smiled at us. "You got it! Sit tight for a bit and I'll be back in no time!" She then took the scroll in her mouth and ran out the door. Seconds later, we heard the sound of her wings buzzing like a motor before the sound steadily faded out into the distance.

"I hope Scootaloo doesn't take too long. We only have a little over an hour before class starts." Sweetie Belle spoke while looking over the massive heart in the middle of the room.

I decided to pass the time with simple conversation. "So… Cheerilee's your favorite teacher? Does she have a sweetheart of her own for today?"

Apple Bloom frowned, "Actually, no… We tried ta help 'er with that last year, but…"

She and Sweetie Belle smiled sheepishly before the unicorn filly spoke, "It…uh…didn't turn out so well… We found a recipe for a love potion and thought it would help her and the stallion we picked out for her, but…"

I raised an eyebrow at those words. "Hang on. Who did you think would be a good match for her?"

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, "My big brother. Big Macintosh."

I stared at them in silence for a moment as I tried to process that information. I then laughed, "Seriously?! Big Mac?! Whoa, he's one lucky guy!"

Sweetie Belle smiled with an uneasy expression, "Yeah, we thought so too. I mean, he really seems like a nice guy, right? Only…the love potion worked a little TOO well. They…uh…went all gaga over each other."

I cocked my head to one side, "Uh… Just…how much into each other were they?"

Apple Bloom sighed, "I hope I don't barf from sayin' this… He…uh… One of the things he called 'er was…his heartie-smartie smirchy-wirchy baby-waby…hurk!" I heard a rather unsettling sound as Apple Bloom held her hoof over her mouth for a second before gagging, probably due to nearly vomiting.

"Big Macintosh...saying that… Oh my god!" I yelled before bursting out into laughter, my hand over my face. "That is just so embarrassing! So wrong, but I can't help but laugh!"

Apple Bloom sighed with a huff, "Ugh, don't remind me! That was awful! Who in their right mind even says that kinda stuff these days?!"

I replied, "Apparently someone who is experiencing the side-effects of a love potion. Does they even remember what happened that day?"

Sweetie Belle replied, "I think that's the only good thing that happened. Neither of them had any idea what happened! Thank goodness too."

Apple Bloom nodded, "Yeah, we learned we shouldn't meddle in the relationships of other ponies…" She then asked, "That reminds me. Did ya ever have a special somepony back where ya'll came from, James?"

Just when I had all but forgotten about those days, those words brought up unpleasant memories from not too long ago. I sighed before turning my gaze towards the open window. "I would rather not talk about it."

Sweetie walked up to me and rested her hoof on my hand. "It's OK, James. As a fellow Cutie Mark Crusader, we should be there for you when you have problems. We can at least lend an ear."

I looked down at the two fillies. Each of them were looking up at me with very concerned expressions. I finally gave in and sighed, "Do you know what it's like when you finally find true love and stick with that special someone with them telling you daily that they love you for three years straight only for that person to reveal that the entire thing was an elaborate lie maintained out of 'pity' for you?"

The two fillies gasped at my words. "A… A lie? Fer three years straight?!" Apple Bloom spoke with a truly startled expression. "Ya gotta be kiddin' me! Who would do somethin' so mean?!"

I sighed, "I don't know… Even now I still don't understand why she did it… I don't even know what was true or not in that relationship… Did she love me? Was she brainwashed into thinking she did not? I just don't know anymore…"

Sweetie Belle frowned at my words, "If Big Macintosh ever found out about that, I know he would buck her lights out! I hope I never meet that girl!"

I sighed, feeling slightly better that my friends were standing up for me. "Thanks, Sweetie… It doesn't bother me that much anymore though since I've found my real love."

Apple Bloom smiled faintly, "We know… Fluttershy really does seem like a great match fer ya. I'm glad ya met 'er."

I nodded with a faint smile, "I know… I'm really glad she's in my life… And that you girls and all my other friends are in my life too."

The two fillies let out an aww before hugging me in unison. "Awww, we're glad we met ya too, James. Ya'll have been a great member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders with us."

Sweetie Belle giggled, "And to think what would've happened if you hadn't found us at that playground that day…"

I wrapped my arms around the two fillies, holding them against me. "Yeah… You girls really are special to me. But just remember… Never ever get into a relationship with someone out of pity… There are few things you can do to someone that is more cruel than that."

Sweetie Belle nodded, "I know. That'll only hurt him more when he finds out."

We just sat there for a moment longer, holding each other in a cuddly embrace. However, I then heard a voice speak from the window. "Save some for me!"

I looked up and saw Scootaloo jump through the window before trotting over to us and joining in the group hug. "I'm glad I got back in time before this was over. What'd I miss?"

I felt it was not necessary to worry her over what I had just discussed and replied with a calm smile, "Not much. We were just chilling together as friends."

Sweetie then smiled, "Wow, Scootaloo. You weren't even gone twenty minutes! Did you find everything you need?"

The little pegasus filly nodded, "Sure did! Every last one of them! Come here and I'll show you." She let go of me and trotted over to the window before reaching over it with her head. She then turned to face us with a paper bag hanging from her teeth. Sticking out of it were a varied variety of flower bouquets.

"Whoa, you seriously found every kind I mentioned?" I asked, finding it hard to believe that all of the flowers I mentioned were cultivated in Ponyville.

Scootaloo smiled, "Yeah, though I had to ask around for some. I think some of these aren't really popular." She then took her helmet off and held it upside-down, "And before I forget, I got you something too, James!"

She held out her helmet to me. I looked down and noticed a single flower resting inside it. It was a light purple bell-shaped flower. "Huh? Which one is that?"

Scootaloo replied, "They said it's a Canterbury Bell. You know what it means?"

"Um… Let me get back to you on that." I replied before looking through the encyclopedia again. "Canterbury Bell… Ah, here we go. Campanula medium…" I paused as I read over the symbolism of the flower in floriography. The meaning of the Canterbury Bell is gratitude and faith. As I looked at Scootaloo, I felt my heart melt. "Aww… C'mere, Scoot."

My little sister grinned widely as her tiny wings flittered like the wings of a cicada before she came sailing into my arms. "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, big bro."

I stroked her purple mane while we wrapped our arms around each other. "Thanks, Scoot." That was really all I could say.

Apple Bloom then spoke up, "C'mon, Scootaloo! We gotta get all these flowers in place before school starts!"

Scootaloo jumped out of my arms and smiled, "OK! What do we use to put these on the card?"

Sweetie Belle dumped the flowers out of the bag and looked them over. "Um… I don't think glue would be a good idea for these… Maybe we should try staples and tape this time."

Apple Bloom nodded, "All righty then! We got some over here, I think… Yup! Here they are."

I watched silently while the three fillies went to work, stapling the flowers that had stems to the card while using tape to attach those without them. Upon closer inspection, I found that the heart-shaped card actually had three hearts in all, each of different sizes. How do I describe it… Inside the card itself were the outlines of two increasingly smaller hearts. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were laying the flowers out over the edges of each heart with the flowers on the largest heart being just inside the white lace border.

Sweetie Belle beamed, "Wow! They're sticking on there a lot better than all that glitter last year!"

Scootaloo then looked at her two friends and smiled, "I think that's all the flowers too. Now we just gotta get it to school on time."

Apple Bloom was starting to carry an envelope over to the 'rug', but then stopped. "Oh wait… We're gonna need a really big envelope fer this one, huh?"

I then asked, "You need me to carry it for you?"

The three fillies glanced at each other before looking back at me with smiles. "Ya will?! Thanks!" Apple Bloom spoke first.

"Just be careful to not fold it. We don't want it to have any creases when we get it there." Sweetie Belle added as she and the other two fillies walked out of the clubhouse before standing out on the balcony.

"Just be careful with it!" Scootaloo spoke while looking in at me.

I looked down at the massive card, pondering how I was going to get it out of the clubhouse with it being wider than the doorway. "Huh… Only one way here." I stood at the very top of the heart and firmly gripped the sides of the card where it was at its widest. I gently lifted it, causing the card to bend and take on a U shape. Very slowly, I inched towards the door while taking care to keep my head down.

"Yup! That'll do it! Keep it comin'… A lil' more… OK, now lift it… A lil' higher…" Apple Bloom spoke as I started to get the card out the door.

"I get it, Apple Bloom! I know what I'm doing!" I called out, finally making my way out onto the balcony.

"All right then! Now we just gotta get it to school. Do you think you can carry it there?" Scootaloo asked with a smile.

"I don't see why not. Although… How far is it?" I asked, not sure just how far away the school is from the clubhouse.

Sweetie Belle replied, "Uh… I don't think it's TOO far from here… But let's go! We don't wanna be late!" There was no arguing with that, so I followed the three fillies down the ramp and through the orchard with that massive card constantly held out in front of me.

I do not know if you have ever tried keeping your arms taut and stuck straight out while keeping your fingers pinched shut onto something that is hanging down, but doing it for any extended amount of time gets rather painful, even for fairly light loads. By the time the schoolhouse came into view, I was all too ready to let go of my cargo. Regardless, I tried to hide my soreness behind a neutral expression.

"All right! Let's get it inside!" Apple Bloom spoke as she and the other two fillies charged in.

"Do I really have to bend my knees for this…" I muttered to myself as I tried to duck through the doorway while not causing any damage to the card that was still being held out in front of me.

"Good morning, girls! Happy Hearts and Hooves Day!" I heard Cheerilee speak from just inside the classroom as I finally entered the lobby.

"Morning, Miss Cheerilee! Sorry if we showed up late. We were putting the finishing touches on something special." Scootaloo replied. I could hear the chatter of kids from inside the classroom, probably from all the other students passing around cards to each other.

I heard Cheerilee speak with a puzzled tone, "You were? Well, may I see it?"

Sweetie Belle replied, "You bet! Mr. James! Please bring it in!"

At least she was considerate enough to say 'please' after straining my arms through the entire walk. I then carefully ducked through the doorway with the card being held out in front of me. I found Cheerilee standing between the rows of desks and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I then looked at her and managed to crack a smile despite my discomfort. "Morning, Cheerilee."

The kindly teacher smiled back at me, "Good morning, James. And is that what I think it is?"

All three of my little friends beamed while holding their heads high. They were clearly proud of their work. "Maybe." I replied briskly while holding the card upright with one hand, displaying all the flowers on it.

"Oh my… It's so colorful…and it smells so nice! And…it's still so big!" Cheerilee spoke with a delighted smile. Something tells me this was not the first time the Cutie Mark Crusaders presented her with such an impressive gift.

Apple Bloom beamed, "We just wanted ta show ya just how much we think yer the best teacher ever!"

I smiled, managing to ignore the pain in my forearms a moment longer. "They really seem to think highly of you, Cheerilee. I'm glad I was able to take part in this."

Cheerilee flashed me a puzzled look. "You did?"

Sweetie Belle spoke, "We wanted to do things a little differently this year. It's no fun getting the exact same thing twice in a row, right?"

Scootaloo then spoke, "Soooo we asked my big brother for some advice on how to express how much we love you! What did he call it again? The language of flowers?"

Cheerilee gasped with a delighted grin, "Floriography?! I can't think of a more artistic means to do that! James, that was brilliant!"

I think I blushed at those words, my eyes rolling as I tried to avert my gaze, "It wasn't a big deal… It just popped into my head when they asked."

Cheerilee then went over to her desk and started looking through a thick textbook. "I'll figure out what each flower represents today. But for now, it's time to start our first class of the day. Please take your seats, girls."

I set the massive card up against the wall next to the chalkboard. "I guess I should be going then."

All three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders then turned and gave me a triple salute. "Thanks fer helpin' us come up with that new idea, James!" Apple Bloom spoke first, a delighted grin on her face.

"I hope you and Fluttershy have a great Hearts and Hooves Day!" Sweetie Belle added.

Scootaloo then smiled, "Be nice to her! And be nice to Rainbow Dash too!"

I nodded with a smile before gently patting each of them on the head. "Thanks, girls. And have a great Hearts and Hooves Day." I then said my goodbyes and headed out the door into the lobby before stepping outside the schoolhouse. But before I took more than five steps, I paused. "Wait a sec… Rainbow Dash?!"

I looked back at the schoolhouse and crossed my arms. Be nice to Rainbow Dash? Just where did that come from? Did Scootaloo know something I did not? What did that brazen pegasus mare tell my little sister?

"Wait…" I muttered as I began to connect the dots. I started thinking back to earlier days. I remembered the morning after the night when I rescued Mitta from Sunny Town. Rainbow Dash was acting…odd that morning. And she promised she would say why on a special day during the following month… This month. And that magazine she got me for my birthday…

"Today is the day…" I muttered, feeling myself becoming hot with anxiety. Just what did she have planned for me? Knowing how wild she is, it could be anything. And all those photos she took of herself in the issue of Playcolt she gave me for my birthday… What, was she secretly a porn star who wanted me to take part in a photo shoot?! I literally winced and pulled my arms up against my torso while my legs bent. Such an unnerving thought.

"Oh, no no no no no, there's no way she's like that…" I spoke aloud as I tried not to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of the thought. Whatever it was she had in mind for today, it could not possibly be THAT bad. Even so, I did promise to return home to Fluttershy once I was finished with the Cutie Mark Crusaders for the time being. I then turned west and began to walk.

I returned home without a hitch. Fluttershy was still tending to her little animal friends, though her attention seemed to be directed towards the tree just across from our cottage across the brook that passed before it. Songbirds of numerous colors were perched on the mostly leafless branches while Fluttershy hovered before them. She opened her mouth and closed her eyes before practically humming a familiar tune in front of them. When she seemed to stop halfway, the birds then whistled the remainder of the tune. It was quite nostalgic to hear and I still am not certain where I have heard it before. Perhaps I will never know.

I lightly applauded while approaching them. "Bravo. May I have an encore?"

Fluttershy jumped slightly, but then calmed immediately when she turned to face me. The birds did not seem to mind my presence at all. "Oh! Welcome home, honey. You saw that?"

I nodded with a smile, "And heard it. Very cute. You do this often?"

The adorable pegasus mare replied, "I don't know about often, but we do need to rehearse now and then. These birds are my choir for special events."

I crossed my arms while cocking my head to one side. "You conduct a songbird choir?"

Fluttershy nodded, "Only during special events. Such as at the Summer Sun Festival. The one I remember most was the one just after the day I first met Twilight."

With a smile, I asked, "Nice. What made it so memorable?"

My lover replied, "It was the day Nightmare Moon returned. And the day we finally became friends with Twilight."

In all honesty, I could not imagine those six lovely mares falling out of touch with each other. They are as tight as rope knots. Heh, that sounds like something Applejack would say. "And it sounds like a whole load of wild stuff happened afterwards. I get the feeling that your life got really interesting after that."

Fluttershy smiled, "Oh, yes. We've been on so many little adventures since then. We've learned so much, about friendship and each other." She then looked up at me and beamed, "And now we have a whole new set of adventures ahead now that you're here."

I rolled my eyes and smiled, "Have? Honey, we've already had a fair share of little adventures since I showed up!" The two of us got a fairly good laugh out of that.

I watched as Fluttershy went about her business, finishing up with feeding the animals for the evening. After a minute, I asked, "Do you need a hand there?"

Fluttershy replied with a smile, "It's all right. I don't have much more to do anyway."

I nodded, but then Fluttershy turned around and gasped, "Ooh! I just remembered! A friend of yours wants to see you today at noon!"

I glanced over at her, "Huh? Who exactly?"

Fluttershy flashed me a little smile, "I was told not to tell you. It's a surprise."

"Huh… Well, where exactly should I meet up with this friend of mine?" I asked, starting to wonder just who it was who spoke to Fluttershy in secret.

My girlfriend replied, "She said she wanted to meet you in the park by the pond. You know, where I keep that bag to feed the fishes?"

I nodded, "OK, that spot. I'll be there." I was starting to wonder just who it was who wanted to see me. Mitta? Rainbow Dash? Nightmare Moon or Luna? All I knew was that the friend is female and I have a hefty number of female friends. Strangely, the vast majority of them are female. Almost as if 90% of Equestria's population are female. Or am I just overthinking this?

Fluttershy then smiled, "I will be joining you a little while later too, so please don't leave the meeting spot too soon."

I smiled and nodded, "Will do. I'll make sure we stick around for a while."

I watched silently as Fluttershy went about, wrapping up the last steps of her morning routine. She looked so cute as she looked so happy doing what she loved doing best. There was some sort of humble entertainment in watching such a sweet and loveable pony doing what made her so happy, though my mutual love of animals may have been contributing to it as well.

After a moment of thought, I called out. "Hey, honey? Have the eggs been collected for the day?"

Fluttershy looked back at me and replied, "The eggs? No, I haven't collected them yet."

I then started to walk towards the side of the cottage, "OK. I'll go handle them then. I've got nothing else to do at the moment."

Fluttershy giggled, "All right. Thank you, honey. I need to head into town to pick up some more food for the animals. I'm starting to run low."

I reached out and gently stroked my lover's gorgeous mane. "OK, honey. If you don't see me when you get back, I'll see you at the park later." My lover hovered up to me and placed a sweet kiss on my cheek. While she started to trot up to the cottage's front door, I made my way around back to the chicken coop.

Once I rounded the corner, I saw all of Fluttershy's chickens milling about while pecking at the ground. I suddenly got a weird urge while looking at the little birds milling about. After glancing around, I shrugged my shoulders, "Oh, why not?" I then cleared my throat before yelling in a goofy tone, "CHICKENS!"

I then began to run towards the chicken coop with the most absurd silliest gait I could possibly pull off. "Pet the chicken, pet the chicken, pet the…uh…" I froze in place with one leg extended in front of me while I leaned back fairly far. Sticking her head out of the coop's entrance was none other than Derpy Hooves. Again.

Derpy and even the chickens were gazing at me with blank expressions, none of them moving. Then again, chickens have a hard time showing any expression, so I suppose they are always blank. I can remember feeling my face becoming hot while a deep blush spread across my face. Slowly, Derpy crawled out of the coop and stood up. I was frozen with nervousness. What was she going to do?

Suddenly, Derpy smiled at me and spoke, "I like chickens too!" She then trotted over to one of the brown hens, who did not seem to mind Derpy's presence at all. The silly pegasus then snatched the bird up in her forelegs and cuddled with it, "Pet the chicken! Pet the chicken!"

I felt myself relax, watching my goofy friend just follow along. I then casually walked over to the coop and stepped over the low fence that kept the chickens from leaving the pen. I then approached Elizabeak and snatched her up before nuzzling my face against her plumage. "Pet the chicken. Pet the chicken." Derpy and I continued to chant those words in goofy tones over and over for a minute or two.

After a brief moment, Derpy put the chicken she was holding down and asked, "So, how's your first Hearts and Hooves Day so far, James?"

I smiled as I set Elizabeak down, "It's been fine so far, but what are you doing out here this time? You're not still lost, are you?"

Derpy shook her head, "Nope! I just like taking naps out here. The chickens don't mind and the little quiet noises they make are soothing to listen to." She had a point there. I could hear the faint clucking noises the chickens were making as they milled about.

I looked down at the little hens and smiled, "They are a friendly bunch, aren't they?"

Derpy then surprised me by embracing me from behind. "Before I forget, Happy Hearts and Hooves Day! You and Fluttershy have something planned, right?"

I grinned, patting Derpy's hoof. "I'm not entirely sure. I'm certain we'll be spending some quality time together. But I first need to meet up with a friend in the park in… Oh, I think two hours." I then asked, "Come to think of it, do you have a special somepony to spend time with today?"

Derpy giggled while she released me from her grasp and hovered in front of me, "Oh, I don't have a special somepony right now. Although I am supposed to see a friend at the café for lunch."

"Who is he? Or is it a she?" I asked in turn.

"He's the doctor! Or… A kind of doctor. Doctor Hooves. Maybe you've seen him around! An earth pony with an hourglass cutie mark?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I do see him around at times. Not very often though. He a friend of yours?"

Derpy nodded, "Yep! He comes to town every now and then to relax. And we meet up sometimes. He always has new amazing stories to tell."

I then asked, "What kind of doctor is he? Orthopedist? Dentist? Plastic surgeon?"

Derpy's expression became one of bewilderment. "Um… I don't remember. I think he tried to tell me a few times, but I don't remember the whole thing…" Her goofy eyes then opened wide as she gasped, "Ooh! I remember now!"

I crossed my arms and smiled, wondering what she would say. However, I did not get the response I was expecting. "He said he can't explain his job to me anymore because I kept having seizures when he tried to explain it. And the weird thing is I don't even remember having seizures!"

At those words, I stared blankly at Derpy. Just what kind of doctor is that guy? Probably best to not ask. "Uh… Wow… OK then, I don't think I want to know the rest then….. But be sure to tell the doc I said hi."

Derpy nodded with a smile, "Will do… Oh! We're supposed to be meeting up soon! I better get going!"

I nodded, "OK. Take care. And Happy Hearts and Hooves Day." But just as she started to fly away, I grabbed her and then turned her towards Ponyville. "You wanna go THAT way, Derpy."

My silly pegasus friend giggled, "I am such a muffinhead! Thanks for stopping me from going into the Everfree Forest again, James! See ya!"

As Derpy flew off, I grabbed the closest pail and crawled into the coop to collect the eggs like I had promised. There was one egg for every nest. I suppose it would be dull to describe this simple activity, so I will move on.

"Thanks for the future omelets, girls." I spoke towards the chickens while I left the pen. After glancing around to make certain no one was watching though, a cheeky smirk spread across my face. "I'll be sure to let ol' Rolf know Fluttershy borrowed you girls! And stick together, because I know you don't like being separated. Except for Elizabeak, who prefers solitude." The chickens did not seem to comprehend what I had just said, half of them giving me blank stares while the rest continued to mill about. "Meh, chickens have no sense of humor." I muttered as I began to walk around the cottage.

When I came around to the front of the cottage, my eyes gazed at the brook that flowed before it. I snickered before speaking in a goofy tone, "The sound of a babbling brook makes me want to babble!"

As if to respond, a familiar quiet voice asked from behind me, "It does?"

I jumped forward at those before turning around to find Fluttershy looking up at me with a perplexed expression. "Uh… You weren't meant to hear that!" I then lightly smacked myself across the face, "What's wrong with me this morning? I must have Ed boys on the brain." I was very tempted to spout another silly line from my memory at the mention of 'Ed boys', but I managed to restrain myself that time.

Fluttershy giggled, "It's all right, James. I honestly didn't know you could be silly out of nowhere like that. It sounded like something Pinkie Pie would do."

I rolled my eyes, "If she ever found out about that, I would never hear the end of it. Might even hound me to join her on some kinda stand-up comedy gig."

Fluttershy held a hoof over her mouth as she grinned, "I can imagine her doing that. But she does do some good stand-up sometimes."

I chuckled, wondering if Pinkie Pie is a fulltime comedian. However, I was quick to notice that Fluttershy seemed to be carrying a thick book on her back. "What's that you have there?"

My girlfriend smiled, "It's a photo album. I was wondering if you would like to see what's in it."

I grinned, "I would love to." Fluttershy then led me over to the little earthen bridge that spanned the babbling brook that made me want to babble… All right, I swear that is the last time I will say anything like that for the remainder of this journal. Regardless, I took a seat at the edge with my legs dangling off the side while Fluttershy lied next to me.

"It's been a long time since I last looked through a photo album. Always a lot of fun for some reason." I spoke calmly while lifting the book off of her back.

Fluttershy nodded, "It always feels nostalgic to look through them. On the first page…" When I opened it, I was greeted by the sight of a little yellow pegasus filly in a diaper with small strong cyan eyes. She had a bowl of something on her head, her short pink mane hanging down from under it.

I immediately knew who it was and smirked at my girlfriend. "You were a messy eater, honey."

She grinned with a noticeable blush on her face, "I guess I was. But yes, that's me when I was just a few months old." The surface she seemed to be sitting on appeared to be made out of clouds, leading me to believe that Fluttershy used to live in Cloudsdale. I have yet to visit that city due to obvious reasons.

I flipped the page and found on the backside another photo. "Hey, it's Rainbow Dash!" The photo showed Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy as children. They seemed to be standing on what seemed to be a pale platform or floor made entirely out of clouds. Rainbow Dash seemed to be giving the camera a confident grin with one foreleg draped over Fluttershy's shoulders while Fluttershy seemed to be more reserved and…well…shy. I then asked, "You and Rainbow Dash were friends as kids?"

Fluttershy smiled, "Well, I don't think I saw her often enough for us to be actual friends, but she was always there to stand up for me whenever somepony teased me. Our friendship didn't really develop until Twilight came to Ponyville."

I smiled at her words. I did not know that two of my dearest friends had known each other long before meeting the others. But as I looked back at the photo, I noticed some differences with how they looked back then compared to now. Fluttershy's mane and tail were not quite as long back then, instead ending in a very cute shoulder length style that still retained the same curls at the tips. Rainbow Dash's hairstyle was virtually identical to how it is now, but…wow. Her mane and tail were remarkably more frazzled as a child than as an adult. "Whoa… On closer inspection… Rainbow was one heck of a wild child, huh?"

Fluttershy rolled her eyes a little, "Yes, she was very rebellious as a filly. She was even more obsessed with speed back then than she is now."

That is a thought I find hard to imagine. How could that speed demon be MORE obsessed with speed than she is now? Oh wait… As much as she likes speed now, Rainbow Dash also loves to take it easy. I rarely go more than two days without seeing her just lounging around on low-lying clouds over Ponyville at some point during the day. For her to be like that as a kid… She probably did not know the meaning of 'taking it easy' back then. "Um… Just HOW obsessive was she back then?"

My lover giggled, "About as obsessive as most kids are over things they really like. She picked up the nickname of 'Rainbow Crash' in flight school. She had amazing speed, but she was absolutely horrible at everything else. She could never focus on anything more than flying fast and kept having trouble stopping or even turning. In the end, she just dropped out."

"And yet, she's one of the best fliers I know. You gotta give her credit for overcoming her problems on her own." I spoke with a smile. I then brought a hand to my chin and smirked, "Now we just need to find a way to cut her ego down to size…"

Fluttershy giggled, "Well, please don't tell her I told you this. She's very sensitive about how awful her flying skill was back then. She tries to cover it up by spinning all sorts of stories just to make herself look good."

I rolled my eyes, "It's OK, Fluttershy. It's all too obvious when she's bluffing. The more full of herself she sounds when she talks, the less likely it's true."

After getting a good giggle out of that, I looked at the page that was opposite of that one. It seemed to show Fluttershy somewhat older. Her hair had not yet grown to the gorgeously long lengths it is now, but I could tell she was full grown by then. The photo showed her beaming happily with numerous happy animals surrounding her. And waving at the camera while atop her head was none other than Angel. "What time was this one taken?"

Fluttershy replied, "That was taken when I first moved into this cottage. I had made so many little animal friends by then. And Angel…" She then sighed happily, "That was the day I adopted him."

That looked like a happy day for Fluttershy. And I certainly see the charm in being able to interact with various animals ranging from the small and cute to the large and majestic. But when we turned the page, I was met with a different kind of photo. This one depicted not just Fluttershy, but my five other dearest friends as well. Twilight Sparkle seemed to be in the very center with all five of our friends around her. Fluttershy was lying on the ground before her with Rarity sitting to her right. Pinkie Pie was standing just behind Rarity with one hoof on the gorgeous unicorn's head for leverage while waving at the camera with the other. Rainbow Dash was just behind Twilight with one foreleg resting on Twilight's head while giving the camera a very aggressive look. Honestly, does that girl need to make herself look tough in every picture taken of her? Lastly, Applejack stood to Twilight's left with her right foreleg raised while her left eye was closed for a wink. They all seemed to be having a good time, yet I could not help but feel this photo had some sort of significance. "It's a simple picture, but it seems special somehow."

Fluttershy smiled at me, "It is. This was the first picture taken with us all together. We all have a copy of it."

I smiled, looking back at the photo again. "How long have you girls known each other by now?"

My girlfriend replied, "By now, almost three years. And we've never looked back since that day."

I sighed, "I hope the same applies to me. I never want things to change between us."

Fluttershy gently leaned against me and sighed with a smile. "Me neither. You've been wonderful to us. I'm so glad I met you."

I gently draped my arm across Fluttershy's shoulder, holding her against me gently. After a brief moment of silent enjoyment, Fluttershy then asked, "James, do you have a photo album to show?"

I replied, "Sorry, Fluttershy. I didn't bring a… Wait… Actually, I kind of do. My DSi has a photo album of sorts in it." I pulled out the little device from my pocket and flipped it open before turning it on. "Let me open it and I'll show the photos I have."

Fluttershy's eyes brightened as she leaned against me, her head tilted down at the twin screens on the device. Displayed on the top screen was the first photo. It depicted a room with six round tables covered in white tablecloths and plates and glasses with yellow napkins 'blooming' out of the glasses. Blue chairs were situated around each table, strong bloom shining through a large window at the back of the room. A glass chandelier hung above each table while decorative and colorful glass bowls hung on the walls. "This shows where I sometimes worked back home after I was finished setting the place up."

Fluttershy smiled as she looked the photo over, "It looks like a fancy restaurant in Manehattan. Or maybe even Canterlot. How many stars does it have? Four?"

I replied, "Nope. Just two stars. But it's always been successful and is known all across town. I am not exaggerating, by the way."

My girlfriend giggled, "I know you're not. May I see more?"

I nodded before pressing on the D-pad to cycle over to the next photo. Fluttershy grinned, "Ooh! Chickens!" In the photo was a small chain link pen with somewhere around twenty chickens on the other side. Most were gold while a few were a reddish brown, although there was one white hen. One was gray and another was black. "They're all looking at you, James."

Trying to be witty, I replied with a smile. "Yup. I was a real chick magnet that day." Fluttershy covered her mouth with a hoof as she tried to suppress her laughter.

I moved on to the next picture, which showed many long narrow leaves with a green praying mantis walking along them. There seemed to be a small purple flower off to one side of the photo too. "Ooh, a mantis. I don't see those too often." Fluttershy spoke with a hint of wonder in her voice.

"My grandmother called me over to see it since she had no idea what it was. Who doesn't know what a mantis looks like?" I replied while shaking my head as I recalled the event.

"They are very easy to recognize…" Fluttershy spoke softly. I suppose she too wondered how someone with so many years under their belt would not know what a mantis is.

The next photo I showed displayed a tiny white moth resting on the tip of my thumb in such a manner that could have been described as a dramatic close-up. The bold yellow walls of a stairwell stood behind it. "Aww, what a pretty moth! And it didn't mind you holding it?"

I smiled, "Not at all. She was on my front door and I just had to coax her onto my finger. She never flew away once."

Fluttershy nuzzled me sweetly, "Maybe she knew you meant no harm. I think even bugs can sense that in people."

Bit by bit, I showed Fluttershy more and more of my photos. One showed a barely noticeable rainbow, another of an old friend of mine whose photo I had tweaked a bit, and one showing an algae-covered pond in the city park with a tiny heron perched on a branch in the middle of the shot. But I saved one of my favorite photos for last. It depicted a cloud with the sun hidden somewhere behind it. As the sun shone at the cloud, rays of light with varying intensity could be seen spanning out in different directions. It was a very ethereal sight.

"That's…so beautiful… And this was from back on Earth?" Fluttershy asked as she beheld the sight.

"Nature can surprise you when you least expect it. I'm pretty sure something like this happens in Equestria too." I replied, smiling at her. Once we had looked at the photo long enough, I turned my DSi off and slid it back into my pocket after closing it.

Fluttershy smiled, "Well, they were all good photos. I especially loved the picture you took of that pretty golden retriever."

I grinned, "Oh, you would've loved her if you ever met her. She's a sweetheart."

My girlfriend nodded, "Oh, I know I would've. But…um…what time is it?"

Having forgotten myself, I flipped my DSi open again and checked the time on it. "Around 11 o'clock. You think I should head on over to the park to meet up with my friend?"

Fluttershy nodded, "I think so too. Not sure when she will show up. She might have decided to go early."

I then climbed to my feet, as did Fluttershy. "I should get going then. But we'll have plenty of time to spend together today, right?"

The beautiful pegasus hovered up to me and embraced me tightly while smiling brightly. "Of course we will. I'll come and find you at the ark once I've finished up with things here. Have fun with your friend, James."

I smiled while embracing her back. "Still not going to tell me who it is?"

She giggled, "Nope! You'll have to see for yourself." It was very unusual to see Fluttershy get this cheeky.

"Heheh, OK. I'll see when I get there." I replied before placing a kiss on her snout. "See you soon, honey." We both said our goodbyes before I made my way south towards the local park.

I ended up passing through Sweet Apple Acres on my way to my destination. I did see Big Macintosh carrying several bushels of apples t once, which I stopped to watch. How does one pony carry that many on his back without buckling under the pressure? Granted, he did seem to be very focused on maintaining his balance and seemed to be working up a sweat, but I was starting to wonder if that guy possesses Herculean strength. I would have offered to help, but he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Once that mighty stallion entered the barn, I continued onward.

My trek to the local park went unhindered. Upon arrival, I found the place littered with couples. So many of them were ponies I did not recognize. Some were chatting while resting on benches, others were tossing horseshoes, and one couple even seemed to be napping under a tree. However, there was one pony I did recognize. And she was galloping right towards me.

"Mitta!" I spoke with a smile as my friend from Sunny Town approached me. Her crimson mane trailing behind her as she ran, Mitta sailed into my arms and held me in a tight embrace. "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, Mitta. How've you been?"

My friend looked up at me and beamed, "I've been just great! Oh! And I have something for you." She then dropped back down onto her hooves and motioned towards a pair of saddlebags resting against her sides. Each bore the color of Rarity's mane and her diamond cutie mark as a buckle. "They're in here."

I reached for the flap of the bag on her left, noticing a delightful aroma that I recognized right away. Cookies. It is something you pick up from working in a bakery for a while. And sure enough, stuffed into the bag was a multitude of chocolate chip cookies. "Ooh, the classics. And they're still warm."

Mitta grinned, "I've been going around handing them out to my friends. Oh, and these too." She moved her head to her right and lifted the flap with her snout. Inside that bag were more cookies. Only the cookie itself was chocolate while the chips were white.

"A little yin and yang, huh?" I asked with a smile.

Mitta smiled, "I guess so. But I didn't bake those. Ruby made them with me."

That reminds me. I seldom see Ruby these days. I suppose it would be hard to keep tabs on a ghost though. "Come to think of it, how has she been lately?"

My friend replied, "She's been doing fine. She even opened her own little business in town, though most of her customers are schoolchildren. She calls it 'Ruby's Lost and Found'. Her tagline is 'You lose it, I find it'. I think she's been doing pretty well with it."

I chuckled at those words. "A ghost running something of a detective agency? Why haven't I seen that thing anywhere in… Oh, that's right. She works undercover. No wonder I never notice her around town."

Mitta let out a chuckle. "Wow, I never thought of it like that. Ruby's a sneaky one though. And she's had a lot of time to practice. But before I forget, go ahead and take some! I made these cookies with you in mind."

I smiled at her and stroked Mitta's mane. "Thank you, Mitta… Oh, I should take two of each."

As I took two of each kind of cookie out of the bags, Mitta asked, "Two of each? What for?"

I replied, "I'm meeting up with a friend in the park by the pond. I was thinking she would like some too. Unless you've already met her today."

Mitta shook her head and spoke, "I probably haven't. I've only found Derpy, Rarity, and Applejack today. But when you see her, tell your friend I said hi!"

I gave Mitta one more hug. "I sure will. I'll see you later, Mitta." The two of us bid each other goodbye before I watched Mitta run down the path and back towards Ponyville.

While I walked along, I enjoyed one of each of the cookies. The warmth made them very soft and chewy, just how I like my cookies. The taste of the chips went very well with the cookies. Come to think of it, do I really need to describe the flavor? Anyone who has ever eaten cookies surely has had chocolate chip cookies at some point.

Once I reached the pond, I found the area was fairly deserted. The bag of fish food Fluttershy always kept filled was still sitting in the middle of the small peninsula jutting out into it. I was tempted to take a seat by it and toss some to the fish that undoubtedly were swimming near the edge of the pond just waiting for someone to come along and feed them, but I did not want any of the flavoring to brush off onto my hand and rub onto the cookies I was carrying. Instead, I chose to walk laps around the pond to pass the time until my friend arrived.

I turned my gaze to the clouds a few times. There were not very many, but they would make for a nice hiding spot for a pegasus like Rainbow Dash. I began to wonder just who my friend was who I was supposed to meet at the pond. Was it Rainbow Dash? Perhaps Twilight Sparkle? Maybe even Applejack? Or was it someone else? Maybe Big Macintosh wanted some personal time with me so we could chat about dude stuff. Or did Lyra want to see me? I became somewhat excited at the thought of Luna coming by for a visit. But as much as I pondered the possibilities, I knew I would just have to wait and see for myself.

Before I even knew what was happening, something streaked by me at high speed while kicking up a gust of wind in the process. I was somewhat startled and staggered around for a second before I regained my balance. When I looked up, I saw a familiar rainbow vapor trail of sorts painting itself across the sky before diving down towards the pond. "Heh… I thought as much."

The flier stopped plummeting and began to hover over the pond with a pair of saddlebags hanging off her sides. "Heya, James! Did I keep you waiting?"

I smiled at the sight of my friend, not at all surprised by who it was. "Not at all, Rainbow. And whatcha got there?"

Rainbow Dash landed on the opposite side of the pond near a tree. "Come here and see for yourself!"

I did as I was told and walked around the pond to the other side while Rainbow was busy unloading her saddlebags once she had slid them off. She reached into one and pulled out a red and white checkerboard blanket. She jerked her head up while gripping one edge in her teeth before jerking it back down, causing the blanket to spread out. It was quite large, big enough around to hold me, her, and probably a full table's worth of food. "We having a picnic?"

Rainbow grinned at me, "There's no better time than today to have one!" She then reached into the bags and set out various foods. They ranged from sandwiches to chips to a salad to even a few cupcakes.

"Man, you spared no expense here." I spoke while approaching my friend as she took a seat on the blanket.

"Heheh… Yeah, I didn't want this to be just any old picnic. Today's a special day after all." Rainbow Dash replied with a somewhat nervous smile. The same nervousness I had seen with her a few times before since…

I was starting to get a sinking feeling in my gut. Something was telling me to come up with an excuse to get away from Rainbow Dash. But as I looked at her, Rainbow was gently patting the empty space beside herself with a calm smile. She clearly wanted my company. And she had put in quite a bit of effort to prepare this picnic for us. It would be extremely rude to turn it down at the last second. What was more, I had not been given any reason to doubt Rainbow Dash in months. Granted, she has done a few things that really got under my skin, but that feels like ages ago. Doing my best to ignore my gut instinct, I approached her with a smile. Surely one's instinct is not always right….. Right?

"So, you were wanting to see me today?" I asked while taking a seat beside my brazen pegasus friend.

She nodded with a rather uneasy smile, "Yep. I honestly wasn't sure if you were going to show up."

I replied, "I kinda thought it was gonna be you. Today is the 'special day' you told me about last month, right?"

Rainbow Dash seemed to blush just slightly, almost looking like she was starting to sweat. What was wrong with her? "Heheh… You remember that, huh?" She then playfully tapped my head with her hoof, "Should've known. You almost seem like you're just as much of an egghead as Twilight sometimes."

I rolled my eyes at her claim, "Some things just stand out in your memory more than others." I then asked, "Well… Today is the day you promised, right? So, what's up? What's been up with you over the last month?"

I was not surprised by her response. Rainbow Dash instantly became nervous. Almost panicked, even. "Yeah, I did promise you, huh? Well… Uh…" She then grinned at me with a pleading gaze, "Uh… If it's cool with you, can we wait until we've finished lunch first? That might help me calm my nerves."

I nodded, knowing how good for the mind a tasty meal can be. "OK then." I then browsed our selection again and noticed that there were no drinks. "Are there any beverages?"

Rainbow Dash's expression at those words seemed…..odd. As if it was conflicted. "Huh? Oh, right. Just a sec." She then reached into the closest saddlebag again and pulled out a thermos, the container hanging from her teeth by its handle. "Right here. It's a little special brew I whipped up just for us." She then began to try to twist the lid off with her hooves. As one would expect, she failed.

"Oh come on. Why are these so hard to get open?!" Rainbow grumbled as she grabbed the lid by her teeth and began to roll across the ground while growling like a pestered dog. I could not help snicker at this silly display.

"Need a hand, Rainbow?" I asked while wiggling my fingers at her.

After pausing for a moment, the silly pegasus turned her gaze towards me. "A hand is exactly what this calls for!" She then trotted over to me and let me take the thermos in hand before I firmly grasped the lid and removed it with a few twists. "I dunno why they even designed something like that if only unicorns can get it open without any problems." Rainbow grumbled with a jealous frown, her gaze directed at my hands.

I replied, "Makes you wonder what nutjob even designed it in the first place. This thing is borderline ponyproof." As I spoke, Rainbow Dash set out what seemed to be a martini glass. It seemed to be made of plastic instead of glass though. "Huh. Going for a fancy look this time, hm?"

Rainbow replied with another uneasy gaze. "Yeah, I wanted to go the extra mile with this picnic. This isn't any old day, so this shouldn't be any old picnic."

"Heh, good point." I spoke before pouring the contents into the glass. It was a bright purple in color. And as it poured, bubbles rose from it. I could not help but smile at what I was seeing. "Ha, the bubbles are in the shape of hearts! Did Pinkie Pie come up with this?"

She replied with a surprisingly somber smile, "Uh… Yeah, Pinkie Pie came up with that just for Hearts and Hooves Day. And she wanted me to ask you to try it. She wants to know if it'll be worth selling."

I set the thermos down and gently picked the glass up in my hand. "I'll give it a taste now and let you know."

I lightly sniffed the air above the glass. The beverage was giving off an amazingly sweet aroma. But just as I was starting to bring the glass to my lips, Rainbow Dash let out a groan. "I can't do it!" Immediately after that, she lashed out with her hoof, smacking the glass out of my hand and to the ground, spilling the beverage all over the ground.

"What the… Rainbow, what was that for?!" I spoke loudly, casting an irritated gaze towards my friend. She had only just asked me to try it, so why stop me at the last second?

Rainbow Dash was directing her gaze towards the ground, her head tilted down. "I won't lie anymore… That wasn't something Pinkie Pie came up with… It was something I found in the library. The recipe, I mean." She then looked up at me with a very guilty expression, "That isn't punch or anything like that. It's a love potion."

I am not sure why, but that made me burst out laughing. "Bwahahahaha! A love potion?! Seriously?! Sounds like something out of a fairy tale."

As I slowly stopped laughing, I noticed that Rainbow Dash's expression was still just as somber as a few seconds ago. This clearly was not a laughing matter to her. "You… You're serious?"

Rainbow sighed, "Yeah… But…I can't do it… It's not right… Fluttershy would never forgive me."

That sinking feeling in my gut returned in an instant. I could feel myself beginning to sweat. "Rainbow, what are you trying to tell me?"

The pegasus mare turned her gaze at me as tears began to stream down her face, "What do you think?!"

Unreal. I was having difficulty wrapping my head around what was happening. Rainbow Dash… That boastful energetic daredevil… She has a crush on me?! "Rainbow… How long have you…"

She sighed while bowing her head, regaining some of her composure. "Since the night we saved Nightmare Moon…" She then gazed at me, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I saw how far you went to defend me from her. You… You even got hurt protecting me…" She then bowed her head again and closed her eyes while grittng her teeth, "Sometimes, that memory plays in my mind without warning… I honestly thought that was the last time I was ever gonna see you alive… I've never felt so scared as I did when I watched you walk away…"

I listened silently, unsure of what to say. I had never once expected to be caught between two women, especially with one of them being my polar opposite. "In all honesty… I've always liked you. You were never anything like me. Laidback, quiet, reserved. But for some reason, I really liked that about you." Rainbow then sighed, "I know you and I go together like oil and water sometimes. I know I've done some things that ticked you off and we bump heads pretty often…"

I spoke softly, "It's called 'opposites attract'. I don't know where that philosophy started, but it seems to be true."

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah, that… Whoever came up with that saying knew what they were talking about."

After a moment had passed, I found the words I was looking for. "Rainbow… When all is said and done, I'm with another woman."

Out of nowhere, Rainbow Dash let out a sob. "I know, all right?! Why did it take me this long to figure out how I really felt about you?! Why did you and Fluttershy get so close in just your first week in Ponyville?!"

I bowed my head and sighed, "I really don't have an answer to that… Maybe we just meshed better… But that's not to say you and I couldn't mesh."

Rainbow Dash suddenly earned against me, her head resting against my chest while gazing downward. I placed my hand on her shoulder in the hopes of comforting her at least a little. "James… Tell me honestly. Do you think…if you weren't spoken for… Do you think you and I would mesh together pretty well?"

This was not an easy question for me to answer. I had an answer, but voicing it would be awkward. Regardless, I spoke softly. "If that's you're way of asking if I would ever develop the kind of feelings for you that I have for Fluttershy… The answer is yes."

Rainbow clearly was not expecting such an answer since she immediately looked up at me with a tearful yet bewildered gaze. "Wait… Seriously?"

I sighed, averting my eyes while looking out at the pond ahead of me. "Like you said, you and I have little in common and bump heads often. But…that never stopped me from finding you attractive."

My friend said nothing, so I continued. "You're brash and far from ladylike, but I somehow find that to be an endearing quality. I like your personality, despite the parts of it I occasionally have issues with, and I even find you to be physically beautiful in your own unique way. In the long run… Maybe. Just maybe it would've worked."

I remained silent while awaiting a response from Rainbow Dash. It felt I should say no more until I got a retort of some sort. She finally muttered, "Have you...ever thought of me like that?"

I sighed, bowing my head. "As ashamed as I am to admit it, there have been a few times in the back of my mind where I did think of you in a more intimate way." I noticed Rainbow Dash blush deeply at my words before showing a faint somber smile.

And, of course, there was one question on my mind that had been lingering since the moment I first saw Rainbow Dash that day. "But what is the exact reason why you wanted to wait until today before telling me all this?"

Rainbow Dash let out a long sigh, seemingly gathering her courage. Despite her ego and enthusiasm, it was understandable that she was taking her time to build courage for this. "Because…this is the one day of the year I can get away with saying this to you…"

She then started to raise her head until her lips were right next to my ear. With a tender whisper, she spoke. "I love you."

Those three special words. Words I both dreaded and felt lucky to hear. How can that sacred saying bring so much stress? Somewhere in my heart, I was thrilled to hear those words come from her. But everywhere else, I was hot, sweating, and overcome with anxiety. What if Fluttershy found out about this? Would it sabotage their friendship?

Rainbow Dash must have been able to see just how much those words bothered me since she placed her hoof on my hand. "James… It's just for today. Everything will go back to normal tomorrow."

I suppose she was right. Hearts and Hooves Day only comes once a year. It is not like it takes up an entire weekend. I managed to let out some of my stress by taking a deep breath. But as I did so, I felt Rainbow Dash rest her head against the center of my torso. "Heh… I like the way you always breathe deeply. It's calming to listen to up close like this."

That somehow caused me to crack a smirk. "That's involuntary. I always seem to breathe deeply. Can't help it."

Rainbow Dash sighed as she held her head against me, one ear against my body. "Nah, it's cool. That's just one little thing I like about you. Nopony else constantly breathes long and deep like you. Or at least nopony I know."

I felt grateful that such a simple topic had taken my mind off of the stress from just a moment before. Maybe the same was calming Rainbow Dash as well. She seemed noticeably calmer now. But after a moment, she broke the silence and asked, "James… May I ask you a request?"

I did not like where this was going, but I decided to at least hear her out. "OK. What is it?"

Rainbow Dash then asked in a remarkably meek manner, "Could we…you know… Make out?"

I slightly winced at those words. "Wait… Really?"

She looked up at me with a pleading gaze that bordered on desperate. "Just for today… I want to know what it's like to be your girlfriend… What it's like to…" She suddenly gagged in a humorous fashion that forced me to suppress a chuckle. "Bleh, I can't believe I'm sounding so sappy saying all this…"

"Well, it does sound weird coming from you of all ponies." I spoke with a faint smile. "But I know what you're trying to say."

Rainbow's expression became one of…hope, perhaps? "Then…can we?"

After a moment to contemplate what she was asking, I decided that there was no harm in it. I mean kisses between certain friends are fairly common in showings of affection. I know Rarity will often kiss me, and Pinkie Pie and Nightmare Moon have done so at times too. I too have given kisses to some of my closest friends, such as Scootaloo. A more intimate kiss from another dear friend could not possibly have any consequences behind it. At least I hope so. "OK. Just one kiss."

The wings on the blue pegasus suddenly sprang open as a very excited grin spread across her face. "Really?! You mean it?! Awesome!" Man, she must have been really looking forward to getting the chance to do that with me.

"Uh… Yes, I mean it. But…uh…" I muttered, starting to feel nervous from her eagerness.

Rainbow Dash's grin became one that was a bit more sheepish. "Oh, sorry. Guess I shouldn't be THAT worked up over it, huh?" She then smiled calmly, "All right. So… How do we do this? You've got more experience with this than me."

I rolled my eyes. This girl probably had no real experience in romance. "OK… I'll lead. But make sure you relax, all right? Making out isn't a really big deal."

Rainbow nodded, moving closer towards me. Sitting down, we were eyelevel with each other. I reached out and gently caressed her mane to help set the mood. It seemed to work a little too well since Rainbow Dash suddenly tensed up at my touch. She let out a faint gasp, her eyes closing while her face showed…ecstasy?

"Um… Rainbow?" I asked softly, wondering what was going through her head.

Her eyes opened partially before she spoke very quietly, "Keep going… You know I want this."

Something felt very wrong here. A little voice in my head was telling me to stop. However, I pushed it off to the side. I did not want to disappoint Rainbow Dash further. As I stroked her mane, my other hand gently cupped her cheek. She seemed to know where I was going with it since she started to lean closer. Her expression was dreamy, as if she was in a trance. I was hardly doing anything. Her raw emotions must have been pushing her on.

I leaned towards her, narrowing the gap between our faces. I could feel her breath on my chin. Warm and long, Rainbow Dash was breathing heavily. In unison, we closed our eyes and sealed lips. The kiss was brief, but it did not stop there. Over and over, I softly kissed her. And I will admit I was enjoying it. But after a brief moment of that, I got a surprise when Rainbow Dash suddenly embraced me and kissed me more deeply and passionately than Fluttershy ever had.

This sudden approach caught me entirely by surprise, pushing me to the ground. Rainbow Dash was practically laying on top of me, smothering me with the most powerful kiss of my life with her tongue grinding against my own. I could hear faint muffled moans deep in her throat. Good lord… She loves me. She definitely loves me. My arms wrapped around her again as I pushed into the kiss as well. It felt wrong…yet so right.

However, I soon felt something that sent a faint chill down my spine. I could feel something brushing…against my crotch. Her tail. I did not pay much mind to it at first, but the intense affection I was receiving combined with that faint sensation was starting to leave me hot and bothered. What was more, I could feel the flat firm hooves on Rainbow Dash's feet firmly pressing into my legs while pulling downwards. As if…..she was trying to slide my pants off.

I was instantly filled with panic as I realized what Rainbow Dash was trying to do. I managed to free my mouth long enough to mutter, "Rainbow… We really shouldn't… I'm already spoken for…"

My friend looked down at me with an expression of very powerful desire. She whispered with a very deep blush on her face, "I can't help it… I've wanted this for too long…" She then silenced me with another kiss, my pants slowly starting to give way while her legs continued to pull down on them.

This was bad. But at the same time, I felt guilty knowing just how much Rainbow Dash craved me by that point. I was going to be furious with myself for what was about to happen. Struggling against her, I managed to slide the palms of my hands under her chest and push upward. With a great heave, I hurled the pegasus off of me and over the picnic blanket. She let out a shocked yelp, landing on her side across from the blanket.

I slowly sat up, panting from the mental stress I had just gone through. I know it would have been wrong to allow Rainbow Dash to have gone all the way with her desires, but it still made me sick to myself knowing that I had forced her away from me so abruptly and harshly.

Rainbow Dash did not move at first, her back facing me while she remained on her side. I finally decided to speak up, "Rainbow… I'm sorry. That is the one thing I just can't give you."

Very slowly, Rainbow Dash began to sit up. However, I noticed faint noises coming from her while her body seemed to shudder. Just before she could reach a sitting position, she collapsed and buried her face in her forelegs. What followed was one of the hardest noises to listen to I had ever heard in my life. Rainbow Dash began to scream and wail as she lied before me, just bawling her eyes out. I knew what I had to do was going to hurt her, even if it needed to be done, but it did not make the result any less agonizing for either of us.

It was very difficult to watch someone who had long ago established herself as a tough dependable individual brought to her knees and crying. I could not even bring myself to look at her. I covered my face in shame with one hand, feeling absolutely awful that I had broken her heart.

I waited and waited for Rainbow Dash's crying to cease. Moments went by, but the sound of her voice did not truly stop. What started as wailing slowly turned into sniffling and light sobs. It was then that I lowered my hand to look at her. She was still lying where she fell, head still resting on her forelegs. Her face was turned away, preventing me from seeing her expression. She was still making absolutely pitiful sounds, clearly still devastated from being so forcefully rejected.

I knew I had hurt her and I was afraid to approach Rainbow Dash as a result. But I knew I was the only person who could comfort her then. After taking a deep breath to brace myself, I climbed to my feet and walked around the picnic blanket before kneeling next to the weeping pegasus. I silently caressed her mane, waiting for her to look up at me. Ever so slowly, she began to raise her head.

"Rainbow…?" I spoke softly, constantly stroking her mane with my hand. When she looked up at me, her beautiful rose-colored eyes were puffy. Tears were still streaming down her face, more than I had seen on anyone in quite a while. "Are you all right now?"

She squeaked out a response while choking on her tears, "I'm sorry…"

I whispered in response, "It's OK, Rainbow… I don't hate you…"

Ever so slowly, I felt Rainbow Dash sit up and wrap her forelegs around me. She shuddered constantly, her face buried in my chest. "I couldn't help it… I… I just love you so much…. So much, I can't stand it…"

I asked softly, feeling guiltier by the moment. "Is that why you tried to use a love potion on me?"

I heard Rainbow speak, "I was desperate… I've never met a guy like you before… I've only met guys who like to act tough all the time, or dudes who are all talk. You… You're the only guy I know who's really gentle and sweet, but really does get tough when you need to…" She then looked up at me, her face still soaked from her tears. "That's what drew me to you, James… You're awesome…and that's part of why I love you so much…"

To think the events that took place on the night of Nightmare Moon's return could develop into something like this. I sighed, "I'm not that awesome, Rainbow. I just do what I have to in order to help my friends…"

I felt Rainbow apply a bit more of her weight against me, showing that she was leaning against me. "You're pretty humble too. I like that. I could learn a lot from you."

I spoke quietly, "You know… I've noticed that you haven't been as boastful since the night we brought Nightmare Moon home. You might let your ego take over now and then, but I don't see it as often anymore."

Rainbow Dash let out a sigh, "I think that's because of you… I think you rubbed off on me."

I let out a sigh, "Well… Don't completely let go of that part of your personality. I kinda like that about you."

Over the course of the next few minutes, I noticed that Rainbow Dash had stopped crying. "Rainbow, are you feeling better?"

The pegasus mare let out a long sigh. "Kinda… I… I guess just being next to you like this helps me relax… But…" She then pushed her face against my chest, her head tilted down. "I still want you…but I know I can't have you…"

I somehow managed to crack a smile when I replied, "Do you…want another kiss?"

Rainbow Dash suddenly looked up at me with a tearful, yet bewildered expression. "Huh? Seriously?"

I rolled my eyes, feeling slightly better that she was no longer horribly depressed. "Rainbow, you know it's no secret that Rarity likes to give me smooches sometimes. Pinkie Pie occasionally does it and I know Nightmare Moon does." I then nuzzled her face while gently holding her in another embrace. "I wouldn't mind one from you now and then too."

My friend's expression immediately brightened with hope. "You… I'd love to kiss you again… But…are you sure you're OK with it?"

I asked in return, "The real question is do you mind letting anyone see you kiss me."

Rainbow surprised me with a smirk, "Ahh, let 'em think what they want. This is the guy who risked his neck to save me from Nightmare Moon. He's earned my love."

"Now there's the Rainbow Dash I know and love." I replied, the mood improving drastically in an instant now that she was back to her old self.

I watched as Rainbow Dash sat up and threw her forelegs around me in a tight embrace. "Remember, Rainbow. Nothing fancy this time."

She nodded while looking at me in the eyes, "I know. I won't let my desires get the best of me again." With nothing else to say, we both closed our eyes and sealed lips once more.

This kiss felt more at ease and gentle than the last. Less like a passionate kiss between lovers and more like sweet sincere affection between very dear friends. Although… I must confess that if I were not involved with another woman, I would have likely accepted Rainbow's feelings for me. And after all we had been through in the Everfree Forest last month, I suppose it is safe to say that she and I probably go beyond just friends. Definitely someone I can trust with my life.

As we kissed, I felt Rainbow Dash completely relax in my grasp. She was definitely feeling better by then. However, I froze when I heard a gasp somewhere to my left. Rainbow Dash seemed to hear it too since her eyes opened wide. We both turned to look at the source of the voice. Of all times…

"Wha… What are you doing…?" Fluttershy spoke as she stared at me and Rainbow Dash tightly embracing each other. I felt a slight pain in my heart when I saw that tears were slowly trickling down her cheeks.

I could not even bring myself to speak. I could only sit there, holding onto my friend. Fortunately, Rainbow Dash managed to let go of me and face Fluttershy. "It's not what it looks like, Fluttershy… We…"

My girlfriend let out a sob and she raised her voice, "I thought… Why didn't you tell…" She could not continue what she was going to say. She closed her eyes and turned to run away.

"Hold on!" Rainbow Dash shouted before swooping in front of Fluttershy in an instant. Fluttershy suddenly stopped and took a step back as Rainbow stood before her. "This isn't his fault, Fluttershy!" She then bowed her head and sighed, "It was mine."

Fluttershy looked back at me before looking at Rainbow Dash before looking back at me and asking, "Re… Really? You didn't know…?"

I shook my head, feeling extremely anxious over the situation. Hot sweat was constantly oozing from my pours as I spoke, "I did not expect all of this either."

Rainbow Dash sighed, "I'm sorry, Fluttershy… Ever since the night where we saved Nightmare Moon… These feelings just… They wouldn't leave me alone…" Once more I saw tears beginning to build at the edge of Rainbow's eyes. "I admit it, Fluttershy! I'm in love with your boyfriend! I waited until today because… Well, it's Hearts and Hooves Day! I thought today would be the best time to confess… And… I couldn't stop myself…"

There was a moment of silence before Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy and smiled, the tears finally flowing free. "You're very lucky, Fluttershy… He didn't give in. That guy's heart belongs only to you. And I don't think I'll ever be able to change that."

Fluttershy immediately turned to face me, a smile of intense relief gazing at me. "You… You didn't leave me?"

I shook my head and smiled, "Of course not, honey. You're the one I love. And I don't care how sappy that sounds."

Fluttershy gave me her brightest grin and galloped towards me before sailing into my arms, giving me the tightest hug I had received all day. "Thank goodness… I don't know what'd I do if I lost you…"

I sighed as I hugged her back, "Neither do I."

The two of us cuddled and nuzzled each other like total sweethearts, both of us absolutely relieved that we were still lovers. I could feel all of my stress just oozing out of me, as if Fluttershy's tight embrace was just wringing the bad feelings out. However, I could see Rainbow Dash standing where she had been a few seconds earlier. She was just gazing at us with a truly forlorn expression. I knew exactly what she was feeling. Watching someone you love being with someone else is never a pleasant experience.

"I hope you two are happy together…" Rainbow Dash finally spoke with a truly melancholy tone.

Fluttershy seemed to notice the unusual tone of voice her friend used and looked at her without releasing me from her grasp. "Rainbow Dash… Are you going to be all right?"

Rainbow Dash suddenly raised her head and grinned boldly, "Yeah! I'm fine! Never better! You know me! I'm always on cloud 9!" But seconds later, she let out a sigh and bowed her head, "Oh, who am I kidding? I'm super bummed… I mean…how do you think I should feel?"

Fluttershy looked up at me and whispered, "Please excuse me for a bit, honey." I nodded and let her go, allowing her to drop to the ground before she walked over to our friend. "Rainbow… I'm sorry that you and James can't be together… Please understand."

The brazen pegasus mare sighed, "I do understand… But…it doesn't make it any easier to take!"

My girlfriend then asked, "Well…how much do you love him?"

Rainbow Dash clearly hesitated for a moment before replying, "Enough to make him drink a love potion to make him mine forever…"

That look on Fluttershy's face. She was utterly speechless at that response. I too felt extremely warm and was probably even blushing at those words. How could I not be flattered? "You would… Um… I guess… You must really love him…"

Our friend groaned before bowing her head again, "I almost did that too… I feel sick to myself knowing I even considered that… I'm sorry, Fluttershy. Can you ever forgive me?"

My girlfriend did not hesitate with her response. She smiled sweetly and nodded, "I do, Rainbow. I know you love him and I know you have good reason to. I…" She then bowed her head and smiled sheepishly, "I think…I might've done the same… Maybe. If I had a moment of confidence."

Rainbow Dash gave Fluttershy a slight grin before the two of them embraced in an adorable hug. I could not help but cross my arms and smile. I suppose those two really do go back quite a ways. However, once they let go of each other, Rainbow Dash then gave me another brief forlorn gaze before looking back at Fluttershy. "Hey, Fluttershy? Um… I have a favor to ask."

Fluttershy smiled, "What is it, Rainbow?"

Rainbow glanced at me for a second before gulping hard. "Um… If it's OK with both of you… Could I…uh…hang with you two for the rest of the day?"

I raised an eyebrow at that request. "You mean…with me?"

My friend groaned, blushing from the sheer awkwardness of the situation. "You know what I mean! I just can't find the right words for it!"

Fluttershy seemed to blush faintly at what Rainbow Dash was requesting. "Uh… I… I don't know. I mean…two mares with one stallion…"

Our friend shook her sides from side to side, "No no no, not like that! I mean…uh…"

I then spoke up, "You mean you want us to go out on something of a double date."

Rainbow raised her hoof and smiled, "Yeah, that's it! A date!"

Fluttershy giggled, "Then why didn't you just say so? It's not that hard to ask somepony out for a date… Or at least, it wouldn't be hard for anypony besides me." But she then seemed to fully comprehend the request since her face changed to one of…I suppose uncertainty.

Rainbow Dash dropped to her knees and held her hooves together, "Please, Fluttershy? Just for today? It is Hearts and Hooves Day, you know. I'll never bring this up again! Please, just for this one day outta the whole year!"

I honestly rolled my eyes at just how desperate Rainbow was acting. I will admit it was starting to become rather laughable. Fluttershy soon looked back at me and asked, "Do you think we should?"

This was truly an awkward request and I was not entirely certain of how to respond. "Uh… Well… I guess we can as long as we put some limits down."

Rainbow Dash suddenly leaped into the air, her wings holding her aloft. "YES!"

Fluttershy then sighed, "All right. I'm willing to try, but we need to place some limits."

I nodded, "No smooching, no intimate cuddling, nothing of the sort that may give others the impression that you and I may be seeing each other. Because we are not."

It honestly did not feel good to say those words to Rainbow Dash, and her disappointed expression only amplified my guilt. "OK… I know what you mean. And I think that's fine."

Fluttershy then smiled reassuringly and patted Rainbow Dash on the shoulder. "It'll be OK, Rainbow. But what would you like to do first?"

Our friend looked around with a frown before her eyes fell upon the picnic under the tree nearby. It still had all the food from before spread out on it. She then looked at us with a more neutral expression, her hoof outstretched towards it. "Wanna do lunch?"

I asked, "Is there enough for all of us?"

Rainbow Dash showed a faint smile before nodding, "There should be. I packed a lot today just to be safe if Pinkie Pie crashed the party."

Fluttershy scratched her chin, "Come to think of it, she stuck her head out of one of my birdhouses today and was gone a moment later. How does she do that?"

The brazen pegasus rolled her eyes, "That's nothing! She stuck her head outta my bathtub drain once! Right before she fell through the whole thing since it's made of clouds. Good thing she had a trampoline under my house when that happened."

I crossed my arms with a smile, "Looks like we won't be bored during this meal."

The three of us took a seat on the blanket and started passing around the food to each other. There was half a dozen cupcakes for dessert, making two for each of us. The topic of the conversation was, like before, Pinkie Pie. I mostly stayed silent in order to hear everything my friends had to say about that silly pony. Some memorable mentions were when she triggered a buffalo attack on a frontier town named Appleloosa by singing a truly abominable song, lured away a massive swarm of something called 'Parasprites' by playing AND carrying an absurd number of musical instruments simultaneously, and went far out of her way to earn the friendship of a new arrival in Ponyville who seemed to be a cranky old curmudgeon who goes by the name of Cranky Doodle Donkey. The fact that I have not seen such a person in Ponyville during the last eight or nine months despite the fact that he seems to live near town led me to believe that he must be quite a recluse. I have occasionally crossed paths with a kindly female donkey named Matilda on occasion, so I assume they must know each other.

"Yeah, that! Oh, and the time she helped us out when we went looking for Applejack! How'd she fit all those cherries into her mouth without bursting? That looked like it hurt!" Rainbow Dash added while looking towards Fluttershy.

Fluttershy shook her head. "I don't know. But I remember when Twilight first saw her Pinkie Sense work. It was kind of funny to see everything she predicted happening to Twilight and nopony else."

I spoke up and asked, "Why only her?"

Rainbow Dash grinned, "Probably because she was a nonbeliever. You know her. She has a hard time believing anything that can't really be explained."

Fluttershy then added, "She told me once that even magic is easier to understand since it's something you study and practice."

I cocked my head to one side and crossed my arms, "If she has such a hard time understanding the Pinkie Sense, then would you kindly ask her next time you see her to explain just how magic works? And why only unicorns can use it. And just HOW their horns let them use magic."

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stared at me with blank expressions before staring at each other. A second later, they suddenly burst into laughter before collapsing on their sides. "Oh, my gut! You're right! I'm so gonna call her out on that today!" Rainbow Dash cackled.

Fluttershy was giggling loudly, probably more enthusiastically than I had ever seen. "Ohoho my…. Hehehee, I wish I had thought of that back then!"

I smirked while rolling my eyes, "Then how about we pay a visit to the library today just to call her out on that?"

Rainbow Dash snickered, "I'm all for it! Can't wait to see what kinda reaction she'll have! Right, Fluttershy?"

My girlfriend giggled with a hoof over her mouth, "Oh, I think that does sound funny. I can almost… Heeheeheeheehee!" She must have just had a very strong mental image of Twilight's reaction to such a question if she broke down giggling like that.

"That's gonna be the highlight of the day, I'm sure." I spoke with a smirk while snacking on some chips.

Nothing of significance occurred during the rest of the meal. Once we had finished, we piled the used plates and blanket back into the picnic basket. "Did you remember to dump out the rest of that love potion?" I asked Rainbow, who was shaking out the thermos it was contained in.

"Yep! Nopony should ever drink this stuff." She replied, replacing the lid once she had emptied every drop from it and placed it inside the basket.

"What should we do with the basket before we go see Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow replied, "Well, all this stuff is mine, so I'll fly by my place and drop it off."

I then added, "In ten seconds flat. Right?"

Just as Rainbow Dash was about to grab the basket's handle in her mouth, she looked over her shoulder at me with a smirk. "You know it. Start counting as soon as I take off."

"You got it." I replied. As soon as she took the handle in her mouth, Rainbow spread her wings and bolted into the sky, flying somewhere to the southeast.

I crossed my arms and tapped my foot with each passing second. Fluttershy seemed to be looking down at it too, probably keeping track as well. Five seconds went by. Then six. Then seven and so forth. But just as I tapped my foot a tenth time, a familiar rainbow trail popped up in the distance. "Not quite ten seconds flat, but she did manage to come into our sight in time."

"Oooh, she's going to be so disappointed." Fluttershy spoke with a frown.

"Don't tell her. She still succeeded by a technicality." I replied with a smile. Fluttershy smiled back at me while also giving me a nod.

Rainbow Dash bolted towards us and landed right next to us in the blink of an eye, not sliding across the ground at all. "Ten. Seconds. Flat."

I nodded with a smile, "You sure did. Ready to go?"

She grinned brightly, "Oh yeah, can't wait to see Twilight's reaction." Without any further delays, we departed from the pond and started heading back towards Ponyville.

The park was still full of ponies having a good time, as well as plenty of young couples. In fact, I saw a pair of donkeys leaning against each other on a bench, clearly in love. They had their eyes closed and seemed to just be enjoying each other's company. The female was obviously Matilda, her dark brown mane elegantly kempt while wearing a small turquoise earring and a frilly white collar with an identical round turquoise brooch in the center. The male was quite possibly Cranky Doodle himself. He definitely looked like a man who is past his prime and was not wearing much, though his mane was… Huh. I do not know why, but that stylish tall golden mane on his head seemed fake. A wig, possibly? "Is that him over there? Cranky Ko… I mean Doodle Donkey?" I do not know where it came from, but thinking of the name 'Cranky' caused me to imagine him in a rocking chair while lecturing Pinkie Pie while occasionally pausing to bop her lightly on the head with a walking stick. Heh, I can honestly see myself calling him Cranky Doodle Monkey someday.

Fluttershy turned and looked before smiling, "Oh, yes. That's him. And that's Matilda… Oh, I'm sorry. You've met her before, right?"

I nodded, "Not often, but I have. She's a sweetheart."

Rainbow added, "Those two go way back, from what Pinkie told me. And I see why. You think we should leave them alone?"

I smiled, "Probably. Let's get going. I still have what I want to ask Twilight fresh in my head." I could not help but smirk at the thought of her reaction.

Fluttershy let out a giggle, "Oh, yes. Let's hurry before we forget."

For the sake of getting to the good part, I will skip ahead to when we arrived at the library. Nothing of interest occurred along the way anyway. Rainbow Dash knocked on the door before pushing it open. "Hey, Twilight! Are ya home?"

A voice spoke from my right just as Fluttershy and I followed Rainbow inside. "Who?"

I turned and found Owlowiscious perched on his roost… Wow, after having not written that name for a few journals, I am amazed by just what a mouthful that name is. Regardless, Fluttershy hovered up to him and nuzzled him sweetly. "Awww, hello, Owlowiscious! How is our favorite owl doing today?" That adorable little owl cooed happily, nuzzling her back.

"Oh, hello! And Happy Hearts and Hooves Day!" I heard Twilight's voice speak up. We all looked towards one of the bookshelves carved out of the walls and found her putting a book away.

I waved with a smile while Rainbow Dash replied, "Heya, Twi! Sorry if we're popping up on short notice, but we needed to ask you something important."

Our brainy unicorn friend walked over to us calmly. "Sure! What's on your mind?"

I spoke up, "I heard about how you first experienced the Pinkie Sense for the first time while being the victim of its predictions repeatedly without ever believing it was real."

This caused Twilight to blush and bow her head with a sheepish grin instantly. "Uh… Heheheh… Yeah. That. Can't say I'm too proud to admit that. I still don't fully understand how it all works, but I would have to be a fool to deny it exists after all that. Some things just aren't meant to be understood or explained. Like the Pinkie Sense."

I then added, "Or Pinkie Pie herself, for that matter." Everyone who was present chuckled at that quip.

Fluttershy then asked, "And you said there is a big difference between that and magic?"

Twilight nodded, "There is a huge difference." She then climbed up onto the table in the center of the room and cleared her throat. I have to admit; I think she was starting to take herself a little too seriously by that point. "Magic is something you study and practice. And it only happens when you choose to make it happen. Unlike the Pinkie Sense, where it happens only when it wants to."

That was a perfect time to set our prank into motion. I glanced down at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Both pegasi mares gave me sly smirks. It was go time.

Rainbow Dash spoke first. "OK, that's cool. But…just HOW does magic work?"

Twilight replied, "That's easy! It requires mental focus that channels the magic energies through a unicorn's horn!"

Fluttershy then asked, "But why is a unicorn's horn needed to use magic?"

Twilight started to reply, "Well… The horn…it… It's connected to…" That expression clearly showed that she was having trouble finding an answer for that.

"And why does the magic aura differ for every unicorn?" Rainbow Dash asked, only adding to Twilight's frustration.

Then, just for the sake of being witty, I crossed my arms and smirked, "And why is magic called 'magic' instead of…oh…for example, 'Purple Monkey Dishwasher'?"

At those words, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash struggled to hold in their laughter before collapsing on the floor and cackling like seagulls. "Bwahaha, where did THAT come from?!"

Looking back at Twilight, it seemed that our plan was working. She was starting to twitch, her face showing very bizarre expressions with gritted teeth and diluted eyes. "That is… The reason… I think it's…" Suddenly, Twilight froze with by far the creepiest expression I had ever seen on her. Or on any pony, for that matter. I swear, I thought I heard the sound of a window cracking the instant she stopped moving. Her expression showed demented eyes with an absurdly toothy grin where I think her jaws were not properly aligned. Her mane seemed to have become bizarrely unkempt as well, as if she had just woken up with a bad case of bed head.

Rainbow Dash snickered loudly, "Oh man, it worked! We got her good! She's speechless!"

I chuckled, "Oh lord, that face. Twilight, you better stop looking at us like that. That look just screams 'pedo smile' at me."

However, Twilight did not respond. She just stood there, gazing at nothing in particular. "Uh oh… Do you think we broke her?" Fluttershy asked with a worried gaze.

"Um… Twi? Are you all right?" Rainbow Dash asked while nudging her. Twilight did not respond, but nudging her caused her to stiffly fall sideways and onto the floor. Her body's stance did not change. It was as if she was a prop for a show on TV or something. "Oh man, she's frozen solid!"

Before any of us could freak out further, a familiar voiced called from the stairs. "Not again!" Spike came running down the wooden steps and over to the petrified unicorn. "Did you think too hard about Parasprite reproduction again?!"

I looked down at the little dragon boy and asked, "Huh? This isn't the first time?"

Spike replied while dusting Twilight off with his hands, "Yeah, this happens every now and then when she gets obsessed on a really complex subject in one of her books. When it doesn't explain something very well, she tries to decipher it herself. Usually she thinks up a really good explanation, but sometimes, she burns herself out like this. The last time, it was when she tried to figure out how Parasprites multiply."

Rainbow Dash then asked, "And…did she?"

Spike crossed his arms and rolled those big eyes of his, "Nope. I came upstairs when I heard a thud and found her like this. She'll be fine in an hour of so. I just like to think her brain is 'rebooting' when she's like this."

I snickered, "Oh, Twilight… You need to just stop overthinking things and roll with it sometimes."

Spike groaned, "Don't ever tell her that. She HATES it whenever I say it." But he then smirked, "Which always makes it satisfying when I tell her I told her so whenever she wakes up from this." He patted Twilight's side, the petrified unicorn showing no reaction whatsoever.

Fluttershy did her best to not laugh, but still had to cover her mouth to show she was not grinning at those words. "She can be very stubborn sometimes. I wonder if she got that from Applejack?"

I smirked, "At least her stubbornness can prove funny when it backfires on her like this."

Spike smiled, "Well, I better get her upstairs so she wakes up comfortable." He then somehow picked up Twilight in both hands, carrying her over his head. For such a little guy, Spike seems to have a lot of power in him. I suppose carrying around mountains of books for Twilight on a daily basis helps bulk a man up. "Thanks for stopping by though! And Happy Hearts and Hooves Day!"

Rainbow smiled and waved goodbye, "No problem, Spike! And thanks!"

However, just before Spike could walk up the stairs and out of sight, he turned and looked at us again. His eyes seemed to scan all three of us before he smirked. "Hey, do any of you have special someponies for today? Or is there something going on here?"

Man, that kid is sharp! How did he know?! All three of us became nervous at those words. "Of… Of course we do! You know James and I are lovers!" Fluttershy replied while leaning against me cutely, my hand caressing the side of her head in response.

"Yeah! Uh… James and Fluttershy are sweethearts! I was just along for the fun!" Rainbow Dash replied with a nervous grin.

Spike nodded, "OK, I getcha. It's definitely gonna make for a fun moment when she wakes up. Anyway, see ya!" He then ran out of sight and upstairs.

Rainbow breathed a sigh of relief, "That was close. You think he was onto us?"

I replied, "That kid would have to have a pretty dirty mind to consider something like that. Unless he doesn't know about that sort of thing and thought we were just hanging out with each other for the day. Although I was almost expecting him to ask 'what kind of fun' after what you said, Rainbow."

Fluttershy then whispered, "I think we should get out of here before he comes back down." Rainbow and I nodded before leaving the library as quickly as possible.

Once we were outside, Rainbow Dash snickered. "Man, did you see that look on Twilight's face?! I haven't seen her look like that in over a year!"

Fluttershy giggled, "I hope she'll be OK though. It was kind of creepy when she froze up like that."

I replied, "But it was soooo worth it."

Rainbow nodded, "Heheh, totally!"

Fluttershy then smiled, "Well, now that we did that, what's next?"

Rainbow replied, "How about a day out on the town?"

I crossed my arms, "Isn't that what we kinda agreed on?" I then thought for a moment before asking, "Actually, I'm kinda curious of what the fillies are up to at school. You think they're at recess yet?"

Rainbow Dash took to the air and spoke, "I'll go check!" She then took off to the northwest. Not even eight seconds later, she came back and landed before me. "Yup! They're all out in the playground. Looks like they just started too."

Fluttershy smiled, "Should we go say hello?"

I nodded, "Sounds good. I'd love to see what they did with that card they made today." We then started to walk away from the library and through Ponyville, trying to find the best route to the local schoolhouse.

Not much later, the sound of children began to fill the air. We must have been getting close. The many humble houses of Ponyville started to give way to many trees as we reached the edge of town. The red schoolhouse stood in the distance while numerous colorful fillies and colts were playing in the playground next to it.

The three of us had taken a more scenic route this time, having decided to walk through the trees and bushes instead of following the usual dirt path. As a result, we were looking out at the kids from behind a bush. "Looks like they're in the Hearts and Hooves spirit too." Fluttershy spoke softly.

"Yep. And it looks like they've all got plenty of cards passed around." Rainbow Dash added. Indeed, each of the kids seemed to be carrying or looking through several cards that more often than not were in the shape of hearts. However, I noticed a sight that caught me by surprise.

"Hey, what's wrong with…" I muttered. Off to the sides was Diamond Tiara. I almost always find her with Silver Spoon, but this time even Silver Spoon was taking part in all of the fun the other kids were having. But for whatever reason, Diamond Tiara was not. In her hooves was a single card. Despite this though, she seemed utterly miserable. A far cry from the egotistical bully she was when I first encountered her months ago.

"Huh… What's up with her? And why does she only have one card? All the others have at least five!" Rainbow Dash spoke, clearly noticing what I was seeing.

Fluttershy added, "She only has one… Why is that? I thought she was popular in school."

I sighed, "I'm guessing that whole incident from way back when I first showed up here must've resulted in some fallout with her classmates."

Rainbow Dash suddenly let out a snicker, "Oh yeah! No wonder. We called her out right in front of the class when we confronted her about where you went! The whole classroom must've heard us!"

Fluttershy seemed to blush with a frown, "I'm worried I went too far… I lost control when she didn't seem guilty for causing you to hide in the Everfree Forest…"

I gently hugged my girlfriend with one arm and smiled, "Actually, I'm honored you girls went to such lengths to locate me." I then looked back over at Diamond Tiara in the distance. "But I'm not surprised none of the students want anything to do with her anymore. Harassing someone to the point of forcing them to skip town in order to protect a loved one from an outdated law is bound to wreck ones' reputation."

Fluttershy squinted her eyes as she seemed to focus on Diamond Tiara. "Can you see what that card says?"

Rainbow then suddenly pulled a telescope out of…what I assume is Pinkie Space. "Use this. I wanna know too."

I took the telescope without saying a word and looked through it after lining up its lens on the distant filly. I muttered while looking at the cover of the card, "My favorite filly… I'm guessing that one card came from her mom and dad."

As I handed the telescope back to Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy spoke. "Well, all of the kids seem pretty preoccupied with their card trading. Should we leave them be?"

I spoke with a smirk, "Not yet. Rainbow?"

Our rowdy friend came closer to me. "Yeah?"

I reached into my pocket and handed her a pair of bits. "Could you swoop by the closest store that sells holiday cards and pick one up that you think might be best suited for a child?"

My friend raised an eyebrow, "Wait a minute… You mean for her? Are you sure? After all she put you through?"

I nodded, "She's a changed filly, Rainbow. I honestly hold nothing against her anymore. And, crazy as this sounds, I do view her as a friend."

I could tell that Rainbow Dash was skeptical of my reasoning, but I knew she would not disregard it. "Well, if that's what you want, OK. I'll be right back." She then flew out of the trees and back to town, leaving me with Fluttershy.

"Do you really think you should give her a card today, dear?" Fluttershy asked me with a slight frown.

I nodded with a smile, "It's not easy watching a girl look so sad. And since we're on good terms with each other, I'd like to perk her up somehow."

My girlfriend smiled sweetly, "That's very sweet of you, James. I just hope Rainbow Dash picks a good card for her."

I suppose that was one request Rainbow Dash could not complete in just ten seconds. She did not return until at least five minutes had passed. She dropped through the treetops and landed right behind us with a rattling of leaves being shaken. "I know I didn't break any records on that one."

Fluttershy and I turned and found Rainbow standing with another heart shaped card hanging from her jaws. On the cover was a little colt with a red mane and a white coat reaching out with his forelegs as if awaiting a hug. Above him were the words 'Need a hug, friend?'. When I took the card in hand and opened it, I found some text written in bold white letters against the red card. It read 'The biggest hugs are earned. And you have earned mine!'.

I could not help but smile at just how well the card matched the situation. "Rainbow, this is perfect."

My friend grinned proudly, "Yeah, I tried to find one that matched you and her. Oh, and here's a quill." Rainbow then held out an ink quill. I have no idea where she got it, but I felt it was not necessary to ask.

I took the quill in hand and wrote in the card. 'I'm proud you. You've become a real diamond, Tiara.' I then added my name at the end to show who had sent it. "OK. I'll go give it to her now, so please wait here."

Fluttershy nodded with a smile, "We'll be watching."

I felt somewhat nervous about this, but managed to calm myself enough to walk out from the bushes and towards the schoolyard. All of the other fillies and colts were too preoccupied with each other to notice me coming and Diamond Tiara was just lying down with her hoof over her one card. It was quite a sad sight, seeing that one kid being separate from the rest of the kids. And judging by the fact that Silver Spoon was being better received by her classmates, I suspected she was more of a follower of Diamond Tiara and was more than likely more pleasant to others in the past.

Diamond Tiara did not even notice me walk up beside her. It was not until I got down on one knee and stroked her mane that she looked up at me. Her miserable expression became one of surprise. I smiled, "Hey there."

The little filly let out a sigh, "Hi… Happy Hearts and Hooves Day…"

I asked, "But you don't seem too happy… What's wrong?"

Diamond Tiara glanced over at the other chatting playing kids and sighed, "On the day you disappeared into the Everfree Forest… Everypony in the school found out. They want nothing to do with me anymore. They think I'm dangerous… And I guess I deserve it too."

It was quite refreshing to see just how much she had been humbled by that course of events in the past. I then gently patted her on the back and smiled, "Well, someone wanted me to pass you this."

The filly looked up in surprise as I held out the card to her. "Really? Who?"

I replied, "Don't know. Look inside. Maybe they left their name."

Diamond Tiara did exactly that. She took the card and opened it. Mere seconds later, her eyes started to moisten and quiver, tears starting to build at the edges. Her hooves began to shake, her teeth starting to grind. "Um… Tiara?" I asked. She truly looked like she was going to have a breakdown of some sort.

After a moment more, she squinted her eyes closed and forced out the tears. She let out a gasp before looking up at me and sobbing, "I don't deserve this!" She then jumped at me, holding onto me as tightly as she could.

I honestly did not expect Diamond Tiara to react quite that strongly. I was at a loss for words. "Uh… Tiara?"

She then squeaked out a response. "Thank you…"

I felt then that words were not needed. I smiled and wrapped my arms around my little friend, holding her against me. "The biggest hugs are earned. And here's mine." I then tightened my grasp, gently squeezing her in a tighter embrace.

I could feel Diamond Tiara trembling against me, probably just overwhelmed with emotion. My hand stroked the back of her head gently, trying to calm her down. For her to be hit this hard, she must have had a lot of pent up sadness that had been festering for the last several months. I asked softly, "Have the Cutie Mark Crusaders been good to you?"

Diamond Tiara replied quietly, her voice still faintly choked by her sobbing. "Yeah… We've been friends for a while now… It's just that everypony else won't even look at me now…"

I glanced to my right and smirked, "Well, they're looking at you now."

Diamond Tiara lifted her head and looked to her left, finding that all of the kids who just minutes ago were paying us no mind had all lined up and were silently observing us.

"Diamond Tiara, what's wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked with a look of concern.

The little filly replied, "I… Uh…" She wiggled out of my grasp before picking up her card and showing it to her classmates. "I'm just…so happy that James gave me this."

Scootaloo spoke aloud while reading it. "The biggest hugs are earned…and you've earned his?"

I nodded with a smile, "Yup. She's earned my friendship for changing her ways and stopping her bullying." I then reached out and gently rubbed her head. "And I say you really have changed for the better."

Diamond Tiara showed a tearful smile, "You really think so?"

Apple Bloom nodded, "Yeah! I can hardly remember the last time ya'll gave any of us trouble!"

Lastly, Silver Spoon stepped forward. "Diamond Tiara, I was honestly glad that you stopped being such a bully. But everypony else was just worried that you were only acting like you had stopped. You never said sorry. That's why they've been staying away from you."

I then spoke while Diamond Tiara looked up at me, "The longer you take to admit you were wrong and to seek amends, the harder it will be. Do you want to wait any longer?"

She did not take long at all to reply. "No…" The little filly then looked back at her classmates and asked with tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry… I wish I never did all those things… Can you all forgive me?"

What happened next was one of the cutest things I had ever seen. The entire group of kids let out a simultaneous aww before coming forward and holding Diamond Tiara in a massive group hug.

Seconds later, there was the sound of a bell ringing. "Was that the bell for class?"

The herd of foals started to spread out. "Sure was. We better get goin' ta class." Apple Bloom replied.

"It was great see you here, James. I'll see you at home when school gets out!" Scootaloo added before giving me a quick hug. I patted her on the head and smiled in response.

Silver Spoon then smiled, "Are you coming, Diamond Tiara?"

Our friend nodded while wiping the tears from her eyes, "Uh huh… I'll be right there."

The schoolchildren started to clear out of the playground and entered the schoolhouse. But Diamond Tiara stayed behind a moment longer while gathering up her cards. She gazed up at me while I looked down at her. She seemed to be having trouble finding the right words. But she eventually spoke softly, "Thank you…"

I nodded and smiled, "No problem. Have a good day, Tiara." She smiled much more brightly before turning and trotting away and into the schoolhouse. Now all alone, I turned and began walking over to where Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were surely waiting for me.

Once I came close enough, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy jumped out of the bushes. Fluttershy spoke first. "James, that was sooo cute!"

Rainbow nodded, "Yeah! I honestly didn't think I'd live to see the day, but you made me feel kinda sorry for Diamond Tiara."

I shrugged my shoulders, "She's someone who has a long way to go before her reputation finally changes. I'm just glad she really did change. She's not nearly as bad as everyone thinks she is these days."

Fluttershy fluttered up to me and nuzzled my cheek. "Well, what should we do next? We've still got all afternoon to go."

Rainbow Dash added, "We just had lunch, so it's too soon for dinner. How about…the spa! No better place in town to chill!"

I smiled while crossing my arms, "Sounds good to me. Maybe we'll even catch Rarity there."

Fluttershy then flew ahead of us and waved back, "Then let's go! I can't wait for a dip in the hot tub!"

It was rather entertaining to see Fluttershy get excited over something that did not involve cute cuddly animals. "I second that. Lead on, honey."

The trek through Ponyville was fairly uneventful. Although I suppose I should mention there were couples everywhere to be seen. Sightings of solo ponies were few and far between. I glanced down at Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy every now and then, hoping that Rainbow at least was minding herself. To my relief, she seemed to just be focused on walking and nothing else. A good thing too. I would not want her to show any great affection towards me in public. By then, it was common knowledge that I was with Fluttershy and no one else.

Once we stepped into the spa, we found the lobby empty with the exception of Aloe seated at the front desk. Her head was tilted down, probably to view a list of reservations or a magazine. She immediately glanced up at the sound of the door opening and greeted us. "Hello! Happy Hearts and Hooves Day! Can I help you?"

Fluttershy replied, "One usual, please. For three."

Aloe then smiled and spoke again in her strong accent, "Ah, yes! You're just in time! Miss Rarity is already waiting for you."

Fluttershy seemed surprised by that. "She is? But I thought we always meet on Saturdays."

Rainbow Dash then replied, "Maybe she just really needed to chill today. But since she's here, let's pop in and say hello!"

I nodded, "Sounds good to me. Lead on, Aloe."

The spa sister stepped out from behind the counter and led us into the main chamber. As it turned out, the spa was quite busy that day. Quake was hard at work hammering out massages while Lotus was filing the horns of a few unicorns. "Whoa. I don't see the place get this busy very often. At least not when I'm here."

Lotus then asked, "You can start anywhere you like. I need to tend to the sauna, so feel free to help yourselves!" She then trotted away while we stood just behind the side of the hot tub with a raised wall.

Rainbow looked at Fluttershy and me and asked, "You wanna take a dip in the hot tub first?"

I was about to agree before I remembered that I did not bring a pair of swim trunks with me. Maybe I should just stash a pair at the spa for all future visits. "Uh… I don't think that's a good idea. No swim trunks."

Fluttershy seemed to blush at my words, more than likely imagining myself climbing into the tub with nothing on me. "Oh…my… That is a problem."

However, Rainbow Dash grinned, "What're you talking about?! I don't see a problem with that!"

Fluttershy did not seem to find that particular quip amusing at all. She gazed at Rainbow with half-closed eyes and a frown. It was as if she was trying to say 'Really…? Just…really?' without actually opening her mouth. I too could only look down at her and grumble, "Rainbow…"

The brazen pegasus mare covered her mouth and blushed, "Oh snap, I shouldn't say stuff like that around you guys today. Umm… I'll be right back!" Before either of us could object, Rainbow Dash bolted out of the spa and out the door.

"Where do you think she went? Think she bailed out on us?" I asked, turning my gaze down at Fluttershy.

"I don't think so. She'll probably be right back." She replied with an uncertain expression. However, she then raised her voice a bit. "Wait… Say stuff like that around us TODAY?"

I had to suppress a snicker as I rethought Rainbow Dash's remark. "I'd say it's a bit uncalled for on any day!"

Mere minutes later, Rainbow came trotting back into the main chamber. But in her teeth were a pair of…blue shorts? Wait… Those were my own swim trunks. "Uh… Rainbow? Where did you find those?"

Fluttershy then added, "Did you go to our house?"

Our friend grinned while the blue garment hung from her teeth, "Well, where else was I gonna find your clothes?!"

I snorted while averting my eyes, "Point taken." I then took my swim trunks in hand and started to look around for a place to change into them. "Uh… Do you girls see a spot where I can duck into to swap out of my clothes?"

The two pegasi glanced around. "Uh… I don't think so." Fluttershy spoke while showing a slight frown.

"Huh… Guess we forgot to check if there were any spots with curtains." Rainbow Dash added while hovering above me to get a better view of her surroundings.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Oh well. I can do without a dip in the hot tub. Maybe my bosses will let me use it tomorrow."

Rainbow sighed in clear disappointment, "Sorry about this… I was really looking forward to a hot dip with you."

Somewhere deep inside me, I suspected there was more to that than there seemed to her intentions. Maybe it was for the best that I could not join them. However, Rainbow Dash then beamed at me, "Hang on! Why not just get in there with only your boxers?"

I rolled my eyes at that suggestion. "I'm not leaving the spa with soaked boxers under my pants. It'll take hours to dry!"

Fluttershy winced at those words. "Ooh… I'm sure that would chaff after a while."

Rainbow sighed, clearly having giving up. "Good point. Well, you'll still stay close, right?"

I nodded, "Of course I will. Today's all about us."

Not wanting to delay my two friends any longer, I walked around to the other side of the hot tub with them in tow. However, once I stepped out from behind the raised barrier next to the hot tub's platform, a familiar voice spoke out. "Well, howdy! What brings ya'll out here today?"

Not expecting to hear Applejack, I turned and looked towards the hot tub. Sure enough, resting right in front of me with her nose nearly touching my face was Applejack. "So good to see a friendly face! Are you by yourself, darling?" And right next to her was Rarity.

"Heh, I can't say my day's complete until I've spoken to all six of you girls." I replied, not expecting to find Rarity and Applejack together. Those two do seem to bump heads at times, certainly more than they do with our other friends.

"Hey, what's up, girls?" Rainbow Dash spoke, hovering up beside me.

"Oh, Rarity! I guess our weekly get-together is happening a little early this week." Fluttershy added with a cute smile as she too hovered next to me.

Rarity grinned, her mane wrapped up in a towel. Applejack's mane too was concealed behind a coiled green towel. "I suppose so! I just didn't want to be cooped up in my home on a day like this."

Applejack then added, "The harvestin' season hasn't quite hit us just yet either, so I took the day off. I could really use a good soak too. All that applebuckin' really gets ta yer hindquarters after a while."

Fluttershy smiled, "Mind if we join you?"

Rarity grinned brightly, "But of course, Fluttershy! And you are most welcome too, Rainbow Dash."

"In that case, take cover!" Rainbow replied before diving into the hot tub and making quite a splash in the process. Applejack merely chuckled once Rainbow resurfaced, although Rarity seemed mildly annoyed judging by that scowl of hers.

"Um… Please make some room." Fluttershy spoke softly as she hovered over the tub before descending into it as gently and elegantly as a swan. She then folded her wings and even seemed to be floating in the middle of the tub like a large waterfowl.

Rarity applauded lightly with her hooves and spoke with a smile. "Elegant entry, Fluttershy! I give a 9.5 out of 10!"

Fluttershy grinned sheepishly while giving a soft blush. However, I then asked, "What about that last half of a point?"

Rarity looked towards me and replied, "Her expression did not seem quite as euphoric or enraptured to match her movements. So she lost just a little bit there."

Applejack then spoke, "I dunno. I say she still gets a perfect from me."

Rainbow Dash then spoke from the edge of the pool right next to me, "Hey, can we just chill and relax?"

Fluttershy moved closer to the edge of the tub and rested her head on the edge of the tub where I was resting my elbow. "I'd like to just relax too, if that's all right."

Rarity let out a giggle, "Yes, yes, I suppose this is a time to just relax and not critique."

Applejack cast a sly smirk towards Rarity and spoke, "Took ya long enough ta remember why yer here, huh?" Rarity merely rolled her eyes.

The four mares then began to partake in friendly chitchat, discussing simple things such as picnics, business, aerial stunts, and newest fashion designs. I really had nothing to add to the conversation, so I took a moment to look around and see just who else was attending the spa that day.

Sure enough, the majority were couples. Although I was quick to notice there were just pairs of friends being together. I suppose Hearts and Hooves Day is not always about romance. In the sauna, at least from where I was standing, I saw a light gray earth pony mare with a gorgeous shimmering dark gray tail. Her eyes seemed to be a light purple of sorts. Sitting next to her while seemingly engaged in conversation was a white unicorn mare, although I may have seen a barely noticeable tint of yellow to her as well. Her eyes were a vibrant purplish pink, probably the same color as Rainbow Dash's eyes. While her mane could not be seen due to being wrapped up in a towel, just like with her earth pony companion, I could see her tail. It seemed to have been kempt in a much wilder style than the other, being striped with shades of different hues of cobalt and cyan. Their frilled robes obstructed their cutie marks, but I was certain I had seen the earth pony before… Ah, now I remember! It took me all day, but I recall now that she was the cello player at the Grand Galloping Gala. Regardless, she seemed to be busy with the unicorn mare, so I decided to not intrude.

At the massage tables were none other than my bosses. Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Each had their forelegs folded while resting their heads on pillows, Quake hard at work pounding away on Mrs. Cake's back. Her expression was stern and focused, just like every time I had ever seen her. However, the Cakes seemed to be very relaxed, possibly even asleep. I suppose I could have gone over to them to say hello, but I felt I should not interrupt their time together. I cannot remember the last time I did not see them at Sugarcube Corner on a workday, so they probably do not get very many days off.

On the platforms on the other side of the hot tub where facials are given were two ponies I recognized despite their faces being covered in that weird green goop. One was Lyra, who was being given a horn filing by Lotus, and the other was likely Bon Bon. I often see those two together, and I am sure I have described their appearances at some point. I think that was all of the ponies I could see around the place, not to mention each pair had one of the spa employees tending to them. I cannot imagine there being more at that moment. If there were, they would be backed up inside the lobby waiting for someone who could tend to them.

"James! Yo, Equestria to James! You there?!" I heard Rainbow Dash call out to me from right next to my head.

I turned to face the rowdy pegasus, finding her looking at me just inches away from my face. I grinned sheepishly. "Huh? Oh, sorry. Kinda zoned out while examining my surroundings. Can't remember the last time I saw so many ponies in the spa before. Especially this spread out."

Applejack glanced around too and nodded, "I see whatcha mean. Ya seldom see so many ponies at so many spots all over the spa."

Rarity then smiled as she leaned back against the side of the tub with her eyes closed. "Good thing the rest of us in the hot tub need no such supervision."

Fluttershy then asked, "I know we've seen Twilight today, but have any of you seen Pinkie Pie?"

Rarity replied, "I heard she had her hooves full whipping up special orders for today at Sugarcube Corner. I doubt she will be getting out until closing time."

Applejack then let out a chuckle. "If there's one thing we girls love just 'bout as much as diamonds and flowers, it's them fancy chocolates."

I smirked and rolled my eyes, wondering what kind of unorthodox antics Pinkie Pie was using to keep up with demand. "So true, so true."

Applejack then asked, "Come ta think of it, whatcha got goin' on today between ya and James, Fluttershy? You two out on a date?"

Fluttershy immediately blushed at those words. She glanced at me for a second while I smiled at her. She then looked back at Applejack and spoke softly, "Um… We're not doing much today… Just…spending the whole day together."

Rarity then asked, "But then what are you doing with them, Rainbow Dash? Or was it just coincidence that you came in with them?"

Rainbow Dash did not waste any time in giving a reply, although she seemed slightly nervous in the process. "Huh? Me?! I just had the same idea these two lovebirds and walked in with them!"

Applejack frowned, "All right, we get it. No need ta shout, ya know."

I stared at Rainbow Dash next to me, seeing that she had gotten somewhat desperate and lost some control when she replied. She clearly was trying to avoid drawing suspicion to herself and Fluttershy. Although raising her voice like that was not the subtlest way to go about the issue.

Rarity began to climb out of the tub; her tail utterly soaked and weighed down by the water in such a fashion I will admit right now was…shockingly sexy. Yes, I really meant what I just wrote. I did my best to keep a straight face though. "I'd rather not let my hooves get pruney, so I'll be right over here at the massage tables."

Applejack turned to face her and nodded, "All righty then. I'll be down in a minute too."

I watched as the beautiful unicorn mare climbed onto one of the massage tables. Mr. and Mrs. Cake had departed a few minutes earlier, so there was no one to distract Quake from her. That androgynous earth pony mare then began to hammer away on Rarity's back with both hooves at turbo fire speed. It almost looked like it hurt, though Rarity's face clearly showed no discomfort.

"You think she can applebuck as hard as you, AJ?" I asked, motioning towards Quake nearby.

Applejack looked over the side of the tub before looking at me with a smug smirk. "Hmm… I reckon she can, but there ain't no way she can match Big Macintosh."

Rainbow Dash then asked, "You think he can buck an apple from Sweet Apple Acres all the way to the other side of town?"

Applejack then grinned in an odd fashion, as if she was embarrassed to admit something. "Funny story there. We tried that once sometime last summer."

Fluttershy then asked, "And did it make it all the way to the other side of town?"

Our farm pony friend rolled her eyes, "Well… I'll put it like this. A lil' while later, Twilight got a note from Princess Celestia. There was an apple packaged with it."

I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Don't tell me he…"

Applejack held her hoof to her forehead and snickered, "And there was a bill ta pay fer a new window in the royal palace."

That explanation nearly blew my mind. Being able to kick an apple from Sweet Apple Acres all the way up to Canterlot?! How much steroids does that burly red stallion take on a daily basis?!

Fluttershy seemed petrified as she tried to process that information. "Um… Wow… I…uh…didn't know he was that strong."

Rainbow Dash then asked, "Did you ever ask him what his secret is?"

Applejack chuckled before smiling, "I did. And he said he has no idea."

I smirked before shaking my head, "A true Hercules, that one. Maybe he's the offspring of Sleipner."

Fluttershy then asked, "Slip…who?"

I grinned and bowed my head as I tried to not laugh. It was no surprise to me that they knew nothing of Norse mythology. "Don't worry about it, you're not supposed to get it."

A short while later after a few more entertaining conversations, Applejack started to climb out of the tub. "I reckon it's time fer my back hammerin'. I could really use it now that harvestin' time's almost here."

Fluttershy looked over the side of the tub as Applejack walked below her, "Is it really that tiring?"

Applejack looked up at my girlfriend and replied, "Now, I can handle quite a bit of applebuckin', but sooner or later I'll really start feelin' the strain an' pain. I wanna make sure I'm all toned up fer it this year."

Almost immediately after Applejack climbed up onto a massage table, Quake walked around the one Rarity was lying on and began to hammer away into the farm pony's back with her forelegs. Applejack let out an odd sigh, sounding similar to how she would sound if trying to talk through a spinning electric fan.

"Well, if you can't join us in the tub, what can you do while we're here?" Fluttershy asked from just behind me.

I turned to face her and replied, "Well, I have no use for a facial, I have nothing that needs filing, I'd rather not sit in the sauna with these clothes on, and a mud bath is out of the question… I guess that only leaves a massage."

Rainbow looked around, eyeing Quake before glancing at Aloe. "Think you can handle Quake's treatment?"

I looked over at Quake, her stern focused face fixated on Applejack at all times. "Um… I don't know if I could handle that kind of treatment… I don't have nearly as much muscle on me as AJ."

"But Rarity didn't mind either." Fluttershy retorted. I glanced over at the elegant unicorn and saw that she seemed quite relaxed despite that rough treatment to her back a moment ago.

"Huh… Guess it'll be OK after all." I spoke with a smile. While Rainbow and Fluttershy sat in the hot tub chatting, I proceeded over to the last remaining massage table and took a seat on it. "Um… Quake? When you have a minute?"

My coworker glanced over at me without a word before going back to focusing on Applejack. I decided to take my shirt off before lying down on my belly with my arms crossed to allow the side of my head to rest on them. I closed my eyes, hearing the clopping of hooves as Quake made her way over to me. I was certain the procedure would be enjoyable.

However, a moment later, I felt an unpleasant pain as if someone had just punched me in the back. "Ow! What the… Agh! Hey! What're you…OW!" As expected, Quake was indeed hammering away on my back. The only problem was that she was massaging me too hard! I know she is an earth pony, which means she has a lot of power in her body. And ponies tend to have more muscle mass than humans, plus a coat to help absorb the blows, so it is no wonder my body could not handle the power she was exerting.

"Ow! For the love of… Darn it, Quake! Quit it!" I finally yelled. Quake did stop when I told her too, but by then I was feeling sore as if I had been struck in the back multiple times with a wooden paddle.

"Oh my goodness, are you all right?!" I heard Rarity ask from nearby. She probably saw the whole thing.

"Ugh… I'm gonna be feeling that in the morning…" I replied with a groan. I was unwilling to even move at that point.

Applejack then asked, "Ya think a softer massage might do ya some good after that?"

I sighed, not sure if I even wanted anyone to touch my back at that point. But I soon heard Applejack speak up again. "Howdy, Lotus. Would ya'll mind givin' James over there a softer massage? He can't handle the harder stuff."

With my eyes closed, I could not see who was approaching me. But before I could deny anyone, I felt a pair of hard objects press down into my back.

"Whoa! Hang on, I'm… Huh?" I started to object, but then felt much more relaxed as they began to press down into me. They moved around slowly, gently applying pressure to my back in several spots. When I turned my head to look at whoever was massaging me, I found Lotus standing on just her hind legs while moving her forelegs subtly to change the location her hooves were pressing into.

"Is this more to your liking?" She asked with a smile.

I nodded before sighing, "Much. Thank you." This type of massage felt much more enjoyable. The amount of pressure was constant and shifted frequently, but never pounded into me rapidly like Quake does. "Huh… So this is how it feels when I give massages. No wonder the way I do it has such a cult following."

Lotus let out a faint chuckle when I spoke. "I suppose so. I just wish Aloe and I could massage with the same precision you do. There's only so much hooves can do."

"It's all right though. This is great. Best massage I've ever had." I retorted, enjoying every second of it. While I lied there, I looked up and noticed that Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were no longer at the edge of the hot tub anymore. "Lotus, where did Rainbow and Fluttershy go?"

My boss replied, "They are currently in the sauna. Aloe is supervising them."

I was somewhat glad that they had not left without me. Although I confess I was not entirely sure of what else I could do once my massage finished.

While I waited for Lotus to finish with my massage, I allowed my mind to drift. Rainbow Dash had been handling herself very well since our time at the park. If all went well, she would probably forget about her feelings for me by the time this 'date' ended… All right, I suppose that is just wishful thinking. I cannot imagine someone as loyal as her completely discarding her feelings for me after just one afternoon. And I know from experience it is difficult and takes time to lose those feelings for someone who is already spoken for.

I honestly felt bad as I contemplated this. I love Rainbow Dash. I really do. If things were different, I could definitely see myself dating her. But Fluttershy and I are lovers now and I do not wish for that to change. And I know I simply do not have the moral integrity to successfully maintain a relationship with more than one woman. As satisfying and enjoyable it would be if I could, I simply cannot.

Before I could even think about the concept any longer, I noticed that the soothing pressure on my back had vanished. "Huh? Are we done?"

I heard a clop as Lotus dropped back down onto all fours. "Yes. Feel any better?"

I slowly sat up, stretching while reaching as far as my arms could extend. I honestly felt as if I had just awoken from a nap. "Man… That really did the trick. No wonder so many customers keep coming back for massages… Oof. Although I still feel some of the soreness from Quake's 'treatment' on me."

Lotus flashed me an awkward grin. "Um…yes. I'm sorry that I could not undo all that she did."

I shrugged my shoulders, "It's fine. My bad. I shouldn't have asked her to do it in the first place."

Lotus went to check on Lyra and Bon Bon while I went ahead and pulled my shirt back on. "I trust the massage was as stellar as you had hoped?" A voice behind me spoke. When I turned around, I found Applejack and Rarity looking up at me. They seemed to have finished with their spa visit and were ready to depart.

"Oh, much better than I expected. Well, except for that bit at the start. That felt like the Cake couple were taking a bunch of rolling pins to my spine." I replied in an effort to be witty.

Before anyone could comment on that… I still cannot comprehend what happened next. Right behind my two friends on the platform beside the hot tub was a basket full of bath sponges. And suddenly, out popped none other than Pinkie Pie. "Ooh! Or maybe it felt like someone took out your spine and tossed it in a mixer to make cupcakes before putting it back inside you!"

Applejack was the first to retort. She turned around and gave Pinkie a most bewildered gaze. "How in tarnation… Where'd ya even come from?!"

Pinkie Pie let out a giggle before replying, "Oh, that! You see, I hopped along the letters, rode the scroll bar down, and popped up here! Now I'll just ride it back up. See ya!" Before either of us could ask her anything else, she ducked back into the sponge basket and was gone.

"Wait a minute…" I muttered before reaching over and feeling around in the basket. Much to my shock, there was no way in or out of it except through the top. How did she slip into it from underneath?

"A scroll bar… Hopping across letters… What do you suppose she meant by that?" I heard Rarity speak from behind me.

I turned to face my two friends, my eye twitching slightly. "Girls… She's starting to scare me." Honestly, a scroll bar? Last I checked, Equestria does not even have computers to use word processors on!

Applejack let out a nervous chuckle, "Uh…yeah. Me too, sugarcube. Me too. Um… I just remembered I still got lots of stuff ta…uh…take care of back at Sweet Apple Acres."

Rarity grinned nervously as well. "Oh, yes! And…um…I just remembered one of my clients wish to pay me a visit today! He…er…proposed to his sweetheart today and wants me to design a wedding dress for her!"

I nodded, also feeling apprehensive. "Yeah, you girls do that. See ya tomorrow." I waved goodbye, the two mares rushing out into the lobby and out of sight. I think it would be best if I just forgot about this whole thing. Seriously… Riding scroll bars… Ha!

Having absolutely nothing better to do at the time, I decided to wait out in the lobby for my two companions. There was not much to do aside from look through a few magazines that were lying around. "Huh… Equestria's Finest. Haven't read this one lately."

I picked up the magazine, seeing what seemed to be a burly minotaur on the cover. "Iron Will's regime considered too rough? Three clients reveal harsh effects…" I raised an eyebrow, having never once seen a minotaur in my life. "Who's this Iron Will guy? And there are minotaurs in this world? Hopefully they're not of the man-eating variety from legend…"

I forget how much time passed while I read through the magazine. Much to my surprise, I found that a certain Miss Fluttershy was the first client of Iron Will's to come back completely unsatisfied with the results of his 'training'. Knowing exactly who that pony was, I felt curious of what my girlfriend had to put up with under his tutorage. However, I felt it was best to not ask, so I pushed that question out of my head.

Before I could finish with the magazine, I heard the voices of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash steadily becoming louder. They more than likely had decided they had had enough of the spa for the day and were approaching the lobby. Not wanting Fluttershy to have any old wounds reopened or the like, I closed the magazine and placed it on the nearest end table cover-down.

"Man, I feel so soaked down by all that steam, I doubt I can even get myself off the ground now." I heard Rainbow Dash speak as she stepped into the lobby.

"Me too. I feel so lazy and relaxed now, I don't even want to spread my wings." Fluttershy replied, the adorable pegasus walking alongside her.

I smiled at the two mares and stood up. "We all done here?"

Rainbow Dash started to reply, but took a moment to pause for a yawn. "Aw yeah, I've had enough. I need to get outta here before I wanna stay until closing time."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out some bits to pay for the visit. Being an employee, I received a hefty discount. "Thanks for everything, Aloe."

The spa sister stationed at the front desk nodded with a smile. "It was a pleasure, James. See you tomorrow!" All three of us waved goodbye before heading out the door.

"That was a lovely visit, wasn't it?" Fluttershy spoke before yawning, clearly a little too relaxed after that sauna session.

I stretched and let out a yawn myself before replying, "It sure was… I just wanna go home and take a nap now…"

However, Rainbow then spoke up, "But we can't just stop the date now! It's too soon!"

I looked down at Rainbow Dash, as did Fluttershy. That outburst was certainly somewhat unexpected. She seemed to realize that she had suddenly raised her voice despite being so relaxed and rested a moment earlier and bowed her head. "I mean… You know. This is the only Hearts and Hooves Day I'll ever be able to spend with you, James… I don't want it to end before it's even nightfall…"

I sighed, being reminded of just why she was with Fluttershy and me at that moment. "Right…"

Fluttershy then asked, "Well…what should we do now?"

Rainbow Dash rubbed her chin with her hoof. "Hmmm… I dunno… Why don't we do something really special? Something only we can do with him?"

I felt my body temperature spike at those words. Fluttershy seemed to be thinking the exact same thing since a deep blush had spread across her face. "You… You don't mean…"

It was then that Rainbow caught on and raised her hooves before shaking them with a nervous grin, "Whoa, easy there! I wasn't talking about that! Although…" She then blushed while rubbing the back of her head, eyes looking away from us. "I would jump at the opportunity for that…"

I frowned and crossed my arms. "Rainbow… You know that's the one thing we can't do."

She let out a sigh of disappointment. "Yeah… I know…" But she then asked, "But what's something special and unique we can…" Suddenly, she jumped into the air and began to hover. "That's it! Let's go for a soar!"

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow at those words. "Huh? A soar? You mean for us to go fly somewhere?"

Rainbow Dash nodded, "Yeah! You and me are pegasi, so we can fly! So let's go for a little trip in the sky for a while!"

I rolled my eyes, "Rainbow, you know I don't have… Oh, wait!"

That rowdy pegasus nodded rapidly, "Yeah! Your armor! I'll head on up to Canterlot and ask if we can borrow it for a while!"

Fluttershy seemed to like the idea since she was showing such a smile on her face. "That sounds lovely. But…uh…do you really think they'll let us use it for something like that?"

Rainbow replied, "Wouldn't hurt to try. What about you, James? You wanna give it a shot?"

While not a fan of the idea of falling, I had learned to love flying during the first few times I had worn that enchanted armor. I smiled and nodded, "Sure, I'm all for a little flying before the day's over."

Rainbow Dash cheered, "All right! The two of you wait for me in the meadow next to your house. I'll be right back!" With that, our speedy friend bolted through the air to the northeast. Canterlot could be seen plain as day on the mountain Rainbow Dash was streaking towards.

"I don't think she'll be long." I spoke idly.

"Well, shall we go?" Fluttershy asked while motioning for me to follow. Certain that Rainbow Dash would probably be back fairly soon, I followed my girlfriend at a brisk pace. Knowing Rainbow Dash, she would likely complete a roundtrip and beat us to the rendezvous if we did not hurry.

The walk to the western edge of Ponyville was rather uneventful. But once we were walking across it with no one around, Fluttershy started to open up a bit. "So… James… What do you think of Rainbow Dash spending the day with us?"

I looked down at her and asked, "You mean how she feels towards me and how this is kind of like a date?"

Fluttershy nodded with a slight frown, "Uh huh. I was always worried she might try to get between us at some point, but I'm glad she never did."

I rolled my eyes a bit before replying, "Oh, honey… Rainbow Dash isn't THAT desperate. Element of Loyalty, you know.

My girlfriend let out a giggle, "I keep forgetting about that! Maybe if we had to use the Elements more often, I might have an easier time remembering which one she is connected to." Once she had calmed down somewhat, she then looked up at me again. "But how do you feel about her being with us today?"

I shrugged my shoulders in response. "I dunno, really. I was a little worried at first, but she's been handling herself well. This day feels more like I'm just hanging out with two great friends. In all honesty, I forgot several times that this is a double date of sorts."

Fluttershy grinned brightly, "That's what it felt like to me too after a while. And I've really been enjoying myself today."

Just before we could converse longer, a voice shouted somewhere behind us. "Yooooooo! You guys there?!"

We both turned around abruptly, seeing Rainbow Dash swooping down towards us. "That didn't take long." I spoke with a smile.

"Well, whaddya expect?!" Rainbow asked before landing before us.

"Well? Did the princesses let you take it?" Fluttershy asked as she stepped forward. I noticed right away that Rainbow did not seem to be carrying anything. Did they turn her down?

Rainbow Dash seemed a little nervous at first, or maybe nervous is not the right word. Although she did manage to reply, "Yeah… About that. They said you can use it, but there's a catch."

Fluttershy asked, "What kind of catch?"

Our friend then pointed upwards, "We've got one more coming with us today."

When I looked up, I saw a familiar form slowly drifting down to us, wings spread wide. A voice spoke up as a familiar dark alicorn landed before us. "Salutations, everypony. I hope you are all having a splendid Hearts and Hooves Day."

Fluttershy gasped and bowed, "Princess Luna! It's an honor."

I was about to reach out and embrace my royal friend, but paused when I noticed she was clutching what seemed to be a large silver chalice in her left foreleg, an equally silver lid resting atop it. "Luna? What's that you have there?"

My friend beamed at me before replying, "Behold its contents and see for yourself." As much as I wanted to hug her, that chalice would have to be removed first. I reached out and took the chalice from her, finding it to be surprisingly heavy. Something thick and viscous was sloshing around inside it with every movement I made with it.

"Does this thing contain what I think it does?" I asked, starting to wonder what was inside.

Luna chuckled lightly at my inquiry. "Perhaps. Remove the lid and see."

I did as I was told and removed the lid of the chalice. Swirling around inside it was exactly what I expected. A constantly shifting liquid of white and dark blue. I looked over at Luna and smirked while trying to not chuckle. "I was wondering how you would ever get this to me without me coming to Canterlot… Wait a second. Why did you need to deliver this to me? Rainbow Dash could've done it just as easily."

Luna flashed me an annoyed glare, "Are you saying you would rather not have me here?" I took a step back, fearful that I had offended her. She then let out a chuckle, "Oh, I'm just jesting you! I know you only are curious. As for why, equip you armor first. Oh, and you should remove your shoes as well."

I shrugged my shoulders and dipped my hand into the liquid metal after sliding my shoes off. Sure enough, it began to creep over my hand before oozing all over my body. Bit by bit, it solidified into a tough armored shell, forming that beautiful suit of plate armor I had come to love. Large extensions of white liquid metal stretched from my back before solidifying into large white feathered wings that shimmered in the sunlight.

Rainbow Dash shuddered as her wings sprang open in a wingboner. "Oh man… And I thought those wings looked awesome before…"

Fluttershy seemed equally impressed, her wings also spread wide as she seemed to blush. "Y…yes… So shiny…"

Luna seemed to notice their expressions and covered her mouth to suppress a snicker, "Well, they ARE made of shiny metal, after all."

I smiled, looking myself over. I felt as if I had full control over this metal shell and the wings that were attached to it. "I don't blame you for being so impressed. This armor is so cool, I can't… Huh?! Hey! What's going on?!" Next thing I knew, I was surrounded by a familiar billowing blue aura as the armor began to literally melt right off my body!

Rainbow Dash let out a groan, "Oh, come on! After I went all the way up to Canterlot just to ask?!"

The armor melted back into a liquid state, pooling around my feet. I immediately knew who had caused it, my eyes looking towards Luna's horn as an identical aura surrounded it. "Luna!"

The princess of the night grinned, "What?! It would be far too time-consuming for you to have to go out of your way to come to Canterlot just to return the armor. And it would surely be annoying for Rainbow Dash to have to carry each component by hoof back and forth."

Fluttershy nodded, "True… I don't think Rainbow Dash could carry every single part in one trip."

Luna nodded before smiling, "And that is exactly why I am here. Only Celestia and myself know of the magic to return that armor to a liquid state for repairs and easy transport. Far easier to carry it in a chalice than to carry each component separately, wouldn't you say?"

I smirked, finding Luna's reasoning to be intelligent and humorous at the same time. I jumped once before landing back in the puddle around my feet. Responding to my touch, the liquid metal crept up over my legs before engulfing the rest of my body save for my head. In a moment, I was fully clad in that armor again.

"That's better. So…are we all going?" Fluttershy spoke as she beheld my armor once more, the lovely pegasus hovering back and forth around me.

Luna nodded, "That is indeed why we are all present, aren't we?"

I smiled, realizing that Luna would be accompanying us. "It's great to have you along, Luna."

Rainbow Dash then called out, "All right, ponies! Let's fly!" Spreading her wings, she then took to the sky.

Luna looked at Fluttershy and me before smiling, "Shall we?" She then spread her elegant wings and went airborne before following Rainbow Dash. Higher up, I could see Rainbow Dash hovering in place while likely waiting for us.

"Ready?" Fluttershy asked while hovering nearby.

I nodded and spread my armor's great wings. "Ready. Now, how did it go again? Like this?" It had been some time since I last flew, so I tried to take things slow in getting accustomed to my wings again. With one great flap, I launched myself into the air before flapping my wings in a steady rhythm to remain aloft.

"You're doing fine, James! Let's go!" Fluttershy spoke with a smile before rising into the air. Flapping my wings harder, I too began to ascend.

"Well, now that we are all airborne, what comes next?" Luna asked once Fluttershy and I were hovering before her and Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow replied with a grin, "We fly wherever we want! Come on!" She then bolted east.

Luna shrugged her shoulders at me and asked, "Uh… So, we are just flying for the sake of flying?"

I replied while raising my hands, "I guess. I mean, flying does carry a great sense of freedom with it."

Fluttershy then asked, "Um… If it's not too much trouble, can we try to not fly too high?"

That was actually rather funny to hear. A pegasus who is afraid of heights. "I'll catch you if you fall. Just stay close to us and you'll have no problems."

My girlfriend nodded nervously, "OK… I'll try to be brave… Just have to remember to not look down."

Moments later, the three of us caught up to Rainbow Dash. We had no real destination in mind. Just four friends soaring above Ponyville without a care in the world. Think of it as taking a leisurely bike ride, only you were flying a thousand feet off the ground instead.

Fluttershy seemed to be rather nervous when we started to gain altitude. She stayed near me at all times, occasionally glancing down at the ground far below us. The rooftops of Ponyville could be seen slowly scrolling by below us. "Having fun, Fluttershy?"

She replied with a nervous smile, "Uh…yes! Lots of fun! Fun is #1!" I could only smirk as I tried not to laugh at her unexpected rhyming. She soon asked, "Is it that obvious I'm really really nervous right now?"

I retorted with a chuckle, "If I was holding you, my whole suit would probably be rattling right now."

Fluttershy let out an adorable giggle. "I believe that… Uh… Can I just stay close to you until we land?"

I reached out to her with one hand, her hoof reaching out to touch mine. "I'll be right here if anything goes wrong. I still know how to use the levitation spell." My left gauntlet, the one I was reaching out to her with, was engulfed in a billowing blue aura. Fluttershy yelped as the same type of aura suddenly engulfed her, barrel rolling constantly as she looped under me until popping up on my right. "See?"

Fluttershy's eyes rolled around in her head for a moment while she just glided next to me. "Uhhh… Huh? Oh, that was magic?"

I snickered, surprised by just how off-guard I had caught her. "Uh huh. I pretty much just juggled you right there. You OK though?"

She nodded after shaking her head to clear up her vision. "I'm fine. Let me know ahead of time next time you want to do that though."

Before I could even agree, Rainbow Dash performed a loop and ended up flying alongside me on my left. "What's up, guys?! Isn't flying just the coolest thing ever?!"

Luna too slowed down until she was gliding just above Fluttershy and me. "I certainly must agree. I never had the chance to go out on a leisurely flight like this before!"

I looked at each of them and nodded, "I'd say it is. Ultimate freedom."

Fluttershy then asked, "Where do we go though? We can go anywhere we want now."

Rainbow Dash then smirked, "Wanna go fly over the Everfree Forest?"

Fluttershy gasped with a look of fright on her face. "There?! Oh no, please don't!"

I spoke up, "Fluttershy, she meant flying OVER the Everfree Forest. Not flying INSIDE it."

Luna nodded before speaking as well. "Granted, the Everfree Forest is filled with untamed wild beasts, but as long as we maintain a proper altitude, there is no chance of them reaching us."

Fluttershy seemed to understand that there was virtually no risk involved as long as we remained airborne, although she was still visibly nervous. "OK… But…let's try to stay really high up just to be safe. Please?"

Rainbow Dash groaned while holding a hoof to her face, "Ugh, you're always such scaredy pony… Fine, we'll stay waaay above the canopy."

In unison, the four of us made a u-turn and began to head west towards the vast forest that stood beyond Ponyville. Even from so high up and from so far away, I could still see just how vast that forest is. I would be willing to wager that it is at least three times larger than Ponyville in total space covered, if not more. That massive expanse of green… Last time I saw that much canopy was when I was flying in to Tallahassee.

We all stayed close to each other, starting to slow down to a more leisurely speed while mostly just gliding high above the treetops. The atmosphere was certainly more relaxing than expected with only the sound of our wings occasionally flapping to keep ourselves aloft.

"Ya know, I used to be creeped out by this place. Never thought I would…huwaaah…be this relaxed while flying over it." Rainbow Dash spoke up with a yawn.

I too was starting to feel absurdly relaxed from just gliding along in almost total weightlessness. "Total freedom can make one pretty lazy at times…"

Luna then asked, "Do you suppose we should take a nap while we're out here?"

I replied, "We need a spot to rest on for that. And I don't see any… Oh, wait. What about that cloud up ahead?" Floating in the air up ahead was a decent sized cloud that was probably large enough to cover the entire main chamber of the local spa.

Fluttershy smiled as she flew on ahead, "That looks just right for all of us."

Together, we approached the cloud and gently landed upon it. This was the first time I actually had time to examine the thing. I suppose the best way to describe a cloud is that it feels like a malleable air cushion that you can rearrange and take apart by hand.

One by one, we lightly set down on the cloud. Rainbow Dash raised her forelegs to the sky, let out a yawn while she stretched, then fell backwards onto the cloud with her forelegs behind her head. "There is nothing in the world like chilling on a cloud. Right, guys?"

Luna too let out a yawn before lying on her side. "Agreed. Even the softest beds in Canterlot do not feel quite like this."

I was grateful Luna did not bring my helmet with her. The feel of soft cloud against the back of my head as I lied down was most indescribable. I mean, how does one explain the feel of something that should not even have physical mass to begin with? I suppose the only way I could describe it was being as soft as possible without becoming semi liquid. However, as my head rested against the cloud under me, a thought occurred to me. "Luna, why is my head able to touch clouds while I'm not wearing my helmet?"

The princess of the night looked down at me from a slightly higher position on the cloud just above my head while I looked up at her. She remained silent for a moment, her eyes glancing back and forth while her chin rested on an upturned hoof. "I… I suppose the armor generates a magic field all over the entire body that produces the same effects upon contact with clouds as those with a pegasus."

I then raised an eyebrow at her noticeable uncertainty. "You're not sure, are you?"

Luna blushed faintly, grinning with a nervous expression. "Um…not really."

Rainbow Dash then let out a cackle, "Why not?! You made that armor in the first place, right?!"

Luna rolled her eyes and groaned, "You are only half right, Rainbow Dash. Celestia took part as well."

Fluttershy then walked over to me before looking down at me with a smile. "Is this your first time resting on a cloud?"

I nodded while trying to take my gauntlets off. "Yeah. And it's comfier than our own bed. I'm surprised you don't use one for a mattress."

"I guess I could have, but it would just get blown around the room whenever a gust of wind blows. And I can't put any sheets on a cloud without them falling through it." Fluttershy replied while reaching out and nuzzling me with her nose.

I must confess that just reclining on that could was sapping the energy from me like a leech. A bed that forces you to become sleepy, so to say. However, it was difficult to try to get to sleep with the sun shining down on us. "If only I had a napkin to cover my eyes with.

Fluttershy seemed to know what the problem was before looking around for a minute. "I'll fix this. Wait right here." She spoke before taking to the air again and flying a short distance away.

"What do you suppose Fluttershy is up to?" Luna asked from just behind me.

From what I could see, my girlfriend was flying towards a much more distant cloud. "I think… Is that cloud a little darker than this one?" Rainbow Dash asked while rolling over onto her belly.

I saw what it was Fluttershy had in mind. "I get it now. A little cumulonimbus should block out enough light." Fluttershy flew back over to us while pushing the cloud along. Rather than place the cloud directly above us though, she instead pushed it higher up before making certain it was completely between the sun and us. The darker thundercloud blocked a significant amount of light, placing us comfortably under its shadow.

"Much better, Fluttershy." I called out while waving my arm up at her as she began to descend towards us.

Rainbow Dash let out a yawn, rolling over several times until she was lying beside me. "Yeah, now we can get a bit of shuteye."

"I second that." Luna said before letting out a yawn before curling up behind me. "Should I awaken first, I will rouse all of you gently."

"Thank you, Princess Luna." Fluttershy replied upon landing beside me. "I think I'm in the mood for some sweet dreams too." She then snuggled up to me, nuzzling my cheek gently. However, her eyes then opened a bit wider while looking beyond me. When I turned my head to see what she was looking at, Rainbow Dash had her face right in front of mine.

"May I?" She whispered softly, probably to avoid getting Luna's attention.

It was only then that I was reminded of just why Rainbow Dash was with us. I turned my head to gaze at Fluttershy. Her face seemed to show uncertainty at first, but she soon smiled and nodded. I smiled too before looking back over at Rainbow Dash. "Sure, Rainbow."

Our rainbow-haired friend grinned brightly before cuddling up to me, her muzzle nuzzling my cheek. "Thanks, guys." She whispered again, her eyes closing while keeping a foreleg draped across my chest.

I would not have minded that so much if Fluttershy did not do the same thing. Both beautiful pegasus mares hand one foreleg draped over my chest, almost as if holding me in a type of embrace. But as awkward as that situation was for me, I could not help but grin at just how absurdly cute it was too. I placed my bare hands on their backs and pulled them closer to me, prompting silent smiles from them as they slowly drifted off to sleep. "Sweet dreams, girls." I muttered before closing my eyes.

What eventually played across the lids was a familiar sight from not even twelve hours earlier. Snow falling while standing on a snow-covered mountain road. "Huh. I'm starting to think I'm not in Equestria anymore."

"No, I don't think you are. What did Nightmare Moon say you called this place? Skyrim?" I heard a familiar voice speak from behind me. Turning around, I found none other than Princess Luna looking up at me.

"Huh? Don't tell me you're a dream diver too!" I asked while taking a step back.

Luna was clearly amused by my surprised response, chuckling lightly before she could reply. "Well, Nightmare Moon and I are cut from the same cloth. It is no small wonder that we share many capabilities."

I crossed my arms, finding myself clad in my winged armor. "I guess that makes sense. But what are the odds of me dreaming about Skyrim twice in a row?"

"Oh, I just used a little magic to conjure up your most recent memories of sleep. When Nightmare Moon informed me of this land you called 'Skyrim', I got curious and wanted to see it for myself." She explained before looking around at her surroundings. "It is rather cold out here though. And where exactly would you say we are right now? This winter landscape is quite beautiful."

I looked around, casting my gaze at my surroundings. On each side of the cobblestone path were many evergreen trees, probably pine. "Um… I have to say we are somewhere around…" Not far from our current location, I could make out what seemed to be a large stone statue of a winged robed woman with her hands reaching skyward. "I think… What is this place called again? The Kilkreath Ruins?"

Luna stepped forward, also taking notice of the statue's presence. "You seem to know your way around quite well. Did you use to live here?"

Live in Skyrim? The thought made me chuckle. "No, Luna. Skyrim is a fictional land. This world does not truly exist, no matter how real it seems."

The princess of the night seemed rather disappointed by my response. She bowed her head for a few seconds before speaking. "I see. A shame too. The natural beauty of this land rivals even Equestria."

"Indeed, it does. That's something I adore about this world." I replied while letting out a sigh. The frigid cold in the air did not bother me as I smiled. There is something about snowfall that makes the cold winter air seem less chilling.

My friend looked up at me and asked, "Well, is there anywhere you wish to go? I am most curious to see what this world has to offer."

I crossed my arms once again and bowed my head in thought. There was certainly much to see in Skyrim, though I would have to take great care to avoid letting Luna see the evils of the land as well. I dread what sort of affect it could have on a princess from a world of purity and innocence like Equestria. "Ummm….. Well, I showed Nightmare Moon a decent bit of Skyrim… How about Solstheim?"

My friend cocked her head to one side. "Solstheim?"

I pointed to the east. "It's an island nation to the northeast of Skyrim. The environment is quite different over there than here in Skyrim. Wanna take a look?"

Luna seemed rather excited at the prospect of visiting a distant region. "A land that even my sister has not seen? Oh, she is going to be so jealous when I see her again! Let's be off!"

Spreading my armor's wings, I took to the air. "Follow me. I just hope I know the way." I then flew east with Luna close behind me, soaring over snow-coated forests and towns before gliding over the frozen ocean.

Having never traveled to Solstheim as the crow flies, I was honestly worried I was leading Luna on a wild goose chase at first. It was rather unnerving to me to be flying over a vast ocean with hardly any landmass in sight. Fortunately, I knew one could always see the smoldering Red Mountain volcano and the landmass of Morrowind from Solstheim's southern shoreline. So as long as I kept the landmass to the south within sight, I would never get lost.

While we flew along, Luna steadily crept up alongside me. "This is taking quite a while. Are you certain you know where we're going?"

I nodded, "In a sense, I've been there before. I'm trying to locate the island via memory of surrounding landscapes. A massive volcano can be seen from Solstheim's southern shoreline. If we find the volcano, we head north from there… Oh, there it is! Pretty hard to miss, actually." Sure enough, in the distance was the silhouette of a truly colossal volcano with a massive plume of smoke and probably ash rising high into the air.

For whatever reason, Luna seemed somewhat unnerved by the sight of that volcano. "That is… I have not seen a volcano quite that large since…"

I noticed the unusual tone of my friend's voice as she spoke. "What's wrong? It's just Red Mountain. We won't be in any danger in Solstheim."

"Oh, I'm not scared of it! It's just… How often do you see an active volcano that massive?!" Luna replied with a noticeably nervous chuckle.

"Well, it IS the largest volcano in this world." I replied with a smirk, finding the situation amusing. But now that we had located Red Mountain, I veered to my left and began to head towards another landmass on the horizon. Thank goodness the time seemed to be midday. I would be lost as a bat if it was nightfall at the time. Although this did make me ponder something. Does the time of day when I sleep determine the time of day in my dreams as well?

Steadily, the landmass drew near. And before long, I saw it. The ash-covered shoreline of Solstheim. However, Luna did not seem quite as thrilled as I expected. "The entire place… Covered in volcanic ash?"

I nodded while looking over at her. "That's how Solstheim is. At least the southern half, that is. The northern half has a climate similar to most of Skyrim. The southern half is covered in ash that was launched from Red Mountain."

Luna replied with a surprisingly deadpan tone of voice. She did not seem to be paying much mind to my words, as if her mind was somewhere else. "I see…"

Making sure to set down at a spot with as little strife as possible, I led Luna a little further up the western shoreline until I found a boat floating a short distance off the coast. It was fairly small for a vessel that seemed meant for carrying a whole crew. Possibly just a fishing boat. It seemed to be undamaged with its single sail coiled up at the top and with its anchor dropped. Strangely, it seemed to be abandoned. However, I saw no signs of foul play such as corpses on board or floating in the water or scattered along the shoreline or even bloodstains. Thank goodness too.

Immediately upon landing on the deserted vessel, Luna turned her gaze towards the ash-covered shoreline. Just a little further north, I could see the snowy northern half of the island's western shoreline spreading north. I was just about to speak, but noticed that Luna seemed…transfixed by something.

"Hm?" I muttered, looking in the same direction as Luna. There was nothing of interest there aside from a few large clams. I then happened to notice bits of volcanic ash drifting down through the air, likely being blown from Red Mountain to the south.

I noticed Luna's lips move as she muttered something very lightly. It sounded similar to the word 'lava' to me. What did she say then… Lavar? Lavem? Lavak? I really am not certain; she spoke it far too lightly for me to accurately make out. "Luna…? Are you all right?"

My words seemed to get through to her. Luna's eyes opened wide for an instant before she shook her head. Her lovely teal eyes looked up at me as she smiled ever so slightly. "Sorry… The ash reminds me of snow for whatever reason. I can't remember the last time I saw such a blanket of ash coating the landscape."

I turned my gaze back towards the shoreline. As I observed the soft ash, a rather…devious thought came to mind as I processed what Luna said to me. "I suppose you have heard the old saying that you should never eat yellow snow?"

Luna let out a sigh, clearly not knowing where I was going with that. "That goes without saying, actually."

My eyes gazed directly at the brownish gray ash. "Then I suppose that would be doubly so for brown snow."

That got her. Luna's melancholy expression changed to one of absolute revulsion. "Oh, James, no! I don't want to think about that! How disgusting!"

I snickered at her reaction. "Sorry. I really couldn't help myself on that one…ack!" Before I even knew what hit me, I had been shoved overboard. Fortunately, my wings reacted in time and I began to hover over the water that surrounded the boat.

"Drat. I wish your wings had locked up right there." Luna grumbled while gazing at me with an irritated expression.

Hoping to distract her, I pointed south. "Well, now that we're out here, you wanna explore a bit?"

Luna did not reply at first, although she did let out a sigh while rolling her eyes. "Very well. But no more snow jokes!"

"That's a promise." I replied as Luna spread her wings and flew towards me. With her by my side, we both flew south.

Mere minutes later, a couple of old stone towers jutting up out of the shoreline came into view. "Hm? What's that?" Luna asked while outreaching her hoof towards it.

She may not have known what that place was, but I did. "Uh oh… Bloodskal Barrow. Stop for a second, Luna." The two of us paused and began to merely hover in place above the ocean.

"Why? Is this place dangerous?" She asked with an understandingly baffled expression.

"Let's just say this world isn't nearly as safe or peaceful as Equestria. I don't want you to witness any such thing."

Luna let out a laugh at my words. "Ha! Danger?! James, you underestimate me. I am a princess of Equestria. I am more than capable of defending myself. And besides, this is just a dream! No one here can truly harm us."

I sighed; disappointed that Luna was missing my point. "Just wait here for a second, OK? I'm gonna scout ahead. Please?"

Luna raised her hooves and shrugged her shoulders in the process. "Very well. I suppose you do know this world a thousand times better than I do."

Grateful that Luna had taken my advice, I flew on ahead while surveying the towers from above. Although I had expected to find bandits prowling the area, I was most surprised to find none. Excellent. There would be no distractions as we explored.

I flew back west until I could see my friend again. But just before I could call out to her, I noticed a particularly large object floating near her. Luna seemed to be flitting to and fro around it, clearly having a good time. "Oh lord, I need to see this." I muttered with a grin before flying towards her.

"What's going on, Luna? You make a friend?" I asked once I came closer.

"Oh, yes! This loveable thing just came floating by and seemed so peaceful, I just had to reach out to it. Just listen to the sound it makes. So cute!" Luna replied while cuddling up against the floating creature. Every few seconds, a deep calming droning noise would emanate from it. It sounded otherworldly, but I found the sound and the creature to be endearing. I suppose the best way to describe how it looked is to compare it to a jellyfish. It was quite large, probably being bigger than myself. Only instead of a perfect dome, the creature was a bit more stretched out for a more streamlined form. Its appearance was a dull brown and leathery, having no discernable face or features. Six long tentacles hung lazily below it from its body while the underside was giving off a peculiar blue glow.

"That's a netch, Luna. And as you can see, they're quite docile." I explained before reaching out and stroking the soft docile creature. "I always did find them to be pretty cute. How's the big netchy wetchy today?"

Luna let out a giggle as the netch started to lean towards us, floating on more of a tilt by then. "Ah! I think it likes us! Oh, you're such a good boy. Luna likes you!"

I snickered at my friend's enthusiasm. I too was rather excited, being able to hug a netch for the first time in my life. Even if it was a dream. I reached out with both arms, cuddling with the gentle giant. "Didn't think they'd be quite this adorable."

The two of us got distracted for quite a while. Hovering around the netch while petting and stroking its tentacles. Eventually, the netch seemed to grow bored and started to float north to graze. Or perhaps it was returning to its herd. "See ya around, netchy." I called out with a wave.

"Such a charming creature. And you said this world was dangerous!" Luna spoke while nudging me with her elbow.

I smirked, trying to not laugh. "There are exceptions. But in general, this world is quite treacherous. The netch is just one of the few gentle giants you can find in it. But before we get sidetracked again, let's check out Bloodskal Barrow."

Luna's eyes lit up a bit with excitement. "Bloodskal… Such an intriguing name. Lead on!" And I did. With Luna behind me, I led her to the stone towers and towards an ancient iron door wedged into the hillside behind them.

Upon opening the door, we found ourselves in a dark tomb with only a few torches on the walls illuminating the area. I am not entirely certain of how to go into describing the area sine I do not remember every specific detail. To my relief, I found even this section of the area to be deserted. "Good thing there's no one here."

Luna proceeded to ask as we turned a corner and came to what seemed to be a makeshift dwelling, "Just how dangerous is this place?"

I decided to be blunt with my response. "Bandits in armor swinging swords and daggers, that sort of dangerous."

"Oh… That sums things up nicely." Luna replied with a humbled expression. Following the stone floor, we passed a fire pit with a cooking pot hanging over it and rows of fish and vegetables placed in small tombs in the wall. To my delight, I found that a passage in the wall at the back of the area was present. "Hm? Where does this lead?"

I stepped forward into the passage and motioned for Luna to follow me. "Let's find out." Granted, I knew what was already down there. Although it would not do for me to spoil it for her, would it?

Once more, we passed through an iron door and descended a spiraling set of wooden planks used as stairs. At the bottom, we found several ancient urns and an intricately designed table with light blue runes spread out on it. Ivy was growing here and there, likely due to the significant amount of moisture in the air. "Intriguing… Are you sure this world is entirely fictional?" Luna asked while surveying her surroundings.

"Actually, yes. This world does not really exist." I replied while passing through a stone gateway. Just beyond it was a massive stone room with what I suppose was a large pond in it, or perhaps a reflecting pool. A stone platform extended halfway through the pond, two stone pillars rising from the corners. But just as I was starting to approach the extension, Luna caught up to me and spoke up with a noticeably worried tone of voice. "James, something doesn't feel right here. I really don't think we should be here."

I looked down at my friend. She seemed afraid. Perhaps she could detect faint magical forces in the air that I could not. Still, I knew the place well enough to know that there were no threats there anymore. "It's OK, Luna. There may have been something dangerous here before, but it's been gone for a while."

There was an ancient wooden chest sitting smack-dab in the middle of the stone platform. "Maybe we can take a souvenir with us." I muttered while approaching it. But just as I was reaching for it, I glanced upward. Ahead in the center of the pool, something floated up out of it. A skeletal humanoid figure clad in a tattered yet intricate robe while wearing a strange metallic mask that soon righted itself while floating above the water's surface. "Aw man, not you again!"

Luna seemed quite unnerved by the sight of the bizarre creature ahead of us. "What in the name of Equestria is that?!"

"Get down!" I replied, grabbing my friend and pulling her down behind the chest an instant before the masked undead bombarded the chest with a stream of powerful magic lightning. Fortunately for us, the chest held.

"Is that thing casting lightning magic?! Just what is it?!" Luna shrieked, keeping her head down to avoid making herself an easy target.

"Told ya this world is dangerous! As for just WHAT that thing is… Uh… I think he goes by the name Zahkriisos. And yes, he's an undead. Probably a lich. You're familiar with those, aren't you?" I replied, knowing that Luna should not be terribly surprised to see one. Though I suppose she had yet to see an undead human until that moment.

"Why, yes! Only I have never seen… What is that noise?" Luna glanced around very slowly, the sound of the lightning barrage ceasing for a moment. In the air was the sound of… Hmmm… What is the best way to describe it? It sounded like low-pitched creepy breathing through spinning fan blades. Suddenly, Luna looked in my direction and pointed with her hoof. "J…James… Tent…tent…tentacles…"

I froze at her words. "There's something behind me?" Very slowly, I turned around. Oh lord, the creature that was floating behind me. Four wrinkled arms hanging down with a toothy gap in the torso and tentacles hanging from the face and underside with a green 'robe' of sorts draped across its back. "Gah! Not Cthulhu!"

Just as that freakish entity was beginning to raise its creepy wrinkled arms, it let out a creepy roar as it was struck by a powerful blast of electrical energy. Before I even knew it, the Cthulhu cosplayer vanished in an aura of azure sparks. "Too close. Are you well, James?"

I looked over my shoulder. Luna's horn was coated by her cobalt blue magic aura. "Hang on. Did you cast that?"

"Of course! Lightning magic is my specialty! I can…ack!" Luna was interrupted as Zahkriisos bombarded the chest we were behind with another volley of lightning. I have to say, lightning magic is not nearly as loud as lightning strikes in general. Good for me since I cannot stand sudden loud bangs.

"OK, we need to deal with that thing… Wait, where's the Lunar Shield? Where's the Celestial Sword?! And where's my helmet?!" I took a moment to examine myself, noticing that I was conspicuously unarmed.

"Where?! I never brought them with me! They're still in the vault under the throne in Canterlot!" Luna replied while standing up and projecting a cobalt barrier around us. None of the lightning our foe conjured up was able to get through.

"Well… That's a problem… Wait a sec! My left gauntlet has the same magic aura you have. Does that mean…?" I asked, recalling how she and Celestia told me how my left and right gauntlets have the same magical polarities they have.

"That you can cast lightning magic? Yes! Only I do not have time to teach you!" Luna replied while occasionally taking potshots at the lightning-launching lich that floated over the pool ahead of us. She would have to drop the barrier to do so, but she was impressively quick in swapping between launching lightning and erecting a barrier.

I looked down at my left hand, a cobalt blue aura starting to coat it. True, I had never once been trained in using any other type of magic besides levitation. However, this was a dream. Surely I could will the gauntlet to cast lightning magic. "Maybe you don't need to train me this time." I stuck my left hand through the barrier. A second later, a bolt of lightning streaked across the pool and slammed into Zahkriisos. The lich was clearly stunned, showing some intelligence since he seemed genuinely startled and disoriented.

"Ha! It works!" I yelled, starting to feel exhilarated now that I had a means to take the fight to the undead.

"How did you do that?! Lightning magic is a very advanced type of spell!" Luna shouted while keeping the barrier up. She clearly did not understand how I was able to cast it. And come to think of it…perhaps I was not using the gauntlet to cast Lightning Bolt. Perhaps it was just being cast from memory.

I looked down at my hand, smirking as sparks surged around my curled fingers. "I don't think I did, actually. But now… Heh, this is gonna be good." I flapped my wings and flew out of the barrier, starting to circle Zahkriisos while hovering around the room. I extended my left hand, launching bolt after bolt of enchanted lightning. "Ha! Zappity zap zap, liches!"

I was getting so caught up in bombarding that undead sorcerer with lightning; I was not taking into account my own safety. Granted, my armor practically negated the lightning he launched at me, but then a flash of bright light engulfed my vision when the stream was directed towards my unarmored head. Next thing I knew… I was looking up at the sky with a soft cushion of sorts right under me and a dark thundercloud partially blocking out the sun floating above.

I gritted my teeth as I suddenly sat up and reached my arms to the sky. "Oh, come on! It was just starting to get interesting!"

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy suddenly rolled away from me as I yelled. Fluttershy then asked, "Huh?! What was getting interesting?!"

Luna let out a yawn from right behind me before I had the chance to reply. "Yes, that was starting to look like fun. Then again, it is hard to stay asleep when you get hurt in a dream."

"Yeah?! Well, you weren't the only ones having a nice dream! Thanks for waking me up!" Rainbow Dash retorted before crossing her arms and pouting. Considering what had been happening today, I felt it would be best to not ask what the dream involved.

Regardless of my abrupt awakening, I reached out with my arms as far as they would stretch and let out a long yawn. Heh, I yawned as I wrote this even. I suppose they really are contagious. "Come to…think of it… How long were we out?" I asked before allowing my arms to become lax.

Luna turned her gaze to the sun, seemingly noticing that it had moved out from behind the thundercloud. Fortunately, more clouds that were much higher up were weakening its powerful glare. "I would have to say…two hours?"

I looked back to the east, seeing Ponyville in the distance. "Hmm… You think we should be getting home right now? Scootaloo's probably gonna be hungry when she gets home from school… Oh, wait. They're already out by now. But she's probably hanging out with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle right now."

Fluttershy looked over the side of the cloud at the Everfree Forest below. She almost immediately scooted away from the edge of the cloud and up against me. "Um… I think I've had enough of big heights for one day too. Do you think we could…um…head home now?"

"I don't see why not. Where are… Oh, there they are." I replied, finding my gauntlets resting on the cloud nearby. It would be a problem if they fell into the forest below. Could probably take forever just to find one.

Once I slid my gauntlets back on, I prepared to stand up. However, Rainbow Dash suddenly went airborne. "Hey, you guys just stay put for a minute. I'll getcha back there in style!" That brazen pegasus suddenly flew out of sight before I heard her call out from somewhere behind Luna, "All aboard the Rainbow Express! Enjoy your flight!"

All of a sudden, the cloud we were on suddenly lurched in one direction. "Eek! We're moving!" Fluttershy yelped while holding onto me tightly.

"Rainbow Dash, are you pushing the cloud towards Ponyville?!" Luna called out while looking in the general direction that Rainbow Dash was in. I could not see her, but I knew that our friend was somewhere below the edge of the cloud.

"Sure am! Just sit back and enjoy the ride!" Rainbow called out from somewhere out of my sight.

The cloud was flying along at a pretty swift speed, judging by how my hair was wavering in the wind. If I stood up, the wind would likely knock me down. So I remained seated while Luna and Fluttershy rested by my sides while their long beautiful manes blew in the wind. "Guess this is one nimbus I won't be able to ride properly."

Luna cast her gaze towards me. "A nimbus cloud?"

"I think this is more of a stratocumulus cloud than a nimbus." Fluttershy retorted while looking over her shoulder at me. I suppose most pegasi would know their clouds better than me. Especially when they spent their childhoods living on them.

It was quite an entertaining experience to just be gliding over the Everfree Forest without exerting any effort for once. I suppose I can compare it to riding an airplane without the droning noise of jet engines and a compact cabin restricting movement. I leaned towards the edge and peered over it. The trees almost looked like a flowing green river due to the speed we were traveling at.

"Is everything OK back there, Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy called our in a slightly louder tone than usual. I was a little too enthralled with what was happening around me to really speak out. How often does one get the opportunity to ride a cloud while simultaneously having the cloud speeding along at roughly the same speed as a racecar?

"What did you say, Fluttershy?!" Rainbow Dash called out, Fluttershy's tone of voice still too quiet to reach her back there.

Luna then leaned towards the back of the cloud and lowered her head towards the edge. "She asked if you are holding up well back here."

Rainbow Dash called out with a bit of a laugh. "That?! Ha! I'm fine! Just sit back and enjoy the ride!" And we most certainly did. Luna and Fluttershy were paying just as much attention to their surroundings as I was. It did not take long for us to start soaring over the edge of Ponyville, the rooftops sweeping by beneath us. We did not pass directly over the town though. Our destination was likely the meadow that separated Fluttershy's cottage from Ponyville.

Sure enough, our ride began to slow to a stop as we drifted over the meadow with Fluttershy's cottage on the horizon. "Thank you for flying with Rainbow Airways! Make sure to keep your hooves above the cushion at all times as we come in for a landing." Rainbow Dash spoke in a very professional tone as her ego got the better of her. Again. I could not help but roll my eyes at the way she was talking.

While Rainbow Dash talked, the cloud we were sitting on steadily descended towards the ground. Once we were less than a foot off of it, Luna, Fluttershy, and myself hopped off of the cloud and onto the soft grass below. "I hope you enjoyed your flight! Have a nice day!" Rainbow Dash peeked out from behind the cloud with a cheeky grin. She then trotted over to the other side of the cloud and looked over her shoulder at it. "Ready for takeoff!" Upon saying those words, she bucked the cloud with both of her hind legs and sent it back towards the Everfree Forest. Who knows how long it took for the thing to drift to a stop.

Luna cocked her head to one side before suddenly moving it to the other, the sound of her neck's vertebrae popping and creaking rather loudly. "Well, that most certainly was a fine time we had."

I stretched once more, finding it to be rather relaxing now that I was back on solid ground. "Eeeeyup. That nap helped too… Huh? What's so funny?" For whatever reason, Fluttershy had started to giggle.

"Sorry… It's just that you sounded like Big Macintosh for a moment right there." Fluttershy replied while looking up at me with her hoof over her mouth.

"Big Mac? How… Oh lord, that. I need to catch myself when that happens. That little quip of his is contagious!" I retorted with a groan and chuckle. That word is surprisingly easy to sneak into one's vocabulary.

Luna chuckled along with me, but then approached me with a smile. "Well, it was quite an honor to be able to spend some time with you again, James. Especially on Hearts and Hooves Day of all times. But I should be returning to Canterlot soon. The night will be starting in a couple of hours and I should return your armor to its resting place too."

Rainbow Dash looked around for a moment before asking, "Hey, didn't that stuff come in a big silver cup?"

The alicorn's eyes opened wide in shock. "Oh my… I left it somewhere around here, didn't I?!" She trotted here and there, checking behind rocks and trees. Where did we leave that thing anyway?

"Oh! I think I know someone who can help us!" Fluttershy gasped before approaching a tree that seemed to have a large knothole in the side that likely could be used as a small den to any little critter that could reach it.

Fluttershy lightly knocked on the trunk of the tree with her hoof. "Hello, are you there? I think you know where we can find what we're looking for." In response, a raccoon stuck its head out of the hole.

"Oh, this explains everything." I spoke as I rolled my eyes. Having read 'Where the Red Fern Grows' well over a decade ago in a school textbook, I know that raccoons are effectively packrats that sometimes hoard any peculiar items they find, especially shiny objects. Anything made of silver is probably fair game... Wait. 'Where the Red Fern Grows' has never been published in Equestria… My apologies. Do not think too hard about what I just wrote.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, but Princess Luna is looking for a big silver cup she left around here. Have you seen it?" Fluttershy asked the raccoon in a soothing reassuring voice. The raccoon seemed to smile before ducking back into its den and emerging while holding out the same silver chalice Luna had used to transport my armor to me while in its initial liquid state.

"That's it! The chalice!" Luna called out before her horn was engulfed in her signature magic aura. An instant later, the chalice was coated by the same aura too. However, as the chalice floated over to her, the raccoon refused to let go and ended up getting carried along through the air.

"Looks like someone has some sticky fingers!" Rainbow Dash joked while taking note of the raccoon's clinginess to its treasure. Once a raccoon takes hold of something it is interested in, it will probably never let go.

Luna did not seem to be very amused at all by the rodent's refusal to part with the chalice. She frowned in irritation, making the chalice wiggle around quite a bit. "Come now, forest dweller. That chalice belongs in the royal palace. Unhand it this instant!"

When the raccoon still did not let go, Fluttershy stepped forward and spoke to it. "Please let it go, little raccoon. I know it's very pretty, but it doesn't belong to you. So could you give it back? Pretty please?"

For whatever reason, that seemed to do the trick. The raccoon seemed to sigh in defeat, reluctantly letting go of the chalice and dropping to the ground. Fluttershy smiled while gently nuzzling the raccoon's head. "Thank you. You did the right thing." The raccoon seemed to smile a bit before scampering off across the meadow. Probably to try and find another shiny object to replace the treasure he had just parted ways with.

Luna too nodded with a smile. "Yes. And thank you for keeping it safe until we returned." She then set the cup down and removed its lid before facing me and pointing her horn at my chest. "Be still, please."

At those words, I felt my armor starting to melt right off of me. The thick viscous metal oozed down my body before it settled into a puddle around my feet. Before I could comment on it, it was surrounded by a cobalt blue aura before 'jumping' like a liquid organism into the chalice. Luna then placed the lid back onto it. "That should do it."

"It was awesome seeing you again, Princess Luna. Thanks for coming along!" Rainbow Dash grinned while waving her hoof.

Luna replied with a smile, "It was my pleasure. And I can't wait to tell Nightmare Moon about that little adventure we had. Especially about that cuddly soft…um… What was that thing with the tentacles?"

Fluttershy seemed to have taken some interest in our conversation and approached us. "Tentacles? Did you see an octopus somewhere?"

I looked down at Luna and spoke, "That was a netch, Luna. And no, they're not a type of octopus. But you would've loved to meet one."

My girlfriend seemed to get very excited at the mention of meeting a new type of friendly creature. "Oh, I would? Are they cuddly? Big or small? Fluffy or squishy?"

I rolled my eyes while trying to not laugh. "Sorry, honey. You'll never meet a netch. They don't really exist."

That certainly seemed to kill her mood. Fluttershy bowed her head and let out a long sigh. "Oh… That's a shame."

Luna approached Fluttershy and gently patted her on the shoulder. "There now, Fluttershy. Perhaps you will see them in your dreams." She then gave me a wink, silently expressing how the knowledge of the netch's existence was shared between us.

"As much as I would love to stay a bit longer, I really should depart for Canterlot now. But thank you all for allowing me to stay." Luna spoke once more before approaching me and giving me a tender embrace. "I am honored I was allowed to be a part of your first Hearts and Hooves Day, James. Let's meet again soon."

I responded in kind while wrapping my arms around her in an embrace of my own. "It was a pleasure, Luna. See you soon." The princess of the night then spread her wings and took to the air with the silver chalice cradled in her left foreleg. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash waved goodbye with me as we watched the beautiful alicorn fly east.

"Going out on a flight was a good idea, Rainbow. That was a good time." I spoke while flexing my neck to loosen myself up.

"Hay yeah, it was! Who doesn't like flying?" She replied with that enthusiastic tone of hers. But she then asked, "So, what's next? Wanna check out the bowling alley? Maybe grab some dinner at the café? Oh, wait! How about some manticore wrestling?!"

What was with Rainbow Dash spouting out all those activities with the enthusiasm of a cheerful school kid? Was she just bored out of her mind to the point where she had to keep doing something interesting to stay stimulated? That sounds more like something Pinkie Pie would do!

Fluttershy spoke up before I could. "Actually, Rainbow Dash… We really should be getting home now. Scootaloo's probably coming home soon and we need to start on dinner."

For whatever reason, Rainbow Dash's expression seemed to show something of a cross between a smile and a look of desperation. "Oh, come on, Fluttershy! Can't we just….uh…"

Her inability to provide an answer really showed that something was not right. I sighed to myself, remembering why Rainbow Dash was even with us. With all that had been going on today, I had all but forgotten.

"Well… Uh… OK. If you really have to go, I guess that's all right. But…" With quite possibly the most pathetic pleading gaze I had ever seen on her face, Rainbow Dash asked, "Could I…spend a few minutes in private with James? Just for a little while?"

I was starting to feel quite nervous as an unpleasant heat began to fill my body. And Fluttershy clearly did not like the idea either. My girlfriend frowned and sighed before replying, "Rainbow… James isn't your…"

Our friend did not give up. She raised her voice a little further and bowed before the lovely yellow pegasus. "I swear I'm not gonna take your boyfriend away from you. I just want to spend a little time with him before I go home… Please, Fluttershy? Just for a few minutes?"

Fluttershy silently looked towards me with a slight frown, as if she was unsure of what to say. I averted my eyes for a moment while deliberating on what to do. After a brief moment, I nodded to Fluttershy to show I felt it was best to give Rainbow Dash what she was asking for.

Fluttershy clearly wasn't happy with the decision, but she seemed to respect it. I do not blame her for doubting Rainbow Dash, but our friend is practically the living definition of loyalty. I was sure she would not betray our trust now. "All right, Rainbow. You can have a little time with James. But please don't keep him too long…eep?!"

Rainbow clearly caught Fluttershy by surprise, suddenly reaching out and snatching her up in her forelegs for a huge hug. "Thank you! I swear you won't regret it!"

I honestly had to suppress a laugh from watching that response. Fluttershy seemed to go limp in Rainbow's grasp, leaning backwards with a dazed expression. "Uh… Thank you? Um… Could you put me down, please?"

It was only then that Rainbow Dash realized what she was doing. She giggled a little while gently letting go of Fluttershy and allowing her to fall back onto all fours. "Right, sorry… Anyway, thanks. I promise I won't keep him for too long."

Fluttershy looked up at me with a rather worried expression. I nodded with a smile, trying to reassure her that I had no intention of allowing myself to be taken from her. She smiled softly, though I could still see that she was somewhat worried. "I'll go tend to the animals at home while I wait. See you soon, James." I waved goodbye before Fluttershy turned and walked away, though not without glancing over her shoulder at me a few times.

Once we were alone, I looked down at Rainbow Dash. "So…uh… How was today?"

Rainbow Dash let out a sigh at first before lying down next to the tree Luna's silver chalice had been stored in. I followed her, taking a seat beside her. "Today… Well…" Rainbow sighed again before continuing. "Today was awesome… Just being with you constantly was… I loved it."

I smiled at her words. "I enjoyed it too. It was very enjoyable being with you today, Rainbow."

My friend pulled herself up and started to lean against me with her hoof on my hand. I was not as nervous this time since I was all but certain Rainbow Dash would not be making any sudden advances on me again. "It was…almost like you and I were on a real date…"

This darkened my mood. Even though I knew there was no way around it, it did not make the truth any easier for me. I really wanted to make Rainbow Dash happy, but I knew I could not. At least not without leaving Fluttershy.

"James… Can I ask a favor from you?" I heard my friend ask.

"Yeah, Rainbow?" I replied, not certain of just how to respond.

I looked down at the beautiful yet rowdy pegasus mare as she looked up at me. "Could we…make out one last time?"

One last kiss. That was what she was asking me for. In truth, it almost hurt to hear those words. Not because I would not enjoy it, but because it would be the last romantic act Rainbow would ever experience with me. Still, I nodded with a faint smile. "Sure, Rainbow."

No more words were spoken as she pulled herself up to my face. We gazed into each other's eyes for a brief moment. I did not see the usual brashness or ego I usually saw in them. Instead, I saw a powerful want in them as well as a very deep kind of admiration. It was strange… In that brief moment, Rainbow Dash seemed far more beautiful than ever before to me.

Almost as if in a trance, the two of us lightly touched our lips together for a very soft kiss. Over and over we repeated that simple action, placing kiss after kiss on each other. Until finally, Rainbow planted a kiss on me and did not pull away. I felt her wrap her forelegs around me as she closed her eyes and pushed against me.

I knew what was happening and accepted her affections. My lips parted, feeling myself becoming very relaxed as I was being practically engulfed by Rainbow Dash's affection. I felt her tongue reach into my mouth, the faint taste of cupcakes coating it. I did not resist. My arms wrapped around her, holding her against me. What a kiss. I could feel the passion in Rainbow's kiss. I never once imagined that such a bold and brazen woman could be such a passionate lover. I always thought that the concept of romance was unimportant to her. I suppose I was wrong.

I closed my eyes, losing myself in that amazing kiss. I did not really think about anything else. I was focused on just that one moment between us. My hands stroked Rainbow's back as she arched against me, her wings spreading open in a strong wingboner. I could hear faint moans reverberating in her throat.

I honestly do not know how much time passed before we finally broke the kiss. Maybe two minutes or possibly even ten. I felt dazed, my body filled with warmth as Rainbow slowly pulled away from me. We both slowly opened our eyes at the same time. I could see that her light blue face had a noticeable shade of pink around her cheeks as she blushed. She seemed daze, her expression almost looking hypnotized. Her mouth hung open slightly with a thin string of our saliva hanging from it. We both panted lightly, each of us clearly just as overly stimulated from the kiss as the other.

"Whoa… That…" Rainbow Dash muttered as she started to regain her composure. A few seconds later, she fell against me and let out a very content sigh. "That was awesome…"

I gently stroked my friend's mane, letting out a sigh too. "Yeah… I feel like I just woke up from a nap. Really relaxing."

I felt rainbow Dash rest her chin on my shoulder as she embraced me in a tender hug. I did not say anything, just enjoying the gentle quiet company of my friend as we sat there while a gentle meadow breeze blew through the air. However, I soon felt faint tremors shuddering through her body. Was the breeze too cold for her?

"Rainbow…?" I asked softly. She did not respond, but with her head right next to mine, I could hear faint sobs and whispers. She was crying. "Rainbow, what's wrong? You can tell me…"

I heard her choke on tears as she whispered, "I… I don't want this moment to end…"

I could only sigh at those words. This was probably as close to being lovers as we were ever going to get. And I knew that was probably tearing her apart on the inside. "I'm sorry…"

Rainbow Dash slowly pulled away and looked at me. As expected, big wet tears were trickling down her face. "It's not fair… I love you and I can't have you… You don't know how long I've waited for the moment…but it feels like one big tease!" She buried her face in my shirt and cried. "I finally almost have you, but I just can't reach the goal… It's just out of reach and I'll never be able to hold it in my arms…"

I honestly felt absolutely awful to hear her say that. Maybe if things had been different… I could honestly see Rainbow Dash and I as a couple. We contrast greatly, yet I am certain we would mesh well. But fate had chosen a different path for me instead and I was not going to leave Fluttershy just because someone else wanted me.

"Rainbow… I know we can't ever become sweethearts… But… How to I put this…" I muttered while embracing her in as gentle an embrace as possible. "I'm going to try to word this the best I can. I know you want to reach out and hold me. But you can't reach that far, right?"

My friend nodded while still keeping her head buried in my shoulder. She did not speak, but I did hear a faint whimper that probably was a muffled 'uh huh' from her. I continued, carefully thinking out my words before speaking. "Well… Even if you can't reach far enough to hold me…" I then gently pulled away from my friend until she was facing me. Reaching down, I lifted her left foreleg and gently pressed my right palm against her hoof while its underside was directed towards me. "You can still reach far enough to feel me."

Her face seemed to show a faint glimmer of surprise, her big rose-colored eyes looking down at her hoof and my hand. "Rainbow Dash. You and I more often than not go together like oil and water. But despite our differences, I can't imagine life without you anymore. I've got quite a few friends now. And out of all of them, you're one of the best."

Rainbow Dash gazed at me, tears filling her eyes. But instead of sorrow, she seemed to be steadily beginning to shows signs of being truly touched. "You mean that?"

I nodded with a smile while my fingers curled and gripped her hoof. "Yes. And now that I think about it…" I leaned in closer to whisper into her ear. "I've seen you on more days than anyone else in Equestria."

The brazen yet beautiful pegasus mare let out a faint gasp. "Oh my gosh, you're right. That day… When you went into the Everfree Forest…"

I nodded with smiled. "Out of all of my friends, you were the only one I saw that day. And I was glad to see you." I then leaned forward and gently rested my forehead against hers, those lovely rose eyes staring into mine without blinking once. "I honestly think we share a type of special bond, Rainbow. Do you?"

A gush of tears burst forth from Rainbow's eyes as a lovely smile spread across her face. "I do… I really do… I can't imagine living without you anymore. I always cherish every single day we spend time together."

I then asked as my grip on her hoof tightened, constantly making certain my voice was calm and soothing. "Can we keep things that way then? Can we continue to see each other every day without fail as the friends we are?"

Rainbow responded by suddenly holding me in the tightest embrace I had received that day. "Yes… I don't want that to ever change…"

I responded in kind, holding my friend while stroking her back and down to her wings. Curiously, they were still spread wide. After a moment, when I felt that the tension from before had passed, I felt the need to ask. "Rainbow… Why are your wings so stiffly spread?"

Her eyes shot open next to my head. "They are?" She pulled away from me and looked at them before looking back at me with a rather unnerved grin. "Uh… What do you think it is?"

A wingboner. It had not gone away? "Where did that even come from?"

Rainbow smiled while wiping away her tears and sniffling lightly. "That kiss…got me hot and bothered. And… Heh, I see you felt it too."

She was right. That kiss was…quite enthralling and got to my body. "Uh… Don't tell Fluttershy about that."

Rainbow Dash flashed me a wink before managing to fold her wings. "Hey, the only reason we got turned on so much was because one of us is one hay of a kisser."

I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes. "I don't recall being the one to initiate the more intimate smooching… And how are you going to deal with that wingboner anyway? It still hasn't really gone away, has it?"

Rainbow Dash looked down at her folded wings. "Um… I dunno. I'm actually trying to keep them folded. Lemme see if they've relaxed yet." An instant later, they sprang open. "Nope! Still got a wingboner! I'll have to go home and…take care of it."

I rolled my eyes, not surprised in the least that it was taking time to fade. "Figures… Um… I know this isn't probably something I should ask, but…what do you think about when you…take care of wingboners?"

The look she gave me unnerved me a bit. It almost looked seductive, yet also whimsical. "What do you think? I think about you."

My body heated up in an instant, as what I think was a blush filled my face. I would not know for certain since I could not see my reflection anywhere. However, Rainbow continued to explain. "I especially try to imagine you without your armor, but with those…huge shiny wings…" That expression… She was just melting at the thought. And I confess I was starting to feel rather uncomfortable as I imagined what was going through her head. "Oh man… Just thinking about that gets me every time…"

"OK, I get it! You dig guys with big wings!" I groaned, facepalming in the process. Rainbow Dash let out a laugh at my reaction while regaining her composure.

After a moment, I looked to the west. Somewhere over there, Fluttershy was likely tending to her animals alone. "Rainbow… I really should get going. I don't want to leave Fluttershy alone for long today."

Rainbow Dash frowned and let out a sigh at my words. "I know… And I know she's who you've chosen… I won't get between you two…but…" She leaped at me as I stood up, holding onto me for one last hug. "Thanks for letting me spend Hearts and Hooves Day with you… It… It meant the world to me."

I let out a long sigh while my mouth curved upward into a smile. I gently wrapped my arms around her, holding her against me. "It was a pleasure, Rainbow. I enjoyed having you with us."

I just stood there for a moment. Neither of us spoke. Neither of us moved. We just remained still, holding each other close. Although I suppose I was also holding Rainbow Dash off the ground. Eventually, she was the one to speak first. "James. Before I go, I have something important to tell you."

"Hm?" I muttered, releasing my grasp on her. Rainbow Dash immediately began to flap her wings, hovering in front of me. Her expression showed a somber smile.

"You know I love you… And I want you to do what makes you happy. But… Now, don't take this the wrong way. I'm not saying I want this to ever happen, but…" She stammered on, seemingly having difficulty finding the right words to speak. I merely crossed my arms and waited, curious of what she was implying.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is… If anything ever goes wrong between you and Fluttershy… If you two ever break up…" Rainbow Dash then held her hooves over her chest and smiled at me with tears in her eyes. "You can give your broken heart to me…because I will always save my lonely soul for you."

That… That was so beautiful. I honestly felt tears start to build in my eyes at that moment. I believe it was only then that I truly understood just how much I meant to Rainbow Dash. "I… I will, Rainbow… If anything goes wrong, you'll be the first to know."

My friend reached out with one hoof, gently wiping a tear from my cheek. "Don't cry, big guy. That day hasn't happened yet. But if it does, I've got your back." She then leaned forward and nuzzled me. "Hay, if anything does get you down, you just come to me. I've always got time for you."

I reached out and stroked Rainbow's mane. "I will, Rainbow. And thank you."

My friend flashed me one of her big toothy grins, looking like she was back to her old self. "Anytime. Now, get going. You have your one true sweetheart to tend to right now. Give her plenty of love tonight!"

I snickered, finding her enthusiasm to be flattering. "I'll try. I'm not an aggressive lover, you know. It's all up to whether or not she wants any."

She began to rise higher into the air. Her eyes constantly gazed down at me, never leaving me for a second. "See ya tomorrow, James! And thank you." I waved at her while she waved back. A few seconds later, that beautiful brazen mare bolted to the east, leaving a rainbow vapor trail in her wake. Not really having anything else to say, I smiled and began to walk home.

As I drew near to the cottage, I could see Fluttershy carrying a basket of birdseed up to some colorful songbirds perching in the tree closest to her house. They all fluttered over to the basket and perched on the edge while plucking the seeds from the basket. "Cute. A portable birdfeeder." I muttered aloud as I watched. However, it did not take long for her to see me standing on the little earthen bridge spanning the creek in front of our home.

Fluttershy seemed like she was about to call out to me, but her eyes then glanced downward at the last section. Probably because she was taking note of the basket hanging from her jaws. After hovering over to a branch and hanging the basket on it, she then swooped down to me. "How was Rainbow Dash? Do you think she'll be OK?"

I replied while bringing myself to the ground and sitting at the edge of the bridge with my legs hanging off. "Yeah. She had a lot to get off her chest, but she seemed to be very happy when she departed for home."

Fluttershy took a seat next to me, her body lightly leaning against me. "That's good… I was worried her feelings would tear her apart."

I let out a sigh, knowing all too well how she was feeling. Even though we had parted on good terms, knowing what she was going through still made my heart a bit heavy. "I know what it's like to develop feelings for someone who ends up choosing someone else. It hurts."

"I hope she'll be all right… I've never seen Rainbow Dash in love before." Fluttershy spoke with a sigh. Our gazes were directed to the stream of water that was flowing underneath us.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Rainbow has proven herself to be a hardy one on more than one occasion…" I replied, my eyes gazing at our reflections.

The two of us just sat there for a while, not really paying much mind to anything. However, Fluttershy seemed to notice something on my face. "James? Are you all right? Your face seems a bit red."

I glanced at her, not really understanding what she meant. She then reached out and touched my face with her hoof. "You feel warm too. Are you OK?"

It was then that I realized I was still feeling rather hot and bothered from that amazing kiss Rainbow and I had shared. In fact, it was rather difficult to not think about it. "Uh… Just distracted by some thoughts…"

Fluttershy's eyes seemed to glance down at something before looking back at me. "Did Rainbow Dash kiss you before she left?"

I winced at those words. "Is it that obvious?"

My girlfriend let out a giggle before looping her tail around herself and draping it over my leg and crotch. I could almost feel the delicate fibers of her long gorgeous mane through the fabric of my pants. She then winked at me with a surprisingly alluring gaze that she does not show me very often and whispered, "Then I'll have to do something about that tonight, won't I?"

If I was still feeling warm and aroused from minutes earlier, I must have felt like I was in a desert after hearing those words. I could feel warm excited sweat starting to soak me from under my clothes. "Heh… Sounds good to me, honey."

She leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips. "Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, dear."

I could only smile at those words. I gently placed my hand on the back of Fluttershy's head and pulled her in for a kiss. However, we did not have much time to really get into it before the buzzing of a motor could be heard in the distance before steadily drawing near. I looked to the south, frowning with irritation. "Oh, come on. Just as we were starting to relax."

Sure enough, I could see Scootaloo in the distance riding her scooter. She was definitely on her way home from the clubhouse. However, Fluttershy then looked up at me and asked, "Tonight, James?"

I winked at her and smiled, "Count on it."

Fluttershy then whispered into my ear with a giggle. "I'll wear the lingerie." That made me wretch with anticipation. I was going to have a hard time focusing on cooking dinner that evening.

I suppose I could write about how things went in the evening, but it would probably be redundant. That and…this entry has reached over one hundred pages. Good lord. I really should wrap this one up.

As I lie here in bed, Fluttershy is holding onto me in her sleep. Today was one big roller coaster for us. But all in all, it was a lovely first Hearts and Hooves Day for me. Although I have to wonder what Rainbow Dash is doing right now…

I still feel guilty for what happened today. I truly feel for her. But I know my heart belongs to Fluttershy and no one else. And I pray my friendship with Rainbow Dash remains strong.

I am actually feeling rather drained right now, so I will stop here. Sweet dreams, Fluttershy. And thank you for always being there for me, Rainbow Dash. And Happy Hearts and Hooves Day to you both.


	24. Preorder The Lost Element: Volume 1

This update will be deleted in ten days.

Before I can get the final word in to start printing the first volume of The Lost Element for purchase, I need a tally of how many people actually wish to buy a copy. Please send me a private note if you wish to purchase one. If you are keeping track of my works on other sites as well, only contact me once so as to not mistake you for more than one person. The more copies that are printed and sold, the lower the cost for each copy.

Update

All right, I have gotten numerous claims that what I am I doing is illegal and going to get me in trouble with the law.

I am not making a profit off of printing The Lost Element. All proceeds will be going to the printing company that will be printing the copies in order to cover the costs. And for those who are wondering how valid this company and website are, here is an excerpt from their FAQ page.

We use a small business based in the US called Colorwise (they own the site .com in case you are curious) that specializes in small printing runs but delivers astoundingly high quality. Ever heard of a Fo:E print? Yes, they used it.

I will be ignoring any and all further complaints about this. I am not doing this to earn a profit, but as a means to provide the readers and fans of my story with something special.

If you are not interested in owning a copy, that is fine. If you are, contact me.

Final update

A fair amount of people have voiced their desire for a copy of The Lost Element's first volume, though more is needed to get it printed. The way the publishing site works is that a minimum number of interested buyers needs to be met before they deem the story worth printing. Unless a certain number of interested individuals is met, the story will not be printed.

What is more, I understand that illustrations can be added to printed stories as well. However, few pieces of art that have been made so far that fit with the first volume alone. If there are any pony artists out there who wish to volunteer or are available to be commissioned, I have a long list of ideas to throw your way.

Volume 1 Complete

With the completion of Tainted Memories, the real 12th chapter, the first volume of The Lost Element is now complete. Printing can soon begin. If there is anyone who is following this story or has favorited it, please contact me to let me know if you want a copy. I cannot assume if you do or not. The final product will even contain illustrations that match what is happening on the pages near it.


	25. Lifting the Illusion

I know I pointed out how I noticed in an earlier entry that I always seemed to start my journal entries by documenting the start of my day and how it may have been starting to become repetitive. I apologize for that, but… I feel compelled to mention it today. I really do not know why.

I awoke this morning to the feeling of something being pressed against my lips. My eyes opened rather abruptly, almost startled by the odd sensation. But what I saw before me calmed my nerves in an instant. Lying before me with her own lips pressed against mine was dear Fluttershy. Her eyes were closed, either from being asleep or to help her get into the moment.

Faced with this most pleasant way of waking up in the morning, I could not resist. I reached out and pulled my girlfriend loser to me as I too pressed into the kiss. I heard a cute muffled moan come from the lovely pegasus' throat as her wings spread wide. That moment… What a perfect way to start my day.

Moments passed before we started to pull our faces away from each other. I felt so warm in my face, most likely from a blush. I could plainly see a blush on Fluttershy's face as well, though I saw none of her usual awkward nervousness in that expression. It was nothing but pure bliss. Such serene contentment in those eyes. Finally, she spoke with that meek and tender tone of voice I had always known her by. "Good morning, dear."

There was just something in those words that made me tingle all over. The way she spoke the word 'dear'. Is this what it feels like to be married? Regardless, I felt compelled to reply the only way I could. "Good morning, honey."

Fluttershy's blush seemed to deepen at the sound of my words while she grinned a tiny meek yet happy grin. She pulled herself closer and rested her head next to mine while embracing me in her arms. There were no words. Just long blissful sighs. I did the same. Wrapping my arms around my beloved and holding her against me while sitting up in bed. What a perfect way to start my day.

"I love you." I heard her mutter. And yes, I am sure I have chronicled her saying those words many times in my entries so far. But you know what? I see no point in withholding those words from them. I want to be able to look back on these days and remember these special moments. Insignificant to all but Fluttershy and myself.

"I love you too, Fluttershy." I whispered softly into my lover's ear. I could feel her tense up and shudder with glee. As if those words hit a soft spot in her heart.

"I just… I can't believe how lucky I am to have you…" I heard her whisper. "It could've been Rainbow Dash you chose… Or maybe Rarity or Twilight… But you chose me in the end… I've never been happier."

I leaned my head against her, remembering my fifth day in Ponyville. I will never forget that adorably mushy love letter her pet rabbit Angel brought to me. To think Fluttershy can be that poetic. "I admit… I was really blown away that you started to feel that way for me so soon after my arrival."

Fluttershy nodded, lightly digging her chin into my shoulder for a brief instant. "I never thought I would know what it is like to fall in love… I'm just so glad you weren't put off by my… My…"

I stroked my fingers through the feathers on her wings, prompting her to shudder and become silent. "I know what you mean, Fluttershy. I admit it was surprising to find that happening after less than a week. But I had to give it a chance. I couldn't just turn you away without at least seeing where things could go first. And I'm glad I stuck with you."

At first, Fluttershy did not respond. But an instant later, I felt her grip on me tighten to the point where I though perhaps Pinkie Pie or even Applejack was giving me a tight hug. I too tightened my grasp around her. It just felt so…perfect. Like things could not be better with us.

Moments turned into minutes as we just sat there. Not moving. Not separating. Just savoring each other's presence. Finally though, Fluttershy whispered. "I should get started on breakfast. Scootaloo will probably be pretty hungry as soon as she wakes up."

I cracked an awkward smile. What a way to wreck the moment. "Heh, right. The kids come first, don't they?"

Fluttershy giggled lightly for a second before pulling away and placing a brief kiss on my lips. "We can always make up for it tonight, right?"

I nodded with a grin, nuzzling my nose against her snout. "Count on it, honey."

My girlfriend grinned adorably before stretching and flexing her wings, putting on quite a display in the process. I made certain to avert my eyes though. I doubt Fluttershy would appreciate me gawking due to how shy and reserved she is. And if you have been reading my previous journal entries, you probably have a good idea of how shy she can be.

Once she let out a long sigh of relaxation, Fluttershy looked over at me and smiled warmly. "Come on down when you're ready. I'll try to be quick with my cooking."

"No need to rush, honey. Just take your time." I replied with a nod. Once Fluttershy had departed and walked down the stairs into the kitchen, I decided to get dressed for the day. Today is a Sunday, so I pretty much have the entire day free.

I raised myself out of bed and stretched my arms as far as they could reach while my body arched backwards. I groaned loudly, feeling my tension flowing out of me. No matter how many days in a row I stretch like that, it never gets old. I then pulled open my clothing drawer and started rooting around in it. With today being in the middle of summer, I went with a pair of khaki shorts and a blue polo shirt. Both had been weaved for me by Rarity recently to give my attire a bit more variation.

Once I went into the bathroom, I grabbed the nearest hair comb before wetting it down and stroking it through my hair to get it a bit more straightened out. I did run into a few snags that required me to get creative to avoid ripping a few strands of hair out of my scalp, but I managed. Although before I could finish, I suddenly felt a little pressure on my shoulder. I turned to look and found little Angela looking at me with her big round black eyes.

"Aw, hello there, pretty bird. How're you?" I could not help asking my little friend. All right, I suppose she was really my pet. But after spending so much time around various little animals with unusually expressive faces and showing clear signs of sentience, I found that it was very difficult for me to view animals as mere…well…animals. Of course, there were some exceptions. Gummy, Pinkie Pie's pet alligator, can hardly be considered sentient with that constant blank expression of his. And some fish seem rather blank-faced as well… Am I getting off track again?

Anyway, Angela returned my greeting with an adorable coo before rubbing her little beak against my cheek in a show of tenderness. She was actually attempting to preen me, which is a genuine show of affection from most birds. Using my spare hand, I gently caressed her body while using my other to finish up with combing my hair. Once that was done, I set the comb down on the sink and proceeded down the stairs with little Angela perched upon my shoulder.

I could already smell Fluttershy at work on breakfast. The smell of fried eggs, toasted bread, and sweet fruit jam was wafting out of the kitchen. "Guess we better wake little Scootaloo up so she can join us, right?" I asked while looking at Angela. The little dove nodded before fluttering off of my shoulder and into Scootaloo's room. I quickly followed to make certain Angela did not do anything without my consent.

When I entered Scootaloo's room, I found the little pegasus filly still snoozing peacefully in bed with the covers pulled up over her body. Her little hooves were curled over the tips of the covers as if she was ready to yank them off at any time. But I then noticed Angela overlooking her while perched above Scootaloo on her bed's headboard.

I smiled at Angela while she began to coo rather loudly while bowing her head with every coo. It was fairly loud, but sounded too cute for words. I suppose I could describe the coo as a brief coo that almost gave me the impression that she was inhaling, only to be instantly followed by another longer coo that had… Well, the way it sounded brought to mind someone rolling their R's. Over and over, Angela cooed above Scootaloo until finally she rolled over with a grimace on her face and smacked her hoof into the headboard. "Ugh… Where's the snooze button…"

Seeing a way I could make the moment more humorous, I walked up beside the bed before dropping down onto one knee. I then reached out and pressed my fingertip into Scootaloo's nose. "Right here."

The touch of my finger against her nose caused Scootaloo's eyes to pop open while Angela stopped cooing. My little sister's grimace then turned into a groggy smile. "Oh… Morning, big brother. What's…erf…up?" She asked while stretching her forelegs to loosen herself up.

I reached out and stroked my hand through her messy purple mane. "Well, Fluttershy's getting started on breakfast. You wanna grab a bite?"

Scootaloo let out a long yawn before she grinned at me with the doziest expression I had seen on her in a while. "Sounds great… Just let me get myself moving and I'll head on over." She then started to bring herself to a standing position on her bed while letting out a long yawn. She flexed and stretched her legs and those tiny wings on her back while Angela perched on her head. "Huh? What's… Oh. Hey there, Angela."

I could not help but shake my head at just how cute those two looked together. "You have a real thing for birds, don't you?"

The little filly gave me what looked like a playfully annoyed scowl. That is to say her eyes looked annoyed, but she still managed to show a smirk. "As long as you don't call me 'chicken', I don't have a problem with birds."

I held out my hand to signal for Angela to come over to me and perch on it, which she did after fluttering through the air for a second. "Well, you come on into the kitchen when you're ready." I reached out and patted Scootaloo on the head with my spare hand before leaving the room and entering the kitchen. Like pretty much every morning before, I found Fluttershy hard at work on cooking breakfast. Well…I suppose she was not working that hard on it. She hardly seemed stressed, if at all.

"Need a hand, honey?" I asked while stepping inside. From what I could see, there were eggs frying and bread being toasted inside the nearest toaster, which had a lovely green color with flower motifs adorning the sides. I could smell the sweet scent of apple cider in the air, a beverage that I have really taken a liking to recently. I heard that it is normally only available in cooler seasons, but Applejack had recently started keeping a few barrels of it frozen for use by her friends year-round.

Fluttershy looked my way with a smile before replying softly. "No, I'm almost done. But could you please set the table?"

"Sure thing, honey." I retorted with a nod before rummaging through her kitchen cabinets. I grabbed three large plates for our main course and three smaller plates to hold the slices of toast plus three clear glasses for our drinks. I also grabbed a few bendy straws so Fluttershy and Scootaloo could drink their beverages more easily.

The clinks and thuds of porcelain and glass touching wood were heard as I set them on the tabletop. Although earth ponies and pegasi normally do not use silverware, I was pleased to find early on in my time in Equestria that unicorns do normally use silverware with the use of the basic levitation spell. With that in mind, I can partially see the reason why so many of the unicorns in Canterlot seem so high and mighty… Wait, I am going way off the current topic here. My apologies.

I watched while Fluttershy grasped a butter knife in her teeth before spreading soft butter over the slices of hot whole-wheat toast to allow the butter to melt into the bread before it could cool. She then spread sweet strawberry preserves over the bread, turning them into slices of sweet mushy and crunchy… Why am I writing like Pinkie Pie now?

I watched silently while my girlfriend brought over the pan that was full of eggs and…fried hash browns? Oh right, I forget that I also noticed those being fried in the pan as well. The light brown shredded potatoes took up one half of the frying pan while the fluffy scrambled eggs. In a truly impressive balancing act, Fluttershy balanced all six slices of toast on the tip of her snout with each one on top of the other. Stacked vertically.

What a sight… I did not move or speak while I watched her walk slowly forward, keeping the stack of toast slices from toppling. Once she drew close enough to the table, Fluttershy tilted her head down slightly to cause the top two slices to fall off. They landed on one of the smaller plates with the sides covered with jam facing up. She lifted her head before the other four could fall and carefully adjusted the angle of her snout so that they were no longer leaning in any direction. She repeated the process two more times before all six slices were off of her nose and on the plates.

"Whoa… That was a cool trick, Fluttershy. You been able to do that for a long time?" I asked while lightly tapping my fingers together for a quiet applause.

The timid pegasus smiled at me with a faint blush and grin. "Well… I didn't want to carry them in my mouth since that's food for more than just me."

I reached out and stroked her beautiful pink mane while also showing a smile. "That was very considerate, dear. Especially considering how kids can be about the stuff that belongs to them."

Fluttershy could only close her eyes and smile brightly at my praise and tender caresses. But as I looked at her, I noticed something about her that had slipped my mind. Her coat is yellow and her mane pink. And Scootaloo's coat is orange and her mane a shade of purple with maybe a hint of red to it. The same colors as Fluttershy's, but darker. Could it be that…

I leaned forward to look out the doorway to see if Scootaloo was coming our way. What I was about to ask was definitely a sensitive subject and would probably be best if she did not hear it. Fortunately, Scootaloo was nowhere to be seen, so I went ahead and asked the fateful question. "Fluttershy? Don't take this the wrong way, but…uh… Are you and Scootaloo…related?"

This clearly caught her by surprise. Fluttershy's eyes opened and gave me a very bewildered gaze. "Related? Me and…Scootaloo? Why do you ask?"

"Well… Your mane and coat colors are the same as hers, only much lighter. And you're both pegasi. Did you ever have a kid before in a previous relationship?" I asked further, wondering if Fluttershy was keeping any interesting secrets from me.

Fluttershy seemed genuinely shocked by my questions. "Wha… A daughter?! Oh, no. I've never been in a relationship before you came along. Most stallions hardly ever noticed me and I was just too shy to approach anypony about that. And I know Scootaloo isn't related to me. I was always an only child and I know she isn't even my cousin… But now that you mention it, I guess we are kind of similar like that… Maybe she is a very distant relative of mine."

I shrugged my shoulders while giving a whimsical smile. "I guess we'll never know if that's true. Although I think it wouldn't matter to her in the least. We're her family now, right?"

My girlfriend could not help but giggle at those words before nodding with a warm smile. "We are. And she really has been fun to have around the house. And it's much easier taking care of just her than all three of them."

"All three?" I asked while raising an eyebrow. "Hang on… You babysat those three fillies once, didn't you?"

Fluttershy nodded while setting out a few more tabletop staples, such as salt and peppershakers. "Well, we usually call it 'foalsitting' in Equestria. But yes, I did volunteer to watch them for a night. And they were almost more than I could handle." She then looked right at me and spoke, "They hardly listened to me and just kept being rambunctious and loud and playful. I even had to go into the Everfree Forest when they snuck out at night and had to protect them from a cockatrice."

I froze where I was sitting while looking right at her. Fluttershy taking on a cockatrice? An avian and serpentine creature that can turn you to stone with a single stare? How in the world did she handle that? A mirror to turn its petrifying gaze back on itself? "Um… If you don't mind me asking… How did you save them?"

Fluttershy gave me an awkward grin. "Oh… It was nothing, really. All I did was give it…" She then got right up in my face and gave me a very stern glare with her strong cyan eyes wide open and her mouth curved downward into a frown. "My best stare."

At first, I did not know how to react. Although I know Fluttershy is too tender a woman to harm even a fly, not to mention she would likely lock herself in her bathroom for an entire evening in shame if she did, I must confess that stare was quite…unnerving. "Well… I can see why it worked so well. That's quite an intimidating glare."

Before Fluttershy could respond, a familiar voice spoke up from the direction of the kitchen's entryway. "And that's why we call her the Stare Master!"

The two of us looked over at the source of the voice and found Scootaloo looking at us. "That's a really creepy look, huh? Stopped that cockatrice cold!"

Remembering when I went into the Everfree Forest a few times in the past, I was quite relieved at that point that I never once stumbled upon a cockatrice myself. "Heh… Wish I could glare like that."

Without further delays, Scootaloo hopped up onto her seat while I started passing around the food Fluttershy had prepared. Scootaloo eyed everything I held with a very hungry and eager stare. I could notice her bouncing in her seat with some excitement, clearly hungry and was likely being teased by the aroma from the various foods.

Once all our plates were loaded down with our breakfast, the three of us engaged in idle chitchat. But we barely had ten minutes to eat before Angel came charging into the kitchen while looking and sounding out of breath.

Fluttershy was quick to notice the white rabbit and asked, "Oh, good morning, Angel. Are you all right?"

The little white rabbit suddenly held up what seemed to be a stopwatch. Fluttershy seemed to recognize it instantly, or at least remember a similar incident. "Oh my! I'm late aren't I?"

Surprisingly, Angel shook his head. "Oh… Well… Is it about to start soon?" Fluttershy then asked, prompting a nod from the rabbit. "Oh… Well, that gives me enough time to feed everyone before I head into town."

Scootaloo then asked, "What's going on?"

Fluttershy looked at her and explained, "I was invited to…to… Oh, drat… I can't recall. But it's being held at Sugarcube Corner… Oh!" She then looked towards me and spoke, "I was supposed to let you know that you're invited too, James. I'm sorry I forgot until just now…"

I shrugged my shoulders, not really bothered at all. "It's OK, Fluttershy. I'll just clean my plate and get going. I'll see you there in a short while, right?"

My girlfriend nodded with a smile. "Of course. I never miss an event I've been invited to. Just give me a little while and I'll be there shortly." She hopped down from her seat and gave Angel a grateful nuzzle. "Thank you for reminding me, Angel. I'll bake you a little carrot cake today."

After saying goodbye to Scootaloo and finishing my breakfast, I hurried out of the house and down the path before crossing the meadow and entering Ponyville proper. Nothing of interest occurred on the way… Actually, wait. There was one thing that did catch my eye.

When I was starting to draw near Sugarcube Corner, I noticed an unusual sight. Walking through the middle of the street while pulling… I suppose the best way to describe it was a mobile home. At least that is what I was thinking while I watched. It had a slanted roof while not being very large at all. It just seemed to be the size of a shed. There was a window with wooden shutters on each side with one door on the backside with collapsible steps. Pulling the….. Well, I am not certain of what to call it, so I will refer to it as a carriage. At the front was a lone pony who seemed to be completely covered with a dark gray cloak while the harness of the carriage was attached underneath.

I could not help but stop and watch. I had never seen anypony wear that type of attire before, nor had I ever seen such a carriage in town. From what I could see, the pony's lower forelegs seemed to have a beautiful shade of bright azure to their coat. And from what I could tell from the exposed muzzle structure on the face, the pony was likely a mare. The hood prevented me from seeing her eyes or even the rest of her face while the rest of the cloak completely concealed her tail. She did not seem to be in the mood for conversation and even seemed to be trying to avoid drawing attention to herself. I was left feeling very curious and wanting to investigate this mysterious cloaked pony, but felt it would be best to leave her alone for the time being seeing as how she seemed to be maintaining her distance from just about everypony else. I turned and continued onward to Sugarcube Corner.

Once that giant gingerbread house came into view, I paused for a second. Stationed before the front door was a pair of royal guards clad in their iconic golden armor. I was utterly baffled by their presence. Why in the world would we need them stationed right outside the store? Regardless, I approached the door without much of a second thought. They certainly did not seem to be paying me much mind with their stone faced expressions. But just as I was about to reach the door, they both extended their wings simultaneously and blocked my path with them like a pair of lances being crossed.

"Halt." One spoke in a deep gruff voice.

The other then asked with an equally gruff tone, "Who goes there?"

Even though I was off-duty, I was rather annoyed that I was not being allowed into my own workplace. "Excuse me, sirs, but I happen to work here."

The guard on my left then spoke without budging from his position. "We need to see some ID."

A form of identification? Since when does anyone in Equestria need such a thing unless they work for very specific businesses? Having no means to counter their demands, I rolled my eyes and let out a sigh of frustration. "Never mind."

I turned and began to walk away. I was hoping the back door that leads into the kitchen was not being manned as well. But before I got far, a voice suddenly spoke up from behind me that I recognized instantly. "Helloooo?! I'm asking you guys what the pay is like in the royal guard! How much is it a week?! A hundred bits?! Two hundred?!"

I turned and saw Rainbow Dash hovering before the two guards, both of which were still maintaining their motionless stances with utterly frozen facial expressions. I stepped forward and asked, "Heya, Rainbow. What's up?"

My pegasus friend turned to me and grinned in an instant. "Oh hey, James! What's up? Still trying to get a rise outta these living statues?"

I came closer and crossed my arms while looking down at the two armored pegasi before us. "Hmm… I can't imagine Shining Armor of all people drilling such rigid behavior into any of his new recruits. And I doubt the royal family would appreciate it either. The royal guards are a security force, not a freaking military."

"You can say that again." Rainbow Dash said with a nod while she crossed her forelegs over her chest while hovering in place. After a moment of thought, she suddenly gasped and whispered into my ear. "James, come over here a minute."

I had a weird feeling in my gut, but I followed her anyway. We went to the side of Sugarcube Corner so that we would be out of sight of the two guards. She then snickered with a very devious grin. "I know how to get those two lugs outta the way. You game?"

The first thing that came to mind was that she wanted me to pull some sort of prank on them. "Rainbow, you know I'm not really big on pranks…"

My words did nothing to deter her from whatever she had in mind. "Oh, come on! I promise it'll be funny! And it'll let you get inside without any trouble! Come on!"

For the first time in a very long while, I decided to not listen to my gut instinct and went ahead with Rainbow's idea. "All right, fine. What do you have in mind?"

The rowdy pegasus mare grinned while making a giddy snicker. "OK. All you have to do is head on over to the prank parlor and ask the guy at the counter for a 'foot-long'. He'll know what it is."

I cocked my head to one side. It sounded way too simple to be true. "That's it? All I have to say is 'foot-long' and he'll know what that means?"

Rainbow Dash nodded with a cheeky grin. "Yeah. I'll wait here for you."

"Hang on. Why don't you go get it?" I asked with my arms crossed, seeing as how the prank was entirely her idea.

"Do you wanna get in there or not? I'm already cleared to enter, so I'll get nothing out of it!" Rainbow retorted with an anxious frown. I suspect she was making the whole thing more complicated than it needed to be just to mess with the guards.

"Ugh… OK, fine. I'll go get this…'foot-long' and be right back. But if anyone asks, it was your idea." I spoke with a groan before turning and walking away.

It took me less than ten minutes to reach the prank parlor. When I stepped inside, I found the place to be devoid of customers. I suppose Sundays are slow for pretty much all businesses. I found the stallion I was looking for leaning on the front counter while looking over a magazine. I very rarely ever set foot in that place, so I never got the chance to learn his name. I think I mentioned his appearance a while back in a much earlier journal entry.

I walked over to him, prompting the stallion to look up at me. "Oh, hey! What can I help you with?" He asked with a bright smile. I suspect he was feeling rather bored and was relieved to have a customer.

"Um… Yeah. I was hoping you have a 'foot-long' in stock." I asked, trying to not sound too suspicious. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I had a bad feeling in my gut that I was not going to like what this 'foot-long' was going to turn out to be.

The stallion gave me a really odd look with one eyebrow raised. "Uh… Really? You?"

I shrugged my shoulders, not sure why he seemed so surprised. "Um… Yes, really. Why?"

He replied with his bewildered look never once leaving his face. "Well… It's just that no stallions…er…men ever ask for it. You getting it for your girlfriend or something?"

It was then that I was really starting to wonder just what in the world I had just asked for. "Actually, I was hoping to just borrow one of these…uh…'foot-longs' for a bit. I swear I'll bring it back in a little while."

I was not expecting the stallion to actually allow me to borrow store merchandise without paying for it. I especially did not want to spend money on something I did not even know the identity of yet. Despite my doubts, he actually nodded. "All right then, you can borrow it for a bit. Just make sure you bring it back in less than an hour." He then looked left and right, apparently checking if there were any other customers around before he ducked under the counter. "All righty then…. Here we go. One foot-long."

A second later, he popped back up above the counter and set a… Well… Uh… Actually, I think it will be funnier if I wait until a bit later to explain. Regardless, I could not stop myself from wincing at the sight of the object on the counter. "What the hell, Rainbow… This is what she sent me to get?"

The clerk seemed somewhat baffled by how taken aback I was. "Huh? Rainbow Dash? Yeah, she does occasionally ask for the stuff I keep under the counter. She's my best customer for this stuff."

I crossed my arms and shook my head while letting out a groan. "I'm not surprised! Anyway, I'll bring this back as soon as I can. Thanks… I think." The clerk then placed it in a paper bag and I got out of the prank parlor as fast as I could. I was really hoping no one would stop me to talk while I was carrying that thing around.

I got back to Rainbow Dash as quickly as I could without resorting to running. She was waiting for me right by the side of Sugarcube Corner where we had spoken. As soon as she saw me, she waved at me to let me know where she was just in case I did not notice her right away. Once I drew closer, she asked with a look of excitement in her eyes. "Did you get it?"

There was only one response I could give her. "You're one twisted pervert, you know that?"

Rainbow Dash sounded like she was on the verge of busting out laughing at my words. "Oh, come on! You know it's gonna be funny! Do you need me to talk you through the rest?"

I rolled my eyes and started to walk towards Sugarcube Corner's front door. "Nah… I think I know what to do. I just hope I don't regret it…"

Sure enough, the two guards were still standing at their posts while keeping a constant vigil. I stood before them, their eyes never once looking directly at me. I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Rainbow Dash. She was peeking around the corner and gave me a wink to signal me to start the show. I could only give her an awkward frown. I really was not sure if I wanted to do this.

Improvising on the spot, I spoke to the guards. "Excuse me, gentleman. I have one question for you." I then reached into the bag and firmly grasped its contents. I muttered to myself in barely a whisper, "I really don't even wanna touch this…"

I lifted my hand from the bag and held out its contents in my palm. To my surprise, the guards instantly turned their heads to look directly at it with eyes as wide as saucers. Resting on my upturned palm was a large black…dildo. It was shaped like…like… Actually, forget it. I do not even want to know what its design was supposed to resemble. Even so, I managed to crack a whimsical grin and asked, "Who wants to be first?"

The guards certainly did not waste any time in giving a response. They both turned and leapt through the door while simultaneously shouting in unison, "Hay no!"

Sure enough, Rainbow Dash broke out in laughter and fell on her side. "Ohhohoho man, that was awesome! You really need to pull pranks like this more often!"

Despite just how perverted and genuinely messed up Rainbow's prank was, I could not help letting out a hearty chuckle as well. It was actually well executed. And how often can you say you managed to freak out a pair of royal guards?

Once her laughter had run its course, my pervy friend trotted over to me. "I don't think they're gonna come back out for a minute. Better get in there while you can."

After I had placed the dildo back in the bag, I turned to face her. "Sounds good. But I should drop this off at the prank parlor first. I only borrowed it."

Not surprisingly, Rainbow Dash gave me an awkward smile. "Um… Actually, could you let me borrow that for a bit?"

Predictable. I replied with a stern scowl on my face. "Absolutely not. I know what you wanna do with this and the answer is a big NO in capital letters. I'll get in trouble if I don't bring this back."

Rainbow got a good snicker out of my response. "All right, all right! I'll drop it off for you. I swear I won't stick that anywhere!"

With some hesitation, I handed the bag to her and let it hang by its handle from her mouth. "You better not. If anyone comes knocking at my door for it, I'll tell them you were the one who had it last."

My friend nodded with a somewhat nervous grin on her face. "Yeah… Well, get going. Somepony's expecting you in there." Before we could converse further, Rainbow Dash turned and galloped away and out of sight. I wasted no time and stepped through Sugarcube Corner's front door before the guards had a chance to come back out.

Almost instantly upon entering the storefront, I was greeted by both of the guards looking quite irritated and seemed like they were prepared to pounce on me. But before they could act, a voice I am quite familiar with spoke out with a hint of irritation. "Guards, stand down! He is one of our most anticipated guests!"

Both guards instantly backed down with looks of genuine surprise. Without a word and looking rather embarrassed, they both walked right by me and returned to their posts outside the door. I looked around and found that the entire storefront was decked out for a party. Colorful banners were strewn about the walls while balloons were tied down everywhere. Colorful and delicious treats were set about for the partygoers to enjoy. Speaking of which, there were quite a few ponies around, although more than a few seemed slightly apprehensive of something. And I soon saw what had them on edge. At the far end of the storefront sat the three royal sisters themselves. A long table was set out before them and was lined with all sorts of Sugarcube Corner's best creations. Celestia herself was seated at the center while Luna and Nightmare Moon were at her sides. Luna in particular was waving at me, most likely to signal me to come closer.

More than happy to see two of my most precious friends, I made a beeline through the crowds of ponies and soon found myself standing before the table. However, Nightmare Moon had already moved to meet my approach and was standing before me. "It's been too long, dear friend." She spoke to me, looking absolutely amazing after having finally fully healed. Her sleek black body was free of bandages and scars while her royal tiara rested on her head. Hang on… Did I already mention that in an earlier entry? Oh right, she attended my birthday party a month or two ago. And I always write in ink… Regardless, seeing her and Celestia in the same room, I can now safely say that her beauty does indeed rival that of Celestia herself.

I reached out and held the princess of dreams in a tender embrace, feeling my cheek resting against the side of her neck. I felt her return the favor, wrapping a foreleg around my back. "I was wondering when would be the next time I would see you outside my dreams." I muttered softly.

The two of us stood there, just savoring the moment. It did not matter to me that there were more than likely some eyes looking right at us. I had not seen Nightmare Moon in person for several weeks and I was not willing to part with her anytime soon. However, Celestia then giggled at us. "Don't hog him all to yourself, sister. Luna was looking forward to meeting up with her friend as well."

Luna flapped her wings to propel herself over the table and landed beside me. "Is there room for a group hug?"

I could only barely stop myself from snickering at just how cute the idea sounded to me. I extended one arm to her and grinned broadly. "I've got an arm free, so why not?"

My royal friend quite literally leaped at the chance. She stood on her hind legs and embraced me the best she could. "Then let the hugs be doubled!" For whatever reason, that just sounded so cute to the point of it being funny.

For a moment or two, I just stood there sandwiched between the two gorgeous princesses of the night. My arms were wrapped around them while they grasped me as tightly as they could. But we were suddenly interrupted by the feeling of something long and stretchy wrapping around us like a rope. "No way I'm missing out on a group hug!"

Nightmare Moon asked while glancing down. "What just grabbed us?"

Luna replied with her head right next to mine. "It would seem to be…a very long and elastic pink band."

I recognized the voice instantly and looked down. Pinkie Pie had grabbed us all in one big embrace. Her…forelegs were…extended to impossible lengths…wrapping around all three of us several times…like ropes of taffy. "Pinkie… How are… Forget it! Just let go!"

At my words, her legs unwound and retracted back to their original lengths. Luna and Nightmare Moon released their grasps on me and looked down at our silly pink friend. Nightmare Moon spoke first and asked, "Do I really want to know how you did that?"

Luna retorted with a rather uneasy expression. "I can assure you that you do not."

"Oh, I can tell you! First, I just…mmph?!" Pinkie Pie spoke for a few seconds before Nightmare Moon stuffed her hoof into my silly friend's mouth.

"Don't. I'm taking my sister's advice on this one. Not another word." Nightmare Moon spoke with a rather stern glare that showed she was really not in the mood for anymore silliness. Pinkie could only nod in agreement before the princess of dreams removed her armored hoof from her mouth.

"You've gotten really quick on the draw there, Nightmare Moon." I spoke with a faint chuckle, still amazed that she is the only person I know with the boldness to just plainly stop Pinkie Pie from talking

Nightmare Moon rolled her beautiful and exotic eyes. "I have a low tolerance for incoherent banter. And she seems to be the only pony I know who does that." She then seemed to glance at the table and Celestia behind her before looking back at me with a smile. "But now that you are here…"

I felt Luna move behind me and start to push me towards their table. "Why don't you join us? We have a lot to chat about."

Just chilling with the three royal sisters just did not sound proper to me. Granted, I was happy to spend time with my two royal friends, but just dining with them during what I assumed was an important visit? "Um… Are you sure this is proper?"

Nightmare Moon smirked while she too nudged me along. "What's wrong? You don't like the perks that come with having close ties to members of Equestria's royal family?"

"Well… Uh…" Try as I might, I could not find a retort for that.

Celestia was clearly enjoying the show as I shuffled towards her. She let out a loud chuckle before speaking to me. "Oh, do loosen up a bit, James. My sisters have been eagerly awaiting a chance to meet up with you again. And you wouldn't turn down an opportunity to spend time with them… Would you?"

There was something about that last line she spoke combined with that look on her face that got me feeling nervous. Almost in a teasing way… Man, those three certainly do get playful when together! It feels as if their royal inhibitions and protocols are more easily discarded when enjoying a pleasure trip.

"Well, if you insist." I spoke briskly before walking ahead of my own accord and taking a seat on the floor with Celestia on my right. Luna and Nightmare Moon returned to their places behind the table as well with Nightmare Moon on my left.

However, I noticed Luna look back and forth at me and the spot where she had been seated before. She then leaned forward and whispered something into Celestia's ear. The princess of the dawn… OK, that actually sounds quite poetic. I think I have found the moniker Celestia probably prefers to go by. Regardless, she nodded before suddenly moving about four feet down the table in a flash of white light. Most likely just the use of a teleportation spell.

"Thank you, sister." Luna spoke politely before taking a seat where Celestia had once been sitting. She then looked to her left at me and grinned. I see what she did there. She asked Celestia to move so she could sit closer to me. And I suppose I would have done the same too if I thought Celestia would agree.

I glanced back and forth out of the corner of my eye. Both of the night sisters were looking right at me. After a moment, I finally spoke up. "So… Who's going to break this awkward silence?"

Both of the two alicorns burst into snickering. Nightmare Moon spoke first. "Well, if you would rather not make the first move…"

Luna then tried to strike up a conversation. "Well, this is the first time all three of us have ever visited Ponyville together. Just a visit to spend time with our people and get to know the locales."

I then looked at Nightmare Moon, who was also looking right at me. "All of you? And is everypony used to you now, Nightmare Moon?"

My dark alicorn friend looked straight ahead at the rest of the partygoers. Many were enjoying the various treats littered around the storefront while others seemed to be locked in conversation. However, a great deal of the ponies I did not personally know were clearly moving about with a nervous spring in their step and often glanced in Nightmare Moon's general direction. "Well… I guess I could say it's steadily getting there."

"At least they are not running for cover like the last time." Luna spoke with a chuckle, clearly recalling when she and Nightmare Moon arrived for my surprise birthday party back in May. Nightmare Moon merely rolled her eyes with a less than pleased frown, clearly not remembering the townsfolk's reactions with the same level of enjoyment.

I shrugged my shoulders and looked at Nightmare Moon with a smile. "Maybe they just don't know how cuddly you can be." I then reached out and embraced her with both of my arms, resting my head on her shoulder.

At first, Nightmare Moon did not offer a reply of any sort. I looked up at her with one eye. She seemed rather puzzled by this show of affection coming out of nowhere, but soon smiled warmly and gently nuzzled my cheek with her snout. I noticed her spread her right wing before draping it over me like a cloak. I felt it slightly pull me closer to her, clearly holding me in a type of embrace as well.

For the next moment or two, we just sat there. Holding each other in a sweet embrace. I eventually cracked one eye open to see what was happening around us. As it turned out, a few ponies had drawn closer to the end of the table. They seemed to be trying to be quite passive about it, although I noticed one seemingly inching towards the table while trying to look inconspicuous. I recognized the pony as Diamond Tiara. She seemed to be trying to ascertain what direction to approach that corner of the table from without instigating a hostile response from Nightmare Moon. I almost laughed at just how overly complicated that filly was making the whole thing.

Nightmare Moon soon noticed the filly slinking around the edge of the table and looked her way. "Hello, child. Do you need something?"

Diamond Tiara instantly froze as her eyes opened wide in shock. She clearly did not expect to be detected with my friend preoccupied with me. The few ponies who were close by were also eyeing Nightmare Moon with looks of fright and dread. Diamond Tiara swallowed hard while seemingly gathering her courage. "Um… I just wanted to say… You…look very pretty in your blue jewelry." I could tell she was apparently just trying to stay on Nightmare Moon's good side with a show of sycophancy.

However, Nightmare Moon seemed to take her praise seriously. She released her grasp on me to focus on the shiny blue metal tiara on her head. "Oh, these? Well… Thank you, child. Everything but my crown is really just my armor from my…well…rebellious days. But it does look quite impressive with a little polish, doesn't it?"

Diamond Tiara seemed to relax slightly since she got a positive response out of Nightmare Moon. The other bystanders also seemed to relax somewhat as well. The filly cleared her throat before continuing. "Well… Um… Is there a reason why it's blue?"

Nightmare Moon replied promptly. "I've wondered that from time to time myself. I like to think of it as an effect of a 'blue moon'. I could be wrong, but who really knows?"

I said nothing and merely watched while Nightmare Moon and Diamond Tiara conversed. Over the next couple of minutes, the other partygoers seemed to just lose their nervousness and went about their business while having a good time. Even Diamond Tiara seemed to completely relax after a short while. They discussed various topics ranging from food, Canterlot landmarks, and jewelry, the last of which seems to be a subject Diamond Tiara appears to be especially fond of.

"Is that so? You got your cutie mark when you made your first piece of jewelry?" Nightmare Moon asked while giving Diamond Tiara her undivided attention while I listened to every word.

Diamond Tiara, now with a bright smile on her face, continued. "Uh huh. And I always wear it. This tiara on my head is the first piece of jewelry I ever made. It's my most prized possession. Well, except for my cutie mark." I have to admit I had wondered at times what Diamond Tiara's special talent is. Making jewelry? And still just a child? That is quite a talent. And from the look of that tiara she always wears, her skill in that craft must be quite high. It seems absolutely flawless.

"Well, I hope you do a fine job as your skills develop. Best of luck, child." Nightmare Moon spoke with a smile while she nodded her head once.

"Thank you, your highness. I'll do my best." Diamond Tiara replied with a bow before turning and walking away.

As I saw Diamond Tiara walk away, I debated whether or not to ask her something. I had to think quickly before she went out of earshot. After a few seconds, I decided to go ahead with the idea even though I was not sure if I was making the best choice. "Hey! Uh… Diamond Tiara?"

The filly turned to face me right away. Without a word, I motioned for her to approach me. Luna seemed to be locked in conversation with Celestia. Something about a Saddle Arabia this and a Crystal Empire that. Certainly not anything that I had any business discussing. Nightmare Moon seemed to notice that I was about to discuss something with Diamond Tiara and went ahead to preoccupy herself with a cup of tea in the meantime.

Once Diamond Tiara was standing on the opposite side of the table from me, she finally asked, "What did you need, James?"

I leaned closer to avoid letting myself be heard and spoke in a quiet whisper. "You said your special talent is making jewelry, right?"

Her puzzled expression turned into a smile right away. "Uh huh. I sometimes make some to practice and see what kinds I'm best at. So far, this tiara is my best work."

I nodded with a smile of my own and whispered into her ear. "If that's the case, may I ask a favor?"

Diamond Tiara seemed rather puzzled by my request. I strongly doubt people actually ask her to craft anything for them. She gave me a puzzled nod ad listened closely. I explained quietly, "I'm not sure when the day will come. But when it does… May I ask you to make my and Fluttershy's wedding bands?"

This really caught her by surprise. Diamond Tiara looked right at me and spoke just one word. "Really?!"

I could not help snicker at her response. I am sure anyone else would have given me the exact same reaction. I chuckled while I think there was a blush forming on my face. "Easy there. I'm not sure when I'll ask her or even if I ever will. But should it happen… What's your answer?"

The filly seemed to take a moment to process what I had just asked of her. And I swear Nightmare Moon was trying to not laugh at her expression. Eventually though, Diamond Tiara did manage to force out a reply. "Um… Well…wow. Wedding bands? Um… OK! It'll be a first for me."

I reached out and gently tussled Diamond Tiara's white and purple mane. "Thank you. I'll let you know when that day comes." She giggled with a rather excited grin on her face before trotting away. It seemed that Silver Spoon was at the far end of the room and was waving for her to come near.

"Seems like a sweet child, wouldn't you say?" Nightmare Moon asked from my left.

"Heh, you wouldn't know it if you knew her a year or two ago. She was nothing but a daily headache for me when I first showed up in town." I replied while memories filled my mind of having to deal with her day after day when I took her cutie mark away as punishment for her bullying the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Taking away something a child values is a very effective way to punish them, especially for the horribly bratty types. Although I never expected her to be quite that malicious in her attempts to blackmail me into returning it. As for how I took it away… Heh, I see no point in writing it again. Go ask Diamond Tiara herself next time you see her. Or even the Cutie Mark Crusaders seeing as how they witnessed the event.

"Really? How so?" Nightmare Moon asked with her head cocked to one side. She clearly did not understand how a child could be a threat and I do not blame her.

"She was a schoolyard bully. I just happened to catch her in the act and took her cutie mark away as punishment with a little pranking tool I had picked at the prank parlor nearby. I refused to give it back until she agreed to stop tormenting her victims, but she didn't want any part of it and kept trying to force me to return it once a day in varying ways. It's thanks to her that I had to hide out in the Everfree Forest that day." I explained, still remembering those silly antics.

Nightmare Moon paused for a moment, seemingly taking a moment to think something over. I did not have to wait long for a retort. "But that means if it wasn't for her, I probably would not have met you before I returned."

That was certainly a thought I had never once considered. "Huh? You mean… Actually… Huh. I guess you're right. Doesn't seem right to thank her though."

"I'm sure that whatever it is she did to force you out there, she is probably sorry about it." Nightmare Moon spoke with a chuckle. I could only nod in confirmation. Diamond Tiara has changed for the better and I am glad for it.

I took a moment to enjoy a chocolate drop that had been left on the table along with a vast array of too many types of pastries to count. But after a moment, Nightmare Moon whispered into my ear. "I'm sorry to say I overheard your conversation with that child. Did you say you are planning to marry Fluttershy?"

I nodded honestly. "Eventually, when the time is right. Why?"

I do not know why, but that smile she gave almost seemed…forced. As if it was not genuine. After a moment of silence, she looked down at my shoulder. I saw her horn become coated with her magic's billowing blue aura while my shirtsleeve was also coated with it. It slid upwards, revealing my cutie mark. "Hmm… Seems you two are a fine match."

She only just then made that observation? "Um… What makes you say that?" I asked, puzzled by what she was getting at.

She let out a soft chuckle. "She is a butterfly. You are a dove. Both are creatures of the air that are renowned for their gentle tender nature. Therefore, you two are naturally compatible."

I felt very warm and tingly upon hearing those words. I casually pulled my sleeve down while a wide, and rather embarrassed, smile spread across my face. "That sounds so poetic…"

In an unexpected show of humor, Nightmare Moon smirked while rolling her eyes. "I did not suffer through a course at the college of noble speech for nothing."

Luna, clearly having overheard, leaned in our direction and spoke with a scowl. "Oh please, that style of speech was…what is that term used today…? Oh yes, all the rage back then! Why do you suppose it was so rooted in my vocabulary when I made my first public appearance since my return?"

Celestia could not help laughing at those words. "THAT is why you took so long to start speaking like most people do these days?!"

Nightmare Moon groaned in a dismissive fashion. "I will never understand why I… I mean you enrolled there in the first place, Luna. It is a headache just trying to remember that outdated lingo." I had to work hard to not laugh at the banter the two sisters were throwing at each other. It reminded me of just how similar and different Luna and Nightmare Moon are when compared to each other.

Before long, Celestia let out a startled shriek. "What in the world?! Who are you?!"

That got Luna and Nightmare Moon to shut up. We all looked over at Celestia, who seemed to be looking down at a large punch bowl on the table. That look on her face… I could tell she was not certain of how to react to what she was seeing. "What's up?" I asked, not sure what was happening.

Luna leaned over and showed a bizarre grimace. "There is a head floating in the beverage…"

"Wait… What?" I muttered before leaning to my side to get a better look. Turns out there really was a head floating in the brew. A gray filly's face was looking up at Celestia with a yellow and orange striped mane a pair of large glowing yellow eyes. "Peh… What's up, Ruby?"

My little ghost friend grinned before seemingly sinking out of sight into the bowl below and popping out from under the table. "I'm just having fun! How are you, your highness?" She replied with a cheeky grin. I swear that filly has a habit of popping up where you least expect her sometimes.

Celestia, somewhat taken aback by have a disembodied head floating in her drink a second ago, grinned with a rather unnerved expression. "Oh, I'm…uh…just fine. I'm really enjoying myself this morning… And you are?"

My little friend bowed before replying. "My name is Ruby, Princess Celestia."

"My, such a polite child. And where are you… Hm? Yes, Luna?" Celestia spoke before Luna started tapping on her shoulder rather furiously. The princess of the sun lowered her head to the princess of the night, who then whispered something into her ear. Judging by how Celestia showed a look of profound shock and sadness, it is very likely that Luna had just informed her sister exactly who Ruby is and where she is from. Definitely not something everyone in the room needed to hear.

"Oh… I see. Thank you, Luna." Celestia muttered with a very disheartened expression before turning to face Ruby once more. "As I was saying… Where are you…um…staying these days?" She asked while carefully minding her words, more than likely going from asking where she was from to a question that would not prompt a dark response.

Ruby grinned while rooting around under the table for a moment. "Oh, I'm all over the place! I also run a bit of a business. It's called 'Ruby's Lost & Found'. You lose it, I…found it!"

All four of us leaned in Ruby's direction. I was curious as to just what she had located, as were each of the three princesses from the look of things. When the little ghost detective emerged from under the tablecloth, she had what seemed to be a little electronic device in her mouth. "Here we go! One Joyboy. And it was right where he said it was."

I never thought I would see one in Equestria, but… I swear that 'Joyboy' was an electronic handheld video game console. But Equestria does not have any video game systems… Does it? "Um… Are you sure that's a Joyboy and not a Gameboy?"

Ruby cocked her head to one side while looking up at me while that device stayed in her mouth. "Huh? Gameboy? No, I'm sure he called it a Joyboy. Wanna look at it?"

The three princesses watched me with a curious interest while I took the device into my hands. It was quite small, being one of the smallest handhelds I have ever see. It had two relatively large buttons on the right side with a standard directional pad on the left and one wide and narrow rectangular button just under the screen. By all accounts, it was virtually identical to the classic Gameboy in terms of number of buttons, although the layout was closer to the Gameboy Advance… Wait, you have no idea what I am writing about, do you? Um… Never mind the above paragraph. I was just rambling. Do not think too hard about it.

Regardless, I was rather surprised to see that Equestria does in fact have video game systems. Although since I have not seen them in any stores, I strongly believe they are merely not very popular or it is difficult to design a system that a creature with hooves can interface with easily. I was having a hard time imagining how a pony, even one with smaller hooves like a colt, could actually use this device without something precise like fingers to press the buttons. "Huh… And it's called a Joyboy? Well, make sure to get this to its owner." I spoke before handing it back to Ruby, who grasped the device in her mouth.

"Will do! And it was good seeing all of you! Bye!" Ruby replied with a grin before running…right through the table and across the room and out the door. It was simply a miracle that no one noticed her do that.

"She has taken quite well to Ponyville, hasn't she?" Luna asked with a noticeably relieved smile.

Nightmare Moon nodded and looked at her sister. "I would say she has. And it's good to see that she is quite happy here."

Not even a full minute later, I saw another face in the crowd of partygoers that I recognized all too well. At the far end of the storefront while seemingly having a hard time deciding what to eat first was Mitta. Having just met Ruby a moment ago, I felt compelled to approach the other migrant from Sunny Town. I looked back and forth at the three princesses and spoke softly. "Excuse me, ladies. I'll be right back."

None of my royal friends offered any protest as I stood up and made my way over to my gray and crimson friend. She looked back and forth over muffins, Danishes, chocolate drops covered in colorful icing, cupcakes, the list goes on and on. It was no wonder she was having a hard time deciding.

I walked up right alongside her and started glancing back and forth at the various treats on display. Completely unaware of my presence, Mitta continued to survey her choices. Every few seconds, she would start to reach for one pastry with her open mouth before pulling back and going for another. She just could not make up her mind. "Ugh… So hard to choose… Maybe this…? Or…that?"

Finding her indecision to be rather amusing, I finally spoke up and pointed at a chocolate drop with red and green icing spread on it that looked like a red rose. "I recommend you try that."

Mitta glanced to her right and saw my hand with one finger extended towards the pastry I had just recommended. She then glanced up at me with her surprised expression, but it quickly turned into a grin of delight! "Oh! All right then." She then chomped her mouth down onto the chocolate drop and devoured it rather quickly. "Delicious!"

Before I could recommend anything else, Mitta grabbed me in a warm embrace. "I was hoping I'd see you here. Have you seen Ruby running around? She said she was looking for something."

I returned her affections by holding her in my arms while dropping to one knee. "I sure did. She found what she was looking for and headed on out the door. I guess there's no rest for Ponyville's personal missing item detective."

Mitta giggled lightly while my hand stroked her crimson mane. "She's been getting quite a few cases. I don't think any of her clients know she's a ghost though."

Looking down at my dear friend, I felt compelled to ask a question. "Hey, Mitta? How've things been since you moved in around here?"

She looked up at me and beamed with a grand smile. "I really couldn't have asked for more. Everypony in Ponyville is just so pleasant. And Rarity is always so supportive and attentive to me. She's made me all sorts of nice clothes, even though I don't wear them often…" She then buried her head against my chest and spoke in a softer tone. "Thank you, James… Thank you for bringing me here."

I returned the favor, my hand stroking her red mane. But before long, something suddenly covered my eyes. A very familiar quiet voice spoke up from behind me. "Guess who?"

A smirk creeped across my face while I thought up a witty response. "I will have to say…a tree."

I doubt anyone else would have gotten that joke, but the person behind me giggled softly before removing her hooves from over my eyes. "Nope. Although I'd like to be a tree."

Mitta looked behind me and smiled broadly. "Hello, Fluttershy. Glad you could make it."

My girlfriend cantered forward and gave our friend a gentle nuzzle. "I'm just glad little Angel reminded me of it. I would've missed the whole thing otherwise."

While Fluttershy and Mitta chatted with each other, I glanced around and just happened to catch sight of Luna waving at me and beckoning me to come closer. Only unlike before, her expression seemed to be a bit more serious. When we locked gazes, I pointed a finger at myself to silently ask if she was asking for me to approach. She then nodded, but then seemed to point her hoof just slightly to my left. Directly at Fluttershy. Or was it Mitta? Was she asking for both of us?

Not certain of who she wanted to see, I decided to ask both of them. "Excuse me, ladies. I think Luna wants to see us."

Mitta and Fluttershy looked at me simultaneously before glancing over at Luna sitting beside her sisters. Fluttershy then nodded with a smile. "If the princess wants to see us, it's probably for something good."

The three of us approached the table where the royal sisters were seated. "You called for us, your highness?" Mitta asked with a noticeably curious expression.

Luna nodded while Celestia and Nightmare Moon looked on in silence. "Well, I was more than anything wanting to speak to you, Mitta."

Mitta only? This caught both Fluttershy and I by surprise. The two of us watched quietly while Mitta took a few more steps forward. "Really? What is it?"

Luna's expression darkened. She almost seemed ashamed of something. "I have been pondering this for some time now, and… I really must apologize to you."

Celestia seemed especially puzzled. She leaned to her left and asked, "Apologize for what, Luna? You seem to have done nothing wrong as of late."

My friend continued with her gaze focused solely on Mitta. "The night you emerged from the Everfree Forest…" She then bowed her head in shame. "I judged you far too quickly… And completely cast aside any thought on the dangers James must have faced just to rescue you from that deathtrap, especially so soon after having awakened from another trial the previous night… Not to mention the support you were receiving from his friends as told by their presence when you arrived at the palace… It was very unbecoming of me. Can you ever forgive me?"

It was not something I would have ever expected from Luna. In fact, I had all but forgotten her actions that night. We all watched in silence, though it did not take long for Mitta to bow her head as well. "It's fine, your highness… I honestly was not expecting you to remove the curse at all."

"You are certain? There is nothing I can do to alleviate any bitterness you may still hold towards me?" Luna asked with increasing insistence. She really sounded as if that guilt had been eating at her at the back of her mind for some time.

Much to all of our surprise, Mitta ended up letting out a quiet giggle at Luna's words. "Your highness… I hold nothing against you for what happened. It wasn't your fault that I was cursed. And besides, I can't tell you how much better my life has gotten and how quickly it has improved since the night it was lifted. I have the best friends I could ever ask for in the friendliest town I have ever seen. Please don't blame yourself, Princess Luna. It's all OK now. Really."

After a few more 'trulys' and 'are you absolutely sures', Luna finally relented. She bowed her head and let out a long sigh. "All right… Forgive me if I seem pushy. This has been weighing down on my conscious ever since that night. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

Mitta seemed to pause for a moment, most likely thinking the offer over. I had a good idea of what to pick. But just before I could speak it, Fluttershy beat me to the punch. "How about inviting her to the next Grand Galloping Gala?"

Luna seemed rather surprised by the suggestion, but Celestia gave her a reassuring nod. Our friend then turned her gaze back towards us and nodded with a smile. "Agreed. I will make certain Celestia adds an extra ticket next time they're sent out."

Just before we could converse further, Mrs. Cake approached me after apparently leaving the kitchen. "Oh, there you are. So sorry, your majesties, but I need to speak to James for just a moment."

Nightmare Moon nodded with a smile. "That's quite all right. Take your time."

I followed Mrs. Cake over to the counter. Resting atop it seemed to be a white paper box that was probably filled with pastries. "So, what's up?"

Mrs. Cake went behind the counter and pushed it towards me. "Fluttershy brought in an order from somepony who passed her on her way here. Would you be a dear and deliver these please?"

I was honestly surprised that we were even open today, what with the royal visit and all. But I suppose business is business. "Today? Oh, sure. You got the address?" I replied while taking the box into my arm's grasp.

"Oh yes. It seems the address is… The alley between Stirrup Street and Trottingway Lane?" Mrs. Cake explained while reading over a small note on her hoof, sounding understandably baffled. Who sets up a home in an alley? Oh wait, I have seen certain houses on earth where the access point always faced an alley. I suppose I should not be surprised that it is possible here too.

"OK then. And the price is…four bits. I'll get back as soon as I can." I replied with a nod before heading out the door. Not surprisingly, the guards took a step away from me upon catching sight of me walking by them after stepping through the front door. I really hope Rainbow Dash did not steal that thing…..

I wandered for a bit, trying to locate the alley between the two streets I had been told about. Even though I have memorized the names of most of the streets in Ponyville, even though there are not very many at all, I still have a habit of remembering locations based on appearance. Eventually, I did find my destination. The alley was somewhat dark with two tall long buildings standing on each side that were too large to be mere housing.

"This can't possibly be a trap… Right?" I muttered to myself as I walked through the dark passage. And once my eyes had adjusted to the change in lighting, I saw it right in the middle of the alley on one side. The same carriage that I had seen being pulled through town. Only the pony who had been pulling it was nowhere to be seen.

"Um… That can't be it." I muttered, walking past it and checking the sides of the two buildings at my sides for doorways. I found none, each wall being bare aside from the peachy yellow hued paint coating their sides and the thick wooden support beams fused into the structures. "So… The address is that?" I asked myself while tilting my head to one side while looking at the carriage. From my current location, the door was visible. With nowhere else to go, I decided to check to see if the occupant of the carriage had placed the order I was carrying.

With a bit more caution than I normally carry, I approached the door quietly and slowly before knocking on it. Just inside the door, I could hear some faint rustling noises. And a moment later, I took a step back as the top half of the door creaked open just a crack. A woman's voice spoke up in a quiet tone with a sense of urgency. "Are you here to deliver the order I sent to Sugarcube Corner?"

This was by far the most awkward interaction I had ever had with a customer. It almost felt like I was smuggling some form of contraband. "Um… Yes, miss. The price comes to four bits."

At my words, the top half swung open all the way. The same cloaked pony I had seen before was now standing before me. Her hood had been pulled down further than before, probably to hide her eyes in such a way that I could not see them from my current position. Although she could clearly still see me, judging by her following action. "Thank you. Here's… Wha… What are…"

She began to back away from me. Apparently forgetting about her reservations, she raised her head while giving me a perfect view of her face. Her eyes were open wide in a show of shock, her irises being a shade of some faded dark violet. I was not sure of what to say, seeing as how it had been quite a while since anyone had last reacted with shock upon seeing me for the first time. "What are you?! How…ack!"

I saw the mare disappear from sight. Judging by the way she seemed to lean back, she must have tripped over something. I was naturally concerned and took a step forward to peek in to see if she had been harmed. "Ma'am, are you OK?! Is anything…huh?"

The mare I had been speaking to really had just tripped over a wooden stool set in front of a sort of vanity. Now lying on her back in a very awkward pose, her cloak was now lying flat on the floor below her, giving me a completely unobstructed view of her body. Like the little bit of her forelegs I had seen earlier as well as her face, her body was a beautiful shade of light azure. Her tail and mane were quite long, almost looking like shorter versions of Fluttershy's hairstyle, though not as meticulously kempt. Her mane and tail consisted of two shades of cornflower blue, both hues being very pale. All in all, she was very attractive to my eyes. But I felt a chill in my body when I saw her cutie mark. It displayed a magic wand with a star-shaped gem at the tip with a crescent shaped shawl or glittering trail of magic dust overlapping it, both being shades of light blue to apparently compliment her own natural color scheme. I knew this mare. And everything I had heard about her had been nothing but bad news. "The Great and Powerful Trixie."

The mare before me almost seemed to panic and moved her hoof over her mouth, probably as a way to tell me to keep quiet. She then spoke in a loud whisper, "Just… Get in here! Hurry!"

While still wary, I could tell that this pony was not a threat. I reached inside the door and pulled it open before practically crawling inside due to its low height and the fact that it was raised off the ground by almost a full foot. Once inside, I closed the door's two halves behind me and closed the lock. It was then I noticed just how cramped the interior was. "And I thought the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse was cramped…" I had to stay on my knees. There was so much in there and so little room to move around, I was afraid I would break something. There was not much to see there. Just the vanity lined with makeup and other cosmetics, a small bed, a dresser, a mini refrigerator, a chest for gear used in Trixie's performance's, and what seemed to be a door to a small bathroom at the end of the room. Basically the necessities of a traveling performer. Something that stood out for me was a matching cape and wide brimmed wizard's hat hanging from a bedpost. They were both mainly light purple while being adorned with many yellow and pale blue stars while the cape had a sky blue hexagonal gemstone serving as a pendant to hold the cape together at the base of the wearer's neck. And on the wall over the bed was a poster depicting Trixie in her cape and hat from what I would assume was a time when she was in her prime.

"Um…" The mare before me spoke, doing nothing to confirm whether or not she was indeed the Trixie I had heard about every once in a great while. I did not take my eyes off of her once while maintaining a constant scowl of wariness. Using the basic levitation spell, she moved the stool she had tripped over towards me. I felt myself warm up to her just slightly by this small show of hospitality. I stood up while minding my movements and took a seat on the stool. It was still very close to the floor, but it was better than putting more strain on my knees.

"Thanks… Now tell me. Are you the so-called 'Great and Powerful' Trixie or not?" I asked once I was seated, the box of pastries still in my hands.

Despite having such an astronomically huge ego, at least from what I have heard, the pony before me was very reserved and hesitant to seemingly do anything. She was nervous. I could see that much. But why?

Finally, she seemed to find the will to speak and cleared her throat before speaking in a loud and bold tone. "Yes! I see my name precedes me! You stand before the great and powerful Trrrrixie!" She did a good job of rolling her R's and really gave off a proud and capable presence with that display. While speaking those words, she even stood on just her hind legs while reaching out with one foreleg while the other was crossed over her chest.

If I had not known about her at all, I am sure I would have been mildly entertained. But not this time. I watched her with a display of indifference. I did not even so much as crack a smile. With the atmosphere in the cramped confines of the carriage having become incredibly awkward, Trixie grinned nervously before letting out a sigh of defeat while lowering herself back down to the floor. "Oh, who am I kidding…"

What was wrong with her? She did not seem just defeated. She seemed downright depressed. "Um… What's wrong? I was expecting you to be a bit more extravagant and over-the-top in your behavior." I asked, actually starting to feel some concern for the mare.

Just as it seemed she was about to talk, her gaze looked me over again. Even though clearly down about something, there was still a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes. "Before I say anything… What are you? I've never come across anything in Equestria like you before."

I replied dryly. "I'm a human."

Trixie cocked her head as I spoke those words. "A…human? Really? Oh… I always claimed that they were monstrous sea creatures with massive tentacles that try to draw in anything that drifts near them…"

I rolled my eyes at that assumption. "That sounds more like a kraken. Anyway, are you the one who ordered this?" I held out the box to her. There was a noticeable sweet scent slipping through the lid's edges.

"I did…" She spoke softly while going over to a small dresser. While she walked, any wariness I felt towards her began to slowly fade. She looked absolutely miserable, a far cry from the Great and Powerful Trixie I had heard about.

"Hey… Are you all right?" I finally asked after wondering if it was my business to worry about her.

She stopped in her tracks before bowing her head. Trixie then looked over at me with a very sad gaze. "Don't tell me you really believe I am the Great and Powerful Trixie…"

I sighed, seeing just how down she was. Despite her mood, I spoke honestly. "Well, you certainly don't seem 'great' or 'powerful' in any way. And I'm going to be honest with you, Trixie. I have heard nothing but bad things about you."

She seemed to tense up at the sound of my words, almost sounding like she was having trouble breathing. With a brisker pace, she turned and walked over to her vanity before using her magic to open a medicine bottle on it that I had overlooked. With a twist of the cap, a single white and blue capsule floated out before she snatched up a water bottle on the floor next to the vanity with it being securely held between her hoof and foreleg in her ankle joint. She set the pill on her tongue before chugging some of the water to wash it down. She let out a gasping sigh before setting the water bottle and medicine bottle back down.

Seeing this, I was naturally worried. I had all but forgotten any wariness I had towards her. "Are you OK?"

Trixie looked my way after taking a long sigh to apparently calm herself. "Anti anxiety pills. I… Things have not been easy for me lately."

It was by this point that I just could not sit there and do nothing. I had to find out why this 'Great and Powerful' Trixie was nothing like I had heard about. "OK, you're officially getting me worried. What is wrong with you?"

She sighed while looking away from me for a moment before turning and resting her head on her vanity while looking into the mirror with a truly pathetic posture. "I'm just a mare who's down on her luck. Isn't that obvious?"

I crossed my arms, starting to become mildly annoyed by her beating around the bush. "No, you're not just 'some mare' who is down on her luck. You're Trixie. You had a strong fan following not that long ago, from what I've heard. What happened to you since the last time you were in Ponyville?"

Trixie's eyes widened somewhat while she turned her gaze to me, though she then sighed again and let her body go limp with her head still on her vanity. "Why would you even care for a fraud like me?"

I responded honestly. "No, I wouldn't have much love for a fraud. But… I'm concerned, OK? When I look at you, I don't see a prideful egotistical jerk of a mare. I see a young woman who needs help. I may have some doubts about you, but I am a good listener. You can tell me. I won't tell anyone else."

She hesitated for a moment before asking me while constantly facing her reflection in the mirror. "Were you told about what happened when I last came here?"

It is rather hard to forget a story where a total jerk of a magician comes to town and publicly humiliates three of your closest friends and fails to stop a towering Ursa Minor like she had claimed to have done so in the past. "Yes. I heard."

Trixie let out yet another long sigh before speaking further. "News spread after that. I lost fans. Nopony took me seriously anymore. More and more was discovered about my claims to greatness. People stopped attending my shows… At one point, I was so low on funds that I had to…resort to working on a rock farm for a week…" She then suddenly looked towards me with tears streaming down her face, her eyes open wide in a show of rage and shame. "A ROCK FARM!"

I flinched at that sudden outburst. I did not see it coming at all. But that glare did not stay on her face for long. She seemed to realize what she had done and buried her face in her folded forelegs. "Sorry… It's just… I don't know what to do… If I don't find a way to bring my audience back… My career is over… And I know I can't! I'm a fraud!"

She was taking it very hard. Her speaking had dissolved into sobbing. This was not at all how I expected my first meeting with Trixie would go. I honestly felt terrible for her. "You became a victim of your own lies…"

"That's exactly it…" She muttered between sobs while raising her head enough for me to see her eyes. She then looked at me with a tearful and desperate pleading gaze. "I'm out of options… I came to Ponyville to try to start a comeback tour. I have even been studying and practicing new tricks and spells to really capture my audience's attention. But… This is where my downfall began! Nopony here will even look at me now!" She suddenly lunged at me, holding onto me while gazing up at me. "Please… Tell me! What can I do?! What has to be done to free me from this downward spiral?!"

Even in her darkest moments, it seemed that Trixie still had a flair for being dramatic. However, I doubt she was doing it voluntarily. I looked down at her. She was gazing at me in tears, looking for guidance. She was truly lost by this point. If I had any ill will towards her before, I can safely say that it was all gone by that point.

After taking a moment to think up a response, I finally spoke. "Well, the first thing you need to do is probably the hardest thing you could ever do."

Her gaze of desperation instantly became a hopeful smile. "Name it! Tell me!"

I braced myself. Knowing her ego, she was not going to like this suggestion. "The first thing you need to do is admit the truth to everyone."

Trixie's expression changed to one showing profound fear. And that was to be expected. For someone who had probably been in show business since most likely her late teens, she had probably gone a long time without admitting she is wrong. Before she could object, I gently caressed her mane to calm her while I spoke. "I know what you're thinking and you're right. It's never easy or pleasant to admit that you were wrong. But trust me on this. The longer you take to do so, the harder it will become. You need to admit to the people you have been deceiving that you were a fraud. That's the only way you'll get their respect back."

I was almost expecting her to explode in defiance. And yet, she remained silent. Trixie rested her head on my chest, my hand constantly stroking her mane. "Admit…that I was wrong…" She muttered in a very subdued tone.

"You have to. Your pride is dragging you down and you need to let that go. Pride can hurt you more than others can. That's why I try to not take pride in anything I do." I spoke softly, trying to reassure her the best I could.

After a moment longer, I felt Trixie let out a long sigh before looking up at me. Her tears had stopped flowing and she looked more at peace than I had seen since first meeting her. "Thank you for your advice… Please leave me alone for now. I need to make some preparations."

"Really? Are you sure you're gonna be fine?" I asked, not entirely certain I should leave her alone after seeing just what a wreck she had become.

Much to my surprise, she gave me a very faint smile. "Yes… I'll be all right. But I need some time alone for now. There's a lot I need to get done before nightfall." She then went over to her dresser and pulled a drawer open before four bits floated out of it while surrounded by a billowing light pink aura, as was her horn. "Here… And thank you for these."

I took the four coins in hand, but then glanced back at Trixie. With all things considered, she was probably suffering financially due to lack of attendance to her shows. After a few seconds of contemplation, I took two of the bits between my thumb and index finger and set them on her vanity. "Two is fine. Sugarcube Corner is Happy Hour during this hour. All pastries are half price."

Trixie looked at me without a word, her expression showing what I think was a bit of guilt. "I know you only just now made that up…"

I rolled my eyes in defeat. I was just trying to be supportive of her. "It's fine. I'll just take half. Don't worry about it." I then carefully opened the door behind me and set the box of pastries on the vanity nearby before slowly slipping out of the carriage.

"Wait!" I heard Trixie call out before she stopped the door from closing completely by shoving her hoof in the doorway. She peeked through the crack at me, one of her purple eyes looking at me. "May I please know your name?"

I could not help but crack a warm smile. For all the bad things I had heard about her, I was starting to like Trixie. "It's James."

Trixie smiled warmly at my response while also showing a very grateful expression. "OK… James… Please come to my performance tonight." She then silently closed the door. Taking two extra bits out of my own pocket to complete the payment for the delivery, I made my way to the end of the alley and made my way back towards Sugarcube Corner.

There were no real distractions on the return trip. Rather than have to potentially deal with the guards again, I decided to go through the backdoor through the kitchen to get back inside Sugarcube Corner. Fortunately, it was not being manned by any guards. Much to my surprise, I found Spike of all people sitting at the counter while using his flame breath to roast various treats while wearing a white apron and a chef hat. Among them was one tasty treat I recognized. "Ooh, crème brûlée? Save me some!"

Just after ringing a small desk bell to signal that the latest batch was done, Spike looked my way while Mr. Cake grabbed the tray the treats were being served on in his mouth and carried them out to the storefront. "Oh, hey! Yeah, they've got me fire-roasting some of the goodies they've got out there. Quick and easy!"

"You sure they're not overworking you on this? That's a pretty big party out there." I asked, wondering if he had been single-handedly providing every last edible morsel out in the storefront.

Spike shook his head before blowing fire over the tops of more custard, roasting their tops to a golden brown. "Nah, I can only roast a few things. I asked if they needed me to roast some of the pastries, but they said they need an oven for that."

"Makes sense, seeing as how the fire quickly roasts the surface while not being able to warm the insides quickly." I retorted while he roasted marshmallows that where resting atop chocolate cupcakes.

I decided to leave Spike to his duties and slipped back out into the storefront. There was still quite a bit of commotion with all of the partygoers having a good time. Although I suddenly heard a familiar voice yelp. "No! Keep that away! You know cherry juices stain!"

When I turned my head to look at who had just called out in fright, I saw none other than Rarity standing perfectly still while wearing…of all things…the dress she wore to the Grand Galloping Gala. Why in the world was she wearing that to a casual party? Regardless, I tried to approach her. "Hey there, Rarity. Looking…uh…fabulous today. Can I get you anything?"

My overdressed friend looked as if she was about to ask me for something with a smile, but it suddenly turned into an extremely anxious frown. "Oh, I couldn't possibly ask for anything! Everything here will be an absolute disaster on my dress! Could you stand to see a masterpiece like this tarnished?"

I rolled my eyes while slightly shaking my head from side to side. "I'm trying to comprehend why you are even wearing that thing to this party. Isn't that a bit… Oh, I dunno… Over excessive?"

She clearly did not agree with me one bit. "Excessive?! You can't possibly be excessive when it comes to a visit from royalty! Just look at the princesses! They are clad in fine jewelry!"

I turned to look towards Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare Moon. They were indeed clad in their royal tiaras and matching shoes and neckbands. But that was when a thought occurred to me. "Rarity… They wear that stuff all the time. If this was meant to be a glamorous occasion, you'd think they would spice things up a bit with truly spectacular dresses or something."

"Well, I still would prefer to look my best so as to not be upstaged by… Uh…" Rarity replied before stopping rather abruptly while looking up. I felt a presence just to my right and looked to find Nightmare Moon herself standing beside me while wearing a rather irritated frown on her face. "Oh, hello, your highness! Are you…uh…enjoying this fine soiree?"

Nightmare Moon did not seem to be in the mood for conversation since she seemed to merely look Rarity over for a moment. When I happened to glance behind her, it seemed that Luna and Celestia were watching her with noticeable interest. Just what was the princess of dreams up to?

After a brief moment of silence, Nightmare Moon seemed to smirk before using the levitation spell to carry a cupcake over to Rarity from nearby. "You seem famished. Here, enjoy this."

"Oh, thank you, your highness. It does look… Wait. Does that icing stain? Quick! Get it away from me!" Rarity replied, at first seeming calm before suddenly panicking and backing away.

At this display, Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes. "Then take that dress off so you can enjoy yourself." I see what her game was. She was trying to convince Rarity to remove her dress so she would not have to worry about dirtying herself.

Despite this coming from one of the princesses, Rarity still managed to hang onto her defiance. "What?! I couldn't possibly do that! This is a royal visit, so I must… Eep!" Rarity was silenced instantly when Nightmare Moon lowered her head until she was glaring right into the finely dressed unicorn's eyes.

"Do it, or I will confiscate that dress and modify it into curtains for my chambers." Nightmare Moon spoke with a smirk.

This clearly frightened Rarity. Not surprising, considering that her gala dress is possibly one of her most prized possessions. My friend was twitching with terror before she rigidly nodded before walking over to Pinkie Pie and muttering something into her ear. Pinkie Pie seemed to agree to whatever my friend asked. Rarity then made her way to the stairs right behind the store's counter and walked upstairs and out of sight into Pinkie's loft.

"Were you getting fed up with her unreasonable compulsion to look as extravagant as possible, regardless of missing out on all the tasty treats being offered?" I asked while glancing at Nightmare Moon out of the corner of my eye.

"Was it that obvious?" She replied with a chuckle. "I just can't abide pointless silliness. I love a good bit of humor as much as the next pony, but when they start getting overly dramatic or just won't shut up is where I draw the line."

I crossed my arms and shook my head in amusing while a while grin spread across my face. "I guess that's something we have in common." This prompted a chuckle from my royal friend.

A few minutes later, I noticed Rarity and Pinkie Pie emerged from the stairwell. This time, Rarity was free of clothing. "OK, back to the party!" Pinkie spoke with glee while trotting off to what seemed to be a long table holding a variety of treats and a large bowl of purple punch.

Rarity walked right over to us and looked directly at Nightmare Moon with a rather nervous expression. "There! No dress to see or tarnish! Happy now?"

Nightmare Moon smirked while gazing down at my refined unicorn friend. "You tell me. Can you finally enjoy yourself?"

For a second, Rarity seemed uncertain of what to say. However, Pinkie Pie then trotted over to us with a cup of punch resting in her mane like a cushion. "I haven't seen you eat anything since you got here, Rarity! Come on, drink up!"

Rarity seemed to forget all about her dress since she immediately used her magic to levitate the cup to her lips and took a sip. "Ah, I was simply parched. Many thanks, Pinkie!"

"See how much easier it is to sate your appetite without having to constantly worry about your attire?" Nightmare Moon spoke while still keeping that snide smirk on her face.

I could tell that Rarity seemed utterly embarrassed about having to effective been forced out of her dress just to enjoy herself. Clearly not wanting to admit her fashion faux pas, she merely turned towards Pinkie Pie and gave the silly pink pony a rather uneasy grin. "So…uh… Pinkie. What other tasty treats are being offered today?"

"I'm sooo glad you asked! Right over here." Pinkie Pie replied before leading our friend to one of the tables that was completely covered in platters of a variety of pastries.

"Stubborn, isn't she?" Nightmare Moon asked without looking at me, her gaze focused on our two friends.

"When it involves her finest dresses and events like this, as stubborn as a mountain against a storm." I replied in an attempt to be witty.

Nightmare Moon took the opportunity to grab a bite to eat by levitating a cupcake from a long table right next to her. But just before she could take a bite, Pinkie Pie dashed right up to her on the table in such a manner that left their faces on the same elevation. This sudden approach caused Nightmare Moon to pause before she could even taste the cupcake. "You gonna eat that?!" Pinkie Pie asked loudly just before chomping the cupcake down in one bite.

What a blatant disregard of manners! Even I was actually rather offended that Pinkie had so rudely devoured the treat Nightmare Moon was about to eat when there were dozens more strewn around the entire storefront. Nightmare Moon could only glare at Pinkie Pie in obvious disgust, but there was also a loud gasp before Mr. Cake ran by and grabbed Pinkie's tail in his mouth before dragging her down the table and out of sight. But without even looking in the direction the cupcake thief had been dragged off to, Nightmare Moon spoke dryly while her horn was coated in her deep blue magic aura. "Not so fast."

Pinkie Pie came floating back over to us while giggling in glee from rolling through the air while surrounded by a blue aura. Mr. Cake was right behind her with an absolutely terrified expression. He pleaded while trying to keep his cool. "Your highness, please go easy on her. I'm sure Pinkie was just too famished to be picky about what she ate."

"As famished as a termite in a lumberyard, I'm sure." Nightmare Moon replied with a look and tone of irritation. Pinkie Pie was floating upside-down right in front of her with a rather curious expression. I suppose I could have said something or convinced Nightmare Moon to let her go, but how often do you see someone not letting Pinkie Pie off the hook with her impulsive shenanigans?

Mrs. Cake seemed to take notice of the confrontation that was beginning to occur and rushed to Nightmare Moon's side with a fresh cupcake on a tiny plate resting atop her mane. "Your highness, here! Fresh and just iced! Don't worry about Pinkie, please!"

Nightmare Moon seemed to take Mrs. Cake up on her offer since the cupcake was then engulfed by the same type of aura that was surrounding Pinkie Pie. "Many thanks, Mrs. Cake. But I still need a word with Miss Pie here." Our employers watched with bated breath. Although I am quite certain Nightmare Moon meant no harm.

"Heheh… No hard feelings, right?" Pinkie Pie asked, seemingly starting to understand that she was not going anywhere as long as Nightmare Moon had anything to say about it.

The princess of dreams did not blink once while looking directly at Pinkie Pie. The ponies who were closest in proximity to us had also stopped to watch. The ever-lengthening awkward silence was causing Pinkie Pie's expression to darken into one of genuine nervousness. Finally, Nightmare Moon spoke. "No, there's no hard feelings. But let me make something clear to you. You asked me if I was going to eat that cupcake. And what was my answer?" Once she finished speaking, she took a bite of the cupcake she had floating near her mouth in a rather imposing manner. I suspect Nightmare Moon would make a fine interrogator if the need ever arose.

"Uh… You didn't say?" Pinkie replied with a question of her own.

"No, I did not. You devoured that cupcake before I could even put words together to reply. If I had said I was not going to eat that, it would have been fine to consume it. But I did not say that. What do you have to say for yourself?" Nightmare Moon continued while never once looking away.

"Sorry?" Pinkie Pie replied quietly while trying her best to smile.

"That will do." Pinkie was suddenly dropped back to the ground while Nightmare Moon consumed the rest of her cupcake with a somewhat satisfied expression. Mr. and Mrs. Cake both let out a big sigh of relief. "Be more mindful of others next time to you ask if they are going to eat something, or we will have to do this song and dance again."

"Heheh… Will do." Pinkie spoke with a sheepish grin while lying on her back while Nightmare Moon made her way back over to her sisters. The atmosphere had gotten rather heavy from that little talking-to I had just witnessed, so I went to the closest refreshment table to loosen myself up.

While I waited in line, I noticed someone standing close behind me that I recognized. "Huh? Rainbow?"

Turns out Rainbow Dash was in line right behind me. My brash pegasus friend looked up at me and grinned. "Heya, James! Been having fun?"

Before I could offer a response, a thought came to mind. "Wait a sec… Did you only now just get back? You were gone way too long for a mere delivery."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes while a rather goofy grin creeped over her face. "Well, I might've ducked into a cloud for ten minutes… Maybe fifteen?"

I winced at the thought. "Rainbow, you didn't actually use it, did you?!"

She laughed while also showing a deep blush on her face. "Hey, I washed it off when I was done and he was never the wiser!"

"Well… Fine, I guess… Just… Don't talk about that to me! It puts thoughts in my head!" I groaned while trying to focus on the treats laid out before me. For someone who has already had intimate encounters with Fluttershy, it does not take much imagination to wonder how Rainbow Dash looks under her tail as well.

"Think about it?! Why bother with that?" Rainbow retorted before hovering next to me with one elbow resting on my shoulder. She gave me a very whimsical smirk before speaking further. "You know I wouldn't mind letting you seeing down there sometime."

I am very certain I had started to blush at those words. "Rainbow, we already went over this on Hearts and Hooves Day! I can't!"

Rainbow Dash covered her mouth with a hoof, apparently to stop herself from exploding into laughter. She did eventually manage to squeak out a reply though. "I know, I know, sorry! It's just that you're so much fun to mess with!" I could only grumble to myself while moving along in line.

Once I had loaded up my plate with a fair amount of goods and with a punch cup in my hand, I started to make my way back over to the table the three royal sisters were seated at. However, on my way, I found Applejack standing at a table with an extremely varied list of foods ranging from sandwiches and salads to cookies and pastries. She had seemingly left her hat at home this time and was wearing an adorable red and white checker boarded neckerchief around her neck that complimented her quite well.

As I approached her, I noticed that Applejack seemed to be rather bothered about something. "Hey there, AJ. Something wrong?"

Applejack looked right up at me and managed to flash a smile. "Howdy, James! Just…uh…tryin' ta figure out… Which of these are appetizers and salads."

I pointed directly at a small bowl filled with a leafy green vegetable topped with shavings of an orange vegetable and coated with a glistening fluid. You know, a salad. "That's the salad. And come to think of it, I could use one." I managed to carry both that and my plate in just one hand.

"Oh, right. How'd I ferget what a salad looks like? Well… Uh… Nuts, I still can't decide where ta start." Applejack grumbled, moving her open mouth from one item to the next without ever taking a bite.

After a moment of silent observation, I finally pointed at what seemed to be a scone topped with white icing and a cherry. "How about starting with that?"

"Don't see why not!" Applejack replied before gobbling down the scone in one bite. With how famished she was acting, I have to wonder if she had deliberately skipped breakfast so she could pig out on the buffet. "All right, now I've got an idea of what I wanna try next."

After merely watching for a moment, I snuck away and returned to the seat I had been offered at the table being used by the royal sisters. Luna spoke up first. "Quite a variety you picked up, James."

I looked at the princess of the night and gave her a nod. "I fit as much as I could on my plate. Always does the body good to have a salad afterwards to wash it all down."

Nightmare Moon took a sip of her teacup right next to me before suddenly Mrs. Cake came running up to her with a teakettle hanging from her mouth before promptly pouring another dose of tea. "There you go, your highness."

"Huh… Well, thank you." Nightmare Moon spoke with some hesitation, clearly surprised by the sudden refill of her cup of tea. And no sooner had she sipped it down that Mrs. Cake poured her some more.

"The hospitality seems rather…excessive, doesn't it?" I heard Luna whisper to Celestia to my right.

"Oh, they're like this all the time. What say you we have some fun with them?" Celestia replied with a wink. Luna seemed to giggle lightly while Nightmare Moon also gave them a wink. I stayed silent and decided to just watch the show.

Celestia took a sip from her teacup, only for Luna to immediately follow with a sip from hers, and then followed by Nightmare Moon. In response, Mrs. Cake went to one end of the table and poured Celestia more tea before moving on to Luna and Nightmare Moon in quick succession. They then reversed the order with Nightmare Moon taking a sip before Luna and finally Celestia. Once Mrs. Cake poured them some more, Nightmare Moon and Celestia each took a sip from their cups simultaneously after Luna took a sip from hers. Just when it seemed like Mrs. Cake was about to have to debate who to tend to first, Mr. Cake came along with a teakettle of his own and they both tended to the princesses at the ends of the table. All three of them smirked at each other. I knew what was coming next. Nightmare Moon and Celestia took the first sips at the same time before Luna followed up with a sip of hers. As expected, Mr. and Mrs. Cake refilled Celestia and Nightmare Moon's teacups before attempting to both do the same with Luna's teacup. Only since there was only one cup and two ponies trying to refill it, my two employers ended up running right into each other headfirst. I finally let out a howl of hearty laughter at the spectacle. "What is this?! Musical teacups?!"

I was not the only one being entertained. All three of the royal sisters let out snickers and chuckles in unison while Mr. and Mrs. Cake staggered about for a second in a daze before realizing what they had done before joining in the laughter.

"With all due respect, I believe we have had enough tea for now." Celestia spoke with a crooked smile on her face.

"As you wish, your highness. If you need anything, please just speak up." Mr. Cake spoke while he and his wife backed away with nervous smiles and heads hung low in a type of bow.

"Everypony seems to overdo it on the honorifics and protocols whenever we visit. It can get to be a bother after a while." Luna spoke while letting out a sigh.

Nightmare Moon then lowered her head until she was closer to me. "At least somepony here has the sense to loosen up around us." I could only let out a snort of suppressed laughter.

A few minutes later of enjoying my food and listening to the three sisters engaging in pleasant conversation, I noticed Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy heading our way. Celestia spoke first. "Ah, hello, Twilight. Have you been enjoying yourself?"

Our friend spoke with a nod and smile. "Absolutely. I never miss a visit from you, Princess Celestia. And it's so good to see you both attending too, Princess Luna and Princess Nightmare Moon."

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes as she was addressed. "That's a mouthful. Nightmare Moon alone is fine, Twilight Sparkle." Luna could only cover her mouth with suppressed laughter at her sister's disdain for her full title. It is amazing to see how similar they are, yet how different they are also.

Suddenly, Fluttershy spoke up while seemingly looking past me. "Oh! You brought Philomena again!"

Philomena? I was surprised to hear that name since I had not once heard it since arriving in Equestria months ago. I turned around to see what seemed to be a gilded birdcage propped up near the wall. "Huh? I thought this was just part of the décor in here." The cage was of the wired frame variety. And perched motionlessly inside it was a surprisingly tall bird. Its frame was very thin with a rather thick beak. Its plumage was made up of vibrant reds and fiery oranges with a few stiff feathers forming a type of 'crown' similar to what you would see on a peacock's head. Three long orange tail feathers hung down from the bird's posterior. Including the length of the tail feathers, it was almost as tall as me.

Celestia seemed mildly amused by my obliviousness. "Oh, I'm not surprised Philomena was trying to blend into the background. She is rather mischievous herself." Her golden magic aura engulfed the cage's door before it swung open. Celestia then held out her right foreleg to serve as a perch. "Come here, Philomena. And please be on your best behavior, young lady."

As commanded, Philomena slipped out of the cage and spread her magnificent wings wide before gliding over to Celestia and perching on her foreleg. Such a majestic bird. I would expect no less from a princess. She looked my way, those bold orange avian eyes gazing at me. Celestia then smiled while moving her head to look past her pet. "Can you guess what bird she is?"

With all those fiery colors in Philomena's plumage, I did not have to think long for an answer. "She's a phoenix, yes?"

Celestia seemed fairly surprised that I knew of what her pet is. "Yes. You seem fairly knowledgeable about phoenixes. Did you read about them since arriving here?"

I merely smiled while reaching out and caressing Philomena's feathers, prompting a coo of approval from the fiery bird. "Well, I did write something of a story years ago that heavily revolved around phoenixes and their resurrection capabilities. I'm not sure how well it would hold up here though."

The princess of the sun nodded with a smile. "You seem to be fairly knowledgeable about animals as a whole. Would you care to hold her?"

I extended my arm towards Philomena while preparing for additional weight to be applied to it. . "I would be honored. Excuse me, Luna." I spoke, allowing Luna to move to my left.

Philomena glanced to Celestia, who gave her a smile and nodded. The phoenix then looked towards Fluttershy, who I assume must have a sort of bond with her. My girlfriend nodded and spoke softly. "Don't worry, Philomena. James is very good with animals."

That bit of encouragement from Fluttershy was all that Philomena needed. With a flap of her great wings, she hopped onto my arm. Despite her impressive size, I found that Philomena is in fact very light. I suppose I should not be surprised with how slender her frame is. I merely looked up at her for a moment while she looked at me. No one said anything, almost as if they were just waiting to see what Philomena would do.

I made the first move. My fingers gently ruffled her breast, fluffing up her feathers while Philomena spread her wings in a manner that seemed to be for keeping balance. "Hello, Philomena. You're a pretty bird."

Philomena cooed lightly before lowering her head to me and parting her beak before reaching out and touching my cheek with her tongue much like how a parrot would. Celestia giggled rather loudly at this display of affection. "It seems she likes you."

I could not help but grin at those words. I leaned forward and nuzzled my face against Philomena's feathered chest. While I was enjoying myself with Philomena, I heard Twilight Sparkle speak to Fluttershy. "Oh, Fluttershy? Do you still have that feather you got from Philomena?"

This caught my attention. I immediately looked towards the two ponies while Fluttershy nodded in confirmation. "Yes, I'm making sure it stays safe and sound in my home. It makes for a handy bookmark."

"Hang on… You were given a tuft of phoenix down?" I asked with my attention focused on Fluttershy.

My girlfriend seemed rather baffled by my words. "Huh? Down? Oh no, that was a wing feather. It was just one and very long."

I could not help but grin. "Oh, so it's a phoenix pinion then. Very nice. Make sure you hold onto that. Those are very useful."

Finally, Celestia herself spoke up. "Useful? In what way are phoenix feathers useful?"

I was rather surprised that Celestia had no idea of what I was speaking. And probably for good reason. "Wait… You mean phoenix feathers can't…you know…bring the dead back to life?"

There was a long awkward silence as I felt all eyes fall upon me. Even Philomena seemed to be giving me a weird look. Eventually, Celestia spoke up. "Um… No, they can't. What gave you that idea?"

I bowed my head in embarrassment, unable to look my friends in the eye. "Uh… It would take too long to explain."

Philomena then hopped from my arm and walked across the table before gently nuzzling Fluttershy's face. I suppose those two must have developed some sort of bond in the past. Luna seemed to notice me trying to lean towards Celestia and stood up. "Oh, allow me." She and I then swapped seats so that I was seated beside Celestia.

Celestia could tell that I had something on my mind and smiled towards me. "Something you wanted to ask me?"

I nodded before whispering in a soft voice. "Did something happen last time between those two?"

To my surprise, Celestia rolled her eyes while a silly smirk spread across her face. "Oh, that's an interesting story. I brought Philomena with me to a party just like this one. The only problem was that she was very close to the end of her lifespan and looked… Well…" Her horn was then coated by a billowing golden yellow aura while what seemed to be a photo slid up out of the golden band around her neck. "It's difficult to put into words what she looked like, so I had a photo taken of her a few days before our visit so we could have something to look back on. She's only been reborn a few times."

I took the photo in hand and looked it over. It showed Philomena perched in her cage. However… Just… What was I even looking at? The bird in the picture did not look like Philomena at all. It did not even have the same body structure! It was covered in unkempt pale pink feathers, the eyes were large and listless, the beak was rather large and uneven, the wings were scrawny… Ugh, it was by far the most pitifully bizarre sickly bird I had ever seen in my life. "How in the world is that even Philomena?! That bird doesn't even have the same build!"

Celestia had to stop herself from laughing at my response. And I can only imagine the expression I was making. "Oh, I don't blame you. I had to remind myself that was her the first time she took on that form. That is the state a phoenix takes on as the end of their lifespan."

"And then they die in a flash of fire and are then reborn of their ashes, right?" I asked while sliding the photo between her neck and jewelry.

"That's exactly right. It's a shame you missed it. It only happens once every five hundred years." She said with a nod. I admit I was somewhat disappointed that I had missed the rebirth of a phoenix by probably only a couple of years. But actually being able to see, hold, and pet a phoenix was a fine compensation.

However, Celestia then leaned towards me and whispered. "Now it's my turn to ask a question. Tell me, just what did you do to make my guards come barging into the place in such a panic a while ago? They are trained to remained focused on their duties at all times, so it must've been especially clever."

I rolled my eyes at that question. "Believe me, it wasn't my idea. Rainbow Dash proposed the idea. I would've slipped in through the back if she hadn't suggested it."

Celestia also seemed mildly annoyed herself, though hid it with a whimsical smile. "Do try to be patient with the guards, James. I've tried to remind them to lighten up in locales that are renowned for being peaceful, but they have a habit of taking their roles a little too seriously at all times." But she then asked with a most curious expression. "But enough of that. What did Rainbow Dash suggest that you do? I'm very curious of what could've caused a royal guard to lose his cool like that."

I had a feeling at the time that I was going to regret my answer. "Well, she had me go somewhere to ask for a 'foot-long' and show it to the guards. And it worked."

The royal alicorn tilted her head to one side. "That's it? What in the world did you show them that caused them to flee?"

"Well, I also said something to them as well. But thinking back on it now, I probably should've said…" I spoke before leaning in as closely as I could before whispering very quietly into her ear. "Prepare your anus."

Celestia just froze at those words and sat perfectly still without looking at anyone in particular. I watched in concern, wondering if I should not have said that. While the droning roar of many conversations filled the air around us, Celestia suddenly burst out laughing. "Hahahaha! Prepare your anus! Oh my lord… Pffft….Heeheehehahaaa!"

As you would expect, every single pony in sight turned to look at the princess. I felt my face flush red in embarrassment, unable to believe she would react so strongly to that little quip I had just mentioned to her. It did not take long for her to notice and began to slowly turn her laughing into awkward chuckles and giggles.

"Oh… Uh… I mean… I must be off now for…um…a meeting with the mayor! Yes, that's right! Luna, let's be off." Celestia spoke with a very awkward grin spreading across her face.

"Uh… Sister, we do not need to depart just…" Luna spoke while looking up at her sister, but was interrupted when Celestia spoke with an obvious embarrassed tone in her voice while a blush filled her white cheeks and face.

"There's no time, Luna. Let's be on our way. Nightmare Moon, please remain here and mingle with our guests." Celestia spoke briskly while seemingly trying to get out of there as quickly as she could. A handful of seconds later, she and Luna were approaching Sugarcube Corner's front door in single file. Along the way, I heard her snicker loudly. "Prepare your anus… Heheheh…"

Luna clearly overheard as well. "Sister, please! Compose yourself! Everypony can still hear you!" The partygoers seemed to take the command surprisingly seriously too, all of them looking over their shoulders and at their rumps with uneasy expressions.

All I could do while watching was hold my head in my hands and grumble under my breath. "Oh lord… What have I done?"

Twilight Sparkle stepped forward with her eyes focused on me, Fluttershy standing beside her. "What in the name of Equestria did you say to her?"

I looked directly at my friend, my face frozen in a look of irritation. I rigidly pointed my arm at Rainbow Dash who was sipping from a cup of punch nearby. "It was Rainbow's idea."

Twilight and Fluttershy glanced over at Rainbow Dash, who threw up her forelegs. "Whoa, don't look at me! I don't know what that all meant!"

I then smirked at her. "Then explain the 'foot-long' you had me show the guards."

Fluttershy and Twilight both gave Rainbow Dash a very suspicious stare. Our pegasus friend could tell she was backed up against the wall. Sweat oozing down her face, she grinned nervously. "Uh… Right. About that foot-long..… Gotta go!" She then bolted for the restroom and locked herself inside before anyone had the chance to react.

"Do we really want to know what she meant by a 'foot-long' back then?" Twilight asked as a rather uneasy expression spread across her face.

"Um… Let's not?" Fluttershy replied with an equally nervous expression. Although judging by that blush on her face, I suspect she had a pretty good idea of what Rainbow Dash meant.

Before I could say anything, I paused while my eyes noticed something outside the window. Across the road was a pony clad in a familiar dark cloak with a pair of light brown saddlebags hanging from its sides. It… Or rather she stopped in front of a building before a billowing light pink aura coated the bag's flap while a rolled up poster of sorts was lifted out of it. It unfurled before the pony tacked it onto the wall before running off and out of sight. One word escaped my mouth. "Trixie?"

Nightmare Moon seemed to notice me speak. She looked my way and asked with a curious look in her eyes. "Hm? You see someone you know?"

Knowing that Trixie would more than likely want to keep her return secret until the proper time, I feigned ignorance. "Nah… Just thought I saw someone I recognized. My mistake."

Over the next hour, my friends and I continued to mingle and just have an overall good time. We talked, we ate, and we made merry. It was one of the better get-togethers I had attended in quite a while. And I made certain to spend as many minute as possible with Nightmare Moon since I do not get to see her as often as I would like. And I can tell she too does not get to spend time with me as frequently as she desires.

Nightmare Moon gazed in my direction while sipping from a cup of tea. "Have all your friends been well lately?"

"Yes, very. Things are always great with us. There are lots of ups with a few downs as well, but I really don't think things could get much better with us right now." I replied while sipping from my punch cup. "And what about you? Have things been getting better at Canterlot?"

My friend seemed to roll her eyes at my question. "Well, it's been steady. My sisters and I made an agreement that we would not have an official public visit to any other city or town until after I had been fully accepted back into the city from which we reign." She bowed her head and snickered while squinting her eyes shut. "It took some time and effort, but at least now I can walk through the streets of Canterlot without the locals scrambling for cover. Although we did have to order the guards to barricade the doors on the first try…"

I could not help but laugh at the thought of the prim and proper ponies in Canterlot flipping out over seeing Nightmare Moon walking down the streets. "I honestly wish I could've seen that… Wait, this isn't your first visit to Ponyville. What about the time you attended my birthday party a couple of months ago?"

Nightmare Moon chuckled at my confusion. "That was a private visit. You know I would never miss the birthday of my most precious friend in the world. Even if it did cause a few of the locals to panic." I could only shake my head at that response while a silly smirk spread across my face. I suppose she had a point there.

Some time later, one of the two guards that had been posted outside the front door marched in and proceeded right over to Nightmare Moon's side. She seemed to know what he wanted and lowered her head so her ear was closer to him. The guard seemed to mutter something into her ear, prompting a rather unpleased expression. "You are sure? Right now?"

The guard nodded in silence before walking away and towards the front door. Once he was out of earshot, I leaned towards Nightmare Moon and spoke into her ear. "Did something happen?"

My friend let out a sigh before nodding solemnly. "Yes, unfortunately. It would seem that Luna and Celestia are requesting that I attend their meeting with the mayor. Most likely as a means to improve my image with her."

I too was rather disheartened. I was almost expecting to spend the entire day with her, but now it was being cut short. "Well… It was great to see you again."

Nightmare Moon nodded with an unhappy frown and rested her head on my shoulder in the form of an equine hug. I returned the favor by wrapping my arms around her, my fingers stroking her long billowing mane. There was a moment of silence before she whispered into my ear. "Shall I visit you in your dreams tonight? I would love to see this 'Throat of the World' you spoke of."

A smile creeped across my face. Things always get more interesting whenever she shows up while I sleep. "Deal. It's quite a sight."

Once the two of us had parted, Nightmare Moon stood up and made her way to the center of the storefront. "Excuse me. May I have your attention? All of you." She spoke boldly in a slightly louder tone than she normally uses. All eyes fell upon the princess of dreams.

Nightmare Moon looked around at everyone who was giving her their attention. "I wish to thank you all for giving me such a warm welcome. My return to Equestria has not been a smooth transition for me, let alone my return to the throne. I thank you all for your patience and your hospitality and hope I may be able to visit again soon."

There was an awkward silence for a moment. It seemed that nearly everyone who was present was at a loss for words. Some seemed to mutter softly to each other, but things were still eerily silent. At least until Mitta took a step forward.

Mitta gazed up at Nightmare Moon in silence before slowly lowering herself to the floor in the form of a bow. "We're glad to have you here with us, your highness."

It sounded as if Mitta was trying to sound as refined and as professional as possible. As if on cue, every last pony in the storefront bowed as well. Nightmare Moon was frozen to the spot. Her eyes glanced around at her subjects. Ponies who had once been deathly afraid of her were now bowing in reverence to her. The room was silent, although I could feel the emotion building.

Finally, Nightmare Moon spoke with a noticeably shaky voice. "My subjects… Please rise." As commanded, everypony rose to a standing position. Nightmare Moon then bowed her head and slowly lowered herself. "It is I who should bow…"

Everyone stood aghast. The lighthearted and cheerful party had become a gathering of shocked faces as the princess of dreams herself bowed before her subjects. "It has always been my dream to be accepted and loved by my people… And that dream is now a reality. Thank you all…"

Slowly, Nightmare Moon rose to her feet and began to make her way to the door. As she walked, the ponies around her began to stomp their hooves against the hard wood floor in a type of applause. Bewildered and fearful frowns turned into smiles as they happily saw their princess off. I stood up and walked to the front most area of the storefront to see my friend off as well. But just before she could close the front door behind her, Nightmare Moon looked over her shoulder while her eye looked right at me. I could only smile while she smiled back. Neither of us looked away until the door shut completely.

"So delightful that our princess has been wholeheartedly welcomed back, is it not?" I heard Rarity ask while looking towards Pinkie Pie. Among her words, I heard countless ponies around me chattering about Nightmare Moon. It seemed that she had become the main topic for all of them.

"Yeah! Now everypony can laugh and smile when she's around instead of running for the hills! Maybe I'll even make some Nightmare Moon themed pastries soon. Should I put her cutie mark on the tops to show who it's about?" Pinkie Pie retorted while holding a hoof to her chin to ponder.

"You'll probably have to do better than that, Pinkie. Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna's cutie marks are virtually identical." Twilight replied while a slight chuckle. I suppose she is right too. With the exception of the colors, they are essentially the same.

As it turned out, pretty much everypony present began to make their ways out of the store. I guess when the princesses leave, the party is over. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Rainbow Dash peeking out of the restroom. "The party's over?"

Twilight looked her way, apparently having all but forgotten why she had ducked in there in the first place. "Looks that way. Everypony's on their way out."

Fluttershy then glanced up at Philomena, who was still perched upon her head. "We all had a good time, didn't we?" Philomena let out a gentle coo that was unlike that of any bird I had ever heard before. Wait, should I have mentioned how she sounded earlier? I suppose it is too late for that now.

Rainbow Dash trotted over to my friends while I too drew near. "Is everything OK though? I thought I heard things get really quiet for a minute."

I replied first. "Just Nightmare Moon departing with some words of thanks for her guests. I think Ponyville has all but completely accepted her now."

"Sweet! She'll be stopping by again soon, right?" Rainbow Dash asked with a delighted grin.

"I dunno 'bout that, Rainbow. Them royal types usually don't have all that much time ta visit. But I reckon she'll be stoppin' by again in a few weeks at least." Applejack replied while she placed her hat back on her head. I suppose she decided to keep it off until the event was over.

Twilight then smiled while Spike came out of the kitchen while carrying a tray of various leftovers over his head. "All read to go, Twilight? And the Cakes are letting us take a whole bunch of goodies home too!"

My wise unicorn friend giggled at the little dragon's enthusiasm. "At least this way we won't have to worry about what's for dinner. Let's go home, Spike. And it was great seeing all of you."

Pinkie Pie waved goodbye along with the rest of us while Twilight and Spike walked out the front door. "See you again soon! Don't be a stranger!"

"Well, I do believe we should also be on our way. There's quite a bit to clean up and we should get out of Mr. and Mrs. Cake way." Rarity spoke next while hurrying upstairs to retrieve her dress. Hopefully the next time there is a royal visit like this, she will keep her extra fancy clothing at home.

"Leave the leftovers to me… Oh, right. Gotta control my sugar intake, right? I'll just gather up the goodies and store them for later." Pinkie Pie spoke with a nervous giggle before trotting off to help clean the place up. I had crossed my arms and was smirking while shaking my head. At least she is trying to mind her sugar intake. The day Pinkie Pie develops diabetes is the day Ponyville loses something very special.

Fluttershy began to walk over to the table where the three royal sisters had been seated a short while ago. "I'll keep an eye on Philomena until Princess Celestia gets back. I know she won't leave without her pet. Right, Philomena?" The phoenix effectively bended forward until her head was upside-down before nuzzling Fluttershy's nose, prompting a delighted giggle from my girlfriend.

"OK. I'll be taking a walk before heading home. See you there, honey." I spoke while waving goodbye to Fluttershy. One by one, my friends and I made our ways out the front door and went on our ways.

Before I did anything else though, I made my way over to the poster I had seen being set up outside a short while earlier. It seemed to be showing a stylized cloaked pony in a cloak and wizard's hat from the side with its eyes closed. At the top in bold letters, there were words spread out while some more were near the bottom. "Debuting magician… Outside town hall at 8 pm…"

While I was looking the thing over, I heard the faint clopping of hooves coming up behind me before stopping to my left. A familiar voice spoke up in a southern accent. "Debutin' magician, huh? Let's hope it ain't like that Great and Powerful Trixie from way back when."

I looked down and found Applejack looking the poster over too. Although it was tempting to say that I had met her, I decided to withhold my knowledge of Trixie's presence in Ponyville at the time. "Still remember her, huh?"

Applejack looked up at me with a rather irked scowl. "Kinda hard ta ferget somepony who lassoed ya with yer own rope. Wouldn't ya say?"

Yes, it is rather hard to forget the things I heard Trixie had done to her, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. I was really curious of what Trixie had in mind for that evening. "Uh… Right… That sounds pretty mean… I need to get going though. Talk to you again soon, right?"

Applejack's frown turned into a brighter smile. "Sure thing, pardner. See ya around." We turned and went our separate ways. I was feeling up for a walk through the park at that moment.

I must admit not much happened for the rest of the after that was worth mentioning. Mostly just a typical Sunday of relaxation. But when 8 pm started to get close, I made my way towards the town square. I was all but certain my friends were going to show up to in order to witness this 'debuting magician' in action.

Since it was mid summer at the time, the sun had not yet completely set despite being very low in the sky. Along the way, I saw many copies of the poster I had seen before strewn all across town. It would seem that Trixie was doing her best to rake in as many onlookers as possible.

"Yo, James! You heading where I think you're going?" I heard a voice call down from above. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash was descending towards me.

"Yeah, I am. It's been a long time since I last attended a magician's show." I replied with a smile while waving at her. Rainbow soon dropped down to the ground and began to walk alongside me.

"Sounds like it's somepony new too. I'm glad it isn't that Trixie girl. I told you about her, right?" She spoke while looking up at me.

Her story about Trixie using a rainbow she had created and moving it to actually spin Rainbow Dash around until she was dizzy to the point of being unable to stand was something I could not forget easily. "Yeah, you did. But jerk or no, you have to give credit to some who can turn a rainbow into a solid object and make it interact with other things."

Rainbow Dash showed a bewildered expression on her face for a moment. Eventually, she did reply with a more relaxed expression on her face. "Huh… I guess you're right. When you can turn a rainbow into a real physical object, I guess that does give you some bragging rights. I still can't believe I could feel that thing touching me!"

Eventually, we did arrive at the town square. Dozens of pones had gathered in front of the town hall, a familiar carriage standing before them with its side facing the audience. Some of the pegasi in the audience were even hovering a good distance off the ground to likely get a better closer view of the stage. At least they would if there actually was a stage. There was a noticeable murmur in the crowd as some of the audience was engaged in quiet conversation. There was no sign of Trixie though.

While Rainbow Dash and I scanned the crowd to find a place to sit, we soon saw a familiar white unicorn waving at us while seated at the back of the crowd. "Yoohoo! Over here, darlings!"

"Oh, hey! Thanks for grabbing us a spot, Rarity!" Rainbow called out before galloping over to her while I broke into a jog to try to keep up. As it turns out, all five or our closest friends were spread out in a row. Even Spike was attending, although it seemed he had to stand on Twilight's back to be able to see over the crowd. I suppose it was for the best that we were situated at the back of the crowd. No one would have been able to see over me with how much taller I am than most ponies.

"Is everypony here now?" Fluttershy asked while glancing around before looking up at me with a smile. I responded with a grin of my own before stroking her lovely long mane.

"Looks like it. So, did anyone get a good look at the magician yet?" Spike asked while carefully peering over the top of Twilight's head, his large eyes squinted almost shut while scanning the area ahead of him.

Twilight Sparkle shrugged her shoulders. "I've only seen a few glimpses of her running around. She's doing a good job of making sure nopony can see her under that cloak. Very mysterious. She's probably from some faraway corner of Equestria with some really exotic magic to show."

We did not have to wait long for something to happen. Almost like…a little girl's play set, the carriage effectively 'unfolded' on the side that was facing us. The wall folded down to form the stage floor before the edges folded outward to make it wider. I was almost expecting more to happen, but that was as far as it went. In the wall's place, a long indigo curtain hung over the empty space. By this point, the area had started to get dark. Luna and Nightmare Moon were likely tending to their duties in Canterlot at that moment since a half moon had risen into the sky while the stars had started to become more visible.

"Welcome…" A familiar bold voice spoke as if speaking through a megaphone. At that word, a spark of pale blue light flashed up and to the right of the stage, only slightly gyrating back and forth while casting its glow over the center of the stage like a floating stage light. "People of Ponyville. Brace yourself to be dazzled and filled to the brim with inspired awe. For you are about to bear witness to the spectacles of Equestria's greatest enchantress!"

Spike actually looked rather fired up. He could hardly sit still on Twilight's back. "Whoa, this is looking good… Whoa?!" Another sphere of light burst into existence parallel to the first on the opposite side of the stage, shining a bolder purple light onto the same spot. It seemed that Trixie was starting off small in order to build suspense. And with only magic at her beck and call. I did not see a single prop in use.

"It's looking mighty promising. I reckon this girl's gonna blow us all away." Applejack spoke with a hint of wonder in her voice. She then looked up at me and swayed her back from side to side. "Hey, James? Ya'll need a seat?"

I looked down at her and smiled, seeing that she was offering to allow me to use her back like a bench. "Oh, thanks. It feels awkward standing up during a performance." I then sat down, comfortably seated on Applejack's back. Being the burly earth pony she is, she did not seem bothered by my weight at all. I then reached down and patted her shoulder. "Thanks again. I don't want to seem like I'm about to up and leave in the middle of the thing."

A thick mist seemed to begin to cover the stage from nowhere as we watched. Once more, the voice spoke. "Fillies and gentlecolts… Behold the return debut of the Great and Powerful…" There was an instant murmur in the crowd the instant those last three words were spoken. And an instant later, there was a bright flash in the center of the stage as a familiar unicorn mare seemed to use a type of teleportation spell to appear out of nowhere. The mist was blown away as she rose up on her hind legs and raised her forelegs to the stars above. "Trrrrixie!"

Indeed, it was Trixie. Only then she was clad in her star-studded hat and cape. She did indeed have the flair one would expect from a professional performer. However, the instant she revealed herself, there was a massive uproar of boos and shouts from the audience. Trixie instantly lost her dramatic flair and cowered before the audience with her two 'stage lights' disappearing due to loss of focus. I heard people shout things such as 'Get outta here, you fraud!' and 'More like the dishonest and conceited Trixie!' among others that quickly filled the air around me. Some even began to hurl objects at her ranging from food items and drink cups, to name a few.

"You've gotta be kidding me! Get lost! You did enough harm last time!" Rainbow Dash roared with her hooves near her mouth to project her voice directly at Trixie. I have to say it was a very unpleasant atmosphere. Even Applejack, Rarity, and even Spike had joined in the shouting. Only Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Twilight Sparkle were remaining civil, seeming more like they were not sure of how to react to the audience's extremely hostile reception to Trixie's appearance. Even I was not sure of what to do. All I could do was watch the performer on stage as she seemed to be mentally struggling to not resort to fleeing backstage and taking cover behind the curtains.

After a moment of stumbling sidesteps to evade incoming projectiles, Trixie was finally struck by a plastic drink cup as it hit her in the head and knocked her hat off. She seemed jarred by the blow, even if she did not feel the full impact. I silent muttered to myself. Pleading that she would do something to make them stop. It honestly hurt to see what was happening. Eventually, she finally seemed to muster the courage to take a stand. Her horn was engulfed by her billowing pink magic aura, as were all of the airborne projectiles flying her way. The crowd fell silent at this show of defiance while their belongings were lowered back down to them.

"Please…" Trixie spoke, her voice no longer amplified like before. "Boo me and bombard me with whatever you wish. But before you do, there is a story I must share with all of you."

Applejack did not seem to take kindly to those words. She held a hoof near her mouth to make certain she was heard before yelling out. "What kinda story?! Another one about how ya took down an Ursa Major?!"

Trixie solemnly shook her head while trying to stay calm. "No. This is not some fabrication, nor a tall tale of any sort. This…is a true story."

The crowd fell into brooding silence. They clearly wanted to drive her out of town or just turn and walk away, but they were at least letting her speak. I too was very curious of what she had to say. With a very reserved tone, Trixie began to speak. "Years ago, in the capital city of Canterlot, a young filly attended the Summer Sun Celebration that happens once a year. She had woken up early, just like many others, to witness Princess Celestia raise the sun to begin the morning. That filly watched in awe as our ruler caused the sun to rise over the horizon. But more than anything, she saw the wonder and awe such a display gave those who witnessed it. And she began to wonder if she too could bring joy and wonderment to others just as effectively as Princess Celestia herself." Trixie paused for a moment to let out a long sigh before allowing herself to continue. "That filly…was Trixie Lulamoon."

Trixie Lulamoon. For all the times I have heard of Trixie before, I have never once heard her full name. At the mention of her name, a great deal of the hostility in the audience had faded. I glanced at my friends. None of them seemed angry anymore. They were now transfixed on the unicorn up on stage. Apparently seeing that her audience was no longer likely to throw anything at her, Trixie continued speaking.

"Little Trixie Lulamoon became obsessed with the magical might of Princess Celestia. She began to make many trips to the ancient library within the palace. While being escorted by one of the guards, of course. She studied as much as she could about the most powerful forms of magic she could find. And, try as she might, all of her attempts to master such magic ended in crushing failure. But she did not give up. Her desire to bring wonder to others drove her to strive to do…what could not be done." Trixie paused for a moment, her face seemingly showing a type of deep emotional pain the likes I had not seen on her before. It was as if just thinking about what she was talking about was painful to her.

"Eventually, the truth finally set in. What little Trixie Lulamoon wanted to become was nothing more than an illusion. She lacked the power to achieve what our princess could. But in a last desperate attempt, she went for the next best thing. To provide the same awe-inspiring spectacle, only minus the substance." Trixie paused for a moment as a rather nostalgic smile spread across her face. "It was the night of her school's talent show. Wracked with nervousness, she was the last to perform. Using just her magic, she put all she had learned to the test. Sparks, stars, and streams of light spread every which way. There were gasps of surprise within the crowd. And all Trixie could do was keep her eyes closed while hoping for the best."

Whenever Trixie paused, I swear you could hear a pin drop. The audience was silent and listening very intently to the performer. And it was indeed a touching speech to listen to. "Eventually, Trixie relented in her endeavors. Silence filled the air. And then…" To my surprise, and likely to everyone else's too, tears of bliss seemed to begin streaming down Trixie's face while her gaze was turned slightly upward towards the sky. "Applause. The crowd cheered and even demanded an encore. Trixie opened her eyes to see the people before her cheering and smiling. She had succeeded in bringing wonder and joy to her audience, much like Princess Celestia herself. She knew what her talent then was. And…" Her head then turned to look towards her rear. "It was then that this equally spectacular cutie mark made its presence known."

I was very tempted to applaud right there, but I had to restrain myself. I could tell the story was not yet over. Trixie continued after wiping her tears from her eyes. "Years went by and Trixie honed and perfected her skill with the illusory arts. Her performances became more intricate and broad. More and more demanded to see her perform. Until finally the day came where Trixie gave herself a title to help her adoring fans recognize her. The title of 'Trixie the Illusionist'. And so her name spread across the land."

Immediately after that, Trixie's expression darkened. "For a time, it was all she could ever hope for. The adoration of her fans brought on by her talents. But… Before long, the constant praise began to corrupt her. She no longer was satisfied with bringing joy to her audiences…" I could see tears once again beginning to trickle down Trixie's cheeks. When she resumed speaking, I could hear her voice starting to break. "In time, she lost her desire to bring joy to others and became obsessed with her own image. No longer was her talent for dazzling others. Her goal was to make herself look and feel grander than she could ever be… And so 'Trixie the Illusionist' ceased to be while the 'Great and Powerful Trixie' was born."

She was in pain. That face showed a profound shame and sorrow. And all we could do was watch and listen. "She traveled to many corners of Equestria, humiliating her volunteers to establish her false superiority. Spreading lies of impossible accomplishments that never happened. But it all ended, as you know, here in Ponyville a few years ago. When she… I…" She paused, temporarily overwhelmed with emotion. She sobbed for a moment while using her cape to dry her eyes before continuing. "My farce was revealed… I fled, hoping it would be the last time I would ever be found out. But word of my failure spread. Discoveries were made about my past. I lost my fan… I lost all respect… But more than anything, I lost sight of what I had always wanted in the first place."

I glanced around at the other ponies around me. They were motionless. Their eyes were directed at no one but Trixie herself. Pinkie Pie seemed to be tearing up herself while keeping a box of tissues on standby. Such emotion. Finally, Trixie's sorrow overflowed as she began to openly sob while speaking. "I am a fraud… I betrayed my fans and have become a prisoner of my own charade… I cannot ask you all to forgive me… But…from the bottom of my heart… For all I have done…" She then bowed her head and closed her eyes, her tears falling to the stage below. "My sincerest…apologies…"

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. At that moment, it felt as if anything could happen. Trixie stood motionless up on stage. She was clearly waiting for the audience's next move. I waited too, wondering who would speak first. And soon, something broke the silence. The sound of two hooves smacking into each other in a very slow rhythm.

I looked to my left, as did most of my friends. Rarity, seated beside me, was clapping her hooves together in very slow applause. Trixie seemed to notice as well, her head jerking up with a look of tearful shock on her face. A few seconds later, Rainbow Dash joined in the applause. While she and Rarity at first seemed resentful for doing so, their angry scowls slowly turned into expressions that showed the one thing Trixie had been hoping for. Silent praise.

Beneath me, I felt Applejack's body shake as she began to stomp her front hooves into the ground for a more traditional form of equine applause. Bit by bit, the steady rhythm spread, growing into a powerful noise of dozens of hooves creating the sound of applause. Finally, I joined in too. I began to clap my hands together to add to the noise. Although I am doubtful anyone could here it amid the roar.

Trixie glanced around in shock. Her eyes kept darting back and forth while still spilling tears like a kitchen sink not entirely turned off. Before long, she could no longer contain herself. She collapsed to the stage floor, sobbing and weeping uncontrollably. But among the sound of the roaring applause, it was nearly impossible to hear her. While she cried, the applause continued. It was as if the audience was giving her such a vigorous show of applause to show that even as she reeled from the emotion, they were there to support her.

Moments passed with the applause never once weakening. Although I eventually had to stop since my palms were becoming rather sore. Soon, Trixie staggered to her feet and made a motion with her hoof to command the audience to be quiet. The applause steadily ended, leaving the area silent. Trixie then spoke with a smile of genuine joy on her face. "Thank you… I cannot recall the last time I heard such an impressive display of such hearty applause… And for that, I must accommodate all of you."

There was a faint murmur in the crowd while Trixie used the levitation spell to retrieve her wide brimmed wizard hat and placed it upon her head. She then dried her eyes with her cape and showed a wide grin. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is no more. But before we start things off on the major event, how about a little comedy?"

Many of the audience looked at each other and seemed to mutter to each other a bit. Near us, Pinkie Pie spoke in a reserved yet cheery tone. "Ooh, Trixie does stand-up now?! What do you think she's gonna joke about?"

Trixie answered that question with a more confident tone. "Let's start things off with something familiar. Anything you can do, I can do better!"

This instantly got a lot of boos and yells from the audience. Twilight even shrugged her shoulders next to me. "I guess old habits die hard."

To my surprise, Trixie jumped right off of the stage and began to walk through the middle of the crowd before her while they started to make a path. "No need to get snippy! I know what I'm doing! But first, I require a volunteer!" Under her hat, her horn's magic aura glowed brightly enough to be partially seen through the fabric. She closed her eyes while walking as she seemed to be focusing. "I know the ideal person for this challenge is over here. Perhaps here? No? Then maybe over this way."

Everyone remained silent while Trixie walked along. Eventually, she walked right alongside Applejack and I before suddenly looking my way and opening her eyes. "Ah ha! Oh, the human in the audience! You'll do nicely."

Before I could even object, I found myself with Trixie up on stage in the blink of an eye. Was that a real teleportation spell? Trixie seemed to know what I wanted to ask and looked up at me before squeaking out a whisper. "It took me a long time and a lot of practice to get that one right." She then cleared her throat and spoke to me in a booming voice oozing with confidence. "Now then, human. I will let you decide what the challenge is. Make it interesting for me!" She then whispered towards me while keeping her mouth obstructed from the views of the audience. "Make sure its something I might have a hard time doing."

Now that I think back on it… I believe what she was doing was a show of humility. A means of making herself look bad to even the score with those she had wronged in the past. I thought over what to challenge her to for a moment before a sly smirk spread across my face. It was probably going to be a little mean spirited, but there is no denying it was a game she could not win. "I got one. A game of rock-paper-scissors."

Trixie cocked her head to one side, clearly baffled. "Come again? What am I supposed to do with a pair of scissors, a sheet of paper, and a rock?"

I was hardly surprised to see that Trixie had never heard of it before. Especially considering that you need hands to play it. After chuckling lightly, I tried to explain the rules. "Here's how it works. Scissors…" I then curled my hand into a fist while extending my index and middle fingers. "Beats paper…" I then extended all five fingers while keeping them against each other. "While paper beats rock…" I then curled my fingers into a full fist. "And rock beats scissors. Understand?"

The unicorn before me laughed at the challenge, although I suspect she was still baffled and was only acting confident. "As clear as a bell. Ready when you are."

I got down on one knee so that I was closer to Trixie in height before I slowly shook my fist up and down while performing the chant. "Rock…paper…scissors." Simultaneously, we extended our hands. Or rather I extended my hand while Trixie extended a hoof. My hand was laid flat to show the paper gesture which I then closed over Trixie's hoof. "Paper wraps rock."

The crowd was surprisingly silent at this display, probably because they had not caught on to what we were doing. Trixie, on the other hand, seemed to instantly realize what I was doing. With her hoof unable to extend fingers due to simply not having any, she could only settle for the rock gesture. She smirked at me and whispered quietly. "Nicely done. Let's go a few more times." She then spoke loudly to make certain the crowd could hear her. "That was a fluke! I demand a redo!"

Three more times, we played the game with Trixie being stuck with 'rock' each time while I countered with 'paper'. On the third time, Trixie defiantly pointed at her extended hoof with her other. "No, that's scissors! Not rock, scissors! Scissors beats paper!" She then raised her hoof to show it to the audience. "Come on, doesn't this look like 'scissors' to all of you?!" Sure enough, the crowd cracked up into raucous laughter. She was doing a fine job of entertaining them, I must say.

Finally, Trixie smirked at me with a rather unnerving look in her eye. What was she up to? "All right. One more time. Just one!"

Seeing no reason why not to, I agreed and went through the procedure again. As expected, Trixie got stuck with rock while calling out 'scissors' again. I closed my fingers around her hoof. "Paper wraps rock."

"Uh…no." Trixie spoke in a triumphant tone. I then noticed to my right a disturbingly large pair of glowing translucent magic scissors with the open blades aligned with my wrist. "Scissors cuts paper." And that is exactly what she did. With a quick snip, she cut my 'paper'. That is to say she snipped my hand off!

"What the… Agh!" I jumped back with a shout of fright as I saw my hand separate from my wrist. The audience was equally freaked out with screams and yells in the audience as they started to scramble every which way. However, I quickly noticed something odd. "Wait a sec… That didn't hurt!"

The crowd seemed to calm down at my words and my obvious lack of pain. There was not a single drop of blood falling from my wrist either. My wrist and the spot on my hand where it had been connected to me were covered by a flat smooth layer of skin. "How the… OK, Trixie. This is creepy…" I just had to say that to her. Seeing my own hand separated from the rest of me was mind bending. That, and I could swear I could still feel it.

"Seems your hand would much rather stay with me than you, huh?" Trixie spoke with a smirk as my hand…stood up on just its middle and ring fingers while the thumb curled against its palm to apparently make it seem like it had two arms and legs. It balanced itself on her foreleg and took a bow before suddenly waving at the perplexed audience.

"How are you…" I could not even finish my sentence. My mind was turning and spinning while trying to make sense of what I was seeing.

"What's that? You want to show the audience something?" Trixie asked while lowering the side of her head to my hand while it held its pinky close to the wrist area much in the same manner one would do to whisper to someone. If it HAD a mouth to speak with, that is.

"Ah, so that's it. Everypony, it seems we have a first-time performer with us tonight!" Trixie spoke boldly while tossing my hand up into the air. My hand then did a few cartwheels before landing on its 'feet' atop the wide circular brim of Trixie's hat.

"Lights!" Trixie spoke as a pair of 'stage lights' seemed to pop out of nowhere while casting their glow upon my little friend atop Trixie's hat.

"Music!" She called again, a series of light pink translucent musical instruments popping up out of nowhere behind us while floating in the air. I saw a piano, a cello, and a drum and cymbal set.

"And now, action!" Trixie finished while what seemed to be a miniature cane and top hat flashed into existence near my hand. My five-fingered friend grabbed the hat and placed it on the top of itself where my wrist would be connected before snatching up the cane and giving it a playful twirl before seemingly 'grasping' it with the tips of its index and pinky. Oddly enough, those two props seemed to be regular objects and not magical conjurations like the instruments and light sources. Just how was Trixie doing all that?

Without further delay, the instruments behind us began to play a rather whimsical tune, which my hand began to dance to. A possible form of ragtime? I would not know, but it sounded like a kind of song one might hear in some sort of bistro restaurant or during a classical suit-and-tie play. Regardless, my hand was certainly showing some dance moves that would probably appeal to the upper class ponies of Canterlot.

Before long, Trixie decided to spice things up. She placed her hoof on the brim of her hat and gave it a spin. Her hat spun rapidly on her head, my hand being stuck on her brim for the ride. It disappeared behind the hat's crown before reappearing and then being carried out of sight again. Eventually, the hand took a running start and began a long series of cartwheels while moving fast enough to constant stay on the front of Trixie's hat. Or perhaps not. With the hat's brim constantly spinning, I suppose it kept changing from front to back constantly.

Eventually, my hand reached the end of the brim and went spiraling into the air towards me. More out of instinct than anything else, I reached out with my right wrist after temporarily forgetting that my hand was no longer there. My aim was just right, my hand falling right onto my wrist where it belonged.

"Wait a sec…" I muttered, noticing that my hand was back where it was supposed to be. I tried flexing my fingers to see if my hand had been put back on right and found that it functioned exactly the way I wanted it to. "Huh… Everything's OK now."

"Give our little friend a big hand, everypony!" Trixie called out as the musical instruments behind her fell silent. The audience responded in kind with a hefty round of applause. I admit now that the performance there was not terribly impressive and maybe even a bit corny, but turning my hand into a living prop certainly came out of nowhere and really caught everyone by surprise. A nice little prelude for the main event. While Trixie took a bow, I too waved at the crowd with my right hand. The one that had just 'performed'.

"Thank you for letting me borrow you for a bit, sir. Now, back to your seat! Time for the main event!" Trixie spoke to me before I suddenly found myself seated on Applejack's back.

"Whoa, she's getting' mighty good with that teleportation thing, ain't she?" Applejack asked while she nearly gave way under my weight being added to her back. She clearly had not been prepared for an extra load of weight when Trixie sent me to the back of the audience.

Rarity took a moment to look my hand over. "Are you all right, darling? Didn't that hurt?"

I shrugged my shoulders, not surprised by her concern. That stunt would have gotten scary really fast if even a drop of blood had been spilled. "Surprisingly, no. I didn't even feel a sting."

Pinkie Pie giggled in excitement while she turned her attention to the stage ahead. "She's gotten really good at this illusion stuff! What's she gonna do next?!"

We did not have to wait long at all for an answer. Trixie closed her eyes while the pink glow under her hat became steadily brighter. "Now that we've started off small, it's time to start thinking big. Prepare yourselves for a journey into the unknown and the magnificent. Fillies and gentlecolts… Behold the grand return debut of Trixie the Illusionist!"

The instant she finished speaking, the immediate area around Trixie turned into…the void of space? It rapidly expanded, reaching up around us as if there was an actual wall for it to crawl over. Up, down, left, right. Everywhere we looked, the many stars of the night sky were littered around us with even a few planetoid objects floating in the void. Nothing was completely still either. It was as if all of us were slowly drifting through the illuminated void.

"This… This is unreal!" Twilight exclaimed as she stood up. There was no floor under us even though we could feel it beneath our feet. It was just the vast expanse of space. The entire audience were now standing while looking around in shock and bewilderment, though it was clear they were all dazzled by the experience.

I really had nothing to say to this. It was as if a projector of sorts was casting an image over the walls of a room to give the illusion of being in space. All we needed now was a small metal orb with a yellow eye floating past us while yelling its favorite word and the entire experience would be complete… Oh, why not.

Just for fun, I held out my arms and shouted loudly. "SPAAAAAACCCCEEE!"

"You are exactly right!" Trixie's voice called out. With a flash, she appeared while relaxing and lounging on a light blue crescent moon nearby that matched the one on her cutie mark.

"This is…so…amazing!" Fluttershy spoke with a slightly louder tone of voice than she normally uses. She hovered in the air, reaching out to little sparkles that floated by that probably looked like stars from farther away.

"Whoa, heads up! Check out that comet!" Rainbow Dash shouted while pointing ahead. Sure enough, a large pale blue object engulfed in ethereal gases and light was rocketing towards us. Everyone let out a myriad of different sounds as it flew over us so closely, I swear I could have reached out and touched it. The passing comet left a very long gaseous trail in its wake. Pinkie Pie even tried hopping as high as she could in attempts to apparently eat it like light blue cotton candy.

Eventually, Pinkie tried to take a bite out of a passing pale moonlike object, only for her to phase right through it and fall back to…the section of the void we were standing on. I found this to be utterly silly and just had to speak up. "Hey, Pinkie! I know the moon sometimes looks like a C because it seems someone took a bite outta it, but you can't eat that!"

My goofball friend groaned in mild frustration. "Ah, phooie! I thought it looked like it was made of frozen eggnog or something!"

While Trixie watched, we all just took in the sights and even the sounds of the spectacle before us. And then, it ended. The lights faded away one by until only the blackness of the void was left. A few seconds later, it too retracted until it had vanished as well. We found ourselves in front of Ponyville's town hall while Trixie stood on the stage while looking quite exhausted. Her head was hanging low while seemingly breathing slow and deep to try to relax herself. I was hardly surprised. An illusory projection of that magnitude most likely requires a great deal of focus and mental stamina. I suspect the entire display was an experiment on Trixie's part to see just how far she could push herself and to see how long she could maintain such a spell.

There were quite a few groans of disappointment in the audience. I can hardly blame them. That was truly a spellbinding experience. I would have preferred it to go on for another ten minutes or more myself. Even so, it was clear everyone present did enjoy it. Everyone burst into wild applause, seemingly startling Trixie in the process.

I too clapped my hands together in unison with the rest of the audience. During that time, Trixie once more looked around at her audience. She seemed taken aback. As if she could hardly believe what she was seeing. Finally, her mouth curved upward into a joyous smile as big wet tears streaked down her face one last time. I can only imagine the bliss she was feeling as that sound most sacred to her filled her ears.

Trixie took a graceful bow before her audience before raising her hoof to signal the crowd to be silent. "All of you… I cannot tell you how it feels to hear your praise and see your faces filled with wonder and awe. I had forgotten how amazing it feels…" She then coughed to clear her throat. "My sincerest apologies if this performance was a little on the short side. Think of it as a prelude to the main event. I am still developing my first real performance and it should be ready in another two days. Can I ask you all to wait until then?"

The crowd was filled with nods and cheers of confirmation. Seemingly trying to stoke her audience further, Trixie called out. "Do you want to be dazzled and awed once more?!" This got an even more vigorous response from the crowd. She was teasing them like a dog being tempted by a bone.

"Then you will all get what you desire! I will be taking the day off tomorrow to plan out the performance. But I will see all of you at this time in two days! Thank you all for coming and good night!" Trixie spoke boldly before taking another bow. She then turned and walked behind the curtains of her carriage while the audience bid her farewell with another round of applause.

"Woo! Gotta say that turned out much nicer than what I was plannin' ta see!" Applejack spoke with a satisfied sigh while I stood up to lift myself from her back.

"Definitely. I never imagined Trixie would ever get that good with that kind of magic!" Twilight added with a pleased smile.

As the crowd started to break up and go home, I saw Mitta trotting our way. "Hey! Did you all see that?! I swear I could almost feel myself floating!"

Spike countered with his own observation about the experience. "Feel it? I swear I could almost smell the stardust. I think that smell is still stuck up my nose!" Most of my friends got a good laugh out of that, especially when Spike started exhaling forcefully through his nostrils to get the smell out.

"Well, that certainly was a fantastic display. But it is getting rather late now. Shall we all head home for the evening?" Rarity asked while Mitta stood near her.

Pinkie Pie let out a long yawn before anyone else could speak up. "I guess so. Big parties combined with really special events take a lot outta you."

Rainbow Dash then pointed at our party animal friend and grinned. "One party isn't enough to wear you out, huh?"

Fluttershy also spoke up. "Um… I think I should get home too. I need to make sure Scootaloo gets to bed since she has school tomorrow."

"Ditto. Let's all see each other again soon, girls." I spoke while we all waved goodbye. One by one, our friends headed on their way with Mitta staying close to Rarity since they are housemates.

I looked down at Fluttershy while she looked up at me. "That was a lot of fun. Shall go home too?"

Just as I was starting to open my mouth to speak, a peculiar sight seemed to pop up behind Fluttershy. It seemed to be a translucent 'screen' of sorts with text being typed across it. The edges were a billowing pink aura that I recognized all too well. The text that was being written spelled out 'Come to the carriage's door.' Once every last letter had been typed in.

Not wanting to turn the invitation down, I tried to come up with an excuse to slip away. "Actually, I just remembered that there's something I need to tend to before I head home. Could you go on ahead without me? I swear I'll get home soon."

Fluttershy gave me a baffled gaze before suddenly turning around. Was she catching on that I had seen something? However, the screen had disappeared by then. She seemed understandably baffled for a moment, but then smiled at me. "Well… OK. Please don't take long." I kneeled down and gave my girlfriend a kiss on the cheek before she turned and began to walk away.

I made my way over to the carriage's door on the backside. Before I got there, I found that the stage had folded back up into its original form. I made sure to glance around to make certain no one was watching. I am not certain if Trixie would want others to know that she and I were making contact. Once I had confirmed that the coast was clear, I knocked on the door a few times. "You wanted to see me, Trixie?"

The top half of the door swung open slowly before I was greeted by the face of the unicorn performer. She smiled brightly at me before opening the lower half of the door. "Please, do come in."

While making certain to mind my head, I crawling through the low doorway before finding myself in Trixie's trailer once more. Trixie had removed her cape and hat, which were now once again resting on her bedpost. Despite the wall on my left having been a stage floor not even ten minutes ago, everything seem to be just the way it had been the first time I had seen it. "You know… I have to wonder. Is that wall right there just an illusion?"

Trixie could not help chuckling at my observation while she walked over to a small refrigerator. "Just because I am an illusionist does not mean EVERYTHING in here is not what it seems. But now that you're here, make yourself comfortable."

I did as I was told, but was still puzzled by exactly why Trixie had called me over. "OK… Great first show, by the way. That last trick felt…almost real. But aside from that, what's up? Why'd you call me?"

Trixie turned my way while smiling as a pair of bottles floated before her before the caps popped off. "I just wanted to thank you."

One of the bottles floated over to me before I grasped it. A quick sniff told me that the contents were hard apple cider. "Thank me?"

Trixie took a seat by her vanity while taking a quick drink of her own bottle. "Yes… James, was it? I want to thank you for the advice you gave me earlier. I don't know what I would've done if you had not given me a nudge in the right direction."

I took a sip of my cider while I listened. It was indeed hard, the faint strong taste of alcohol bringing a bit of warmth to my throat as I swallowed it. "It's no problem, Miss Lulamoon. And it was very brave of you to go into such detail about your past. I was impressed. Really."

"Please… Just call me Trixie." She spoke with a flattered blush on her face. She really was being surprisingly cute now that her ego had been cut down to a more manageable size.

The two of us just sat there for a moment, engaging in idle chitchat. I mostly asked her about where some of her tours had taken her. She has seen the rugged frontier of Appleloosa, the high-rises of Manehatten, and even the exotic locales of Saddle Arabia to the south. She must have seen quite a bit during her glory days.

After a pause in the conversation, I noticed Trixie's expression take on a more somber look. "Are you OK?"

She stayed silent for a moment with her head bowed before speaking. "I'm glad I met you when I did… If I had not… I fear desperation would have eventually driven me to do something dark… So… Thank you, James. You helped save my career."

I have to admit that praise was quite heavy. I think I may have blushed at those words too. "It really was no big deal…"

Trixie suddenly closed the distance between us with a more urgent expression on her face. "No, I mean every word of it! I dread what would've happened if you had not been there for me today!" I leaned back somewhat at this sudden approach. It actually startled me. However, Trixie soon relaxed and let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry… It's just that… I've been through a lot since my last visit to Ponyville."

"I think you made that quite clear in that speak you gave." I retorted while gulping down the last of my cider.

There was another moment of silence before Trixie approached her wardrobe. "Before you go, there is something I want you to have." A drawer slid open while what seemed to be a type of scroll rose out of it while coated with her pink magic aura.

I did not say anything at first while the scroll floated over to me. When I took the scroll in hand and pulled it open, I found what seemed to be an autographed photo of Trixie herself while still clad in her stage attire. In a very stylish type of writing, the words 'To the Great and Powerful Trixie's greatest fan'.

"Um… I think it's a bit early to say I'm a fan of your work, Trixie. Let alone your biggest fan." I spoke while trying to not chuckle.

It seemed that Trixie was not aware of what the poster actually said, judging by that surprised expression. "Oh, wait! Let me see that for a moment." The poster floated out of my hands before Trixie took a moment to examine it. "Hmm… I see what the problem is." With a flash from her horn, a burst of light came from the side of the poster that was facing her. "There we go. Now take a look."

The scroll floated back over to me and into my hand. When I took a look at the front, I found that not much had changed. But what had changed touched my heart. Trixie's expression had gone from a proud smirk to a more modest humble and even grateful smile. And the text had been changed to read 'To Trixie the Illusionist's dearest friend' instead.

"…Trixie?" I asked while looking up at her. The unicorn was gazing at me with a rather nervous expression. She curled her foreleg around the other while looking down and away from me.

"I never once sought the friendship of others… I was always only interested in bringing awe and wonderment to others, or to make myself look and feel good…" She spoke with a rather remorseful expression. She then turned her gaze towards me, her expression slightly more hopeful. "May I have the honor…of calling you my first friend?"

I was taken aback by those words. In a good way, that is. After a moment of thought, I smiled warmly while reaching out with my arm. I spoke no words, though Trixie knew what I was trying to say. While seemingly holding back tears, she sailed into my chest and embraced me as tightly as she could while I wrapped my arm around her. "You're very sweet, Trixie."

"Thank you…James…" She whispered softly while appearing to take a second to remember my name. She stayed there for a moment longer, never letting go. Just snuggling with me in an almost childish fashion. She must have had a very lonely life once her career had started to fall apart.

"You'll be staying in Ponyville for a little while longer, right?" I asked, my lips right next to her ear.

Trixie nodded lightly without raising her head from my chest. "Yes… I'll be taking tomorrow off to plan out my next performance."

A thought occurred to me at that point. While gently stroking her mane, I asked quietly. "Would you like for us to meet up for some lunch tomorrow at the café?"

At those words, Trixie pulled away until she was looking at my face. Her face showed a broad smile. "It would be an honor. I think I know what café you mean too. Does noon sound fine?"

I nodded while starting to climb to a kneeling position. "Sounds great to me. Now, if you don't mind, I should probably get going. My girlfriend is waiting for me at home and these quarters are just too cramped for my taste."

Trixie let out a little chuckle at my obvious discomfort. "Yes, so sorry about that. When you're traveling on the road like this, there's only so much you can have and only so big your home can be while still being a practical size."

I managed to slip out the door with my poster rolled up and in hand. But before I could go anywhere, Trixie peeked out at me from a crack in the doorway. "Have a good evening, James. Trixie the Illusionist will see you tomorrow."

I find it rather charming how Trixie sometimes speaks in 3rd person when referring to herself. It helps her stand out and is rather amusing to hear. Regardless, I waved goodbye with a smile of my own. "I'm looking forward to it. Sweet dreams, Trixie."

I made my way back home as quickly as I could. There were few ponies out and about with how dark it was getting. I made a beeline through Ponyville and trekked across the meadow to the west before coming to Fluttershy's cottage. There was no activity on the outside, but there were a few lights shining through some of the windows.

I knocked on the door before stepping inside. "Hello? Anypony?" I found the living room to be empty. But when I peeked into Scootaloo's room, I found my little sister tucked in and fast asleep. I found this odd since she seemed to have gone to bed just a little too early.

Regardless, I kneeled next to her and gently caressed her mane. I noticed that her coat and mane seemed a bit frazzled. I did not pay much mind to it though and gently kissed her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams, little sis."

I made my way out of the room before heading upstairs. When I reached my bedroom, I found Fluttershy gently nuzzled Angela while the little dove was perched on her hoof. "Sorry if I kept you, honey."

Fluttershy glanced my way and smiled in an instant. "Oh, it's no trouble, James. I was just helping Angela get ready for sleep too… Hm? What's that you have there?"

I noticed that she looking at the rolled up sheet of paper in my hand. "Oh this?" I held it out to her and unfurled it for her. "Trixie gave it to me. How's it look?"

My girlfriend paused for a moment to look it over before smiling warmly. "Aww, you made a friend in her? But how? I don't think she met you until tonight."

I chuckled for a moment while grinning whimsically. "Actually… Remember that order you were passed this morning? On your way to Sugarcube Corner?"

She nodded readily. "Oh, right. I remember. Somepony wearing a cloak asked me to drop that off at Sugarcube Corner when I got there… Wait. Was that…?"

I nodded while rolling up the poster again. "Yup. That was Trixie. I was the one who made the delivery. I ended up getting invited into her carriage and she told me what had happened since she last visited Ponyville and I gave her the soundest advice I could to help her. And… Well, you saw the result of that encounter tonight."

Fluttershy let out a delighted giggle. "She seemed like a completely different pony. I'm glad you were able to help her. I honestly didn't know if she could ever change after that last time."

I took another look at the poster while voicing a reply. "She really did get nice once she let go of her ego… Hmmm…. I think we should frame this. Do you have a spare frame that'll fit this?"

"I think I do. I'll look around for it while you wash up. OK, honey?" Fluttershy replied with a nod. I nodded as well with a thankful smile before stepping into the bathroom to wash up for the night. At least I would have if a question did not pop into my head.

"Say, Fluttershy? Why does Scootaloo look a bit scuffed up downstairs? She try something crazy today?" I asked from the bathroom doorway.

"Huh? Oh, her. She said something about trying to get a cutie mark for…carrying apple bushels on just her front legs. And they tried sledding too." Fluttershy replied with an uneasy expression. Angela seemed equally bothered since she seemed to facepalm with her wing. Or is that facewing?

"Uh… They do know that you need snow to go sledding, right?" I asked, finding the idea of someone sledding down a grassy slope to be stupid to the point of being laughable.

Fluttershy gave me an awkward grin. "Um… I guess they thought there's a first time for everything." That got a good laugh out of me. With nothing else to do but laugh the thought off, I stepped into the bathroom to wash up for the night.

This day was filled with quite a few unexpected twists. I never expected to bump into Trixie in town, let alone become friends with her. As I write this from my bed, I can see Trixie's poster framed on the shelf above the fireplace nearby. Fluttershy is fast asleep now and I am eager to join her.

I think now is a good time to wrap this entry up. I hope Trixie will be all right from now on and will hopefully make sure her ego stays as deflated as a hot air balloon during a tornado season. And I can only wonder how much more impressive her act will be on Tuesday. Only one way to find out. And next time, I'll be sure to bring Scootaloo and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders along for the ride. They will be glad to see the show. Until then though, I must sleep. Good night.


	26. A Day with a Derp

I ended up having a lot more fun writing this chapter than I thought I would.

The synopsis for this chapter has been festering in the back of my mind for over a year now and I am very glad to have finally gotten it out. This chapter was inspired by a certain animated video on Youtube that was made in response to an infamous incident that occurred due to fallout over an episode in Season 2. You likely know what it is.

* * *

><p>All right. For the sake of repetition, I will not go through the trouble of chronicling my morning rituals today. Today started like many other days. I awoke to find my beautiful lover asleep next to me and soon found myself enjoying a tender cuddle with her. And we soon sat down to have breakfast with little Scootaloo. But it was at the breakfast table that Fluttershy brought up a subject I did not expect. "James, will you be attending the Best Young Fliers Competition today?"<p>

I had never even heard of that event, even though it has nearly been a year since I first arrived in Equestria. "Huh? Young Fliers? What's that?"

Surprisingly, it was Scootaloo who answered. "It's the most awesome event in Cloudsdale! It's where pegasi from all over gather to compete in the Cloudsdale to show off their different flying styles! And the one who scores the most points wins and gets to spend a whole day with the Wonderbolts!"

I withheld my retort for a moment while watching Scootaloo give me that big toothy grin. "Were you just repeating something Rainbow Dash said?"

Scootaloo's wings, which had sprung open in her excitement, folded while she grinned sheepishly. "Was it that obvious?"

Fluttershy let out a small giggle. "It did sound like something she would say."

I then shrugged my shoulders before replying, "Well, I had never even heard of this event until just now, so I'm not sure if I want to go… Wait, you said it's in Cloudsdale, right?" When Scootaloo gave me a nod, I shook my head. "Well, that means I obviously can't attend. Humans can't walk on clouds."

To my surprise, Fluttershy spoke up right away. "But the rest of our friends attended last time. Twilight found a spell that lets earth ponies and unicorns walk on clouds for a while and it worked perfectly."

"Cloudwalking? Huh. I guess there's a spell for everything at this rate." I retorted, only half surprised. Although the more I thought about it, the more unwilling I was to actually go. This Best Young Fliers Competition sounds like a sports event, something I have never been particularly interested in. And having a spell cast on you that lets you walk on clouds that will eventually wear off… That sounds scary. I would hate for that to happen while still in Cloudsdale. However, I withheld my words out of fear of disappointing or upsetting my lover. Perhaps I would change my mind later.

Scootaloo spoke with a smile while munching on her toast. "I can't wait for my wings to get bigger so I can compete there someday. I've never even seen Cloudsdale. But from what I've heard from Rainbow Dash, it sounds awesome!"

Fluttershy then meekly added, "Um… It's not that awesome. It's…really high up in the air. Not close enough to the ground." I could only roll my eyes at that remark. Fluttershy has never been one for heights despite being a capable flier in her own right. I would not be surprised if she was meant to be born as an earth pony, but somehow got swapped to different parents if that makes any sense.

Time passed while we engaged in polite conversation until we finally finished our plates. I then glanced at a clock on the wall and saw that it was getting fairly close to 9 AM. "Time to get going, Scoot. Don't want to be late for class, right?"

My little sister nodded before hopping down from her stool. "All right! Just let me go grab my bags!" She then trotted out of the kitchen and across the living room and into her bedroom.

"You need a hand with the dishes, honey?" I asked while gathering up my dirty dishes.

Fluttershy smiled while carrying her own dishes to the kitchen sink for cleaning. "That's OK. I'll handle the dishes. Shouldn't you be walking Scootaloo to school soon anyway?"

"Oh, right. Can't be in two places at once. Unless you're Pinkie Pie, that is." I retorted, prompting a giggle from my sweet girlfriend.

Just after I finished bringing the dirty dishes to the sink, I heard Scootaloo call out while standing next to the front door. "All ready, big brother! Let's go!"

I leaned over and gave Fluttershy a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back in a bit, honey."

"OK. See you soon, James." She replied with a blush on her face. I hurried on out the door with Scootaloo right beside me and then jogged down the dirt path with the little rowdy pegasus by my side.

The trek to the schoolhouse went by like clockwork. Just a casual walk across the meadow and entering Ponyville from the northwest. Along the way, we made friendly banter with each other. "So, any new cutie mark escapades lately?" I asked while turning my gaze down to the pegasus filly beside me.

"Well, we tried chimney sweeping, but that didn't work out so well… We couldn't figure out how to stay up on the roofs. And we almost got in trouble when we ended up stripping the thatch off of one roof." She replied with a nervous grin. I could not help facepalming at that revelation.

Before we got much further, a familiar voice called out from the south. "Mornin', Scootaloo! Howdy, James! Wait up!" When the two of us turned to face who was calling us, we found little Apple Bloom galloping towards us. Right on schedule.

"Morning, Apple Bloom! I was wondering if you were gonna show!" Scootaloo replied before the two fillies shared a high-five together.

"Did I miss anythin'? What's goin' on?" Apple Bloom asked while we resumed our trek towards the school.

"Oh, we were just discussing your more recent escapades in searching for your talents. Something about chimney sweeping?" I retorted, wondering what kind of response the farm filly would give.

Apple Bloom's expression quickly shifted into an embarrassed grin. "Oh… That... It didn't go well. We almost got in trouble for trying it."

The three of us continued along, discussing all sorts of activities that they had tried in recent weeks. Eventually, the big red schoolhouse came into view. And walking up the path ahead of us was none other than Sweetie Belle. Upon seeing us, the unicorn filly broke into a gallop and headed right towards us. "Hey! Morning, everypony!"

"Morning, Sweetie Belle. Just in time, as always." I replied, reaching down and patting her on the head.

"No time ta wait now! We gotta get to class! Who knows when the bell will ring!" Apple Bloom called out before running over to the school's front door. "Let's all chat this evenin'! Will ya be there at the clubhouse, James?"

"Come to think of it, when was the last time you attended one of our meetings? Hasn't it been a few weeks?" Sweetie Belle asked while turning her gaze up to me.

Granted, I got my cutie mark quite a while back by this point. As a result, I have not been very active with the other Cutie Mark Crusaders for a while despite still being a member. Of course, I still adore those three fillies and I honestly felt a little bad at that moment as I contemplated that I had not been spending as much time with them as I would have liked to. "Man, it has been a while. When you girls meeting up at the clubhouse tonight?"

Scootaloo replied after a moment of pondering. "How about 4 PM? We'll all be there by then."

"Deal. I'll see you all there." I spoke with a nod. I was really looking forward to spending some time with my little filly friends.

"All right! We'll see you there! See you later, James!" Sweetie Belle spoke before she broke into a run. Before Scootaloo could take off though, my little sister jumped right into my arms for a quick cuddle before rushing over and following her friends inside the schoolhouse. Not three seconds later, the large brass bell on top of the structure rang nine times.

"Heh. I would say 'saved by the bell', but that show was awful." I spoke with a chuckle, glad that the girls made it inside before the bell went off. With nothing else to do, I turned around and went home. I was thinking Fluttershy was going to ask me to bring the eggs in that morning.

Once I returned home, I found Fluttershy outside tending to her little animal friends for the morning. There was a bowl full of wriggling worms on the ground with a bunch of robins taking turns plucking them up, Angel was nibbling on a carrot, and Fluttershy was in the process of bringing fish to the weasels under the bridge spanning the brook in front of our house. It felt like another wonderful peaceful morning.

"Honey, I'm home." I spoke while Fluttershy came out from under the bridge. I seemed to catch her by surprise since her wings suddenly sprang open in surprise. She did not show a look of shock on her face though, but a look of delight.

"Oh, hello! Did the walk go by OK?" She asked while fluttering up to me and nuzzling my cheek.

"Yup. Can you believe the Cutie Mark Crusaders tried chimney sweeping recently? How do you think that went?" I replied, tenderly nipping her nose to prompt a giddy squeak from her.

"Ooh, don't do that! It tickles! But…um… To that… It didn't go well?" She replied with a giggle before giving me an uneasy smile while trying to imagine the scene I had just spoken. It was rather cute to see that look on her face.

"Yeah, that's what they said. Anyway, you need help with anything?" I asked, expecting her to request that I collect the eggs from the coop. And that is exactly what she did.

"Well, I haven't gotten around to gathering up the eggs… Could you go handle that for me, please?" She proceeded to ask me, as I anticipated.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be back in a bit." I replied before making my way around the cottage to the chicken coop.

Upon arrival, I found Fluttershy's chickens milling about in the pen. I just adore the soft clucking sounds they make. If you have been around chickens before, you know exactly what I am talking about. In any case, I looked around to make certain no one was watching before doing my usual pre egg-collecting skit for fun. "CHICKENS!"

I called out that word and began to run towards the pen in a rather goofy fashion just for the sake of having fun. "Pet the chicken, pet the chicken, pet the…huh?" I came to a stop when I noticed every last hen staring at me with rather annoyed expressions. Is that even possible with chickens? Regardless, those stares seemed to be saying 'Oh, come on. How about something different for once?' to me.

"What? You girls bored with me already?" I asked, rather surprised they were giving me such a look. I then glanced around, wondering what I could do to spice up my routine. I then noticed what seemed to be a patch of bare dirt near the side of the cottage, an empty flowerpot nearby with what seemed to be a pack of purple pansies next to it with the dark soil packed over the roots still maintaining the general shape of the pot it had been in. There was a short shovel sticking out of a small indentation in the ground. Fluttershy had probably just started digging, but left it alone to deal with something else. But while I observed the shovel, a silly thought popped into my head. "Ooh, that's just what I need."

I grabbed the shovel and began to dig deeper into the soil while letting out the silliest and just downright goofiest laugh I could muster. "Dig a hole, dig a hole, dig a hole, dig a hole!" But after a moment, I had another idea. Just for the heck of it, I lifted the shovel's head closer to my face and began to smack my face down into the pile of soft dirt that it held. After a few smacks, I looked back over at the obviously bewildered chickens. "I am a woodpecker!" But a few more dirt smacks to the face later, I looked at them again and spoke, "Except with dirt."

That clearly got them. The chickens began clucking and squawking in obvious laughter, as did I. I then dumped the dirt and placed the formerly potted pansies into the dirt and used the leftovers to pat it down. "OK, I better stop that. If someone catches me goofing around like that, they'll probably think I have a few screws loose." Once that little chore had been taken care of, I stepped into the pen and walked over to the coop's entrance before poking my head inside. And sure enough, I found a familiar face lounging around inside it.

"Hey there, Derpy. Haven't seen you in here for a few days." I spoke; finding the local mailmare just sprawled out on the coop's floor. However, she seemed to be feeling either really tired, or just really down.

"Oh… Hi, James." She spoke halfheartedly while her goofy eyes looked in my direction. She seemed to be in no mood to go anywhere. I just hope she had the day off if she was just hanging out here.

"Hey, are you OK? You don't look so good." I asked while reaching in and gently tussling her yellow mane.

"I'm OK… Let me help you with the eggs." Her voice carried a noticeable monotone in it. Still, I did not refuse her help. She picked up one egg at a time in her mouth and placed them in my hand before I set the egg in the pail just outside the coop.

After a few minutes, Derpy took her spot on the coop's floor again. "That's all of them…"

I honestly wanted to help Derpy, whatever her problem was. She always seemed to be genuinely happy or content whenever I normally saw her, so seeing her like this was definitely new and unsettling. However, I could clearly see she was not in the mood for conversation, so I gently stroked her head and gave her a compassionate smile. "All right. Thanks for helping with the eggs, Derpy. Take care." I then stood up and left the pen before walking around to the front side of the cottage again with the pail swinging through the air with my arm. Sure enough, Fluttershy was there waiting for me.

"You were gone for a while. Did something… Um… James? Why is there dirt on your face?" Fluttershy asked when she turned to face me. I had all but forgotten about the skit I did with the shovel.

"Uh…" I stammered, not sure of exactly how she would react to this. "I…uh…tried being a woodpecker."

"Except with dirt?" Fluttershy asked, repeating my words precisely. "Then…doesn't that make you a dirtpecker?"

I could not help letting out a boyish giggle in response. "Ugh… It would take way too long to understand."

Fluttershy then asked, "Do you mean that time I heard you say 'gravy' out of nowhere didn't necessarily mean you wanted gravy with your dinner?"

"Oh, I was wondering why you whipped up a bowl of that without including mashed potatoes!" I replied, remembering dinner from a few nights ago. Scootaloo really seemed to enjoy it though and was quick to help herself to the leftovers.

"Would you like some tonight?" My girlfriend then asked as a surprisingly amused smile spread across her face.

"Yes please. And make it smooth and creamy, if that's OK with you. Mashed potatoes are best when they aren't clumpy." I replied with a smile, the thought of some of the better cases of mashed potatoes I have eaten making me rather hungry. Fluttershy knows quite a bit about wholesome country cooking. Maybe she got some pointers from Applejack since they live relatively close to each other. "Also, what time is it?"

"Um… I think it's maybe a quarter past 9. Do you have to head into work soon… Oh! That's right! Pinkie Pie wanted me to tell you that Mr. and Mrs. Cake have given you the day off so you can come with us to the Best Young Fliers Competition! You have plenty of free time until 11:30." Fluttershy replied with more gusto than she usually shows.

Once again, the thought of attending that event crossed my mind. A sporting event. Certainly not something that is my cup of tea. I honestly was not looking forward to going. Especially if I had to rely on a temporary spell to walk on clouds. What if it wore off and I dropped right through and nopony noticed? That…would be a horrible way to die. "Uh… Right. That. Well, since you leave at 11:30, does that mean I have some time to kill?"

"Uh huh. What would you like to do? I still have some things to finish up here." Fluttershy asked while nuzzling a little brown rabbit that wandered near to her.

After a moment of thought, I had an idea. "Well, I think I would like to visit Rarity. It's been quite a while since I last visited her at this hour."

"OK then. I'll head into town and get something at Sugarcube Corner. My sweet tooth has been calling lately." Fluttershy replied, her hoof waving at the bunny as it hopped away.

"All right then. I'll see you in a little while. Take care, honey." I spoke before giving my tender sweet lover a kiss goodbye before turning and heading across the meadow and into Ponyville.

Upon entering Ponyville proper, I found many ponies just going about their business with numerous food stalls lining the edges of the streets. Just a typical Wednesday morning. Nothing of any significance occurred on my way over to the Carousel Boutique, although it took quite a while to get from one side of town to the other. I cannot recall the last time I went straight from Fluttershy's place to Rarity's in one trip without distractions.

Upon arriving, I took a peek through the window. The main workroom had various tailoring supplies here and there while several mannequins were spread out around the room with finished and unfinished attires being worn by them. Wow, I just now realized how long it has been since I chronicled a visit to that place. Anyway, while it seemed like there was much for Rarity to do, I did not see her anywhere. Perhaps she was upstairs?

I pushed the front door open and stepped inside, the door ringing the bell hanging from the opposite side of the doorway. I almost bumped my forehead on the doorway before ducking at the last second. Would not want to have a repeat of my first day all over again. I still cannot believe how painful that was.

"Hello? Rarity? Mitta?" I called out, my eyes scanning the spacious chamber before me. It would be difficult to explain how it looked, especially since this room's appearance is never set in stone. Curtains, screens, clothes hangers. I felt more like I was not inside a tailor's workshop and more like a place I would take my Grand Galloping Gala robe to be dry-cleaned.

I looked in the kitchen, the side room where I used to sleep during my first few days in Ponyville… Wow, that just makes me feel so nostalgic. It feels almost like another lifetime ago by this point. How long have I been here? Wait, I am getting off track again. I looked around the first floor in every room I could find, yet could find no trace of my beautiful friend or even Mitta. I know she would not leave her home without leaving an 'out to lunch' sign hanging from her front door, so I decided to try upstairs. I doubted she was still asleep by that point. I did not find Mitta anywhere, so I assume she had gone into town to carry out some errands.

I have to say the upstairs area does not have as much room as the ground floor, only leaving room for a few chambers. Although Rarity's bedroom undoubtedly takes up the majority of the top floor. While I walked down the short hall before me, I noticed the door to the bathroom open just a crack. And when I drew near, I heard a familiar intoxicatingly beautiful voice singing casually. "I'll be the toast of the town, the girl on the floor, I'm the type of pony everypony everypony should know…"

That was definitely Rarity singing. And while certainly not putting her best voice forward, it was still lovely to listen to. I do not think I am familiar with that song either, having only caught her rarely singing a few verses while exchanging them for melodic humming on occasion. Regardless, it did not sound as if she was doing anything I would much rather not see and do not pretend you do not know what I am referring to. It merely sounded as if she was prepping herself for the day, if the lyrics of the song she was muttering served as any indication.

I decided to draw closer and took a peek inside the room. I mean honestly, whatever she was doing must not have been terribly private if she did not have to close the door. Sure enough, I saw that gorgeous unicorn standing before the mirror above the bathroom sink while her horn was engulfed in a billowing light blue magic aura. "Hm hmmm… See how they hang onto every word that I speeeak…"

A second later, I noticed something float into view from behind her while surrounded by a matching magic aura. Was that…a false eyelash? I watched in silence as Rarity closed the eye that was closest to me while the eyelashes drew near. It was then that I noticed Rarity's eyelids seemed to have no visible lashes on them. Where were those gorgeous flashy lashes she always had? I got my answer a second later when the false lashes were applied to her closed eyelids. She then opened her eye as widely as possible while inspecting them, apparently to make certain they had been placed properly. It was then that I saw the lashes I had always known her for, though I was beginning to feel mild disappointment now that I saw that they were not natural regardless of how glorious they looked. She proceeded to compliment herself. "Oh, Rarity, such perfection in those eyes. Flawless as always."

Feeling I had watched long enough, I pushed the door open a bit more and spoke with a slight smile. "Morning, Rarity. Am I interrupting anything?"

My friend turned to face me with a mild shriek, clearly not expecting anyone to walk in on her. When she turned to face me, I saw her other eye. Unlike the other, it lacked the false lashes. In fact… They seemed bizarrely masculine since they appeared to be lacking eyelashes of any sort. "James…?! Oh… It's… Oh dear…" She then desperately tried to pull her lovely indigo mane over her left eye, hiding it from me. "You were not meant to see that…"

She seemed genuinely ashamed of herself. I then stepped forward and gently batted her gorgeously curled bangs out of the way. "You wear false lashes?" Her eye looked at me with what I assumed was fear, although that azure coloration in her eye was still quite beautiful to behold.

My friend let out a sigh of defeat. "Yes… I do. Few know of it or have simply forgotten about it by now."

"But…why? I thought you always preferred natural beauty over hiding it behind…well, whatever you call these." I asked further, knowing quite well by this point that Rarity's style and philosophy is to create ensembles that compliment the wearer and bring out his or her inner beauty. Not by covering it up with artificiality.

Rarity seemed hesitant to reply, but soon pointed towards the open doorway. "If you don't mind… Could we discuss this somewhere where we have more room? This bathroom is rather…stuffy."

I nodded in agreement and followed Rarity into the comfort of her bedroom. It seemed that she did not have much work going on in it at the time with all of her spare work supplies being neatly put away. Rarity then gently relaxed upon her bed while facing me, her face looking rather awkward with her eyelashes being virtually nonexistent on her left eye. I drew near, seeing that Rarity was looking very guilty about something. "So…why? I thought you hated hiding one's beauty. Using false lashes seems completely unlike your style."

Rarity looked away from me for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "You know me, James… I have always been seeking to become as grand as the royalty of Canterlot. Becoming a princess has been my lifelong dream. And I do this everyday to at the very least try to help me live the dream, even if just a little…"

Poor Rarity… To be that obsessed with a dream? Granted, while I cannot imagine her as a true princess, I must admit that Rarity's flashy and upper-class voice, behavior, and general lifestyle do not feel forced at all. It seems very natural for her. But hiding the real her?

I took a step forward and kneeled before her while my hands reached out to the right side of her face. She seemed mildly intimidated since she tried to pull her head away from me. "Darling, wait... What are you…?"

"Just be still for second." I spoke softly, my right hand gently cupping the left side of her face to help keep her still. She relaxed at my touch, seemingly placing great faith in me. I then gently rubbed my left hand's fingers over the lashes on the right side of her face. This clearly created some irritation for her since Rarity's eye twitched before closing. This only served to make things easier for me. Very carefully, I tugged and lifted and pulled before gently sliding the false eye lashes off. "There we go. Now it's perfect."

Rarity's eye opened once I cast the false lashes to the side of her bed, both eyes now being devoid of any obvious lashes. However, that lovely azure color in her irises remained. "You removed my lashes… Why? Now my eyes are nowhere near as breathtaking as before…" She spoke in bewilderment while her eyes pleaded with me for answers.

I replied honestly while gently caressing her face. "No, they're still breathtaking. That pretty blue eye shadow combined with your eyes' gorgeous natural colors is still beautiful to behold. You never needed those things in the first place."

My friend's eyes opened somewhat wider as she took in my words. I could notice tears beginning to build at the edges of her eyes while her look of shame seemed to intensify. "You… How can you be this accepting… No stallion I know would ever agree with you…"

"You said it yourself, Rarity. Real beauty comes from within. And with the proper ensembles, that beauty can be enhanced. But those lashes? They just hide your natural beauty and possibly even restrict it. I'll bet wearing these for so long has prevented your lashes from growing out. If you go a while without them, your lashes might start growing back. Maybe even to a level beyond what those falsies could give." I did my best to explain and lift her spirits. If you have not seen Rarity truly sad or depressed before, I will tell you this. It is a truly disheartening sight.

Soon, her tears spilled over. They streaked down her face and ruined the bit of makeup she had applied. Slowly, her forelegs reached out to me and rested on my shoulders. "Darling…"

"Hm?" I replied, not entirely certain what she was doing or what she was going to say next.

A moment passed, the two of us sharing a long gaze. Her eyes were beautiful, those two shimmering azure pools. Finally, she broke the silence and spoke loudly. "Forgive me!"

Before I had time to react, she pulled me in close and planted her lips on mine in one of the firmest and most passionate kisses I had ever received in my life. She held onto me in a tight, yet loving embrace. Her eyes were closed, the tears cascading down her face as they were squeezed out. Just…wow. What a kiss!

In all honesty, that kiss felt uncomfortably intimate and possibly even wrong. Eventually, I managed to gently pry her from my chest. "Whoa! Easy, Rarity! What was that about?"

My friend gazed at me, tears still flowing down her white face. "Forgive me… I could not contain it any longer…"

"Any longer… Wait… What are you telling me?" I asked again, feeling my body temperature rising. This scenario felt all too familiar. And besides… Her? Rarity? A mare who would only settle for a prince?

Rarity gazed at me in tearful silence for a moment before lightly patting her hoof on the bed to her left. I understood she was asking me to take a seat, which I did. Once seated, she took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking. "You are a marvel, James… Virtually every stallion I have ever known would have preferred me to remain beautiful by any means necessary. And yet…you adore my natural beauty without those enhancements. Tell me. How do you do it?"

I replied with a question of my own. "Is that why you did that just now? That felt…way too powerful to be an action brought on by a whim." The feeling of her lips pressing against mine, her tongue reaching out to me, remained fresh in my memory. She clearly was not telling me something. And I was not certain I wanted to hear the truth.

My friend seemed to take a moment to try to find the right words. "The truth of that matter… Darling… I am certain you can hazard a guess." Her left hoof rested on my hand. It was a gesture I had come to recognize all too well by this point. A gesture that basically translates 'my heart is yours'.

I looked down at Rarity, feeling anxious, yet calm at the same time if you can believe that. I felt surprisingly at peace in her presence, more so than I think I should have. I asked softly, "How long, Rarity? How long has this been building?"

Her head turned away from me, her mouth curved into a remorseful frown. "Since mere days after your arrival…"

"Go on…" I practically whispered, wanting to hear every last detail.

She sighed deeply before continuing. "I wanted nothing in return from you when you arrived. I just wanted to help you feel welcomed in Ponyville, much like all our friends wanted. Despite that, you gave me such sweet gifts in return. I still recall that amazing pie you brought to me. At first, I thought little of it. But I was still curious of your intentions. And so… I set up a test that evening. And I felt your lips upon my nose while I feigned sleep."

My face filled with stiffness and warmth. So she had been aware of that after all. And here I had all but forgotten about that night. "Uh… That was just a reflex…"

To my surprise, Rarity gave me a somber smile. "I was wondering that too. And…I feel it was at that time my heart began to open for you. And two mornings later…I found this on my hoof." She raised her right hoof, displaying the precious opal-studded silver bracelet I had purchased for her as thanks for weaving my robe for the Grand Galloping Gala. "It was then I knew what virtue you hold constant in your heart. Generosity. The same as mine."

Almost as if on instinct, my hand reached out and gently held that hoof aloft. "Yeah… I did get you this…"

Rarity's eyes closed somewhat, displaying that lovely light blue eye shadow more thoroughly. "It was then that I truly began to wonder… Were you subtlety courting me? I decided to wait to find out. And then…Fluttershy revealed her heart to you."

"I'm sorry about that… I didn't see it coming either… I guess she and I just mesh very well." I replied softly, actually beginning to feel somewhat guilty.

"James… Tell me. Were you considering wooing me back then? And if you were, why did you choose not to?" Rarity asked mournfully, her tearful eyes turning towards me.

I let out a long sigh. I would be lying if the thought never crossed my mind that day. "I'll be honest… I was considering it, Rarity… I always felt something of an attraction to you… Almost as if it was natural. But the reason I did not ever pursue a relationship with you was because…I knew you would only settle for a prince. Something I am not."

That face… I could almost see and hear her heart shatter in that expression of absolute despair and shock. Very slowly, she turned her head away from me before pounding her face into the covers below her. "Again…. Again that obsession has cost me so dearly!"

I heard her sob loudly while punishing herself in frustration. It was not the usual exaggerated whiny crying that I would sometimes hear from her when distressed or upset about something not going her way. It sounded genuinely awful and heart wrenching. It honestly hurt to watch and listen. In the hopes that I could soothe her pain, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to my chest. I closed my eyes, resting my face against her beautiful mane while my hand stroked her back.

With sniffling and choking on her tears, I heard Rarity continue to speak. "I swear… I tried to let go of my budding feelings once I learned that you had chosen to pursue a relationship with Fluttershy. I tried, but… I just could not… It just felt…right seeing you as the one… You and I have so little in common. I crave the spotlight while you shun it. I adore the prim and proper lifestyle of Canterlot while you favor the humble simpler lifestyle of Ponyville. And yet…I cannot stop pining for you… And I am all but certain I know why now…"

I felt her slide her hoof up my torso before gently resting it against my chest over my heart. "It's your generosity, darling… It is always there. It never fades. And I have seen the pain in your eyes when you try to repress it. It is always there, no matter what your mood may be. Just like mine…"

She was right. Of all my friends in Ponyville, I always felt very at peace in Rarity's presence. Almost like we shared an invisible connection that could not possibly be explained. I just wish I did not take this long to realize it…

"I think you're right, Rarity…" I muttered softly. It was then, for the first time in what felt like ages, that I began to wonder if I regretted my decision to pursue a relationship with dear Fluttershy.

She let out a long sigh, her tears finally beginning to slow. "I often dream… What could have been… I would have been honored to be your mare if you would have had me…"

After a moment of contemplation, I gently lifted her weeping face until she was looking right at me. "I believe you… And I think we would have gone far in a relationship. You do feel…right for me, Rarity."

Her eyes brightened only slightly. "I know… And I feel blessed you at least considered that so long ago. But…there is nothing that can be done about it now. Your heart belongs to Fluttershy now and I must honor that…"

I then gently placed my other hand on her right hoof. The one that held that precious bracelet. "I know. But I can still give you my love."

Before she could even reply, I leaned down and gently placed a kiss upon her lips. It was not passionate or long. Just a brief peck on the lips. Even so, it was enough to get through to her. She looked up at me and asked with a sorrowful yet bewildered expression. "What… How can you give… Fluttershy is your…"

I gently shushed her by placing my fingers over her mouth and doing my best to give her a tender smile. "Yes. My heart belongs to Fluttershy. And there is no way I will ever leave her. I cannot give you my heart and I cannot give you my body. But…I can still give you my love."

Rarity looked understandably confused. "I do not understand… How can you do that…while still remaining faithful to the one you have sworn yourself to?"

Very gently, I lowered her back down to the bed. At least by then she seemed to have stopped crying. "It's simple, though I won't deny it's probably not something most people can do while holding onto their integrity." I then caressed her beautiful face and spoke softly, "In the end, I just want to make good people feel happy. And I especially enjoy making others feel loved."

A faint blush spread across the beautiful unicorn's face. "You sound almost as if you speak from experience…"

I chuckled lightly at those words. "Well… I kind of do."

Showing more curiosity than anything, she crawled towards me until her forelegs were draped over my leg that was closest to her. "Would you mind explaining?"

In all honesty, it was not an easy subject for me to discuss. I was rather fearful of how my friend would perceive me. But I decided to be honest with her. "Well… Where I come from, there are devices that let others communicate with each other over great distances with text. And I don't mean writing letters and having to wait days, if not weeks, for replies. They are instant, meaning you can wait only moments for a reply."

"That…sounds almost too good to be true!" Rarity spoke a bit louder, her sorrow all but forgotten by that point.

"Well, it is convenient. As for what I did…" I spoke before letting out a sigh. "I told you about my ex lover during the Grand Galloping Gala, didn't I?"

Rarity's expression darkened as a truly sympathetic frown formed between her jaws. "How could I forget? It's such a shame that ever happened."

"Well, it was that incident that spurred me to reach out to others for any means to drown the pain. I did and 'visited' places that beforehand I would have never even considered. Eventually, when I did finally came to terms with the loss, I continued to do so, only far less frequently and with only a few people at a time." I explained further while not feeling very proud of myself in the process.

My friend nodded in understanding, allowing me to continue. "Well… Mostly due to natural preference, most of the people I spoke to were young women. And I just wanted them to feel loved and appreciated. I never spoke down to them. I never degraded them. I was as gentle and caring as I could possibly be. And it genuinely felt good to see them happy."

Rarity's face soon showed a rather proud smile at my words. "You had that much love to spread around…? Did you ever pursue a relationship with them?"

"Let's just say my previous relationship taught me to use caution in relationships that start with long distance communication. That, and I was doubtful relationships that started with random hookups would last long, so I kept myself a bit distant. Although a few did develop into strong friendships…"

It was then that I held my hand to my face, my fingers rubbing my brow at the edges of my eyes. "I just now am reminded… They were such pleasant people too. I hope they're doing all right."

Rarity reached out and gently rubbed my arm with her hoof. "I'm certain they miss you too, darling… You have more love to share than any stallion I have ever met… Making so many young ladies feel as loved and appreciated as possible while keeping your heart reserved for that one special somepony? That does certainly sound like you…" She then rested her head against my side. "You do tend to do all in your power to make us happy… No cost is too great for you."

I looked down at her while she looked up at me with a much more peaceful smile than before. "I understand what you are saying. And I feel honored that you would offer that to me. Not many have such limitless love to give…"

A slight smile creeped across my face upon hearing her words. I was not entirely certain if I could properly explain myself, so I was immensely relieved that I had done a good job of it. I then placed my hand on my friend's hoof and smiled before asking softly, "So… May I give you my love?"

Rarity replied by practically leaping at me and throwing her arms around me. "Please… Give me as much as you can spare, sweet prince."

After a brief moment of calm and gazing into each other's eyes, our faces drew even closer to each other. I felt so at peace in her grasp, I cannot describe it. Our eyes closed and lips touched. I lost complete track of time from that moment onward. All I felt was tender cuddling. The feel of her soft lips against mine. The alluring taste of her tongue. What a kiss… It felt so…right.

Before long, I finally had to pry myself away to breathe. We both let out a gentle gasp, a string of our combined saliva connecting our mouths from mere inches away. "Whoa… You're good at that… You been practicing?"

Rarity replied with a giggle, a very satisfied smile spreading across her face while a pink hue filled her cheeks. "Well… I do occasionally look through a copy of the Pony Sutra I purchased a while back."

This caught me entirely by surprise. "The…..what?!"

"Yes, the Pony Sutra! It is an ancient text that describes…" Rarity started to explain, but I cut her off before she could go into further detail.

"I know what it is if 'Sutra' is in the title! I just can't believe someone of your standards would have a copy!" I retorted suddenly, causing us both to burst into raucous laughter. Honestly, would you have guessed such a book would be popular with ponies you would likely find in Canterlot? Perhaps I should not judge…

Once the two of us had ceased our laughter, I then reached out and stroked Rarity's beautiful mane. "So… How do you feel now?"

She suddenly scooted towards me and gently leaned against me in a remarkably intimate fashion. "Very blessed… I know I will never have your heart… But knowing that you have more than enough love to share with me… You are remarkable. Simply remarkable."

I honestly felt unworthy of such praise. I could only grin in mild embarrassment. "Oh, come on. I'm not that remarkable."

My friend did not relent, reaching out with her hoof and turning my head so that I was facing her. "Humble too. Now do you see why I adore you so? I have no need for a royal prince when my true prince is here before me."

"Oh, knock it off, Rarity! You're gonna make me blush!" I could not help retorting with a louder voice than I normally use. But then a question came to mind. "Wait… Should we keep this secret from Fluttershy? I don't think we should keep this up if it's wrong…"

Rarity was quick to see the worry in my eyes and gently caressed my cheek with her hoof. "Well, I doubt we would want the entire town to know. But dear Fluttershy? Of course she should know. It's not like you are cheating on her, after all. But leave that to me, all right? I know she will understand." She then reached out a placed a brief kiss on my lips. "And she is very lucky to have you. A stallion with less integrity would likely have abandoned her for me."

"No way. I wouldn't ever leave her. I love her, no matter what my feelings are for anyone else. When I get into a relationship, I go for the long haul." I replied, finding the concept of leaving Fluttershy for another woman to be absolutely abhorrent. It would destroy her.

"I'm glad to hear that, darling. I know I have likely told you this before, but she certainly needs you. Always be there for her, all right?" Rarity spoke with a relieved grin. We then shared another tender kiss together. Man, I swear her kisses are addictive.

Feeling that it was getting late enough in the morning, I decided to stand up and let Rarity finish prepping for the day. But before she could hop down from the bed, her eyes fell upon the false eyelash I had just removed. I noticed her looking at it and asked, "So… About your lashes?"

Rarity remained silent for a moment longer before looking at me with a more somber smile than usual. "I see the wisdom in your words, dear. And trust me, I would so love to quit using these on the spot. But…I can't. Not yet."

I was only partially surprised that Rarity was stubbornly refusing to stop using them, though also somewhat disappointed as well. "Really? Why? Don't you want your lashes to grow out?"

She surprised me with a calmer smile and explained, "I do. So very much. But…I can't just yet. Everypony in town who knows me partially know me by my lovely lashes. I have a reputation and image to keep up."

"I see… Then your real lashes…?" I asked, hoping that she had a plan to finally ditch those things for a more natural look.

"Oh, don't you worry about that. I intend to let them grow in bit by bit over time. For now, I will only wear my false eyelashes when out in public and when around customers. I'm certain our friends will not mind in the slightest if I don't wear them when they are around though." Rarity explained while gently nudging the long curled lock of hair hanging by her head.

That was certainly a clever idea. Keeping face in public while allowing herself to let go when in private. But she then exclaimed, "Oh! I could also wear a pair of sunglasses at times so I can go the full day without them! I'll be sure to use some hair growth tonics to help speed up the progression of my real lashes."

"Sounds like a smart way to go about things. I can't wait to see how amazing your real natural look will be in the end." I replied while smiling. She is beautiful all over at the moment, but how much better will she look once those lashes grow in?

Rarity and I then left her bedroom and headed downstairs. Once we reached the bottom of the stairs at the edge of the main workroom, she glanced up at me and asked, "Now that I think about it, would you care for some tea?"

"Oh, absolutely. Please make mine orange." I replied, having developed a love for orange-based teas. Rarity grinned brightly before trotting into the kitchen. I decided to take a look around the workroom to see what Rarity was currently working on.

In all, she did not have that many garments placed around the room. I suppose she was having a slow week. However, I did find something hanging from a clothes hanger. It seemed to be a pure white jacket. It was very plain and even seemed incomplete. But what was obvious about it was the fact that it was clearly designed for human use. "Is this for me?"

I felt it would be a bad idea to try it on before completion, so I left the jacket alone and went to the kitchen. Sure enough, Rarity was in the process of steeping some tea in a glass kettle that bore a strong resemblance to a coffeepot. The water inside was slowly turning a shade of orange. Since steeping tea is about as simple a task as one could get, I decided to leave Rarity be and took a seat on a stool at the kitchen table.

My beautiful friend looked over her shoulder at me and batted her seemingly eyelashless eyes at me. "I'll be right there in a moment, dear."

I nodded in silence and just watched her. She seemed to be keeping an eye on the hot plate being used to heat the water inside the glass pot. While I watched Rarity, I felt a strong attraction to her much like how I explained a short while ago. So beautiful, yet so sweet and generous. I am utterly amazed she was not beating off suitors with a stick by this point.

A cheeky thought entered my mind, prompting me to slowly and silently approach Rarity. Once I was beside her, I slowly lowered myself to the ground and gently wrapped my arms around her body. She shuddered in surprise, having clearly not detected me come forward at all. When she looked back at me, her look of surprise dissolved into a very pleased smile. "It's all right, dear. Go ahead and say it."

It was honestly difficult for me to speak the words I wanted to say. Almost as if it was a strict taboo. It took a moment of reprimanding myself to make certain I understood the differences. I feel there is a difference between loving someone and being in love with someone. And I will not deny my feelings for Rarity and Fluttershy walk a very thin line between one side and the other. Rarity is right. If I had gone with her as my lover, I am certain our relationship would have been nigh perfect despite our differences. Yet at the same time, Fluttershy… I see absolutely no faults in our chemistry. In the end, she is the one I have chosen and I see no reason why that should end now. Even so, I do indeed love Rarity. However, I have the wisdom to only pursue that love so far before drawing the line. Something I was familiar with before even coming to Equestria.

Gathering my courage, I spoke the words I wanted to say. "I love you, Rarity."

I swear I saw tears building at the edges of Rarity's eyes. "And I love you too, my prince."

Rarity brought her head back to me and gave me a soft and tender kiss right on the lips. We then closed our eyes; our foreheads resting against each other's while my hands caressed her beautiful body. I heard her whisper softly to me. "I am honored that you would have enough love to share with me to this extent… Thank you, darling."

"I just want to see you happy, Rarity." I replied truthfully. I honestly wanted to see my dear friend as happy as possible.

When the two of us opened our eyes once again, we shared a long gaze before Rarity smiled in a way that almost looked like a smirk. "And I am. You've made me happier than any stallion I have ever met." However, she then looked at me with a worrisome, yet serious gaze. "But you know we cannot give each other our bodies. That is one line that must never be crossed. Understood?"

"Actually, that's pretty much what I was about to suggest." I replied with a suppressed chuckle. I suppose great minds think alike. "Although… Have you ever…?"

Rarity replied with a nervous blush on her face while flustering for a moment. "Well… I would be lying if I said I never dreamed of it!" Before I had a chance to laugh, she then pointed her hoof right at my chest and gave me a surprisingly menacing stare. "But you never heard that. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am. Understood clearly." I replied briskly while nodding my head in agreement. Rarity then gave me a pleased grin of her own before using her levitation magic to carry the glass beverage pot over to the table with a pair of mugs as well. I followed her and took a seat at the opposite end of the table.

"I must say I'm glad you recommended this tea to me, James. Who knew orange tea was so flavorful?" Rarity remarked while pouring the warm reddish beverage into our mugs.

"Most teas always tasted so bland to me without sweetener or lemon, so I was surprised there is one as tasty as this. And it's hardly sweet!" I replied, blowing gently at the surface in an attempt to cool it a bit further before taking a sip. I then asked, "Hey. Um… Before I forget, what is that white jacket you have in the main workroom? Is that for me?"

Rarity took a sip of her tea before replying, "Oh, you saw that? Well, I was planning on making that as your new attire for the Grand Galloping Gala."

The Grand Galloping Gala? But I thought Rarity already made a stunning robe for me to wear to that event. "You were? But don't I already have one?"

My friend nodded before explaining while gesturing with her hooves. "Yes, but then I got thinking. I wove that fantastic robe for you before you acquired your cutie mark. And the more I thought about it, the more it felt like that robe just wasn't 'you'. I also made certain to remember that you have a disdain for suits, so I felt a jacket would suit you best. Especially one with twin elegant tails hanging down the backside. Remember that exquisite attire you wore as a costume for Nightmare Night last year?"

"Oh, that red 'lobster tail' outfit? Yeah, I remember." I replied, though Rarity seemed baffled by my use of those two words to describe it.

"Lobster ta… What makes you say that? Actually, never mind. It will probably sail over my head. Anyway, seeing how you looked so comfortable in that outfit, I felt I should base your new attire on it. What say you?" She explained further before looking at me with a noticeably excited gaze.

"Yeah, it was kinda comfy. Even if the whole thing was just a fabrication brought on by Twilight's magic. I say go for it." I spoke with a nod. But I then asked, "But why white? And just what kinda look will you give it? The thing looked kinda bare bones out there. And now that I think about it, don't the dresses of our friends have a certain theme to them?"

Rarity spoke up with a bit more enthusiasm when she answered. "Oh, I'm so glad you asked! And yes, they do. Applejack has a refined country look to hers while Pinkie Pie is all about pink and more of a 'party' look and so forth. But for yours, I think I will be going with your affinity for peace and birds."

"Peace and…..birds?" I asked blandly while trying to wrap my head around those words.

"Yes. In particular, I plan to give your attire a look that compliments your cutie mark. The gentleness of a dove. Sounds rather poetic, does it not?" Rarity replied while grinning broadly. I could see she was quite enthralled with the idea. And it made a lot of sense the more I thought about it.

"Heh, I'm not that gentle, am I?" I asked while feeling more and more flattered the more she banged on about that.

"But of course you are! I rarely see stallions as gentle as you. It is no wonder Fluttershy felt such an attraction to you so early on." Rarity replied with not an ounce of doubt in her expression while taking another sip of her tea. "Although wouldn't you say that I still top her in terms of raw unfettered beauty?"

While she took another sip of her tea, I nodded in agreement. "Well, it'd be hard to argue with that. I'd even say you're the hottest mare in town."

I really was not expecting her reaction. She suddenly turned her head away at the last second before spewing the mouthful of tea from her mouth in a very unexpected spit-take before bringing her hoof to her mouth as a deep blush spread over her cheeks. Her eyes looked at me with a display of raw shock. "Me?! Ho… Hot?!"

I really was not certain of what to say to that reaction. I remained as still as stone, worried I may have seriously offended her. Eventually, she lowered her hoof from her face and asked, "Hot… That's a powerful term. Am I…really that gorgeous to you?"

In response, I raised my hands up. "I really meant no disrespect by that, Rarity. Honestly."

She soon calmed herself and gave me a rather flattered grin. "I know… I must say I was rather surprised to hear that out of you, darling. If that was coming from anyone else, it would have felt like simple jeering out of a desire to get in bed with me. But you… You make it sound sincere."

"That's exactly it. I would never want to insult a woman. When I say you're 'hot', I mean that in a positive manner." I explained, very relieved that Rarity had taken that compliment better than I had hoped.

My dear friend let out a giggle while continuing to blush. "I must say… I feel honored that you would call me such a thing. Only now… Uh…" She then used the levitation spell to tear a few paper towels from a roll nearby and used them to mop up the small puddle of tea on the kitchen floor. "There. It was so unbecoming of me to do that. I think the last time I did that was at Gummy's first birthday party a few years ago."

To be perfectly honest, I find it rather baffling why anyone would throw a birthday party for an absurdly aloof and oblivious baby alligator. Oh… Wait… Gummy is Pinkie Pie's pet. The only pony in town who will throw a party for absolutely anything. Enough said. "A birthday for a gator? What could have prompted you to do that?"

Rarity proceeded to explain with a rather disdainful expression while gesturing in an elegant yet exaggerated manner. "Well, I would assume since Gummy was the birthday boy, Pinkie Pie let him have the run of the place. And while I was drinking a glass of some truly fabulous punch, I happened to catch sight of Gummy lounging around in the punch bowl…"

A gator swimming in a punch bowl. The thought of that… Well… I have no comment for something like that. "O…K… You think he was clean?"

"Well, would you have risked drinking that after seeing him in there?!" Rarity replied rather loudly, clearly bothered by the memory. I could only laugh at her reaction.

The two of us made more idle chitchat, completely losing track of time. I have to say there are not many people I can just lose myself with. And Rarity is definitely one of those few. Eventually, I did end up inquiring further about the Grand Galloping Gala. "Hey, Rarity? Are you sure that we'll even be invited to the next Grand Galloping Gala anyway? I mean… Have you ever been consistently invited two years in a row?"

My friend replied with almost clairvoyant certainty. "Well, I personally have not been called there that often. I only had the opportunity to attend once before you arrived and a second time when you attended for the first time. But I can all but guarantee that you will be invited to the next. And we, as your closest friends, will surely be asked to attend too."

"You sound really sure about that. What makes you so certain?" I asked again, wondering how she could be so confident that we would receive another invite this year.

"Oh, just a little deduction, my dear." She replied with a rather smug smirk on her face while having her elbow on the table with her chin resting on her wrist. "You and Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon are very close friends. I cannot imagine them missing out on an opportunity to spend such a glorious evening with you. And with that, the next Grand Galloping Gala will be the first one Nightmare Moon attends. Don't you suppose she would want the gallant knight who saved her to be there as well?"

Gallant knight, huh? That honestly got me slightly flustered. "Oh… It would be her first, wouldn't it? Well, I can see why she would want me there."

We chatted for a moment longer before Rarity finally brought up the big event of the day. "So, darling… Will you be accompanying us to the Best Young Fliers Competition today?"

I had all but forgotten about the highlight of the day. However, sport events really do not interest me in the slightest. So I decided to be completely honest with her. "Well… To be honest with you… I'm actually strongly considering not going."

That look Rarity gave me clearly showed that she was not expecting me to turn the event down. "Not going?! Are you certain?!"

"Sorry, Rarity. I'm not exactly a sporty type of guy. I prefer other forms of entertainment." I replied, not entirely certain of how to explain myself.

"Whatever do you mean? I know Twilight has quite a bit in common with you in terms of interests, and even she attended the Best Young Fliers Competition with the rest of us a few years back. Are you certain you will not reconsider?" She asked, those beautiful azure eyes pleading with me.

It was very difficult to say no to that face. In the end, I let out a sigh. "I just don't know right now… I'll think about it some more. I can't make any promises though."

Rarity sighed, clearly hopeful that I would change my mind. "Well… I certainly hope you do attend with us. If nothing else, you should be able to explore Cloudsdale. And I am quite serious when I say there is no other city like it in Equestria."

Once again, the thought of falling off or falling through the city and to the ground far below passed through my mind. I am not certain if I have mentioned this before, but while I do not have a fear of heights per se, I do have something of a fear of falling. And falling from something as high up as a cloud…frightens me. "Heh… Sounds like something out of some type of sappy book or show for kids. Maybe something involving bears?"

"I can't say I have any knowledge of what you're referring to there, James. But to that effect, just remember that we are prepared to depart at noon. Twilight is preparing her hot air balloon to carry us there." Rarity replied while finishing off the last bit of her tea.

This information was new and quite a surprise to me, considering that I have been in Ponyville for… How long has it been now? Ten months? Maybe eleven? "Twilight has a hot air balloon? Why have I never seen it?"

Rarity replied while pouring herself another cup of tea, "Well, she seldom uses it. As for where she keeps it, I never bothered to ask. Where does she store it anyway…? That is a rather good question."

Once I finished my tea, I felt that I was on the verge of overstaying my welcome. Rarity seemed to notice too since she spoke up as I stood up. "Heading out, dear?" The tone in her voice was soft and tender. Much like when we were in her bedroom a short while ago.

I turned to face her, seeing an endearing smile on her face. "Well, I was about to. I was thinking I should see Rainbow Dash before you all take off."

Rarity motioned for me to approach her while her stare became more amorous. "Before you go… One last time?"

I could not say no to that gorgeous face. "Absolutely, m'lady."

I walked over to Rarity and got down on one knee. We reached out to each other, holding each other in a tender embrace as our lips met once again. That tender touch… Rarity's kisses are truly a type of sweet only Fluttershy can match. I soon felt her tongue reaching out to my lips. And as much as I would have loved to let the kiss go deeper, I refrained from parting my lips and pulled away from Rarity while looking her in the eye. "With all due respect, m'lady, let's not do that particular kiss very often."

Rarity pouted at me in a rather humorous fashion and asked, "But why not? Your kisses are simply marvelous and tender!"

I gently placed my finger on her lips to silence her. "Because your kisses are absolutely addictive."

She snickered and replied, "I can say the same about yours." We both got a good chuckle out of that.

Before I could release my grasp on her, an important thought entered my mind. "Wait… I know I might have already asked this, but should we keep this secret? I don't want to seem like I'm cheating on Fluttershy…"

Rarity shook her head and placed her hoof on my chest. "Well, it would probably be wise to not show such extreme displays of affection in public. It's common knowledge now that you and Fluttershy are an item. But I do feel she should know. Leave that to me. I've known her longer than you have."

"But…do you think she will understand?" I asked, now more afraid than ever that she would fear that I was planning on breaking up with her to pursue a relationship with Rarity. God, I could never do that to her…

My beautiful friend shook her head and looked at me with a more serious expression. "Darling. If I had any doubts that you would leave Fluttershy for me after offering me your love, I would not have allowed you to get this close to me." She then reached out and placed another kiss on my lips. "Your heart belongs to her. She is your betrothed. I love you with all my heart, and I am honored that you have the integrity to share your love with me while remaining loyal to your betrothed. Trust me. I will make certain she knows that your heart belongs to her and her alone."

I knew by then that when Rarity spoke with that sort of tone, she was going to fulfill that promise without any inkling of failure. I trust her. "OK, Rarity… I'm trusting you on this."

Wanting to find Rainbow Dash before the time of departure came, I finally said my goodbyes and gulped down the rest of my tea and made my way to the doorway. But before I got far, I heard Rarity call out to me. "James… Darling."

I paused and looked back at the beautiful unicorn who was looking at me with a truly grateful expression. She then spoke softly once more, "I love you…"

Hearing those words made me feel warm all over. I replied in kind with a bit of a blush on my face. "Love you too, m'lady."

The first place that came to mind was the park. If there is one place in Ponyville that would be ideal for setting up a hot air balloon for departure without making a scene, that would be the place. And since it is relatively close to Rarity's home, I did not have that far to go. I found that the park was mostly empty that day. I suppose some weekdays are busier than others.

Knowing that it would be unlikely to find a hot air balloon being prepared on any of the park's dirt paths, I tried looking in the greener areas of the park. And I did not have to look for long before finding what I was searching for. A hot air balloon sitting in a clearing with the envelope, the large inflated sack of fabric that contains the heated air, already mostly inflated. Judging by the shape, it seemed to be a standard Montgolfier balloon. At least that is what they are called where I come from. I have no idea if they share that name with those in Equestria. On the very top of the balloon was what seemed to be a yellow 'sun' of sorts evenly spread out. The rest of the balloon was a light pink with patterns in the form of elegant bending lines and swirls dotted with different shapes of stars all being made up of a darker purplish hue. The bottom of the balloon was lined with a frilled yellow brim. The basket…or is it a gondola? Well, anyway, it was secured to the inside of the envelope by four thick ropes that were colored pink. With all that pink on it, it was clearly not something more masculine men would be willing to let themselves be seen in. But with how many feminine colors I had seen on all sorts of things in Equestria by today, I am quite used to it by now. But I digress. The basket itself was curved upward at the sides, but the edge was lower on one side. Likely to allow for easier boarding. The edges that circled the top of the basket was a vibrant yellow while the entirety of the basket itself was a slightly darker hue of pink than Pinkie Pie's coat while covered in swirling patterns. Just under the lower edge of the basket in the center was a familiar yellow six-sided star that was identical to the one in the center of Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark, probably as a sign of ownership. And standing near the basket while seemingly monitoring the progression of the envelope's inflation was Twilight herself.

I decided to step forward and say hello, having not seen Twilight at all today. "Morning, Twilight. This your balloon?"

My unicorn friend turned to face me and smiled upon locking eyes with me. "Oh, good morning, James! I was just getting my balloon ready for departure."

"The Best Young Fliers Competition, right?" I asked, all but certain that she was attending too.

"Oh, you bet! The only way to get to Cloudsdale is by air, after all. I'm just making sure this is ready by the time we have to leave. It's takes a while to get these inflated, after all." Twilight replied while turning her attention back to the balloon. It was certainly smaller than those back on Earth. But maybe that is because the ponies of Equestria are generally smaller than adult humans and therefore so is almost everything else in their society.

"Well, do you happen to know where Rainbow might be right now?" I asked, wondering just where the star of the show in Cloudsdale was just before they were about to depart.

Twilight glanced at me over her shoulder and pointed in one direction. "She should be over there with Pinkie Pie. Something about making sure Pinkie's cheering is up to snuff or something like that. You know how Rainbow's ego is sometimes."

"The size of the mountain Canterlot is built on, right?" I replied, coaxing a chuckle out of the brainy unicorn. I then left her alone to focus on the task before her and went in the direction she had pointed me in to search for Rainbow Dash.

I did not go very far before hearing some shouting from my left on the over side of a thicket. "OK, now put it all together and let it all pour out!"

Just after the voice had finished calling out, I had pulled some of the branches aside to see who was on the other side. I found Rainbow Dash hovering before Pinkie Pie, who then seemed to do some sort of cheerleader routine while doing spontaneous poses in conjunction with her cheering. "R! A! I! N to the B to the O to the W! What does that make?! Rainbow! Master of the sonic rainboom! Woo!"

I could not help facepalming while snickering under my breath at Pinkie Pie's overenthusiastic cheering and posing. Cheerleading often walks a fine line between dazzling and embarrassing. And I am not certain what her cheering counted as. Regardless, I stepped out of the bushes and approached my two friends while they laughed together. Whether it was all in good fun, excitement for the upcoming event that day, or because of how silly that cheering and posing was, I cannot say.

"Morning, ladies. What's up?" I asked before they even noticed my approach.

Pinkie Pie was the first to speak up. "Hey there, James! I was just making sure my cheering was up to 100% before going with Rainbow to the competition! You think I've still got it?"

I decided to speak honestly with her. "Well, you've got the enthusiasm and volume down. Just make sure you don't play to her ego. I'd say it's big enough already." This only served to get a laugh out of both of them. I honestly cannot say if Rainbow thought I was just messing with her or that I was being honest and that she was laughing at how true it is. Although I must confess her ego has not been quite as constantly over-inflated in recent months.

"Heheh… Yeah, I guess it is. But now it's your turn!" Rainbow Dash spoke while flying over to me.

My turn? What did she mean by that? "Huh? Mine? I don't follow."

Rainbow pretty much got right up in my face and spoke, "Your cheering, of course! You always talk so softly most of the time! Have you been taking after Fluttershy?"

I gave her an amusingly annoyed glare and replied, "I live in her house. What do you think?!"

This prompted yet another giggle out of Pinkie Pie. "He's got a point there! It's no wonder they're sweethearts."

Rainbow Dash rolled her big pink eyes in a dismissive display. "OK, point taken. But you still need to work on your cheering. This way, big guy." She then flew a short distance away and behind some trees, apparently to find a spot where we were unlikely to be interrupted.

"Do I have to?" I asked, having never been pleased with having to raise my voice for anything. But before I could follow her, I felt someone tap me on my back. "Hm? Pinkie?"

Sure enough, it was Pinkie Pie. She then spoke quietly, "Here. Take this with you." She then reached behind her and seemingly pulled something out of nowhere. By now, I know better than to question how she does stuff like that, so I did not ask.

"Huh? This? Why… Oh, wait…" I replied while taking the device in hand. Trust me, you will laugh much harder if I withhold its identity until the right time.

Pinkie Pie could not help giggling madly under her breath while holding a hoof to her mouth. "You know what to do with that, right?"

"You little imp… It's brilliant." I retorted, seeing the comedic genius behind her thoughts. While I am not one for pranks, I could not pass up such an opportunity to mess with Rainbow Dash for having an issue with my preference for not speaking loudly.

Before we could converse further, we heard Rainbow Dash call out from somewhere nearby. "Yo, move it! We don't have all morning!"

Pinkie then giggled again and whispered, "I'll be watching! And make sure she doesn't see it until the right moment!"

"Got it." I replied before turning and walking towards where Rainbow Dash was waiting for me while keeping the device hidden behind my back at all times.

Once I had walked around the small cluster of trees, I found Rainbow Dash standing in the middle of a clearing. I made certain to have both hands behind my back while shambling casually towards her in a very relaxed manner so she would not think I was hiding something behind me.

"OK, let's get started." Rainbow Dash spoke while I stopped before her. She then began to hover back and forth around me while I constantly rotated myself to always be facing her. "The way I see it, you're way too reserved to let yourself go. So you need to learn to let go of your inhibitions."

"Uh huh." I replied reflexively, just taking in her words without much care. She can complain all she wants. It is just not my style to yell unless a sudden stimulus prompts me to do so.

"There are three steps you need to know for good loud proper cheering." Rainbow continued while flapping back and forth before me. Seriously, is she addicted to flying and can only stay focused on anything when airborne? "Step 1: Lots of control. Step 2: Lots of screaming and hollering. And step 3: Passion. Plenty of passion. Can you remember that?"

"I guess." I responded with a flat tone to my voice. Despite not really caring enough to follow, Rainbow seemed rather fired up and began to hover in place before me.

"Great! So now that you know the requirements for the best cheering, let's hear some!" She spoke loudly while watching me.

Having no desire to raise my voice at all, I spoke out with a normal tone of voice. "You go, Rainbow."

Clearly dissatisfied, Rainbow rolled her eyes while letting out a groan. "Oh come on. Are you even trying? Louder."

Starting to become mildly annoyed, I tried to humor her by raising my voice slightly further. "You rock."

"Louder." She spoke again, this time a bit louder herself.

"You rock!" I said again, this time fairly loudly without going so far as to yell.

Suddenly, Rainbow practically yelled in my face. "LOOOOUDEERRRR!"

I was actually somewhat startled by this approach and took a few steps back. "Yeesh, all right already!" I lightly pounded my chest with my left fist while coughing a little to clear my throat. I then pursed my lips and inhaled deeply as I prepared to give her the best cheer I could muster. Rainbow Dash looked on in great interest, clearly expecting my next cheer to be my best.

It was then I decided to put Pinkie Pie's prank in action. Once I had ceased inhaling, I gave Rainbow a devious smirk and pulled out the device I was holding behind my back in my right hand while pointing it right at her. A megaphone.

Rainbow's expression suddenly became one of utter… Actually, I do not know how to describe that look. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth curved downward in a humorously exaggerated frown that seemed to say 'oh snap' while she just hovered there before me. Neither of us moved or made a sound for eight seconds. I know. I counted. Eventually, it was Rainbow Dash who broke the silence. "Oh, you can't be seri…"

I did not give her the chance to finish. I let out every bit of air I had in a loud high-pitched whoop. "WOOOOOO!"

My amplified voice pretty much blew Rainbow Dash through the air away from me. Somersaulting backwards through the air, she eventually crashed right into a tree so hard; she became partially embedded in the bark. Fortunately, Rainbow is pretty hardy and only seemed dazed by the impact with her eyes rolling around in her head.

After waiting a moment to see if she was all right, I called out to her. "Too loud?!"

After shaking her head to clear her vision, she yelled back at me. "You think?!" The two of us then burst into laughter while I swear I could hear Pinkie Pie laughing herself silly somewhere behind me. If you are reading this, Pinkie Pie, well played.

Once she had removed herself from the tree, Rainbow trotted over to me. "Dang, James! That was priceless! And I thought you said you don't do pranks! We rub off on you or something since the last time?"

I took a moment to think my response over. It is true that I did not take to the prank she and Pinkie Pie pulled at me during lunch months ago very well. "Well… I guess I don't mind harmless pranks. As long as something I own or just spent money on isn't wasted or I don't get really dirty, I think I can tolerate it."

Rainbow Dash then hovered up to me and rested her foreleg on my shoulder in a casual manner. "Yeah, I get ya. I don't think you had completely relaxed since showing up in town either. If Pinkie Pie or I ever pull anymore pranks on you, we'll make sure it stays in the green. That last one was more in the yellow."

I nodded in agreement. I doubt anyone likes a salad they were going to pay for thrown in their face. However, Rainbow Dash then leaned a little closer to me with a look on her face that seemed rather mischievous. "You know… Since we're out here and nopony's looking…"

I winced at those words when I turned to look at her. That smile was way too close to my face. I muttered in return, "Um… I wouldn't. Pinkie Pie is probably watching right now."

Rainbow then turned to look in the direction that she and Pinkie Pie had been standing a few minutes ago with a rather embarrassed look on her face. "Pinkie Pie!"

In response, our silly pink friend burst out of the thicket and trotted over to us. "Hiya, Rainbow! How was the cheer?"

Our brash pegasus friend turned to look back at the tree she had just tried to make a snow angel on. "Uh… Pretty excessive, if you ask me. And was that your idea?!"

I then handed the megaphone back to Pinkie, who then stashed it in her…Pinkie Space. Do not think about that too hard. She then grinned and explained, "Uh huh! Was it a good prank?"

"Definitely didn't see it coming, that's for sure! And here I was thinking James' inner prankster had started to come out of its shell." Rainbow replied while glancing at me while I tried to avert my eyes. However, she then looked at me with an expression of excitement. "But I'd say you're ready! You wanna head to the balloon now?"

Once again, I felt that nagging feeling in my gut. I did not want to disappoint my friends, yet I really do not have any interest in sporting events at all. It was then that I had to make my choice. It took a moment of silent thought. But eventually, I faced Rainbow Dash and spoke my choice. "Uh… No thanks, Rainbow. I think I'll stay behind."

She did not take well to this at all. If anything, she seemed a little hurt by my words. "Wait… What?! Why?! This event only comes once a year!"

I then explained, "Yes, I caught onto that part. But sport events just don't interest me. They never have. And besides, I'm really not too keen about having to rely on a temporary spell to visit Cloudsdale. What if it wore off unexpectedly and I fell right through the street? And… Is there even enough room in that balloon's basket for me to fit in there with you girls?"

Pinkie Pie then held a hoof to her chin. "Come to think of it… I guess it would be pretty cramped in there. Maybe you'd fit better if you stood up the whole time?"

"Are you kidding? I would barely have enough room to fit my head in there. And wouldn't me standing up throw the basket's balance off? I might end up making the balloon drift off course. And what if someone were to fall out from the basket being tilted? Seriously, that…sounds like a bad idea." I replied, thinking things over. Standing up in a relatively shallow basket while a mile off the ground… That sounds absolutely nerve-wracking.

Rainbow seemed to try to find words to counter mine, but she never once spoke. I then continued, "I'm sorry, Rainbow. Sport events just aren't my thing. But don't let my absence stop you from having a good time, all right?"

However, this did not stop Pinkie Pie from trying to persuade me. She jumped up in front of me and started rambling rather quickly. "What're you talking about?! Cloudsdale is an awesome place! You can see how they make snowflakes, how they make rainbows, and the floor is always so soft and bouncy! I know you would love to…mmph?!" She was stopped abruptly by Rainbow Dash when she stuffed her hoof into our friend's mouth. She then shook her head, prompting Pinkie Pie to nod in agreement. When Rainbow pulled her hoof back, Pinkie Pie had fallen silent.

Our pegasus friend then looked at me with a rather guilt-inducing forlorn expression. "It's OK, James. If you don't wanna come, that's fine. But… I still want to you to at least…" She then suddenly gasped and smacked her right hoof down into her left. "That's it! A sonic rainboom!"

I have heard those two words together many times before, but I still had no idea at the time what a sonic rainboom even is. "Um… You've mentioned that several times before. What exactly is it?"

Pinkie Pie replied with a giggle before explaining, "Oh, you have to see it to believe it! That's the most amazing aerial stunt any pegasus has ever done! And Rainbow Dash is a master at performing it! How many times have you used it in the last few years? Twice?"

Rainbow could not help chuckling at the praise. "Yeah, I'd say about that much. Hay, the last time was at Princess Cadence's wedding. And I pulled that one off while ascending. Do you have any idea how hard it is to pull a sonic rainboom off while going up instead of down?!"

The exact details of the 'sonic rainboom' were still an utter enigma to me. If I had to guess, it is a phenomenon that occurs when someone breaks the sound barrier. But that is just a mere sonic boom. Is there something in Equestria's atmosphere that triggers a different effect to earn the 'rain' in its name? And more importantly, pegasi cannot fly fast enough to break the sound barrier…right?

"Uh… Sure. So a sonic rainboom is tricky to successfully pull off. But what about it?" I asked, not certain if I was following or not.

Rainbow Dash then hovered in front of me and replied while making gestures for emphasis. "It's the best move I've got! You can probably even see it happen from here in Cloudsdale! When we're about ready to come home, I'll do a sonic rainboom to let you know. Trust me, you'll know it when you see it."

That expression she was giving me was not one of pride. No, it was something more sincere. I feel that she really wanted me to attend just so she could really try to impress me with her aerial skills. There was some sort of deeper meaning behind that look she was giving me. I just do not think I can put it into words at this time.

"Well… Sure. I'll watch for it. But shouldn't you girls be heading out soon?" I replied, glancing over in the direction where Twilight and her hot air balloon were resting.

Pinkie Pie also looked in that direction for a second before looking back at me. "I guess we should go check on her."

The three of us headed back over in the direction from where I had come from. Upon arrival, we found that the entire balloon had been properly inflated. Along with Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity had also arrived and seemed to be engaged in friendly conversation. But upon glancing our way, Applejack was the first to speak up. "Howdy, y'all! All set for the trip?"

I was about to speak up, but noticed something resting upon Rarity's muzzle. It seemed to be a pair of sunglasses with teardrop-shaped lenses turned almost completely sideways. The lenses were a shade of pink and the frame was seemingly the same shade of purple as red wine. The lenses were large enough to completely cover her eyes, though I could barely see her eyes beyond their reflective sheen. "Hey, Rarity? What's with the shades?"

Rarity grinned before she removed the glasses with a levitation spell, her eyes closed. "Well, I needed something to go incognito while I walked through town to get here." She then opened her eyes again, revealing that she had foregone wearing her false eyelashes when she left her home that day. I noticed after a matter of seconds, though most of our friends were not as quick to catch on.

"Huh? Is there something…different about you today, Rarity? Did you try a new type of makeup?" Fluttershy asked while closely examining her best friend's face. I suppose since she and Rarity know each other very well, she would be the first to notice that something was off.

Our elegant friend chuckled at Fluttershy's bewilderment and looked at all of us. "No, I have not changed brands, Fluttershy. But you are right. I decided to not wear my false lashes today."

Pinkie Pie let out a loud gasp before taking a much closer look. "Wow! I didn't even notice until you mentioned it! How'd you do that?!"

Twilight then spoke up with an amused smirk. "I think it's because she didn't draw attention to it by hiding her eyes with her mane. You'd be amazed with what you can hide in plain sight if you're inconspicuous enough."

Applejack then asked, "But…uh… Why'd ya leave 'em at home? I thought you'd do anything to stay lookin' your best."

Rarity then gave me a rather intimate smile as she explained. "That would be all because of my most dear friend here. He caught me this morning while I was putting my lashes on. And after a little chat, he recommended I grow my real lashes out without my false ones impeding their growth. So from now on, I'll try to avoid using them as often as possible and let my real beauty show as my lashes grow."

Fluttershy could not help but grin at those words. "That's wonderful! I hope your real eyelashes will be just as amazing as the false ones you've always used."

Rainbow Dash then stepped forward and asked, "Wait a second, Fluttershy. You've got some really pretty lashes too. What's your secret? Are they false?"

I have to admit that while her eyelashes are not quite as extravagant as Rarity's false lashes, Fluttershy's eyelashes look quite lovely and are likely the second most elegant in my circle of friends. Or rather the most elegant when not counting the false eyelashes Rarity frequently wears. She replied while showing a slight blush, "Oh, they're all natural. I don't use anything artificial."

This got quite a shock out of Rarity since our unicorn friend since she immediately got right up into Fluttershy's face. "You don't?! Your lashes look positively gorgeous! What is your secret?!"

Applejack then asked, "Hang on. Didn't ya use tail extenders for a while? That ain't exactly natural, is it?"

This prompted a rather uneasy frown from my girlfriend. While I will admit that Fluttershy's tail is beautifully long, I never got the impression that it was artificial. And I do not believe Fluttershy has ever been one to make herself look more attractive to draw attention. If anything, she seems like the kind of person who would prefer to avoid drawing attention to herself.

Fortunately, Twilight spoke up before any accusations could be made. "Applejack, you know that was during that whole Gabby Gums fiasco. I wouldn't have been surprised if the photos in all of those articles were edited." This prompted a relieved sigh from Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash then smirked and glanced over at Pinkie Pie. "Maybe. But there's no arguing with that article that called Pinkie an out-of-control party animal."

Our silly pink friend grinned nervously at that claim. "Hey, I've been trying to cut back on getting my groove on during big parties! Cut me some slack!" Just how did a day about attending the Best Young Fliers Competition in Cloudsdale go to talking about eyelashes and then old gossip? Heh, it is funny how things can end up when you are with friends.

Thankfully, Rainbow Dash finally reminded everypony why they were all there. "OK, enough about fashion tips! We all know why we're here, right?"

Pinkie Pie hopped right into the balloon's basket and turned to face us. "Sure do!" But she then looked at me with a less excited gaze. "Um… Are you sure you don't wanna come?"

Fluttershy, clearly not expecting those words, turned to face me. "Don't want to… Why not? I thought you wanted to go." All our friends looked on in silence, awaiting an explanation.

"Well, aside from sports events just not interesting me, I'm not so sure there will be enough room for me in that basket. I don't want the whole ride to be uncomfortable." I explained, hoping they would take my reasons well.

"The basket? Well, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy usually just fly to Cloudsdale. So that cuts the number of occupants down to four. Let's see how well you can fit in here first." Twilight explained while she, Rarity, and Applejack joined Pinkie Pie in the basket. With the whole thing being designed for use by ponies, even while standing they seemed to be very low to the floor compared to the raised edges of the gondola. Honestly, which word should I use to describe it? Basket or gondola?

"Well… OK. Make some room." I replied while stepping into the basket. My friends made room for me, but I still found that the amount of space in there was still very limited. I think it could hold no more than five ponies, and even then it would be a tight squeeze. And due to how low to the ground the thing was, I had to sit down to make certain my weight would be evenly balanced. It was not terribly uncomfortable. But when my friends started to find comfortable positions, I winced as I found Applejack's rump mere inches away from my face. And with how awkwardly close she was to me; it did not take long before my mind unwillingly began to make me wonder what might lie concealed behind her tail.

"OK, it looks like we can go after all! Everypony ready?" Twilight asked while glancing around.

I decided to speak up before anyone could disconnect the ballast that was keeping the balloon grounded. "AJ… Would you mind moving your…um…"

My farm pony friend glanced over her shoulder at me. "Huh? Move my… Oh, sorry! I'll just…whoa! Sorry, Rarity!" She replied with an embarrassed blush before turning and pushing Rarity around and nearly over the side. Our elegant friend let out a yelp and fell down onto me, bringing our faces close together.

Rarity, apparently trying to make light of the situation, spoke with a sly smile. "Well, hello, good sir. Do you come here often?" She then proceeded to bat her eyes at me despite lacking any obvious lashes.

"Very funny, Rarity. Now, if you don't mind?" I replied, hardly amused by just how uncomfortable the whole thing was. But once she was off of me, I turned and found Pinkie Pie's bushy tail in my face. Now more irritated than anything, I bit down on the thing and gave it a tug with it clasped in my teeth.

"Woo! Did somepony bring Gummy along… Oh, James! You like my tail too?" Pinkie yelped before looking back at me with her tail in my mouth. Was that the sent of bubblegum shampoo I was smelling through my mouth?

"Just please get this thing out of my face. And for the record, your tail does not taste like cotton candy." I replied in an attempt to voice my frustration while trying to be witty as well.

Finally, I had to stand up with how awkward the situation was getting for me. While there was definitely more room around me while standing, I found that there was next to no space between me and the balloon above. "Uh… Twi… Am I the only one here who thinks this is a bad idea?"

Twilight was also giving me an unnerved gaze. "Uh… I think the only safe and comfortable way for us to get you to Cloudsdale is to make sure you stand in the very center of the basket for the entire flight. And that'll take more than an hour if the wind is cooperative. But you'd have to keep your balance perfectly centered to keep the basket from tilting and moving us off course from the shift of weight. And if we get hit with any turbulence…" She went on and on while using plenty of terms that only a seasoned aviator would understand. But it was clear what she was saying. If I ended up getting thrown off balance and would have to resort to grabbing onto whatever part of the balloon I could to keep from falling out of the basket, which would be very easy for me to do when you consider my height, the risk is quite high that one of us might not make it to Cloudsdale alive.

"So… You're sayin' he can't come?" Applejack asked while looking noticeably disheartened.

"I'm sorry. If I had known just how poorly designed my balloon is for human use, I would have tried to find a bigger basket. Assuming there are any…" Twilight replied with a disappointed sigh.

In a strange combination of relief and disappointment swirling in my heart, I stepped out of the basket and onto solid ground. "Hey, don't let my absence stop you girls from having a good time. Don't worry about me and enjoy yourselves out there."

My friends did not offer any smiles at first, though Rainbow Dash was to first to give me a hug. "OK, big guy. You stay here this time. Just remember though. Watch the north sky."

Fluttershy then hovered over to me and gave me a soft kiss on my lips. "We'll come home as soon as we can, honey. I'll miss you…"

I nodded and stroked her beautiful face. "I'll miss you too. Have fun out there."

All my friends bid me a reluctant goodbye while Twilight undid the balloon's restraints. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash began to fly north while steadily ascending, the balloon beginning to rise off the ground. I do not know why, but… I felt rather sad as I watched them float away. All six of my dearest most precious friends were rising into the sky while looking down at me for as long as their vision remained unobstructed. I never looked away. Eventually, after a solid five minutes, the hot air balloon reached a remarkable distance and began to float north after Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash gave it a firm push in the right direction before flying on ahead.

"Well… I guess it's just me now." I muttered with a sigh. With my six closest friends currently not even in town… I pretty much had nothing to do. "Might as well go to work. No point in having a day off to attend the competition if I can't even attend in the first place." I said aloud before starting to make my way back to Ponyville.

The walk was quiet since I never once bumped into anyone to talk to. I reached Sugarcube Corner without incident and stepped inside. I had to step out of the way immediately upon entering to allow the local DJ get by me with a paper bag hanging from her mouth. I have never had time to really interact with her, so I know pretty much nothing about her. Did I describe her appearance in an earlier entry? In any case, I approached the counter to speak with Mr. Cake.

"Morning, Mr. Cake. Reporting for duty." I spoke softly once I was before the counter.

My boss looked up at me with a rather perplexed expression. "James? What're you doing here? I thought you and Pinkie Pie were attending the Best Young Fliers Competition in Cloudsdale today. Did something go wrong?"

"Well, aside from just not having any interest in the event itself, there was no safe or comfortable way to get me there with the mode of transportation they had available. So I stayed behind. Do you need help with anything?" I explained, actually starting to feel rather down about not being able to go.

"Um… Let me go check with the Mrs. in back. We really weren't expecting you to stay behind today." Mr. Cake replied before walking through the twin swinging doors in front of the kitchen. I could still hear him speak, albeit slightly muffled by the walls between us. "Honeybun? James couldn't go with Pinkie Pie after all. Do we need any extra help in the kitchen today?"

I then heard the motherly tone in Mrs. Cake's voice speak up. "Oh, the poor dear couldn't go? Well, let me check what needs to be done today. Hmmm…" I waited a couple of minutes before the doors leading into the kitchen swung open again. Only instead of Mr. Cake, it was Mrs. Cake this time.

"You poor dear. Couldn't go with your friends today? Well, don't you worry about a thing. Mr. Cake and I can handle the store today. You just enjoy the day off, James." Mrs. Cake explained while giving me that endearing motherly gaze of hers. Such a sweetheart.

"OK. And thanks, Mrs. Cake." I replied before she and Mr. Cake swapped places at the register again.

"All right then. Can I get you anything today, James?" Mr. Cake asked once he was standing behind the counter again.

"Not right now, Mr. Cake. I already had breakfast not too long ago, so I'm not hungry yet. I'll stop by later." I replied before turning and stepping outside. A full day to myself… Wow, it has been quite a while since I last had one like this.

I looked around, not sure of where to start. Perhaps I could go home and take a walk around the pond with… Oh wait. Fluttershy left with the other girls. Then perhaps… Darn, I cannot remember the last time I went a full day without my friends. In mere seconds, I started to feel incredibly lonely. I miss them already…

I knew I still have other friends in town, so I decided to just take a walk to pass the time and see who I would bump into first. The various food stalls set up during the morning were on the verge of being closed up and put away with noon drawing near. I suppose by then it would be a good time for me to go and try to find some lunch. However, for once, I really was not in the mood to dine alone.

Fortunately, I did not have to wait long to see a familiar face. I soon saw Mitta walk into view. She saw me before I could call out to her. In an instant, she galloped towards me. "Hi, James! How are you today?"

I kneeled down and held my dear friend in a tender embrace. "I'm OK today. Where were you? I didn't see you at Rarity's place today."

She gave me a very relaxed smile and replied, "I was just out running errands for her. Had to pick up a few tailoring supplies. See?" I then noticed a pair of saddlebags draped over her sides with each bearing one of the light blue diamonds that make up Rarity's cutie mark. They seemed to be full to near bursting with their contents.

"Looks like Rarity needed quite a bit. Should I let you get home so you can unload that?" I asked, thinking that it must be pretty heavy for her to lug around. Although I could be wrong. She is an earth pony, after all. And I do believe I have made it quite clear that earth ponies are the burliest of the three pony races.

"Yes, I probably should. Rarity wanted these delivered as soon as possible." She replied while glancing at the two bags at her sides. She then turned to me and asked, "Come to think of it, isn't it almost noon? Do you think she's left for that…um… That competition in… I'm sorry, what's the name of that city where all pegasi come from? I'm still getting used to all the names in Equestria."

It was hardly surprising that Mitta was having some difficulty taking in so much information to heart that is commonplace in Equestria, especially considering how isolated her previous home is from the rest of the world. "That would be Cloudsdale. And yes, I saw her off myself. I don't think she'll be back until this evening."

"Oh, I see. Well, that's fine. I need to do some inventory today. With Rarity gone, there should be fewer distractions." Mitta replied with a slight giggle.

"Distractions? Is she hard on you over at the Carousel Boutique?" I asked while starting to wonder if Mitta enjoys living with Rarity. She never seemed unhappy after moving in. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I ever saw a frown on Mitta's face. A far cry from the gloomy mare I first met in the Everfree Forest.

Mitta seemed to chuckle at my worry. "Oh, it's not what you think. I like living there with her. It's just that she often asks me to try on clothes she weaves. I guess you could say I'm her tester. She also asks me for opinions on some of her designs. But…" She then gave me a nervous grin. "I honestly don't know what to say when it comes to fashion. Sunny Town never had much in that category. So I just always give her a positive opinion."

I had to suppress a snicker at those words. "Heh… Well, I can't imagine Rarity making a bad design. I think it's a good idea to just have faith in her. That's why I never question her designs and just let her come up with stuff she thinks would look best on me. She knows her field better than I do."

My friend gave me a nod and replied, "Me too. I just don't know what to say when she offers me clothes, so I just let her surprise me. And I haven't been given any clothes that I didn't like."

Just before I could make a request of her, Mitta beat me to the punch. "Say, um… Would you like to meet up at the café for lunch? I have some free time for a while."

"I was just about to suggest that!" I replied, surprised our minds were on the same wavelength.

Mitta grinned and began to trot away. "OK! Save me a seat, please!" Hoping to find the café not overly busy, I hurried on ahead.

I was lucky. The café's outdoor seating area was almost filled to capacity. I managed to get the last table and pulled a stool up from nearby for greater comfort than a stack of hay could provide. The waiter came over once, but I insisted that I was waiting for someone to arrive before deciding to place my order.

I did not have to wait very long. I soon saw Mitta galloping towards me with great speed. Apparently she was in a hurry to meet up with me, probably even worried that we might not have been able to secure a table. "Hi! Was I too late?" She asked upon coming to a stop at the table. She seemed somewhat out of breath. My guess is that she ran all the way from the Carousel Boutique to the café without stopping.

"Sure did. Pull up a seat." I replied, motioning for Mitta to have a seat on the opposite side of the mushroom-like table. Did I never mention that before? The tables at the café strongly resemble mushrooms with very flat tops, each with a faded purple design dotted with a few large white spots.

While I took a menu in hand and began to browse the pages, I noticed Mitta move the pile of hay from the opposite side of the table to just a little to my right. My eyes glanced at her out of the corners without turning my head, just watching in silence. Once the hay had been moved no closer than a couple of feet away from my seat, Mitta sat down on it and looked at me with a smile. "Is this OK?"

I shrugged my shoulders, not bothered at all that she would want to sit closer to me. "Seems fine to me." We then began browsing our menus together, not a word being spoken for a minute or two.

Eventually, the same waiter as always approached our table and spoke those five words he always greets us with. "Have you made your decision?"

Mitta went first. "Yes. I would love to try the pasta with the olive oil, butter, and garlic sauce with spinach, tomatoes, and broccoli. Hold the scallops please. And with a house salad on the side and a bottle of apple cider."

I went next. "I would love the same thing, but with the scallops. I would like a side of grilled carrots, and a bottle of sarsaparilla and a glass of water." The waiter nodded and carried our menus away.

"James, why did you ask for both sarsaparilla and a glass of water? Isn't one drink enough?" Mitta asked, understandably confused by why I had ordered two drinks.

I could not help cracking a smile at that question. "I'm glad you asked. I asked for the water so I could wash down the sweeter beverage after drinking it."

Mitta tilted her head to one side just slightly while her crimson eyes gazed at me with a look of great curiosity. "Wash it down?"

"Yeah. The water neutralizes and washes away the acids in sugary drinks. It's good for your teeth. I picked that up in a magazine somewhere while I was in a doctor's office as a kid. And I pretty much hammered that bit of information into my routine." I explained without sounding like I was exaggerating at all. And yes, that little bit is all true. I recommend drinking water after consuming soda, juice, or any other sweet beverage.

"Really? I'll have to remember to drink some water when I get back home then." Mitta replied with a broad smile. I then noticed her scoot slightly closer to me. "Say, have you seen Ruby around?"

"Not today. But you know how it is. Ghosts tend to only be found when they want you to find them." I replied, prompting a slight giggle from my friend. "You two have been close for a long time, haven't you?"

Mitta nodded with a more melancholy expression. I reached out and gently stroked her back, realizing that she was imagining the dark past of her hometown. "Yes… If it weren't for her, I probably would've lost myself to my despair centuries ago. She's one of my most important friends. And probably the only one I still have from that time."

"Yeah… Your first friends tend to take up a very special place in your heart, don't they?" I replied, my thoughts going out to the six mares who probably serve as the very foundation of my life in Equestria.

"Uh huh… She's precious to me. But there is one other person who is just as important." Mitta replied, her expression brightening somewhat.

"Really? Who is it?" I asked while glancing at her out of the corner of my eye.

Mitta then reached out and held onto me in a tender embrace. "You, James. You and Ruby are my most important friends."

I felt such a warm tingly feeling inside me at those words. I replied in kind by holding my friend in an embrace of my own. She then spoke softly, her head resting on my shoulder. "You were the first friend I made since the curse was cast on Sunny Town. You saw past my hideous form and showed me sympathy I thought I would never receive. You rescued me from that horrid place… James, I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

Those words… I felt such grim power behind them. She was not joking in the slightest. If anything, my presence to her may have a 'security blanket' effect on her. My grip on her tightened and I whispered into her ear. "I won't leave you, Mitta. I promise."

Mitta whispered softly while letting out a sigh. "Thank you… I'm sorry if I sound so clingy. It's just… I'm afraid of where I would be now if I never met you. You understand, right?" I silently nodded with a small smile. She then pulled away from me and looked me in the eye. "Do you have anyone in your life like that? Someone you just can't imagine being without? A friend that somehow just seems to take precedence over all others in your heart?"

I did not take long to think of that person. Or rather, the six people who fit that bill. "I do. And they're on their way to Cloudsdale right now."

My friend just looked at me in silence for a few seconds before asking, "All of them? All six?"

I nodded wholeheartedly. "When I first came to this town, I was genuinely afraid and lost. I felt terribly out of place here. It was a new place and I had no idea what to think of the people here. My first encounter with Rainbow Dash was especially unpleasant." I then asked, "You do know I'm not originally from this world, right?"

"Uh huh… You're from some planet called Earth, right?" Mitta replied, her expression showing focus as she listened to every word I said.

"Yeah. Very different place. There aren't any people there who are like the ponies of this world. And you probably know that I am relatively…timid at times. And at the end of my first day here, those six…wonderful mares welcomed me with open arms. I was absolutely touched. I did not see it coming at all. Fluttershy was even the first person I could truly call a friend after I arrived that day. Rarity was even the first person I met who actually helped me. And things got so much better so fast after that. All because of them." I spoke softly, losing myself in the memories of that day. I honestly cannot imagine what I would do if I lost them.

Mitta sighed while showing a slight smile. "I know… I think Rarity really misses you sometimes."

I was hardly surprised to hear that, considering that she and Mitta are housemates. "Really? Do tell."

My friend went on to explain. "She sometimes tells me things that happened while you were living with her. And… I think she longs for you at times, James. Sometimes, when she thinks she's alone, I catch her just looking at the bracelet she always wears. I always leave her be when I find her like that though."

That reawakened a feeling in my heart from earlier that day. And you probably know why. "I'm not surprised. She and I had a long talk this morning before she left."

"Is everything OK with her?" Mitta asked with a look of concern.

I nodded while giving her a warm smile. "Oh, don't worry. Everything's fine between us. Never better, actually."

It was then that the waiter came back over to us with our food being carefully balanced on a tray he was carrying atop his head. Ever so carefully, he tilted it down to the table and slid the plates and even the glass of water and bottles of cider and sarsaparilla off without spilling a drop. I was very tempted to applaud at such a masterful display of balance, but withheld it in the end considering that it is likely all in a day's work for him.

Our conversation was temporarily halted by the arrival of our food. Neither of us wasted any time in digging in. We would occasionally briefly chat with each other between bites though. In all, it was a delicious meal. Everything was cooked to gourmet levels. Now you know why it is my favorite lunch spot in town.

"Mmm, that was all great. I should come by here more often." Mitta spoke after suppressing a belch.

"Yeah, great stuff. Let me know next time you want to meet up here. I always take my lunch breaks here at noon during the weekdays." I replied, chugging the rest of my water to wash down my sarsaparilla.

Mitta stood up from her hay pile and pulled a stack of bits out of her saddlebag, which she was still wearing from earlier. I did the same, pulling some bits out of my pocket and leaving them on the table along with a few extra as a tip for the clockwork service. "Thanks for dining with me today, James. I should get back home now though. Rarity left me with a list of things to do today, so I should finish it before she gets back."

I nodded and held my dear friend in my arms for one last hug. "It was a pleasure, Mitta. Take care and I'll see you later." I watched as my friend trotted away, leaving me alone once more.

Very soon, I found that feeling of loneliness sinking in again. Why? I know I have plenty of friends in town. And yet I just felt so empty… Like that way you feel when snowed in after a blizzard. You may have plenty of things around to keep you occupied while waiting for the snow to clear up or melt, but your interests just cannot focus on it.

I just took a walk through town to clear my head and try to find something to do or a friend to be with. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are still in school at the moment, so I cannot really spend time with them there. Big Macintosh never has much to say and is likely too busy minding the apple stall. In fact, he is probably in the process of packing the whole thing up for the evening. And Derpy… Oh, right.

It turns out that I caught sight of Derpy walking through town. But like before, she seemed very down about something. Her eyes showed the same depressed expression as before. Her head was hanging low and she did not seem to be very aware of what was going around her. Seeing Derpy depressed is a very… Actually, rare does not do it justice. I have never seen that mare look down about anything, especially for this long. As much as I wanted to help her, I was not certain of how to approach her. So I decided to leave her be and continue on.

After a short while of aimless wandering through town, I decided to take a stroll through the park. As it turned out, the whole place was just as lively as before. That is to say, not lively at all. I was not entirely what to feel. Disappointed, or relieved. With no one I knew around, I decided to go straight to my favorite spot. The local pond.

I found the pond to be deserted of any ponies to talk to, which was mostly fine with me. Those who visit the pond usually do it to feed the fish and relax. I marched right over to the sack of food pellets and sat down beside it. It seemed Fluttershy had recently restocked it since it was filled nearly to the brim. I reached into the sack and tossed them towards the water. Just like always, some fish leaped out of the water to catch some while the rest dropped to the water below only to be steadily devoured by the fish below.

I repeated the process a few times, though I would be lying if I said I was really enjoying myself. My boredom and loneliness steadily sank into irritation. And finally it dissolved into mild anger, though mostly towards myself. Finally, I let out a loud sigh and fell onto my back. "Oh my god. I am so freaking bored!"

My eyes watched the clouds lazily drifting overhead for a moment. "I hope you girls are having fun out there…" I muttered while sighing once more. By then, I was honestly regretting having stayed behind. I no longer cared whether or not the Best Young Fliers Competition would interest me. I just wanted to be with them.

"Is it wrong that I never get tired of being around you girls?" I asked, not really expecting an answer. My mind wandered. And out of nowhere, I had an idea. I sat up abruptly, a smile creeping across my face. "Wait a sec… What about my…armor?"

Of course. My winged armor that I had received from Celestia and Luna on the night of Nightmare Moon's return. I could use that to fly to Cloudsdale on my own! And if memory serves, I was told I am free to do with it as I please. So surely borrowing it for one afternoon would not be a problem with the royal sisters. And since the armor gives its wearer pegasus capabilities, I would not have to ever worry about falling through the clouds Cloudsdale is made out of.

"Well, guess it's time to pay Canterlot a visit." I spoke to myself while climbing to my feet. I then snatched up one last handful of food pellets and cast them to the fish in the pond before turning to leave. I made certain to check my pockets to make certain I had enough bits on hand to afford a train ticket.

I walked at a brisker pace than I usually do, hoping to get to the train station in as little time as possible. Hopefully I would not be too late since the train from Ponyville to Canterlot is pretty close to being an hour long per trip. It would probably be faster if the train was not steam powered, but it does make for a very scenic ride and is just brimming with atmosphere and a nostalgic presence… Oh, I rambled on there, did I not? Sorry. It is just that I, like most children, had quite a fascination with trains while growing up. I suppose I still do to a certain degree.

In any case, I ended up passing by Sugarcube Corner on my to the train station. By then I had gained a bit of an appetite, so I decided to stop by for a snack before continuing on my way. Upon entry, I found Mrs. Cake minding the storefront. "Oh, welcome back, James! Can I get you anything?"

"Just a moment please. I'd like to see what's out here first before I decide." I replied, my eyes scanning the display trays inside the mostly glass counter. There were cookies, muffins, cupcakes, pound cakes, and even the ever-popular chocolate drops. "Those chocolate drops really hit it off big, didn't they?"

My employer gave me a very broad grin. "Oh, they've being our #1 seller for a few months now! I rarely go a day without selling our entire daily stock. Would you like one?" I was about to reply before I noticed something off to my side. To my right at the far end of the storefront was Derpy Hooves once again. Much like the previous times I had seen her that day, she seemed absolutely miserable. She was seated on a stool while slouched over the table, her chin resting on the tabletop with her forelegs hanging straight down. She seemed oblivious to my presence.

Not wanting to alert her just yet, I whispered to Mrs. Cake. "Excuse me, but is there something wrong with Derpy over there?"

Mrs. Cake leaned over the counter to get a better look at the pegasus seated at the far end of the room. "Oh, the poor dear. She came in around ten minutes ago. She asked if she could just rest here for a while, so I gave her permission to make herself at home. She hasn't bought anything, which is a little odd since she rarely walks out of here without getting a muffin or two."

I looked over at Derpy once more. I have been in Ponyville for months now. And now that I think about it… Derpy is one of the most unconditionally happy ponies I know. Perhaps the only other pony I know you is more consistently cheerful is Pinkie Pie. This was a first that I had ever seen her looking so down. Whatever the reason, it must have been bad.

I leaned towards Mrs. Cake and whispered my order. "One chocolate drop and two blueberry muffins. For here, please."

"All right, dear. Just a moment." She replied before placing a plastic tray onto the counter and taking the items I requested out of the display case built into the counter and placing them on it. "Employees get a discount, so that'll be three bits, please."

I reached into my pocket and placed the three coins on the counter. "Thanks, Mrs. Cake. These look awesome." I could see bits of sugar sprinkled atop the muffins and could even feel a bit of heat coming from them. They must have been taken out of the oven not even thirty minutes before I arrived.

After taking the tray in hand, I quietly approached Derpy Hooves. Although I really wanted to get to Cloudsdale as quickly as possible, I wanted to at least try to cheer her up. And I know she cannot resist muffins. Once I drew near her, I placed one of the muffins on the table beside her head.

Derpy's yellow eye glanced in the direction the muffin was resting in before opening a bit wider. Her eye then looked up towards me. I gave her a small smile before asking, "May I have this seat?"

She looked back at the muffin before looking back up at me. At first, it seemed that Derpy could not find any words to speak. She did eventually give me a nod, apparently giving me permission to share the table. I then sat down across from her on another stool before placing my tray of remaining treats on the table. "Are you OK?" I finally asked. She was not even trying to touch the muffin I had just given her.

Finally, the mailmare let out a sigh. "You must think I'm just a big klutz who can't do anything right…"

I certainly did not expect that. It felt extremely out of character for Derpy to sound so pessimistic. "Derpy, that sounds more like something I would say on a day my self-esteem is at a record low. Are you OK?"

"But it's true, right?" Derpy asked again without even really looking at me.

I decided to be honest with her. "Well… You do live up to your name. You tend to be a bit of a derp from time to time."

This prompted tears to start spilling forth from her eyes. It… I honestly cannot tell you how much it hurt to see that happen to her. "So it's true… I am nothing but a klutz…"

"Derpy, listen to me." I spoke a more boldly than I usually do. This seemed to silence her since she did not speak up afterward. "You may derp things up now and again, but I cannot ever recall seeing you do it in a way that made me feel anger. Moore often than not, I either chuckled or smiled. You do it in a very endearing way most of the time. Everyone has flaws, Derpy. It's just that your flaw tends to make people grin. You're not a bad person."

My words did not seem to help cheer her up at all. She then spoke softly while her head rolled onto its side. "Well, nopony was smiling this time…"

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" I asked, wondering what had occurred. It must have been extremely bad for her to be that depressed about it.

Derpy let out a long sigh before she began to explain. "It happened this morning at the post office. I was sorting packages near a conveyor belt and… I just don't know what went wrong…" I heard her sniffle for a moment before continuing. "My boss was pretty upset. I tend to make mistakes every now and then, but he has always been really understanding and patient with me. But… It was really bad this time. I'm currently on leave for the rest of the week…"

"Well, at least you weren't fired." I spoke in the hopes of lifting her spirits. I do not know how post offices work or what happens behind the counter, but it must have been quite a mess to clean up.

"Uh huh… I'll be back to work next week… But what really made it hurt… There are a few workers there who always poke fun at me because of how clumsy I am sometimes. And this time, they really didn't hold back… I know I'm a klutz… They don't need to rub it in…"

How absolutely childish. Grown adults teasing another for a flaw she is all too aware of? Truth be told, it had been a while since I had last felt that disgusted towards. "They sound like a bunch of hacks who are lucky to have the jobs they do." I spoke bluntly.

"But they always do their jobs well…" Derpy retorted with a very glum tone. Either she was upset at herself or was simply jealous.

"Well, I would rather have you in my company than them. At least you don't judge other people for their faults." I spoke honestly while eating my chocolate drop. "You think I don't have flaws? We all got them, Derpy. The important thing is that we should always have more positive qualities than negative. And you certainly do."

Derpy's eyes opened wider before she raised her head to look at me. Her expression seemed to show a display of mild surprise. My gaze at her was stern. I was really not feeling happy after hearing that confession. Not towards her, of course, but towards the jerks who made her cry. "You…really mean that?"

"Do I look like I'm in the mood to joke around?" I replied dryly without a hint of humor in my tone.

Derpy just gazed at me for a moment before leaving her stool and walking over to me. She then surprised me by wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace before burying her face into my chest. "Thank you…"

I stroked her mane with my spare hand to comfort her. "You're my friend, Derpy. I'm glad I can be here for you."

We stayed there for a moment. Derpy never once loosened her grip on me. And I never stopped stroking her mane. I admit now that Derpy and I certainly are not the closest of friends, but she is indeed a friend nonetheless and I do truly care for her. She is…that special little friend that you do not interact much with, but just seeing her out there puts a smile on your face.

After a few minutes, I finally heard Derpy speak. "I think I feel better now." She then pulled away from me and showed that her tears had been dried. I also happened to notice that her eyes, which had been 'derped' mere moments ago, were now both looking directly me.

"I'm glad you're OK now… But…uh… I just noticed your eyes again. You said before that they are a sort of on and off thing?" I asked, curious of exactly how her loopy eyes work.

Derpy had to suppress a giggle before she spoke, clearly in better spirits now that I had helped get her mind off of what was bothering her earlier. "Oh, I guess I should explain a bit better. You see, my left eye is completely normal. But very often my right… Oh, there it goes again!"

While she was in the middle of speaking, the large iris of her right eye began to slowly slide off to the upper left section of her eye. "Are you telling me you have no control over that?"

"That's what I meant by the 'on and off' thing a while back! My right eye just likes to wander now and then. But if I really need to focus on one thing, all I have to do is concentrate and…" Derpy explained before the iris slowly became realigned with her left. "There we go! My left eye always looks where I want, but my right just likes to wander a lot."

"In other words, it's not a lazy eye, but an adventurous eye." I replied in an attempt to be witty about it. That retort got a pretty decent giggle out of her. I then asked, "Is that a handy trait to have?"

Derpy nodded while her right eye began to wander once more. "It does. I often notice things right out of the corner of my vision that I would miss otherwise if my right eye always looked where my left does. It lets me notice things I would normally miss. Like right now… Those shoes you're wearing don't have laces."

She was not even looking down at my feet and she could see them. "Yeah, I prefer shoes without laces. That's not to say I can't tie a knot, but the laces can always come undone or even get snagged on something."

The two of us found ourselves lost in conversation while Derpy returned to her seat and began to snack on the muffin I had provided her. Eventually, she finally asked, "Say, James? You have the day off, right?"

I decided to not inform her of my intention to go to Canterlot. I would have probably been on my way up there by train at that time if I had not seen Derpy sulking in the storefront's corner. "Yeah. Mr. and Mrs. Cake gave me the go-ahead to take the day off."

Derpy then gave me an awkward smile while gently pushing her half eaten muffin around the table with a hoof. "Well… I can't go back to work for the rest of the week too… I don't wanna be any trouble, but…" She then gave me a pleading gaze and asked, "Could I just hang out with you for a while?"

I really was not expecting that request at all. But I could see why Derpy wanted my company. She was probably still feeling rather down and just wanted a good friend by her side until she had fully recovered from the incident at work that morning. Of course, I was not entirely certain I wanted to agree. I still wanted to be with my friends and get over to Cloudsdale right away. But Derpy… She clearly needed someone.

"Well… I sort of had plans… But maybe…" I muttered, trying to decide on what to do. Oh, who am I kidding. The train ride takes a while to get up to Canterlot, and then I would have to navigate the city to reach the palace, and then I would have to search the northern skies for Cloudsdale. And considering the fact that I have never seen it or even know how far away it might be, the entire Best Young Fliers Competition might be over by the time I arrive. Or maybe… Ugh, it was so hard to choose! Either way, I was going to regret some part of my decision…

Finally, against my better interests, I sighed and gave her a nod. "Sure. I'll stick with you for the day. It'll be a day with the local derp."

Derpy thankfully did not take that the wrong way and gave me a huge grin. "Thank you! Um… May I finish my muffin first before we do anything?"

"By all means, go ahead. I'll wait." I replied while watching the goofy pegasus mare devour the rest of her muffin in just a couple of bites. "So, what's first?"

"Uh… I don't know. Wanna just take a walk?" She replied with a sheepish grin. I suppose even Derpy does not get very many days of if she was not certain of what to do with her free time.

"A walk sounds fine." I replied while climbing to my feet. After Derpy and I cast out muffin wrappers into the nearest wastebasket, we stepped outside Sugarcube Corner. With most of the local food stalls having sold all their produce and closed up shop for the day at that time, the usual afternoon lull in activities had begun.

"Sooo… Where do we go?" Derpy asked while looking up at me.

"I have no idea. I guess just go wherever while taking in the afternoon calm." I replied while glancing around as a warm summer breeze blew through the air. I decided to let Derpy lead while I followed. It was a fairly quiet walk with the warm summer heat being cast upon us with hardly a cloud in the sky. I felt exceptionally relaxed. Like a slow summer day where you want to just hang out in a hammock and chill. Or maybe it was just my way of coping with not having my dearest friends around.

Every now and then, Derpy and I would break the silence with short conversation. She seemed very calm in my presence and was significantly more relaxed than when I had first seen her that day. Eventually, we entered an area of Ponyville I had never entered before. Largely because it is a good distance away from anything relevant to my daily routines, and largely because I simply had no business there. But I suddenly glanced about as a type of sound entered my ears that I had not heard for quite a while. "Is that…chiptune music?"

Derpy glanced around and pointed in one direction. "Huh? You mean over there?" When I glanced in the direction she was pointing in, I saw something I never thought I would see in Equestria. An outdoor video game arcade.

"Dang, I haven't seen a fully functional arcade in ages!" I spoke up before approaching it. Derpy stayed close behind me while I drew near. There seemed to be several game cabinets and even a crane game, though a couple of them were not in use. Since today is a school day, there were not any fillies or colts to be seen and the games were mostly being used by adult stallions. I am not one to judge though. Lots of adults play video games where I come from and I am one of them. Judging by the symphony of beeps and hums being blared from the cabinets' speakers, I suppose the games that were available were 8-bit and 16-bit. Ah, the glory days of the gaming industry… Oh, sorry. Got really nostalgic right there.

"You play video games, James?" Derpy asked while looking around with me.

"Well, I used to be a pretty obsessive gamer back in my younger days. I still used to play games frequently as an adult, though not as frequently since my interests started to broaden. I hardly play them at all today, probably because of just how distracted I am by everything else in town." I explained, my nerves getting hit with a huge nostalgia rush from the sights and sounds around me.

After a minute of looking around, I heard a voice to my left that sounded far too young to be an adult. "No! I've been at this for a full hour! I can make it…"

Derpy and I turned to face the source of the voice and found what seemed to be a young colt seated on a stool before a relatively wide arcade cabinet. Judging by the fact that it had a total of four joysticks and two buttons beside each, it was game that supports four-player co-op, as I would soon discover. Judging by the action that was happening onscreen, the game seemed to be a side-scrolling shmup crossed with a beat-em-up. Also, 'shmup' is gamer lingo for 'shoot-em-up'. The view seemed to be from the side while also having something of an isometric viewpoint since the player could move left and right as well as toward and away from the player. It seemed to have something of a medieval theme to it, understandable when you consider Equestria's society. But whatever the case, the colt's character's life bar was way in the red.

"No! Not now! No no no… Noooohoooo!" I heard the colt wail as his character finally dropped. Two words that always strike a bitter feeling in the heart of any gamer flowed across the screen in large red letters. GAME OVER. And he was taking it pretty hard while lightly thumping his head into the cabinet's control deck. "Not fair… I never make it past this part! I swear this game cheats!"

I decided to take a step forward. From what I could see by looking at the very top of the arcade cabinet, the game's title was 'Equestrian Heroes'. I then spoke, "Yeah, it's pretty hard to get through games like this without losing once. You pretty much just have to make sure you have enough coins on hand to keep you going."

The colt then turned to look at me and let out a yelp, apparently not expecting me to be there and more than likely because he never sees humans around. He was startled so badly that he rolled backwards off of the stool and onto his belly. "Whoa, I almost never get that reaction anymore." I spoke with a chuckle while hoping the kid did not hurt himself.

He then jumped up and pointed his hoof at me before he started barking some…really weird gibberish that I honestly cannot even try to write down. It was a language that sounded completely alien to me. I then turned to Derpy and asked, "Any idea what he said?"

Derpy raised her wings in such a way that looked like someone raising their hands while shrugging their shoulders. "I don't have a clue."

I then looked back at the kid and looked him over. I certainly had never seen him around before. Or perhaps I have seen him so infrequently that I simply do not recall having ever laid eyes on him before. He was very young, probably even the same age as the Cutie Mark Crusaders. His coat was a light shade of brown and his mane and relatively short tail seemed to be two shades of light mahogany. His eyes were a gradient shade of orange, growing from darker to brighter from top to bottom if that makes any sense. He seemed to lack a cutie mark at the time, which seems to not be unusual for the younger kids. To top things off, he was wearing a cute beanie hat on his head with alternating broad strips of red, light yellow, and light orange with a propeller of sorts on the top consisting of four flaps set vertically to catch wind. It was constantly spinning at a moderate speed. Certainly a cute little lad.

He looked at me for a moment, apparently realizing that his bizarre gibberish was not registering with me. "Uh… You don't speak Humgonian?"

"I…beg your pardon?" I asked, even more baffled by what this kid was getting at.

Derpy then stepped forward and spoke to him, apparently knowing him to some small degree. "Oh, he doesn't know anything about those comic books you read. I've never mailed anything from E.C. Comics to him, so I know." Oh, that is right. Fluttershy's house has been part of Derpy's mail route since shortly after I moved in with her. And considering that we know each other on a somewhat personal level, it is not surprising that she pays extra attention to the return addresses on anything that arrives for me.

"Oh! Hi, Miss Derpy! This your friend?" The colt asked before extending his hoof to me, apparently for a hoof shake. "I've seen you around before, mister. Wow, you're big…"

I got down on one knee so I could reach him and grasped his little hoof in my hand before briefly shaking it. "I think I may have seen you around at times too. That beanie of yours is easy to spot, now that I think about it. The name's James."

"It's cool to meet you, James! I'm Button Mash." The colt replied with a wide grin. I honestly stared at him for a few seconds without a word. Button Mash? That is his name? Well, it is rather obvious what his cutie mark will probably turn out to be! A good old D-pad. Of course, I did not tell him that. It would be more satisfying for him to figure it out on his own.

"Button Mash, huh? I think I know what your favorite activity is." I spoke with a cheeky grin on my face. But it was then I realized something. "Wait a second… Shouldn't you be in school right now?"

Button Mash wasted no time in providing me with an explanation… Button Mash… I am sorry, but there is no way anyone who is a video gamer cannot find that to be somewhat humorous to say. Anyway, he spoke, "Oh, I'm staying home since I have a dentist appointment today. But I still have an hour or two before my mom comes by to pick me up. Only… That was my last bit…"

My eyes then scanned the control deck of the arcade machine again. "Four joysticks and sets of buttons… This supports co-op?"

The little gamer colt nodded readily. "Yeah! Only I never have anypony here to play with me, so I'm always on my own. This game is tough as nails when it's just you with no backup!"

I then cracked a smirk before looking down at Derpy. She seemed to know where I was going with this and gave me a googly-eyed smirk of her own. I then reached into my pocket and pulled out a bit. "How does three player co-op sound?"

That face… Button's jaw just dropped as he looked up at me. "You mean it?! You'll play too?! I thought most adults don't play video games."

"Hey, I'm still young. And the beauty behind games like these is that anyone can enjoy them. And I practically grew up on these." I replied before moving his stool to the side so I had better access to the control deck.

"Wow! Awesome! You're cool, you know that?!" Button shouted before jumping up onto his stool.

"Save some for me!" Derpy spoke up while she sat to my left in front of the joystick and buttons that were at the leftmost edge of the control deck.

However, just before I could pass Button an extra bit to start the game with us, a voice spoke up from behind with a…remarkably sweet motherly tone. "Having fun, Button? Just remember that we have to leave for the appointment in another hour and a half."

When I turned to look at who was speaking, I saw…quite possibly the single most attractive earth pony mare I have ever seen in my life. Her eyes were a beautiful gradient shade of greenish blue. Her mane and tail were both a lovely brunette color and were tied with a red ribbon with her mane hanging down the side of her head. Her coat seemed to be a light…tan? Very light orange? I am not certain. Her cutie mark consisted of a half-filled baby bottle with a large pink heart peeking out from behind it. But more than anything… Those eyes. The way they were looking at us was just filled with such tenderness. Even before I said anything to her, I felt myself drawn to her. She must be a very sweet and likeable woman. She seemed to have a white purse hanging from her shoulder, an unusual sight since most ponies tend to use saddlebags for transporting any and all goods.

"Hi, Mom! What's up? Miss Derpy and Mr. James were about to join in for some fun!" Button Mash spoke up while looking past me and waving. That was his mother?! I may as well say it now to get it out of the way. Whoever his father is, he is one lucky stallion.

His mother let out a brief adorable giggle before speaking, "Well, hello, Miss Derpy! I didn't know you had a thing for these games."

Derpy replied in kind and explained, "Well, I had a rough morning, so my friend James is hanging out with me to try to make the day better. Have you met him?"

I remained completely silent, not certain of how to introduce myself. I admit I was feeling rather nervous in front of that gorgeous mare. I… Well, I may as well say it. Even though Rarity definitely is more attractive from a glance and Fluttershy has impressive looks that compliment her very tender nature, this mare… Everything about her just came together as an amazing whole. It was hard to not feel some form of attraction to her! And I certainly did not want to leave a bad first impression. So I waited for an opportunity to speak.

Button's mother looked at me and gave me a tender motherly smile. "Oh, I think I've seen you around a few times, but never had the chance to meet you. You're very easy to spot when you're the tallest person in town. And your name is James?"

I nodded and reached my hand out to her to shake her hoof. "It's a pleasure, Miss…uh…"

She closed her eyes for a moment as an amused giggle reverberated in her throat while she extended her hoof and placed it in my grasp. "Eleina, James. I know it's different from most other names you would normally hear in Equestria, but I hope you'll be able to remember it."

Eleina? That was certainly not a name I would expect to hear. It sounds more like a name that you would hear on Earth. "Miss Eleina? Well, it's an odd name to hear in Ponyville, but it does sound lovely. I'll try to remember it."

Button's mo… I mean Eleina gave me a sweet smile and spoke, "You're very sweet, James. It's a pleasure to meet you too. Has Button been giving you any trouble?"

I glanced back over at the colt to my right who was fidgeting with impatience. He clearly just wanted to get back in the game. I then looked back at his mother and smiled. "I've only known him for the past few minutes, but he seems like a fun kid. We were just about enjoy some three player co-op… But now that I think about it…" I then looked past Button Mash to see a forth set of buttons and joystick. "We have enough room to step it up to a four player game."

The look that spread over her face was hilarious to watch. "Me?! But… I still have some errands to run…"

Button seemed to like the idea I had though. He spoke with a huge grin, "Come on, Mom! I know you and Dad used to play stuff like this all the time!"

Derpy seemed rather surprised too and asked, "Really?! You're an old pro too?!"

Eleina seemed rather embarrassed and grinned nervously. "Well, it's true. My husband and I used to play the oldest games pretty often. But when Button came into our lives, we had to put those aside to focus on parenting."

"The really retro stuff? You don't happen to have a Brown Box in your possession, do you?" I asked, prompting baffled expressions from all three ponies.

Button, apparently casting my words to the wind, spoke up again. "Uh… Yeah, what he said! Come on, Mom! Don't you wanna play too?"

Eleina seemed to debate with herself for a moment. "Well… I think… Oh, why not? I suppose I can enjoy a quick game with you dears."

"All right, Mrs. Mash!" Derpy exclaimed while she and Eleina shared what seemed to be a hoof bump. Once she had taken her seat to Button's right, Eleina pulled six bits from her purse and divided them into two stacks. They were both placed just under the cabinet's screen. One stack for button and one for herself.

"We don't have all afternoon, so let's limit our bits to just three per player." Eleina spoke while passing one more to Button so he could start the game.

"Sounds smart to me." I replied while pulling out eight bits and making two stacks of three. I then passed one of the remaining two in my hand to Derpy. "OK, everyone. Put your game faces on."

All three of the ponies glanced at me for a second before looking back at the screen with determined eyes and confident smirks while each placed one hoof on the top of the joysticks before them. It was rather funny to see those looks on Derpy and Eleina. I could tell we were in for a fun time.

One by one, we each rolled a bit into the coin slot below the control deck. "I hope you brought you're a game today, Mr. James!" Button spoke as he started the game up with a press of a button.

"Careful, kid. I'm no noob. You're talking to a seasoned pro with probably three times as much experience under your belt than you." I replied, starting to get in touch with my inner for the first time in quite a long while. Was I making too big of a deal out of the whole thing? Sorry about that, but you would understand if you grew up on the stuff too.

"No squabbling now, everypony. We've got a game to play." Eleina spoke up with a confident grin. Her words seemed to keep Button Mash quiet. We were then brought to what seemed to be a player select screen. There were four characters to choose from, each surrounded by a tall rectangular border. The far left, which Derpy was sitting before, was red, while mine was blue. Button's, who was sitting to my right, was yellow, and his mother's was green. I tried moving the joystick, which caused the character in the window to change. This also caused one of the characters in the other three windows to change as well. Seems two players cannot play as the same character.

"Ooh, a paladin? I call dibs on this one!" I spoke up when my border swapped to what seemed to be a heavily armored earth pony stallion. He was covered head to hoof with shining silver plate armor, a great silvery gray kite shield affixed to his left foreleg while a shining silver sword with a gold crossguard was attached to his right. He seemed to be standing in a rather stalwart pose, giving a good view of his armored form. While I could make out his bold red eyes, his helmet concealed his mane. How, his tail could be seen, which was a shade of navy blue, as was the galea on his helmet, which bore a resemblance to those worn by the royal guards in Canterlot. What also surprised me was that he seemed to be standing in a bipedal stance instead of a usual quadruped stance. I suppose that should not be surprising since I know the ponies of Equestria can stand on just their hind legs and can even walk on them. I was also surprised by the detail of the image. Even though it was clearly just a sprite, the stallion before me could have easily passed for a photograph.

"Ooh, I'm liking this one! I'll take the berserker!" Derpy spoke up before making her choice. The character within the red rectangular borders before her seemed to depict a pegasus mare like her. The hairstyle of the pony was rather wild and unkempt, as I would expect from someone with the title of 'berserker'. She seemed to be in a rearing pose, her wings held high while seemingly clutching some rather hefty and gnarled bronze war axes that seemed to have heads as large as her own. Her torso and shins were covered in some rather tough looking bronze armor and greaves, though she seemed to be a more offense-oriented fighter overall due to her armor not being as thorough as my character's. She only had a read headband tied around her forehead.

"That's one mean looking mare you've picked, Derpy. What about you, Button? What's left to choose from?" I spoke up before glancing over to Button, who seemed to be having some trouble deciding on the last two choices. I also noticed a timer of sorts above the very center of the row of colored borders. It was in bold yellow numbers and was counting down. When I glanced up, it seemed to be on the number 20 before dropping down slowly. Curse these arcade cabinets and their ever-present time restrictions…

"Uh… I'm stuck between the archer and mage… I dunno what to choose!" He replied while tilting his joystick back and forth. "I always choose the berserker because I like the big axes!"

Upon catching sight of the 'archer' character, I spoke up instantly. "Button, choose the archer! That guy looks more your style!" The archer seemed to be a noticeably smaller than average pegasus stallion with an olive drab coat and a windswept orange mane and tail. Judging by his smaller stature, he must be a speedy character that would probably fit well with a younger inexperienced gamer like Button Mash and help him stay out of reach. The archer seemed to be holding a longbow in his ankle joint that seemed to be as tall as he was. A quiver of arrows was on his back while his body was wrapped in what seemed to be a flexible yet durable layer of leather armor. Atop his head was what seemed to be a type of Tyrolean flat with a very short brim with the edges at the sides curled upward with a white feather seemingly stuck in it, completing the archer's 'forest bowman' motif.

"Huh? Really?! If you say so!" Button replied before pressing a button to make his selection… Heh, a Button pressed a button. What silly irony.

"Well, I guess that leaves me with the mage." Eleina spoke without the slightest hint of dissatisfaction. The character in the green rectangular frame at the far right seemed to show a beautiful white unicorn mare with a long flowing black mane and tail. Clutched in her ankle joint was a wooden staff with a large blue orb embedded at the top. Her deep blue eyes showed a very strong allure, fitting for her 'enchanting' style of game play. I swear, I would not be surprised if Eleina herself served as the inspiration for her design. The mage even seemed to be playing to Eleina's own personality in some way. It felt as if we all had chosen the characters that best matched our personalities and styles.

"OK then, let's roll." I spoke up while the screen faded to black. We all sat still and watched the opening cinematic. It seemed to show the environment from an angle that definitely seemed to fit a beat-em-up type of game. It seemed to display a forest path with the screen scrolling to the left. The lighting seemed to show the late evening judging but the orange glow of the setting sun. However, as the area became gradually darker, and by gradual I mean at a rather breakneck descent, a handful of pixilated ponies came charging from the right while seemingly yelling in terror, their voices noticeably digitized. Shortly behind them, skeletal creatures of varying designs, though most seemed to be equine in structure, shambled across the screen and to the left while the screen followed them.

"Uh oh, we've gotta take on a bunch of boneheads, huh?" Derpy asked while looking a tad worried.

"Skeletons? How original, that's never been done before." I replied with silly sarcasm. But who am I kidding? Games like this never really get old. Especially when played with friends. Finally, the undead minions seemed to stop before what looked like the wooden gate of a forest settlement. The screen stopped scrolling as well. But just as they charged ahead, something seemed to jump down from just off the edge of the screen and blew the first skeletal pony apart with a swing of its sword. The many bones spiraled and skipped around on the screen before flickering and soon disappearing. The character in question who had just made the first move was my character, the paladin.

"Oh yeah, Sir James leads the charge!" Button shouted in glee, but he fell silent when what seemed to be the archer character swing in on a tree vine before letting go and rapidly firing off a trio of arrows that shot the skulls off the tops of a few of the skeletons before landing. Like the first one, they soon flickered and vanished.

"Nice shooting, Button! Whoa, there I am!" Derpy then called out as the berserker character leaped out of some bushes at the bottom edge of the screen and smashed both axes down into the nearest skeleton, which seemed to be that of a manticore. The poor sucker was reduced to a pile of bones and white powder before flickering away into digital oblivion.

"And now it's my character's turn." Eleina spoke with a sly smirk. The few remaining undead minions were suddenly engulfed in towers of fire before collapsing into piles of ash that soon flickered away into nothingness. The mage character herself then seemed to appear from nowhere beside the archer with a spiral of swirling wind before landing on her hooves. Just after that, the profiles of our characters appeared at the top of the screen with green health bars. I suppose that was the cue for us to begin playing. The rather blood-pumpingly awesome music that started playing definitely sounded like something out of a 16-bit machine and the pixilated characters and environments were extremely detailed. You could really see the sheer quality in effort the designers must have put into it. A shame I cannot say the same about most mainstream games these days back where I come from.

"Careful! A whole bunch of slow guys are gonna come charging at us up ahead!" Button spoke while his character charged ahead.

"Don't tell us how things will go, Button. It'll be more enjoyable if we experience it like you did the first time. Just make sure you watch our backs." I replied, not knowing what to expect despite finding myself already having fun.

As we trudged to the right, I quickly found that each of our characters had different movement speeds. The archer, being the young pegasus he seemed to be, moved along the ground at roughly twice the speed my character was moving. The mage seemed to be galloping along with serene grace, her hooded robe flapping in the breeze. Since she seems to travel light, it is no surprise she was second from the top in movement. The paladin was understandably slower than them due to being on two legs and not four, having to sacrifice speed for strong offense and defense. But I was especially surprised to see that the berserker was the slowest of the bunch despite being a pegasus. I suppose those heavy axes in her wings were weighing her down a bit. But with great loss of speed usually comes massive offensive power. And anyone can tell you that axes hit harder than swords.

Before long, more shambling skeletal creatures wandered in from the right side of the screen. As if to tell us that we had to take these out first, the screen also stopped scrolling. I suppose I got a little too into the game at that moment since I called out, "All right, lads! Have at thee!" I heard Eleina let out a little snicker at my words.

Since this was the first wave, I decided to experiment with my character's capabilities. My sword had some reasonable reach and packed some noticeable power. The paladin would perform two slashes and then end the combo with a piercing thrust that would scatter the creature's bony remains everywhere before they flickered and vanished. I also found entirely by accident that if I tried to attack a foe that was in the process of preparing to lash out, my character would do a sudden shield smack and follow it up with a deadly blow that would drop the creature instantly. A tricky riposte attack. I also found that when standing stationary, any attacks from the front that would connect would be blocked with my shield. Minor attacks did nothing, but attacks that would normally knock my character down would seemingly shave off 1% of my health bar. I also found that while being struck, I could not move and my character seemed to vibrate rapidly. That right there is probably the single deadliest flaw to the paladin. While powerful and balanced and having great defense, I could get paralyzed by harmless frontal attacks and be blindsided from behind by another enemy. This truly is not a game to be played alone.

Once I had gotten a feel for my controls, which is saying something because I extremely rarely played anything with a sturdy joystick with a large spherical top and two buttons back home, I paid close attention to Derpy's character. Whenever she took a hit, her health bar seemed to lose a bit more of its green than mine did, leading me to suspect that her less concealing armor resulted in weaker defenses. What was more, her axes had a slower speed than my sword, resulting in taking maybe a half second longer to finish a combo and leaving herself open half a second longer after it ended. Still, I could almost feel the impact of each strike. Her range was clearly shorter than mine, but it was obvious her attacks hit harder than mine as well. The smaller enemies were destroyed after only two swings instead of a full combo. And unlike my sword, which made a clean slicing sound with each hit, hers packed a rather harsh crunching sound. Like mine, her character would make a broad swing with one axe followed by another from the other axe. The finisher looked really potent, where she would bring both axes down together onto the foe in front of her and even smash the edges into the ground. The 'death' animations would also differ if that happened. Instead of being scattered all over, they would be smashed to a pile of bones and dust like in the opening cinematic. "Man, you really derped them up!"

Derpy turned to me and gave me a big toothy grin. "Yup! Looks like my derping around came in handy for once… Whoa! Close one!" She suddenly attacked another skeletal enemy that was coming up from the bottom of the screen. "Phew! My right eye noticed that one at the last second!"

"Heh, guess having an adventurous eye can be an asset!" I replied, actually rather impressed that her goofy eyes could notice things before the rest of us could.

"Yeah, take that, you boneheads! Wanna taste some arrow?!" Button Mash kept ranting while really going to town on the first wave of enemies. It was then that I was seeing the 'shoot-em-up' concepts of the game being put to use. Instead of striking up close, the archer was bombarding the enemies across the screen with a steady stream of arrows. It would seem that for the archer, the melee and projectile priorities are reversed. He could even stay focusing on one direction while continuously firing by holding the button down to fly up and down the playing field while hovering. Of course, his small size made him difficult to hit as long as he stayed on the move. But in the occasion where he did get struck, I noticed his health bar lose more green than either mine or Derpy's. I suppose the archer, being a long-range specialist and being the smallest and most fragile of the four, would naturally have the poorest endurance. However, I also saw that his small size and presumably light weight could be useful when under attack. There were times when the blows from his enemies would actually push him out of range, causing the rest of the combo to be wasted and saving him from the harder hitting final blow. I also witnessed a little trick that I would find only the archer could do. While stuck in a combo, the archer suddenly lashed out with a dagger being held in his teeth, striking the enemy five times extremely quickly and knocking it away. However, the creature was not finished off by that combo.

"Whoa, combo breaker!" I could not help exclaiming upon seeing that close call. "Just be careful there, Button. Try hanging back and giving us some fire support. Stay out of close range scuffles. Your character isn't meant for it."

"OK, got it!" Button replied quickly while moving his character away from the remaining undead minions while continuing to pepper them with arrows. He seemed to listen to every suggestion I made without objection, probably because of my greater experience in gaming. Anyway, his arrows seemed to do a bit more damage than the dagger. I suspect the archer's sub par melee skills were meant more for interrupting and pushing enemies away rather than dispatching them.

Lastly, I turned my gaze towards Eleina's character. She was being surprisingly focused and silent while playing, probably to help get her back into the feel of things since she has likely not played any sort of video game for quite a while. I found that like the archer, the mage seems to prioritize ranged combat over melee. Her attacks were clearly magic based, utilizing fire, water, wind, and lightning depending on the location of the enemies around her. Distant enemies were bombarded with fireballs, although the rate of fire was not as frequent as the arrows launched by the archer. When enemies got almost within striking distance, a wave of water would wash over them and bowl them over. If any foes managed to get right next to her, a series of lightning strikes from above would rain down on them. Lastly, if almost surrounded, a whirlwind would swirl around her to blow the enemies away. That last spell would always do very little damage, but it would at least get her out of trouble. Her melee attacks seemed to revolve around the use of her staff, causing the mage to perform a circular swing that would send enemies sprawling. Since it has the same radius as the wind spell, it seemed impractical and even inferior despite causing slightly more damage and took slightly longer to completely encircle her while the wind spell was instantaneous. At least until I noticed a blue gauge under her health bar. The use of projectile spells would cause it to decrease and be replaced with orange. Some spells cost more than others, and the lightning spell ate up the magic gauge like nobody's business. Fortunately, it did recharge fairly quickly, but I can see why the staff would be a necessary weapon should there not be enough of the magic gauge filled to perform the needed spell. From what I could see, the mage is a highly technical character that only the more intermediate gamers could use effectively. And someone with Eleina's level of experience is a perfect choice for it.

"Looking good there, Eleina. You done this before?" I asked, finding her skillful handling of the mage character to be quite remarkable for someone who has been out of action for a long time.

She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and gave a little grin. "Oh, it's been a long time, but it's all coming back to me now… Oh, drat!" She scowled as her character was caught in an attack due to her not having enough magic power left to cast the appropriate spell. I saw then that while the mage may have more powerful projectile attacks, and surprisingly stronger defenses from what I would assume was a skintight magic barrier, she does have to be careful about her 'ammo' supplies and she is not able to break out of a combo when struck.

Very soon, the first wave had been wiped off the screen. And in the corner, a flashing yellow arrow pointed to the right with the word GO in identical yellow letters. "Well, I'd say we're all warmed up." I spoke while proceeding forward. Everyone followed after me, although Button Mash was careful to not let his speed push him ahead of the pack. Due to his lack of skill and his character's preference for ranged combat, it was imperative that he stay behind the rest of us.

After trudging ahead for a moment, some rather roguish looking pegasus ponies in black leather armor leaped in from offscreen. Button, clearly from having played to this part before, quickly got in a few shots on one that caused the enemy to collapse and flicker before vanishing. "Hey, Button Mash? Just who is the big baddie in this game anyway?" Derpy asked while struggling to land a blow on one.

"Just wait and see! You'll see it at the end of this level… Hey, get away from me!" Button replied before trying to avoid what seemed to be throwing knives being flung at him by one of the enemy pegasi.

"Hang on, I'll… Whoa, how'd I do that?!" I called out in surprise. I had been slashing away at one of the pegasi to get it out of my way so I could hurry over to Button's location and render assistance when my character suddenly charged ahead at surprising speed with shied in front, sending any enemies that were in the way flying and leaving them sprawled out on the ground a few seconds longer than when knocked down by other attacks. Derpy was quick to get in a free kill on one of them.

Button seemed equally surprised as my character barreled right into his harasser. "How'd you do that?! That was so cool!"

"Uh… I dunno! I'm pressing up, down, left, right… Whoa, there it is!" I replied while experimenting with the buttons a bit. I suppose I should describe the controls a bit more now. The joystick lets the player move in eight directions while the button closer to it is the projectile attack button while the one slightly further away is the melee attack button. Pressing both buttons together, easy even for someone using hooves, causes the player to perform a type of desperado attack that seems to shave off 5% of one's health bar. The paladin's attack was clearly a mighty shield charge that stops once he reaches the other side of the screen and sends any enemies he rams sprawling and leaving them wide open for attacks from his allies. I would eventually find that the shield charge also renders him invincible during the course of the attack. But seeing as how the attack actually does not seem to do much damage, it seemed to be more of a support move than one meant for offense. Although it did finish off the enemy I was pummeling just before using it.

"Ooh, I never knew about that! Let me see what mine does… Whoa, nice! You don't mess with masters of the arcane!" Eleina spoke as she tried to use a desperado attack as well. The mage character would become stationary before raising her staff and sending streams of blue fire in an X formation away from her. Due to the fact that it launches the flames on an odd angle, it could be tricky to properly align herself with the enemy minions to get the most out of it. "What about you, dear? What's yours?"

"Mine? Um... Lemme check, Mom. Whoa, there it goes! Boom!" Button replied before laughing in excitement as the archer character pulled out an arrow that seemed to have a red orb on the tip instead of an arrowhead. He then shot it upwards on an angle, causing the arrow to fly off the top of the screen. When it came back down, there was not one, but a dozen arrows! They scattered and hit several areas on the screen, but due to his character's position, about half of them went off the side. And upon hitting the ground, they burst into fiery explosions and successfully took out one enemy at the edge of the screen.

"Dang, now that's some real cover fire! Try doing that again from the very edge of the screen from now on!" I spoke up, having all the more fun now that we had discovered a gimmick to spice up the game play even further. "What about you, Derpy?"

Derpy then had the berserker draw in close to the last remaining pegasus and then pressed both buttons at once. "Whoa, I just derped him up big time!" The berserker went into a wild spin, the sound of her axes crushing the foe being heard in rapid succession. I suspect it must have struck the foe around ten times before she came out of the spin. The pegasus was sent sprawling before flickering and fading. Clearly an attack meant to be used when surrounded. "Is it just me, or did the game just get a lot more fun?"

"I say it's going to be nothing but a funfest from here on out!" Eleina replied while we proceeded onward. While we went on, what seemed to be a basket of fruit came up onto the path. "Hm? Is that a healing item?"

Derpy started to move her character towards it, her health bar already down to around half from taking quite a few hits from lack of speed. "Oh, goodie! I could use… Hey! Button, that was mine!" She looked at Button Mash with a very annoyed scowl after the archer character swooped over it and picked it up, but she seemed to be having too much fun to get that mad at him.

Button Mash looked back at my friend with a nervous grin. "Oops! Sorry, I panicked! I'm always hurting when I get this far, so I always pick it up right away!"

Eleina then proceeded to lecture her son while having an amused smirk on her face. "First rule of co-op, Button. The player with the least health left gets the recovery item."

"Yeah, we don't wanna end up taking out our rage on each other with some friendly fire… Wait a sec, can we even do that is this game?! Do our attacks hit each other?" I replied while trying to take a swing at Derpy to test it.

"Hey, cut that out! Wait… Hey, our attacks don't hit each other! Thank goodness!" Derpy yelped before speaking with a quick breath of relief upon finding that the paladin's sword swings did not seem to register on her character.

"OK, Mom! And sorry about that, Miss Derpy!" Button replied before backing away as a combination of darkly clad pegasi and skeletal ponies and manticore came onto the screen. He then proceeded to perform another desperado attack, launching a shower of explosive arrows down on our enemies to much greater effect this time. It seemed that when launched from the extreme left, the arrows blanket the entire right half of the playing field. Eventually, I saw that one of the enemies dropped a type of square icon. "Huh? Hey, a power-up! Uh… That's one for a scatter effect!"

"Scatter effect? You go for that, Button! Let us know what the other ones are when they show up." I replied, thinking that a scattering effect would work well with his arrows.

"You got it! Time for triple the pain, you punks!" Button called out with gusto after picking up the item. From then on, the archer would fire three arrows per shot. The extra two moved on an angle, striking enemies that were just off to the sides of him. I would eventually find that picking up two more of the same item would result in five arrows being shot and then seven. Once the scatter effect had been maxed out, everything as far as half a screen away was all but certain to get hit.

During this section of the forest level, I decided to see what kind of effect pressing the projectile button would do. It turns out that the paladin's ranged attack is a very broad wave of magical blue energy that has a very wide vertical reach, but only barely reaches further than a regular melee slash. I also found that I could not move while using it and could not really execute a combo with it despite being able to use it rapidly. It seemed that only the archer had the ability to move on the fly while shooting. Derpy seemed to get the same idea and used her character's ranged attack, which consisted of smashing both axes down into the ground and triggering a rising shockwave of thermal energy that would travel along the ground quickly for half a screen before fading. Anything that got in the way was predictably swept right off their feet. It seemed to do next to know damage though. Its main function seemed to be used for setting up combos. I suppose the paladin and berserker prioritize in melee damage while their ranged attacks take a back seat to game play, although it seems more so for the berserker.

After a few more skirmishes with the game's first baddies, we ended up getting ambushed by…wolves? "What the… What kinda wolves are those?!" I asked, seeing that they seemed to be made entirely out of branches, twigs, and a few leaves here and there. Their eyes seemed to be glowing greenish yellow lights.

"Those are timber wolves! They attack by ramming you!" Button Mash replied while scoring a few easy shots on them thanks to his enhanced range of attack. I found that they moved much faster than the earlier enemies and even moved erratically, sometimes retreating and even circling around us. Sheesh, I could almost imagine us there standing beside each other in armor and cloth, holding off the dark denizens.

A quick shield barge got one of them out of the way, allowing Eleina to finish the timber wolf off with a fireball. Upon death, it seemed to fall apart into a pile of…well…timber before flickering and disappearing from the screen. In its place was another square power-up. It seemed to show a pixilated sword with a tiny red arrow pointing up. "What does that power-up do, Button?" Derpy asked while smashing another timber wolf into kindling.

"Uh… Oh, I think you should take that one, James!" Button replied while running for his life from another timber wolf. He seemed to be just slightly faster than his pursuer.

"OK then. Let's see… Ooh, a black sword! And… Is it longer now?" I muttered before finding that taking the power-up caused the pixels that made up the blade of the paladin's sword had turned black and seemed just a tiny bit longer. I then found that my reach and attack power was indeed greater than before. Judging by how much further my melee and projectile attacks reached and how much faster my foes dropped, I think it boosted my range and power by roughly 50%. From then on, we all made an agreement. That the melee specialists, me and Derpy, would get the range and power boosters while the projectile specialists, Button Mash and his mother, would stick with the projectile volume upgrades. By the way, the berserker's axes become scary huge after picking up two of them. I would say as big as the berserker herself!

Finally, after one more ambush where a combination of every minor enemy we had encountered so far swarmed us, we found that the area was steadily becoming darker. "Are we getting close to the end, Button?" Eleina asked while she stayed just behind Derpy and me.

"Uh huh. And you're gonna be scared!" Button replied, his face starting to look a bit more apprehensive than before.

Finally, the area became very dark to the point where we could hardly see the details on the environment. And once that happened, the characters on screen came to a halt while the screen began to scroll to the right. I then heard a voice speak up. Its malevolent feminine tone sounded vaguely familiar, but the voice itself did not. "You insolent foals… You dare stand against my return?!"

In a spiraling vortex of blue, she… Oh, I just had to shout at what I was seeing. "The heck?! Nightmare Moon?! OK, that's just insulting!"

Derpy could not help but laugh. On screen was a pixilated Nightmare Moon. Since Nightmare Moon herself more than likely could not have auditioned to provide her voice for this game, the voice clearly must have belonged to another mare. As insulting as this likely was to my dear friend's public image, I must confess that the billowing of her mane and tail were beautifully animated. Eleina seemed to notice my mild frustration and giggled nervously. "Oh, don't take this the wrong way! This game has been out for a few years now, if memory serves. It was in the arcades when Button was still a toddler. Just…um…think of this as what Nightmare Moon could have been!"

"Ah, that makes sense. Well, let's put this imposter down then!" I replied, my left hand tightly gripping the joystick and my right hand's fingers lightly resting upon the two buttons near it.

To my disappointment though, Nightmare Moon cackled on screen before flapping her wings and taking flight. "My reign of eternal night will never end! Face your doom!" She then suddenly soared skyward and out of sight. A second later, the screen seemed to shake a few times in response to a few heavy thuds before something…big burst out from the right side of the screen and let out quite a roar.

"What the?! Ursa Minor?! That's a pretty breakneck rise in threat level, don't cha think?!" I retorted in response to seeing an impressively animated and large pixilated Ursa Minor standing before our character's much smaller sprites. The size of the Ursa Minor was rather accurately portrayed too. That sucker took up close to a third of the screen!

"Oh, this is gonna get fun!" Eleina spoke with a new smirk. It seemed that her inner gamer was coming out. As was ours.

"James, how about you lead the charge?" Derpy replied as we regained control of our characters. I nodded as a rather fast tempo began to blare from the cabinet's speakers that was definitely fitting for a boss fight.

"OK. Bring it, Grumpy Bear! Or you feeling too blue to put up a fight?!" I retorted while poking fun at the Ursa's naturally blue translucent body, not really minding that it couldn't hear me.

The massive bear took a wide swipe at the paladin, but I reacted in time to use my shield charge. Unlike the previous enemies, I was only able to push the creature back and leave it stunned a moment while it lowered its head as if recoiling from a blow. I suppose some enemies are just too large and heavy to knock down. I then quickly followed up with a few magic wave slashes before Derpy moved in and performed a deadly twin axe spin on the boss. There was no life meter for it, so I had no idea how much damage we were doing. All the while, Button Mash and Eleina were providing support from afar while taking care to mind their life gauges by not resorting to their desperado attacks.

A moment later, Button Mash spoke up while mashing the projectile button before him. "Hey, why did they use an Ursa Minor as the boss instead of an Ursa Major? Aren't those a lot scarier and meaner?!"

His mother replied with a bit of a chuckle to her voice. "Probably because they wouldn't be able to fit the whole thing onto the screen!" She had a point there. Ursa Majors are several times larger than Ursa Minors… And judging by the size of the one we were fighting, I suspect that particular Ursa Minor might have been a bit on the small size since most of them tower over houses.

Eventually, Button got a little too gutsy and drew in close and began to take some swift slashes at the Ursa Minor with the archer's dagger. I noticed that his health bar had dropped to less than a quarter of its maximum size with most of the gauge filled with red. Definitely not a color that means a good thing. "Uh… Button? I don't think that's a good… What the crap?!" I started to speak up, but then burst into laughter as I saw the Ursa Minor gulp the archer character down with a very unexpected animation!

"Hey! No fair! Darn it!" Button Mashed yelled while we all burst into laughter from just how random that instant death attack was.

"Oh my god, epic fail! Didn't see that coming!" I could not help yelling out. Fortunately, we managed to remain focused enough to continue the assault without letting the boss get in any free hits.

"Gah! That's what I get for not sticking with what my character's good at!" Button growled while the archer flickered back onto screen with a full health bar and the number next to the archer's profile at the top dropping by 1. "I'll use you for target practice!" He then yelled before once again peppering the Ursa with three arrows per shot. It seemed that as long as he had a spare life, the power-ups he had acquired would not disappear.

Finally, the Ursa Minor suddenly leaned back while standing on its hind legs, seemingly on the verge of collapsing. "Phew! Looks like that did… Wha…?! Hey!" I spoke up before yelping as the freaking thing fell forward and landed on top of the paladin. "Oh, come on! How cheap is that?!" Despite having every right to be mad about it, I could not help laughing along with the three ponies seated at my sides. Sure enough, the paladin reappeared at the left edge of the screen while flickering for about five seconds as my life count was reduced by 1. Our character's sprites then performed some rather entertaining victory poses, but the mage's pose caught me by surprise. She seemed to hide much of her head behind her cloak while giving us a wink. Were they seriously throwing in some sex appeal in that game? Regardless, our characters then charged off to the right of the screen while everything faded to black.

"If that's how things started out, I'm really looking forward to the rest. We got time for more?" I asked while taking a moment to flex my wrists.

"I think we have more than enough time for more. Shall we keep going, Button?" Eleina replied while turning her gaze to her son.

"Oh yeah, I've never had this much fun by myself! Let's keep going!" Button Mash replied with a grin before giving the screen a rather focused grin.

"Me too! Come on, James! Onward!" Derpy added while sounding like she was getting way too into the game as well. But can you really blame her?

The next level seemed to place our characters wading through what seemed to be the shallows of a river near the forest we had just been in. There was no solid ground. Just a layer of rippling light blue serving as the floor. Our characters did not seem to be slowed down at all, the depth of the water seeming to be only a few inches deep.

"Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink." I muttered almost instinctively. "Just how far have you gotten before getting stuck, Button? Was it here?"

"Nah, I always get stuck in the third level. I've made it to the boss a few times, but I keep getting floored! I always used the paladin though." He replied while we proceeded onward.

"Well, that explains everything. Stick with the archer, kid. You're really doing well with it." I replied while complimenting how he had only lost one life so far and even then it was due to a fluke.

"Yeah, I am doing really n… Whoa, heads up!" Button yelped as enemies seemed to burst from under the very shallow water. They seemed to be large green water snakes that would remain in place and snap at our characters before diving again and popping up elsewhere.

"Ooh, lovely! I always wanted a snakeskin purse!" Eleina spoke up with a bit of a menacing growl. Her character's water-based spells did not seem to do much to them, but the mage's lightning spells instantly fried them for obvious reasons. Upon death, the snakes would fall into the water limply before sinking out of sight somehow despite how gentle.

We soon found that the play field would have some noticeably darker patches of water. When I got curious and decided to see what would happen, my character dropped right out of sight before reappearing in the corner of the screen while flickering as if I had just lost a life. Only instead of losing a life, I had lost roughly 20% of my health bar. Derpy could not help but laugh at my curiosity taking a bite out of my health bar. "I didn't know you liked water that much, James!"

"Hey, levels with lots of water in them have such a soothing atmosphere to them. They're some of my favorites in games." I replied, finding the music that was playing through the speakers to be rather calming compared to the soundtrack that had been playing during the forest level. It even seemed to even have a mysterious foreboding to it that kept us all slightly anxious, as if letting us know that enemies could be hiding under the surface at any time.

One thing I found rather annoying to watch was that the archer character would hover over the deeper water with ease while the mage would flounder about in the water for about two seconds before sinking. At least I assumed she would sink. Eleina was always quick to get her character back into the shallows before she could sink. I found that the berserker character would sink instantly like mine too, leading me to believe that our greater offense and defense came at the cost of buoyancy in water. Poor Derpy even lost her first life that way!

I just now realized that I could literally go on for hours about how this game went. For the sake of time, I will give a brief rundown until I get to what happened in the final level. Or I will at least try to do so. The boss of the river area was what seemed to be a towering sea serpant that loomed in the backround in what was clearly deeper water and could only be attacked when his upper body came into the foreground to strike. His most troublesome form of attack was creating waves of water from now and then. Every time he came into the foreground, the patches of deep water would be changed, both in location and size. Button Mash did not have to worry about falling in, but he still could not take as much of a beating as the rest of us. I will admit that Derpy and I both lost a life during that boss fight, mostly from being knocked into the deep water more than once.

The next level seemed to take part on a volcanic mountain range. Along with various types of rock creatures and fire demons, we also had to be mindful of avalanches. I could see why Button had trouble getting through this area as the paladin. My character was not the swiftest and the boulders would often give me trouble. Even Derpy was having an easier time than me since the berserker's mighty axes could smash the boulders apart if she hit the button at the right time. I just had to be careful of when I moved and when I stood still to block a boulder with my shield. Even so, Button ended up losing the rest of his lives on this level and had to pop in another bit to get back in the game, albeit with the loss of his power-ups. The boss of this level was a large rock golem made up of numerous boulders. His melee attacks had great reach and he would at times fall apart with his remains rolling all around the screen. But the berserker's boulder-crushing axes could destroy the rolling rocks, resulting in the golem being cut down to size a bit and making his attacks less of a threat. If she ended up destroying enough of him, the boss would even panic and run all over the screen to get away from us!

"Haha, that's right, you fool! Run, I say! Run!" I could not help yelling while we all tried to chase him down. It was nothing but us laughing and jeering at the cowardice of the boss being cut down to a fifth of his original size. After a while, he would summon more rocks to bring himself back up to his original size. Even so, a few more repeats of that process and that sucker was done. Definitely one of the most entertaining bosses in the game.

The next level seemed to be a city area with plenty of random ponies running by in the foreground, background, and even right across the playing field. The town seemed to be under siege, what with all the fires and smashed wooden carts everywhere. Judging by the rather fancy designs on the buildings and that they were all white, I strongly suspect that the place was heavily based on Canterlot.

Button Mash was pretty psyched to have finally made it this far and was really fired up. "All right! I never made it this far! What's next?!"

"I see quite a few gentlemen in need of a woman's touch!" Eleina replied as the first wave of enemies marched into view. Some earth ponies clad in dark armor one would expect from the personal soldiers of Nightmare Moon.

"Just a bunch of tin cans! I'll pry them open!" Derpy spoke with a determined grin before smashing one of the soldiers into submission with a single full combo. The soldier's main means of attack were the spears they carried, which they would sometimes use with a thrusting charge that had great reach. Sometimes they would even throw them before conjuring another to replace the ones they had just tossed. Even Button Mash got hit a few times from those attacks.

Something I discovered early on was that the level seemed to be a type of bonus level and maybe even the every middle of the game. Civilian ponies would often run by and would frequently drop power-ups and even extra lives on occasion! What was more, we would sometimes find civilians being cornered by two enemy soldiers with the word 'HELP' flashing up onscreen for a second before vanishing and then repeating it. Disposing of their tormentors would cause the cornered ponies to raise their arms high while the word 'THANKS' appeared before running offscreen to the left while leaving a power-up in their wake.

With how frequent these power-ups were being dropped, I decided to make a tactical move and allow one of the enemies to finish me off since I was down to my last life. I had to specifically tell my companions to not assist me. Once the paladin was taken down, I popped in another bit to return to the game, although my power-ups had been lost. That was fine though since I quickly got them all back. Once my sword's blade had become twice as long as before while taking on a gold hue, I knew I was set for the rest of the game. Derpy even followed suit and let herself lose her last life so she could get her power-ups back with a full stack of lives ready.

I suspect we were not supposed to lose in that level since every now and then, Princess Celestia herself would swoop by and launching rays of fire from her horn at the enemies, often taking some of them out. This honestly caught me by surprise. "The heck?! Can Celestia really do that?!"

"I dunno, but she's really cool!" Button replied while picking up another power-up and boosting the number of arrows he fired with each shot to seven.

The boss at the end of this level/bonus stage was a towering minotaur with a dull blue coat and tough leather trousers while hefting a mighty war hammer in his hands. Compared to those I have sometimes seen in magazines, this one was exceptionally large and rather brutish. The head of that hammer was almost twice the size of the paladin. "Looks like it's hammer time. Let's just hope a second one doesn't show up on a raise platform." I spoke up while gripping my joystick tightly with one hand, referencing a rather infamous video game adversary from quite some time ago. If you do not know what I am speaking of, do not worry too much about it.

Poor Eleina lost her last life during that fight and certainly was not happy about having to let go of her power-ups before popping in another bit to rejoin the game, but a couple of civilian ponies rushing across the battlefield helped replenish some of them by dropping a scatter projectile power-up for her. I should also mention that by that point, Derpy's melee boost power-up effect had reached its maximum effect with the axes being the same size as the berserker's body. This increased their range and power, but also seemed to slow down her swings just slightly as well. I have to say I think the power increase for her weapons was even greater than mine since my attack speed was unaffected.

The boss attacked with broad swings of his hammer that fortunately took a while to deliver, but the range was so great that it was hard for the slower players to get out of range in time. He would even smash the hammer into the ground so hard that anyone that was nearby would take some minor damage and would be knocked down. I was even unfortunate to take a direct hit from that attack. And my shield did nothing to weaken it! That one blow knocked off half of my entire health bar. I would not be surprised if it would take the archer character out in one shot! Fortunately, my friends made certain that the next recovery item that was dropped by a passing pony was reserved for me. Eventually, the minotaur let out a bull's bellow while his coat turned a fiery red. The massive head of his hammer became engulfed in flames and would even launch waves of fire with each swing, increasing the range of all attacks. It was actually very tricky to get close enough to attack with getting fried in the process. I had to resort to the paladin's shield charge attack several times just to make an opening. I suspect that was during the last half of the battle since he eventually collapsed and flickered away not long after that. As if to add further to the bonus level theme, Celestia herself set down before us and cast a spell that gave us all an extra life and filled our health bars to their maximum capacity.

The next level seemed to be through a rather quiet mine or cave level filled with beautifully animated shimmering crystals hanging from somewhere off the top of the screen. The music even sounded rather mysterious and whimsical. The enemies in this level often burst out of the stone walls at the back or even come charging out of nowhere with rather crude looking spears with gemstones serving as spearheads. They seemed to be rather burly canine-like creatures. The burliest ones had earthy coat colors and wore tattered jackets and attacked with their mighty arms. The ones that were armed seemed to wear domed helmets that prevented us from seeing their eyes and wore rather simple metal breastplates and had rounded spaulders on their shoulders. Their coats seemed to be various hues of brown. I eventually found myself becoming skilled at using the paladin's riposte attack to counter the spear charges from the armored enemies charging in from off screen. But after observing the troglodytes who kept showing up, I thought I kind of recognized their appearances. "Hey, aren't those Diamond Dogs?"

"Huh? Yeah, I think they are! Who would've thought they knew how to fight like this?" Derpy replied while trying to stay out of reach of the spear.

"Derpy, don't worry about them! Axes beat lances! Don't you know about the weapon triangle?" I spoke while using my character's riposte attack to deal with the blatantly telegraphed spear charges.

"They do?! Lemme try… Whoa, I broke the spear! Hey, come back, fido! I thought you wanted to play!" Derpy spoke with a jeering tone after her axe strike seemed to shatter the spear being held by her enemy. He then seemed to panic and run away, though he escaped off the side of the screen before the berserker could reach him. "Oh, ponyfeathers!"

I found Eleina doing a good job of using her magic to keep the Diamond Dogs at bay, but she then started to get a little too into the whole thing. "Down boy! That's it…no! Bad dog! Down! Good boy… Now play dead!" That devious smirk… I think we were all looking at her out of the corner of our eyes in wariness.

"Wow, Mom. You're creepy." Button Mash spoke up in a more reserved tone of voice, prompting Eleina to look at us and grin sheepishly while a deep blush spread across her face.

"Sorry! I'm just…having too much fun." She replied with an adorable giggle. I have to say she is one awesome pro. Out of all of us, she had lost the fewest lives despite how complex the mage's play style is.

One part of the level included mine carts that would roll by on tracks. Attacking them would cause their cargo to spill out. Some would be gemstones, which would add bonus points to the score of whoever picked them up, some would be rocks that would roll and bounce around as temporary weapons against enemies before flickering away, and sometimes they would contain a single power-up or recovery item.

At the end of the level, we found the boss that seemed to be one particularly large Diamond Dog who was wearing a tattered jacket with the pockets absolutely loaded down with gemstones. He was carrying a large pickaxe and seemed to have a scar over his exposed chest while also wearing a miner's helmet.

"OK, big guy. Let's see who's top dog around here!" Button Mash growled before once again letting loose with a torrent of arrows. The scattering shots of seven arrows worked fine from no further than half a screen away, but the gaps between each arrow would sometimes be wide enough for the boss to squeeze through.

Naturally, the boss would attack by swinging his big pickaxe around in wide arches, but he was also a very jumpy and would often leap across the screen and smash his pick down in an overhead swing. He actually managed to land a hit or two on Button and his mother while they stayed back to provide assistance from afar.

"You naughty dog! It's time to you in the kennel!" Eleina shouted in frustration from managing to get hit. She retaliated by using her desperado attack, the boss just happening to move right into one of the crossing lines of blue fire.

At times, the boss would suddenly leap up off screen. The sound of a pickaxe rapidly striking stone would be heard before a whole bunch of small flickering black circles would start to dot the floor. "What happening there?" Derpy asked while moving her character away from one.

"He's bringing down the house! Keep moving!" I replied just before a shower of stalactites began to rain down from above at such frequency that they actually became quite disorienting because many of them would obstruct our views of our characters. I do not think either of us got out of that attack without taking a hit. In fact, there was so much going on that the arcade cabinet's processors became overloaded and began to cause the game to lag. That turned out to be a good thing for us since it gave us a little more time to react and move our characters out of the way. I doubt it would have been that way if there was only one character on screen. The game's speed returned to normal just an instant before the shower of rocky spikes ceased.

After a few more close calls, the boss's death animation occurred. The pickaxe seemed to get knocked right out of his hands and flew upwards before landing right on his head with a comical clank. His face looked really dazed for a moment before the top dog feel flat on his face while stars began to circle over his head. Only instead of stars, they were gemstones. I just had to ask, "Are Diamond Dogs really that obsessed with gemstones?"

The next level seemed to be a dungeon of sorts lined with dark stone walls and torches lining them with cobwebs in the corners of the screen at times. Judging from how things were progressing, I suspect the plot involved infiltrating Nightmare Moon's palace.

"Maaaan, I never thought we'd make it this far!" Button Mash spoke with great anxiousness. As much fun as he was having, he also looked very worried about what might happen next. I confess the levels were becoming progressively harder and the enemies were always getting the drop on us with their new attack methods. It was rare for us to end a skirmish against a new type of common enemy without taking some damage.

"It looks like we're almost at the end too. Since we've come this far, why not keep going until the credits roll?" Eleina asked while we paused onscreen for a moment to relax our wrists.

Derpy then stretched and groaned while she stood up. "Actually… Can I take a break for a few minutes? I need to get up and stretch."

I looked back at the screen while our characters remained stationary. There did not seem to be any timer to tell us to go forward. I suppose there would be no harm in leaving it be. At least as long as someone stuck around to make sure no one would bother it. "Yeah, I guess I could use a short break too. Could we ask you two to mind the cabinet while we get up and stretch for a bit?"

Eleina nodded and gave us both a smile. "Sure thing. Just please don't take too long. We don't have that much longer before Button's appointment."

Now surprisingly, Button Mash was much more enthusiastic in proceeding through the game and did not seem willing to wait. "Oh, come on! Can't we keep going now?"

"I know where you're coming from, Button. I used to be like you. But trust me, take a minute to get up and walk around. You'll feel better and more focused too." I replied, feeling slightly lightheaded myself from remaining focused on the game for too long. I suppose the best thing I can call such a feeling is a 'gaming high'.

"Oh, all right…" Button replied with a groan before getting up off his stool and beginning to trot around while browsing the other cabinets. His mother stayed right by the cabinet to make certain no one would hijack our game.

Derpy and I went over to a vending machine nearby to get us a snack. I then asked, "So, feeling any better?"

My friend replied with a big grin. "Yeah! I guess video games make for some good stress relief."

I popped a bit into the vending machine's coin slot and pressed the number combination for a bag of honey-roasted peanuts. Once I retrieved it from the bottom, I pulled the bag open and deposited half of its contents onto Derpy's upturned hoof. "Got any ideas on what you would like to do once we finish this game up?"

After munching on a few of the peanuts, she looked at me and replied, "Well… I don't know just yet. Want to just take a walk?"

"Sounds fine to me. You lead, I'll follow." I retorted after munching on some peanuts of my own. I have to say the best peanuts are those that are roasted with honey. There is just no better way to eat them.

After a good ten minutes, the four of us returned to our seats at the arcade cabinet. "All ready, everypony?" Eleina asked as she placed her hoof atop her joystick.

"I'm ready! C'mon, let's get going and take down the last boss!" Button Mash replied while already moving the archer character to the far right of the screen. Fortunately, the screen would not scroll unless we moved as well.

"Hold up, Button. Don't go to the head of the pack. Let me lead." I spoke while patting him on the head. Without arguing, he fell back and stayed behind the rest of us while we began to proceed.

The dungeon level had a rather dark and ominous tune playing with it, very fitting for an infiltration attempt. The enemies seemed to consist of stone gargoyle characters that would often masquerade as statues before breaking out of their stone shells. Other enemies seemed to be Nightmare Moon's elite troops, unicorn ponies clad in black armor that would even use levitation to launch their spears and swords at us. The paladin's shield charge would prove indispensable for countering their ranged attacks. We would also find prisoner's being contained within cells built into the back wall. Attacking the gates would cause them to escape and leave items behind before galloping offscreen. Mostly they were just recovery items, but that was fine since the enemies were becoming progressively more dangerous.

Eventually, we began to climb some stairs that seemed to enter into a hall with tall support pillars standing between tall arched windows. Button Mash seemed to have become quite excited. "All right! The final boss must be just ahead!"

However, I knew too well that a long stairwell followed by no enemies was not a good sign. If anything, I was feeling quite anxious. Even Derpy seemed wary. "Uh… James? Am I the only one who's got a bad feeling about this?"

"You're not the only one, Derpy. It's been a long time since I've felt myself sweat while playing games." Eleina replied with a noticeably uneasy expression. And boy, were we in for a surprise. After proceeding for a bit, one of the gaps between the support pillars showed not a typical window, but the profile picture of the berserker character we had seen while selecting our characters at the start of the game.

"Am I the only one thinking this isn't a good sign?" I asked, just before a ray of moonlight began to shine through the window and onto a spot on the floor. Out of the pillar of light flickered a dark figure. Once the pillar of light faded, a dark version of the berserker stood before us. It was the same sprite as Derpy's character, but was mostly black with gray highlights and red eyes.

"Hey, not fair! I'm the one playing as the berserker!" Derpy spoke with an annoyed scowl.

"It's not that! I think this boss is going to pit us against ourselves!" I replied while trying to get to the boss with a shield charge. While the dark doppelganger is a potentially overused cliché, that does not mean it cannot be used effectively.

Something I found right away was that the dark berserker boss was just as slow as Derpy's berserker. Its range was also short, allowing me to often land combos on it due to my longer weapon. But it was still no real pushover. Its attacks hit just as hard as I imagined, taking off a quarter of my character's life bar with one full combo after I drew in a little too close.

"I see what we need to do. We have to exploit our own characters' weaknesses!" Eleina spoke while peppering the boss with fireballs.

"My thoughts exactly!" I replied, finishing the boss off with a deadly riposte. Once the boss fell, it flickered out of sight. Of course, I knew we were not done yet. There were likely three more to go.

"OK, who's next?!" Button Mash called out while we marched ahead. Sure enough, the archer's form appeared in the next window before another pillar of moonlight brought forth the archer's dark shadow. "Oh, I guess it's me!"

"Why is this guy so hard to hit?!" Derpy groaned while the speedy archer constantly outmaneuvered the sluggish berserker. His main form of attack was moving vertically along the screen while launching a stream of arrows. After that, he would zigzag across the battlefield and repeat the process from the other side. I did manage to intercept him once while he was moving from one side to the other, but he broke out of the combo and knocked my character down with a dagger. The damage was rather light, about 10% of my health bar, but it was still enough to frustrate me to a small degree.

"OK, I'm gonna knock him down! Derpy, get your super attack ready." I spoke while standing ready while waiting for the archer to move into my line of fire.

"You mean that axe spin? All right!" Derpy replied while staying right behind me. When the archer moved in front of me, I used the paladin's shield barge to barrel through the arrows and floor the poor sucker. Just before he could climb to his feet, Derpy closed in and used her character's desperado attack. The spinning berserker got the most out of the attack, the archer more than likely losing most of his health. Button Mash and Eleina then managed to finish the boss off shortly after by peppering the little nuisance with arrows and spells.

"Am I the only one here who was annoyed by that boss?" I asked, feeling more than glad to have gotten it out of the way.

Eleina then reached out and rubbed her son's head with an endearing smirk. "Then that must be how our enemies feel when Button here does the same thing!"

"Aw, cut it out, Mom!" Button spoke with a laugh while nudging her hoof away. We then proceeded onward and found the next window to display the mage's form from the character select screen. Sure enough, a dark version of her rose from a pillar of moonlight that shone through the beautiful glass image.

"Looks like the bosses just added a woman's touch to the whole thing." I spoke before the dark mage began to assault us with black fireballs. However, we were quick to notice that a new gauge had appeared at the center of the top of the screen. It was black, but steadily turned white the more the boss used her magic.

"Hey, she's got a magic gauge too! When she runs out, let's gang up on her!" Button spoke up while we tried to weave around her attacks.

"Sounds like a plan! Her other spells will probably suck up more magic power if one of us gets close, but it'll probably really hurt. Wait until her magic is almost gone, and then get in there and use your dagger to hold her down, Button!" Eleina replied while managing to score a few hits of her own.

And that is exactly what happened. Once the gauge was all white, Button Mash darted in while we too hurried to close the distance. He scored a quick combo on the dark mage to knock her down while Derpy and I moved in to finish the job. It was a good thing the mage could not break out of a combo, or that fight would have likely gone on for a while.

The mage did not last long once we gained up on her. She collapsed in a heap before flickering away into nothingness. "OK! All that's left is the dark knight!" Derpy called out with gusto.

We proceeded on ahead, but when we came to the window that we were expecting to have the paladin's character select screen picture; we found the thing had been partially shattered. The music had also stopped, giving the moment a very eerie atmosphere. And before the window seemed to be a small dark form.

"Huh? Did someone beat us too it?" Button Mash asked while our characters came to a stop as the screen scrolled a little further to the right.

"This doesn't bode well…" I muttered softly. The game developers seemed to have made this moment in the game with the intention of freaking out the player. Suddenly, the dark figure stood up and its form became much more clear. A darker version of my paladin character. However, instead of red eyes, there was only a red glowing light coming form the eyehole in its helmet. "That's…creepy…"

The music had returned, but it was now a dark menacing tempo meant to either scare the player or to let us know we were in for a tough fight. Button Mash seemed genuinely freaked out. "Mom… I'm scared!"

"It's gonna be OK, Button. Just remember, all of our characters have weaknesses." His mother replied while also looking rather uneasy. That thing's glowing eye… It was the first time in the game that I felt myself get goose bumps.

"I'll go first." I spoke up before charging in and trying to land a combo. However, the dark paladin then proceeded to intercept my attack with a riposte of his own. Only unlike mine, where the paladin slashes his sword down on the enemy, this dark paladin instead impaled his sword right through me. It was a deadly blow as it took off about 30% of my health bar. "Good god…!"

This boss seemed to be the toughest of the bunch since his abilities were just as balanced as the real paladin. His shield provided a perfect frontal defense while stationary and he would sometimes use his shield charge attack to catch us by surprise. Eventually, we started to get a feel for how to take him down. The paladin's greatest weakness is that he cannot move while being attacked from the front when stationary. I managed to convince Button to get in close to attack with his dagger since the first strike was too quick for a successful counter. While stuck in one spot, Derpy would get behind him and land a deadly axe whirl to deal as much damage as possible.

Even with a pattern figured out, this boss did not drop easily. We all lost at least one life during that fight. Eleina was probably able to save us a few extra lives by using her close proximity spells to send the dark paladin sprawling while using his shield charge, which thankfully was not quite as fail proof as my own. When the dark warrior finally fell, we all let out a sigh of relief.

"Phew… I haven't gotten that fired up in a long time! That boss was crazy!" Button Mash spoke with a wheeze. I too felt a bit drained. Once more, we took a break to relax our minds and to get some water to refresh ourselves.

Judging by the fact that the next level had our characters trekking through a castle courtyard under the glow of the moon, I suspected it was the last level. And I soon found that this level was something of a boss rush. We once again found ourselves going up the same Ursa Minor from the forest level. Fortunately, it dropped much sooner this time. I suspect that the bosses in the last level have only half their health. And this time, I made certain I was nowhere near the thing when it keeled over.

We would also find ourselves going through skirmishes with other minor enemies before encountering the boss from their respective levels. Most of the enemies would even drop power-ups or recovery items, which were definitely something we needed after the duel with the dark paladin. As for the bosses… Do I really need to explain how they all went a second time? Personally, I do not think I need to go over them twice. There was no change to their attack patterns from what I could see.

Fortunately, our characters' dark doppelgangers did not reappear for this last stretch of the game. I suppose the developers felt that having us face them a second time in the level just after the one they appeared in would be rather redundant. Eventually, we climbed another long stairwell and found ourselves proceeding down another grand stone hall. The night had really settled in now that we could see the star-filled night sky through the tall windows.

"OK, I'm pumped… I'm super pumped…" Button Mash started to mutter. In fact, we had been making fairly little banter and commentary during this last stretch of the game. I suppose we were all probably tired and worn out, much like our characters must have been feeling by that point. We were focused. It was time to wrap things up.

Just after we started to proceed down the hall, I noticed the full moon starting to slowly scroll to the left in the windows. The further we proceeded to the right, the closer it drew to the center. And when the full moon finally came to the very center of the screen in the middle of a towering window, the screen's scrolling and our characters' movements stopped. Derpy gulped and whispered, "Uh oh…"

A familiar voice then spoke up from somewhere offscreen. "And so you have come." The screen then scrolled to the right, revealing Nightmare Moon seated on a throne that bore an uncanny resemblance to the throne I had seen in the castle ruins at the far end of the Everfree Forest. Ugh, just thinking of that place brought back some unpleasant memories…

"You little foals…" She spoke as she rose from her throne and spread her wings. With a mighty flap, she sprang forward while the screen scrolled with her before returning to the same location our characters were standing, the full moon still taking center stage in the night sky as a number of dark spots appeared on the moon's surface. It seemed to resemble a unicorn's head. The proverbial 'Mare in the Moon'. "My reign is absolute! Begone!"

"Time to put you in your place, your majesty." Eleina spoke with a determined smirk. She was pumped, as was Button Mash and Derpy Hooves. However, I… I was having difficulty pushing myself to want to harm her. Even if it is just a game… It was still Nightmare Moon.

The instant control returned to our characters, Nightmare Moon summoned a rain of lightning bolts onto the battlefield. We had about half a second to respond before the flickering circles on the floor were struck. Button and his mother began to try peppering Nightmare Moon with flurries of arrows and fireballs. However, Nightmare Moon had a very cool evasion trick. She would often move diagonally while remaining aloft with her wings flapping. When moving, she would have a few deep blue afterimages flickering in her wake in what I have to say was a very cool animation effect. But what would I expect from someone as awesome and beautiful as the Princess of Dreams herself?

"Whoa, she's hard to hit! Mom, gimme a hand here!" Button Shouted while he kept leaning left and right, apparently out of instinct, while his hoof kept mashing the projectile attack button while the archer character kept moving up and down the screen while trying to catch Nightmare Moon in the arcing volleys of arrows.

"I'm trying, but it looks like she's invincible when she moves! Derpy, try getting close to where she's going to move to and hitting her when she stops!" Eleina replied while managing to score just a couple of blows on the final boss while taking a few seconds to let hr magic gauge recharge after a few dozen shots.

"OK, give me a second!" Derpy spoke with a focused walleyed scowl while making the lumbering berserker over to one of the spots where Nightmare Moon had once been standing. Eventually, she returned to that spot. And when she did, Derpy let her have it with a full combo with her empowered axes. The final blow sent Nightmare Moon sprawling, but instead of climbing to her feet, she was seemingly wrapped in her glittering blue mane and tail like a shroud before seemingly warping to the other side of the screen and unwrapping herself. Unlike other bosses, I could actually hear her yelp in pain. It was rather unnerving to hear, at least to me.

Nightmare Moon began to display more of her combat prowess. A blue beam of light would extend from her horn before she would take a sudden swing with her head. Her horn apparently having become a blade of light, it would make a very long and wide swing and send anyone it struck sprawling to the ground. Button was able to get out of range in time, but the slightly slower mage did not react in time and got floored.

"That's a cheap trick! I wasn't ready!" Eleina growled while letting out a surprisingly humorous and unexpected equine snort.

I let out a laugh before replying, "Hey, she can probably do this in real life! Don't be too surprised!"

"James, what're you waiting for?! You haven't even tried to hit her!" Derpy spoke loudly while narrowly evading a light-charged tackle as Nightmare Moon swooped across the screen.

I will admit now that I was feeling torn. She was just an animated mess of pixels. And yet, I did not want to hurt her. She was still Nightmare Moon, one of the most precious people in my life. Was there a secret ending that would happen if we just lasted long enough in the fight for her to stop? No, that would just be wishful thinking. This game was clearly released a while before she was welcomed back to Equestria just a few months ago. Finally, I moved my character in her way and intercepted her next charge with my invincible shield barge before following it up with a full combo. "God, forgive me…"

Against my will, I assisted my companions in the battle against the Mare in the Moon. I just had to keep telling myself that she was not the same beautiful alicorn princess I know and love. The fight went on without much of a hitch, Button surprisingly being the one to take the least amount of damage out of all of us. Derpy and Eleina ended up losing a life at some point due to lack of speed and for Nightmare Moon frequently moving to the opposite side of the screen and catching the projectile specialists by surprise. However, once I assume we got her health down into the red, Nightmare Moon pulled off one last trick. A desperado attack of her own.

"The night belongs to me!" She shouted before hovering out of reach in the middle of the screen with the full moon just above her head. The moon then seemed to glow as her horn was engulfed in a bright glow.

"Whoa! Stay close!" I spoke up, prompting my friends to move their characters closer to mine. Shortly afterward, many bolts of lightning started raining down all at once, but in a type of grid fashion. Spots on the floor were left untouched, but then all the open spots were then struck by more lightning while the areas that had been struck were left open again. We had to be careful to alternate the places our characters were standing in to avoid getting zapped. After that, entire walls of lightning rained down onto the floor at the edges of the screen and swept inward towards us. We had to stand in the row under Nightmare Moon herself to evade it, but then had to scramble for the edges of the screen when a wall of lightning came down in that row and then parted in two directions. More and more lightning attacks followed and poor Derpy ended up losing a life, leaving her with just one left. I should also mention by that point we were all down to our last bit. We had come too far to lose by then.

Finally, the assault ceased and Nightmare Moon landed on the right side of the screen. Luckily, Eleina was standing near that spot and moved in close just in time to catch Nightmare Moon with a deadly lightning spell. The instant it struck, Nightmare Moon let out a yell as the screen seemed to go into slow motion before landing in a heap on the floor at the edge of the screen.

"All right! You go, Mom!" Button Mash yelled in glee as the fight was clearly over. We got her. The four of us had beaten the game in one fun sitting.

"Well, it seems I still got it." Eleina spoke proudly while grinning sheepishly. I have to say, she has some mad skills.

"Ooh, what's happening now? A last minute monologue?" Derpy asked as Nightmare Moon's sprite seemed to be shaking while she climbed to her knees.

"Uh… Mom? Didn't we just win?" Button Mash asked while our characters seemed unresponsive to whatever input we made with the joysticks and buttons.

"I think we did… Or is there another phase in the boss fight?" Eleina replied while seeming equally baffled. Nightmare Moon clearly was not showing any signs of actually being down for the count with how her sprite was still moving.

"Oh boy… Is she…growing?" Derpy asked while seeming noticeably intimidated. I leaned in closer to pay closer attention to Nightmare Moon's sprite.

Nightmare Moon spoke with a growl to her voice as her speech became increasingly distorted. "My reign…is…eternal!" What followed was a rather nightmarish sight as Nightmare Moon let out a wrathful distorted scream while lightning seemed to strike her body while she threw her head back. The full moon in the center of the top of the screen slowly turned an unnerving red. Her body seemed to grow to twice its previous size while her mouth hung open with fangs lining her jaws. Mane and tail surged wildly behind her; the alicorn's eyes now just a pair of glowing white orbs in her head. Her armor seemed fractured and damaged. It was especially unnerving to me, having to watch a dear friend of mine being twisted into a demonic version of herself. To make the experience even more intimidating, a new soundtrack began to play that was heavy on what sounded like digitized pipe organs.

"This…isn't good…" I muttered as our characters even backed away from her. Probably a good thing since it would give us greater distance to plan an assault.

"Whoa, that's freaky! I never knew Nightmare Moon was a monster!" Button yelled before unleashing streams of arrows the instant control returned to our characters.

"I'm telling you, she's not! I'm sure she would even find this depiction to be insulting to her image if she saw this now!" I replied while trying to get in close to score a combo.

Nightmare Moon's attacks were on a completely different level in this new form. Nothing short of the highest difficulty level for this game. Her mane would at times take swipes at us and would surprisingly knock us down. Fortunately, that seemed to be the weakest of her attacks. Unlike her natural state, she did not move around in a predictable zigzagging fashion. Her larger size made her a somewhat larger target and she would often just charge straight ahead to ram us with an impaling enchanted horn attack. In fact, I would say her larger body being easier to hit was the only upside to this change for us. Sometimes, she would not even flinch from our attacks. Most enemies would at least reel from any melee attacks being landed on them. For this boss, only combo finishers would knock her off her feet. Actually, sometimes they would only push her back. She would just get pushed back at all other times.

"She's as sturdy as a moving van loaded down with carts and pianos!" Derpy grumbled in frustration while she landed a full combo on Nightmare Moon that did not even knock her down. Which is especially odd when one considers how hard the berserker's attacks hit.

It was then that Nightmare Moon dished out a new attack on the hapless berserker. She conjured up a trail of ice spikes from the ground that extended from just in front of her and all the way over to the opposite end of the screen. That last blow was enough to take Derpy out. And with that being her last life, the berserker's fallen form flickered and vanished. This time, she did not return.

"Nuts! We lost the big girl!" Button groaned before using his character's desperado attack to rain a shower of exploding arrows onto Nightmare Moon. These seemed to do a decent amount of damage, though it was unclear just how much damage we were inflicting on this tank of a boss. It also did not help that whenever she did happen to get knocked down, Nightmare Moon would lash out with her mane and tail to swat away anyone who got too close. This made it impossible to deliver a following melee combo to her after another.

Derpy frowned while her goofy eyed glared at the screen. "Come on, take her down! Do it for me!"

"No worries, Miss Derpy. You will be aven… No! Not now!" Eleina replied while drawing in close to deliver a deadly lightning spell, but only to discover that her magic gauge was not filled enough to use it. She did not even have the means to use her potent desperado spell. Nightmare Moon responded to her close proximity and used a much more erratic version of her previous lightning spells, bringing down numerous bolts in a very erratic manner. The mage got hit several times and quickly faded from the screen, her last life used up.

"You fiend! How dare you do that to my mom!" Button yelled before darting in and scoring a quick combo on Nightmare Moon with the archer's dagger. Unfortunately, it only pushed her back instead of knocking her down. She then retaliated by using the same ice spike spell, finishing off the lightly armored archer. Button Mash let out a groan before saying a word in gibberish that I have no idea of how to spell. But I assume it translated to something like 'oh, come on, you filthy piece of broken subroutines!' or something to that effect. I suppose I could have asked, but I had the rest of the fight to focus on. Especially now that I had to do it all alone.

"Come on, James! Nail her!" Derpy cheered as the paladin remained the only one standing. With no one to back me up, I became silent and decided to play smart. Only moving when needed and trying to remain stationary to make certain my shield was ready to block any attacks. Nightmare Moon's attacks would often connect, and many would chisel away a sliver of my health with each hit, but I was at least surviving. I even managed to get in close and land a couple of riposte attacks on her by sheer luck. But even then, I could not last forever. After trying to play it safe for so long, my character's health finally turned completely red after blocking too many overly damaging attacks. And…that was my last life.

"Crap…" I muttered while letting out a sigh of tension. Now that all four characters had been taken out, the screen darkened while Nightmare Moon's monstrous sprite remained standing in one place. The word 'Continue?' appeared onscreen while a large yellow 9 began to count down.

"Do you think we should try again?" Derpy asked while we glanced at each other. We all still had one bit in reserve.

Button Mash seemed rather anxious before looking over at his mother. "Mom? Do we still have time to try again?"

Eleina seemed to quickly peek into her purse and checked what I assume was a pocket watch. "Um… We still have fifteen minutes. We should probably get… Well, what about you, James? Shall we give one last shot and see this thing through?"

I then just happened to glance up at the title of the game spread over the top of the game cabinet. Equestrian Heroes. Perhaps it was because I was still fired up from the playing, but the word 'heroes' caused me to smirk. I then glanced back and forth at my three companions and placed my hand in front of the very middle of the control deck. "For Equestria."

That caused all three of the ponies to suddenly grin or smirk before they placed their hooves over my hand and chanting together. "For Equestria!"

Just before the timer could run out, I snatched up the four remaining bits sitting just below the screen and rolled them all into the coin slot. The timer vanished and the play field lit up again. At the top of the screen above the health bars were the four shrunken profile pictures of our characters. We all selected our most fitting classes, causing them to flicker onto the left side of the screen. Eleina then spoke with a smirk, "It's time to end this, you foul mistress of the shadows!"

Before our characters could stop flickering, I hurried in and scored a quick sword combo on Nightmare Moon before I could become vulnerable. When she tried to lash out at me while I stood my ground and used my shield, Derpy came up behind me and used her projectile shockwave attack. Since our attacks have no effect on each other, it completely bypassed me and knocked Nightmare Moon off her feet. "I got your back, James! Let's derp her up!

"Have some taste of arrows, you witch! Extra crispy!" Button yelled with great enthusiasm while raining volley after volley of exploding arrows onto her. However, after nineteen uses, his health had become too low to use it again with only 5% of his health left. And it was then that Nightmare Moon displayed a rather cruel trick that made us think carefully about our strategy. The screen flashed before a lightning bolt instantly shot down from above and took the archer out. "What the?! Where'd that come from?!"

Eleina seemed to figure it out in a few seconds and explained while pressuring the boss with her fireball spells. "I think it's a tactic that forces you to not get too far away when your health gets low!"

Derpy seemed rather baffled by this and asked while managing to score a desperado attack on the boss, "What does that mean?"

While I unleashed a shield charge to barrel through the boss's ice spike attack, I thought up a way of explaining it without being redundant. "She means that the game punishes cowards who are low on health. Don't back away. Show some courage and stay close and strike!"

"Courage?! I can do that!" Button replied while moving his revived archer down to a closer distance to the boss after a few more explosive arrow bombardments.

Nightmare Moon's attacks became more erratic the longer the battle dragged on. We all lost one or two lives, but we did not back down. Our goal was to overwhelm her with sheer numbers while taking care to rely on all of our tricks, swapping between melee and projectile attacks as needed. There were times where Button Mash would serve as a decoy while I struck from below or above Nightmare Moon with my very broad projectile strike. We had to fight without power-ups, so the fight was a bit on the frustrating side.

Eventually, Nightmare Moon started using sudden shockwave attacks to send us all sprawling. And after a few times of using this tactic, she started launching beams of electrical energy from her horn that reached across the entire screen. It was really potent. No matter which type of characters it hit, the attack always shaved off a good 30% of our health. Eventually, I got bold and used the paladin's shield charge. The shield let me barrel right through the beam of lightning and ram her to disrupt the attack. Immediately afterwards, I landed a full combo on her. And on that last hit, the music stopped, the screen froze, and the area slowly darkened. We got her.

None of us spoke, though Button Mash let out a loud shout of excitement while pumping his hoof. Nightmare Moon shuddered and flashed before raising her head and letting out a distorted digitized scream. Beams of light ripped out of her body while the entire screen seemed to shake. The screen then slowly turned white before everything fell silent. When the screen started to return to normal, it showed the same room once more. However, it seemed that the moon was gone and the sky being shown in the windows was a bright blue. Dawn had come. And lying at the right side of the screen was a much smaller alicorn who I recognized instantly. "Luna…?"

The screen faded and seemed to show a type of cut scene. It showed Luna's fallen form from a closer distance before a white pony's leg stepped into the shot from the left. And judging by the golden shoe on the hoof, I knew who it was. White text flowed just under the rectangular edge of the screen within the black border. "Sister… Are you well?"

It showed a sudden close-up on Luna's eye before it opened. The view then changed to being somewhere behind her head, showing the form of Celestia standing before her. "It has been too long… The Nightmare has ended. Thanks to our heroes."

The screen then changed to a side view of Celestia reaching out and touching her sister's hoof, which was being raised to her. "All is well now…" It then showed our four characters standing beside each other in amazingly detailed pixilated glory. "Thanks to each of you. Thank you."

I felt myself relax immensely upon seeing this final cut scene. My three friends seemed very tired as well. A more uplifting tune began to play as the screen faded to black. What followed was an interesting way of wrapping the game up. A detailed profile shot of the archer slid onto screen for a moment before displaying his title and the score he had accumulated by the end of the game. The berserker came next, followed by the mage, and lastly the paladin. But then I got a surprise when the display of his picture extended to the right a bit just enough to show Luna herself come in and give him a kiss on his armored cheek, prompting a look of glee in his exposed eye. This was very unexpected and got a laugh out of all of us. What, was it a reward for being the player who dealt the final blow to the boss? What would happen if the mage or berserker finished Nightmare Moon off? Wanting to show this to Luna next time we met up, I pulled out my DSi and turned on the camera feature just in time to snap a photo of the adorable spectacle before it could fade away.

"Woo! That was a lot of fun. I'd love to do this again sometime!" Derpy spoke with a loud sigh. A second later, the high score screen came up where we could all enter three letters to identify ourselves by. Not surprisingly, Eleina had the highest score. That mare is one heck of an old pro. I was not too far behind though. Derpy had the lowest score overall, but Button Mash was not very far ahead of her, being the inexperienced spaz he is. I cannot recall what our scores were, but I am sure you could check next time you pass by the arcade in Ponyville. The high scores tend to show up onscreen after the cabinet shows a brief demo.

Eleina entered 'MOM' as her initials, probably because she is the only mother in town who is into games like this. Button entered 'MSH', clearly as a reference to the second word in his name. Derpy used 'DRP' for her initials. As for me, I was not entirely certain or what to put in for mine while being limited to just three letters. Eventually, I had an idea. I entered 'EOH' as my initials, our scores being at the very top of the list. Feel free to guess what those three letters stand for.

"Whoa… That was fun, but it really took a lot outta me. I feel like I could use a nap." Button Mash spoke up while slouching over the control deck with a very satisfied look in his eye.

"That's just your body coming down from a gaming high. You'll feel ok after a short walk. Trust me, anyone who gets too immersed in a game will get that feeling." I explained, also feeling rather drained myself.

Eleina then looked at me and gave me one of her sweet motherly grins. "It was very nice of you to play with Button, James. He almost never has anypony to play with him. And you were very good at this game too! Did you say you grew up on these?"

I nodded and turned her way. "Sure did. I think I started playing video games back when I was three years old. I didn't get my own game console until I was five, and that was a random present at a holiday party. And if there is one thing gaming has taught me over the years, it is patience."

She let out a giggle and replied, "Oh, you do need to have patience when playing some of them. And… Wait, what time is it?" Eleina then looked into her purse and let out a gasp. "Oh dear! Button, your appointment is in eight minutes! We need to get going!"

Button Mash glanced up at his mother. "Huh? Eight minutes?! OK, we better go!" He then looked back at me and stuck out his hoof for a shake. "It was awesome meeting you, James! You're the coolest gamer I've ever met! Wanna meet up here on Sunday for some more?"

It was incredibly flattering to be praised by such a cute kid. I reached out and grasped his hoof before shaking it. "It was a pleasure, Button. And sure! I have plenty of free time on Sundays. I'll be sure to bring a couple of friends along too."

"Awesome! OK, gotta go! See ya! And it was great playing with you too, Miss Derpy!" Button replied before galloping away. His mother then stood up before walking after him. However, she then stopped beside Derpy and me before giving us a bright and endearing smile. "It was a pleasure getting to spend time with you two. And thanks for being a good friend to my son. If you see us again, please be sure to say hello."

"Will do, Eleina. You take care." I replied while giving her a tender cuddle, which she returned with a smile. She also shared one with Derpy before trotting away to catch up to her son. While she left, I could not take my eyes off of her.

Derpy seemed to notice my expression and asked with a rather whimsical smirk on her face. "See something you like?"

I had to suppress a snicker upon hearing those words. "Yup. I have no idea who her husband is, but he is one lucky dude. That mare is the hottest girl in town, hands down. And that's saying something because I know Rarity." Derpy got a good chuckle out of that little quip.

"Mmhm. She does tend to get a lot of attention. She's a really nice lady too." Derpy explained once she had ceased laughing. "She's a good mom though. Button Mash just recently started attending school in Ponyville."

"Yeah, Button is a cool kid too. Pretty fun to be around. I never thought I would make friends with any kids outside of the Cutie Mark Crusaders." I replied before looking at Derpy. "Uh… Do you think that's weird? A guy being friends with a kid who might be two decades younger than himself?"

Derpy raised her wings again as if to shrug her shoulders. "I don't see anything wrong with it. Friends are still friends, right?"

"Most people would probably find it creepy where I come from. And…uh…don't ask why, all right? Touchy subject there…" I retorted while trying not to think of the concept too much.

The two of us then stood up and stretched while letting out long satisfied groans. How long had we been squatting in front of that device anyway? It felt really good to finally stand up again. I then glanced around at the other game machines. I suppose I could have checked them out as well, but I had thoroughly satisfied my gamer itch for the time being. I just wanted to take a walk and loosen myself up.

Derpy the approached me and nudged my side. "So… What's next?"

I looked down at her and asked, "Well… How do you feel?"

"Oh, I'm much better now. But…I still have nothing to do right now. Can we still hang out?" She replied while looking rather sheepish.

After that nice long gaming session, I was really enjoying myself with Derpy Hooves. I really did not want to part ways with her yet. Especially since my friends had not returned from Cloudsdale. "Sounds good to me. What would you like to do next?"

"Well… How about… Oh, I got it! Remember that sword you got on your birthday?" Derpy replied before raising her voice in some excitement.

"That wooden longsword the Cutie Mark Crusaders crafted for me? Yeah, I've got that propped up next to the stairs in Fluttershy's house. You want to try using it or something?" I retorted while thinking back to that wooden weapon. Every now and then, I take it out into the meadow to practice with it. I have yet to actually need it for anything though.

Derpy shook her head and explained, "No, I don't want to use it. But I was hoping I could watch you try using it for real. You know, seeing how you did so well playing as that knight in the game?"

"Heh, I guess I did do really well with him. OK, sure. Let's go get my sword." I replied while probably blushing from that praise. The two of us then left the arcade and headed to the far side of town. It was a fairly long walk to get back home.

After passing through Ponyville and reaching the meadow that separates Fluttershy's home from the town, Derpy seemed to stop while she peered ahead. "Uh oh…"

I stopped and looked back at her. "Something wrong?" She seemed very uneasy and pointed ahead. When I turned around and peered into the distance, I noticed what seemed to be a pegasus stallion I did not recognize walking up the slope to Fluttershy's front door. He then seemed to fiddle with the mailbox for a moment before turning and walking back down the slope and in our direction.

"Wait… Isn't our place part of your mail route, Derpy?" I asked while looking back at her.

"Uh huh… Let's just get this over with…" Derpy replied halfheartedly while trying to stay behind me. I decided to lead on, hoping that this new mailpony would not be any trouble.

Once we drew closer to each other, I saw that the stallion seemed to be wearing a brown mail satchel over his shoulder. He had a dark gray coat and a reddish brown mane and tail. His cutie mark seemed to depict a postage stamp of sorts. I cannot recall mush else about his description since he did not leave a very pleasant lasting image on me. And I will now explain why.

Before I could even say anything to the passing stallion, his ears perked up before a scowl spread across his face. "You again? What're you doing out here, you klutz?"

That was quite a rude greeting. I turned to face Derpy, who sheepishly stepped out from behind me. "Sorry…"

"Sorry, huh? I'm the one who's been assigned to pick up your slack, you know. Why can't you do anything right?! Is being useless your special talent? Useless as bubbles?!" The stallion replied with a rather angry tone, but I also swear I heard an underlying mocking tone to it as well.

Derpy could not offer a reply. She even seemed to be tearing up. The stallion continued on, his angry scowl slowly turning into a rather cruel smirk that made me feel a great bitterness towards him. "I bet you even lose packages every week too. You think the boss ever gets complaints for mail being covered in muffin crumbs? Seriously, how did a total loser like you even land a job in one of the most complex businesses in town?"

When I glanced back down at my friend, I winced when I saw that she had started cry. She had raised one hoof to her eye and seemed to be quietly sobbing while trying to look away. Those words clearly struck a nerve in her heart. "You worthless boggle-eyed freak… Hey, pal. Why don't you ditch that klutz? I'm telling you right now, she's nothing but trouble." The stallion then spoke to me with a rather smug expression.

By then, I was feeling rather disgusted with this stallion. It had been a long time since another's actions and words had left my blood boiling. I stared at him and spoke as calmly as I could. "I'll pass."

Derpy seemed to stop sobbing and looked up at me. The stallion seemed rather shocked too and asked, "Huh? No?! Are you kidding?! Look at her! Those eyes say it all, man! She's just a disaster waiting to happen!"

"And I would still rather hang out with her than you." I replied while dropping down to a knee and pulling my friend closer to me. "At least she has only one big flaw as opposed to the several you have. Putting her down just because of one chronic fault? How childish. I know eight-year-olds more mature than you."

I could see Derpy looking at me out of the corner of her eye with a truly flabbergasted expression. The stallion was no different. He could not even speak. All he did was give me one long silent stare with his mouth hanging open slightly. I then continued and spoke, "Look, I don't blame you with being upset for whatever happened this morning. But at least you're probably being compensated for the extra duty. That means more bits in your pocket, right? Treat yourself to a nice meal tonight with it or something. Give yourself a pat on the back. And for the love of god, stop rubbing her problems in her face. At least she's more mature than you and probably learns from her mistakes."

"James…?" Derpy muttered lightly before falling silent again.

I did not stop. I wanted to get everything I had on my mind off before I could be interrupted. "And you know what? Whenever I see her, I don't cringe in fear of what she might do next. I always smile. Just seeing this sweetheart here brings a smile to my face. So she's a klutz? That's fine. We all have flaws. And that's just one compared to you. Your flaws are obviously that you are very critical towards others and not nearly as accepting of their faults. That's two over one. So come back and complain once you completely iron out those faults and only after that. That reasonable enough for you?"

There was a long silence while the stallion just stared at us. And then, without a word, he just walked past us and back towards Ponyville. I have no idea what he was thinking and I did not care to find out.

"Man, I never thought I would meet another jerk in Ponyville after Diamond Tiara… Derpy? Are you OK?" I spoke to myself before noticing tears streaming down my friend's face. She did not say anything, but her blank expression turned into a crooked smile before she practically jumped at me before grabbing me in one of the tightest hugs I had received in a while.

"Thank you…" She whispered in my ear. I could not help holding her tightly in my arms as well.

"I had to say something, Derpy. You're a good person and a good friend." I whispered back while my hand stroked her folded wings.

I heard her whisper with a tearful voice, "Am I…really somepony who makes you smile?"

I decided to be completely honest to her about that. "You are. Whenever I see you around, even if I do not have a means to directly interact with you, I can't help but smile. You could be right in front of me or far away in a crowd of ponies. Somehow, I just always notice you. And when I do, I can't help but smile and feel a bit happier."

Derpy went silent for a moment before tightening her grip around me. "I feel the same way about you too… Whenever I see you going around, I also smile. You're so easy to spot and you're always so open and accepting. You never complain about other's flaws… And just being with you makes me feel better about myself. Why is that?"

I dwelled on this for a moment before finding a response. "Well, a former friend once told me that I have a 'healing personality'. Do you think he might have been right?"

The feeling of Derpy lowering her chin into my shoulder showed that she had nodded. "I think so… You're very sweet."

"I try to be." I replied quietly while holding her close. Derpy certainly might not be one of my closer friends, but she is a friend nonetheless.

A couple of minutes passed before her grip on me loosened. Derpy then pulled away from me and looked at me with a walleyed smile. Dried tears had left sodium deposits on her cheeks. "I think I'll be OK now… Hopefully the others will stop bothering me at work soon too."

I nodded and climbed to my feet. "Me too. But now that we're almost to my place, shall I go grab my sword?"

Derpy grinned broadly and started to hover in the air. "Yes please, Sir James!"

There were numerous little animals scampering about the area once Derpy and I had reached the front yard of Fluttershy's cottage. Angel seemed to be taking nap in his little house off to the left. "Seems nopony's here yet. I'll be right back out."

"OK, I'll be over here on the bridge." Derpy replied before lying down on it. I then stepped inside the cottage and saw what I was looking for. A long wooden sword propped up next to the stairs in the corner. Still, just to be safe, I tried calling out to see if anyone was home at the time.

"Honey?! Scootaloo?! Are you home?!" I called out while holding a hand to the side of my mouth. There was no answer, lowering my spirits just slightly. It was then that I was reminded of just how much I was missing my friends. But my spirits rose when I felt something small land on my left shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, Angela! At least you're here." I spoke up in delighted surprise to find my pet dove perching next to my head. I reached up and stroked her head, prompting a delighted coo from her. "You wanna watch me practice some swordplay out there?"

Angela seemed to nod in agreement. I then approached my sword and looked it over. It had been a while since I had last held it. "Man, Apple Bloom did a fine job on sanding this down. I don't think I could get a splinter from this if I tried."

I then noticed something else on the sword. With the thing turned upside-down with the blade pointing down, the round wooden pommel was sticking in the air. And hanging on it were the two fingerless black gloves Lyra had given me for my birthday. "I guess swordplay does require some extra protection for the hands."

I took the gloves and slid them onto my hands before grasping my sword's hilt and hoisting the thick wooden blade over my right shoulder. I then went back outside and slipped through the doorway with Angela in tow. Once Derpy saw us coming, she stood up and trotted our way. "Ooh, looking good! Is that how you're supposed to carry a big sword like that?"

"In all honesty, I think it would be impossible to pull a sword this long from a scabbard if it was on your back. So hoisting it over the shoulder is probably the best way to carry it around." I replied while taking a moment to gentle caress Angela's fluffed chest feathers.

"Oh, hi there, Angela! You coming to watch too?" Derpy asked upon noticing my pet on my shoulder. The little white dove let out a coo of approval while almost seeming to smile.

"Yup. She's along for the ride. Let's go." I then proceeded to lead Derpy away from the cottage to an open area very close to the Everfree Forest.

"This looks open enough. Angela, would you mind staying by Derpy while I do this? I'd hate to clock you one with this thing." I spoke to Angela, worried that one of my movements might cause her to fall off or even get hit by my sword. While certainly not sharp enough to cut anything, the sturdy hard blade could still crush her frail body. Angela seemed to understand and fluttered over to Derpy before perking atop her head.

"OK, Sir James! Show us what you know!" Derpy called out while looking very focused on me. I nodded in kind before turning to my left for extra momentum to swing the sword right from my shoulder while grasping it in just my right hand. I then lifted myself up from being dragged down by the weight to provide more momentum to swing the sword upward before reaching up and grasping the hilt with my left hand and bringing the blade down hard into the grasp with a twin-handed grip.

Derpy gave me a brief applause before I decided to exercise some more of my swordplay knowledge. Now in something of a kneeling position, I tried spinning to my right for more momentum while following with a low sweep of my sword while imagining myself striking at a foe's legs. I then rose to my feet while still turning and performed another broad diagonal sweep with my blade. I just now realized that writing about how one actually moves during swordplay is somewhat tricky. If only I had some diagrams to show the stance and the movement of the sword…

I then suddenly performed a feint, where I suddenly bent my knees while leaning backwards to pull my body back without moving my feet. Holding the blade straight, I then thrust the sword forward for a hard stab. I then pulled the sword hard to my right, imagining tearing it from the impaled foe's torso. After that, I made a wide sweep to my left that caused the sword to point behind me with the pommel facing forward. I then put that pommel to good use by jabbing it forward before following with another wide sweep to my right.

This continued for a good minute or so before I decided to stop and take a breather. Derpy immediately applauded while I approached her with my sword over my shoulder "That was really cool! Are you a retired swordsman or something?"

Retired? I almost laughed at that bit. "Not even close. I've never applied for anything combat related in my life. Besides, swords are outdated where I come from. Just relics of a bygone era, but are still universal symbols for combat and noble warriors. If only the history of the weapon was so noble…"

Derpy seemed to fail to notice the dark overtone of that last line, something I am grateful for. "Well, you really looked like you knew what you were doing. Are you sure you're not a knight?"

"Yes, Derpy. Very sure. I was just improvising right there. Still, I have years of visual training by watching and observing swordplay performed by others. I just build off of what I've seen to try to perform adequately with a blade. I do have some combat experience from when me and my friends went to stop Nightmare Moon a few months back, but I can't see myself doing stuff like that for a living." I replied while examining the blade, hoping that striking the ground with it did no harm.

"Oh, OK. Well, it's still cool that you know how to use it." Derpy replied before her eyes turned towards the forest nearby. "Hey, James? Since we're out here, wanna take a walk through the Everfree Forest?"

As odd as that request was, I held no fear for the forest and saw no harm in walking along the path inside it so long as we did not go too far. "I don't see why not. Angela, would you mind waiting for us back here?"

Angela nodded before fluttering up to me and giving me a gentle nuzzle before flying back to the cottage in the near distance. Derpy then trotted along ahead of me while we searched for the actual path that leads into the Everfree Forest. "OK, ready?"

"Lead on, Derpy. I've got your back." I replied while carrying my sword over my shoulder.

The forest was quiet with the sounds of wildlife occasionally breaking the silence. I really do not know for certain why so many ponies fear this place. I actually went out of my way to ask why while all my friends were present at one time. Plants grow, weather changes, and animals take care of themselves all on their own? Come on. Where I am from, that is how things are all over the planet. Needless to say they completely flipped out over that with Rarity even spazzing out in my face before seemingly fainting in an overly dramatic fashion.

Eventually, Derpy stopped on the simple dirt path and glanced around. "It's really peaceful out here… Wait, did you hear that?"

"Um… No, I didn't hear anything…but I am seeing something." I replied after glancing around and noticing something in the shadows not very far from us. A pair of glowing green beacons that seemed…vaguely familiar.

"Derpy… Get behind me." I spoke up, feeling myself tense up. Derpy seemed to notice the glowing lights as well and silently moved behind me. "Now…run. Let's just…run for it." I spoke softly, yet urgently. Derpy took a few steps back before suddenly turning and running back down the path. I too followed suit and sprinted with my sword over my shoulder.

"What do you think it was?!" Derpy called while glancing over her shoulder at me. She soon took to the air, probably just in case she needed to get up into a tree.

Before I could reply, I thought I heard what sounded like the clattering of wood and heavy footsteps not far behind me. When I managed to look back, I saw the same two glowing lights steadily gaining on me while a dark brownish form moved through the shadows. I then remembered that I was, in fact, armed with a fairly large weapon. "Oh, what the hell. Bring it!"

I came to a sliding stop before turning around and taking a swing with my sword. Whatever was coming did not stop in time and got smacked right across the face and also got knocked down. Now that our pursuer was closer, I recognized it right away. "Whoa. A real timber wolf?"

Just like in the arcade game I had played a short while ago, the timber wolf was a lupine creature of sorts made entirely out of various pieces of wild wood. Branches, twigs, leaves. It was just a ramshackle collection that took on the visage of a wolf, complete with wooden fangs. In all honesty, I would much rather suffer a bite from real fangs than wooden ones. The strange creature was also noticeably smaller than real wolves, but was still clearly a threat.

It shook its head to clear its vision after that blow while I took a more proper stance with the blade being held laterally before me in a defensive stance. I was not feeling as scared as I normally would be if I were unarmed. I knew I could defend myself. The wooden wolf began to slowly circle me while I constantly rotated myself to face it. Becoming rather annoyed by this creature, I made a sudden lunge forward and brought my sword down onto its head. "Piss off, mutt! I'm not in the mood for you!"

The wolf backed away again, but still did not retreat. But after a moment more of observing the predator, I noticed something I had somehow overlooked. The creature was made of wood. Just wood. "Hang on… Hey! What are you even gonna do to me?! What are you gonna get out of eating my flesh?!"

Much to my surprise, the timber wolf actually seemed to understand my words, since its glowing eyes opened noticeably wider while letting out a rather bewildered growl. I then continued and explained while holding my arms out to my sides, "You're nothing but wood1 Just wood! Trees don't get nutrition from flesh! They get it from water and soil! How would you even digest me?! Can you even taste what you eat?! Do you even have a stomach in there?! How do you timber wolves even repro… Actually, scratch that last part. I don't want to imagine that."

The creature before me seemed extremely baffled by my words and even raised a 'paw' to its head to scratch it. Apparently having no answer for me, it raised its forelegs as if to say 'I have no clue' before running back into the underbrush and out of sight. Probably to go soak in a pond for some moisture.

I glanced behind me and soon noticed Derpy standing on a branch sticking out from a tree. "Uh… What did you do?! That thing just ran away!"

I shrugged my shoulders, also baffled by numerous unanswered questions that were floating around in my head. "I guess I just overloaded the thing's mind by pointing out huge plot holes about it and its brethren. At least they would be plot holes if this was a story or tv show."

Derpy seemed to understand what I was getting at. She then asked while hovering down from her safe spot, "Now that I think about it, where did timber wolves come from?! They're just wood that's held together by some kinda spell, right? Does that mean somepony made them and just let them run wild?"

"My first guess would be Nightmare Moon back when she was still a rogue, but that yellowish green glow in their eyes tells me otherwise. A real enigma, those creatures. But how did I not come across any the first time I went through this forest on my own? Talk about a lucky break!" I retorted, thinking back to the couple of days I had to hide out in the forest. If I had stumbled onto a pack of those creatures…. Ugh, that is an unnerving thought.

Not wanting to wait around for more wooden wolves to educate, Derpy and I made a mad jog back to the entrance to the forest. "Well, I don't think I'll ever be going in there again without this sword. I gotta remember to thank the girls for this! They might've saved my life!"

Derpy paused to catch her breath and also broke out into uneven laughter. "Heh… That was kinda fun! Today's been full of lots of interesting stuff!"

"Yeah… I guess you and I are really turning a dull lonely day into something special, huh?" I replied while leaning on my sword for support.

After a moment of just shooting the breeze, we then looked up and glanced around at the sound of what sounded like a distant boom or explosion. "Whoa, what was that?"

Derpy then suddenly pointed to the north. "Over there! It's a sonic rainboom!"

I looked in the direction my friend was pointing and raise a hand to my brow. What I saw… Well, this might be tricky to describe. It seemed to be an expanding circular shockwave that seemed to be made up of a rainbow of colors. It was quite a beautiful sight, to be honest. And judging by how far away it was, that shockwave must have been numerous. "Hang on… THAT is a the result of a sonic rainboom?!"

"Yep! I heard only Rainbow Dash knows how to perform it. She's at the Best Young Fliers Competition today, isn't she?" Derpy replied while glancing up at me.

"Yeah… And she said she would do this just before they are ready to come home… Wait, already? I thought the prize for winning the competition is a day with the Wonderbolts. What counts as a day to them? One hour?" I asked, understandably baffled by them seemingly returning too early when considering the time of day. They left shortly before noon, and now it was early in the evening. All things considered, that was way too soon a departure from Cloudsdale. Maybe she did it by accident just for fun?

"Well, it's a pretty long flight to Cloudsdale from here. It'll take them a while to get back." Derpy spoke up before turning her gaze to me again. "Hey! How about you come over to my place? I still gotta thank you for a little while ago. How about I bake you some muffins?"

I looked down at the mailmare and showed a slight grin. "Muffins, you say? Sure! Just let me put my sword back and we'll get going." I then hurried over to Fluttershy's cottage and put my sword and gloves back where they were before. After saying hello to Angela again, I ran outside to catch up to Derpy and headed back into town with her.

After walking along for a short while, we came to a house that really did not stand out that much from other residences in Ponyville. "Here's my place! Come on in and make yourself at home." Derpy spoke with a big grin before letting me inside. I then proceeded to pause a moment to take off my shoes and leave them by the door. At least I assumed it would be the polite thing to do. While I did so, Derpy trotted into the first room on the left, which I assume was the kitchen. From a glance, it seemed to be a pretty nice place with an interior that seemed to fit a semi rural community. However, I then heard Derpy suddenly speak up with a rather annoyed voice. "English muffins again?! Traitor!"

What, did we walk in on a guest? I peeked around the corner and found Derpy glaring rather harshly at a familiar earth pony stallion. His mouth was frozen open while holding one half of a toasted English muffin near it that was smeared in a layer of melted butter. There was a plate on the kitchen table before him with the muffin's other half. He then spoke with a really sheepish tone of voice, although I was quick to notice a very heavy British accent in his tone. "It's…really not what it looks like, Miss Derpy… Oh, all right! It is! But you know I can't help it! I just love butter!"

Derpy, her passion for muffins apparently clouding her judgment, continued to chew the rather refined fellow out over his choice of food while hovering before him. "But English muffins aren't even real muffins! If you want muffins, you should just ask me to bake some!"

I then decided to step into the kitchen and offer my two cents. Or is the proper wording 'two bits' in Equestria? "Derpy, cut the guy a break. Just because English muffins are not technically muffins doesn't mean that they are a bad choice of food. I personally like mine toasted with a layer of butter on one half and a layer of strawberry jam on the other."

My intervention seemed to get a rather shocked expression out of Derpy, but the stallion then faced me and spoke with a rather enthusiastic smile. "Ah, yes! Very true there. Combining warm melted butter with thick jam makes for a stellar combination, doesn't it? And… Now that I think about it, have we met?"

Upon closer inspection, I recognized the stallion. His cutie mark consisted of an hourglass. Pretty easy to remember him by. His coat is a shade of tan while is mane and tail are rather spiky and cut short. His eyes seemed to be a gradient shade of azure. His only clothing was a white shirt collar with a green necktie hanging from the front. I then decided to answer his question and replied, "Well, not socially. I have seen you around now and then. Doctor Hooves, right?"

He nodded and gave me a very inviting smile. "Indeed! Although many just call me 'The Doctor' elsewhere. And I see you know Miss Derpy. You two friends?"

Derpy lost her scornful frown and smiled slightly. "Uh huh. I've known James since shortly after he showed here almost a year ago. He's a really nice guy and has been helping turn this bad day of mine around. I just brought him over to my place so I could bake him some muffins! Would you like some, Doctor?"

"Oh, I'm sure I could save some room for one. Many thanks, Miss Derpy." The doctor replied while Derpy went about the kitchen to gather up the ingredients for what seemed to be blueberry muffins. The classics. And I will say now that Derpy looks irresistibly adorable in an apron.

With nothing else to do, I pulled a stool up to the table and poured myself a glass of water from a picture on the table. Doctor Hooves wasted no time in finishing off his toasted English muffins, though he seemed to do so in a hurry as if fearful Derpy would come back over and complain some more. I finally decided to comment on it and asked quietly, "What's she got against English muffins anyway?"

He then adjusted his tie while clearing his throat. "Well, it seems Miss Derpy has quite a fondness for muffins and really seems to dislike English muffins because they are not exactly real muffins. Not certain why though. Fetish, perhaps?"

I have to say I was liking this guy the more I listened to him. He had a very pleasant presence about him. "Yeah, maybe. You don't suppose she likes to dress up as the Muffin Queen, do you?" This prompted a good chuckle out of both of us. Derpy seemed to be too focused on her own task to be paying us much mind. It also helped that she seemed to be lightly singing a song as well. Something about stars and moons and air balloons or something like that. I cannot remember the rest of the lyrics.

I went silent for a moment and just enjoyed my drink while letting my eyes glance around the kitchen. It seemed cozy and much like one I would find in a house built in a humble town like Ponyville. However, I soon noticed that the doctor was constantly giving me his undivided attention without ever once looking away. Finally, I set my glass down and asked, "Can I help you?"

He then let out a nervous chuckle. "Heheh, was my constant staring that obvious? So sorry. I was just wondering… You're not from around here, are you?"

I felt no need to hide the truth from this stallion. By then, I am sure almost everyone in town who even remotely knows me likely knows I am from another world. "Not at all. I'm from a planet called Earth."

I was not expecting the doctor's response. "Ah, Earth! It's been a while since I last stopped by there. London is certainly a fine stop, isn't it?"

London, huh? Considering his very heavy accent, I was hardly surprised… Wait a second! London?! Earth?! I set my glass down rather forcefully and spoke in a voice louder than I usually do, "Hang on! You've been there?!"

I seemed to mildly startle him with my outburst. "Hm?! Did I say that? Well, yes. I have been there. Why do you ask?"

At first, I simply had no words. Was this guy just messing with me? How in any possible way could a pony from Equestria, a land that has had absolutely no contact with any other worlds up to this point, could have ever visited my home world? After my eyes scanned him for a minute, I answered with a question of my own. "Doc, exactly what field do you specialize in? Aeronautics?"

He tilted his head to one side while looking absolutely baffled by my inquiring. "Come again? What field?"

"Yes. What kind of doctor are you? You an orthopedist? A neurosurgeon?" I replied; my eyes focused sharply on him.

He responded with a light chuckle. "Oh, that? I'm just The Doctor."

My eyes squinted a bit as I began to find myself becoming rather annoyed by his play of innocence. "Then what university did you study at?"

"Oh, no education in that manner, if that's what you're asking. I'm The Doctor. That's all you need to know." He retorted again while shaking his hoof in a dismissive manner.

By then, I was really starting to lose my cool with him and decided to be completely blunt with him. "Look, Doc. If there is one thing that you should know about me, it's that I really…REALLY hate it when people beat around the bush with me."

He then surprised me with a slightly excited smile. "Ah, you do?! Well, what else can we find out about you?" He then reached into his shirt collar and pulled out…a small silver slender device with a glowing blue light at the top. It gave off a constant whirring sound. He grasped the thing in his ankle joint and pointed it at me.

"What the hell are…?" I started to speak, but just lost myself in watching what this bizarre fellow was doing. I had no idea what was going on anymore.

"Ah, your name is indeed James. Birth date is May 25th, last name is…" He then paused before looking at me again. "Come to think of it, would you prefer me to ever mention you by your last name?"

After a moment of collecting my composure, I managed to put together a reply. "Well, considering I'm probably the only James on this planet, I don't think using my last name is necessary."

The doctor grinned and snickered lightly at my response. "Very good point there. Let's see here… Favorite foods are sushi, pastas, pretty much anything oriental… Hm, no pears. That's good. Least favorite foods are peppers, spicy foods, anything bitter, and onions top the list. And you have no dislike for pears… Well, that's one thing we don't have in common." I swear, it sounded like he was saying 'pez' to me, but I am all but certain he meant to say 'pears'. His accent was that thick.

I really could not offer any input at all. I was practically mesmerized by my own bewilderment. That device he was holding was, from what I could tell, reading me like a book. "Went through a rather messy breakup with a young lass last year. Relationship lasted for three years… My word, that's quite a long time to wait to break up with someone. Things went downhill rapidly when…accused of rape?! Good lord, that can't be right… Never once performed intercourse or forced your former lover into… I'm going into too much detail, aren't I?"

I gave the doctor a scowl. "Just be glad Derpy is a little too preoccupied to be paying much attention to your words, Doc."

"Yes, yes, so sorry. I'll just overlook that part… But by the sound of it, this last lover of yours must have really been off her rocker! All I'm seeing here shows that you are emotionally incapable of such a wretched thing. Very fine lad you are, James. What else do we got here… Strongly dislikes bullying, profanity, has unconditional hatred towards all tobacco products, low tolerance for general stupidity… Ah, and holds great value for innocence and purity." He spoke before looking at me with a warm smile. "Very nice quality right there. Not many men on Earth have that these days." He then proceeded to deactivate the device in his grasp and placed it back under his collar, his curiosity having apparently been satisfied for the moment.

The more I stared at this stallion, the more I got a very powerful nagging feeling. That was something much more to this guy than met the eyes. Like he was a cog in a much grander scheme of things that I could not even begin to wrap my head around. Finally, I just had to ask. "Doc… Who…and what are you?"

His eyes opened slightly wider at my question. "What am I? Well… I suppose I could answer that. But are you sure you really want to know?"

I could not help crack a smirk at that last question. If that…thing he just used could reveal any detail about me, he likely learned of the moment Derpy told me about him in the first place back on Hearts & Hooves Day. "Well… Considering that Derpy probably gets seizures whenever you tell her, I think I will pass on that. I have never had any seizures or migraines and I want to keep it that way." This caused the guy to burst into wild laughter, apparently amused that I had just read him like he read me.

"Oh, so true! Well, you follow your gut instinct very well, I must say!" He spoke while trying to reign in his laughter. "But yes, as to what I was saying before… You seem to greatly value innocence and purity. I have to say, that…is nothing short of a rarity on Earth these days. Especially among the male population."

I could not help letting out a long sigh at that observation. "No kidding… It seems the human race back home is obsessed with gruesome violence and warfare nowadays. It has practically taken over many forms of media. You just can't escape it anymore. Film, video games, books, you name it. It is, without a doubt, the dominant interest on the market. A far cry from how things were twenty years ago."

He too let out a long sigh and bowed his head for a moment. "I have not been back there for several years, but I believe every word you say. There were definitely some warning signs coming up about the well-being of the world at that time too. But I can tell you this, James. Even if Earth has dug itself to a new low that the people in charge of running the whole thing may or may not be able to salvage themselves from, I can promise you that there are other worlds out there that are MUCH worse."

"And I believe you, Doc. Don't know why, but I do." I retorted without much delay. Just…something about this stallion made me place a great deal of faith in him. Someone I could trust. I was even beginning to wonder if the guy is even a pony at all, as bizarre at that sounds.

He nodded while adjusting his tie once more. "Well, I can definitely see why you're so at home in Equestria. That's part of why I like spending time here. I don't think I've ever come across a world so universally pleasant as this one. No better place to just settle down and relax."

"No argument there." I replied briskly. I could have inquired about what other worlds he had been too, but decided not to. Whatever it is he does, it is probably for the best that I keep myself as far away from his workings as possible.

He then looked over at Derpy before looking back to me and speaking in a softer tone. "And another thing. You are the bearer of the Element of Humanity, eh?"

I rolled my eyes at that observation. "What did you NOT bother to read while looking that thing over?"

"Well, I didn't bother to look at the number of times you've shagged Miss Fluttershy, in case you were wondering." He spoke with a completely straight face.

"Hey! You better not have!" I barked rather loudly as my face flushed red while shocked he was bold enough to even say that out loud. Once again, he burst out laughing. Heh, I must admit he is fun to talk to.

However, The Doctor then calmed himself and spoke with a serious, yet sincere tone. "Still, you being in possession of an Element? Along with the bearers of the Elements of Harmony? That's quite an honor."

"Hey, I'm not some prophesized hero, OK? I'm just a guy who met the requirements for it." I replied once again, not feeling particularly thrilled about it. While I admit I was rather enthralled with the fact that a 7th Element exists, even if not an Element of Harmony, it never left that big of an impact on me. I wonder that is how my friends feel about being the bearers of the six Elements of Harmony.

"Right, right, no one really wants to be given a hero's burden. Something not many think about when they want to be heroes." The Doctor said with a rather calm tone. However, he then spoke, "But still, judging by what I read, you seem to be a good fit for it. I think you'll use it well in the near future, whatever the situations turn out to be."

"Thanks, Doc. You're pretty cool." I retorted while holding out my hand for a handshake.

"And so are you, Sir James." He replied before shaking my hand. I suppose he must have noticed my interest in swordplay and knightly legends if he called me that.

After a moment more, I felt the need to stand up and walk around. I then called over to Derpy and asked, "Hey, Derpy? Is it all right if I take a look around?"

Derpy, who seemed to be in the process of mixing up some muffin batter in a large bowl, glanced over at me and nodded. "Sure! Make yourself at home."

"Excuse me for a bit, Doctor." I briefly spoke to my conversation partner before standing up and stepping back out into the hall before going a bit deeper into the house. However, I did not get far before stopping in my tracks. "What the hell… Why is this here?"

Standing in the very middle of what I believe was the living room was a tall blue phone booth. And it reached nearly to the ceiling. Considering the thing's size, there was no way something that big, bigger than me even, could have been designed for the ponies of Equestria. Just above the door seemed to be a black bar with the words 'POLICE BOX' with two words stacked onto each other between the two that read 'PUBLIC CALL'. That really got my brain twisted. Was it even a phone booth at all? A type of emergency communication booth? I am not terribly knowledgeable about the history of phone booths, but it did look rather old fashioned.

After a moment of circling around the thing and finding nothing really amiss, I decided to call out to Derpy since it was her house. "Derpy?! Why is there a phone booth in your living room?!"

The one to answer was not Derpy at all. The Doctor stuck his head out of the kitchen and looked my way. "Oh, that would be mine! Be careful with it!"

Somehow, I was not surprised. I looked at The Doctor, then back at the phone booth, and then back to him. "Sooo… What is it doing in here? Is it some weird sort of…conversation piece?"

"Oh, that's just my personal means of transportation. Don't worry about it." He replied, though his response only baffled me more. A phone booth that is also a vehicle?

"Uh… Transportation? It doesn't look like it's on any wheels… And how do you even fit this thing through the door?!" I asked again after giving the booth another glance.

The Doctor seemed to get a good chuckle out of my observation. "Oh, it doesn't work like that! It… Well, how do I explain this to you in a way you will understand?" He then held his hoof to his chin while muttering under his breath, his eyes looking at nothing in particular. "Ah, I've got it!"

I listened while crossing my arms, though his explanation was…less than stellar. "Let's just say that thing there is made of and runs on wibbly wobbly timey bits. That's all you need to know."

My head tilted radically to the side while my mouth drooped into a….I can only imagine how I looked, but The Doctor looked like he was going to bust a gut at any second from looking at me. While trying to not burst out laughing, he spoke with a jittery tone. "Well… You can take a look inside it, if you want." However, his expression became rather serious. "But please, I implore you, do not touch ANYTHING. Except the door. And the rails, and the floor, and be sure to wipe your feet before going in too."

"Uh… Sure thing, Doc." I replied, prompting The Doctor to duck back into the kitchen. It was then that I was starting to wonder if the guy is a scatterbrained genius, or a mad loony. But I would be lying if I said he makes for some bad company.

I then turned and observed the blue box before me. There was indeed a handle to grasp in order for the folding door on the front to be slid open. But while I reached for it, I could feel a powerful tension. What in the world was inside that box? Did I really want to know? Did I really need to?

My hand firmly grasped the handle, but I did not pull. I actually started to sweat. Finally, I let go of the thing and backed away in a hurry. "Nope! Nope, nuh uh, not doing it, nope, not gonna break my brain, not going in there, nope, not going in, nope…" I continued on like that until I was seated back at the kitchen table with The Doctor eyeing me while his mouth showed a silly smirk.

"Didn't go in?" He asked while sipping from a mug of tea.

"Was I that obvious?" I asked, prompting another laugh from both of us.

As the minutes passed by, the room was filled with the delicious scent of blueberry muffins being baked. That aromatic scent of the batter browning and the sweeter scent of the berries mixing with it. "You visit often, Doc?"

The Doctor nodded while taking another sip of his tea. A sweet chamomile tea that I too was enjoying a cup of as well. "Oh yes, Miss Derpy and I get along quite well. I suppose her house serves as my port in the storm more often than not." I decided to not inquire about that. The less I knew about whatever his job entails, the better.

After a while, I heard the oven's hatch close. "All done! Just be careful, they're really hot!" Derpy spoke up before carrying a tin tray filled with muffins over to the table while using a potholder that was resting in her mouth.

The smell was fantastic. Even though I often smell it when working in Sugarcube Corner, the smell of homemade muffins seems to differ slightly. You have to actually work often around them in a licensed bakery to actually notice the difference more easily. "These look great, Derpy. How many am I allowed?"

My mailmare friend gave me a broad smile. "As many as you want. It's my way of saying 'thank you' for being there for me today."

"Derpy, you're a sweetheart." I replied before reaching out and tussling her yellow mane. She gave me a delighted giggle and one of the cutest faces I had seen in quite some time.

The three of us sat there, engaging in polite conversation. In all, there were a dozen muffins. I managed to eat two, as did Derpy, but The Doctor settled for just one. Probably from having already filled himself up on buttered English muffins.

"So, Doc… Does the royal family happen to know about your…line of work?" I asked in an almost jeering fashion. Just because I was unwilling to find out more about him does not mean I could not get cheeky about what I did not know. I will also say that the muffins were fluffy and even just a little moist. The muffins we make at Sugarcube Corner are almost always dry, but the little bit of moisture makes them even better and the berries are actually a little juicy. Derpy may as well be called Ponyville's local 'Muffinmancer'.

The Doctor grinned rather sheepishly in response to my question. "Ah, them… Well, I say it's best that they don't get involved. Very veeery technical and complex stuff that I'm sure they would not be able to wrap their heads around."

"We talking calculus complex or rocket science complex?" I asked in an attempt to be witty.

"Ha! Much more than that, I'm afraid! More like space-time continuum complex, if that is even a proper way of saying it. No, wait. That's not quite it… Um… Ah, now I know. It's…mmph?!" He replied while brushing some muffin crumbs from his lips just before Derpy stuffed her hoof in his mouth.

"Please don't explain it again, Doctor! My head's already starting to hurt!" Derpy spoke with a pleading voice. The Doctor nodded with a muffled grunt before she removed her hoof. I decided to not comment on the whole thing.

Eventually, Derpy placed the remaining muffins in a folded paper bag. A total of seven in all. I could even feel some of the lingering heat through the thin brown paper. "These are some of the best blueberry muffins I've had in a while, Derpy. Are you sure I can take the rest?" I asked while she pushed the bag towards me.

"Uh huh! I can always make more, so don't worry about a thing." Derpy replied while reaching out and giving me a hug. "Thanks for being there for me today. I really needed the company."

I could not help but return the favor by wrapping my arms around her. The Doctor watched with a calm smile, but also seemed to sneak another English muffin with some butter while Derpy was focused on me. Does she really give him that much flack over his favorite snack?

Once Derpy had let go of me and The Doctor had covered his tracks at the last second, I decided it was finally time to be on my way. Now that Derpy was safe and sound in her own home, and with nice company like The Doctor to be around her, it seemed like I should get going and prepare to welcome my friends back. "Well, I'm pretty sure my friends are on their way back by now. I should probably get going so I can be there when they land."

Derpy seemed to understand and gave me a smile while hanging up her apron. "Then I guess we helped fill each other's schedule, didn't we? You give your friends a hug for me when you see them!" I suppose she had a point. We both were in need of some company, and we both obliged each other. It is funny how some conflicts resolve themselves sometimes.

"I will. Thanks. And it was a pleasure meeting you, Doc." I replied before The Doctor trotted over to me.

He then extended his hoof to me for one final shake. "Yes, quite. It was ever a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm sure the two of us are going to be good friends for a long time."

"I second that notion." I retorted while grasping his hoof and giving it a shake. With bag of muffins in hand, I said my goodbyes and headed out the door while trying to not glance back at the mysterious blue phone booth in the living room. Best just forget I ever saw that or it will be on my mind for a while.

When I stepped outside, I found that the sun was starting to get a bit low in the sky. I then just began to walk, not entirely sure of where I was going. Scootaloo was likely with the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders over at the clubhouse. I am sure even Mitta was with them at that moment too.

My eyes scanned the northern skies. From what I could see, there did not seem to be anything there. Had they already come home and landed somewhere. "Come on, girls. Where are you?"

I began to just walk around town to pass the time while glancing up every now and then. And after a while, I saw it. An object looming in the northern sky. After waiting a few more minutes, I was able to make out more of its shape. I recognized it in a matter of seconds. A hot air balloon.

A spark of excitement filled my heart. They were almost home. In what felt like a painfully long time, I began to pace back and forth near the bridge that spanned the tiny river at the southern border of town that led into the local park. Eventually, I could make out two more shapes in the sky that seemed to be orbiting around the balloon like a pair of satellites. I immediately assumed them to be Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

Eventually, the balloon descended even closer to the ground while still drifting south. Have you ever had to wait for a hot air balloon to come back down? Not fun. I eventually moved into the park itself. From what I could see from below, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were trying to help guide the balloon to a clearing by pulling on ropes that were attached somewhere inside the basket. I suppose Twilight was doing all she could to let as much hot air out of the top as possible to speed their descent.

They finally drew close enough for me to hear them. Rainbow Dash was speaking loudly, probably annoyed with how long it was taking to get the balloon grounded. "This is why we don't use this thing more often!"

Whatever the others said to her, I did not hear. The only reason I heard Rainbow was because she was practically yelling. Eventually, Fluttershy did look down while I waved up at her. She seemed to become flustered, apparently not sure of what to do. She seemed to decide to hold onto the rope until the balloon had been brought into a safe. Eventually, I heard Rainbow Dash call out. "OK, Twilight! Give it a yank!"

Seconds later, the balloon began to descend noticeably more quickly. I suppose Twilight had caused a vent on top to open to rapidly let the buoyant hot air out. I stumbled backward to make certain I was not in harm's way. The basket landed with a thud, revealing my four other friends. Pinkie Pie then hopped right out of the basket and onto solid ground. "Finally! I swear it always takes longer going home than it does going to Cloudsdale in the first place!"

"Uh huh. But where is… There you are!" Fluttershy added before looking my way and swooping right into my waiting arms. The two of us cuddled tightly for a moment, just lost in each other's arms. It had been quite a while since I was that happy to see my dear girlfriend.

One by one, our friends drew near. Applejack spoke up first. "Howdy, James! Miss us?"

I took a moment to look them over before speaking with a sigh. "Do you know how long its been since I've gone a full free day without being with any of you?"

Pinkie Pie then practically jumped into my arms and nearly knocked me down. Good grief, is she heavy! All that muscle in an earth pony must really weight them down. "That must mean yes!" All our friends let out a combined chuckle at her over enthusiasm.

Twilight then stepped forward and gave me a tender embrace while Pinkie's weight brought me to my knees. "It almost felt like something was missing the entire time we were there. I wish you could've come, James." One by one, my six friends came forward and held me in a big group hug. After going most of the day without spending any time with them, it felt very cathartic.

"I really wasn't expecting to feel as lonely as I did when you girls left. I can't tell you how glad I am that you're all home." I replied while trying to get my arms around as many of them as I could.

Rarity let out a long sigh while planting a tender kiss on my cheek. "As are we, darling. But hopefully you did manage until we returned."

It was then that a question popped into my head. "Hey, now that I think about it… Aren't you girls home a bit early? I thought the prize for the competition was a day with the Wonderbolts? Is a 'day' to them just an hour or two?"

Rainbow Dash backed away from me while chuckling rather sheepishly. "Uh… Yeah… About that? I kinda… Well, I threw the competition."

That sounded completely unlike her. Rainbow Dash deliberately losing in a competition? Especially with an audience? Not with her ego, she would not! "That really doesn't sound like you, Rainbow."

"Well, I did!" She suddenly barked at me while our friends released their grips on me. If anything, she seemed slightly distraught. She seemed bothered that she had lost in front of an audience, despite her intentions being deliberate.

Applejack then spoke up. "It was pretty noble why, James. Go ahead and tell 'im, Rainbow."

I listened while Rainbow Dash looked right at me. "The whole reason why I pretty much threw in the towel… I was hoping you'd come along next year to watch me mop the floor with the competition."

This hardly made any sense. She could just compete again the following year, right? "But why lose this time? You could just return for the following year, couldn't you?"

Fluttershy then spoke up in her quiet voice and explained, "Um… It doesn't work like that. The winner of the Best Young Fliers Competition is barred from participating the following year to give the other competitors a fairer chance of winning."

I almost laughed at that rule. "Really? Well, that makes sense for Rainbow. If there were no restrictions, she would have more gold medals than she'd know what to do with." This got a good laugh out of everypony, especially from Rainbow Dash herself.

In that moment, I had also thought things over in my head. "And to that effect… I would love to attend next year."

"Ooh, really?! But I thought you said you don't like those big sporting events!" Pinkie Pie asked while seemingly baffled. The other girls seemed puzzled as well, especially after I had made it so clear before they had departed.

I then decided to explain myself more thoroughly. "I did, but I had a little insight today. Even if the event itself doesn't interest me, I think I would still have a blast with all of you." I then looked toward Rainbow Dash and smiled. "And I think I would enjoy watching a good friend show what she is good at doing." Rainbow gave me a surprisingly delighted, as well as grateful, grin while a noticeable blush filled her cheeks.

Rarity then winked at me over her sunglasses. "Did you really miss us that much, darling?"

I saw no reason to hide it and let out a sigh. "I did. I just didn't know how much until all six of you were gone. I swear I'll be going next year."

Once again, I found myself on the receiving end of another group hug. This time, I was not properly prepared and ended up being dragged to the ground. Not that I minded. I almost laughed with my six dearest friends cuddling and nuzzling me.

Twilight then spoke something that I really was not expecting. "That's great to hear, James. Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon were very disappointed that you did not show up with us."

This triggered an unexpected sting in my heart. Luna and Nightmare Moon had been disappointed by my absence? And to think that I was actually going to try to attend by retrieving my winged armor… I had completely missed out on it. "They…wanted to see me?"

Pinkie Pie then jumped up and explained while wildly gesturing. "Yeah! When we told them there was no safe way to get you to fit in the basket with us, they looked really bummed out! Ooh, especially Nightmare Moon. I felt sorry for them!"

I felt genuinely bad upon hearing that and rubbed my fingers against my brow. It had been a while since I last felt that disappointed in myself. "Dang it…"

Applejack patted me gently on the shoulder while I sat up. "Easy there, pardner. It wasn't yer fault. We didn't know that balloon basket couldn't hold all of us. Besides, what happened while we were gone? Anythin' good?"

It was then that I thought back to what had happened today. Despite the immense disappointment in myself for bailing out of going and disappointing two very dear friends of mine in the process, I did end up helping another special friend of mine. And in the process, I might have made a couple of new friends. So when all is said and done… I guess today was just bittersweet. But at the same time, maybe it was for the best I did stay behind. Who can say?

"Well… Maybe it was for the best I did stay behind. It turns out somepony needed me today." I replied with a rather dull tone.

Rainbow Dash then stepped forward. "Huh? Really? Cool! Who was it?"

I then decided to get creative with my answer. "Well… It's someone who is usually around when you least expect her. But when she is there, either right in front of you or far away, you can't help noticing her. And she always makes you smile when you see her."

My friends seemed baffled by my words and all seemed to go into thinking mode to try to decipher my riddle. Eventually, Fluttershy spoke first. "Oooh, her! And she needed you?"

Rainbow Dash then let out a chuckle. "Yeah… Well, don't ask her for help when it comes to clearing up clouds. Trust me on that one." I felt it was best to not ask about whatever prompted that reply.

Rarity then lightly prodded the paper bag I had been carrying. "And I assume she gave you this? What's in here? It smells absolutely astounding."

I then cracked a grin and opened the bag. "It's exactly what you think it is. Muffins for everyone."

All of my friends grinned and inhaled deeply from the aroma wafting from the bag when I opened it. I then reached in and started handing six of the seven muffins around. Pinkie Pie even giggled while she took hers between her hooves, "Finally, some snacks! Twilight's balloon never has any snacks or in-flight movies to pass the time with."

"And how would I even show movies in that thing?!" Twilight asked with a hint of mild irritation. Maybe it was for the best I did not even try to go with them in that basket at all. She was probably driving them mad by going stir crazy halfway to their destination.

Fluttershy was about to take her muffin, but then put it back in the bag. "Actually, James… Since we're so close by, how about we visit the pond?"

"The pond? I've already been there today, but it'll be better with someone with me." I replied while folding the bag's opening shut.

"Well, it is starting to get late. I still need to get my balloon put away. Shall we all talk tomorrow?" Twilight spoke up before trotting over to her grounded hot air balloon. The envelope had completely deflated by then and was sprawled out on the ground next to the basket.

"Sounds good ta me, Twi. I'm gonna mosey on home then. See y'all later!" Applejack replied while bidding us all farewell. The rest of our friends followed suit before Fluttershy and I departed through the edge of the clearing to make our ways to the other side of the park.

The walk to the pond was quiet and uneventful while the setting sun made for a great atmosphere. Fluttershy and I engaged in simple conversation along the way to pass the time. Apparently, Pinkie Pie had indeed gotten board on the return trip and that was why she and Rainbow had been using the ropes. Not to increase the rate of the balloon's descent, but to get them home faster to escape Pinkie Pie's impatience.

The pond was exactly the way it had been when I last saw it. And it was the first time I had visited it twice in one day. My lover and I took a seat beside the sack of food pellets and tossed a bit to the fish just under the surface. And…well, I think you know what happened after that by now.

Shortly after that, I opened the paper bag I was carrying and took out the last two muffins and passed Fluttershy one. But once we began to enjoy them, she brought up something I was not expecting to hear and had almost forgotten about. "Rarity told me about what happened today at her place."

I instantly froze up. My body temperature spiked. I began to sweat. I honestly did not know what to expect from that point onward. "Uh… Yeah?"

Much to my surprise, Fluttershy did not seem angry or upset at all. Instead, she gave me a gaze that seemed more curious than anything else. "She told me all about it. And…are you sure you're all right doing that?"

"What do you mean? Are you worried that I might burn myself out or something?" I asked, not entirely certain of what she was getting at.

Fluttershy then placed her hoof on my hand. "I mean… It's amazing that you can really have so much love in you that you can share it with so many. But…do you really think you can manage that for so long without…leaving me?"

I knew then what her fears were and held her close to me, my fingers stroking her mane. "Honey… I won't ever leave you. I may have enough love to share with those I adore like Rarity, but my heart belongs to you. You are the woman I want to be with. And that won't change. Do you believe me?"

I heard Fluttershy let out a long sigh before also holding me in a tender embrace. "I do… I never doubted you, James. I felt so happy for Rarity that you could make her happy with your love. And I felt so proud of you for reserving yourself for me… I don't think…I ever met a man who could honestly do that before I met you."

I felt a smile creep across my face. I could never leave Fluttershy. I just could not allow myself to. I want to be there for her always. But I then heard her speak softly, "Rarity also told me about the girl you loved before me… I'm so sorry you went through that. You deserved so much better than her."

At that, I honestly let out a slight chuckle. "Well, if she hadn't dumped me, I would not have discovered that bit about myself. All things considered, I'm glad she left me."

Fluttershy seemed rather surprised by the fact that I was smiling at the unpleasant memories I had of my last love. "Um… You're glad she left you?"

"Of course I am. She and her family are not exactly what I would call…sane. There's a lot of abuse in both sides' histories. It's no wonder she became subtlety abusive too. I feel sorry for the poor sap she might be dating now." I explained, not feeling the slightest bit of bitterness at all. It felt good to let go of those old memories.

"Um… Wow… I didn't know she was that bad…" Fluttershy replied while looking genuinely blown away.

"It's OK, Fluttershy. I'm glad to be rid of her…" I spoke softly before gently cupping her face. "And to have you instead. You don't just act kind and sweet. You ARE kind and sweet."

She gave me a very tender smile as those beautiful strong cyan eyes began to tear up. I then continued and whispered, "You're one of the best things to ever happen to me, Fluttershy. I don't regret choosing to be with you. I know I would have been happy with Rarity and we share a very special connection, but you… I could never replace you. I'm honored you asked me to be yours."

Fluttershy squinted her eyes as the tears flowed free from her. She then planted a surprisingly passionate kiss on my lips while I did the same. In that moment, I felt…nothing but true peace. I have said it before and I will say it again. If there is an angel in Ponyville, she is Fluttershy.

"I missed being with you today…" She spoke softly once our lips separated from each other.

"I missed all of you… I swear I'll come to the next competition. I know I'll have a good time if I'm with you." I replied while resting my forehead against hers. After a while longer, I stood up and began to head back towards Ponyville with Fluttershy by my side. Before we could head home, I needed to stop by the library. I needed to apologize to Luna and Nightmare Moon for not attending before I could forget. And once that was done, it was over to the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse for me. I had almost forgotten that I had agreed to meet up with them there. I could only hope they would forgive me for being so late.

What a bittersweet day. I enjoyed myself, yet was disappointed in myself either way. Still, what would have been the better choice? To have gone ahead to the Best Young Fliers Competition after all and leave Derpy to deal with her problems alone? Well, I suppose it is too late to dwell on it now. At least staying behind did allow me to be there for a friend in need. I hope Derpy is doing fine right now.

And… Oh, right. I even made a few new friends in the process. I certainly am looking forward to another romp at the arcade with Button Mash. I wonder what other titles are there right now. And his mother… Heh, I should be careful with how I think about her. But she is very sweet and a lot of fun to be with. And there is The Doctor… I still do not know what to really make of him, but he is an interesting guy. But then again… Just how many times have Fluttershy and I… No, I am not going there! That information is staying out of these journals! Still, nice guy overall.

Well, enough of that. It has been a very long day and I should prepare for bed. Good night.


	27. Words of a Lady

Good afternoon, darlings. You probably know who I am. Miss Rarity, owner and proprietor of the fabulous Carousel Boutique of Ponyville! Today is mostly just like any other day in this cozy little town, but I feel compelled to jot down a little journal of my own. A dear friend of mine, quite possibly Equestria's only human, seems to have a habit of writing down journals as well and I know I have written one or two before. So today, I told myself 'Well, why not?' and am writing this from my bedside. As for what happened today… I suppose I should start at the beginning.

Today started much like any for me. Feeding Opalescence, checking my schedule, managing my lists of commissions, adjusting prices for gemstone usage. I also found that my new assistant, Mitta, had already left to run some errands around town. Do you happen to know her? The gray earth pony mare with a bold crimson mane and no cutie mark? Such a dear, she is. Tailoring, especially in a world-renowned boutique like mine, is a very complex endeavor. But it was while checking my list of objectives that I noticed something that was set to occur at around 10 AM.

"Ah, now I remember! Fluttershy wished to have tea together!" I spoke upon recalling our encounter the previous day. To those of you who do not know, and I would be truly shocked if you did not; Fluttershy is the dearest friend I have ever had in Ponyville. We have known each other for quite some time and both hold a deep appreciation for beauty. She is a truly tender sweetheart and you should treat her kindly if you ever cross paths with her.

I spent my time working on the commissions I had received. A few dresses here, a half a dozen hats there, and a few vests for a couple of dashing stallions. And finally, 10 AM struck. I immediately put away my tailoring tools and trotted into the kitchen. I had only just put a teakettle onto the stove to boil water when I heard the bell over the boutique's front door ring. Not certain if it was indeed Fluttershy or another customer, I decided to play things safe and greet the walk-in like a guest. I called out while trotting out of the kitchen and into the main workroom, "Coooomiiiinnnng! Welcome to Carousel Boutique! Can I… Oh, Fluttershy! You're just in time!"

As it turned out, Fluttershy herself was standing just in front of my door. She gave me that lovely reserved smile she always shows and spoke in that tender quiet tone she always uses, "Good morning, Rarity. Am I too early?"

"Of course not, darling! In fact, you're just in time! I only just put the water on the stove to boil. Your tea will be extra fresh today." I replied while motioning for her to follow me. Fluttershy wasted no time in catching up to me and taking a seat at the table near the window.

"Thank you, Rarity. I hope I didn't make a mess of your schedule." Fluttershy spoke while I checked my tea supply for some chamomile teabags.

"Oh, it was no trouble at all, darling. You are more than welcome to pay me a visit whenever you desire. But now that I think about it, would you mind the kitchen for just a moment? I need to make certain that nopony intrudes on us during our time together." I replied while suddenly remembering to place a sign on my door to insure there would be no interruptions. I have a fair amount of work on my plate as is already.

"All right. I'll make sure to keep the water from boiling too long." Fluttershy answered with a happy nod. I then trotted back over to the front door and retrieved my secret weapon for peace and quiet from the closest drawer nearby. My invaluable 'out to lunch' sign. After making certain nopony was anywhere around to witness me placing the sign outside, I opened the door and hung the sign on the top knob before closing it in a hurry. But when I returned to the kitchen, I found Fluttershy pouring the steaming hot water into a ceramic teapot with two bags of chamomile tea that were then floating inside it while the water turned that telltale yellow hue. For those who may be confused, a teakettle is used for heating water while teapots are used for the steeping of tea. Trust me, it is not wise to heat water in a teapot.

"I hope I didn't get hasty. The pot was starting to whistle, so I thought I should pour it before it went on for too long." Fluttershy explained before setting the kettle back down on the stove and returning to her stool.

"Oh, that's quite all right, Fluttershy. I'll take care of the rest of the water." I replied before using some levitation magic to carry the kettle over to a pot of pansies and pouring the water just over the edge. The delightful scent of wet earth rose from the warm wet soil while I went about to gather up some light snacks to be enjoyed with the tea while the tea itself was steeped to bring out the flavor more.

After scrounging up some delightful dark chocolate mint cookies and a jar of honey, I took my seat opposite from Fluttershy while setting out the snacks and pouring our tea into matching teacups. "So sorry for the wait, darling. You just cannot ignore the staples of teatime."

Fluttershy responded while showing me an understanding smile. "It's fine, Rarity. I think the tea is just right by now too."

From then on, the visit became one of friendly chitchat interrupted by the crunching of cookies and the slurping of tea. "So, how has little Scootaloo been since moving in with the two of you? That was quite some time ago, was it not?"

Fluttershy nodded with a calm grin while enjoying one of our cookies. "She can be a handful at times, but she does liven things up when she is home. I don't mind her being with us at all. And she and James get along very well. But to me… I guess she's like a little sister."

I could not help but crack a smirk before replying, "And she gives you plenty of practice for the upcoming addition to the family, does she not?"

As I anticipated, Fluttershy became instantly flustered. Her wings sprang open while her yellow face became as pink as a peach. "You mean…?! Oh… Well… I guess you can look at it that way."

No denial of that at all? I could not help but feel slightly giddy at those words. "Aha! So you and your beloved are planning a little something special soon, are you? And your next heat cycle is in a month or two, isn't it? Although… Now that I think about it, have you and him been cautious the last few times you went into heat?"

I suppose I may have gotten a little too bold with my wording, although Fluttershy hardly seemed offended if at all. "Cautious? Um… No… We tend to get really passionate when we… You know."

"Really? And you don't use contraception at all?" I just had to ask. Fluttershy seems far too reserved to take a risk at pregnancy, as wonderful a mother I am sure she would be.

For whatever reason, her blush only seemed to deepen while a very awkward grimace spread across her lips. "Um… We did try once… But I don't think there are any condoms in Equestria that are small enough for human use."

Oh my lord… I could not contain myself after hearing that. Just the thought… My laughter continued on for a good while before I managed to calm myself. Fluttershy also seemed to break into quiet giggling while trying to restrain herself. What an awkward night that must have been for both of them!

"Oooh… Forgive me for laughing, Fluttershy. I know I should not ever laugh at something so crude, but… I just could not help myself!" I spoke apologetically, hoping I did not overreach myself.

Fluttershy was holding a hoof to her mouth while trying to suppress any laughter I am sure she was letting out. "It's fine… I thought it was funny too. It was especially awkward taking it back for a refund and explaining it was too big. I think James was especially embarrassed about having to say that to the clerk."

Oh, the images that flashed through my mind at those words. How unbecoming of me! "Well, enough of that. Is he always sweet to you?" I asked while taking another sip of my tea, the natural faint taste of honey already in the brew.

My dear friend let out a sigh while glancing out the window near her. "He's always so tender. He never forces me into anything… Sometimes, he leaves everything up to me, but I'm always so clueless on what to do more often than not." I noticed her beginning to blush quite heavily while letting out a long sigh. "We always start slow. Mostly just him caressing me all over so tenderly while kissing me on the neck… I can't believe how tender he is."

I too let out a long sigh… All right, I suppose there is no point in hiding it now. I too have developed very powerful feelings for that man since his arrival many months ago. He is just such a tender and generous soul. And he appreciates my beauty on a level none ever have before. And he recently even found a means to share his love with me while reserving his heart for his true beloved. Such a marvel, he is. "Indeed… I can never get enough of his touch. And his kisses… Oh, simply divine. He would make a fine husband."

It was then that I noticed that Fluttershy was giving me a rather giddy look. She then giggled while apparently noting just how lost in my thoughts I had become. "It's been a few weeks since you two resolved that. Has he been good to you whenever he visits?"

I could not help swooning while imagining some of his most recent visits. "Oh, has he ever… What I would give for him to be my betrothed… You have no idea what it is you have, Fluttershy. No idea at all."

I think Fluttershy found my reaction to be rather laughable since she let out a brief giggle. But at the same time, she seemed rather guilty. "I'm glad you and him are so close… I'm sorry though…"

"Hm? Oh, no! There's no need to be sorry, Fluttershy! If nothing else, you need him more than I do! Please, don't apologize. His heart belongs to you and you should be happy about that!" I replied upon seeing that rather melancholy gaze she was giving me.

"Are you sure? I mean… I know you love him so much… I feel guilty for taking him away from you…" She replied once again with a truly ashamed gaze. She even went so far as to try and hide her face behind her mane.

I let out a long sigh. Fluttershy has always been a very sensitive mare and cares so much for others and far too little for herself. "Darling… Do not let my feelings affect your relationship with him. Granted, I do love him more than I should… But that cannot be helped. He has chosen you and I respect that. Although… May I ask you something personal?"

Fluttershy hesitated for a moment before moving her mane out of her face. "Um… I guess. What is it?"

I gathered my courage before finally asking. I had to be careful with how I worded my question so as to not sound at all confrontational. "Well… I've been wondering. Exactly what happened that prompted you to confess to him when you did? You never once seemed like the kind of girl who was looking to start a relationship with anypony. You always seemed content being by yourself in your cottage with just your animal friends for company."

She clearly did not expect that question at all. Her beautiful eyes opened quite wide before she blushed very deeply. "Um… I'll try to explain it the best I can… It just…started to bud over the first few days. I guess it started when I saw him for the first time in Sugarcube Corner. Twilight and Rainbow Dash told me somepony was hurt in there and that they needed someone gentle to help him feel better. I was nervous, but they assured me that I was best for the job… And when I saw him… He looked so fragile and helpless. You know how I usually am around new ponies, right?"

"I do. You are a very cautious sort. And please, do go on." I replied softly while taking another sip of my tea.

She took another sip as well to calm herself before continuing. "Well… I had an easier time approaching him at the time than I do with most new ponies. He opened up to me slowly and gently. I never once felt afraid of him… I guess that's where it started. I saw him as a gentle sensitive soul like me. And I was happy to be his friend."

I felt such a warm smile spread across my lips while I listened. I have at times wondered exactly what happened during James' first day in Ponyville before he and I crossed paths. "It sounds like the two of you really hit it off. What happened next?"

Fluttershy soon began to smile more wholeheartedly while she spoke. "Over the next few days, he would visit me at my place or sometimes even in the park. He was always so sweet to me…Almost as if he was trying to be as pleasant as possible. Well, there was one moment where he said something hurtful, but I think it was just a hasty response to something Rainbow Dash was prodding him about and he apologized nicely after that. But he was always so gentle and tender… I don't think I've ever met a stallion like him before."

"He certainly is like that, isn't he? But what exactly prompted you to confess when you did?" I asked, finding the details about their encounters to be so endearing. I can only imagine what happened between those two lovebirds.

"Well… I guess it just built over the first few days. I think I just felt…confused about my feelings. I wasn't even really sure if I was in love or not. But…I guess it was when I saw that bracelet he got for you that I felt myself panic a little." She replied, looking terribly ashamed of herself while she did so.

My bracelet… I raised my right hoof to examine it. That modest silver band with a line of shimmering opals lining its length. "Of course… He did get this for me and I showed it off to everypony I met that day…"

Fluttershy nodded with a sigh. "It was when I saw that bracelet that I felt so anxious. I felt like it was a sign. Like…if I didn't tell him right away, I was going to lose him forever. So…I took a chance. I wrote a love letter, but… I just couldn't bring myself to show him. I was so certain he wouldn't have any interest in me like that. I mean…nopony has ever looked at me like that before. Why would he be any different, you know?"

"Darling… You don't give yourself enough credit. You are one of the sweetest mares I have ever met. In all honesty, I'm surprised there aren't more stallions clamoring for your attention. But please, do go on." I spoke while feeling oh so proud of Fluttershy for finding the bravery to take the leap of faith needed to express her true feelings to the man she came to love.

"All right… Well, I think Angel found out about it and snuck the note out of the house before I could notice. And James came to my home with it in hand. I… I felt so scared. Like I had made the biggest mistake of my life. But…" She spoke softly, tears beginning to form at the edges of her eyes. "He… He didn't reject me at all… He accepted my feelings and gave the relationship a chance… I couldn't believe how well it had turned out."

I used a little levitation magic to bring a napkin to her eyes to dry her flowing tears. I felt so proud of dear Fluttershy as she spoke her words of truest love. "And I am so glad you took that chance. How would you describe how things have been since then?"

At those words, Fluttershy gave me one of the most sincere and tearful smiles I have ever seen on her. That look of true absolute gratitude. As if she was genuinely happy for how things are now. "To be honest… Best decision of my life."

"I would say so. He's been nothing but a blessing to you. I've even noticed how you two seem to draw off of each other. You really do seem to come out of your shell with him and vice versa." I replied with a complimenting grin of my own.

"Thank you, Rarity… I try to do my best for him." She said with a meek smile before enjoying some more tea and another cookie. Her cup was empty after that, so I poured her some more.

Eventually, I finally felt the need to ask her a question I had been far too worried to ask until then. "Fluttershy? Forgive me for not asking this sooner, but… Do you feel…comfortable with James sharing his love with me? I know it's not the same as cheating, but… I am just worried."

I was actually rather surprised by how calm she seemed about it. "Oh, don't worry, Rarity. I know you love him and that he loves you. But as long as I know he's saving his heart for me, I know he won't leave me or give himself to anypony else. It's not the first time somepony else has shown those kinds of feelings for him. Rainbow Dash even tried to be his special somepony on Hearts and Hooves Day."

I very nearly spewed my drink clear across the kitchen upon hearing that name. Truly? Rainbow Dash, of all ponies?! "Rainbow… Are you certain?! Rainbow Dash?! She is the last mare I know who would be even remotely interested in a relationship at all! And you are saying that she, of all ponies, tried to be his special somepony?"

Fluttershy seemed to scratch her head in bewilderment as well. "I… Well, she did ask me to let James know that she wanted to meet him by the pond in the park that day. I just had no idea that the whole reason behind it was that…romantic. And it wasn't just some little crush either. I really think she's very much in love with him."

It took a moment for me to wrap my mind around that image. Rainbow Dash having a powerful romantic interest in James… How…unexpected. "Well… For something like that to happen… Something truly powerful must have occurred between them. It's not my place to ask why though. I just hope she shows some restraint. She isn't exactly known for self-control." We both got a good chuckle out of that. Even so… Rainbow Dash and James… Who would have ever guessed?

Not much later, I received a rather unexpected question from my dear friend. "Um… Rarity? You and James haven't been going too far whenever he visits you, right? And does Mitta know?"

I could not help but chuckle while waving my hoof reassuringly. "Oh, there's no need to worry. I have made it quite clear with him that my body is only reserved for the man I am destined to wed. We only reserve ourselves to tender cuddles and sweet kisses and nothing more. He knows full well where his heart is. Mitta knows as well and seems to fully understand. Even so…" I then rested my cheek on my upturned hoof and sighed deeply as the memories started to come flowing back. "I swear… I have the most amazing dreams on the days he visits."

Fluttershy gave me a fairly excited gaze. She seemed very interested in what I had to say. She need not even say it. And so, I went on. "I can vividly remember some of them. In one… We were on our honeymoon. And that night, we…" I paused as I felt my face flush red at the memory. And Fluttershy could clearly see it too.

"And you… You what?" She asked while giving me that innocent gaze of hers.

Hoping to get the image across without going into too much detail, I tried to reply as wittily as possible. "Well… Let's just say that it felt so vividly real that I had to change my bed's sheets the following morning. But you never heard that from me! Promise me you will not tell anypony I told you that! You must! You must!"

Fluttershy sounded as if she was going to roll onto the floor and burst out into laughter at any given second. Oh dear, could I have worded that better? "Oh dear… I hope you two had a good night together. But what else was there?"

I thought back to the memories of the dreams I had experienced and recalled one of my favorites. "Oh, there was another. But I think in terms of time, it took place several months later. And… Well, I recall looking in the mirror and…" I just could not help bringing my hooves to my mouth and giggling like a schoolgirl. In my memory, I could see myself standing before a full-length mirror, my eyes focused on a rounded bulge hanging between my hind legs. "Let's just say our efforts had finally bore fruit."

I saw Fluttershy's face instantly light up with a blush. "You… Oh my… You were with child?"

"Yes, I was! And I swear, I had never felt more beautiful than at that moment! And the proud father… Oh, he could hardly keep his hands off of me. I loved the feeling of his touch upon my belly… And he was so catering to me. He waited on me hand and foot. I felt not like a princess, but like a queen!" I just went on and on, the memories still clear in my mind. That was one of the most enjoyable dreams I have ever had in my life. But then I explained the only drawback to it. "In fact, it was so convincing that I woke up with the strangest craving for chocolate ice cream topped with cucumbers, chili peppers, and garlic. Where did that even come from? It was so repulsive, and yet I loved it!"

That look on her face… Fluttershy seemed absolutely repulsed by the thought of such a horrid combination for a snack. I doubt even Spike would try to eat that. "That…sounds awful. And you really ate that?"

I winced at the memory of even tasting that. "I did… And I spent the next hour using mouthwash to remove the aftertaste. Is it normal for pregnant mares to get such bizarre cravings?"

"Uh… I wouldn't know. But if James and I ever have a foal together, I'll be sure to let you know." Fluttershy retorted with a rather awkward grin. Oh, I can only wonder how much longer it will be before the day comes for them. I think they would both make fine parents. Perhaps I would even be given the honor of being the little darling's godmother! "But are there anymore dreams you want to share?"

"Well… There is one that takes precedence over the others…" I spoke with a long sigh. The dream I was remembering… Such a precious memory. "And it…was so beautiful…"

"Are you all right? You don't have to tell me if it's too painful…" Dear Fluttershy spoke while looking oh so worried.

"No, it's fine… I can tell you." I spoke softly while my vision became blurred with tears. "I think it must have been some time later… Maybe even years. More than anything, I remember feeling so happy. And…along with James, he was there too."

"He?" My dear friend asked while looking understandably confused.

I felt a smile creep across my face as I remembered his face. That darling child looking up at me. "He called me 'Mother' and was wearing an adorable blue bow tie. He had the most brilliant white coat and a shimmering dark brown mane and tail with the loveliest azure eyes filled with sophistication and pride, but also a deep-seated kindness. I remember calling him…Fashion Star."

I then looked at Fluttershy, tears flowing freely without any means to stop them. "I had a son, Fluttershy. And…I do not think I have ever felt more content than at that moment."

She too began to shed tears while showing a most forlorn smile. "He must have been so handsome… I'm so sorry it was just a dream…"

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and wiped my tears away with a napkin. "No, it's fine, Fluttershy. It was just a dream. And I did wake up feeling very refreshed that morning. My inspiration was also in peak condition, so that was a plus too."

For a minute or so, there were no words between us. I began to fear that perhaps Fluttershy felt I had been trying to place as much guilt on her as possible. Finally, I decided to break the silence. "Fluttershy, are you all right?"

My friend let out a very long sigh while casting her gaze to the table. It took a moment for her to finally speak. "Rarity… Were you hoping to start a family someday?"

A very heavy question, to be sure. I sighed while smiling just slightly as I stirred some honey into my drink. "Every little filly has her dreams, darling. Part of why I was so interested in becoming a fashion designer was because I was sure I could use my creativity in such a way that would bring in some hefty finances. And as I'm sure you know, the majority of my clients have very deep pockets. And that means financial stability as a means to raise a child."

When Fluttershy did not immediately reply, I decided to continue speaking while the clinking of my teaspoon broke the silence inside my teacup. "My dream is not just to be famous across the land. I also dream of finding my one true prince. A wonderful man who would love me until the end of time and stay by my side. And together, we would bring a beautiful new life into this world. I know I can get impatient with dear little Sweetie Belle, but that is from the usual irritation between siblings, not between a woman and child. I do believe…that I would have the means to be a good mother. Do you think I have the qualities needed for it?"

Fluttershy nodded quietly with a reassuring smile. "Yes… I think you would be a very sweet mother. And I know James would've…been a perfect prince to you. If only I did not say anything to him that day…"

The poor dear. Putting my needs before her own. "Darling, please. No more of that. Whether or not James and I would have been an ideal couple is no longer relevant. You are his betrothed and I respect that. I assure you that I do not hold a grudge in the slightest. And besides, he and I still hold a close bond and we share our love freely with each other. That…is enough to satisfy me. I swear, do not worry about me." I then let out a sigh, a very taboo thought entering my head. "Although…there are times when I have considered something. Something definitely not to be taken lightly."

My words seemed to catch Fluttershy's attention. "Um… What is this something you thought of?"

This was not going to be an easy topic to discuss. Even so, I tried to ease myself into it. "Well… It's something that only rarely crosses my mind. And even then, only briefly. As for what it is… And please do not jump to conclusions right away. What do you feel…when you imagine two mares sharing one stallion?"

Her eyes opened as wide as saucers. At first, I could tell she was utterly speechless and for good reason. I cannot recall the last time I had ever even heard of such a relationship in Equestria. Is it even legal?

"Uh… That? Well… I… I don't know… Why do you ask?" Fluttershy stammered out while clearly looking quite flustered.

"I'm sure you can guess. Tell me honestly, darling. Seeing as how you likely spend more time with him than myself, do you personally feel that James could potentially handle a functioning relationship with both of us without picking favorites?" I asked in return while not really expecting an answer. I would be surprised if she could even answer that at all.

Fluttershy became silent for a good full minute. Her eyes glanced around everywhere, completely ignoring her cup of tea in front of her. "Uh… Well… After seeing how close you and him have become… And how he has never once drifted away from me because of it… I think…he could."

I was actually slightly surprised to hear her response. And I honestly felt my mind wander for a moment. My son and Fluttershy's child would surely become the best of friends. But there was one much more important question on my mind. "Well, I too feel he could. It is rare for somepony to have a heart as big and flexible as his. And it is especially rare to find someone with such an open mind. But even so… Do you believe he would be willing to even attempt such a feat?"

This time, Fluttershy did not take long to answer me at all. "No… He would never feel confident enough to try it. He loves me too much and he would probably be afraid that he would end up favoring you and breaking my heart… He's too humble for something like that."

"Very true. He may even be too humble for his own good. Although, with all things considered… I doubt I would be willing to share my beloved to that extreme either. As greedy as that may sound…" I retorted as well, knowing all too well just how modest James is. He would never agree to such a proposition. At least not without some very heavy encouragement.

"Me too… I would be…too scared to risk that. I can't let him do to another mare what he only does with me. I just… I'm sorry." Fluttershy spoke with a truly shameful frown. I could tell that she feared that she had disappointed me. Of course, she did not. Not even in the slightest.

"Darling, it's fine. It was just a passing thought I have had from time to time. I think it would be for the best that it does not happen. Our friends would likely accept it, but how would we explain such a thing to everypony else? What would the rest of Ponyville think? It would be a challenge to keep such a relationship secret. And it would only be compacted if we both ended up having his child. It… Let's pretend I never brought this subject up. I feel bad for even mentioning it…" I spoke with a sigh, feeling much of my enthusiasm plummeting. Such a wretched thought. I cannot believe I ever even considered it…

I felt so distraught; I did not even notice Fluttershy hop down from her stool. It was not until she had thrown her arms around me in a tender embrace that I came out of my stupor. She spoke softly without even the tiniest hint of disappointment. "It's all right, Rarity… I think this only shows how much you love him. James would probably feel really flattered and honored that you cherish him so deeply."

Her words did a great deal to soothe my troubled soul. I too wrapped my arms around her and replied in kind. "Thank you… I do adore that man. But don't you ever leave him, Fluttershy. You went the extra mile to claim his heart, so don't you dare throw it away. He knows the pain of betrayal already and I will not stand by idly if you do to him what his former lover did." I swear, I had no desire to do her harm, but I cannot bear the thought of anyone bringing harm to such a well-meaning and very loving man.

Fluttershy nodded before pulling away from me so that we were eye to eye. "I know, Rarity. I won't leave him. That's a promise. And thank you for loving him. I hope he'll always be there for you like he is for me."

Our teatime became rather uneventful from that point onward, although there was not much left to enjoy after that little conversation. I soon bid Fluttershy goodbye and proceeded to clean up our mess. And hours later, here I am at my bedside writing this. It felt good to get all of this down on paper, as if a small weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Only now I must prepare dinner. Some fine quiche sounds appetizing right now.

I am not certain when or if I will write again, but this was fairly enjoyable. Perhaps I will write another journal soon if anything noteworthy comes up. But until that day comes, au revoir!


	28. Closing the Year

Well, today turned out to be an interesting day, to say the least. It started like any other. I awoke in bed to find Fluttershy in the process of waking up as well. It was a warm late summer day, the window left open to allow a gentle breeze to blow inside. I rubbed my eyes to help hasten myself in waking up. But what really boosted my drowsy senses was when Fluttershy gave my cheek a tender nuzzle.

"Good morning, dear. Sleep well?" She asked in her sweet quiet voice.

I cracked my neck a few times with some sudden twists and jerks of my head before I answered. "Meh… I don't think I dreamed that well last night. Mediocre, I guess. Nightmare Moon must've been slacking off. But seeing you first thing in the morning makes everything better."

Fluttershy let out a brief giggle before giving me such an adorable smile. "Same here. My dream felt kind of dull and draining. But being with you right after waking up helps perk me up." She then leaned towards me, resting her head on my chest while my arms embraced her tenderly.

"Love you, baby." I whispered into her ear, prompting Fluttershy's wings to flutter open for a second. She then looked up at me and planted a kiss directly on my lips while letting out the sweetest coo I had heard in a while.

What a perfect way to start my day. In the embrace of dear little Fluttershy, I felt so warm and fuzzy. Even so, it would not do to lounge around in bed all morning. Besides, today is a Thursday, so I needed to get over to the spa in a while. "Say, honey? Would it be OK if I cooked you breakfast this time? You know, for a change of pace?"

Fluttershy seemed to have no problem at all with my proposition and gave me a nod before replying, "That sounds lovely. I'll clean up around here while I wait. Please be sure to cook enough for all three of us."

I proceeded to get dressed before going into the bathroom to address my bed head. After checking my list of polo shirts, I decided to go with one that bore the colors and cutie mark of Twilight Sparkle that day. Just for a change of pace. As soon as I got downstairs, I looked over at the far edge of the living room. I could see Scootaloo just starting to wake up.

"Morning, sleeping beauty." I spoke up while the spunky pegasus filly rubbed some sleep out of her eyes. Her jaws opened wide for a moment to let out a long yawn before looking my way with really drowsy eyes.

"Morning, big brother… Ugh… I must've slept weird." She spoke groggily before starting to lay her head back down. "Um… Could I have five more minutes?"

I smirked before heading into the kitchen. "Hold that thought." I went to a drawer next to the kitchen sink and pulled out a small dishtowel before filling a bowl with water and emptying an entire ice tray into it. After waiting for about thirty seconds, I submerged the towel into the freezing water and waited another thirty seconds to let it get nice and soaked. I quickly yanked it out and ringed some of the water out to keep it from dripping too much. With a smirk, I left the kitchen, went across the living room, and kneeled next to my little sister's bed while she seemed to be on the verge of falling asleep again. "Hey, sis? I got a way to get you to wake up."

Scootaloo grumbled while rolling onto her back, her eyes still clamped shut. "Mmmm…. What is it…?"

"This." I replied before dropping the wet rag onto her face and vigorously, yet gently, rubbing it all over her face. Needless to say, the wet rag was freezing cold from all the ice cubes I had used.

"Whoa! Hey! That's cold! Knock it off!" The dozing filly shouted before suddenly sitting up in bed and shaking her head from side to side and flinging the rag off of her and onto her sheets. Her eyes shot open, now very clearly awake while the orange coat on her face was noticeably wet.

"You all awake now?" I asked with a sly smirk, my cheeky side having momentarily come out.

Scootaloo looked at me and gave me a quick snicker. "Heh, yeah. I'm awake now! What's for breakfast?"

I crossed my arms while my hand held my chin for a moment. "I'm actually not too sure right now. I'll be sure to prepare some toast and flowers, but I still need to decide on what else there is. How about you gather up your stuff for school while I get started?"

"Sure thing! Can't wait to see what Chef James cooks up! I'll just be a little while." Scootaloo replied before hopping out of bed and going around her room to gather up her school supplies.

With no distractions to keep me preoccupied, I headed into the kitchen. "Hmmm… Where to start…"

I gathered up six slices of bed and put them to the side while also pulling out several daises that Fluttershy kept in the refrigerator. While I personally do not have much of a taste for most flowers, I have actually developed a liking for rose petals. And fortunately, I found a small bowl filled with the deep red flower petals in one of the refrigerator's drawers. Along with that, I found fresh eggs that our hens had laid just the other day, as well as tomatoes, fresh spinach, and a container of feta cheese.

The sight of one of my favorite cheese instilled a spark of inspiration in me. "Omelets. That'll be perfect."

I decided to prepare the tomatoes first. Upon cutting one in half, I found that the fruit was filled with a great deal of a watery liquid that probably would not be flavorful enough to use by itself. And yes, tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable. I decided to spice it up by cooking them with some spices. But first, they required a bit more preparation. I pulled out a food dicer, basically a press that forces food through a grid-shaped net of sharp edges to turn them into cubes, and pushed each half of the tomato through. I did the same with one more tomato to make certain I had enough before setting the diced tomatoes in a bowl for the moment.

Next, I poured some olive oil into a skillet before placing it on the stove and turning the flame on high. I dropped one piece of tomato into the thin layer of oil that was soaked in its own juices so I would know when the oil was hot enough to cook with. Not even a full minute passed before I started to hear the familiar sound of sizzling. Sure enough, the tomato fluids were rapidly evaporating from the hot oil in the form of popping bubbles. I then dumped the rest of the tomato pieces into the skillet as a loud hiss filled the air.

While those cooked in the skillet, I looked through the cabinets and gathered up some spices. I added a pinch of salt, a few shakes of black pepper, and even poured a teaspoon of minced garlic in. Honestly, you just cannot go wrong with garlic. After watching the tomato pieces' consistency became a bit more firm, I turned the heat off and poured the tomato chunks onto a plate. It was then I decided to prepare the eggs.

I cracked two eggs into the bowl that had been used to hold the tomatoes, thinking that the residual juices would add some flavor. Once those had been thoroughly beaten and mixed, I poured it into the skillet and watched as a round yellow puddle formed. Fluttershy and Scootaloo still had not come into the kitchen, which I was glad for since I was going to have to cook each omelet one at a time and I would not want them to get impatient.

Once one side was done, I flipped the thing like a pancake to fry the other side. While that was happening, I topped the layer of egg with some of the tomato chunks, spinach, and some feta cheese. While that started to sizzle and pop, I also pulled out a bag of hash browns. I needed something to go with the eggs, after all. After pouring a bit of oil into another skillet, I then poured as much of the frozen hash browns into the heated skillet while also making certain there was enough room to stir it without spilling any over the side.

While those were frying, I folded the egg circle over itself, trapping the fruit, veggies, and cheese inside itself to cook. I also pressed down on the top to compact it further. The cheese steadily melted in the heat, causing the folded halves to stick together. And that there is the trick to making an omelet when using cheese. By letting the cheese serve as the glue to keep the contents in the middle from spilling free.

Just as I was preparing the next omelet for frying, I noticed Scootaloo trot into the kitchen. She breathed deeply through her nose to take in the aroma of the food I was cooking. "Wow, that smells awesome! What's for breakfast today?"

I glanced down at her while beating two eggs in the small bowl I had used before and smiled. "A little something special today. I'm getting a bit creative today. While I'm whipping all this up, could you move the food dicer to the sink for cleaning? I think running hot water over it should be fine." Considering how dangerous such a tool can be, I did not feel comfortable asking a child like her to give the thing a thorough cleaning. Heck, I would be uneasy about cleaning the thing by hand myself.

"Sure thing!" Scootaloo replied briskly before hopping up onto the counter and pushing the thing towards the sink with her forelegs. What I failed to notice was that the top was still raised. I went back to whipping the eggs while wondering if Fluttershy would be all right with Scootaloo walking along her countertops. But just after I had added the spices, I heard a brief clatter immediately followed by Scootaloo letting out a frightened shriek. "James! Help!"

I immediately grabbed the knobs for the stove and turned them off before turning to face my little sister as a chill sank into my heart. When I looked at her, I winced as I saw her partially fallen into the sink with one hoof pressed between the dicer's mesh of blades and the top. She looked like she was on the verge of panic and was not sure if she should try to pull her hoof out.

"Oh god! Scoot, don't move!" I yelped before rushing to her side. The little pegasus filly froze at my words, her eyes opened wide with fear and possibly pain while focused on her hoof. Very carefully, I grasped the legs on the bottom of the cutter's frame with one hand before grabbing and lifting the top. Scootaloo immediately pulled her hoof away before looking it over while a few tears spilled free. "Hang on, Scoot. Come here."

I reached out and carried her in my arms before taking a seat on the closest stool. She looked up at me with a rather shell-shocked expression and asked, "Am I gonna be OK?"

My fingers held her hoof aloft so I could examine it. I felt my fear rapidly fade when I found that her hard hoof had endured the brunt of the blades' punishment, leaving her flesh untouched. Definitely a close call. "Phew… Seems your hoof saved you. You're all right, Scoot."

I reached out and placed a kiss on my little sister's hoof to try to make her feel a bit better. The little filly in my arms let out a loud sniffle of relief as her tears started to flow. "Thanks, James…"

"Anytime, Scootaloo. Love you." I replied briefly before pulling her closer for a tender embrace, my hand stroking her head to calm her after that little scare. Scootaloo held onto me tightly while nestling her head against my chest. I must admit we do not get quite that cuddly very often at all thanks to Scootaloo's tomboyish nature. But when we do cuddle, we are always slow to stop.

Before long, we heard the sound of hooves clopping before Fluttershy peeked into the kitchen with a very worried expression on her face. She surely must have heard Scootaloo's yell of fright. I can only guess the reason she did not drop everything and rush downstairs was because she was in the bathroom at the time. "Is everything all right? I thought I heard a scream."

I looked over at my girlfriend while she approached us at a brisker pace. "Oh, Scootaloo almost had an accident with the dicer I used to prepare some tomatoes. Gave us both a scare. She's fine though. Right, Scoot?"

Scootaloo let out another sniffle before rubbing her eyes to dry her tears on her coat. She then looked over at Fluttershy and gave her a small smile. "Yeah… My hoof got hit instead of any other part of me. I'm OK."

Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief before nuzzling the little filly's cheek. "Thank goodness. From now on, leave the really sharp stuff to James and me." Scootaloo managed to crack a full grin before Fluttershy joined in the cuddle with the tomboyish filly between us.

In that moment… Wow, just thinking about it gives me a case of the warm fuzzies. Looking back on it as I write this now, we were not interacting with each other like a boyfriend and girlfriend and a little sister. It felt more like we were cuddling together as husband, wife, and daughter. It is just a passing thought I was having as I wrote this. While certainly not what we were at the time, it still felt calming and serene.

Eventually, the moment of silence between us was interrupted by a gurgling sound coming from one of us. We all glanced around until our eyes all fell upon Fluttershy. Scootaloo then pointed at her and asked, "Was that you?"

My girlfriend grinned sheepishly while her eyes darted back and forth, a pink hue filling her cheeks. "Uh… I guess that trip to the bathroom opened up some room in there. I must be pretty hungry if my belly is already saying so."

I could not help snickering while rolling my eyes. "Well, I'll fix that. While I'm finishing things up here, would you mind setting the table and preparing some toast for us, honey?"

Fluttershy nodded and trotted over to the cabinet that holds the plates and glassware. "Leave it to me. Scootaloo, would you please prepare the toast? I'll get the butter and jam out for you."

"Sure thing, Fluttershy!" Scootaloo replied with her usual peppy demeanor restored. I then returned to work while turning the stovetops back on to finish frying the hash browns and omelets. I was already getting hungry just looking at the food I was cooking.

Before long, I placed an omelet on each plate that was provided before filling up the rest of the plates with soft and crunch hash browns. Uh… Just writing this is making me hungry. I am going to take a break from this and go make myself a snack.

All right, that was tasty. I should make omelets more often. Anyway, when I set the plates out, I found Fluttershy had set out three smaller plates that each held two slices of toast that had been topped with a spread of butter and strawberry jam. And topping all that off were three tall glasses of cold milk. "All righty, everything's ready. Who's hungry?"

Scootaloo was the first to reply while hopping right up into her stool. "I am! Come on, I'm starving!"

"Don't rush him, Scootaloo. There's plenty for everypony… And… Wow, that is a lot of food. Thank you, dear." Fluttershy retorted towards Scootaloo before turning her gaze to me. She too then took a seat on her stool while I set about to add the final touches to the meal. A little background music.

"Well, I wanted to make sure we would all be satisfied and get a bit of everything. Wait right there while I add some atmosphere." I replied while pulling out a familiar plastic device from a drawer nearby. My PSP system, which I had brought with me months ago when I returned to Equestria after being sent back to Earth for a few days. It is a game system like my DSi, though I use it more for playing music. After turning it on, I cycled through the list of songs I had and set one to play with the song set on repeat. "Can't go wrong with a little Beethoven."

"Oh, come on! Can't you play something cool for once?! Like maybe some jazz or a rock ballad?" Scootaloo spoke up with a groan, clearly not having much taste for classical music. Hearing such a complaint from a kid like her hardly surprises me. Especially when one considers her tomboyish nature.

"Maybe if you were outside pulling off some stunts on your scooter, sure. But this kind of softer music is better for quiet times like breakfast at the kitchen table." I explained while I took a seat on the third stool by the table. Seconds later, quite piano and violin sounds began to spill forth from the PSP's speakers.

Fluttershy glanced over to the PSP as the music played. "It does sound lovely. I could listen to this all day."

"Meh… Whatever works for you. But I really wanna chow down! Can I take the first bite?" Scootaloo groaned before asking with an excited grin. She probably knew what was inside the sack of egg on her plate since she had been in the kitchen while I was cooking.

"Sure! Let me know how it is." I replied just before Scootaloo lowered her jaws to the plate and took a bite of the egg. A plume of steam rose from the omelet's filling, a patch of green, red, and white appearing in its place. Mere seconds later, what I can only call a muffling moan came from Scootaloo's throat while she chewed, her face showing true delight.

"Is it any good?" Fluttershy asked while glancing at her own omelet. She was clearly hungry and wanted to start on her breakfast, but was waiting to see how good it was. And knowing how some kids can be picky about what they eat, that omelet would surely be good if even Scootaloo liked it.

Once Scootaloo swallowed the mouthful of omelet she had, that little pegasus filly's wings sprang open while she gave me a huge grin. "That's awesome! Can I have another?"

I could not help flashing a grin at my little sister upon hearing her enthusiastic response. "Sure, but only tomorrow morning. You've got quite a bit to eat already." Scootaloo gave me a playful pout while crossing her forelegs across her chest and looking away, but her hunger won out and she began to feast on her meal.

"Mmm, this omelet really is amazing. Would it be OK if you cook breakfast more often, James? I'm already loving your cooking." Fluttershy asked after she too took a bite of her omelet.

"Sounds good to me. Just make sure you wake me up on time on those mornings you'd like me to handle the cooking." I replied before taking a bite of my own omelet. "Whoa, this really did turn great. I should make this more often."

The rest of the meal was relatively uneventful, although it seemed Fluttershy appeared to be unusually quiet. Was she up to something? Even so, I had to take Scootaloo to school immediately after breakfast. Like clockwork, we left the cottage and were on our way to the schoolhouse. However, along the way, a thought crossed my mind. "Hey, Scoot? Do you think we're making good time?"

My little sister seemed rather puzzled by my question. "Huh? I guess we are. Why?"

A smirk then spread across my lips. I could feel my cheeky side coming out. I must have been in a really good mood. "I've got an idea for Apple Bloom. Let's wait here for two minutes before continuing."

"Huh? Oh, you mean let her get ahead? I don't know what you're up to, but OK!" Scootaloo replied before just walking around to pass the time. I tapped my foot to count every passing second until exactly 120 seconds had passed.

"OK, Scoot. Time's up. Let's hustle." I spoke up to call her back to me before we walked along at a brisker pace than usual. After a few minutes, I saw her on the horizon. A little yellow filly with that easily spotted pink bow tied to the top of her head. "All right, Scoot. Hang back for a bit. I'm gonna try something."

Scootaloo gave me a sly smirk while covering her mouth to suppress a snicker. "All right. Go get her, big bro."

I began to practically run along while making certain my footsteps were as light as possible. Thanks to Apple Bloom's very slow gait, I managed to close the distance between us rather quickly. Her ears twitched when I was a few paces away, apparently from detecting my soft footsteps at the last second. But before she could turn around, I reached down and snatched her up in my hands. "And…gotcha!"

Apple Bloom let out a shriek of surprise and flailed for a couple of seconds before her eyes looked at me. "Huh?! Oh, howdy! Ya got me good, James! But where's Scootaloo?"

"I'm right here, Apple Bloom! Did he getcha good?" Scootaloo replied while galloping to catch up to us.

The little farm filly giggled in my grasp before sweetly nuzzling my cheek. "Yup! Ya got me! I didn't hear ya comin' 'til the last second. I was startin' ta wonder if I missed you guys!"

"Nah, we just held back for a minute to let you get ahead. Sorry if I scared you. I can be really cheeky when I'm in the mood." I replied while tussling her mane.

"Y'all didn't scare me, James. It's all right! It was kinda fun ta get snatched up like that!" Apple Bloom spoke before wrapping her arms around me and giving me a tender cuddle. "But since you got me up here now, how 'bout a ride?"

"Ooh! Me too! Got room for one more?" Scootaloo asked while hoping in place a couple of times. I suppose their shorter legs would prevent them from being as fast as most adult ponies. I bet they might be slightly slower than myself.

I glanced down at Scootaloo before looking back at Apple Bloom. Each of them gave me a very giddy and hopeful grin. And I saw no reason to deny them such a request. "All right then. I've got a couple of shoulders ready for you girls." I then slung Apple Bloom over my left shoulder before reaching down and placing Scootaloo over my right. "How's the view up here?"

Apple Bloom glanced around before speaking into my ear. "I feel like I'm on top of the world! I bet ya could see everythin' from here!" I could not help but snicker, knowing that most of Equestria's ponies are quite short compared to most adult humans.

"Hey, how about we go fast? Aren't we gonna miss class if we don't hurry up?" Scootaloo asked while pulling herself forward enough for me to see her with ease. I suppose she had a point. I am not certain how much time passed since leaving Fluttershy's home and we surely must have lost a few minutes having fun with Apple Bloom.

"You have a point there. OK, hang on tight, girls." I replied, prompting the pegasus and earth pony fillies to curl their forelegs into my upper chest. I started along at a brisk walk before accelerating into a run. "Fast enough for you girls?!"

The two fillies let out cheers of glee as I ran along. They did not seem to be having any difficulty hanging onto my shoulders and were clearly just having a good time. Eventually, Scootaloo called out to me. "Faster, James! Go faster!"

I decided to really let myself go then. Lowering my arms and keeping them out to my side to counter the extra weight on my now top-heavy upper body, I began to lower myself closer to the ground as I broke into a sprint. "All right, but hang on!"

I barreled down the path ahead of us as quickly as I could. After spending several months in Equestria and getting a decent amount of exercise at Sweet Apple Acres from time to time, I was in much better shape than when I first showed up in town. I continued to sprint along the road with my two little friends hollering with glee from the exhilaration of the speed they were moving at. I did not come to a stop until we reached the red schoolhouse at the end of the path. I can to skidding halt, much to the disappointment of my two passengers. "Phew! That was more fun than I expected. I'm surprised I held out that long!"

The two fillies on my shoulders giggled wildly for a few seconds in excitement before letting go and dropping to the ground. Scootaloo spoke up first. "Woo! Not as fast as my scooter, but that was fun!"

Apple Bloom then stepped closer to the schoolhouse before glancing around. "Y'all think we beat Sweetie Belle to the punch? I'm not seein' her anywhere."

I glanced around too in the hopes of spotting the only absent member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Well, if you consider the ones who are still children. Sweetie Belle was nowhere to be seen. "Well, we did get here a bit ahead of schedule. You girls wanna just head on in and wait for her?"

Apple Bloom glanced at Scootaloo, who seemed to nod. "I guess that's all right. Well, we'll see ya later, James!"

The two fillies trotted over to me while I got down on one knee so they could reach me. I then held each in one arm while they gave me a goodbye hug. "I'll see you this evening, James. Take care." Scootaloo spoke softly while nuzzling my chest.

"You too, Scoot. And be good, you two." I replied before releasing my grasp on them. I then waved goodbye while the two fillies trotted into the schoolhouse. But before I could leave, I felt a slight nagging in my heart. I glanced around finding nopony within my line of sight. I then decided to take a seat on a fencepost that stood outside the playground. I just wanted to say hello to Sweetie Belle to make sure she would not feel left out.

We must have gotten there well ahead of schedule since Sweetie Belle did not come into view until close to eight minutes later. I waved my hand high to get the little unicorn filly's attention, prompting her to gallop right over to me. "Morning, James! Where's Apple Bloom and Scootaloo?"

I stood up from my seat and approached my little friend. "Well, we got here way ahead of schedule, so they headed on in. I'm just waiting out here for you to let you know so you're not kept waiting." Once she drew near, I got down on one knee and gently tussled her mane.

Sweetie Belle gave me a very satisfied smile before replying, "Oh, I get it. I probably would've been stuck out here waiting for them until the bell rang. Thanks for telling me."

While we just stood there talking for a moment and losing track of time in the process, Sweetie Belle then suddenly spoke up. "Oh! I visited Rarity this morning. Has there been something happening between you two?"

I cocked my head to one side upon hearing that question. "What gives you that idea?"

Sweetie Belle then proceeded to explain while I cradled her in my arms. "Well, she talks about you a lot more than she did before. And she gets this funny look in her eye sometimes when she does…" She then giggled after a moment of silent thought and spoke, "You know, I think she wants to marry you!"

A suppressed laugh nearly escaped my lips while my body heaved. To anyone who has been reading these journals, you know that is old news by now. "Yeah, she's made that quite clear to me. And I admit I do love your sister and that she is very precious to me."

An excited gleam suddenly appeared in the little filly's eyes. "Then you're gonna propose to her?!"

I sighed at that question. "Well… If things had gone differently since the day I showed up in Ponyville, then I probably would. But sadly, I can't. My heart belongs to Fluttershy."

"Aww… But I know Rarity would love you to be her husband. Do you think you can stop being Miss Fluttershy's boyfriend and be Rarity's boyfriend?" Sweetie asked in an obviously innocent manner.

This question actually hurt to hear, even if she did not fully comprehend what she was asking. "Wha… Leave Fluttershy?! Sorry, but I can't do that. Granted, I do love your sister and I do think she and I would be very happy together, but that's no longer an option. I am very happy with Fluttershy and I know she loves me just as much as I love her. She would be devastated if I left her. So…no. I will not break up with Fluttershy."

My mild outburst seemed to intimidate Sweetie Belle since she suddenly cringed. "Sorry… I didn't mean to make you mad."

I stroked my little friend's mane to calm her. "Sorry about yelling like that… It's just… Relationships are complicated, you know? Especially when more than one person has their eyes on you. You'll understand as you get older."

"Really? More than one pony is in love with you?" Sweetie Belle asked, clearly picking up on that detail despite her young age.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time. I personally don't see what's so great about me that would appeal to so many girls. Am I really that nice?" I replied, also not entirely certain of what is so appealing about me.

Sweetie Belle let out a brief giggle before looking up at me with a smile. "Well… I know I love you. And Apple Bloom and Scootaloo love you too. You're always so nice and you act like you're always trying to be nice. Like you enjoy seeing other people happy and making them happy. Does it hurt when you make somepony sad?"

I really was not expecting those words from the little filly. They sounded surprisingly analytical. But I nodded and sighed. "Yeah… It does hurt. I hate it when I hurt someone I care about in any way. Heck, even when I do hurt someone I don't really know, it weighs down on me."

My little friend smiled before reaching up, grabbing me around the neck, and pulling my head down so she could nuzzle my cheek. "That's why! I think most mares really like sweet guys who actually care about them and want to see them happy. I know I would like a boyfriend like that someday. So… I guess it makes sense so many mares love you so much."

"You know what? You seem to have a pretty firm grasp of love as a whole, Sweetie Belle. I can see how you got the word 'Sweetie' in your name. You're a sweetheart." I replied with a grin on my face, prompting another giggle from the unicorn filly. "I think you and I might have a lot in common." I have at times noticed that whenever Scootaloo and Apple Bloom get into an argument, it is always little levelheaded Sweetie Belle that serves as the mediator for the two. I can definitely see a bit of myself in her. She does seem to be a bit more sensitive than the other two fillies in the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"Really? I think so too." Sweetie Belle replied before reaching out and holding onto me in a type of embrace. "I wish you could've been my brother-in-law."

This triggered a dull pain in my heart. Had I just hurt this precious little filly? Come to think of it, just how long have we known each other? But naturally, I did feel a twinge of guilt in my soul. And as I looked down at the little filly in my arms, a long sigh escaped my lips. I then lowered my face to the side of her head and placed a kiss on her head. "I'm sorry. My heart belongs to Fluttershy and not to your sister. But I'll always be your friend."

Sweetie Belle lifted her face until she was looking up at me. "Thanks, James… Scootaloo was right. You're pretty cool."

I could not help letting out a chuckle upon hearing those words. "Hey, you girls are pretty cool too. I love you silly fillies. I'm glad you let me stay in the Cutie Mark Crusaders."

My little filly friend giggled as well before nuzzling her head against my chest. "I'm glad you wanted to stay. You always give great advice." But no sooner had she said that, the bell atop the schoolhouse rang. "Oh no, I'm late!"

I winced upon realizing this. By distracting my friend with pleasant conversation, I had delayed her just long enough to miss the bell. "Dang it… I'm sorry…"

Sweetie Belle looked up at me, but her frown of frustration soon turned into a soft smile. "Hmm… See? You do feel really bad whenever you do something bad to someone. That's really nice of you, James."

"Is it that obvious I feel this guilty?" I asked, my heart heavy with mild remorse.

She nodded and motioned for me to lower her to the ground. "Uh huh. But I should get to class now… I've never been late before… I hope I don't get in too much trouble."

I glanced over at the schoolhouse before looking back down at my friend as an idea popped into my head. "Hey, how about I go with you? I'll put a good word in with Cheerilee."

However, Sweetie Belle then pointed at me with her hoof. "Did you think of that when that light bulb showed up?"

Light bulb? What made her say… Oh, wait. When I glanced up, there was a typical glass light bulb floating over my head. By then, I had known to stop questioning such bizarre occurrences. I snatched the bulb out of the air, which caused it to turn off. I then spoke of the most logical explanation I could think of. "I blame Pinkie Pie."

Together, the two of us stepped into the schoolhouse's lobby. It had been quite some time since I last time I set foot inside. With the classroom taking up most of the school's space, the lobby was quite cramped with a couple of restrooms off to the right. Through the doorway on the left I could hear Cheerilee apparently starting the class's first assignment.

I knocked on the doorway to get Cheerilee's attention. She clearly heard my knocking since she then spoke to the students before her. "Excuse me for a minute, class." Sweetie Belle and I waited by the doorway before the schoolteacher stepped into view. "Can I help… Oh, Mr. James! Hello! And… Oh, hello, Sweetie Belle. I'm sorry, but you're late."

I decided to speak up there in the hopes of getting Sweetie Belle out of trouble. "Actually, that was my fault, Cheerilee. I caught her outside the schoolhouse and we stopped for some conversation. I shouldn't have interrupted her. Could you please let her off the hook this time?"

Cheerilee gazed at me for a moment before glancing down at Sweetie Belle. My little filly friend gave her teacher a hopeful grin in response. She then sighed before rolling her eyes. "Well… I suppose I can let it go this time. But please don't distract my students before they get to class from now on. And thank you for being honest, Mr. James."

I breathed a faint sigh of relief. That was a close call. Sweetie Belle then looked up at me and whispered while Cheerilee went back over to the chalkboard. "Thanks, James. I'll see you this evening." I replied with a smile and gently tussled her mane before she trotted towards her desk.

Before I could leave, I looked ahead and waved at Scootaloo and Apple Bloom who were also waving at me. I then even noticed Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon waving at me with smiles on their faces on the opposite side of the rows of desks. But just as I was about to turn and leave, I noticed someone waving wildly at me from the very back row of desks with both forelegs flailing through the air. I then heard a familiar voice calling out to me while the rest of the students seemed to turn back to face whoever was calling out to me. "Hey! Hey, James! Over here! Hey!"

I could not help snickering at who it was. A familiar brown earth pony colt with a propeller beanie on his head. I raised my hand and waved at my little friend. "Hey there, Button Mash."

Cheerilee seemed she was about to tell the little guy to be quiet, but glanced over at me while I was leaning through the doorway. "You know Button Mash, James?"

I glanced at her and nodded. "He's my gaming buddy and my 'pupil', if you will. He plays a mean archer in Equestrian Heroes." Hardly anyone there seemed to understand what I was getting at, but I then decided I had overstayed my welcome. "Well, I've distracted them long enough. I'll be going now, Cheerilee." I then pointed at the little colt at the far end of the room. "Later, Button. And stay focused. School comes first."

"Stay focused! Yes, sir!" Button Mash replied while giving me a quick salute. Heh, I love that little guy. A lot of fun to hang out with. Only he has a weird habit of turning milkshakes into games that always end up with him getting a nasty case of brain freeze. Anyway, I said my goodbyes and got out of there just as Cheerilee was starting up the subject about unicorn magic. With nothing else to do, I made my way back home.

When I started to draw near to Fluttershy's cottage, I saw her at work feeding all of the little animals around the place. She had just set down a bowl of worms that had a thin layer of water at the bottom to keep them moist. A small flock of robins then descended upon it and began plucking their meal from the bowl. I then crossed the small bridge that spanned the brook in front of our home and walked right over to her. "Heya, honey. All done here?"

My girlfriend looked up at me and gave me a delighted grin. "Uh huh. The robins were the last ones to feed. Everyone is all happy now."

Fluttershy turned away from me for a moment to apparently admire handiwork. The trees and the landscape around us was rife with movement. Many little creatures scampered and fluttered to and fro. I could feel a warm breeze blowing through my hair and making the lush green leaves on the trees rustle. I then happened to glance down and see my beautiful lover's long pink mane and tail billowing in the breeze. Just… I was honestly left frozen and speechless at the sight of her beauty.

I could not stay away. Slowly and silently, I kneeled beside her and wrapped my arms around her body. I felt Fluttershy twitch under me while I rested my head against her neck. I heard her whisper softly, "Honey…?"

"I love you, baby." I replied in kind, my hands tenderly rubbing her body. I could not help myself. It was as if that moment held some sort of magic.

I soon felt Fluttershy's wing reach up and caress my cheek like the delicate fingers of a lover. She looked over her shoulder at me and gave me a very tender smile. "I love it when you hold me like this."

No words were spoken for the next few minutes. I never released my grasp on my lover, my lips placing kiss after kiss on her neck. I could feel Fluttershy shudder under my chest, faint gasps escaping her throat. God, I love her. However, I soon paused when I noticed we had quite an audience. Many of Fluttershy's little animal friends were observing us from a distance. "Uh… Nothing to see here, fellas…"

Since I am especially shy in front of an audience, I felt my mood rapidly shift into something less amorous. Fluttershy seemed to notice and asked while I began to lift myself from her, "Uh… Why are you stopping?"

"Well… They're staring…" I replied while feeling myself becoming warmer. However, Fluttershy then surprised me when she looked over her shoulder with a gleam in her eye I would normally expect from Rarity. "Uh… Honey? What's with that look?"

Fluttershy then suddenly turned to me and practically jumped at me, her forelegs wrapping around me while our faces were just an inch or two apart. "Let them look."

I had no time to reply to that at all. Fluttershy silenced me with a surprisingly powerful kiss. Her eyes closed, a muffled moan reverberating in her throat while her tongue licked at my lips. I too lost myself in that moment, my lips parting to allow the kiss to deepen. I remember tasting a hint of feta cheese on her tongue. So sweet and tasty at the same time, if that makes any sense.

I forget how much time passed while we just sat there smooching. Although I do recall that I could hear what I assume was quiet cheering. It seemed the little animals around us were in clear support of our relationship. Finally, when our faces pulled away, I had to ask. "You're really bold when you're around your little animal friends, aren't you?"

Fluttershy, her face filled with a noticeable blush, spoke softly while grinning sheepishly. "I… Uh… I guess I am… I never feel shy around them. And…I especially never feel shy when it's just you and me."

My hand stroked her long beautiful mane. "I feel bolder when I'm with you too. Do you suppose we draw off of each other for a boost in confidence?"

The lovely pegasus mare tilted her head towards my hand while letting out a content sigh. "I think so… Do you think that means we're a good match for each other?"

"Yeah, definitely. I'm glad I met you." I replied softly while placing a kiss on her cheek. This prompted a pleasantly startled squeak from my girlfriend. I then followed that up by lightly placing my finger on her nose, making her squirm with an adorable giggle. What a little angel.

This continued for a few minutes more before I remembered that I had to be at work in a short while. "Oh, right. I need to get to the spa. Will you be coming in today?"

Fluttershy grinned broadly at the proposition. "Oh, I think I will! I'll be sure to ask Rarity if we can have our weekly visit today." She then reached up and placed a kiss on my cheek. "I'll see you in a while, honey. But I need to go to the market first to restock some of our vegetables. Just no onions, right?"

I nodded with a smile, glad that Fluttershy remembered my most disliked food of all time. "Yup. No onions. And please hold the bell peppers too. But please add an order of extra spinach and broccoli!" After a moment more of silly banter, I bid goodbye to my lovely girlfriend and headed on my way back towards Ponyville.

The walk through the meadow that separated my home from Ponyville was quiet and uneventful. A good time to just let my mind wander and to bask in the summer breeze. However, just as I was starting to enter Ponyville, I caught sight of Pinkie Pie. But the instant she saw me, she seemed to freak out before dashing away. Knowing her, it could mean absolutely anything.

I did not have to wait long for an answer of why she ran off so suddenly. A few minutes later, I saw her galloping towards me while apparently pulling something behind her. Without even pausing to great me, she turned while running and came to a stop in front of me with what she was pulling facing me in plain sight. It seemed to be a wagon of sorts. It had a half-cylinder top that depicted her cutie mark on the side with a pale cream color adorned with a shade of pink that brought to mind cranberry juice. It also had a large light blue shape spreading over the side of the wagon's body, but it did not seem to represent anything. Just a design to compliment the rest of it. The hubs seemed to have a white and red spiral pattern that seemed to represent peppermint candy. Without a word, Pinkie Pie started going from one side to another while apparently making some…adjustments to the thing.

With this kind of behavior being very odd, even for Pinkie Pie's standards, I felt I had to say something. "Uh… Pinkie?"

"Not yet, James!" She called out without even looking my way. Just what was she even up to anyway?

"What is this thing any…" I started to speak again, but was interrupted by Pinkie Pie once more.

"Just a minute!" She called out to keep me quiet.

"Could you at least just…"

"Almost done!" Pinkie yelled again while checking the wagon's underside. I decided then to give up and just wait for whatever that goofball mare had in store for me. Finally, she stepped over to the side of the wagon and looked at me with a smile. "All right, you ready?"

"About as ready as I'll ever be, I guess." I replied with my arms crossed. It was then I noticed a large round red button on the side of the wagon that would face the one who was pulling it. And sure enough, she pressed it.

When that button was pressed, the top of the wagon opened before retracting into the wagon's body. And out of the body rose several objects that could not have possibly have fit in there in the first place. How do I even describe this thing's appearance? Well… I suppose it seemed to mainly be a type of food stall that you might expect to see at a carnival, seeing as there was a small oven in the center with a pair of shelves on each side that seemed to be holding cupcakes on the upper shelves and miniature pies on the lower shelves. A pair of long steam whistles seemed to be on one side while three long brass bugle-like horns were extending from the backside with no coordination in their placement. Four funnels painted to resemble striped candy sticks were sticking straight up on opposite ends of the wagon… Oh, wait. Three looked like candy sticks while one seemed to resemble a candle placed on top of a rather small cake. Lastly, there were six long poles extending every which way from the bizarre contraption that were constantly waving about with a small triangular flag at the tips of each. They were varying shades of pink, purple, and yellow. I should also mention that when the inner workings of the wagon sprang up, it did so with enough force to yank the wagon itself a few inches off the ground for a second. And all the while, the wagon was playing a rather catchy tune. And then… Pinkie Pie began to dance and sing.

While hopping and prancing back and forth in front of the wagon in what I can honestly say was one of the cutest performances I had ever seen out of my friend, Pinkie spouted out lyrics that seemed to match the music that was coming from the 'music box' behind her. "Welcome welcome welcome, a fine welcome to you!"

She then suddenly approached me and suddenly placed some sort of hat on my head. I never got a good look at it, so I am afraid I cannot describe its appearance aside from the fact that it seemed to have a short brim that extended past the very top of my field of vision. All the while, she continued to sing while somehow holding a bugle between her hooves. "Welcome welcome welcome, I say how do you do!" And right after that, she blew a single note through the bugle and… Did that thing seriously go through my ear and out the other for an instant?! Do not think about it, do not think about it, do not think about it…

Before even a second had passed, I suddenly found her on the opposite side of me while prancing about on her hind legs with a large timpani drum hanging over her front. She was grasping its matching mallet in her ankle joint and beating the drum while skipping around as her other foreleg seemed to be trying to hold it up from the other side. All things considered, that drum was almost as big as she is. "Welcome welcome welcome, a big hip hip hooray!" As my gaze followed her every move, I could not help but crack a smile.

Finally, she ditched the drum and did… What is the name of that dance again? She was pretty much sidestepping while hopping through the air and kicking one hind leg out to her sides in an alternating rhythm while thrusting her forelegs downward with each kick. From where I was standing, her body almost seemed to have taking on a bipedal stance entirely. Or perhaps that was just an optical illusion brought on by her rather impressive gyrations. Finally, she came to a stop in front of the wagon, jumped shockingly high into the air, and then came to a sliding halt before me on her knees while her forelegs reached high into the air. "Welcome welcome welcome to Ponyville todaaaaaaaaay!"

It was after that last line that the music came to a stop. Pinkie Pie maintained that pose while giving me a very big toothy grin. For whatever reason, the flagpoles on the wagon were still swinging around. But just before I could applaud her, or even so much as ask what this bizarre, if not entertaining, welcome was for, she spoke up. "Wait for it!"

No sooner had she said that, the hatch on the wagon's oven lung open while a huge burst of confetti and hot air surged into me. My hat ended up getting blown off and ended up lord knows where. And just after that, the four funnels on the wagon I had described earlier suddenly expelled streams of some sort of yellow… Was that cake batter?!

As the batter rose high into the air and started to come down on me, one word escaped my lips before I narrowly jumped out of the way. "Nope!"

In the end, Pinkie Pie took the full brunt of the blow, the batter covering her and the spot where I had been standing a mere few seconds earlier. I saw Pinkie open her eyes and let out a loud giggle. "Oops! I guess I put the confetti in the oven and the cake mix in the confetti cannons again…again!"

"This isn't the first time?! Well, excuse me for suspecting that you did that on purpose!" I retorted while crossing my arms and shaking my head. She then somehow burst out of the batter, leaving an impressive empty mold of her own body before her mouth opened impossibly wide and devoured the whole thing in one gulp. I would have been mildly disturbed by that sight if I had not seen it dozens of times before. Trust me. After spending months with Pinkie Pie, you get used to it if you do not let yourself think too hard about it.

"Still tasty though! Come on, James! Still plenty right here!" Pinkie Pie spoke out before motioning her hoof towards the thick puddle of batter that remained on the ground.

"Uh… No thanks. I'm not too keen for eating stuff off the ground. Especially on the ground outdoors. Who knows what was there before it was last cleaned?" I replied while cracking an amused smirk. But then a thought came to mind. This whole welcome was extremely off and random. Even for Pinkie Pie's standards. "Say, what was this for anyway? It doesn't seem like the first time you've used that thing."

My silly pink friend looked behind herself at the wagon before trotting over to it and pressing the red button on its side. In response, the whole thing closed back up into its previous compact state. "This is my welcome wagon! I use to welcome every newcomer I see to Ponyville!"

"You do? But you didn't use it when I… Hang on a second…" I spoke before crossing my arms and thinking for a moment. "Wait… How long have I been… Is today…?!"

Pinkie Pie jumped into the air and gave me a very tight hug. "You got it! Happy anniversary, James!"

At first, I had no words to speak. It slowly registered with me as I played her words over in my head. "A full year… Today marks my first complete year in Equestria?"

My silly friend let go of me and raised her hoof for emphasis. "Yup! Exactly 365 days! Or 366 if it was a leap year!"

I could not help and smirk at Pinkie's rather random attention to detail. "Wow… But wait. You had this wagon all along and didn't use it last year?"

"Yeah, I totally forgot about it. I guess I was just so blown away when I saw you that I was thinking 'Newcomer detected! Must set up party! Don't forget the balloons, cake, and music! Be sure to come up with random welcoming song! You left the oven on in Sugarcube Corner! I think I forgot to let the water out of the bathtub this morning!' instead of thinking about using the wagon to welcome you to Ponyville!" She explained while I struggled to not bust a gut at her words. Oh my lord, just what goes on inside that head of hers anyway?

"Well, seems you had a lot on your mind that day. And all things considered…I think it was for the best that you didn't use that wagon on my first day. With out uptight and nervous I was, I doubt I would've enjoyed it at the time." I spoke while glancing over at the wagon again.

Pinkie Pie nodded in full agreement. "Oh, right. Yeah, you were really uneasy the whole day! And even through most of the week! But look at you now! You're like a completely different person!" She then suddenly started to move quickly from one side of me to the other while making observations. "Your body posture shows confidence! Your eyes are nice and calm. You body temperature is a bit higher than normal, which shows you are very relaxed and happy." She went on and on for a moment while genuinely baffling me from how uncharacteristically observant she was being. I bet she befuddles Twilight Sparkle to no end. And speaking of that bookworm, I noticed her out of the corner of my eye heading our way.

"Morning, you two! Love the shirt, James. And… Pinkie Pie, why are you licking James' hair?" Twilight spoke upon drawing near. And yes, Pinkie Pie was basically piggybacking me while licking the hair on the back of my head.

"Oh, I was just tasting his hair to figure out what shampoo he uses! People who are happy use really fragrant shampoo! And I'm tasting hazelnut, roses…" Pinkie Pie replied before I decided to interrupt her.

"You just now made that up, didn't you?!" I spoke up loudly, prompting some giggling laughter from my goofball mare of a friend while Twilight rolled her eyes while shaking her head with an amused smirk.

Finally, Twilight stepped forward and turned to Pinkie Pie. "Well, anyway… Pinkie, I was hoping I could ask for your help with some tests. I need somepony like you to be my assistant for a while."

"Tests?! Ooh, goody! Do I get to sample some new treats?! I'm the official Sugarcube Corner taste tester, you know." Pinkie replied while showing her usual giddy gusto.

"Great! The testing area is just west of town between Fluttershy's place and Sweet Apple Acres. Please come on over when you can." Twilight explained while seeming fairly excited about whatever she was testing.

"You got it! Just let me put my wagon away and I'll be right over!" Pinkie Pie replied before sliding herself back into the welcoming wagon's harness and running off with it.

"Um… Tests? What is that about, Twi?" I asked with my arms crossed. And for Twilight to seek out Pinkie Pie? Well, Pinkie certainly has a gullible streak, so it makes sense that she would be Twilight's first choice.

My wise friend looked up at me and gave me a very pleased grin. "Oh, I like to dabble in a bit of science now and then. And I have a few tests in mind specifically for Pinkie Pie." She then glanced away for a moment before suddenly looking back up at me. "Say, James? Do you have any free time right now?"

I paused while considering my options. While scanning the horizon, I noticed the town's clock tower. It seemed that the time was not even 10 AM. Since I had to be at work at around 11 AM, I certainly had some time to kill. "Well, seems I have more than an hour before I have to get to the spa."

Twilight smiled at my response. "Well, would you like to tag along? I can promise that things will get interesting if Pinkie Pie is involved.

"Heh, I second that notion. Lead on." I replied while suppressing a chuckle. I could only imagine what kind of shenanigans those two polar opposites were going to get themselves into. Twilight then led me out of town and to the southwest.

After walking for a short while, we came to a part of the meadow that separated the area where Fluttershy and I live from Sweet Apple Acres. There seemed to be a long row of tall wooden planks that formed a wall-like fence. "Right over here." Twilight spoke while leading me to one side. When we reached one end, I found that there was no wall on that side. With another wooden wall to our left, it seemed to lead to another wall with a single opening in it. "This will be Pinkie Pie's first test."

I observed the entry point for a moment before one word popped into my head. "Is this a maze?"

Twilight nodded and extended her hoof towards the entryway. "Yes. I heard from Rainbow Dash once that Pinkie Pie can actually keep up with her on foot sometimes. So I'm going to test that claim. And for a little extra persuasion, I picked up a raspberry bundt cake from Sugarcube Corner this morning. I left it in its box at the far end of the maze. If there's one thing Pinkie Pie will not turn her nose up at, it's the chance for a sweet snack."

I could not help shaking my head at Twilight's clever manipulation of Pinkie Pie. "Clever, Twilight. Very clever… Wait a sec. She can keep up with Rainbow Dash?!"

She seemed equally baffled by the thought of it as well. "I know! But that's what she told me! When we celebrated Pinkie's birthday for the first time, I swear that's what Rainbow Dash told me!"

"Well, I'll have to see that to believe it… Oh, is she here already?" I spoke before pausing and listening. From somewhere behind the wall that was facing Ponyville's direction, I could hear the familiar cheerful humming of a certain earth pony mare. And sure enough, Pinkie Pie rounded the corner and trotted up to us.

"OK, I'm here! What're we testing?" She asked earnestly with a spring in her step.

Twilight smiled and approached her friend. "Well, I have a little gift for you. But to get to it, you need to go through this maze." Using the levitation spell, she picked up a stopwatch that was on the ground nearby.

As expected, Pinkie Pie was as excitable as always. She hopped forward and got herself low to the ground with her rump high in the air as if she was ready to pounce upon something. "OK! I'll do anything for yummy goodies! Just say the word, Twilight!"

I crossed my arms and took a step back. Twilight smirked while Pinkie Pie's face showed focused determination. "All right, Pinkie. When you reach the other end, yell something to let us know. Say… Try yelling out 'twitchy tail'. That'll let me know you made it. And… Go!"

Just before Twilight could actually press the button to activate the stopwatch, Pinkie Pie once again defied the laws of physics and leaped into the air and somehow stayed aloft while her legs flailed wildly. "Woooohoo! Here I come, sweet sweet goodies!" Twilight did not miss a beat and 'pressed' the button on the watch the instant Pinkie's hooves touched the ground. But neither of us were prepared for what followed. Immediately after she passed the maze's entry point, Pinkie charged right through wall after wall after wall of the maze, going to the prize at the other end directly… Oh god, just thinking about that moment makes me laugh.

Needless to say, this was really off the wall, even by Pinkie Pie standards. The instant she crashed through the first wall, I hunkered over in unexpected laughter. "What the hell, Pinkie?! Pehahahaha! What is that nut job even made of?!"

Twilight, on the other hand, stared through the row of mare-sized holes in the maze's walls with an absolutely speechless and even somewhat irritated expression. Sure enough, we heard Pinkie Pie when she got to the other side. "Twitchy tail!"

As if on cue, Twilight let out a loud yelp as an apple fell on her head from seemingly nowhere. My clearly annoyed unicorn friend let out a loud groan before stepping forward through the holes to reach Pinkie Pie while I followed as I snickered to myself. "This is gonna be another one of THOSE days, isn't it?"

"What? Where Pinkie Pie has turned her randomness up to a thousand?" I replied while ducking through the holes in the many rows of walls. Twilight offered no real reply, only letting out a loud grumble.

When we reached the other side of the maze, which consisted of a small fenced in area with a stool in the center that held a plastic platter, we found Pinkie Pie munching on something rather big in her mouth since her cheeks were bulging out quite a bit. Twilight then trotted over to her and spoke while raising her hoof for emphasis. "Pinkie… I know you're not one to really appreciate the geometry in something like this, but… That isn't how you go THROUGH a maze!"

Once Pinkie Pie swallowed whatever it was she was eating, she looked at Twilight and giggled loudly. "Ooooh, was I supposed to actually run around through the winding paths to get over here? Well, why didn't you say so?!"

"I thought I… Ugh, never mind! Come on, we've still got a few more tests to run." Twilight groaned in exasperation while I tried to not laugh too loud. The two of us followed Twilight back through the many holes in the maze before following her over to what I could only call a towering wooden box that was very large all around.

"Uh… Twilight? What's this for? And…is that a diving board up there?" I asked while taking note of a towering ladder that extended out into a long wooden plank at the top.

Twilight turned to face us and cleared her throat before speaking. "Yes, it is. As for what this is… You might want to stand back." Her horn was then coated by her billowing pink magic aura before the wooden planks that served as the box's walls fell outward. And behind them was…..the largest cube of purple gelatin I have ever seen in my life.

"Ooh, is that grape flavor?!" Pinkie asked while trying to restrain herself until Twilight had given her the signal to charge into it.

"It certainly is. And it's all yours, Pinkie. Dig in!" Twilight replied while extending her hoof towards the towering jiggling blob of semisolid goop.

"Sweet! Thanks, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie replied before rushing over to the ladder at one end and scrambling up it at surprising speed. It seems she required no explanation on how to approach this 'test'.

While we watched Pinkie rush up the ladder, I felt the need to ask. "Twilight. Just how much is in that blob of gelatin?"

She wasted no time in giving me a response. "Exactly a hundred thousand gallons."

At first, I had no words to reply to such an absurd amount. Finally, I found the response I was looking for. "You're trying to kill her, aren't you?"

This actually caught Twilight by surprise. She looked up at me with a mildly horrified expression. "What?! No, of course not! This is a serious test! I'm just trying to find out how much Pinkie Pie can fit into herself! You've seen how her body expands to accommodate whatever she eats!"

"So you're trying to figure out what makes Pinkie Pie tick, huh? Heh, I'm almost worried about what we might find out. Some things are not meant to be understood, Twilight." I spoke while letting out a slight chuckle before crossing my arms and turning my gaze up at Pinkie Pie. She had only just reached the top and was nearing the end of the diving board.

"Hey, I might not understand how her Pinkie Sense works, but she's a pony just like me. She must have her limits." Twilight replied with a confident smirk before waving at Pinkie Pie high above us. In response, Pinkie Pie hopped once while the wooden board under her bent downwards under her weight. She then leaped high into the air before doing a surprisingly elegant spiraling dive right down into the huge cube of grape-flavored gelatin below. She promptly sank to the bottom and pretty much just sat at the bottom of the stuff while waving at us. The cube remained solid despite the force of her falling into it.

"Is she seriously going to inhale that stuff from the inside?" I asked just before Pinkie Pie answered my question for me. From inside the block of gelatin, that goofball mare pursed her lips and began to suck the gelatin up. All in one nonstop gulp. Twilight and I watched in flabbergasted silence while that towering cube of gelatin before us became increasingly smaller as Pinkie Pie's cheeks swelled like those of a chipmunk. While watching her gorge herself on the stuff, I felt myself wince. "Ugh, I'm gonna be sick…"

Twilight seemed equally unnerved by this unnatural feat occurring before us since she suddenly gagged. "I'll never eat gelatin again…"

Finally, Pinkie sat on the wooden flooring the cube had been resting on before swallowing the contents contained in her cheeks. As expected, her body ballooned to an incomprehensible size for a few seconds before the contents of her belly were compacted down into whatever limitless void she uses for a stomach and shrinking back to normal size. "Yum! Is there more?"

"One hundred thousand gallons… I guess it's back to the drawing board then." Twilight muttered while sounding noticeably overwhelmed. I could relate as I was feeling mentally incapacitated from watching that myself.

Suddenly, I raised my finger as a thought popped into my head. "I have a new theory. Pinkie Pie, in fact, has no stomach to speak of. Her body contains a self-contained black hole that occasionally discharges waste that must be expelled from the body."

Both Pinkie Pie and Twilight looked up at me with some of the most shocked expressions I had seen on them in a while. My unicorn friend then spoke, "You know… Suddenly, it all makes sense! Why didn't I think of that?!"

Not wanting to dwell on the rather…unnerving sight we had just witnessed, Twilight led Pinkie and I over to what seemed to be a fairly large wooden shed on the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. I had seen it a few times, but had never seen Applejack using it. I assumed that it was abandoned or slated for demolition, but it seemed Twilight had moved in and set up shop. Pinkie Pie beat me to asking Twilight about it. "Is this your shed, Twilight?"

Our unicorn friend replied while looking back and forth at us. "Well, it was an old tool shed that Applejack was using. When she was planning on getting rid of it, I asked if I could use it as a science lab."

When she reached the doorway and stepped inside, I found that she had fixed the place up quite well. A large round green rug was spread out over the wooden floor while a few chemistry sets were set up all over the single room the shed consisted of. Being someone who does not have much of a penchant for science, I found the place to be interesting from only a visual point. Pinkie Pie was much more excited about the rather unusual designs of the glass beakers, spiraling tubes, and so forth and had to be warned by Twilight to not interact with anything she did not recognize.

"So… What experiment did you have in mind for this place?" I asked while observing my surroundings.

"Um… What was it again?" Twilight muttered while looking around the shed. But she soon spoke while focusing on one spot in the room's corner. "Oh, now I remember!"

I watched while Twilight went to the corner of the room before walking over to Pinkie Pie in the center of the shed. Only rather than walking, she was shuffling her feet along. And on each of her four hooves was a fluffy house slipper. I could not help cracking a smirk as I began to realize where this was going. Just to be on the safe side, I grabbed a pair of safety goggles that were lying on a table nearby. "Oh, this is going to get interesting."

Twilight stopped right in front of Pinkie Pie, who was standing in the center of the rug in the room. Pinkie merely watched in silence and curiosity while Twilight lifted her right hoof from her slipper. She then extended her hoof until the tip of it touched Pinkie's nose. I noticed a small spark briefly connect the two of them for just an instant before Pinkie Pie jerked her head away and rubbed her snout. "Ouch! What was that?!"

I began to feel a nervous sensation in my gut while I looked on as Twilight gestured with her hoof. "That's static electricity." She then went on to give a very detailed description of the phenomenon. I could write down what she said, but I fail to see the need to do so. That, and I have no desire to turn this journal into a textbook entry.

Anyway, once she had finished explaining, Twilight stepped out of her slippers and let Pinkie Pie try it out. However, I did not like where this was going one bit despite feeling a conflicting giddiness in my gut. Once Pinkie Pie was in the slippers, she began to rapidly shuffle her feet in noticeable excitement while moving around in a circle on the rug. Her eyes were constantly glued to her feet. "Oh god, are you serious? Uh… Twi? Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked as I drew near while getting a nagging feeling that allowing the ever-unpredictable Pinkie Pie to have access to something like this was…well… Just read on and see for yourself.

Twilight did not seem nearly as worried as I was and smiled dismissively. "Oh, don't worry about it, James. Static electricity is harmless."

However, Pinkie Pie just kept shuffling and shuffling. Oh, and she also shuffled some more. I mean it was actually very awkward how she just would not stop moving around the very edge of the rug. Almost like she was on autopilot or something. I decided to carefully and inconspicuously make my way to the exit and wait by it just in case the situation got out of hand and I had to make a hasty retreat. Even Twilight was starting to give Pinkie some funny looks. However, a look of satisfaction spread across her face when Pinkie came to a stop in front of her. Pinkie Pie's tail and mane had responded accordingly to the buildup of an electric charge on her body, both having become very wild with every single strand sticking straight out in a truly bizarre hairstyle. To top it off, I could make out arcing trails of electricity in her hair here and there.

Pinkie Pie began to giggle in excitement before she really took off with more shuffling and started to shuffle her feet all over the shed. A giddy smirk spread across my face as I tried to suppress a laugh. This was going to get very interesting very quickly. Even Twilight was starting to get a rather nervous expression on her face. "Uh… Pinkie, you can stop now… Whoa!"

Twilight stepped out of the way as that goofball friend of ours went right past her and even right up the wall and across the ceiling while constantly giggling like a schoolgirl with a sugar rush. And considering how much sweet gelatin she had just consumed, that was a very likely possibility. Pinkie Pie then even went right out the window, probably went right across the roof, and then came back in through another window while moving at seemingly impossible speeds for someone who was merely shuffling their feet. She was almost at full running speed, now that I think about it.

Eventually, Pinkie even started to give off quite a glow as she built up more and more of a charge on herself while zooming along the walls. "Pinkie, you're really overdoing it now… Eep!" Twilight called out before her mane and tail started to get pulled towards that crazy mare seemingly by an unseen attraction while Pinkie Pie returned to the center of the room and was going around and around on the rug as her body seemed to be leaning backwards in such a way that made me think her hooves were not carrying her along, but were rather pulling her. By then, I had stepped outside and was watching from the doorway. I was even biting my finger to stop myself from laughing at this hilarious scenario playing out before me.

Seconds later, the furniture in the shed began to slide along the floor towards Pinkie Pie while the electrified mare seemed to have accumulated an electric charge powerful enough to generate an electromagnetic effect. Everything in the room was being drawn to her, including Twilight! In desperation, Twilight grabbed onto a chair to keep herself away from our friend. Finally, she yelled out, "Pinkie, enough already!"

"Like this, Twilight?!" I then stared aghast as Pinkie Pie stopped moving and stuck her hoof out at our friend while still giggling like a maniac, prompting Twilight to look over her shoulder. Due to the powerful electromagnetic pull of Pinkie's electric charge, Twilight could no longer turn her head away and was steadily inching closer to Pinkie's glowing hoof while an expression of extreme unease spread across her face.

"I'm out!" I shouted before placing the pair of safety goggles I had picked up on my face. I then bolted and made a mad dash for the edge of the vast forest of apple trees that were nearby and took shelter behind one before peeking out from behind it. I was snickering like a fool, wondering what was about to happen.

Sure enough, I got my answer. A few seconds later, there was a powerful explosion that blew the entire shed apart. A burst of smoke and arcing electricity shot through the roof before quickly dissipating. I burst out laughing, unable to comprehend just how the hell Pinkie Pie was able to turn herself into what I can only call an electric bomb. Still, I was rather worried about my two friends and rushed back over to the remains of the shed while avoiding the scattered debris to check on them.

"Girls, are you… Oh god, what the hell?!" I called out while trying to keep myself from laughing a bit longer as I surveyed the situation before me.

Twilight was standing in the middle of the floor, apparently having not been able to keep her grip on the chair. Her mane and tail looked as if they had just been caught in a powerful gust and were stuck pointing straight back behind her while looking singed. Her face was frozen in an absolutely overwhelmed expression as if she could not process what she had just experienced while every part of her body that was facing Pinkie was apparently covered in soot. Pinkie Pie, on the other hand, looked like she was back to normal and was no worse for the wear. Her electric glow was gone and her mane and tail were back to their original poofy forms. Just before Twilight stiffly fell onto her side, Pinkie spoke out in her usual cheery tone of voice. "Tag, you're it!"

I finally could not contain myself any longer. I burst into raucous laughter at what I was seeing while trying to not fall to my knees. "Oh my gohahahod! Zappity zap zap! I never thought I would live to see this!"

Twilight let out a groan while she dizzily climbed to her feet. "Uuugh… I think I now know why science isn't as commonly practiced in Equestria as magic is."

"Really? Why's that?" Pinkie asked while tilting her head to one side.

After shaking all the soot from her hair, Twilight rather vocally spoke her answer. "It's dangerous! Just look at this place! It's a wreck!"

"Well, at least you demolished the thing for AJ in the end. I think she'll be pretty impressed." I replied while trying to suppress anymore laughter. Just… Man, you just have to witness such an event to really appreciate the comedic value behind it.

Twilight then let out a long groan while flexing her body to get all the aches out of it. "Well… I'd say that's enough experimenting for the month… Or a year…"

"You know, I think you two would make for an effective demolition team with that kind of technique. Ever consider it?" I asked in a joking manner, actually quite impressed with just how thoroughly that blast obliterated the shed.

Pinkie Pie seemed rather thrilled at the idea. "Ooh, you're right! I'd be like 'OK, we got this. Twilight, you brought the slippers, right?' and she would be like 'Yeah, I got them right here. You do your thing and we'll be waaaay over there.' and then I'd be like 'All right! Shuffle shuffle shuffle and zappity zap zap!' and then BOOM! We'd have the run of the entire demolition market! Right, Twilight?"

However, Twilight seemed far less pleased at the thought. She then practically yelled while waving her hooves back and forth as she took a few steps away from our friend, "No! Absolutely not! I'm done with science! I'm sticking with good old magic from now on!"

"Aww, really? Oh well! It was fun while it lasted! Anyway, I better get going! I've got something important to take care of today. See ya!" Pinkie Pie retorted before trotting away with a satisfied spring in her step and a song in her throat.

Once the source of my laughter was out of sight, I approached Twilight and caressed her mane. "Well, that was a good laugh. Are you OK?"

"Ugh… I don't even know what hit me! And how did she even do that?!" Twilight retorted with a frustrated groan, although she sounded more baffled than irritated to me.

I glanced over in the direction that Pinkie Pie had trotted off in and found that she was almost completely out of sight. I then took off my safety goggles and set them on the charred remains of a table nearby. "Well… Do you think we'd be better off not knowing how Pinkie Pie works?"

"By this point… I'd say that's wise." Twilight grumbled before letting out a groan while she seemed to stretch. That zap, while certainly nonfatal, seemed to have left her quite sore. "Ooh… I'm gonna be feeling this for a while…"

I kneeled down beside her and placed my hand on her back. "Would you prefer it if I carry you back to town?"

My proposition seemed to really catch her by surprise. She glanced at me suddenly and asked, "Huh? Carry me? Are you sure?"

Seeing that she did not refuse my offer, I smirked before lifting the forward half of her body and causing her to lean back before my arms scooped her up. While certainly heavier than Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, Twilight is still fairly light. Now, Applejack and Pinkie Pie, those two I can truly count as heavyweights. But I digress.

Twilight looked up at me with an awkward grin before letting out a faint giggle. She looked very cute just resting there in my arms. "Well… I guess I'm your passenger for now. Lead on, James." I nodded with a cheeky grin before leaving the wrecked remains of Twilight's makeshift lab and started walking back towards Ponyville.

The walk through the meadow was calm and quiet. I did not speak at all while merely focusing on walking. I could hear the wind blowing through the thousands upon thousands of blades of grass in the meadow. It generated a sound that is actually different from the sound of leaves swaying in the trees. It almost felt…magical.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Twilight's large purple eyes were more often than not looking at me and nothing else. After I saw them look right at me for what I think was the tenth time, I finally looked down at her directly. "Yes?"

Twilight's curled forelegs drew closer together while she let out a quiet giggle. It seemed she was not expecting me to notice her gaze at all. "Well… I was thinking. Today… And right around this time too… Today last year was when I first met you."

Once again, my memories of that day flickered through my memory. "Yeah… And you were the first person I met in Equestria."

She then asked after a moment of pause, "James… I've been wondering this for a while. Was it Princess Celestia and Princess Luna who brought you to Equestria?"

Having known Twilight for as long as I have, I felt I could trust her with the truth. "Yeah, they did. Just don't tell anyone, all right? I think it's a national secret or something like that."

My friend nodded in agreement before tilting her head to look in the direction we were moving. "I'll be sure to thank them today… I'm glad they brought you here."

"Really?" I asked, though more out of curiosity than doubt.

Twilight turned her gaze towards me and began to speak softly as if she was becoming completely relaxed. "Well, I'll be honest. When you first came to Ponyville, I didn't think for a second that you and I would've become as close as we are now. I mean, I did want to be your friend, but… I'm just amazed by all that's happened. I thought my circle was complete when I met my five closest friends. But you managed to carve out a place for yourself in the puzzle, if that makes any sense."

I looked down at Twilight without speaking a word while just taking in her words. "And now you even have your own Element. The Element of Humanity. Even if it isn't a part of the Elements of Harmony, it still intrigues me. I wonder if we'll ever figure out its true history."

"Well, I'm guessing the more crises we end up having to solve, the more often it will be used. Although I hope we don't have very many more to deal with…" I replied in kind, also wondering about the full history behind the Element that was bound to me. Oh well. That is something I am sure will reveal itself when the time is right.

Twilight nodded with a slight frown, but soon relaxed once more in my grasp. "Yeah… But still… I'm really glad I met you. You've always been good to us. And it feels like you and I have so much in common. I swear… I think I see myself in you."

I could not help smiling at those words. "Same here, Twi. You sometimes remind me of myself."

She then brought up a subject that I had all but forgotten about. "You know… Fluttershy once told me what you said to her about your past. Especially your days in high school. Did that really…cause you to have no interest in friendship?"

My walking slowed as I felt a twinge of bitterness fill my heart. "She told you, huh? Well…yeah. Since there was no one in the entire school I could even remotely bring myself to like, I had no friends. And as a result, I even felt like I didn't even need friends."

There was a moment of silence between us while Twilight seemed to avert her eyes. I just continued to walk while keeping my eyes forward. However, I froze and stopped in my tracks when I felt something touch the fingers I had curled over Twilight's chest. I looked down at her and saw that she was resting her right hoof upon them. She then spoke with a more somber expression on her face. "You and I have more in common than I thought, James. I used to have no interest in friendship either."

"You…didn't? But you seem like someone who values friendship more than most other things." I replied while finding it difficult to comprehend Twilight not wanting anything to do with the concept of friendship.

She nodded in confirmation, but never once took her hoof off my fingers. "Mmhm, but not for the reasons you're thinking. It was entirely by choice. I was obsessed with studying and following Princess Celestia's instructions. I shut myself away from everyone who had no real connection to my interests. But…that all changed when I came to Ponyville." She then turned her gaze to the town that was in the distance. "It was honestly the best thing to ever happen to me. Now I can't imagine being without friends. And the atmosphere in Ponyville is just so much better than in Canterlot. I used to think most of the ponies in town were crazy, but I guess that was because I wasn't used to such jovial hospitality since no one here is nearly as uptight as the majority of the ponies in Canterlot."

I could not help rolling my eyes. I had almost forgotten that Canterlot was originally her home. "Canterlot isn't exactly the friendliest town in Equestria, is it?"

"Well, in hindsight… I guess it isn't." Twilight replied while letting out a faint giggle. We both chuckled lightly before we shared a momentary gaze. I honestly felt quite calm in Twilight's presence. As if I was rediscovering her in a new intimate way. She then smiled warmly at me and even seemed to gain a blush on her face. "I'm really glad I met you. It feels like we were meant to meet."

With my arms occupied, I was not able to really return any affection she was giving me. So instead, I lowered my head to her and nuzzled her nose with my own. "Same here, Twi. You've always been precious to me."

My friend giggled slightly while grinning broadly as I pulled my face away from her. Once I began to walk at a brisker pace again, she let out a long sigh while still looking up at me. "You know… I did say I would always love you, right?"

Those words roused some memories from deep in my mind. "Yeah… That was quite a while ago too. I had almost forgotten about it."

Twilight averted her eyes for a moment before continuing to speak. "I'm not surprised you forgot. I've been trying hard to not let those feelings show when I'm around you. And it gets really hard to hold them in when it's just you and me. And I really have been trying to let go of those feelings. But… I just can't seem to cut those last few threads. My feelings…just won't let go of my heart."

"Well… Why have you been keeping your feelings concealed?" I asked, having already been on the receiving end of such feelings from Rainbow Dash and Rarity.

My dear friend's expression became more somber before she replied. "Because…I don't want to get between you and Fluttershy. I can't stand the thought of being a burden to any of my friends or doing anything that would hurt them… That's why I couldn't let those feelings out."

"You know… That sounds like something I would do." I spoke softly, relating to her even further as she spoke. And as I looked down at my frowning friend, I could not help smiling softly at her. "But Twilight… You should let go of those fears. Because…" I then gently lowered my face and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. "You're not the only other girl whose heart reaches out to me."

Twilight's big purple eyes opened wide the instant my lips touched her soft purple coat on her forehead. Her eyes quivered as what seemed to be tears began to form at the edges of her eyes. "What… How… Why did you do that? I thought you and Fluttershy were…"

For as long as I have known her, Twilight has always been keen to the workings of friendship despite always being eager to learn more. However, she always seemed to have very little knowledge about the workings of the heart. So I was hardly surprised to see her so confused. "Yes, Twilight. Fluttershy and I are a couple. But that does not mean I can't share my love. I'd be willing to give you some if you are willing."

My friend was rendered speechless. Her eyes darted back and forth while clearly trying to find the words to reply to me. I decided to speak first. "Confused, huh?"

Twilight rapidly nodded before finding words to speak. "Yeah… It just… It sounds too good to be true. I mean… Isn't that…cheating? What would Fluttershy do… Wait. Would you ever really cheat on her?"

I was not surprised by her confusion. It takes an open mind to think the way I do. "No, absolutely not. There's no way I would ever cheat on my girlfriend. Just… How do I explain this again? I know I spoke about it to Rarity lately…"

The mention of our beautiful unicorn friend really seemed to shock Twilight. She looked up at me with bulging eyes and spoke rather loudly, "Rarity?! Her too?! I know you and her have always been close and that she does seem to have some kind of strong interest in you, but… She…really loves you like that?"

"In all honesty, I'm pretty sure she and I would've ended up in a relationship if Fluttershy had not sent me that love letter when she did. We both keep the virtue of Generosity constantly in our hearts, so I guess we do have a subtle natural attraction to each other." I replied while feeling myself becoming rather warm as my mind began to recall the memories of the day she finally confessed to me.

Twilight looked away from me for a moment, her eyes closing while she let out a long sigh. "I think you might be right… You and her have been close since the start. But…" She then looked back up at me with a very curious gaze. "What do you mean…sharing your love with me? Can you really do that and keep yourself reserved for Fluttershy?"

I did my best to explain it as carefully as possible. "Well, you have every right to question my integrity. I don't think most men would be capable of doing it while staying loyal to that one special someone. But let me make things clear. Twilight, I can't be your boyfriend. I can't give you my body. And I can't give you my heart. But I can still give you my love. And before you ask, it wouldn't be the first time I have given love to more than one woman while still keeping my heart reserved."

She looked at me in silence. Not speaking, but seeming to be deep in thought. "To actually be able to do something like that… You must have a limitless amount of love in your heart… It's like you can love anyone."

"Well, I try to keep an open mind. That's what I feel is the key to being happiest." I replied without hesitation.

Twilight let out a long sigh while looking up at me with an endearing gaze. "Words of wisdom. How did you come to that conclusion?"

I took a moment to reflect on those words. Why am I so open minded? I tried to reply as honestly as I could. "Well… I have no real answer to that. But I guess I can try to explain. I guess… Over the years, I have seen many forms of prejudice and discrimination in various types of fictional media. And that made me wonder why there was so much discrimination. I saw no reason to be so hateful towards people of different appearance, whether they be mutated or covered in fur or scales. Who knows? Maybe those experiences sowed the seeds for me to be able to not judge until I had grown to know them. And I guess it only extended from there. As for being able to share love with others…"

This took a longer amount of time to find the right words. Twilight looked on in silence, awaiting my response. "Well… I have found that I enjoy making people happy. And I especially enjoy making people feel loved, especially women. Where I come from, women tend to receive more discrimination than men, and that saddens me. So I would try to help them feel as loved and appreciated as possible whenever I spoke to them. At least through text. I am way too shy to approach a woman in person like that."

Twilight nodded with a slight smile while looking up at me. "You are pretty shy… I could see that when we first met. Very reserved. But…still, why offer me your love like this?"

"Funny you mention that. I once wrote stories as a hobby. And there was one line I wrote in a chapter that I think left quite an impression on some of the readers." I replied before pausing to recall the line in question. "Love is a universal good. Do not deny it to anyone, especially when they seek it from you alone."

I swear I saw a tear trickle down Twilight's cheek when she heard me speak those words. She then nestled her head against my chest while I carried her. "There's a lot of power in those words… And I can relate to them. You're the only man I've ever sought that kind of love from before…" Suddenly, she glanced up as her horn was coated by her pink magic aura. My shirtsleeve was covered by an identical aura before it was pulled up, revealing my cutie mark. "After hearing that… I think I know what the true meaning of your cutie mark is."

I glanced down at the mark in the center of my upper arm. Two white dove shapes facing each other with wings spread while creating a perfect heart shape between their bodies, their forms also creating the vague shape of a heart themselves. Twilight then explained, "There is a heart shape between them. And the two birds are doves. Symbols of peace and everlasting love. It shows that not only are you a gentle peaceful individual who tries to avoid conflict when possible, but also someone who has potentially limitless love to share."

"That…is a pretty deep explanation, Twi." I replied, not certain of what else to say. I would expect such a thorough description from her, but it still left me without many words to say.

She then looked up at me with a rather somber smile. "And to your offer… I do understand what you mean. And…I would be honored if you would share your love with me, but… I want to be safe on this. I'll ask Fluttershy about this first and then I'll get back to you. I'm sorry. It's just…I don't want to risk doing anything that may upset my friends. You understand, right?"

I nodded readily, knowing exactly where she was coming from. "Understood perfectly, Twilight. That actually sounds like something I would do." My friend let out a soft giggle; apparently knowing I would say that too.

"Seems I was right. You really are my other half." Twilight spoke with a grin before reaching up and nuzzling my cheek. "Like a long lost twin brother or something."

I could not help but snicker for a second before placing a kiss on her cheek. "Well, I always did love you, little sis." This prompted another rather giddy blush from my friend. It is always entertaining to see her get flustered. Sometimes even creepy. "But anyway, that choice is all up to you. We can stay ordinary friends if that's what you would prefer. It's your call, Twi."

"Thanks, James. I do plan on meeting up with Fluttershy today, so I'll talk to her about this then… Actually, now that I think about it… Is Rarity the only other mare who loves you that much?" Twilight replied before her expression became one of surprise, as if that thought popped into her head out of nowhere.

"Well, believe it or not, Rainbow Dash is the same way." I replied briefly. I wonder what that rowdy mare is up to right now.

Twilight stared at me with a truly bewildered expression for a moment. "Rainbow Dash… Is that why she was with you and Fluttershy when you visited my house on Hearts and Hooves Day?!"

I nearly snickered at her response. She only just then realized that? "Yup. Pretty much a double date."

A few minutes of soothing silence passed while I continued to carry my dear friend towards Ponyville. However, a thought suddenly entered my mind. "Hey, Twi? I know this is right outta nowhere, but was Pinkie Pie still wearing those slippers when she headed home?"

My friend seemed rather bothered by those words while she held a hoof to her chin. "Those house slippers? Uh… She… Uh oh."

The instant she finished speaking, I felt a brief tremor in the ground as an explosion of arcing electricity and smoke rose into the air far ahead in the distant. "Oh snap, that renegade bug zapper is still at it!" I yelled out while trying not to laugh. I was hoping Ponyville was not in ruins by the time I got there.

"Quick! Put me down!" Twilight shouted as she began to squirm in my grasp. I turned her over and set her down as quickly as I could. "Let's chat later! I gotta find her and stop her from blowing up the town!" Twilight then charged ahead while letting out a yell. "PIIIIINKIIIIIEEE! YOU BETTER NOT BE ANYWHERE NEAR MY HOUSE!"

I could not help hunkering over in snickering laughter. "Oh god, life is never dull when you girls are around."

Not certain of the time, I decided to hurry on over to the spa before I had the chance to be late. The trek through Ponyville was relatively uneventful and quiet, although it was not like I had time to stop and chat with anyone anyway. Although I did catch sight of Twilight trying to chase down a cackling Pinkie Pie, who was still wearing those house slippers while shuffling along at speeds that no one should be able to reach while moving their feet like that.

Eventually, I saw Rainbow Dash swoop down and grab Pinkie Pie, apparently having been enlisted by Twilight for some assistance. The only problem was that the nut job mare had already accumulated quite a charge in her body and ended up zapping Rainbow Dash upon making contact in a large burst of electrical discharge. Rainbow's mane and tail ended up looking a lot like Twilight's did when she got zapped, just without the singed hair. She seemed greatly stunned, falling stiffly onto her side and dragging Pinkie down with her. That gave Twilight more than enough time to catch the two of them in a levitation spell before sliding the slippers off of our crazy pink friend's hooves. Once again, I could not help snickering at the absurd sight and walked backwards to watch them for as long as I could before having to turn around to make certain I was staying on the right path.

I reached the spa without further trouble or distraction and stepped inside to find Aloe seated at the front desk. "Morning, Aloe. I'll just punch in and get to my post."

My employer responded while looking over a magazine, speaking in her very heavy accent. "Thank you, James. We have a few customers right now, but none of them have requested a massage. Although we do have a pair of reservations requesting the full suite of services in ten minutes. So please be ready when they arrive."

"Will do. Just let them know I'm ready when they are." I replied before entering the spa's main chamber. I then went right over to the hot tub and dunked my hands in for a few minutes to get them softened up before taking a seat by the massage tables. I then reached into a cabinet located right under me and pulled out a clipboard with the names of every single customer I had ever massaged on a sheet of paper being held in place on it. After massaging someone for the first time, I always add their name to the list and include a check mark or an X next to their name to discern which of them have overly sensitive cutie marks and which do not.

A quick glance around the chamber revealed three customers. From what I could see, the sauna was currently being used by, of all ponies, Eleina and Ruby Ring. In case you have forgotten, Eleina is Button Mash's mother while Ruby Ring is the mother of Diamond Tiara. With how infrequently I stop by the jewelry store she runs, I took a moment to recognize her. "Moms' day out, I guess."

At the far end of the spa seemed to be a mare taking a mud bath with Lotus supervising her. Judging by the pale yellow coat on her face and the two shades of pink and dark blue in her mane, it seemed to be Bon Bon. I must admit she and I never really interact much, so I can hardly call her a friend.

While I waited for a customer to show up, I snatched up a magazine that had been left near the massage tables. The latest copy of Equestria Digest. The cover seemed to show Hoity Toity standing outside what seemed to be a fancy restaurant. Perhaps he also serves as a part-time food critic? I do not recall much about what I read or saw. I was pretty much just flipping through the pages to pass the time, waiting until I saw a sight in the photos in the magazine that would catch my attention.

I did not wait long before I heard Aloe speak from nearby as the familiar sound of hooves clopping drew near. "Right this way, your highnesses."

At first, I continued to look through the magazine without a second thought. But a second later, Aloe's words registered with me. "Your highnesses?"

I immediately set the magazine down and looked towards the entryway into the spa's main chamber. Aloe entered first and was promptly followed by two mares who instantly put a smile on my face. Luna and Nightmare Moon.

I remained silent at first, waiting for them to look my way. And they very soon did just that. Luna cast her gaze in my direction first, her expression instantly brightening before she trotted right over to me. "Well, hello! Good to see you, James! And you will be providing our massages today?"

I held out my arms to her, allowing my friend to come in for an embrace. I replied while she wrapped her arms around me, "I most certainly will. And how are you two ladies doing? Something important happening in Ponyville today?"

Nightmare Moon then approached us and nodded with a smile. "Oh, absolutely. We are here on important business. But the time of meeting is not for a few more hours, so Luna and I decided we may as well see what the spa is like. We could use a day off every now and then." She then stepped closer and gently nudged her sister aside. "All right, that's enough, Luna. I am entitled to my dearest friend as well."

Luna backed away with a nervous snicker while a rather giddy grin spread across her muzzle. "Yes, yes, so sorry. You know how I am when I have an opportunity to meet my first true friend. I don't get to see him as often as I desire."

However, Nightmare Moon then gave her a rather sly smirk. "What about all those times you invade his dreams? Do those not count?" I could not help breaking out into chuckles while trying to restrain myself.

"Well… Yes, I suppose those count. But you dive into his dreams just as often, I'm sure!" Luna replied with a jeering tone. I swear, those two really loosen up when it is just them. They hardly act royal at all aside from their speech patterns.

"Yes, I am quite guilty of that." Nightmare Moon replied with a rather awkward smirk, having been cornered by Luna. But she then grabbed me in an unexpected embrace. "But can you blame me?"

I remained silent while wrapping my arms around my beloved royal friend. Luna then leaned in close to me and whispered into my ear. "It is a rare event when she goes the entire day without once speaking your name. She truly adores you."

Before I could even retort to that, we heard Nightmare Moon speak up. "I heard that, Luna." All three of us then burst into shared laughter. Oh, I would never trade my friendship with those two mares for anything.

After a minute more of playful banter, Nightmare Moon then turned to Luna and asked, "So, sister. What should we start with first?"

The beautiful Princess of the Night glanced around the chamber, apparently weighing her options. "Hmm… Well, I am eager to try out our friend's 'magic fingers' for myself, but that hot tub looks quite inviting."

I decided to offer my input at that moment to help them decide. "In all fairness, nearly all of my patrons take a soak in the hot tub just before they let me massage them. I think my massages will be more effective if you let the warm water soften your flesh up a bit first."

"Then it's decided! Excuse us for a moment, James." Nightmare Moon spoke before she and Luna went behind the hot tub, the wall along the poolside preventing me from seeing them. While they were back there, I heard metallic clinks along with their voices in conversation. "Did Celestia say whether or not she will be attending too?"

I then heard Luna speak in response. "Well, she said she would follow if she could. However, I doubt we should get our hopes up. She is likely busy today with us not being there to assist her."

The two royal mares stepped out from behind the hot tub soon afterward. However, I could not stop myself from gazing at them. They had cast aside their jewelry and metallic attires, their bodies bare. Luna seemed to notice my constant gaze and asked, "Uh… James? Is something wrong?"

I could not help flustering. It must have been especially unbecoming of me to gawk at the rulers of Equestria. "Well…uh… I know you two normally don't wear much to begin with, but… Well… I guess I just can't help staring at your beauty."

My two royal friends returned my stare, never once blinking. And… I swear, there was a shade of pink slowly filling their cheeks. Luna, without looking away from me, glanced up at her sister out of the corner of her eyes. "Our beauty, he says."

Nightmare Moon nodded before her blank stare turned into that sly smirk she always shows whenever her mischievous side starts to come out. "You're quite bold, you know that?"

I averted my gaze, feeling myself getting backed into a corner. "Uh… I meant nothing by it. I'll just be waiting over here for you ladies to finish so… Uh…" I was interrupted when I felt something soft touch my chin and direct my face back towards the two alicorns before me. It turns out that Nightmare Moon was manipulating her mane much like a hand. I do believe that trait is something only she possesses.

"No need to be modest, my friend. The compliment is appreciated." She spoke while letting out a suppressed giggle deep in her throat. "Don't you just love a man who has an appreciation for beauty, Luna?"

Luna grinned brightly as they walked past me before offering a retort. "Oh, absolutely. Tis a shame there is not more of them in this world."

I watched in silence while the two royal sisters walked up the steps that led to the hot tub before slowly submerging themselves into it. They both let out long satisfied sighs as the warm bubbling water reached up over them. Once they had both lowered themselves as deeply as possible, they both dunked their heads below the surface. A few seconds later, they raised their heads above the water. As expected, their long flowing manes were completely soaked and weighed down by the water. They were no longer constantly billowing and seemed to be ordinary hair now. The colors seemed slightly darker due to their hair having absorbed some water. What surprised me most was that Nightmare Moon's mane and tail, which is actually somewhat translucent, seemed completely opaque while wetted down. The light purple gaseous aura around their edges also seemed absent. I could still see the 'stars' in the central blue section of Luna's hair though. The sparkling stars in Nightmare Moon's mane seemed to be absent, making her hair seem like a vast expanse of blue.

"Comfy?" I asked softly while leaning against the side of the pool.

Luna glanced over at me and gave a quick nod. "Yes, very much so. Excellent recommendation, James."

Nightmare Moon then crawled closer to us with her beautiful exotic eyes focused on me. She remained silent for a moment though before asking, "James, has something caught your eye? You seem to be staring quite a bit."

Heh, I suppose I should not be surprised that my royal friends are so observant. "Well, I just find it interesting how different your manes are when they're wet. They hardly look the same. I'm especially surprised that yours is still there, Nightmare Moon. When it's dry, your hair almost looks gaseous."

Luna's face twisted into a grin while she let out a chuckle. "Yes, it is, isn't it? I often like to stand behind her tail and address the guards and servants from there. They always seem to forget that I can see them through it." Nightmare Moon merely shook her head while rolling her eyes. I suppose she must have found it rather silly how Luna would sometimes use her tail as a comedic prop.

"You gotta love a ruler with a sense of humor. I bet the guards enjoy your shenanigans every now and then too, considering how uptight they are more often than not." I said while imagining all of the guards I had encountered so far. Definitely some of the strictest men I have ever passed.

Nightmare Moon spoke next. "Peh, them? I keep thinking they're golden tin cans dressed up to resemble ponies with how constantly still and silent they always are. Sometimes I decorate them to make them a little easier on the eyes and to add to the atmosphere of the chambers."

I nearly burst into laughter at the thought, but Luna added onto that little quip before I could. "Oh, I still remember the time where you placed ivy from the garden over two of them! Celestia thought they were indoor plants until she called for the guards. I still remember the shriek she made when those 'plants' started to shamble towards her."

That was all I needed to burst out laughing along with my two friends. While we were laughing, I noticed Eleina and Ruby Ring pause at the chamber's exit before shaking their heads at us with amused smirks before departing. Eventually, I felt the need to ask. "Do they ever get annoyed with that kind of treatment?"

Nightmare Moon cleared her throat before putting together a response. "Well, I did ask them once if they would rather be treated like men or like interior decorations. Only they did not reply at all."

"The strangest thing is that Shining Armor and Estoc seem to be the only members of the royal guard who seem willing to speak or crack a smile while on duty. Granted, they do become quite focused during situations that require it, but they always seem willing to be themselves at all other times. I swear they even encourage the rest of the guard to loosen up as well." Luna explained while seeming genuinely baffled by just how unnecessarily uptight the royal guards tend to be.

"You think they assume being that way just makes them look cool and respectable?" I asked, wondering if the guards tend to have egos that cause them to act in such ways.

Luna let out a sigh, apparently disheartened by such a thought. "That is quite a possibility. A shame they do not learn that much from their superiors outside of weapon use and protocol. Shining Armor and Estoc seem to understand it much better. It is best to be yourself and to harden your nerves only when the situation calls for it. Not to seem like a stone wall at all times."

Nightmare Moon then smirked before directing her gaze at me. "That honestly sounds quite a bit like you, James."

Those words brought back memories from not too long ago. "You know… That's what Rainbow Dash said too. That I'm not cool and tough all the time, but only when I need to be."

"I can vouch for that." Nightmare Moon replied with nod and smile. I know she was thinking back to when she and I ended up clashing in the Everfree Forest. But for her to actually not seem bothered by the thought… I suppose it is something we can all look back on and laugh by now. It was truly a dreadful event, but we gained so much from it as well. And I could not be more grateful for what I gained that night. Almost as if on instinct, I reached out and dragged my fingers through the soaked mane of Nightmare Moon.

"Hm? James?" My royal friend asked upon feeling my touch. She and Luna looked directly at me with rather curious gazes.

"Uh… I was just wondering how your hair feels when it's wet." I replied meekly as I felt myself becoming cornered. My fingers were resting within that wet expanse of blue, though I could feel the many strands of hair within it.

After a moment of silence, Nightmare Moon's expression changed from one of puzzlement to one that seemed to show adoration. "Well, how does it feel?"

Feeling myself relax a bit, I stroked my fingers through her hair some more. "It feels like…wet hair." This generated a snicker from the two mares. I mean how else could I have described it?

After several more minutes of playful banter and chatting, Nightmare Moon let out a long yawn. Apparently from having allowed herself to become too relaxed. "Oof… I think I'd like to try a massage now. I don't want to end up too waterlogged."

"OK then. Just come on over and we'll get started." I replied while glancing back over at the massage tables behind me.

Nightmare Moon began to crawl away from Luna and myself and towards the poolside at the far edge. However, as she started to climb out of the hot tub, my eyes became glued to her gorgeous form. Her mane and tail were like two sheets of solid blue, the water in her dark coat causing her to glisten. Much to my dismay, Luna was quick to notice my constant stare and smirked while calling out, "Sister, it seems you have an admirer."

I winced at those words and glanced at Luna. "You cheeky…!" But before I could scold her further, Nightmare Moon's eyes looked at me over her shoulder. I could feel my face becoming hot as I felt myself becoming intensely nervous. What was she going to do?

I was tempted to cover my face and hide. However, I then noticed Nightmare Moon smirk at me whimsically. "Why do you stare, my friend?"

"Uh… Would you prefer an honest answer?" I replied while Luna burst into snickering while holding her hooves over her mouth.

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes at me. "What kind of question is that? Of course I want you to be honest."

I then decided to swallow my pride and speak the truth regardless of the consequences. After all, with how close we are, I doubt Nightmare Moon would ever harm me. "Well… I'm staring because of… Well… You're beautiful."

Judging by how briefly that look of surprise on her face lasted, I suspect she was expecting such an answer. She then flashed me a wink and replied, "That's all? Well, if you really appreciate my beauty that much, then you may admire me as much as you desire."

I continued to watch her for a moment more while Nightmare Moon wrapped her very large mane in a towel with the highly absorbent fabric tightly wrapped up atop her head. As she walked down the steps and over to me, I could not help but ask, "Just how did you even fit that all in there?"

"That's what she said." Luna spoke up suddenly beside us while flashing us both an impish smirk. Both Nightmare Moon and I could not help chuckling like fools at that very unexpected and naughty joke.

"Please hold the jokes for now, Luna. I need to focus when I massage. Don't want to lose track of time." I spoke while leading Nightmare Moon over to the nearest massage table. "After you, m'lady."

"Thank you, my good sir." The Princess of Dreams replied before bounding up onto the table and turning around to face the hot tub before lying down. Luna moved to the far end of the tub and just reclined with her shoulders and head resting on the edge.

After examining my friend for a moment, I extended a hand toward Nightmare Moon's left wing. "Shall I start on your wings?"

She glanced to her left wing before spreading it as if on reflex. "Hm? My wings? You can do that?"

I replied while I reached out and began to feel along her wing's frame, "I do. Pegasus wings tend to get pretty tense when they're used a lot. And it seems difficult to massage them when you only have hooves… Hmm…"

If you have ever seen Nightmare Moon, you have likely seen that her wings have an unusual structure when they are spread. Their shape seems similar to bat or demon wings. While they are covered in feathers like those of any other pegasus, I was quick to discover through my tender touch that the frame of her wing was very different from every other pegasus wing I had ever massaged. And instead of just two joints, I found three. "Uh… Your wings are pretty unusual, Nightmare Moon. Maybe even unnatural."

My friend gave me a rather forlorn expression while I felt along her wings. "You know I did not come to be through natural means. Even I am not entirely certain of my exact origins. Though whatever it was that gave me life, I can be all but certain that the means were foul."

I looked towards me dear friend and sighed while trying to show her a reassuring smile. "Well, that may be true. But you're no demon. You're a wonderful mare." I then left her wing and gently held her head in my arms. "Beautiful to boot too."

I felt her head twitch in my arms as a suppressed chuckle rumbled deep in her throat. "You are too sweet, my friend. And thank you. I know not what brought me into existence, but I am still a princess of Equestria."

A cheeky thought then popped into my head while a slight smirk spread across my lips. "Although you're not as beautiful with your mane wrapped up in that towel on your head, to be honest."

"Oh, shush! Now get back to work! My wings need massaging!" Nightmare Moon playfully retorted while nudging me away, a sly smirk on her face. I could not help snickering under my breath at her response, though it was too obvious to me that she was just being playful.

Once I was standing beside her again, I gently felt along Nightmare Moon's wing until my fingers detected the joint where the wing connected to her torso. "All right, just keep your wing still for me. It'll take three minutes to massage each joint."

Nightmare Moon remained very still while my fingers kneaded her wing joint. A long sigh escaped her lips as she became increasingly relaxed. "I never knew just how enjoyable this could be… That's the spot. Right there…"

"That's the reaction I usually get when a pegasus gets massaged there for the first time." I spoke with a slight smirk. I was honestly tempted to laugh under my breath at just how predictable her reaction was.

One by one, I went from one joint on her wing to the next. I nearly forgot about the third joint since I have been used to only massaging two joints for each wing. I know doing these massages is very time-consuming, so I will withhold as many of the details I can. Regardless, once I had finished massaging every joint in Nightmare Moon's left wing, I walked over to her right side. "Right wing now, please."

My friend did not immediately comply, instead flexing and slowly flapping her left wing. "Mmm, that really did the trick. I can't remember the last time my wing felt this limber… Oh, right wing, you said?" She then folded her left wing and extended her right. I then proceeded to repeat the process, starting with the joint connecting her wing to her body.

"You tend to get rather silent while focused on a task, don't you?" I heard my friend ask once I moved on to the second joint.

"I guess. I try to take whatever job I'm doing seriously." I replied briefly while keeping my attention on what I was doing.

I noticed Nightmare Moon smile at me with a calm and very relaxed gaze. "You're very serious and not one to joke around. I'm sure your friends value your input highly."

"I suppose so. Doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good dose of humor now and then though." I retorted briefly while moving onto the third and final joint.

For the next moment, my friend watched me constantly. As if she was scanning me for weaknesses or staring into my soul. Eventually, just as I was finishing up the massage on her third wing joint, she broke the silence. "You're someone who takes pride in your work. Commendable."

I was not expecting that type of praise at all and let go of her wing. "Huh? Really?"

"I was watching you, after all." Nightmare Moon spoke with a calm smile, her wing reaching up and caressing my face with its supple moist feathers. "You're meticulous in your actions. Slow, yet steady and alert. Definitely someone with attention to detail."

I felt quite flattered by her praise. I could only smile sheepishly while averting my gaze. She also gave me a rather amused grin before folding her wing. "So, what's next? Or were my wings the only thing to get a massage this time?"

"Oh, there's more. Now for the rest of you." I replied while climbing onto the massage table and straddling the beautiful alicorn below me.

Nightmare Moon turned and looked at me over her shoulder. "This is…awkward. Are you sure this is the most effective method?"

"No one else ever seems to mind. And it allows for easiest access to all the joints I need to reach. Oh, and please keep your legs close to your body. They'll be easier for me to reach that way. Now, be still." I retorted before feeling along her neck to find her vertebrae.

The massage went off without a hitch. Nightmare Moon was mostly silent throughout the whole thing while often letting out long deep sighs. She was clearly under the spell of my 'magic fingers', as I am sure she would call them. I mostly took it in stride, using the lack of conversation to my advantage to remain as focused as possible.

One thing I was quick to discover about Nightmare Moon is how lithe her body is. Although I have massaged Celestia before, so I suppose I merely forgot since they have the same body structure. There was little muscle obstructing my access to her joints. Despite this, she never once seemed physically weak. Perhaps she has the same muscle as an average unicorn, only just more spread out in her taller and lankier body.

After quite a long time, I finished massaging the forward half of her body and climbed down from the massage table to start on her backside. Nightmare Moon was quick to notice me climb down and asked, "Are we done?"

I then climbed back onto the table while facing the opposite direction before straddling her once more. "Almost. I just need to get your flanks and hind legs."

However, while I looked down at my first target, her flanks, I took note of Nightmare Moon's cutie mark. Especially the purple layer of color that seemed to represent the night sky behind the crescent moon. It did not seem to cover just the sides of her flanks, but even slightly reached around the curves of her backside and curved inward while leaving a gap between where her creases met her…

I jerked my head upward and my gaze towards the wall before me before covering my face with a hand. No, I was not going to let myself have any thoughts about that! Not towards a princess of Equestria. However, Nightmare Moon seemed to notice my significant delay in resuming the massage. "James, are you well? You seem…distracted."

Intense heat filled my body as I feared that I had been caught. I glanced over my shoulder at her and chuckled lightly in a nervous fashion. "Oh, I'm fine. It's just I noticed that your cutie mark seems to cover quite a bit more space on your flanks than most others do."

My friend gave me a long blank stare that went on for nearly twenty seconds. However, she then gave me a rather awkward gaze with one eyebrow raised exceptionally high. "You're not getting any naughty thoughts in your head, are you?"

Busted. Still, I tried to feign ignorance to avoid any trouble. "Uh… What if I was?"

I felt sweat begin to ooze all over my body. Nightmare Moon was starting to give me a very smug stare. "Would you mind turning around?"

"Huh? OK then… Hey!" I did as I was told and jumped when I was smacked in the face by Nightmare Moon's long billowing tail. Across from us, I could hear Luna snickering and giggling like mad.

"Silly man." I heard my friend speak behind me while letting out an amused giggle. I rubbed my face to get any stray hairs off of it, but then glanced back at her. Much to my surprise, she did not seem the least bit offended or bothered. If I did not know better, I would even say she appreciated the observation I made. Trying not to think too hard on that, I resumed my duty and started to massage Nightmare Moon's flanks. A moment later, I realized that I had forgotten to ask if her cutie mark is sensitive. But it seemed my worries were groundless since she never once suddenly gasped or shuddered at my touch.

A short while later, I finally finished with the last of Nightmare Moon's joints and climbed down from the massage table. "That took a lot longer than any other massage I've ever done. How do you feel?"

Nightmare Moon let out a long yawn before climbing down from the massage table. She spread her magnificent wings and flexed her neck and legs. She groaned and grunted, checking every single joint. "My…word… I feel…simply spectacular." She then gazed at me with a very happy smile. "You've got quite a bit of talent for this. How long have you been doing this?"

"Pretty close to a year now, actually." I replied, remembering that today marked the end of my first year in Equestria. "Again… I'm really sorry about before. I really didn't mean to glance down at your…"

My dear friend sighed while shaking her head. She then stepped forward and reached out before tenderly touching her muzzle to my cheek. I felt a twinge of warmth at her touch. A traditional equine kiss. "My dear, there is no need to apologize. There is nothing you can say or do that will ever offend me. If anything, I am flattered that you find my beauty that blinding."

I averted my eyes once more. Nightmare Moon… What would I do without her? I then whispered quietly, "You want to visit me in my dreams tonight? I would like to spend more time with you today."

The Princess of Dreams smiled warmly at me before slowly nodding her head. "It will be my pleasure. I'm eager to see what other amazing worlds your memory can show me."

The two of us shared a tender loving embrace. Her coat felt so smooth and supple against my hands, her wing draped over my back. Eventually, I asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Nightmare Moon released her grasp on me before glancing around. "Hmmm… Well, that sauna catches my eye. I think I will relax in there before seeing what else the spa has to offer. Again, thank you for this amazing massage, my friend." I nodded with a smile and watched as my friend walked away and stepped inside the sauna while releasing a cloud of steam from the chamber.

Without anyone else to draw my attention, I turned my gaze towards Luna. While Nightmare Moon and I were locked in conversation, she had pulled herself from the hot tub and had wrapped her gorgeous flowing mane in a towel of her own. She then trotted down the steps from the poolside and over to me. "The two of you have fun?"

"Well, it was an…interesting time we spent together." I replied while still feeling uneasy at the thoughts I had just before being smacked with Nightmare Moon's tail. I suppose I deserved that too.

Luna let out a small chuckle, apparently having also found the sight to be entertaining. "Oh, don't worry about a thing, James. My sister adores you far too much to ever harm you. She was just being playful with you."

While Luna approached the massage table and climbed onto it, I asked, "Is she normally this playful back at Canterlot?"

"No, not normally. I mean, yes, she can certainly get rather playful with the guards when she is bored, but she seldom has the opportunity to let loose like this. Although I feel that is because she is without the company of her dearest friends." Luna replied while lying down and bringing a pillow or two under her forelegs.

"So, she gets pretty frisky when she's with me?" I asked while soaking my hands in the hot tub for a minute to freshen my palms and fingers up for the next massage. While Nightmare Moon's body was not hard on my extremities, I wanted to be at my best if I was going to massage a princess.

Luna flashed me a playful wink of her own. "Oh, I would say so. She adores you quite a bit. I would even say that you and her share a very special bond that few have."

"That's mighty flattering, Luna. But shall we get started?" I retorted while shaking the warm water from my hands.

The Princess of the Night nodded with a smile before extending her right wing. "Yes, let's. You prefer to start with the wings, right?"

"That I do. Please be still." I retorted before feeling along her wing's frame. While Luna's wings are significantly larger than those of the average pegasus, I found that the bone structure is very similar. Although I was quick to notice that like Nightmare Moon, Luna's wings also have three joints each. "Huh… And I thought Nightmare Moon was the only alicorn with three joints in her wings. Do all alicorns have three in each wing?"

Luna glanced at the wing I was clutching in my hand before carefully flexing it. "Hmm… I suppose so. It never occurred to me. I suppose our larger than average bodies require larger wings for flight. And larger wings would likely require more joints. If they had too few, they would be unwieldy."

"Then why didn't… Oh, wait. I guess Celestia also has three joints per wing as well. I guess I forgot about that day. I suppose I cast that thought aside since I'm so used to massaging ponies with wings that have only two joints." I caught myself while remembering that I had once given a massage to Celestia herself when she visited the spa for the first time while I was on duty.

"Oh, she did mention that you gave her quite a massage on your birthday! But yes, normal pegasi have only two joints in their wings due to their smaller size." Luna replied before glancing over in the direction the sauna was in. "Although… I suppose you're right about my sister. Nightmare Moon's form does not seem…natural at times."

When I moved onto Luna's next wing joint while glancing at a nearby clock to keep track of how long I massaged each one, I tried asking Luna a few questions. "Well… Do you know how she might have come to be?"

My friend glanced at me out of the corner of her cyan eye. "Your guess is as good as mine. I honestly cannot even say when the moment she and I became two separate minds occurred. There was honestly a time where I saw myself as Nightmare Moon and not as my true self. It is a rather puzzling enigma, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, it is. But she's been a wonderful addition to the Equestrian royal family, hasn't she?" I replied with a question of my own, my fingers gently kneading the flesh under her feathers.

Luna's more serious expression became one of reserved delight. "Oh, most definitely. She carries her duties well and she makes for a fine conversation partner. It's also nice to have somepony around who appreciates the night on the same level I do."

Another question popped into my head while I put the finishing touches on her second joint. "Well, how has Celestia been treating her? I heard she wasn't exactly accepting towards Nightmare Moon at first."

"Well, that is certainly true. Though you must understand, she personally had to confront Nightmare Moon herself in the distant past. They were enemies at one time. But she has been very catering towards her since she was crowned. She tries to not pick favorites, treating Nightmare Moon and me with equal dignity." Luna responded while glancing once more over at the sauna, where her sister was likely still relaxing.

I felt a smile spread across my face while my fingers moved along Luna's wing to the third joint. "I'm glad to hear that. Celestia always did seem like a sweetheart to me. She's quite a hotty too."

I know I was being bold with Luna, but I know I could get away with it since we are such good friends and have an appreciation for humor. However, Luna's response to my compliment was not what I expected. Not an amused smirk or even a chuckle of agreement. Instead, it was an irritated frown. "Yes, she gets that kind of attention more often than you would expect."

This was unusual for Luna. I thought she had long since let go of her jealousy of Celestia since her return to the throne before I ever showed up in Equestria. "Are you OK? You seem…jealous."

"I do, hm? Well, perhaps that is because I am." Luna replied with a rather blunt tone of voice. I remained silent, wondering if she would explain to me. After a moment of silence, she did. "Even though I have gained the appreciation of my people in recent times, I still am partially in my sister's shadow. Everywhere we go, she always draws the vast majority of the attention. There are times when I even feel invisible during important events when we attend. Like I cannot be seen while my sister's shadow is cast over me."

Hearing her words actually got to me quite a bit. My massaging slowed to the point where I could hardly even focus at all. Luna was looking straight ahead and not at me at all, although I could still see the rather forlorn expression on her face. I decided to be as honest as I could. "Well… I think you're beautiful, Luna."

"Thank you… I suppose a little appreciation is better than none." She replied halfheartedly, almost sounding as if she hardly cared about my input at all.

From what I could see, it seemed as if Luna had endured not only the impression that her people had completely shunned her handiwork, but also that she had effectively played second fiddle to her sister in just about everything since day one. And…that is truly a depressing thought when one considers how long she and Celestia must have ruled over this land.

I reached out to my friend and cupped my hand over the opposite cheek that was facing me. "Luna, I'm serious." I then placed a soft kiss on her cheek while gently pulling her head closer to me. "You're beautiful. Any fool can see that."

At first, Luna did not show any form of a response. Her face seemed to have become as stiff as stone. I remained silent, fearful that I may have struck a nerve with my words. However, I nearly flinched when I saw a single tear trickle down her cheek. Without facing me, she spoke softly. "I'm sure you can see beauty in any mare, James…"

Very slowly, she turned to face me. Her mouth curved upwards into a melancholy smile. "Thank you… I truly mean it."

I smiled as warmly as I could before throwing my arms around my friend's neck. "I mean it, Luna. You're beautiful. And if I had to choose, I would ask for your company over Celestia's any day."

A deep sigh escaped Luna's lips next to my ear. I then felt her wrap a single foreleg around me in a tender embrace. "It tickles me to hear you say that, my friend."

"Just remember. You're beautiful, Luna. It's just that not everyone can see it. And besides… Um…" I took a moment to think my words over carefully. "Think of it like this. Celestia is basically the sun, right? Her radiance draws in much attention. And just between you and me? I honestly thought she was a goddess when I first saw her. She is that gorgeous."

"I'm not surprised. But what did you think of me?" Luna asked while casting her beautiful eyes towards me.

I thought back to when we first met in the loft at the library. "Well… To be honest, I was more drawn to you than I was to Celestia at first glance."

I think I saw a pinkish hue fill the beautiful alicorn's cheeks as I spoke the truth to her. "I… I'm honored, James. But you were saying?"

"Oh, right. Um… Where was I…? Oh, well, where she is the sun, you are the moon. And since the moon is not always visible as often as the sun, that means not everyone can appreciate it for as long. But because the length of time it can be seen is much briefer than the sun, it gains a much more sincere and earnest appreciation from the few who appreciate it to its fullest."

Luna stared at me in silence for a moment while seemingly contemplating my words. But before long, she then cast me a slightly more…mischievous smile. "And you appreciate me that sincerely?"

I nodded and spoke honestly. "I do, m'lady."

Her next action caught me entirely unprepared. She reached out and placed a soft kiss on my cheek before looking at me with a slight blush on her face. "I appreciate you too, my friend. More than you know."

I raised my hand to my cheek, having not been expecting that at all. While I did so, Luna placed her hoof on my hand and smiled. "You know… In one more week or so, it will have been a full year since you and I first met. And…I am grateful that you have not faltered as my friend since that time."

"Man, time sure flies, doesn't it? Back when I was a kid, it felt like it took forever for a year to go by." I replied while gently lowering her hoof from my face. "But I know what you mean. I'm glad we met too."

Before long, I went right back to massaging Luna's other wing before climbing atop the massage table to start on her torso. The whole thing went by like clockwork. But I then ran into the same issue as I did with Nightmare Moon. As I may have explained some time before, Luna and Nightmare Moon share the exact same cutie mark aside from coloration. Right down to the point where they wrap around the outermost curves of her flanks. Needless to say, it was a struggle to not think about what was under that gorgeous billowing tail with their close proximity drawing my attention to it. As a result, I could not remain focused enough to really continue the massage. That nearly black shade of blue skirting the curve of her flanks… Why in the world did I find that so alluring?

Luna must have noticed that I was hesitating since she looked over her shoulder at me. "James, is it supposed to take this long for you to… Wait. You're not looking at where I think you are, are you?"

The last thing I wanted to do was offend a very dear friend, so I responded right away. "No, of course not! I was just noticing how your cutie mark…uh…covers so much more of your flanks than most other cutie marks."

"Are you… Wait, it does? Um… Would you mind dismounting me for a moment? I wish to inspect something." Luna replied while looking rather bewildered. I did as she requested and hopped down the massage table.

While Luna stood up before bounding down from the table, I felt the need to ask. "Luna, do you think your hair is dry by now?"

My royal friend's eyes seemed to glance up at the towel that was still wrapped around her head. "Hm? I would assume it is. That massage certainly took quite a while." Her horn was coated by her billowing blue magic aura before the towel was unfurled and cast aside. Luna then gave her head a few good swings to get her hair loose, that long gorgeous mane spreading like a flag before returning to its natural wavering state. She then approached a rather tall mirror nearby and turned her back to it while looking over her shoulder. I made certain to stand from an angle that prevented me from seeing her reflection out of respect for her privacy.

Luna even went so far as to move her tail aside while inspecting herself. "Hm! It seems you're right. That dark shade of blue wraps halfway around my flanks. And I was thinking it was more like a patch on the sides."

While Luna was walking back over to me, I decided to offer my input as well. "Yeah, it looks good on you. That dark coloration really accentuates the curves of your flanks. I honestly think it would look better if they completely covered your flanks."

Those words caused Luna to stop dead in her tracks. The brightest blush I had ever seen on her filled her cheeks with a bold pinkish hue. And that look in her eyes… It looked as if she just had an emotional overload of sorts. "I…uh… I beg your pardon?"

I felt my temperature skyrocket as I realized what I had just said. Most women would like be offended by such a remark. "Uh… I didn't mean it like that! I was just…uh…making an observation!" I took a step backwards, worried that I had made a massive mistake. "I didn't mean to offend you in any…"

I paused as I felt Luna rush forward and place her hoof on my chest. "No, no, it's all right. I… I know you did not mean it like that. It's just… I have never received such a compliment before. I appreciate it… I really do."

I was honestly surprised by how well Luna was taking my words. "Uh… You're not offended at all?"

The blush in my friend's cheeks slowly began to die down while she nervously averted her eyes. "No, not in the slightest. I suppose I was just…shocked. But please rest assured; I am not bothered at all. If anything, those words make me feel…attractive."

Very slowly, I felt my fear die down. "Well… I really didn't mean any harm by it. I just think you're beautiful and wanted you to know it."

Luna let out a long sigh while a warm smile spread across her lips. "I know… And I do feel beautiful. Definitely more so than before. I think every mare wants to feel like they are attractive. But they can never really know if they are until somepony says they are." She then looked back at herself before giving me a slight smirk. "You say the dark coloration accentuates the curves of my flanks, do you? How would you say they compare to Celestia's?"

Oh, I could see where this is going. "Hmm… Well, I say that… Uh… Permission to speak freely, m'lady?"

"Permission granted." Luna spoke as her smirk became even broader.

"Well… When all is said and done… Between you and Celestia, I say you have the hottest flanks." I spoke while feeling my face and head becoming hot. I could only hope I would not regret my words.

Luna burst into giddy snickering, her hoof being held over her mouth. "Is that so?! Oh, I can't wait to rub this in Celestia's face when I see her next!"

"Trying to make her jealous, huh?" I asked while a smirk of my own formed between my jaws.

"After living in her shadow for as long as I have? I say she is well overdue for some jealousy of her own." Luna replied with a rather impish grin. Oh, those two must always keep things interesting when they're together.

We resumed the massage without a hitch, my hands beginning to massage her flanks once we were both atop the massage table again. Seeing as how Nightmare Moon's cutie mark is identical to Luna's, and with how they were at one time the same person, I assumed that Luna's cutie mark was no more sensitive than hers. Boy, was I wrong. The instant my fingers dug into the crescent moons on the sides of her flanks, Luna let out a loud gasp.

"By the full moon! What is that?!" She shrieked before glancing back at me with a truly bewildered expression.

"Huh? What do… Oh, come on! Not this again!" I grumbled upon realizing what I had done. Honestly, how often do I screw this one thing up?

"James… What exactly did you touch?" Luna asked while her eyes seemed to be looking carefully at her flanks. "Was that my cutie mark?"

I let out a groan of mild irritation. "I've honestly lost count of how many times this has happened with my customers. It's like roughly half of the mares I massage have cutie marks that double as pleasure points."

"Pleasure points…?" Luna asked before she gave me a rather…interesting sly smirk.

"Whoa, I don't think I care for that look. What're you up to, Luna?" I asked while feeling myself becoming increasingly nervous.

Luna then spoke while constantly keeping that look on her face. "Does that mean you've 'touched' more than half of the mares in Ponyville?"

I was honestly tempted to yell when I heard that line. "What?! Luna, you know I'm not like that! I'm not some shallow fool who tries to… Oh, sure. Now you start laughing."

My friend was giggling like a little schoolgirl, her hoof covering her mouth. "I jest, I jest! I know you're not a skirt chaser. You're too timid to even consider such a thing." I merely rolled my eyes while letting out a grumble. I then went back to massaging Luna's flanks while being mindful to avoid the white crescent moons on the sides. Although while my eyes looked along the dark curves of her flanks… Uh… All right, best keep those thoughts to myself.

The rest of the massage did not take much longer. Once I finished with her hind legs, I jumped down from the massage table. "Finally, we're all done. How'd I do, Luna?"

I watched while my royal friend climbed to her feet. She groaned and yawned while flexing her wings and legs. "I feel…simply stellar! No wonder Celestia had such praise for your work. I should come by more often."

While Luna stretched to loosen herself up, I noticed the clock on the wall. "Dang, it's past 1 PM? Massaging you alicorns takes a long time! I better go get some lunch while I can."

Luna also glanced at the clock and seemed equally surprised. "Oh my, I'm so sorry if I kept you waiting! Um… I'll just go join my sister in the sauna. And thank you for this lovely massage. I shall make certain to stop by again soon."

"Well, I work here on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays if you need to know my schedule. And I'm glad you liked it." I replied before seeing my friend off. Once Luna had ducked into the sauna, I reached into the cabinet behind the massage tables and pulled out my clipboard. I flipped over to the next sheet of paper and took a pencil in hand that I always keep with it. I had quite a few names on the list and it was time to add two more.

"Luna and Nightmare Moon." I muttered while writing down their names. I put a check mark next to Luna's name while crossing an X next to Nightmare Moon's. "Not gonna be repeating that mistake again."

Before leaving for lunch, I decided I needed to take care of something first. Massaging Luna had left me…bothered and I did not want to be distracted by that for the next few hours. I placed the clipboard back inside the cabinet before reaching further in and pulling out my secret weapon. The latest edition of Playcolt. With magazine in hand, I let my employers know I would be taking a lunch break before ducking into the spa's restroom. And… Oh, who am I kidding? That information is too private to share. Regardless, once I had finished up in there, I returned my magazine to its hiding spot and left the spa to go grab a bite.

The walk to my destination was uneventful with me only occasionally waving and saying hello to passing ponies who know me. I did not notice anyone I know that well. Regardless, I reached my destination without a hitch. The local café. It seemed only mildly busy with a few tables occupied. But it was upon drawing closer that I noticed the waiter I always see ducking into the café itself before emerging with a polished wooden stool on his back.

"Hm?" I mumbled to myself while I drew near. Upon approaching the first empty table I came across, the waiter trotted over to it as well before sweeping one of the piles of hay set around them away and placing the stool down in its place. I was left wondering about this behavior before I realized it was possibly due to me being such a frequent customer. I dine at the café for lunch almost every workday. "Oh, thank you!"

The waiter bowed rather gracefully before also passing me a menu and walking over to another table that seemed to have a young couple ready to make an order. I then sat down on my stool and flipped open my menu. However, I did not get to look through it very long before I heard the sound of hooves clopping coming from somewhere behind me. I did not pay it much mind and dismissed them as those of a passing pedestrian. However, my vision suddenly became dark when someone covered them. I then heard a familiar voice speak up from right behind me, "Guess who!"

I knew the voice all too well, so I decided to respond in a more silly fashion than I normally do. "Lemme guess… Somepony with orange eyes, a lyre cutie mark, and an unusual interest in humans. And someone with strings in her heart."

This got a good chuckle out of who was behind me. She removed her hooves from my face and trotted up alongside me. "Bingo! How're you today, James?"

Sure enough, it was Lyra. I reached out and gently ran my fingers through her mane. "I'm doing OK. And sure, pull up a…uh…a stack of hay."

Lyra trotted over to the other side of the table and took a look at the pile of hay that was there as a seat. "Well, there is one good thing about having piles of hay for use as a seat." To my shock, she took a bite out of the pile and started munching on it. "If the stuff you ordered wasn't enough to fill you up, you can just top yourself off with a little of this!"

"Lyra, you don't know where that stuff has been! And who knows who was sitting there last!" I spoke up rather loudly while feeling rather disgusted at the thought of eating something that… Ugh, forget it. "You may as well be eating someone's underwear!"

That last quip got her to stop cold in her tracks. She then spat out every last golden stick of hay while seemingly gagging. "Ugh, you're right! Why did I never think of that?!"

I facepalmed while snickering under my breath. That was about as random as one can get. And I certainly did not expect to see that from Lyra. My friend took a seat on the rest of the pile while looking rather disgruntled. "You know, I see why you always use a stool instead of the hay. They need to swap these out for some real seats! We ponies eat hay, you know! I feel sorry for any kids who might get the idea to snack on this stuff."

"Heh, this coming from who only just now took a bite out of said hay?" I replied with a playful smirk.

"Well, it looked like a good idea at first!" Lyra groaned while looking a little green in the face. Well, greener than she normally does.

For a moment, we looked over our menus. However, Lyra eventually broke the silence. "Say, James? I know it's been a while, but I was hoping I could ask you some more questions. You know, about Earth?"

I felt myself tense up just slightly at those words. "About what exactly?"

Lyra paused for a moment to seemingly think her response over. "Well…uh… It's just that… I've noticed that you don't seem to have the best view of your people back where you come from. So… I guess I'd like to know more about why."

I know this is going to sound very bizarre, but I feel a very strong urge to write this despite what I am thinking of being virtually impossible. If you who is reading this happens to be a human from the planet known as Earth and have a positive or at least tolerant view on the state of Earth's human population, I highly recommend skipping the next…um…..thirty-eight paragraphs since it is very likely you will find my words to be highly offensive.

"I should warn you now… I don't have many good things to say about it. I'm not even sure of where to start." I spoke with a sigh, my head bowed.

"It's OK. Take your time. I know this isn't an easy subject for you to think about." Lyra spoke with a rather sympathetic gaze.

I took a deep breath to gather my composure while also trying to find a starting point. With so much to complain about, it was difficult to find a spot to start from. "Well… I guess I can start with… Well, you can't go wrong with anything involving war."

"Oh, that… Well… What can you tell me about that?" Lyra asked while looking noticeably worried.

I thought my words over carefully. Just thinking of such things was putting me in a sour mood. "It is no exaggeration that there have been countless wars on Earth over the centuries. I'm honestly surprised the human race has not gone extinct yet with how often they kill each other. Even now, there are likely wars raging somewhere in the world for rather pointless reasons. I sometimes wonder if these wars only exist because many humans just really find pleasure in watching others die."

Lyra was clearly unnerved by those words. "Finding pleasure in…death? What… I can't even…"

"I wish I was lying. Some men just want to watch the world burn. And what is more, deadly weapons, weapons of mass destruction, have been developed in recent decades capable of wiping out entire cities. And from what I understand, there are so many all over the world that there is enough of them to wipe out all life on the planet several times over. And they continue to develop more. Why do you suppose they do that when just using them will spell doom for the human race?" I continued on, wondering exactly how Lyra would take my words.

My friend was silent for a moment, her eyes glancing around showing she was trying to find a response. "Uh… Well… I…honestly can't see a possible reason behind it. No, there is no logical reason behind that. Why make enough of them to wipe out the entire world? That makes no sense. Does the human race really want to destroy itself?"

I let out a long sigh and shook my head slowly. "In all honesty… I do think humanity on Earth is suicidal with how obsessed with death, destruction, and war it has become. Even more so in recent years. It is the most dominant interest in virtually all forms of media. There are even books, video games, and films that delve into what the Earth would be like if all the weapons of mass destruction were used. A post-apocalyptic scenario. And the sad truth is…that will happen one day. Probably not within my lifetime, but it is very likely it will happen."

"It will? Are you certain? The human race isn't really THAT obsessed with destruction, is it?" Lyra asked while looking understandably baffled.

"Well… If it had been several years ago, I would have viewed that outcome as being possible, but not guaranteed. But now…I can honestly say it is all but assured that it will happen someday. There are nations out there that are even ruled by evil, corruption, and greed that possess such weapons. And the greatest powers in the world, those who actually do have the power to stamp out these wretched governments, consistently fail to do so and just stand by idly and let them amass more power and inflict more harm on their own people. They fail to understand that there are times when those who spread suffering must be destroyed instead of being negotiated with. Cowards. And that complacency will only spell trouble in the end. Mankind has placed the arrow in the bowstring. All they have to do now is let go."

I could feel my bitterness rising more and more as I spoke. It felt satisfying to let my frustration out, but it also left me feeling rather angry. "Oh, and it does not stop there. Not only is there corruption in many governments of the world. There are even organizations that thrive on evil acts. Organized crime. Can you imagine a world where life is cheaper than a single gold coin? That is how the world of organized crime works. Some even operate in broad daylight, and those in charge of the nations they operate in consistently fail to put in the resources necessary to wipe these evil organizations out. And the fact that there are people out there who actually want to join these organizations… It just makes my head hurt thinking about it. Just…why…"

I had to stop for a moment. My anger had left me feeling mildly disoriented. Lyra seemed to notice this and placed a hoof on my shoulder. "It's OK, James… You can take a break now, if you want."

I gently removed her hoof from my shoulder and set it on the table. "No, I can keep going. I need to get this out of me…"

I took a deep breath to calm myself and to try to find more to discuss. "OK, what next… I don't think I mentioned what the human race has done to other species of creatures in the world. I understand that humanity is the dominant force in the world, but does being the dominant race require you to view all other life forms as sources of wealth to the point of driving them to extinction? Have you ever seen a bay where dolphins are herded year after year for slaughter to the point where the sea turns red?"

Lyra had no words to say. Heaven forbid Fluttershy ever discovering what I had just said. "Entire races of animals have been wiped off the map. Either for food or just for wealth. Some even through the introduction of dangerous invasive species as a result of sheer stupidity or obliviousness. Even in the modern day, where governments are more aware of the plight of such animal species, some creatures have recently met with extinction as well. Whether or not this was due to simply being impossible to stop or being unwilling to put in enough effort and resources to get the job done, I don't know, but it proves that humanity's greed is stronger than ever. Actually, that alone sums up what is wrong with the world. It is a world where money is the most important thing, even more so than life. Because there, nothing can be done or acquired without it."

I was not expecting Lyra to offer any response. And she did not. That expression she was giving me… She was clearly unnerved by what I was telling her while also not wanting to interrupt. And so I continued. "In similar context to what I just told you, there is a rather absurd level of pollution being pumped out into the environment in various ways. Some nations are even infamous for how unchecked the pollution is. Toxic chemicals into the oceans, the ground, and even food sources at times, poisoning wildlife and even the people. And rather than put a stop to these factories that poison the world, they are allowed to continue operating in order to produce various products."

A moment of silence passed while my mind wandered. I was really not happy thinking of such terrible things about my world. It is even outright miserable for me to recall this moment to write it down. I just want to get this part over with.

I decided to wrap my complaining up with one last bit. "I really don't want to keep talking about this, so I'll make this the last part. Where I come from… The nation I hail from, it is regarded by many as the most powerful and prosperous nation on the planet. Land of the free and home of the brave, as they say. A big melting pot of different cultures. But do you know where it all started?"

"I'm honestly afraid to ask…" Lyra replied while looking noticeably uneasy.

I sighed deeply before continuing. "The natives of my home were people who respected nature on a level few have ever done. They practically worshipped the land they lived in and respected all life. True, they did hunt, but only for what they needed. And they made certain not a scrap of their prey was ever wasted. From the flesh to the bone, everything was put to good use. I dare say they may have been the overall most peaceful race of humans in the world. If they did wage war with other tribes, they were likely few and far between. And I am honestly proud to say that I do carry some of their blood in me." I then looked towards Lyra and managed to crack a smile. "If they ever met you, they would probably view you as a spirit and revere you."

This coaxed a flattered grin from my friend. "Huh? Revere me? I'm not that special…"

"Well, that's how they viewed things. They honored and respected the wildlife of the land and were grateful for the creatures whose bodies sustained them. They only hunted when they needed to, never for sport or excess." I spoke with another sigh escaping my lips.

"So…what happened to them? Are they still around?" Lyra asked, apparently noticing that my smile had faded.

"Well… Yes, they are still around. But only on small reservations. Bottom line… The majority of my nation is run by the descendants of the people who came from overseas and…overran the place. The natives tried to be diplomatic from what I understand, but the invaders dishonorably forced the natives to fight in order to keep their lands. And in the end, the natives were slaughtered to the point of surrendering and being forced onto much smaller reservations provided for them that greatly harmed their ways of life. And the entire nation today is built upon the corpses of the good people who once honored and cherished the land while most continue to desecrate it with urban sprawl, pollution and senseless littering, and so forth while apparently just trying to forget what came before. That is the nation from where I came from."

Lyra was silent. She was clearly trying to find something while struggling to comprehend such things. I could tell that Equestria is not a land that has ever witnessed such wretched sin. Finally, she looked my way and asked, "Well… What about you? You're human too, so does that mean you're just as bad?"

I was not surprised she said that. I sighed while placing my face in my hands. "I just don't know anymore. Am I a selfish monster? Am I a good person? I just don't know what to think of myself. I just…don't know…"

A moment of silence passed before I felt someone wrap their arms around before I heard Lyra's voice speak to me. "No. You're not a monster, James. I know this because I've known you for almost a year now." I looked at her, seeing Lyra giving me a compassionate smile. "You actually do try to make the right decision whenever you can. You genuinely care about people. I don't blame you for feeling so frustrated and bitter about the world you came from. I would be too if I knew about so many terrible things happening all the time."

I did not speak. I could only wrap my arms around her in a halfhearted manner. She then asked, "James… Do you hate the humans of your world?"

A question I was actually expecting. Without letting go of her, I found the words I wanted to speak. "As much as I probably have every right to… I don't. If anything, I'm just…gravely disappointed in the human race of Earth. So much potential and they constantly squander it year after year. Rather than help the world… Ugh, just forget it. Thinking about this makes my heart ache."

"But…there are good humans there too, aren't there?" Lyra asked while nuzzling my cheek to seemingly calm me.

"Yes… There are a lot of good humans too. Just not enough of them to really influence the world into following the right path. And I feel so sorry for them having to live in a world where so much of the human population care only about hate, war, violence, and satisfying their own selfish interests at the expense of others. They deserve better… I don't hate humans. I am just disgusted with what humanity has come to represent on Earth." I retorted with a long sigh. "Good people have done many things to try to open the world's eyes. Written novels pointing out the evils of prejudice, made films that condemn war and promote peace, and some even being willing to sacrifice their lives to make a difference. And these efforts constantly fall flat and are wasted. The state of the world today is proof of that."

"It's no wonder you feel so much happier here in Equestria. I know this isn't a perfect world, but from what you've told me, it is thousands of times better than Earth. I hope you never have to go back." Lyra spoke softly while resting her head on my shoulder. I am glad she was taking my words as well as she was. I did not want her to hate humans, but she had the right to know about all that was wrong with my world. There was so much more I could have said, so much more I could have brought to light. But I chose not to. I was too emotionally drained and frustrated to care enough to say more.

Lyra then asked with a much more sympathetic frown, "But… Now that I think about it… How do good people get by when so many awful things happen on Earth, even if they never see it?"

"Same way I coped with it, I guess. Just try not to think about it. Sometimes the only way to cope is to push it out of your mind and preoccupy yourself with something else." I replied rather coldly, feeling the bitterness setting into my heart. If I did not do something soon, I was going to end of feeling like that all day. I needed to end that conversation right there.

"Lyra… I have a favor to ask. Please don't ask me anymore questions about the world I came from. Thinking about all that happens there just… It leaves me feeling bitter and I do not enjoy feeling like this." I asked while holding onto her gently.

Lyra lifted her head and looked at me with a smile before nodding. "I promise. I can see just how unhappy thinking about that place makes you. I've heard enough." She then placed her hoof on my shoulder and nuzzled my cheek. "Whatever happens there does not matter now, James. You're here in Equestria now, not on Earth. Focus on what happens in this world and not that one. Sound like a good idea?"

I felt my lips curl upward into a smile at her words. "Yeah… Good idea." Thank god that is over with. Just thinking back on that moment left me feeling drained. I never want to have to write about something that emotionally taxing ever again.

Not even thirty seconds later, the waiter approached us once more. I asked for my favorite pasta dish and a side of grilled carrots and a house salad with sesame ginger dressing. With today being the one-year anniversary of my arrival in Equestria, I felt it was acceptable to indulge a bit. Lyra ordered the same pasta too, but without the shrimp and scallops and also with a side of grilled asparagus.

I fell silent for a moment, still feeling somewhat bitter from everything I had just spoken of. Lyra seemed to notice this and spoke up to lighten the mood. "So… Uh… How have things been with you and Fluttershy? You haven't been fighting, have you?"

"No, not at all. Neither of us are really the fighting type." I replied briefly while just lazily looking around. The day was quiet. Perhaps too quiet. "Ugh… They should get some music playing out here. The day feels too lazy without it."

Lyra cracked a smile and nodded. "Yeah, summer days tend to be like that. Maybe they could hire Octavia for a little solo work here."

"I don't know if a lone cello player would be enough in terms of variety, Lyra. They would have to hire a whole band." I retorted while just trying to focus on having an enjoyable experience with my friend.

Fortunately, the waiter did not take long to return with our orders. And if there is one thing I can tell you about fine dining, there is nothing like a flavorful hot meal to lift your spirits. Along with the food we had ordered, there were two tall bottles of sarsaparilla with the caps removed and the pasta had been topped with partially melted strips of shaved parmesan cheese. I could tell by that hungry look in Lyra's eyes that she was very pleased with the food laying before her. "Mm, I can see why you like this dish so much, James. Shall we dig in?"

I felt my spirits lift slightly while I took a fork in hand. "By all means."

We spoke little while we ate. I in particular was not in the mood for conversation and really just wanted to do what I had to in order to get myself back into a good mood. The pasta was delicious and rich with flavor while the carrots went well with the side of barbeque sauce that came with it. The salad was crisp and satisfying and the dressing was tasty and even healthy. I can tell you right now that no one likes limp flimsy lettuce. It always has to have a crunch to it.

Needless to say, our meal was very satisfying and we enjoyed every bite. I felt exceptionally satisfied and full. I was tempted to go home and take a nap, but knew I could not since I had to get back to work in a short while. "Well, that gave my mood a boost. You think we're all done here, Lyra?"

My friend glanced at me before letting out a belch. "Oops… I guess that means 'yes'. Sorry!"

"It's cool, Lyra. But I should be getting back to work really soon." I replied while reaching out and gently running my fingers through her mane.

Lyra cracked a smile and sighed while I dragged my fingertips against her scalp. However, she soon then left her seat and gave me a tender embrace. "It was good talking to you, James. Also… Don't worry about where you came from anymore. Focus on where you are now. Equestria is your home. All right?"

I returned Lyra's affection by wrapping my arms around her. "I will, Lyra… Thanks. Just remember though. Don't ask me anymore questions on that."

"Oh, no worries! I think my curiosity has been completely satisfied!" Lyra retorted with an awkward grin. Not wanting to get in trouble for returning to my post too late, I said my goodbyes to Lyra and placed a handful of bits on the table. We waved farewell before trotting away while I turned and hurried back to the spa at a brisk pace.

My return to the spa was uninterrupted. Once I stepped through the door, I found Luna and Nightmare Moon apparently discussing something with Lotus at the front desk. Before I could even speak, Nightmare Moon glanced my way. "Ah, just who we were hoping to see."

"You ladies enjoy your visit?" I asked while drawing near. I was glad I got back in time to see them off.

"Oh, very much so! We practically took a full tour of the spa. Excellent service and superb treatments. We should come by more often!" Luna retorted with a broad grin. She certainly did seem quite relaxed at that moment.

"Yeah, you do seem really calm now. What was your favorite part of the tour though? The sauna? The hot tub?" I asked in return out of sheer curiosity.

Nightmare Moon and Luna glanced at each other before smirking whimsically. The Princess of Dreams then directed her gaze towards me and spoke, "The massage, of course. It is no wonder so many refer to you as the 'man with the magic fingers' back in Canterlot."

The mention of Canterlot caught me by surprise. "Canterlot? But I don't… Oh, wait. I have massaged a few of Rarity's clients during their visits. Almost forgot."

Luna then approached me and held me in a tender embrace. "It was splendid to see you again, dear friend. We must depart for now, but we will be seeing you again quite soon."

"I hope so. I don't get to see you beauties often enough." I retorted while prompting a delighted giggle from the two sisters of the night. The three of us said our goodbyes before Luna and Nightmare Moon headed out the door. I wonder what else they had to deal with in town.

After passing a brief greeting to Lotus, I returned to my post. It seemed that Bon Bon had finished up her visit in my absence seeing as how the main chamber was empty. With nothing else to do, I decided to make certain all of the stations were stocked. Aloe was already on that and finished restocking the supplies that were starting to get low. So I returned to my post at the massage tables and snatched up a magazine to pass the time.

Before long, I was greeted by a familiar voice right in front of me. "Hello, darling! Did we catch you at a bad time?"

I lowered my magazine to see who was standing before me and found Fluttershy and Rarity standing before me. "Oh, hey! Should've known I would see you two!" I dropped to my knees and gave those two beautiful mares a hug, wrapping an arm around each neck while they too returned my affections.

"I did say we would be coming in today. Did you forget?" Fluttershy asked while I felt her nuzzle my cheek.

"Um… Maybe?" I retorted while feeling rather sheepish. I suppose I had forgotten while I was tending to Luna and Nightmare Moon. Usually on days they attend, Fluttershy and Rarity are my first customers.

"That's quite all right, darling. All that matters is that we're here now." Rarity spoke softly while she and Fluttershy planted a kiss on my cheeks. I could not help returning the affection and placed a kiss on their snouts. Both of those lovely mares winced and giggled just slightly before Rarity turned to face Aloe, who had her back turned to us. "Aloe! The usual!"

"Sauna first, then hot tub, then massage, and then the rest?" Fluttershy asked while glancing around the spa.

"Sounds good to me. It would probably be best if you save the facials for after the massage. I wouldn't want to gunk up my hands with that green…whatever that stuff is."

"Oh, yes… That is certainly meant for the face and not the hands… Very well! Sauna first!" Rarity replied in agreement before she and Fluttershy trotted over into the sauna where Aloe was already waiting for them. A moment later, I heard a familiar hiss as some steam escaped through the entrance.

I was too far away to make out anything that the two ladies were discussing, though I suspected it had something to do with a Canterlot celebrity. One thing I have noticed is that whenever Rarity and Fluttershy are out having a good time, it is normally Rarity who does most of the talking while Fluttershy mostly just listens. I can certainly relate to my girlfriend on that.

They were in there for a good long while. Probably close to fifteen minutes. Eventually though, they did emerge and went straight to the hot tub. Aloe seemed to head off in a different direction, probably to prepare the facial station. "Ah, my pores are just screaming now! Ready for a little dip, Fluttershy?"

I swear I could see glistening moisture lining their coats. They were quite a sight to see, especially when the light hit them just right. "Ooh, I'm ready. The steam is nice, but there's nothing like a soak in bubbling hot water." Fluttershy added while following her friend up the steps to the hot tub's poolside. Very slowly, they stepped in before dunking their heads under the surface and lifting them once more. Their manes were completely wetted down with Rarity's curls being completely absent. In fact, when it is wet, Rarity's mane bears an uncanny resemblance to Fluttershy's.

"Whoa… Hey, could you girls come over here for a second?" I spoke up while motioning with my hand for them to approach me.

"Hm? Is something wrong?" Fluttershy asked while she and Rarity crawled over to me at the edge of the tub.

"Be still for a minute." I spoke softly while reaching my hands into the tub and reaching down with my fingers touching their manes. "Huh… Your manes are pretty much identical in length. I never would've guessed your hair was as long as Fluttershy's, Rarity. I guess it just always looks shorter because you keep it curled up."

The two mares glanced at each other with puzzled expressions before reaching down with a foreleg and lifting one side of their manes above the water's surface. "Wow. Our manes really are just as long as the other." Fluttershy spoke softly while looking over her lovely pink mane and Rarity's beautiful indigo hair.

Rarity seemed to grin brightly for a second before commenting on them herself. "Well, I have been growing my hair out for as long as I can remember. The longer one's mane and tail are, the more impressively you can style them."

I was hardly surprised by Rarity's views on it. "Very true there. I also have to say I think long hair really draws more attention than shorter hairstyles."

The two lovely mares before me glanced over at me before looking at each other. The two of them then gave each other a playful smirk before turning their gazes towards me. Fluttershy then asked, "So, you like long hair on mares?"

I saw no need to hide my opinion. "Yeah, I do. Why?"

Rarity then flashed me a smirk and reached her arms around me while Fluttershy did the same from the other side. "Well, why don't you come in here and join us?"

Immediately after they said that, the two mares began to lift and tug at me in an attempt to pull me into the hot tub over the side. Needless to say, I was not very keen on the idea of getting in there myself. "Whoa, girls! Quit it! I don't have any dry clothes here!"

While my hands gripped the sides of the tub to try to keep myself out, Fluttershy also started speaking to me with a much sneakier tone of voice than usual. "We'll just use a hairdryer to fix that."

Before this little stunt could go on for much longer, a familiar voice spoke from not very far away with a very strong accent. "Miss Rarity, Miss Fluttershy, what are you doing to James?"

All three of us froze and turned our heads to look in the direction I was facing. At the far end of the room past the side of the hot tub was Aloe. And that look she was giving us… Well, she was clearly baffled by exactly what we were doing. I glanced at Rarity and Fluttershy as we all began to show awkward grimaces on our faces while beginning to snicker. Finally, they released their grips on me while we all burst into raucous laughter as I staggered back and dropped down to one of the massage tables for support. Aloe then just rolled her eyes and trotted out of sight.

"Ooooh, that was such an awkward moment. So sorry about that, darling. You know how friends tend to just let themselves go when they're together." Rarity spoke after managing to calm herself down a bit.

"Especially when we have the entire place to ourselves." Fluttershy added while brushing her very long mane out of the way of her eyes. And she was right. With the exception of Aloe running around checking on our beauty supplies and Lotus standing at front desk in the lobby, the spa was completely empty save for us.

I stood up and brought myself back to the edge of the tub before dunking my hands into the bubbling water again. "Well, you ladies certainly are a heck of a lot cheekier than I've ever seen you get. Especially you, Fluttershy."

My beloved girlfriend grinned brightly at me. "Well, I guess I'm just so loosened up because nopony is looking and that I'm with my best friend."

I could not help smirking as a retort came to mind. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Ponyville's two loveliest mares are the best of friends. You both are extremely high on the beauty meter."

Rarity giggled loudly and covered her mouth while Fluttershy grinned sheepishly. "Oh, darling, you flatter us!"

"Nothing wrong with being honest, right?" I asked in return while reaching out and gently caressing their beautiful soaked manes.

Rarity retorted with a sly smirk. "Are you sure you're just not being a little cheeky yourself, James?"

I looked at her for a moment while Fluttershy seemed to back away slightly. I felt my cheeky side coming out upon hearing those words. "Cheeky? You mean like this?" With a sweep of my hand, I sent a small wave of the water rolling into Rarity's face.

The refined unicorn mare coughed and shook her head to get the water out of her face before looking at me with a very mischievous grin. "Oh, it is ON! Fluttershy, would you be a dear and give me a little assistance?"

I did not like that look in my girlfriend's eye. "Oh, absolutely. Ready?"

I got a bad feeling in my gut as they brought the forelegs they had facing each other to the surface of the bubbling pool of water. "Girls… I don't think that's a… Hey!" I jumped out of the way just as they both swung their legs forward, creating a much bigger wave than I did and sending it rolling over the side of the pool and hitting the floor with a splash.

Needless to say, it was hard to not hear that splash. Aloe came running over in an instant and saw the large puddle on the floor between the hot tub and massage tables. She instantly looked at me with a glare of irritation that I had never seen on her before. "James, you shouldn't tease the customers! Go get the mop in the closet." She then pointed her hoof towards a door in the wall nearby.

I seriously felt like I had made a big mistake and silently acknowledged her command. I went over to the closet and opened it to find numerous tools that you would likely find in a janitor's closet. Since I'm usually the first one out of the spa at closing time, I have never had to access the closet before today. I found the mop propped up against the corner right away, although it was noticeably smaller than any I had used before.

Not wanting to risk upsetting Aloe further, I grabbed the mop and hurried back over to the puddle that was on the floor. I suppose Aloe had faith that I would do the job properly since she left the spot once I started. The green dried mop head quickly turned dark with moisture as it soaked up the liquid. It was not terribly soaked, so I suppose there was no need to fetch a bucket. I set it down near one of the spa's windows to let the sunlight speed up the drying process. However, while I was there, I swear I noticed someone walk out of sight in the distance. "Was that…Shining Armor and Cadence?" Of course, since I was on duty at the time, I could not go check. So I instead went back over to the hot tub.

Before I even reached the two lovely mares soaking in the tub, I noticed just how uneasy their expressions were. Fluttershy spoke first with a very quiet tone. "I… We're sorry. We didn't mean to get you in trouble."

"It's OK. I made the first splash. Let's just try to keep things mellow for now." I replied while caressing my girlfriend's head, my fingers delicately tracing over her ear.

"But it was us who started the whole thing. Can you ever forgive us, darling?" Rarity asked while her beautiful azure eyes pleaded with me.

I suppose it was then that I felt the need to ask. "Come to think of it, why are you two so wound up today? I mean I know you two are best friends and that there's nopony around to cramp your style, but is that all?"

Fluttershy and Rarity looked at each other for a brief moment before nodding. Rarity then looked at me and spoke softly, "Well… Friends tend to do silly things when they are together. But…I suppose ponies tend to be even sillier…when they are in love."

That again… I felt my body temperature instantly rise at those words. Fluttershy then spoke softly with a noticeable pink hue in her cheeks. "We love you, James. And…I guess we just can't help having fun when we're with you like this."

After a moment of averting my eyes and trying to find the right words to reply with, I finally bowed my head and let out a chuckle. "You girls… Come here." I then held my arms out to them. Bright grins soon adorned their faces as the two mares moved forward and threw their arms around me for a tender embrace while I did the same with mine.

For a time, there were no words spoken. I was just holding those two endearing ladies in my arms while they did the same. My beloved Fluttershy and my dearest friend Rarity. "You girls have done a lot for me over the last year. Thanks."

Fluttershy spoke first, her whispers flowing into my ear. "I'm glad we met you, honey. You've been a great friend to all of us."

"Whatever flaws you may have, they are irrelevant to your strengths. It has always been a pleasure having you with us, darling." Rarity added while placing a soft kiss on my cheek.

"Thanks… Come to think of it, who wants to be massaged first?" I retorted, our grasps on each other loosening.

Fluttershy spoke first. "I wouldn't mind soaking for a while longer. Why not let Rarity go first?"

"Many thanks, Fluttershy! Just give me a moment and I'll be right there." Rarity replied before slowly making her way to the far end of the tub and hoisting herself out of it. And much like with Luna and Nightmare Moon, my eyes were glued to that lusciously long mane and tail being weighed down with water. Just as she was beginning to levitate a towel over to herself to wrap her mane up, that lovely unicorn mare noticed my gaze. While she initially looked baffled, that expression changed into one that was much more whimsical. "Oh my, don't you know it's rude to stare?"

Before I could even offer a retort, Fluttershy let out a giggle while glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. "I'm not surprised, Rarity. He loves long manes on mares."

Rarity then gave me a rather mischievous smirk before speaking, "In that case, what about long tails, darling?" With a sway of her hips, Rarity swished her long wet indigo tail through the air.

This was more than I could handle. I called out rather loudly, "Rarity, please! Someone might be watching!" I can only imagine what Aloe and Lotus were thinking if they were hearing everything we said.

My two companions snickered and laughed together while I tried to avert my eyes. As hot as Rarity is, it felt wrong to ogle her outside the privacy of her home. Even if there were no bystanders to notice us. Once Rarity had her mane wrapped up in a towel, she trotted down the steps next to the hot tub and right by me. "So sorry if I was going too far, James. It's just that you are so much fun to tease!"

"Gee, thanks. That makes me feel special." I replied with a mildly annoyed scowl. As much as I adore her, that was still an awkward experience.

Without missing a beat, Rarity hopped up onto the nearest massage table and turned around to face the hot tub. "I'm all yours, darling. The usual."

"As you wish, m'lady." I replied while climbing atop the massage table. I could have checked the list of clients I have had to see whether or not her cutie marks are sensitive to touch, but I have massaged her and Fluttershy often enough to know by heart.

The first half of the massage went by like clockwork, Rarity remaining still and silent while my fingers went to work on her joints. But when I turned around to massage her flanks, I was in for quite a surprise. My hands grasped and kneaded her shapely hips, but when I started to massage the spaces between the blue diamonds that made up her cutie marks, her hips shifted slightly. This caused my fingertips to press into one of the blue diamonds. Only instead of a shocked gasp, I heard a long sigh escape Rarity's lips.

"Uh… Sorry about that, Rarity. I'll be more careful." I spoke without even looking back at her. I was feeling fairly nervous by then, but felt nothing but bewilderment when her hips shifted again, causing my fingertips to once again prod her cutie marks. "Rarity, what gives? Are you forcing me to touch you there?"

I looked back at Rarity while she turned her head to look at me. Further ahead, Fluttershy was covering her mouth while seemingly trying to not laugh. My elegant unicorn friend then gave me a rather alluring smirk. "Whatever do you mean, darling? Oh, you mean when I do this?" While we were talking, my hands were still resting on her flanks. And at those words, she shifted her hips again and sighed as my fingertips dug deeper into those blue diamonds.

By then, I was becoming both worried and annoyed. "OK, what are you up to? I know you adore me and I certainly adore you as well, but I don't think I've ever seen you this…frisky before."

Rarity seemed to suppress a snicker while she turned her gaze towards Fluttershy. "I don't think he can tell, darling. Should we tell him?"

"Tell me what?" I asked, starting to feel rather nervous of what my friend was getting at.

Fluttershy also seemed to be on the verge of laughing while she looked at me. "What she means is… I don't think you can smell it."

I tilted my head to one side in bewilderment. Smell it? Smell what, exactly? "Huh? Smell it? Hang on a sec." I then turned around and grabbed Rarity's tail before lifting it to my face, prompting a yelp of surprise from her. I inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of whatever it was Fluttershy was referring to. However, all I noticed was the faint aroma of some perfume. I then released my grasp on her and looked back at my girlfriend. "What, the smell of perfume? She always smells like that."

The two mares burst into laughter and snickering at my apparent obliviousness. I watched in silence, more curious than annoyed by that point. Finally, Rarity looked back at me and explained rather vaguely. "Not that smell, darling! I mean… It's that time of the year again."

"Time of the year? What do you… Wait…" I felt myself become hot as my mind started to decipher exactly what it was she was referring to. "You mean… In heat?"

Rarity flashed me an unnervingly alluring gaze at those words. "Right on the money."

"OK, that's more than I needed to know! I don't want to get any ideas in my head!" I spoke rather loudly while trying to not think about what such a state entails. "Wait a second. Are you in heat too, Fluttershy?"

My girlfriend shook her head lightly and replied, "No, not yet. We don't all go into heat at the same time. I think I'm not due to enter my heat cycle for another couple of week."

"Ooh, better make sure you use some contraception when that time comes, darlings… Oh, wait. You can't because it wouldn't fit, am I right?" Rarity retorted while smirking at me. And I instantly knew what she was referring to.

"What the…?! Fluttershy, you told her?!" I winced while I felt my face becoming quite hot as I remembered when… Actually, forget it! That is one event I am not going to reveal! Although my girlfriend and Rarity were clearly getting a good laugh out of my embarrassment. I pray Aloe and Lotus were not looking our way.

When they finally stopped laughing, Rarity looked at me with a more endearing gaze than before. "Don't you worry yourself over that, James. Size isn't everything, you know. It's all about how much love you can give your partner. Isn't that right, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy nodded with a great smile spread across her lips. "Oh, most definitely. And he always gives so much love."

"Honey, stop. You're flattering me." I spoke briskly while an awkward smirk spread across my face. What an interesting visit this was turning out to be.

Once I had convinced Rarity to be still for the remainder of the massage, I went ahead with the procedure. Rarity was as still as stone for the rest of the massage. Once I had finished up, I hopped down from the table. "There we go. Feel better, Rarity?"

Like every time before, Rarity jumped down from the massage table and began to stretch and flex her body to make certain I got out all the kinks. Although I swear that this time she was deliberately doing so in a way that kept giving me a good view of her posterior… Of course, I was not complaining, but it was still about as awkward as the situation could possibly get. "Mmmm, splendid as always! A full year and I still have not become even remotely tired of this treatment!"

"And I never get tired of giving it to you. It's always good to see you girls in here every week. You make for some great company." I replied while gently removing the towel that was wrapped around her head. Once her mane was left unrestrained, it gently fell back into its natural curled state. My guess is that she keeps it that way so often that her hair has come to recognize it as its natural shape.

"I guess it's my turn now. I'll be right down." Fluttershy spoke while Rarity and I looked her way. And much like Rarity, when she lifted herself from the hot tub, my eyes were glued to her soaked body.

"Ooh, darling! Spread your wings for your beloved!" Rarity called out while she too watched in earnest.

"Huh? You mean like this?" Fluttershy replied before doing as she was told, spreading her soaked wings for us to see. She… Well, I was quite taken aback by her raw beauty. Truly every bit as gorgeous as Rarity.

"Ah, perfect! Don't those wings just add such a healthy dose of grace to her, James?" Rarity asked while motioning towards my beautiful girlfriend. Fluttershy was clearly blushing with a pinkish hue in her cheeks, though it was difficult to see it from behind her mane.

"Well… I do have to say that wings do give ponies a more graceful visage, if you ask me." I retorted while Fluttershy wrapped her very long mane in a towel. I felt myself relax slightly once that luscious hair was out of sight.

While she trotted down the steps next to the hot tub, Fluttershy turned her gaze towards us before approaching. "I do think you have an affinity for anything with wings, honey. It's no wonder you chose Angela to be your pet. And… Maybe that's why Rainbow Dash really likes you?

"Meh, you never know. Anyway, shall I get started on you?" I replied while motioning for Fluttershy to take her place on the nearest massage table.

Once Fluttershy had situated herself on one of the massage tables, I proceeded to climb atop it too before straddling her. While I did so, Rarity hung up her towel and began to head towards the lobby. "While you two lovebirds are busy, I'll be waiting in the lobby. Take your time, darlings."

"Will do. I'll try to not keep her for too long." I replied while my fingers gently dug into the back of Fluttershy's neck.

For a good while, Fluttershy and I did not speak. But once I was halfway through massaging her vertebrae, I felt the need to ask her something. "Hey, honey? Are you sure you don't mind it when Rarity gets extra cuddly with me?"

My girlfriend looked at me over her shoulder and gave me a calm smile. "Of course I don't mind. I think it's really cute when she acts like that around you. Besides, what can I do? Tell her to stop loving you?"

"Cute, huh? Well, she certainly has quite an allure." I retorted while glancing over at the doorway that leads out into the lobby. "But are you sure you aren't worried I might cheat on you? Or that she might try to seduce me?"

Fluttershy's smile became more reassuring while she spoke to me. "Oh, don't worry, James. She and I had a long talk and I know there's no way she would ever do that. She loves you with all her heart, but she would never be so cruel to take you from me. She's my best friend, after all. And I know you won't ever cheat on me with anypony. You're heart is too big to do that."

I felt myself calm somewhat as I became relieved that she did not doubt me. I would never abandon the woman I am sworn to. Such a thing is below me. "I'm glad you understand that, honey. I do love her, but I love you most."

The rest of the massage was uneventful, although I did mess with Fluttershy a few times by gently poking her cutie marks. Finally, I hopped down from the table and began to massage her wings. By then, they had completely dried. "Just be still for a bit, honey."

Fluttershy sighed in relaxation while she extended her left wing to me. While I started on one of the joints, she tried to make for some simple conversation. "Who else came in for massages today, dear?"

"Well, aside from you and Rarity, there was also Luna and Nightmare Moon. I think the last time I took that long to massage one pony was when Celestia came to the spa back on my birthday." I replied while making certain to get to the joint from every angle I could reach.

"Oh, I saw they today too. It was really interesting to see both of the princesses of the night out and about together." Fluttershy spoke while directing her gaze to me.

"Actually, Luna is the Princess of the Night. Nightmare Moon is the Princess of Dreams. They told me that themselves." I retorted while moving onto the next joint.

My girlfriend seemed to blush ever so slightly at my explanation. "Oh, right… I keep forgetting that since they're kind of the same person. Or they used to be, at least."

After another ten minutes or so, I finally finished with Fluttershy's wings and helped her hop down from the table. "All done. Did I get everything?"

Fluttershy groaned and yawned while flexing her wings and body. While she did so, I removed the towel from around her mane and let it fall free. "Ooh, that really hit the spot. I never get tired of these massages, honey… Hm? Is that Applejack I hear?"

I became silent for a moment to listen for whatever it was Fluttershy had detected. As it turned out, she was right. I could vaguely make out her voice apparently speaking to Rarity in the lobby. When Fluttershy and I made our way over to the doorway that led out towards the front door, we did indeed see Applejack chatting with Rarity. The instant she saw me, Applejack turned my way and waved. "Well, howdy! I was wonderin' when I was gonna see ya today!"

"Hey there, AJ. What's happening?" I retorted while waving at her. It is not often that I do not encounter Applejack for the first time that late in the day.

"Oh, I was swingin' by ta pass a lil' message from Pinkie Pie. She wants to see Rarity and Fluttershy at her place pretty soon." Applejack explained before looking towards Fluttershy. "Y'all wanna head on over?"

Rarity replied while closing a magazine she had been reading. "Well, I do believe we are quite done here. Shall we be off, Fluttershy?"

My girlfriend nodded before leaning towards me and nuzzling my hand. I replied in kind by gently stroking her mane. "It was great to see you, honey. I'll see you again in a little while."

"It was a pleasure seeing you ladies. Take care." I replied while seeing my friends off. All three of them trotted out the door while I returned to my post.

However, not even ten minutes passed before Lotus came trotting in and over to me. "Mr. James, you can head on home if you want."

"Really? It's a bit early for that, isn't it?" I asked while glancing at the clock on the wall. From what I could see, I was getting out an hour early. I normally punch out at 6 PM.

"Well, normally. But Miss Pinkie Pie wanted to see you at this time. I don't think we'll be getting much more business before closing time, so you can go see her now if you don't mind clocking out early." Lotus explained in that very thick accent of hers.

By that point, I was starting to put two and two together. Considering what day it is out of the entire year, I could see why Pinkie wanted to see me. "She does, huh? Well, thanks. I'll get going then. See you soon, Lotus." I then said my goodbyes and headed on out. I knew what to expect when I arrived at Sugarcube Corner.

While I walked through town, I felt a rush of nostalgia as I was struck with a case of déjà vu. The warm summer breeze, the hissing of cicadas, the noticeable lack of activity around me. It was a second coming of my very first evening in Ponyville. While I trekked on, I reflected on what this town had come to mean to me over the last year.

As I glanced around at the humble town, I felt a smirk creep across my face. I remember feeling so apprehensive and even afraid when I first walked into town. Looking back on it now, I even felt tempted to laugh. I must have seemed like someone who was desperately trying to hide something. I never had anything to fear at all from this town and its people. And now, I honestly cannot imagine myself living anywhere else. "If only other worlds were more like this one…"

I hurried along to Sugarcube Corner, finding nothing out of the ordinary upon arrival. However, I did find one thing a bit off. On the door was a sign that read 'Closed for private party'.

"Peh, you're losing your touch if I can predict what's happening behind this door, Pinkie Pie." I spoke to myself while pushing the door in. However, I froze upon seeing what was on the other side. On the floor while facing me were three antique cannons. And they seemed to be loaded. "Holy… Don't shoot!"

Unfortunately, they did go off. But instead of being bombarded by three heavy cannonballs, I was showered with streams of confetti. I then heard the sound of three little girls shout, "Cutie Mark Crusaders Party Cannon Operators!"

Once I had allowed myself to calm down a bit, I noticed that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were standing with the hooves on their forelegs pressing down on the backsides of each cannon. I felt a grimace spread across my face as I asked, "Did Pinkie Pie put you girls up to this?"

The three fillies looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Apple Bloom then replied, "She sure did! And looks like we surprised ya after all!"

"And here I thought that goofball was running out of ways to surprise me." I spoke with an amused smirk. I then kneeled next to the three fillies and caught them up in a group hug. "Anyway, what brings you girls over here?"

Sweetie Belle then motioned her foreleg towards more of the storefront. "See for yourself!"

I then took a good look at my surroundings. The entire storefront had been decked out for a party. Normally, I only see such a high volume of decorations and sweet treats used for royal visits. "With all this, you'd think one of the princesses would be visiting."

"Well, we are." A familiar voice spoke from behind me. The instant I turned, I found Luna standing beside me. The beautiful alicorn then flashed me a delighted grin. "I did say I would be seeing you again soon, didn't I?"

"I guess you did. I just didn't expect it to be within the same day." I replied before releasing my grasp on my three little friends and holding Luna in a tender embrace while she returned the favor.

Scootaloo then spoke up, "Oh, right! Nightmare Moon's upstairs. And so is… Heads up, big brother!" Right when she said that, I felt something small jump onto my back while grasping my shirt collar.

"Yaaah! Look alive, Sir James! The forces of evil are upon us!" A familiar boyish voice spoke from just behind my head while rocking me back and forth.

"Who is this little imp?" Luna asked while I was jerked away from her. Of course, I knew who it was.

"Button, what's up?! Get off me, you little scamp!" I spoke up before reaching behind me and grabbing whoever was riding me like an ogre. When I pulled my hands back in front of me, I found none other than Button Mash hanging from my grasp.

The two of us shared an awkward grin for a moment before he briefly spoke, "Hi, James. What's happening?"

I nearly snickered under my breath before turning my gaze towards Luna. "I know this party is to celebrate the anniversary of my arrival in Ponyville, but just who exactly is invited?"

"From what Pinkie Pie told me, everypony who is your friend." Luna explained with a calm smile. "And quite a few guests have already shown up. And it seems one more has arrived." Her gaze was turned towards someone who apparently was standing right behind me.

Before I could even turn to face who Luna was looking at, a familiar heartwarmingly motherly voice spoke. "Button, don't give James too much trouble. This is his party, you know."

"I'm not, Mom! I'm just saying hi to the coolest gamer in town!" Button Mash replied while waving at the owner of the voice. When I turned to see who it was, I found Eleina standing just inside the doorway.

"Heya, Eleina! Don't worry about Button. He's being cool." I replied before tussling the cute little colt's mane. Although I had to lift his beanie first. "You here for the party too?"

Eleina flashed me that beautiful alluring smile I always see on her and explained, "Well, you've been a good friend to Button since the day we met you. So it felt right to let him attend. Though may I stay too?"

"Of course! It's a pleasure having you here." I replied while reaching out and holding the sweet mother mare in my arm. I heard an adorable giggle deep in her throat while she too threw a foreleg around me.

Once the two of us had released our grasp on each other, I set Button Mash down next to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "OK, Button. You and the kids have fun now."

Button Mash grinned up at me before turning to face the three fillies beside him. "OK, girls! Who wants to play? I brought my Joyboy!" The three girls started speaking all at once, making it difficult for me to make out what they were saying. I then noticed Button lift his beanie before pulling a very familiar electronic device out of it. Was that the same device I saw Ruby with on the day I met Trixie? Regardless, the four children trotted off to the far end of the storefront to have some fun together.

"Your kid's cute, you know that?" I spoke to Eleina with a smirk on my face.

"Well, he is cute as a button. Why do you think I named him that?" She replied with a chuckle. I then watched while she trotted over to the food table to help herself to the goodies that had been provided.

"She seems like a very sweet mare." Luna spoke passively while watching Eleina walk away.

"Yeah, she's a sweetheart. Very likeable." I replied while letting out a sigh. Now that I was at the party and fresh off from work, I was really in the mood to relax and have a good time. However, I then turned to face my royal friend and asked, "Come to think of it, will Celestia be attending?"

Luna's lips curved downward into a slight frown. "I doubt it. She knows this party is taking place, but she has duties to fulfill. She even took on some of my own and Nightmare Moon's just so we could attend."

"Oh… That's a shame. I know she and I aren't exactly the best of friends, but it would've been nice if she could've made it." I replied with a twinge of disappointment in my heart. Still, I know the life of a ruler is not easy and she must be very busy. If I were offered a throne and a crown, I would turn it down without a second thought. The royal life sounds like more of a burden than a privilege.

Luna gently reached out and nuzzled my arm. "Even so, she does send her best. My sister is fond of you, much like she is with most of her subjects. If given the chance, I do believe the two of you would be dear friends to each other."

"Well, that would certainly be an honor. But for right, would you mind if I took a look around? I want to see who else has shown up." I replied while noticing Lyra and Applejack mingling over yonder.

My royal friend glanced over at them for a few seconds before nodding with a smile. "By all means, go ahead. Everypony who is attending is a friend, after all. I will be upstairs with the rest of our guests should you wish to see me again." I watched as Luna walked up the stairs behind the main counter before directing my gaze over at the two other partygoers. For all I knew, there could be a few more around the corner.

I approached casually while Lyra and Applejack spoke to each other. Lyra had a cup of purple punch floating next to her while it and her horn were coated by her magic aura. From what they were talking about, I think Lyra was discussing when Applejack will have whipped up another batch of cider. I suppose that stuff must be ambrosia to the ponies of Ponyville and is only served seasonally. Finally, I drew closer and spoke. "Evening, ladies."

The two mares looked my way and instantly smiled. "Howdy, James! Can't believe it's been a full year already! And I still remember when I first saw ya wander into the farm." Applejack spoke first while gently nudging me with her hoof.

"I still remember when I first spoke to him at the café. Anyway, how're you doing, James? I didn't think I'd see you twice today!" Lyra added while casually waving at me.

"Well, I only just got here. What's been… Huh?" I replied before pausing upon hearing a shriek from nearby. From around the corner came two terrified fillies that I recognized instantly. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Right after them…with her head sticking out of the floor…was Ruby. That silly ghost filly was snapping at their heels while her body was probably running along on the foundation of the building just under the floorboards.

Applejack gave Ruby one of the most bewildered expressions I had ever seen on her face before she glanced up at me and asked, "Uh… James? You've know her longer than I have. Just how the hay does she do…THAT?"

I had to hold back a laugh. I cannot fault her for being so baffled by Ruby's supernatural abilities. I doubt there is a ghost like her anywhere in Equestria. "It would take too long to explain. Just roll with the fact that she's a ghost, OK?"

My farm pony friend tilted her head to one side while looking even more baffled. "A ghost? Uh… Whatever ya say, pardner." I then walked over to the three fillies while they pretty much ran around in circles.

"You're creepy! How're you even doing that?!" Silver Spoon yelled while being backed into a corner with Diamond Tiara. She seemed genuinely freaked out, not that I blame her. If I bumped into a ghost filly for the first time while she looked at me with glowing yellow beacon-like eyes while her head stuck out of the ground and she was constantly chomping at my feet, I would be intimidated too.

Ruby spoke in a falsely menacing tone while giggling all the while. "I am the ghost of the floor boards, she who has come to enact vengeance on thee for all of the spilt drinks me and my brethren have endured!"

I could not help snickering when I heard that line. I then got down on one knee and patted my silly little ghost friend on the head. "That's quite a robust vocabulary you've got there, Ruby. What's up?"

The two former schoolyard bullies looked up at me before looking back at Ruby while she turned around and looked up at me with a grin. "Hiya, James! I was just having some fun! But now it's your turn!" She then suddenly moved forward and gnawed on my foot for a moment. "You have dishonored the… Bleh, your shoes taste weird. You spill something on them?" For whatever reason, I could not hold back at that part and burst out laughing for several seconds. Even Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara got a good giggle out of Ruby's plan not working as well as she had hoped.

Once that was all over, Ruby hopped straight up and stood upon the floor with the rest of us. "Anyway, how's the party?! I just got here a little while ago."

"I just got here myself." I replied while gently stroking her head. "What about you girls? You haven't been causing any trouble for old time's sake, have you?"

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon waved their hooves while backing away somewhat. I suppose they had not forgotten when we first met, even if that was not quite a full year ago. "No way! We've been good! No more bullying the blank flanks!" Diamond Tiara spoke rather loudly while grinning quite nervously.

I felt myself smirk while I heard them speak. I then reached out and gently rubbed the tops of their heads, although I had to take care to knock Diamond Tiara's…well…tiara off her head. "Good to hear. And just so you know, I still have that cutie mark removal tape at home."

The two fillies still gave me some rather nervous grins, although they seemed more playful than genuinely terrified. Silver Spoon then replied while gently pushing her head into my hand, "Don't worry, we're still being good. And it's nice to have ponies actually smile at us instead of always being angry."

"Better to have friends than enemies, right?" I retorted while then scratching my ear along the little gray filly's ear, causing it to flick in response.

Diamond Tiara then looked up at me with a rather forlorn expression, as if something was on her mind. Eventually, she cracked a more somber smile and spoke, "You know what? I can't believe I'm saying this, but…..thank you."

"Thank you? For what exactly?" I asked in return while being pretty baffled as to why she was thanking me. Even Silver Spoon and Ruby seemed… Wait, where did Ruby go anyway?

"Well… I guess for setting me straight." She replied while letting out a sigh. "I guess I was always just such a jerk because I've always been able to get what I want…and I guess I felt more important than everypony else. Who would've thought getting put in your place could be good for you?"

That was an unexpected show of humility from someone who used to be a pompous brat. Even Silver Spoon seemed quite surprised. Still, I could not help but smiling at the filly before me. It seemed she had learned much over the last year. "You either learn from your wrongdoings or you keep digging your own grave deeper and deeper. I'm glad you learned from that day. I have to admit it didn't feel that good to do what I did to you, but I just really…REALLY hate bullies." However, a thought then came to mind. "But I guess it's my turn to be thankful."

Now it was Diamond Tiara's turn to be baffled. "Huh? Thankful for what? I don't think I ever did anything good for you."

"No, you didn't. But if you hadn't forced me to hide in the Everfree Forest back then, I probably never would have met Mitta and Ruby. And who knows what would've happened with Nightmare Moon." I explained while casting my gaze to the left. Mitta was standing nearby while browsing some treats that had been arranged on a few shelves. "Actually… Could you excuse me for a bit? I want to go say hello to her."

The two fillies looked over at Mitta before looking at me with a smile. "OK. We'll be… Huh?!" Diamond Tiara spoke before yelping as I noticed a small gray filly's muzzle reach up out of the floor behind her and chomp down on her tail.

"I hope you're ready for a ride." I spoke while not being able to stop myself from cracking a smirk. Right after that, Diamond Tiara was forced to turn around and fell on her belly with a yelped while silly little Ruby started dragging her all over the storefront from somewhere under the floorboards, Diamond Tiara yelling and screaming all the while.

"Hey! That's not funny, Ruby! Knock it off!" Silver Spoon called out while galloping after her friend. I could not help bowing my head as I snickered under my breath. I suppose it would be foolhardy to not expect a ghost to get a little impish from time to time. And in hindsight… Maybe Diamond Tiara deserves a little playful abuse.

With no one else to distract me, I headed on over to Mitta. She did not seem to notice me coming since she kept moving her head back and forth along the rows of many sweet treats. "Mmm… So hard to decide…" I heard her mutter lightly.

I then wrapped my arms around her from behind and spoke my recommendation. "How about starting with a chocolate drop? Can't go wrong there."

Sure enough, Mitta looked over her shoulder at me and gave me one of the brightest grins I had seen all day. "Huh…? James! Hello!" She then wiggled out of my grasp before turning and throwing her forelegs around me in a very tight embrace. In fact, it was nearly painful thanks to her earth pony strength.

"Whoa! Ease up, you're gonna snap me like a twig!" I yelped once I heard myself pop and crack in a few spots. Hopefully those were only my joints.

Mitta released me in an instant while grinning sheepishly. Clearly out of embarrassment for nearly hurting me. "Sorry, sorry! Are you OK?"

I flexed my neck and arms for a moment to work out the kinks and to make certain she had not hurt me. "Yeah, I'm good. Anyway, it's good to see you here. Been having a good time so far?"

Mitta turned to look around before turning her gaze back to me. "Well, I only just got here about…um… I guess around ten minutes ago. I just had no idea where to start with all these goodies…" However, after a quick glance at all that was all around us, she looked at me with a slightly more reserved smile. "But anyway… This party is to celebrate the one year anniversary of you coming to Ponyville?"

"More like the anniversary of me being brought to Equestria itself. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that it's been that long. And to think in one more week, it'll have been a full year since the day I first met you." I replied while also remembering what I had just spoken to Diamond Tiara about.

"I know." Mitta spoke softly before gently nuzzling her head against my chest while my hand stroked her crimson mane. "I still remember that night. I didn't think I would ever see you again… I'm glad you proved me wrong."

I felt a dull sting in my heart upon hearing those words. To think I had waited close to eight months before coming back to her. "Sorry I took so long. I just…"

Mitta shook her head before gently touching my cheek with her hoof. "It's all right, James. I wasn't ever expecting to see you again in the first place. And eight months really isn't all that long to someone who's been cursed for over a thousand years. It didn't feel like that long of a wait. I'm just glad you did come back for me."

I felt myself relax greatly upon hearing her words and feeling her touch. "I still wish I went back sooner. It's just… I wasn't sure of how to go about telling anyone about you. A village in the Everfree Forest full of zombies? I was worried that things would only get worse if I brought it up. I was just following my gut feeling…"

"Maybe it was for the best that you did wait for the right time to act. Everything got so much better so fast that night…" My formerly undead friend spoke before looking up at me with an almost tearful smile. "You know… You're the best thing to ever happen to me."

I honestly had no words for that. All I could do was hold that sweet little mare in my arms and rest my head against hers. I can still remember the night where we first parted ways. I remember how helpless I felt, knowing I could not aid her at all while knowing she did not deserve such a wretched fate. And now she stood before me. Alive, well, and very happy. I felt compelled to kiss her, so I did. I placed my lips on her cheek before whispering, "I'm glad things have gotten so much better for you, Mitta. You're a very sweet person."

I felt the mare in my arms sigh deeply before returning the favor, her lips being planted upon my cheek for a few seconds. "So are you, James. Really… I can't tell you how happy I am that I met you that night."

The two of us just held onto each other while I remained kneeling beside her. It almost felt magical, really. Like I did not want to let go of her. However, a surprisingly deep woman's voice soon spoke from very close by. "Ah, I was going to provide a proper greeting, but perhaps I shall wait to avoid intruding."

I instantly glanced up at those words. "Now there's a voice I haven't heard in a while." When I looked back over to the front of the storefront, I found none other than Zecora gazing at the two of us. "Zecora! You were the last person I was expecting to see!"

The mysterious zebra mare returned my greeting with a delighted smile while she approached us. Even though I do consider Zecora a friend, I very seldom see her. I suppose her skills as an herbalist require her to spend quite a bit of time scouring the Everfree Forest for ingredients. Although I do occasionally venture into the forest to visit her for medicinal salves and even some tea. At times, she even invites me to stay and sample new brews she concocts. Anyway, I digress.

"Miss Pinkie Pie visited me today to inform that today makes the first year since you were welcomed into her arms so warm. With today being an anniversary of an event dear to us so, how could I have possibly said no?" Zecora explained in her constantly rhyming tone. I swear I never get tired of hearing her talk.

I extended my arms to my friend, prompting her to draw near and embrace me as well. "Thanks for coming, Zecora. It's a shame we don't see you more often."

Zecora actually did show a slight frown in response to my words while pulling her head away from me. "Indeed… The gathering of herbs does rob me of much personal time…" However, she then flashed me a calm smile. "But that only serves to make visits from dear friends even more sublime. While it takes great patience to practice my herbalist arts, I still keep those precious to me close to my heart."

Mitta then took a step forward and greeted Zecora as well. "Hello, Zecora. I don't think we've ever met before. I'm Mitta."

I then spoke to Zecora before our friend from the forest could reply. "You remember when I visited you a while back while wearing that armor? She's the friend I went to help that night."

Zecora seemed genuinely baffled by those words. She glanced at Mitta and then back at me before asking, "Your friend…from the village of the dead? How can she… She seems quite alive instead."

Mitta smiled somberly before proceeding to explain. "Yes, I came from Sunny Town… And it's thanks to James that I'm a normal person now. He saved me."

"To think the dead could return to the living… Surely this could only be the work of the princesses so giving." Zecora replied while seemingly trying to wrap her head around how someone who is undead could be brought back to life. Although I suppose Mitta had never truly been undead. Just cursed.

"Yes… It was Princess Luna who cast the curse in the first place. But Princess Nightmare Moon lifted from me when I first met her." Mitta replied while glancing up at me with a smile.

At first, Zecora seemed rather shocked to hear the name of the Princess of Dreams. However, she seemed to immediately calm herself. "Ah, the Mare in the Moon who brings the most wonderful of dreams? She has been truly turning her reputation around, it seems."

"Yeah, it does my heart good to see her image becoming more positive. She's got a long way to go to make the people look past that 'Mare in the Moon' legend. But at least she's welcome in Ponyville now." I retorted while remembering that Nightmare Moon was likely upstairs. "Speaking of which, I would like to go see her. May I be excused?"

Mitta smiled broadly at me before stepping out of my way with Zecora. "Go right ahead. We'll be heading upstairs shortly to see what's up there."

"Just make certain you enjoy yourself at this party without compare." Zecora added, nearly making me laugh with how she combined her words with Mitta's to form a rhyme. Even Mitta herself was quick to notice this and chuckled while holding a hoof to her mouth.

When I came closer to the stairs that led up into the loft from behind the store's counter, I could already hear some peppy music playing while being partially drowned out by several voices speaking at one time. I recognized quite a few, but I then peeked into the kitchen to find Mr. and Mrs. Cake hard at work whipping up some more treats. From cupcakes to chocolate drops to lollipops, they were whipping up a smorgasbord of sweet treats. Even though I was off the clock, I decided to stick my head in and say hello. "Evening, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Need a hand?"

Mr. Cake was the first to look my way and immediately grinned at me. "Well, hello! I was hoping we'd have this last batch finished before you showed up, James. Been enjoying the party so far?"

"In all fairness, I only just got here. But it's looking great so far." I replied while my eyes scanned the various unfinished goodies on the counters. I was feeling my mouth water from the delightful aroma filling the kitchen, although I was also making a mental note to eat a heaping salad later that night.

Mrs. Cake then slid a cupcake tray into the oven before closing the hatch and turning towards me with that sweet motherly smile she always has. "A lot of your friends have already arrived and are waiting upstairs. Be a dear and go say hello to them, OK?"

"Will do, Mrs. Cake. I'll be around." I replied before waving goodbye and ducking out of the kitchen. But when I looked up the stairs that led into Pinkie Pie's loft, I felt myself becoming increasingly nervous. I have never been one for being the center of attention and I had not felt this particular type of fear since my days as a kid. Still, the party was being thrown in my honor and I did want to be with my friends. After taking a deep breath to steel my nerves, I marched up the stairs.

Just before I reached the top, I decided to spot and take a peek between the wooden support beams that stood next to the stairs. As it turned out, the entire upstairs area was packed. There was a long table with a big punch bowl, a tray of chocolates, and a towering cake at one side of the room like there usually is when Pinkie Pie throws a party at home. And… Well, I do not believe I had ever seen so many people in that room before. In all, I saw Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Luna…uh… Who else was there? Oh, right. There was also Pinkie Pie, Nightmare Moon, Rarity, Eleina, Spike, Derpy Hooves, Lyra, Big Macintosh, Button Mash, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and… Well, I certainly was not expecting to see Shining Armor and Cadence there. While Armor did not seem to be clad in anything in particular, Cadence was still wearing the elegant pale gold attire I had seen her in during the Grand Galloping Gala. But just before I could decide how to approach my friends, someone suddenly stuck their head into my few mere inches away from my face. "Hi! You're just in time!"

I very nearly stumbled back down the stairs from how sudden this move was. "Jeez, Pinkie! You don't do that to people who are on the stairs!"

Apparently, my raised voice caught Shining Armor's attention since he then looked my way. "Well, look who's here! It's been a while, James!"

I felt myself become cornered as more and more eyes fell upon me by the second. Well, except for the eyes of the four foals in one corner. Button Mash seemed to be playing a small handheld game device while the Cutie Mark Crusaders were looking over his shoulder to see what was happening on the screen. I finally decided to climb to the top of the stairs. "Uh… Hello."

Rainbow Dash was the first to reply to my words. With a quick swoop, she rushed over to me and gave me a surprisingly tight hug. "Happy anniversary, big guy! Can't believe it's been a full year already! Just don't expect me to fall on you to celebrate it." That actually got a chuckle out of Twilight, seeing as she is likely the only person to have witnessed when Rainbow Dash and I first literally bumped into each other.

Feeling myself relax somewhat in the firm embrace of my brash pegasus friend, I returned the favor by wrapping my arms around her as well. "Still feeling a little extra crispy today?"

She pulled her head away from me before looking me in the eye with a truly bewildered gaze. "Extra crispy? What're you… Oh, you saw that?! I had no idea what hit me!"

Pinkie Pie giggled loudly, clearly remembering the moment when Rainbow Dash helped 'capture' her that afternoon. "James called it the 'zappity zap zap' treatment! Like this!" She then shuffled her hooves along the rug nearby and poked her hoof into Rainbow Dash's flank. I heard a sudden click just before Rainbow Dash let out a yelp.

"Ouch! Knock it off! I got more than enough of it this afternoon!" Rainbow yelled while most everypony present chuckled at Pinkie Pie's antics. I could only hope she had no house slippers nearby.

With that said, Pinkie Pie hopped up in front of me. "So, James! I know I already said hello today, but now that you're here, the real party can get started! So, what happens first?"

What, was I suddenly in charge of the party? Once Rainbow Dash had let go of me and had begun to hover next to me, I took a look at the guests. With the exception of the peppy music coming from Pinkie Pie's phonograph, the room had gotten very quiet. With all eyes having fallen on me, I felt that familiar uneasiness returning. I took a good look at all the friends of mine I had made over the past year. After a moment of hesitation, I managed to put some words together. "Uh… I really wasn't expecting something like this to happen today, so…I'm not sure what to say."

Nightmare Moon then decided to speak up in response. "Then why not just thank us for arriving and ask us to enjoy ourselves?"

"You know what? That's…a good idea. Thanks for coming, enjoy yourselves, and I'm going to grab a drink and relax for a bit since I only just got off work." I replied while everyone before me burst into laughter. Once that was over, the partygoers began to disperse and return to whatever it was they were doing.

At the moment, I was merely in the mood for something to drink. A beer is actually at its best just after you finish with a long job and I was wondering if there was any hard cider around. Sure enough, there was a table nearby with three wooden casks set upon it with each having a spigot on the front. "Sweet. But why three?"

When I drew near, Applejack also approached me. "Howdy, James! Need some cider?"

I took one look at my friend and smiled at her. "Sure. But which is which?"

Applejack took a few steps forward and motioned her hoof before the casks. "Well, right here is the simple cider. Ya know, just in case anypony's not in the mood for a stiff drink. And this one here is the typical hard cider if y'all want a lil' kick ta it." Sure enough, a large black '5%' had been painted onto the front of the middle cask to set it apart from the other by showing the alcohol content.

I was about to ask for a dose of hard cider, but I then took a look at the third cask. I felt myself become rather wary when I saw that it had 'XXX' painted on the front. "Um… I'm getting the impression that this one is some sort of devil's brew."

My farm friend chuckled at my obvious wariness and stepped towards it. "Nah, it ain't anythin' like that. This is just somethin' Granny Smith whipped up. But…yeah. I can't just let anypony have some. It's mighty potent stuff."

"How potent we talking? What's in it?" I asked while glancing at the cask again. For it to have the timeless 'XXX' on the front, it must have had a lot of rum or something in it.

"Well, the ingredients I know 'bout are a bit of brown sugar, a bit of hard cider, a heapin' helpin' of apple juice for extra flavor, and pretty much the rest of it is her own homemade moonshine." Applejack explained while my eyes widened just slightly at the mention of the last ingredient.

"Moonshine?! That sounds like some powerful stuff!" I spoke rather loudly, having never actually encountered such a product before. "Wait… If that hard cider is 5%, then what is this concoction's alcohol content?"

Applejack did not immediately reply. She glanced at the cask before holding her hoof to her chin. "Uh… I reckon 50%, but I can't say for sure."

Even she did not know how much alcohol was in that stuff? "In others, you better keep that junk away from Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. You know those two can't hold their liquor."

"No worries, pardner. I ain't leavin' my stall now that everypony's here. Anyway, what can I do ya for?" Applejack replied while glancing at a stack of tankards and small plastic cups.

As much as I feared what might happen if I ingested such a potent brew, I was still curious of how it tasted. "Actually… Mind if I try a shot of that apple moonshine just to see how it is? Just a shot, to be safe."

Applejack gave me a cockeyed gaze, clearly wondering if I was being serious. "Really? Well, all right. Help yourself, pardner."

I took one of the smaller plastic drink cups and placed it under the cask's spigot before allowing enough of the brew out to fill the cup halfway. The liquid still had the same brownish color as most types of cider, although a quick sniff revealed the strong nose-tingling odor of a strong drink similar to most types of wine. "Well… Bottoms up."

I tilted my head back and chugged the entire drink, which was really just a mouthful. I recognized the sweet flavor of apples, but I was almost immediately hit with a powerful surge of heat at the back of my throat that made me wince and gag. "Whoa! That's some potent stuff! Still good though."

Applejack got a good laugh out of my reaction to her grandmother's potentially illegal concoction. "Yeah, Granny Smith tried ta make it taste as good as possible without skimpin' on the potency. You gonna be all right, James?"

"Yeah, I'm good. I think I'll wait until later before having more. In the mean time, could you pass me a tankard of the hard cider?" I replied while directing my gaze towards the middle cask.

"Sure thing, pardner. Coming right up." Applejack spoke while reaching for a tankard. With her ankle joint clutching the handle, she held it under the spigot and poured me a full dose of the sweet brew while leaving a layer of white foam at the top.

"Many thanks, AJ. I'll be back for more later." I said with a smile before taking a sip of the much weaker beverage. "Much better. Just remember to keep Rainbow Dash away from that moonshine. She can't handle it."

"Don't have ta tell me twice! She ain't gettin' any of this!" Applejack spoke with a very watchful gaze. Rainbow Dash was at the far side of the room while seemingly chatting with Rarity. While Applejack watched that brazen pegasus like a hawk, I made my way over to a large soft cushion and took a seat on it to relax.

While I was seated and sipping my drink, I took the time to look the room over. Despite having the loft being as packed as it was, I could still make out the little details of the decorations. Along with confetti littering the floor, I saw that long ribbons were still attached to the walls and extended up into the ceiling with balloons tied to the railing and bottom edges of the walkway on the room's walls. When all is said and done, it seemed to be very similar to the party we had on the day I was brought back from Earth three weeks after my arrival in Equestria. I still cannot believe that was nearly a full year ago…

After a few minutes of just sitting there and relaxing, I took a sip from my tankard, but paused when I heard the sound of hooves clopping over the noise of the party. For me to be hearing that, it must have been coming from very close by. My eyes glanced to my right without turning my head or lowering my drink. Out of the corner of my vision, I saw Cadence standing only a few feet away from me. "Uh… Hello, Cadence. Long time, no see."

The alicorn princess gave me a very sweet smile while her horn was coated by a very pale aura with a shade of blue, perhaps a light hue of cornflower. At the same time, another round cushion floated over to her while coated in the same billowing aura. "May I have this seat?" She asked with that pure tender voice of hers.

"Go right ahead." I replied while scooting myself and the cushion I was seated upon over a bit more to give her some room. Once that was done, Cadence set her own cushion beside me and took a seat. I did not pay much heed as to why she wanted to take a seat beside me and continued to sip from my drink. However, I froze as I felt a slight tickling sensation on my cheek. When I glanced to my right, I noticed that Cadence had extended her left wing and was lightly dragging its tip against my cheek. "That tickles, you know."

An adorable giggle was contained in Cadence's lips while her eyes squinted shut in delight. "I thought that would get your attention." She replied while folding her wing. "So, how have you been? I haven't seen you since the Grand Galloping Gala back in April."

It was then I realized that Cadence had approached me to engage in conversation. I lowered my drink from my lips and turned to face her. "Things have been really good. I actually don't think things could be much better in Ponyville."

Cadence continued to smile while she gave me her undivided attention. "I'm glad to hear that. Twilight always did say that you really seem to prefer Ponyville to Canterlot. And I have to say this town, while not nearly as extravagant as Canterlot, is absolutely delightful to spend time in."

"Why do you suppose I like this place so much?" I retorted with a slight smirk.

The elegant princess grinned while a very brief chuckle escaped her throat. At least I assume she is a princess. Even after all this time, I am not certain if she is even a true princess or simply has the title for the same reason that pompous Blueblood lout does. While she is clearly an alicorn, her body lacks the physical attributes of Luna, Celestia, and Nightmare Moon. "Um… Not to sound rude, but are you truly a princess and not a noble who carries the title due to hereditary reasons?"

She seemed surprised by my question. I assume it is not a question she gets very often. "Well, you're right about one thing. I was actually adopted by Celestia herself when I was just a filly as her niece."

This was a very unexpected revelation to me. I honestly thought that Cadence was directly related to Celestia in some way. It never once occurred to me that she may be adopted. My eyes glanced her over once more before I spoke, "You know…this is going to sound weird, but…I'm getting the impression you weren't always like this."

Cadence flashed me a rather silly grin. "Very perceptive! And you're right! I was originally a pegasus."

I nearly ended up spilling my cider all over me when I paused while bringing my lips to my tankard's edge. She was originally a pegasus? Then why… "Uh… How does that even work? Are you saying that anypony can become an alicorn?"

A much more uncertain expression spread across Cadence's face. I think even Cadence was puzzled by just how something like that occurs. "In all honesty, I'm not certain how that process works. I was very young when it happened, so I don't remember it at all. I can't even really remember the days when I was unable to use magic. But to answer your question… Yes. I think anypony can become an alicorn." She then turned to face Twilight Sparkle, who seemed to be chatting with her bother over yonder. "Who knows? Perhaps Twilight will join me as a princess too someday."

Those words… I cannot remember the last time I have ever felt such a chill in my heart from just hearing something. I turned my gaze towards Twilight as well. Twilight…as a princess… That… I felt such a sickening sensation of dread fill my gut. It had been quite a long time since I felt so stressed. Cadence was quick to notice my tension and gently rested her hoof on my leg. "James? What's wrong? You don't look so good. How do you feel?"

My response was brief and honest. "Rather terrified, actually."

Those words clearly shocked her. She then asked with a very concerned expression, "Why? Was it something I said?"

I looked back over to Twilight. That dear friend of mine. "Cadence. How often does Celestia actually have time to visit us?"

"Well, aside from official visits, very seldom… Oh my… You're not thinking that, are you?" Cadence replied while clearly showing that she was beginning to catch on to just what I was feeling so upset about.

I bowed my head while my hands grasped my tankard of cider tightly, my eyes gazing at my reflection in the dark yellow liquid. "I don't want her to be taken away from us…"

Cadence was silent. I think she could see just how bothered I was by such a thought. But after a good long moment of silence, I felt her place her hoof on my shoulder. "James… You're worrying too much over this. Relax. If I know Twilight as well as I think I do, that will never happen."

I returned the alicorn's gaze with a slightly bewildered stare of my own. "How are you so sure?"

"Well, I have known Twilight since she was a toddler. So I know her better than most. Probably even better than Celestia herself. And I can promise you right now that she will never leave you or her friends for anything." Cadence replied before looking over at her husband and sister-in-law. "If Twilight was the same mare I've known since her childhood, she would very likely jump at the chance to acquire a crown of her own. She had little interest in friendship as a filly and even into adulthood and was obsessed with everything Celestia assigned to her. But look at her now."

I turned to look towards Twilight once more while staying silent to allow Cadence to continue. "She could always leave Ponyville and come back home to Canterlot to be with Celestia once again, and yet she chooses to stay here. And I think you know why. She cherishes her friends above all else now. If she had to choose between a life on the throne and a life with her friends, I think you know which choice she would make." She then leaned closer to me and whispered, "And to be honest, I don't think she'll ever be willing to leave you especially from what she has told me."

Those words actually caught me by surprise. "What she's told you? Something happen during one of her visits?" Even though I have not ever chronicled such a day, Twilight Sparkle does occasionally leave Ponyville to head to Canterlot to visit her brother and Cadence. I do miss her whenever she is gone, but those visits are very infrequent and only last a few days each time.

Cadence gave me a very warm smile before she began to explain. "On one occasion, she told me about you. How she was the first person to actually approach you when you arrived in Ponyville, and how she truly felt about you. But she also told me something that I think says a lot on why she holds you so close to her heart. She said that she sees herself in you."

I turned my gaze back towards Twilight at the far end of the room. She sees herself in me. That… That is exactly why I hold her so close to my heart too. I see a great deal of myself in her too. We have so much in common. "I think…I feel the same. That's why I don't want to see her go."

"Well, I don't think you ever have to worry about that happening. Twilight has changed since her days at Canterlot Academy. I can promise you that she will always be happier living a life in Ponyville with her friends than living a life on a throne away from them." Cadence spoke with a very confident tone. However, as I took those words in, a thought came to mind.

"Come to think of it… That sounds like one of those 'friendship reports' Twilight sends to Celestia now and then." I spoke while a small smile crept across my face.

I think I saw a playful gleam in Cadence's eye while she smirked at me. "It does? Well, let's pretend I'm Celestia for a minute. What would you say to me?"

I rolled my eyes, finding this childish approach to be rather amusing. But I suppose a babysitter needs to have a childish side to her if she wants to be on good terms with kids. "OK… Dear Princess Celestia. Today, I realized that life can go in many different ways. It can lead to a life with friends in a humble rural town. Or it could lead to making it big in a bustling metropolis with wealth and fame. There is no right or wrong way to lead your life while still being a good person. But in the end, quite possibly one of the most important things one should ultimately do is to live the life that makes one happiest. Your humble subject, James."

Cadence gave me a very broad grin once I had finished my 'discovery' to her. "Very well said, James. I think even Celestia herself could take something to heart from it. It's definitely a very wise lesson to keep in mind."

"Thanks. At least that's how I feel about it." I replied while taking another sip of my cider. It was starting to get a little lukewarm, so I wanted to finish it quickly.

Cadence remained by my side for a moment while the two of us said nothing for a moment. But after a good while, I noticed her giving me a much more analytical stare. As if she was pondering something. I felt myself tense up just slightly when I saw her horn become coated with her billowing magic aura. "Uh… What're you doing?"

"I'm just checking something, James. Don't worry." She replied while holding her horn close to me. After a few seconds, the aura began to billow more fiercely and even grew. Cadence looked rather shocked by this development. "Oh my… Twilight was right."

"What exactly are you doing?" I asked while wondering just what kind of spell the alicorn princess was casting.

Finally, Cadence dismissed her spell and pulled her head away from me. "I felt the need to check and… It's just as Twilight claimed. The amount of love your heart contains… It's virtually limitless!"

I cocked my head to one side upon hearing that. "Uh… Thanks, I guess? Are you sure you're not just flattering me?"

Cadence cracked me a very awkward grin. I suppose even she knew just how awkward of an icebreaker that was. "I suppose that does require an explanation, huh? Well, not long after Twilight and I met up here at the party, I asked how you and Fluttershy have been getting along. And that led to a discussion about Rainbow Dash and Rarity. You've been sharing your love with them while staying completely faithful to your girlfriend?"

I felt myself become extremely warm. Not many would likely understand. "Well… Yeah."

Knowing that Cadence is a married mare, I was expecting her to condemn my actions. It certainly is not a normal action. However, I was mildly surprised to see her look at me not with disgust, but with a deep curiosity. "Could you explain how that works? I can't imagine my husband being that way."

I tried to explain the whole thing the best I could. "Well… It's not something just anyone can do, I can say that much. I guess…I just like making people happy. Especially those of the opposite gender, but that's largely due to natural preference. And… Well, I don't see why I should deny someone love when they love me so dearly. Just as long as I do not forget who my heart and body belongs to, I feel there is nothing genuinely wrong with sharing my love with others. Especially with those who actually want it."

Very slowly, I saw Cadence's lips curve upward into a calm smile. "Hmm… I can see what you mean. I have to admit, it takes a very open mind to think like that. And it takes a lot of faith in yourself to do such a thing without being unfaithful to your partner. Fidelity is important in a relationship. You're very brave, James. Fluttershy is fortunate to have someone with such strong principles as a sweetheart." She then gave me a wink while cracking a more playful smile. "Just be careful. Don't let passion get the better of you. But you already know that, don't you?"

I could not help but snicker for a second. "I already have experience from a three-year relationship, Cadence. I know how to be faithful."

Finally, Cadence stood up and gently nuzzled my cheek. "Well, I really enjoyed speaking to you, James. It really feels like I got to finally get to know you this time."

I replied with a smile of my own while my hand gently stroked the back of her neck. "It was a pleasure, Cadence. You're a sweetheart."

Cadence grinned brightly while also letting out a sigh at my touch. "You're very sweet too. It's no wonder you have more than one with their eyes on you. Most mares prefer the sweeter guys." She then glanced over at Shining Armor and Twilight before looking back at me. "Excuse me for a while, James. I've got a craving for some strawberry cupcakes right now, but we'll chat again before the party's over." I nodded and said my farewells before Cadence walked towards the two siblings.

I spent the next couple of minutes just chugging down my cider before it could get warm. Although since cider has a bit more powerful flavor than beer, I had to pace myself since my taste buds would easily get overwhelmed. But just as I was about to get up and look for something to eat, I froze when I noticed a flash of light to my right. And when I glanced over, I found Twilight Sparkle looking right at me. "Uh… Hey, Twi. What's ha…"

My speaking was silenced when Twilight placed her hoof over my mouth with great tenderness. The two of us shared a long stare. I could see a rather forlorn yet relieved look in her expression as an almost tearful smile spread across her lips. I could see what was on her mind. Cadence probably spoke to her about our conversation. Without words, I reached out and held my dear friend in a tender embrace while she did the same.

"I wish you told me how you really feel a long time ago, James…" Twilight whispered into my ear before falling silent once more.

"I could say the same to you." I replied while a small smile formed on my lips.

For a moment, the two of us just sat there with each of us holding onto each other as if afraid to let go. I have no idea how no one noticed us sitting there while embracing each other. Or maybe they did and just respectfully left us alone.

Finally, Twilight pulled her head away and looked me in the eye with a very relieved smile. "Cadence told me everything, James. Don't worry about a thing." Before I could even offer a reply, she placed her hoof over my mouth again. "When I was studying under Princess Celestia and dedicating all my time to books and research, I thought I was happy. But now that I'm here in Ponyville with the best friends I could ever ask for, I actually KNOW that I am happy. I wish I came here a long time ago. This is where I want to be. And I don't ever want to leave. So don't worry. You and the rest of my friends will always have me."

Any and all worries I had from several minutes ago flew right out the window upon hearing those words. And there was only one thing I could say in response. "Thank you, Twilight… Love you."

My friend responded with an absolutely elated smile before once again wrapping her forelegs around my neck. "Love you too…"

For a moment, we just sat there in each other's arms. Not moving. Not speaking. Just savoring this moment of tenderness. However, I noticed over the noise of the party Eleina calling out. When I glanced around, I saw her standing near the stairs. "Oh, children! Mr. and Mrs. Cake have fresh cupcakes right out of the oven! This way!"

Sure enough, every last filly, colt, and dragon child in the room trotted, galloped, and ran over to the motherly mare while bantering about all sorts of things. It seemed that Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and Ruby had come upstairs since I had sat down with some cider and had joined the rabble of children before following Eleina downstairs. "Huh… You think that was staged?" I asked Twilight while she too turned her gaze over to the stairs.

"Hmm… It kinda felt that way. There are fresh pastries all over the store by now, so I don't see why a few more would be a big deal." Twilight replied while looking just as intrigued as I probably was at the time. Before we even had time to think about it, we noticed Pinkie Pie trotting over to us. "Hey there, Pinkie! Nicely done on getting this party set up."

"Thanks, Twilight! Are all the kids gone?" Pinkie Pie retorted once she had drawn near, her big blue eyes glancing around in an abnormally suspicious manner.

I looked around to make certain none of the kids were still in the room. It seemed that not one of them had stayed behind. "Seems that way… Hang on. Did you ask Eleina to escort them outta here?"

Pinkie Pie giggled with a very sly smirk on her face. What was she up to? "I sure did! Because now…" She then reached into her mane and pulled out what seemed to be an empty cider bottle. "Now we can play some 'special' games!"

At first, I had no idea what Pinkie was getting at, but Twilight seemed rather shocked with how she was looking at her friend. But before anyone could say anything, Pinkie Pie turned around and held the bottle high. "OK, everypony! Who's up for a game of Spin the Bottle?!"

"Wait… What?! You're just messing with me, right?!" I spoke with a louder tone of voice than I usually do. I was feeling especially apprehensive because if the rules for 'Spin the Bottle' are the same in Equestria as they are back on Earth, then I knew there was more than one mare in the room who would not mind giving me a kiss.

"Nope! I'm being totally serious! Besides, it's just good clean fun!" Pinkie replied while turning to face the guests again. It seemed that the area had quieted down significantly with the exception of the music that was coming from her phonograph. "That's right! Spin the Bottle! Who wants to play?!"

Pretty much everyone there gave that silly party animal rather baffled or shocked looks. Nightmare Moon then proceeded to ask the most obvious question. "And what exactly is this 'Spin the Bottle' game you speak of?"

"I'm so glad you asked!" Pinkie Pie replied before setting the bottle down in front of herself. "We all sit in a circle and the one whose turn is up gives it a spin!" She then smacked the back end of the bottle, setting it into a spin. "And when it points to someone…" She then grabbed the bottle between her hooves, forcing it to point to a surprised Twilight Sparkle. "You give them a big hug!"

Before Twilight could even react, she was swiftly snatched up in Pinkie Pie's arms for an enthusiastic hug. Twilight did not seem to mind much and returned the favor by wrapping her own arms around Pinkie Pie as well. But the hug was short-lived when Pinkie pulled away before looking back at the rest of the partygoers. "Buuuut if it lands on somepony who is the opposite gender as you…" She then turned the bottle so that it was pointing towards me. "You give them a smooch!"

I had no time to react before she suddenly lunged at me and planted a quick kiss on my cheek. I suppose some rules of this game are the same as back on Earth. I had to suppress a chuckle from this sudden display of playful affection. Pinkie then looked back at the other guests and spoke, "That's all there is to it! Who wants to play?"

Everyone seemed to look towards Nightmare Moon for some reason. Possibly because she was the first person to actually question the game itself. However, she then glanced at me for a second and… What was with that look? Well, regardless, she then seemed to smirk playfully before looking towards Pinkie Pie again. "Count me in."

"Sounds like an interesting change of pace. Mind if I join in, dear?" Shining Armor spoke while turning towards Cadence.

That sweetheart of an alicorn gave her husband a rather playful smirk before replying, "That's fine. But only if you give me twice as many kisses tonight." Armor grinned while chuckling, an obvious blush showing through the white coat on his cheeks.

One by one, more and more of the partygoers responded. And in a minute or two, I was seated in the center of the room with eleven of my friends gathered in a circle with that bottle in the middle. Along with myself, the players included Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Mitta, Shining Armor, Big Macintosh, Derpy Hooves, and Nightmare Moon. Fluttershy was seated to my right while Mitta was on my left. Luna, Cadence, Lyra, and Zecora watched from nearby. Before we could begin, Fluttershy spoke up. "Um… Are there any other rules we need to know?"

Pinkie Pie looked back and forth at us before explaining further. "Well, if you spin the bottle and it points to somepony you've already kissed or hugged, you lose a turn. The one who wins is the player who gives a hug or kiss to all the other players!" She then looked towards me and extended her hoof. "Since you're the guest of honor, why don't you go first, James?"

"OK then." I replied briefly before reaching forward and grasping the bottle at the center of the circle. After turning it counterclockwise to give myself a bit more room to wind up, I spun the bottle clockwise. For several seconds, it spun in a circle. I heard a few of the players inhale and hold their breaths in anticipation. I swear, Rarity and Rainbow Dash were giving the bottle hilariously hopeful looks that made me roll my eyes while smirking. However, I do not believe any of us were expecting to see the bottle stop where it did. When the bottle ceased to spin, I felt myself tense up as an awkward grimace spread across my lips. The first mare I was to kiss was…..Nightmare Moon.

There was an audible gasp as several of the players looked on in mild shock. Even I was unsure of what to say to this. And Nightmare Moon herself was clearly caught by surprise as well. That look she was giving me and the bottle was one of true disbelief. However, it was soon replaced by a very…unnerving smirk. "Well, it certainly wasted no time, did it?"

I felt myself freeze. Warm sweat began to ooze from my pores as I felt my body temperature soar. Even though it was just a game, there was something about kissing a princess in front of others that made the whole thing feel very…improper. However, Pinkie Pie still tried to bark encouragement. "Come on, James! You spun the bottle, so you have to go to her!"

"Uh… Are you sure this is acceptable?" I asked while feeling extremely unsure about this one. I mean… Well, I suppose you have to actually be put in my place to understand it. It felt like something I should not do.

I swear Luna looked like she was ready to bust a gut. She was holding a hoof to her mouth and snickering constantly. Finally, Nightmare Moon spoke up while her horn and my entire body was covered by a deep blue magic aura. "Enough stalling. You know the rules, so come here."

Everyone around me began to snicker and laugh while I began to slide across the floor. I kept trying to scoot myself away from my friend, but to no avail. Rainbow Dash's laughter was becoming especially loud while she spoke out. "Oh, come on, James! Just go with it! It's not everyday you get to smooch a princess!"

"But... But I…" I stammered out while trying to find the right words. However, I was silenced when I found Nightmare Moon's face right up in front of me. The room fell silent in anticipation. Everyone was watching.

The two of us shared a long silent gaze. I was not certain of what to say. Soon, Nightmare Moon broke the silence. Whispering so lightly that I am sure only I heard her, she spoke to me. "I was wondering if I would ever have this opportunity."

Before I could even respond, she was upon me. Nightmare Moon rather forcefully sealed lips with me for…one of the most passionate kisses I had received in quite a while. I was even pushed to the floor while letting out a muffled grunt. I was tempted to push her off of me, but…I was quickly starting to find myself enjoying it. I heard a murmur roll through the players while they watched, some even beginning to laugh at how into the whole thing Nightmare Moon was.

Deciding to just go ahead and enjoy the kiss for what it was worth, I closed my eyes and held onto my dear friend. While the kiss was rather rough, it was also full of passion. I can say right now that Nightmare Moon was really enjoying it. I even soon felt her lips part, her tongue reaching out to mine. And I responded in kind with my own. Just… Man, merely thinking about that kiss gives me goose bumps. Applejack even spoke with a more subdued tone of voice, "Whoa… Get a room, you two."

Soon, I felt someone pulling me up before starting to pull me away from Nightmare Moon. Just when I was starting to wonder who was doing it, a sweetly soft voice spoke in a slightly louder tone than usual from right behind my head. "That's enough! He's already…oof…taken!"

That was clearly Fluttershy trying to separate us. I suppose she was starting to get a bit jealous from watching Nightmare Moon make out with me like that, even if it was under the rules of a game of Spin the Bottle. Finally, the Princess of Dreams relented and I was yanked away from her. There was only one thing I could say while I wiped our combined saliva from my lips and chin. "Whoa… Have you been practicing?!"

Nightmare Moon grinned brightly at me while trying to not laugh. "Not at all. That was my first real kiss."

"Seriously?! You're a natural!" That was all I could say as everyone else burst into laughter. What a way to start the game. But it only got more awkward when I looked at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, put those away! No one wants to see that!"

That brazen pegasus mare glanced to her left and right while everyone else looked at her. Both of her wings were spread wide in an impressive wingboner. She then spoke loudly while blushing in embarrassment, "Hey, don't look at me like that! That was one hot kiss! How would you want me to react?!"

Once I had returned to my spot, Mitta was up next. With some meekness, she reached out and gave the bottle a smack near the bottom. The bottle went into another spin before coming to a stop and pointing right at her. My friend could not help letting out an awkward giggle before asking, "Oops… Am I supposed to kiss myself?"

"Nah! If it lands on you, just spin it again!" Pinkie Pie replied while everyone continued to watch. I have to admit it was getting to be rather thrilling wondering who would kiss or hug who next. Mitta grinned sheepishly before smacking the bottle again. Just when it looked like it was going to point to her a second time, it stopped short and pointed at me.

Mitta and I looked at each other. I certainly was not ever expecting to ever have to kiss her. "Uh… Well, looks like I'm a popular guy today. Are you sure you didn't rig that bottle, Pinkie?" I spoke in an attempt to throw some humor into the moment.

Pinkie Pie got a good giggle out of that accusation. "No, it's entirely up to chance! Go ahead, Mitta! Smooch him!"

My friend looked at me with a very uneasy smile. What, had she never really kissed anyone before? "OK… Uh… Shall we?"

I could not help but smile at how meek she was being about the whole thing. I then reached out and held my friend in my arms while she too embraced me. "All right. Pinkie, does it matter what kind of kiss it is?"

Our silly pink friend shook her head. "No, it can be whatever kinda kiss you're comfortable with. It can be a really deep passionate one, or a soft and tender one. Whatever floats your boat!"

I looked at Mitta while she looked at me. I could make out a slightly reddish hue under the gray coat on her cheeks. She was nervous. Still, I tried to be as gentle as possible and slowly stroked my hand over her back to calm her. We slowly brought our lips together for a very tender kiss, although it did not immediately end. Unlike the one I received from Nightmare Moon, which was filled with passion, this one felt much more gentle. Just what I would expect from that sweet mare.

I heard a soft aww come from some of the mares who were watching. Lyra then asked, "Would you just look at those two. James, are you some sort of professional kisser or something?"

Once we finally broke the kiss, I looked her way and replied while a silly grin spread across my face. "Well, I have experience from more than one relationship. I guess you have to get pretty good after that."

I then turned my gaze back to Mitta, who was looking at me with a bashful smile. "How was it?"

My friend replied with a tighter embrace than before. "That felt really good. Thank you… You're really sweet." I could not help returning the favor, my arms holding her against me for a moment. While I certainly do not think Mitta has ever once held romantic feelings for me, she is definitely one of my more precious friends. I am glad to have her in my life.

With the order of players going clockwise, it seemed Rainbow Dash was next. With that wingboner of hers still present, I am sure she was eager for the release of some tension. "All right, come on!" She spoke rather loudly before smacking the bottle to send it into a spin. I almost laughed from the way she was hunkered forward with her hooves pointing upward. I could almost see a pair of curled fists instead of hooves. "Big money, big money, big money, big..."

If you were expecting me to say 'Macintosh' as the punch line, you would be wrong. Although it would be rather poetic it the bottle did end up pointing to him. Instead, it stopped on Applejack. Rainbow Dash rigidly lifted her head until she was looking at Applejack with a rather…interesting expression. Almost one of desperation and frustration, if I could call it anything.

Applejack let out a chuckle before holding her arms wide open. "All right, Rainbow. Come 'ere. I can always spare a hug."

For whatever reason, Rainbow Dash did not respond. I know she was disappointed that the bottle did not point to me, but still… Very shortly after that, Rainbow's rather desperate expression changed to one of irritation. "Oh, what the hay?"

Rainbow Dash suddenly swooped at Applejack, who seemed very unnerved by Rainbow's words. "Rainbow, what're ya… Mmph!"

Everyone looked at the two mares with shocked, amused, or dumbfounded expressions. Me? I burst into some of the heartiest laughter I have had in a long time. Rainbow Dash had pinned Applejack to the floor and was giving her a very forced kiss. "What the hell, Rainbow?! Bwahahaha! What's wrong with you?!" I swear, I nearly fainted from that bout of laughter with how lightheaded I felt at the end.

After only a handful of seconds, Applejack managed to place her hind hooves against Rainbow's underside and vaulted that desperate pegasus over herself and onto her back. "Get off, Rainbow! You know my barn door don't swing that way!"

We all looked on, wondering what Rainbow Dash would do. Finally, she sat up and let out a frustrated groan. "Dang it! That wasn't nearly as satisfying as I hoped!"

Once Rainbow had returned to her spot, it was Derpy's turn. Although Rainbow was giving Applejack a very embarrassed and apologetic grin while our farm friend glared at her with a rather irritated frown. But even though Rainbow had gone against the rules and kissed someone of the same gender, the game continued without interruption. "OK, it's my turn! Who's it gonna be?" Derpy spoke before smacking the backside of the bottle to send it into a spin.

I was all but certain something odd would happen with Derpy being at the helm. Almost as if in spite of my concerns, the bottle stopped spinning without any oddities occurring. And the bottle was pointing towards Fluttershy. My girlfriend's wings sprang open surprise while she looked at the bottle. "Huh? Me?"

Derpy gave Fluttershy a big grin before trotting over to her. "It sure is! Gimme a big squeeze, Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy could not help but give the mailmare a tender smile. "OK. I can always spare a hug." We all looked on with warm smiles, watching the two mares cuddling for a minute before Derpy returned to her spot. It was certainly the most uneventful turn we had seen yet. Once she was seated between Rainbow Dash and Rarity once more, Derpy looked at me and smiled brightly. "Fluttershy always gives the best hugs, doesn't she?"

"No argument there. And I get some every single day." I replied while Fluttershy and I gave each other a wink.

Next up was Rarity. Her horn was coated with her light blue magic aura, as was the bottle. "All right, who's going to be the lucky mare or stallion this time?" Without even touching the bottle, she sent the dark glass container spinning before releasing her invisible grip. We all watched in silent until the bottle came to a stop. I was hardly surprised to see it point towards me.

"Ooh, a kiss from Rarity! You're one lucky guy today, James!" Pinkie Pie spoke up while Rarity gave me one of her more alluring gazes, her lovely azure eyes being batted at me.

Of course, I regularly receive kisses from Rarity. But still, I was not about to turn this offer down. "Heheh, OK. I'm ready, Rarity."

With the grace of a queen, that beautiful white unicorn walked towards me with her head held high. Once she was standing before me, she then glanced around at the other players. "Watch closely, ladies. I will show you how to deliver a proper kiss to a gentleman."

My beautiful friend turned her gaze back to me while she gently rested a hoof on my shoulder. I could already feel the tension in the air as everyone present gave us their undivided attention. With our faces so close, I could make out a tiny detail I had overlooked earlier. Rarity's eyelashes were growing out quite nicely. While not up to the same glory as the false lashes she had been wearing for who knows how long, they were making great strides in their growth and looked quite dainty around the edges of those beautiful eyes. I whispered to her in as quiet a tone I could muster without anyone else hearing me, "Your lashes are looking better with every week."

That gorgeous mare whispered in an equally quiet voice while giving me a gaze of absolute adoration. "It's all thanks to you, my prince."

Without further delay, the two of us closed our eyes and joined lips while I pulled her close to me. A muffled moan rumbled in Rarity's throat, her lips parting almost immediately to allow our tongues to touch. I did not resist. The two of us sat there, enjoying each other's caresses and taste. I swear I always just lose myself in those ungodly sweet kisses. I love that mare and would not trade our friendship for anything.

That kiss went on for quite a while. But we did not care. I know Rarity was enjoying every second, as was I. Even so, I am sure some of the players were starting to get impatient. Twilight soon asked, "Um… Is there a time limit for how long a kiss can go on? I really don't think this is how the game's supposed to work."

Pinkie Pie then spoke up, though she sounded rather unsure herself. "Ummm… I don't think I ever saw a rule in the book about time."

I then heard Applejack let out a quiet whistle. "Still… Land sakes, James. I never knew ya know how ta make a mare feel good like that."

Rainbow Dash pretty much stood up for me right there. "You're surprised?! It's always the gentle quiet guys who know how to make a girl feel good the most! But still… Good grief, that's one hot kiss!"

"Eyup." Big Macintosh added while he too looked on. Considering how quiet and gentle he always seems, I would assume that Big Macintosh also would make a very loving boyfriend to someone. I know he is going to make one lucky girl very happy someday.

Finally, I heard Cadence speak up in a playful tone. Judging by what she said, she was talking to her husband. "You know, Armor? I think he might be a better kisser than you."

He did not seem to like the sound of this and spoke up in a rather playfully annoyed tone. "Oh, come on, James! You're making me look bad over here! And I'm a married stallion!" Most of the other players burst into shared laughter at his words. Not like I could help it. I was just trying to be as gentle and loving as I could be.

Finally, Rarity and I slowly pulled away from each other. I could tell by that look in her eye that while satisfied, she was very eager for more. But of course, it would have to wait until much later. We had a game to play, after all. Even so, she still managed to whisper to me one last time. "Splendid as always, darling."

"Likewise, m'lady." I retorted while wiping our combined saliva from my chin. I have to say that Rarity gives the most sickeningly sweet kisses out of any girl I have ever kissed.

Rarity then turned to face the rest of the players before gesturing towards me with her hoof. "And that, ladies, is how you properly kiss a gentleman. Commit it to memory!" Quite a few of the mares burst into hearty applause, although I swear Rainbow Dash was looking more and more desperate by the minute.

Remembering Shining Armor's words, I turned towards the captain of the guard and gave him a smirk. "So, I'm making you look bad, Armor? I give lessons, you know."

That little quip instantly planted a very unnerved expression on his face. His ears folded back against his head while he leaned away from me. "Ewwww, I'll pass!" That got a good laugh out of pretty much everyone there, although it seemed Nightmare Moon was eager to poke some more fun at him.

"What's wrong, captain? I think you could learn quite a bit from him. That kiss he gave me was certainly of high caliber." The Princess of Dreams spoke with a jeering tone while making Shining Armor look more and more uncomfortable.

"Denied! Absolutely denied! I don't swing that way!" He replied rather loudly while starting to seem mildly frustrated as well.

Finally, Luna started to get in on the fun as well. She lowered her head near him and spoke with a very sly smirk. "You know, we could always pay these two a visit in their dreams tonight. Maybe with a little…dream twisting, we could…"

Shining Armor clearly wanted nothing to do with whatever it was the two sisters of the night were planning. "Gah, no! Please, leave my dreams alone! Can we please just continue with the game already?!" Despite all this, Cadence was howling in laughter from nearby. It is good to see she was taking all this teasing in stride.

"All right, fellas! My turn!" Applejack spoke up to quiet everyone down. With a smack of her hoof, that bottle went into another spin. It actually spun for a surprisingly long time before slowing to a stop. And of all ponies it landed on, it landed on her brother. Big Macintosh.

"Uh… Y'all sure this is OK?" Big Macintosh asked while looking noticeably unnerved. Shy guy indeed.

Applejack seemed nervous as well, though not quite to the same degree. "Uh… Well, it's just a game, big brother. Let's just roll with it." We all watched while the farm pony walked past Nightmare Moon and gave Big Macintosh a quick peck on the cheek. Nothing special. Just a sweet smooch. Neither of them seemed particularly bothered by this display of affection. But knowing how seriously Applejack takes family issues, I suppose she is very close to every member of the Apple family.

Once Applejack had returned to her spot, Nightmare Moon reached out and gave the bottle a spin. "Hmm, who will it be this time?" It did not spin for long before coming to a stop with the bottle pointing at Mitta.

Mitta was just as surprised as Nightmare Moon herself. The two of them shared a brief gaze before Nightmare Moon smiled warmly. "Well, I certainly do feel you are overdue for a royal hug."

Nightmare Moon rose to her feet and slowly walked through the circle of players and over to Mitta with the elegance I would expect from a princess. Mitta responded in kind by rising to her feet to meet the Princess of Dreams better in height. Once the two were standing before each other, Mitta spoke with a somber smile. "Thank you again, your highness…"

I knew what she was referring to. It was Nightmare Moon herself who removed the curse that had been placed on her ages ago. And Nightmare Moon was all too willing to return the feelings. She gently draped her neck over Mitta's in a traditional equine hug that was absolutely endearing to look at. In fact, it reminded me of how Celestia and Twilight often share a hug together. "It was a pleasure. I pray that you have been well since that time."

No words were spoken while we watched. This was more than just a simple hug and should not be interrupted. Eventually, Nightmare Moon did return to her spot, though she did pass Mitta a playful wink, most likely as a sign of friendship. Mitta giggled just faintly from next me just before also giving me a grateful smile. I smiled as well while stroking my hand over her back.

"Your move, big brother. Give it a good spin." Applejack spoke up while our eyes fell upon Big Macintosh. The very calm earth pony stallion gave the back of the bottle a smack, although I suspect he may have been holding back. It went into quite a spin, taking a good ten seconds to come to a stop. And the person it pointed to was probably the last player in the circle any of us was expecting. It was pointing to the guy right next to him. Shining Armor.

The captain of the guard and the local powerhouse of Ponyville looked right at each other with expressions that clearly showed that neither of them were expecting this. Rainbow Dash was quick to poke fun at this and spoke loudly, "Sweet! Who can hug the hardest?!"

The two stallions glanced over at her before looking back at each other with playful smirks. Shining Armor was the first to speak. "Well, may the best stallion win, Sir Macintosh."

"Eyup." Big Macintosh replied briefly while he and the unicorn stallion rose to a standing position before flexing and loosening themselves up.

"Ooh, this is gonna be good! Who wants popcorn?!" Pinkie Pie called out while holding a large stack of bags of popcorn. Come to think of it, where did she even get those? Regardless, everyone was watching as the two stallions threw their arms out to their sides before grabbing each other in a tight embrace. Although I suppose it was more of a bear hug.

The competition did not last long. Probably no more than five seconds in, there was an audible crack while Shining Armor threw his head back while letting out a yell. "Aaaaagh! I give! Uncle! Uncle!"

Big Macintosh responded right away, his arms letting go and allowing the humiliated captain of the guard to fall into a crippled heap. Quite a few of us burst into laughter while Rainbow Dash once again provided fitting commentary. "Oh, how embarrassing! The captain of the guard beaten out by a civilian!" Big Macintosh could only grin bashfully while he returned to his seat.

"Uh… Are you going to be OK, dear?" Cadence asked with a tone of concern. However, she also looked like she was trying to not laugh.

"Send word to the guards that I'm gonna be on leave for a few weeks… Be sure to let Estoc know I am placing him in command for the time being… Ow…" Armor groaned while lying on his side. Poor guy. Whatever it was that Big Macintosh popped out of place, it must have hurt.

"Your turn, captain. Give it a good whirl." Nightmare Moon spoke while we watched the crippled stallion.

"Does it look like I can actually do anything?! I'm in more than just a little pain here!" He groaned in irritation without budging from the spot. Just what did Big Macintosh do to him?

Twilight Sparkle, who was sitting right next to him, rolled her eyes while a silly smirk spread across her lips. Her horn was then coated by her pink magic aura. "Easy there, brother. I've got this."

Before anyone could object, the motionless unicorn stallion was also coated by that billowing pink aura before being lifted into the air. Armor seemed to be rather unnerved by this and asked, "Um… Twily? What're you… AGH!"

Out of nowhere, Shining Armor's body suddenly twisted and bent backwards to the point where his horn nearly touched his tail. "Twily, this hurts! Wha… Ow! Cut it out! This… Agh! Stop it! You're… Yeowch!" Twilight began to twist and turn him, audible cracks and pops being heard from somewhere inside his body. With each different pose lasting for less than two seconds, I did not have time to actually commit any of these bizarre positions to memory. Needless to say, they looked rather painful.

Finally, after maybe a dozen twists and turns, Twilight set her brother back down on his feet. "Better?"

Armor gave his sister quite a frustrated glare. I can only imagine how uncomfortable that whole thing must have been for him. "That wasn't funny, Twilight! What were… Huh?" It was then that he noticed that he was standing on his own again while his forelegs were clearly responsive. "Hey! I actually feel really good! That got out all the kinks!"

"Just make sure you spin the bottle before you try to hug me. You know the rules." Twilight responded while giving her brother a whimsical wink.

"Oh, right. In that case, lemme move this game along." Armor replied before taking his seat and smacking the bottle to send it into a spin. It did not stay spinning for long before it ended up pointing at the mare on my right. Dear little Fluttershy.

Fluttershy instantly blushed the moment the bottle pointed at her. Even Shining Armor himself seemed a little uneasy. "Whoa… Uh… James? You sure this is OK? I mean she is YOUR mare, after all."

I shrugged my shoulders while cracking a smirk. "It's just a game, man. Besides, you should be asking her. She's the one the bottle pointed to."

My girlfriend averted her eyes a bit while managing to stammer out a reply. "Uh… Well, it is just a game… I guess… Um… Could you just give me a kiss on… Uh… On my cheek?"

Shining Armor nodded with a slight smile. "Sounds good to me." He then walked over to Fluttershy and stretched his neck out before planting a soft kiss on her cheek, prompting a tiny giggle from the lovely pegasus mare. Although… I must admit that I did feel a twinge of jealousy when I saw that. It was tiny. Hardly even noticeable at all. But it was there, even though I know Fluttershy would never leave me. I have to wonder… Is that how she feels when she sees me kiss Rarity or any other mare?

Once Armor had returned to his spot, it was Twilight's move. Much like Rarity before her, Twilight used magic to spin the bottle. We all watched in silence while the bottle whirled around on the floor. But when the bottle stopped, I felt a twinge of nervousness fill my heart. The bottle was pointing at me.

"Huh?! Really?!" Twilight asked while her gaze turned towards me, a noticeable blush forming on her cheeks. And considering the chat we had earlier that day, I could only imagine what thoughts were going through her head. While she and I looked at each other, her expression became even uneasier while her ears drooped. She was obviously incredibly nervous about the whole thing and I was hardy surprised.

Shining Armor seemed to notice Twilight's hesitation and gently nudged her forward. "Go on, Twily. It's your turn. Or would you rather spin the bottle again?"

Twilight's purple eyes glanced about uncertainly for a few seconds before she finally muttered out a response. "No… I'll do it." She then stood up and began to walk towards me with the slowest and most uneasy gait I had seen in a very long time. I could see that look in her eyes. She was scared. And it is very rare to see her look so… I am not even certain how to say it, but she seemed very unsure of herself.

All eyes were on the two of us. The room had become quiet enough to hear a pin drop. For a moment, Twilight looked at me with a stare that I think I understood. She wanted to do this, but was worried that it might be a bad idea. However, her eyes then glanced to my right at Fluttershy. I too looked at my girlfriend, who gave us both a nod while showing a calm smile. To try to help Twilight relax, I reached out and gently caressed her cheek. "What kind of kiss would you like, Twilight?"

She very subtly leaned into my touch. It was very hard to notice, but I did. After a few seconds of contemplation, she leaned forward and whispered into my ear. "The best you can give, if that's OK…"

I nodded and gave my dear friend a warm smile. Very slowly, I pulled the wise unicorn mare towards me. She slowly closed her eyes while clearly placing all faith in me. I too began to close my eyes and then gently pressed my lips against hers. The entire room was silent aside from that music Pinkie Pie had playing on her phonograph. Weirdly enough, the song that was playing at that moment was a calmer tune that better fit the mood.

The kiss was long and tender. I soon even felt Twilight starting to wrap her forelegs around me in a tender embrace. Remembering what she had just requested of me, I decided then to move along and make the kiss even more intimate. I reached out with my tongue, the tip soon gently rubbing against her closed lips. Twilight soon responded in kind and parted her lips to allow me in. And the instant our tongues touched, I felt Twilight quiver in my grasp while she just melted against me like putty in my arms.

"Whoa… You OK there, Twilight?" Shining Armor asked from nearby. I supposed it must have been an odd experience for him to see his sister in such a situation. As for Twilight… She was in bliss. I could feel it in her body and subtle moans in her throat. She was completely submitted to these new sensations she was likely experiencing. And I did not want to disappoint her. My arms hoisted her against me so she would not slide to the floor. That taste… I could taste the faint flavor of tea. Was that pomegranate and raspberry? A favorite of mine.

Finally, after a good minute or two, I decided it was time to stop stalling. I very slowly pulled my lips away from hers while feeling a string of our combined saliva rest against my chin. That look in her eyes… She appeared to be intoxicated. Almost completely unresponsive. Was that the first real kiss she had ever received? "Um… Are you feeling all right, Twi? Was that too much?"

Everyone remained silent while Twilight looked at me with a completely blank expression. It fact, it was very worrying to see that empty look in her eyes. Did she faint? Fortunately, I did not wait long for some life to return to her eyes. Her mouth curved up into a groggy yet pleased smile. She then spoke in a tiny whisper while a single tear oozed from the corner of her eye. "Thank you…"

I followed up Twilight's turn with a gentle kiss on the forehead. "You're very welcome, Twilight." After that, she stood up and turned before walking back to her spot while an absurdly love struck expression adorned her face. Her gait was ridiculously unsteady with her swaying and dipping as if her legs would give out from under her at any time. While most everyone else burst into laughter at this bizarre reaction to that kiss, I snickered while covering my face with a hand. Just what did I do to her?

Finally, Twilight spun around before dropping back down into a seated position to the left of her brother with a thump. Shining Armor was displaying a very awkward smile while looking at Twilight, who seemed to be having trouble keeping her stance steady while still looking just as dazed as before. "So… How was your first kiss, Twily?"

My wise and scholarly friend replied with a very slurred voice. "Reeeeally goooood…"

Wanting to stop myself from bursting into laughter, I turned to Pinkie Pie in the hopes of getting the game going again. "Uh… Isn't it your turn, Pinkie?"

"Oh, right! It is! Here we go!" Pinkie replied before smacking the back end of the bottle to send it into another spin. And when it stopped…it pointed to me again.

"OK, what's the deal, Pinkie?! You rigged that bottle! Admit it!" I spoke up in bewilderment while also trying to poke fun at just how many times the bottle had ended up pointing at me during the first rotation alone. Quite a few of the other players got a good chuckle out of it too, although Rainbow Dash was looking all the more frustrated by it.

Pinkie Pie let out a giggle at my question and replied, "Oh, James! You know I can't rig a glass bottle to point at you all the time! Besides…" She then… Whoa. Where did that look come from? She then gave me a much more sultry gaze that looked more like a stare Rarity would give me in private. Anyone who knows Pinkie Pie probably sees her in a rather childish and cute light more than anything. But I swear… The instant she gave me that look, her sex appeal just skyrocketed. "Who are you to complain?"

I… I had no words. And that gaze was getting me very hot and bothered. Still, I managed to crack a nervous grin. "Heh… I guess I don't have any right in complaining. OK, Pinkie. Come here and… Urk?!"

I have no idea what happened next. First thing I see is a mass of pink coming my way, then something moist engulfing my entire front side before I fell over in a type of frozen fetal position. Just… What the hell did she do?! Was that her lips?! It all happened so fast, I did not have time to memorize anything I saw! Still, I managed to force out a few words while my senses tried to stabilize. "She…psyched me out…"

Clearly I was not the only one there who seemed disturbed by what happened. Everyone else in the room was giving Pinkie Pie extremely uneasy stares while Pinkie just looked around at them with that smile she constantly wears. Even Twilight seemed to have been awoken from her stupor by…whatever the hell it was Pinkie Pie did. Rainbow Dash then spoke out, "Good grief, Pinkie! Creepiest kiss ever!"

Not wanting to think about what just happened, I looked to my girlfriend. "Well, it's your turn, Fluttershy."

"OK then… Here I go." Fluttershy spoke softly before reaching out and smacking the back of the bottle rather lightly. It did not spin for long before coming to a stop. Not too surprisingly, it was pointing to the pony who was seated to her right.

"My turn again? Aw, you shouldn't have!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed before turning to Fluttershy and catching her in a big hug. Fluttershy could not help grinning brightly while returning the favor. It was a very short display of affection, but I could tell the two ladies enjoyed it.

With my next turn, the first full rotation had been completed. And it would likely be a long time before the game actually ended. I gave the bottle a good spin while everyone watched in silence. When it did come to a stop, it pointed at quite possibly the last person in the room I expected. Applejack.

"Uh… I didn't see that one comin'…" Applejack spoke upon seeing the bottle pointing at her.

"You know the drill, James! Give her a big wet one!" Rainbow Dash called out while making Applejack give her an annoyed scowl.

"That's her call, Rainbow. I'll kiss her the way she wants." I retorted while I stood up and walked over to my country friend. When I dropped down to one knee so our faces were closer, I asked, "So… How should we do this, AJ?"

My friend seemed speechless at first. Even I never imagined I would ever have to kiss her. After a second, Applejack raised her hoof and motioned for me to move away from the circle with her. "Right over here, pardner."

I soon found out what she had in mind. Once we were a few feet away from the circle of players, Applejack took off her hat and held it sideways with our heads behind it. A classic trick to hide the 'action' from prying eyes. Rarity let out a groan of disappoint from nearby. "Oh please, Applejack! Don't hide anything from us!"

"Nice trick, AJ. So, what kinda kiss would you like?" I asked while trying not to laugh at such a trick to mess with the other players.

Applejack's eyes looked away out of their corners while she tried to think of a response. "Hmmm… How about…" Actually, why reveal the truth when Applejack went out of her way to hide it? Feel free to use your imagination on what happened behind the hat. It is more fun to keep the readers guessing.

Needless to say, the two of us got more than a few annoyed glares once we went back to our seats. "You killjoys! Are you certain you have nothing to hide?" Nightmare Moon asked with a playful gaze. Applejack and I dismissed her with chuckling laughter while Mitta reached out and gave the bottle a spin.

I suppose it will take forever if I have to describe what happened on every single turn, so I will narrow it down to the turns that actually had something worth mentioning occur. Once Mitta gave a tender hug to Derpy, it was Rainbow's turn again. I honestly felt a little sorry for her with how she had a constant wingboner since the start.

"Come on, come on, come on…" My brazen pegasus friend chanted while the bottle spun before us. Twilight even rolled her eyes at our friend's obvious desperation.

"Rainbow, it's not like we're gambling anything. Don't you think you're taking this a bit too…huh?" Twilight spoke up before stopping upon seeing the bottle stop spinning. And… Well, Twilight pretty much took the words right out my mouth when she gave Pinkie a rather suspicious stare. "You know, I think James might be onto something when he says that you rigged that bottle." If you cannot guess what she meant, the bottle was pointing to me once more.

For whatever reason, I felt a sinking feeling in my gut when I looked over at Rainbow Dash. She was silent at first while giving me a very sly smirk. After a brief moment, she suddenly went airborne and let out a shout. "JACKPOT!"

Next thing I know, I am tackled to the floor with that brazen tomboy giving me one of the more forceful kisses I have gotten in a while. Even the kiss I had received from Nightmare Moon was not quite this rough. So much so, I was feeling rather overwhelmed and not in a good way. "Erf… OK, enough! Back off already!"

I managed to push Rainbow up and force her to take a seat before me. She instantly blushed upon realizing that she had really let herself go with such a large audience watching. But before she could say anything, I brought myself to a sitting position and pulled her closer to me. I then looked my friend in the eye and smirked as my playful side started to come out. "All you had to do was ask."

Before she could even say anything, I brought my lips to hers and began to kiss her firmly, yet sweetly. At first, Rainbow Dash did not respond at all, but she soon pressed into the kiss while wrapping her arms around me. It felt so…nostalgic when our lips parted to allow our tongues to meet. I still remember the first time we kissed on Hearts and Hooves Day not even four months ago. And she still felt as sweet and passionate as before. Slightly rougher than Fluttershy, but filled with tender passion.

The kiss ended up going on longer than I intended. I suppose Rainbow Dash had been itching for another chance to kiss me like that since the last time. I know she loves me. And to be honest, I love her too. Despite being impossible to be even more of a polar opposite to me, I find Rainbow Dash to be shockingly attractive. In fact, the only real issue I have with her is her constant ego. Aside from her occasional egotistical moments, I find her to be very attractive. I suppose she was right. Opposites do attract.

We finally parted lips while we both lightly gasped for breath. I felt very warm all over. And Rainbow Dash… I had never seen her face so red before. You could clearly see it through the light blue coat that was covering her cheeks. I whispered to her, "As good as the last time?"

She soon smiled warmly and whispered back to me. "Even better. Thanks, big guy. I really needed that." Sure enough, her wingboner was gone by that point.

After several more spins of the bottle and a few more hugs and kisses were given, it was once again Pinkie Pie's turn. But I was in for a surprise when the bottle came to a stop after she gave it a smack. Upon looking at who the bottle was pointing to, she grinned brightly and spoke, "Oooh! Big Hunky Macintosh!"

The instant he heard his name being spoke, Big Macintosh's rather lazy eyes opened wide. He then glanced over at Pinkie Pie, who was giving him the same shockingly alluring gaze she had given me. Since he was not trying to get away from him, I decided to give him my two cents. "Big Macintosh."

The big burly stallion glanced my way without turning away from the pink mare who was on the verge of pouncing. I then spoke just one word. "Run."

"Pucker up, big guy! You know the rules!" Pinkie Pie spoke rather loudly before lunging at Big Macintosh with her…lips expanding wide enough to consume him if given the chance. Just…try not to think too hard about that. I still cannot comprehend what I saw entirely.

Fortunately, Big Macintosh was quick to react and bolted from his spot in the circle of players. "Nope!"

We all burst into laughter at the sight that ensued. Pinkie Pie was chasing Big Macintosh all around the room while frequently planting kisses onto the floor every time she missed him. Even though it was all harmless fun, Big Macintosh was fleeing in sheer terror. And considering how freaked out I was when she smooched me, I cannot say that I blame him.

Finally, Pinkie Pie seemed to have Big Macintosh cornered. And sure enough, that goofball of a mare struck. She lunged at him while those lips expanded to absurd proportions in an instant and engulfed the poor stallion. I even saw a few of the mares in the circle look away from how unnerving the sight was. However, we were all in a surprise when the kiss relented. "Woo, that felt good! You OK, Big… Huh?!"

When we all looked at the big red earth pony stallion, I think I felt my jaw drop before I burst into laughter. "What the… Zecora?! Mac, why'd you do that?!"

Big Macintosh, from the looks of it, had grabbed Zecora from nearby and was holding her up to take the blow for him. Despite Zecora always being a very serene and calm individual, she looked rather…traumatized by what Pinkie Pie did to her. She was a bit drenched in saliva while one eye twitched nervously. "Can somepony please reveal to me…why these lips are the size I see?" She seemed little slow on the draw since Pinkie's mouth seemed completely normal to me at the time. But considering that she was in a mild state of shock at the time, it is understandable.

Pinkie Pie returned to her spot without much argument while Big Macintosh did the same. But that look on his face… I am sure he felt like the luckiest guy in the world for having dodged one of Pinkie's really weird kisses.

Over and over, the bottle spun. I gave hugs to Big Macintosh and Shining Armor and gave plenty of gentle kisses to the mares. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle took the opportunity to give me a second helping of their more impressive kisses whenever my turn ended up having the bottle point to them. However, once I had already had a friendly cuddle or kiss with a quarter of the players, I started to lose some turns since the bottle kept pointing to players I already had a turn with. Pinkie Pie seemed to be the most successful player aside from me, with her getting quite a few cuddles in. All the while, Shining Armor would look very tense whenever she had a turn. Being the last man standing in the circle, he was clearly dreading one of her kisses.

Finally, it ultimately came down to me and Pinkie Pie having just one person left to hug or kiss. I had landed on everyone in the circle besides Fluttershy. How fitting that it would save the best for last. And Pinkie Pie only had Shining Armor left to kiss. Good grief, the poor guy looked tense. Hopefully I would get the last turn in and win before She could. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. With one last spin of the bottle, Pinkie Pie landed on a horrified Shining Armor.

"Ooh, looks like it's your brother's turn, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed while Armor's ears drooped significantly. I never thought I would see the captain of Canterlot's royal guard look so frightened. Good thing none of his men were there to see that.

"Uh… Yeah. Just go easy on him, Pinkie." Twilight replied with a rather uneasy smile. I can only imagine how awkward it must have been for her to see her brother about to be smooched in the creepiest way possible.

"Pucker up, captain! You're the last one!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed while she started to approach Armor as if she was prowling for prey. I am sure she was just really into her game, although it is still understandable that he would be intimidated.

Just when it seemed Pinkie was about to pounce on him, Shining Armor's horn was coated by a billowing pink aura that was identical to that of Twilight's magic aura. "Honey, forgive me!"

And then she struck. Pinkie Pie lunged at him while her lips… You already know. However, once the kiss ended, we all just stared in silence at who was being held in front of Armor while looking just as mentally overwhelmed as Zecora was. Twilight spoke first. "Wha… Cadence?!"

Sure enough, Armor's wife had taken the hit for him. Even Pinkie Pie seemed shocked by what she had done. Finally, Cadence regained her bearings and looked over her shoulder with a glare on her face and spoke to a very sheepish Shining Armor. "You're sleeping on the sofa tonight."

I was glad that the game was finally over by that point. It had been going for way too long by then. However, I did look at Fluttershy, who then let out a sigh. "I was hoping I would finally get a chance…" My girlfriend did not even get the chance to land on me herself. Very unlucky.

Of course, I could not leave her feeling like that. So, with a smirk, I wrapped my arm around the beautiful pegasus and pulled her closer to me. "Who says I don't have to?"

Before she could even respond, I pressed my lips against hers. I was honestly expecting her to nearly faint. However, Fluttershy held onto her integrity and let out a muffled moan before embracing me tightly. Our kiss quickly deepened, my tongue tasting the familiar flavor of feta cheese in her mouth. As brief as the kiss was, it was very satisfying for both. A few of the other partygoers even gave us some applause in support of our relationship. When we finally broke the kiss, Fluttershy gazed into my eyes with a blush in her cheeks. "Much better. Thank you, honey."

Once the players had begun to scatter, Pinkie Pie started pulling some stuff out of a closest nearby. Was that a collapsible stage she was setting up? Maybe she had some standup comedy in mind? Regardless, I went over to the main food table to get myself some cake, punch, and some veggies to balance out my palette. While I did so, I noticed Twilight speaking to Fluttershy nearby. Over the sounds of conversation and the music that was coming from the phonograph nearby, I could not make out anything they were saying. Soon, Rainbow Dash even came over to them and joined in. Feeling it was not my place to interrupt, I returned to the cushion I had been using a little earlier.

I found the cake to be a marble style cake, mixing yellow cake with dark chocolate cake for a superb combination, and the icing was very soft and smooth to the point where I nearly mistook it for marshmallow spread. Man, that was some good cake. However, I did not wait long before I noticed someone approach me out of the corner of my eye. At first glance, I thought it was Cadence again. But when I turned to actually face the person in question, I found that it was Derpy Hooves instead.

"Hey there, James. Aren't you bored over here?" She asked while looking at me with her unfocused eyes.

"Nah. I just prefer to do things to the beat of my own drum. I know it might look like I'm taking this party in stride, but I'm really having a good time." I replied while taking a sip of my punch. I may not be the most enthusiastic guy around, but I still enjoy a good party at my own pace.

Derpy nodded while showing a slight smile before taking a seat by me. She then reached into her wing and lifted out an envelope by her teeth. "For me?" I asked before taking the envelope in hand. It was certainly addressed to me, although I did not see a return address in the corner.

"That envelope showed up at the office just after I finished my route today. Since I knew this party was gonna happen today, I decided to just bring it to you directly." Derpy explained while seemingly focusing on the stamp in the corner. I cannot recall what was on it, but it looked…tropical. That much I do remember. "I think it was from a friend who couldn't make it. Pinkie Pie started sending out invitations a full month ago, so this person must've been pretty far away for it to show up today."

"Well, let's see who it came from." I replied while sliding my finger under the envelope's closed flap to tear it free. Once it was open, I lifted a sturdy folded letter from the envelope. In the center of the side that was facing me was a familiar symbol I almost recognized. It seemed to depict a magic wand with a light blue star on the tip while a flowing light blue shawl floated behind it. It took me a moment, but I eventually recognized it. "Trixie?!"

"Huh?! Oh yeah, that's from Trixie Lulamoon! I guess she must be on tour somewhere right now. What's it say?" Derpy asked, apparently knowing Trixie's full name from having to deliver to her before at some point.

"Let's see…" I muttered before I flipped the letter open. Lots of text in black ink was written throughout the entire sheet. I suppose Trixie was trying to be careful to not run out of space.

"To Trixie the Illusionist's Greatest Friend. How have you been, James? Has it really been nearly two months since we crossed paths? Time certainly flies when you are on the road. I must thank you again for your advice. My tours have drawn me much praise and admiration just like the good old days. At last, all is well once more. I am currently on vacation in Cantercun and soaking up the sun and surf for some much needed relaxation. I just recently received a surprise invitation to a special party in Ponyville in a couple of weeks, although it may have already happened by the time you get this message. As much as I wish I could attend, I simply have no means to cancel the rest of my tour and make it back in time. My sincerest apologies, dear friend. I hope you enjoy yourself without me. And have a happy anniversary. I hope to see you again someday soon!"

"Well, that was certainly sweet of her to… Hang on, what's this?" I spoke before noticing that there seemed to be something else in the envelope. When I reached in and pulled it out, I actually paused for a moment while staring at it. "Dang, Trixie…"

It seemed that Trixie had sent me a photograph along with that letter. The photo seemed to depict Trixie herself on a beach while reclining on a beach chair. As the beach spread far into the background, it curved to reveal the waves of the ocean nearby. She seemed to be holding a cocktail glass filled with a yellowish orange liquid in her ankle joint with a bent straw sticking out of it and a lime slice stuck on the edge. As for Trixie herself… Wow. She was clad in a one-piece swimsuit that seemed to be the same light shade of purple that made up the majority of her hat and cape. A pair of sunglasses rested on her nose, but she was looking over them at the camera while clearly making certain whoever took the photo could make out her eyes. She was clearly having a good time, judging by that smile. Lastly, over an empty patch of sand in the bottom left corner were the words 'Wishing you well! Trixie the Illusionist' written in black ink. I recognized the stylish handwriting as Trixie's since I see it on that poster I have framed back home every single day. Still… I certainly was not expecting to see her like that. While I am certain Trixie was not trying to be flirty, I will admit she looked quite hot in that swimsuit. Then again, she is very physically attractive. I would not be surprised if her looks alone draw a significant amount of her male fans to her.

"Wow, looks like she's having fun over there." Derpy remarked while looking over my shoulder at the photo.

"Yup. And I think I know where I want to have my honeymoon if Fluttershy and I ever get hitched. And that place is called Cantercun?" I replied while taking note of Trixie's surroundings. I have not been to a tropical resort in quite some time and would love to go again.

Derpy looked at me and nodded with a smile. "Yep! It's one of the most popular seaside resorts in Equestria. If you go, bring me a souvenir!"

I rolled my eyes at Derpy's playful request. However, I then remembered that there was one other possible friend who did not seem to be attending the party. "Hey, Derpy? How's the doc doing? Was he unable to come?"

Derpy sighed while also looking rather disappointed. "No, he had some important business to take care of. He's usually really busy, you know. But he did want me to give you his regards."

"Thanks, Derpy. Next time you see him, tell him I think he's pretty cool." I replied while stroking her mane for a moment. The Doctor has revealed a bit more about himself since the first time we met. Something about being some sort of 'lord' and apparently being able to travel through time, although I cannot quite wrap my head around that part. Even so, I think we have become good friends. It is just a shame he is not around more often.

While Derpy and I were chatting, I was quick to notice that some of the kids had come back upstairs. Button Mash seemed to be rooting around in the corner of the room where he had been playing his little handheld a bit earlier. "Oh, come on! I know I left it over here!"

Fortunately, it did not take long for Ruby to pop up out of the floor with a familiar device in her mouth. "Hi, Button Mash! Is this Joyboy yours?"

The little colt turned to face the ghost filly and beamed brightly at her. "Oh, sweet! You found it again! Thanks, Ruby!" I was wondering who that device belonged to the first time I saw her find it a short while back. Now I know.

Before I could call out to Button Mash, I heard Pinkie Pie call out from one side of the room. "So sorry to keep you all waiting, everypony! I'd have gotten this stage put together faster, but my termite farm thought my old one was a private resort for them!"

Right off the bat and she was already doing standup? Turns out Pinkie Pie had assembled a small stage at the far end of the room and had even set up several round tables here and there. Many of the partygoers were already seated at the tables with plates and tankards of food and drink. Seems Pinkie had decided to liven up the party with a little standup comedy gig. She then looked around while holding a microphone in her ankle joint and asked, "Hey, Shining Armor! So nice to have the captain of the guard show up for the party! How's the married life so far?"

It turned out that Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle, and Cadence were seated at the front row together. Armor then replied, "Oh, it's been going great! Ever since the wedding, life's been smooth and steady."

"That's what she said!" Pinkie Pie suddenly replied in a barely masked innuendo that got the crowd laughing. Cadence in particular placed her hoof in her face while snickering loudly under her breath.

Shining Armor, on the other hand, seemed to laugh with a slightly uneasy grimace on his face. "I walked right into that one, didn't I?" Come to think of it, what does Cadence and Shining Armor do when… No, I am not going there!

Even so, as silly that joke was, I felt a little worried that the kids in the room might have heard it. Fortunately, they seemed a little preoccupied with talking and playing to be listening to any of Pinkie Pie's jokes. That, and I think Pinkie Pie knew better than to let any of the naughtier jokes get too obvious.

After a couple more jokes, including one that implied Pinkie Pie had once gone on an 'interstellar journey' in Luna's mane and met an alien race that get different weather patterns depending on what type of conditioner she uses, that silly mare pointed at me. "Hey, James! Do you know any standup routines?!"

I glanced up at her upon hearing my name. "Huh? Me?!"

Eleina looked my way and cracked a smile. "Good idea! Are there any comedy skits or jokes you have to share?"

I certainly was not expecting to get called to the stage. And it did not help that I am normally too shy to stand before a crowd. Even so, I tried to search my memory for anything prominent to share. "Uh… I don't think I know any… Oh, wait. I do know just one. But can you give me a minute to get ready?"

While I walked over to the cider casks, Fluttershy looked my way and asked, "Um… Get ready for what?"

I looked back at everyone and replied with a slight smirk on my face. "You know I'm too shy to get on stage as is. I need some liquid courage first."

Applejack stepped out of my way to let me get to the casks. I suppose she was making certain no one would take the really strong stuff by accident. I then filled a tankard halfway with regular hard cider before filling the rest of it with that 'moonshine'. Applejack seemed rather baffled by this approach and asked, "Uh… James? Are ya sure you wanna drink that?"

"Yep. I need some of the strong stuff to loosen me up." I replied before beginning to chug the stuff as quickly as I could. Even with the weaker of the two ciders sweetening the drink a bit, I still felt a surge of heat at the back of my throat that nearly made me gag a couple of times. In less than two minutes, I had finished the drink and set the tankard down. "OK. Now to wait."

Sure enough, I started to feel a little warmer a few minutes later while Pinkie Pie continued to spout more and more jokes, including one joke about how she found a bookworm named Twilight sleeping in one of her cookbooks one morning. And then I felt it. I became slightly listless and I found my eyes unable to focus perfectly while I could not stop myself from swaying just slightly. Knowing I was now mildly intoxicated, I decided to get ready for the show. I waited for Pinkie Pie to finish her current joke before calling out. "Hey, Pinkie? May I borrow the toaster from the kitchen downstairs?"

Everyone gave me some very weird looks when I made that request. And I do not blame them. Why would I want a toaster, right? Despite how odd that request sounded in retrospect, she still agreed. "Uh… Sure! Just don't break it!"

I smiled sneakily while approaching the stairs with a more carefree gait than I normally walk with and headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. It seemed Mr. and Mrs. Cake were finishing up the last batch of treats at the time. Without paying them much mind, I went over to the counter at the far side of the kitchen and unplugged a shiny silver toaster from the wall. Just the kind I needed too.

While I looked the toaster over, I tried to figure out how I would make this work. "Uh… Mr. Cake? Can you give me a hand with this?"

After a few minutes of gathering up the needed components, the Cakes soon had the toaster resting against my belly while wrapped up in a very long cloth strap that was hanging from my neck. Finally, Mrs. Cake asked the most obvious question. "Uh… James? Just what are you going to do with our toaster?"

While I grabbed a pair of spoons from a drawer nearby, I snickered and replied, "Why don't you come upstairs and see for yourself?"

A minute later, Mr. and Mrs. removed the last batch of goodies from the oven and followed me upstairs. Everyone's eyes were on me while I walked over to the stage with that toaster hanging prominently from my neck. Pinkie Pie let out a giggle while she left the stage and asked, "You weren't kidding about the toaster, huh? What're you gonna do with it?"

Once she was seated before me with the rest of the partygoers, I decided t oget the show started. I was still feeling slightly nervous, although the alcohol in my body was keeping most of my inhibitions at bay. "I'm so glad you asked."

I held the toaster in one hand before lifting it higher for everyone to see. "This is a Toastmaster 4-slice concert model. I like the…" I was interrupted by some snickering in the background. Apparently Spike and Rainbow Dash were getting a good chuckle already at what I was doing. Even so, I continued while everyone else watched in intrigued silence. "Ahem… I like the crumb tray-down position a little better acoustically. You might've read about it in Toaster Player."

Once again, I got a few more chuckles out of the crowd before me. With the intro out of the way, I pulled the two silver spoons out of my pockets and began to tap them against the metal shell of the toaster to beat out a rhythm. Everyone fell silent as I started my skit while speaking in a soft and smooth tone of voice.

"All around the country and coast to coast…" I spoke during a pause in the taps. Once I finished that verse, I tapped out another verse of metallic clacks with the spoons. All the while, everyone was giving me some of the most bewildered, if not amused, stares I have gotten in a long time.

"People always say what do you like most?" I spoke before…actually, make a mental note as you read this. Between every verse, imagine me pausing while tapping out a rhythm on the toaster before speaking again.

"I don't wanna brag, I don't wanna boast….. I always tell them I like toast." Once I finished those two lines, I tapped out a longer series of taps while a few of the partygoers laughed or chuckled lightly at my rhyming. However, once they had lowered their guard, I yelled out in the most obnoxiously sudden and high-pitched voice I could muster on the spot. "YEAH, TOAST!"

That sudden yell did far more to the audience than I expected. Along with everyone suddenly jumping at the sound of my voice, Luna was so badly startled that she ended up spewing the cider she was drinking right into Zecora who was seated at the table in front of her! I have to say Zecora looks quite lovely with that mane of hers weighed down with water…or cider, in this case. Although it was clear she was far from pleased since she gave Luna a very irritated glare while the Princess of the Night covered her nervous toothy grin with a hoof as a bright blush filled her cheeks. Nightmare Moon and Rainbow Dash, not to mention myself and just about everyone else in the room, were howling in laughter.

"So sorry, Zecora! I… I didn't see that coming at all!" Luna spoke apologetically while trying to not laugh herself silly.

Rainbow Dash then called out, "Hey, James! That wasn't it, was it?!"

Realizing that I had paused due to Luna's unexpected spit-take, I quickly tried to regain my composure. "Right, sorry! Let that be a reminder to everyone that for the sake of your fellow partygoers, please refrain from partaking in the consumption of drink during this skit!"

I then tapped the toaster a few times before beginning to speak quickly. "Uh… Where was I? All around the country and coast to coast people always say what do you like most I don't wanna brag I don't wanna boast I always tell them I like toast… Oh, right. YEAH, TOAST!" Once again, I caught everyone off guard with that sudden outburst and triggered quite a few laughs. I then decided to continue on to the next verse while speaking in a less subdued tone of voice.

"I get up in the morning around 6 AM… Have a little jelly, have a little jam… Take a piece of bread, put it in the slot… Push down on the lever and the wires get hot, I get toast." By then, over half of the partygoers were chuckling and laughing whenever I paused in speaking. And then I surprised them all once more. "YEAH, TOAST!" This triggered another bout of stronger laughter from the ponies before me just before I tapped the toaster for a moment longer. "YEAH, TOAST!"

"Now, there's no secret to toasting perfection! There's a dial on the side and you make your selection. Push to the dark or the light and then if it pops too soon, press down again. Make toast!" The laughter would always come every time I stopped talking to tap out a tune on the toaster between each line. I wonder… Have these people ever heard so much about toast in such a short time before? "YEAH, TOAST!" I shouted once more while causing quite a few of the audience to break into heartier laughter. I could see Big Macintosh clutching his gut, as he seemed ready to fall off his stool. "AGH, TOAST!"

"When the first caveman rolled in from the dregs…didn't know what would go with the bacon and the eggs. Must've been a genius, got it in his head…plug the toaster in the wall, buy a bag of bread and make toast." And as usual, I followed that with a quick tapping on the toaster before yelling, "YEAH, TOAST!" Thankfully, I did not have that much further to go at the time. It would not do for a skit to get stale, no pun intended. Actually…yes, that pun was absolutely intended. I then followed that shout with a voice that must have made me sound like I was in some mild discomfort. "UUUGH, TOAST!" Everyone sounded like one big laugh track with how constant their chuckling and laughing was. And it was then that I got to the trickiest part of the skit as I began to speak with a fairly poor French accent.

"Oh, oui monsieur bonjour coquette… Uh huh croissante vous a ver! Maurice Chevalier, Eiffel Tower! Oh oui Marie baguette bon soir!" While that random gibberish may have gotten quite a dose of laughter out of my audience, Rarity in particular sounded like she was going to pass out from laughter at some point since she is likely the only person in the room who had any idea what I was saying since I was likely being completely incoherent. "FRENCH TOAST!" I yelled out, putting a spin on the punch line and hearing several thuds as some of the audience fell out of their seats. "FRENCH TOAST!"

And then, it was time for the last stretch. Deciding to improvise, I came up with the last line of real speech in the skit. "In Manehattan around the Flim and Flam show…" After tapping out another rhythm on the toaster that stopped short, I held my arms high and shouted, "YEEEEEAAAAHHHHH TOAMMPH!" Turns out that Applejack of all people had tossed, or likely bucked, a slice of bread right into my mouth. If I had to guess, she was not exactly pleased of me mentioning the names of who I would find out from her that evening are two of her shadiest business rivals. Even so, I brushed the interruption off without missing a beat. I tapped out another tune on the toaster while the audience laughed at how I kept going with a slice of bread hanging out of my mouth.

"Ymmm hmmm mmm hmmmm!" I hummed through the slice of bread hanging from my mouth while swaying side to side in a very exaggerated manner before taking a bite out of the bread to free my mouth and letting the bread fall to the toaster hanging from my neck. I then stuck my arms out to my sides with the spoons still in my grasp. "Toast."

The audience before me burst into one last bout of laughter while also giving a very noisy round of applause. I took one bow before lifting the toaster from around my neck and stepping down from the stage. Rainbow Dash yelled out while hovering in the air to apparently get a better view of the stage. "Man, and I thought Pinkie Pie could be random! Where'd you pick that skit up?!"

Rather than answer her question, I decided to get cheeky with her. "Skit?! What skit?! I just really like toast!" That earned me yet another bout of hearty laughter. Heh, that was really fun to do.

I decided by that point to head downstairs to get me some water to counter the alcohol I had consumed. For those who do not know, the best way to prevent a hangover is to keep yourself hydrated. But right as I was entering the kitchen, I noticed the front door just starting to creak open. I did not pay it any mind though and proceeded into the kitchen at the bottom of the stairs. Wasting no time, I snatched a large drink cup and filled it with water from the kitchen sink while also taking the opportunity to place the toaster back where I got it from. While I could have returned to the party, I decided to take a break from it and stepped out through the back door for some peace and quiet.

Come to think of it, I never really did get around to describing the backside of Sugarcube Corner. While the front of the building looks like that of most stores in layout, the back seemed to have the look of a backyard to some degree. It was fenced in by a rounded fence with two shades of pink painted over the wood while most of the posts seemed to be topped with white icing, staying in the bakery look of Sugarcube Corner. There was a gap in the fence right ahead from the door to allow for easy access. There were a few bushes right next to the building itself and a patch of grass with little dainty flowers spread out on it here and there. There was also a patch of grass to the left of the door with a 'peninsula' of the ground reaching into it. The grass seemed to have been allowed to grow quite tall while having been carefully tended to in order to prevent it from becoming overgrown, much like a hedge. And to the right of the door was a small round table with a stool by it. I then took a seat with my back to the building behind me while taking long drinks of the water in my hand.

After a minute or two of basking in the silence of the warm summer evening, I heard the door open behind me once more. I did not mind it though. Probably just Mr. or Mrs. Cake setting out a bag of garbage. However, I then heard the sound of hooves drawing closer to me before a familiar voice spoke up from behind me. "What are you doing out here? You're missing your party."

I did not immediately recognize the voice, probably due to my mild intoxication at the time. I started to turn myself around on the stool while replying, "I'm on break right now. I'll be back in a bit to spread some more jam onto the toast jo… Huh?" I paused for a minute while beholding the last person I was expecting to see at the party. "Uh… Celestia?"

Indeed, the Princess of the Dawn herself was standing before me with a rather bemused expression on her face. "Spread jam on the toast… Did I miss something?!"

I dismissed her question and asked one of my own. "But… I thought you weren't coming. Did something happen?"

The alicorn before me immediately giggled rather cheekily before rolling her eyes. "Well, I did have a fair amount of work to take care of today. However, after a while, I thought to myself. I am one of the true sovereigns of Equestria. I can take a break whenever I desire and my servants cannot say otherwise! And so, I locked the doors to my chambers and jumped from the balcony before flying to Ponyville. And now, here I am!"

I got a good laugh out of that. I never took Celestia for the adventurous type, but I was not entirely surprised either. "And no one in the palace knows you're here?"

"Probably not." Celestia replied while also letting out a chuckle. However, she then looked directly at me with that tender smile she always has. "And before you ask, the reason I am here is not just because this is a fun party. It marks a very important event that occurred one year ago."

Tipsy as I was, I was coherent enough to realize the seriousness of the situation. "Yeah… The day you and Luna brought me here."

Celestia drew closer and stood by the table. I preferred to remain standing while in conversation, so I rose from the stool I was using so she could use it before leaning against the side of the bakery before me. Celestia then continued to speak. "Precisely. And now I feel it is the best time to ask. How have you enjoyed your first full year here? Was it to your liking?"

I let out a long sigh. A full year. How time has flown. I still cannot quite wrap my head around that fact. "In all honesty… I wish I came to this world a long time ago." I then looked directly at her. "This world… It almost feels like something out of a child's fantasy book. Only…it's very real and plausible. The people of this world are open and friendly and very accepting. I have come across a few bad apples in the mix since I showed up, but as a whole… I don't think I'll ever see a world closer to being a true paradise than this one. It's not perfect, but I don't think there's another world in the entire cosmos that comes as close to being perfect as this one."

Celestia gave me a very warm smile that almost seemed rather flattered. "Thank you, James. I, along with Luna, have been doing all we can to guide this world and to keep it as peaceful and prosperous as possible. And I feel flattered to actually be receiving praise for it."

"Well, you've been doing a far better job than the politicians on my home planet. I guess you have to actually experience living in a far from perfect world to appreciate the superiority of a world like this."

The princess before me bowed her head with a smile. "I know. And I have been hearing nothing but good things about you. But that brings us to the question I have been waiting quite some time to ask you." She then stood up from the stool and approached me slowly. "Now that you have a much firmer grasp of life in Equestria, now is the time to ask. Which world would you rather live in? Luna and I can send you back home, if you desire. Or you can continue to stay here."

I did not wait long at all to give her my answer. "Do you really have to ask that? With all the conveniences my world has, I would much rather live in a simple paradise than in a complex world that is constantly sabotaged by greed and corruption. I want to stay here, Celestia. Is that OK with you?"

She nodded promptly while showing a genuine smile. "Of course! And I am glad you wish to stay with us. You have been a good friend to many and my sisters would hate to see you leave. It's a pleasure to have you with us."

"Thanks, Celestia… And thank you for bringing me here." I replied while reaching out an arm to her for an embrace, but then stopped myself from doing so upon remembering that she is a princess and not exactly a friend of mine. Or so I thought. Before I could lower my arm, I noticed Celestia's horn become engulfed in her billowing golden yellow magic aura. My arm was being held in place while coated by the same aura.

Before I could inquire about why she was restraining me, Celestia spoke up. "Do not feel the need to restrain yourself, James. While I will not deny that you and I are not the closest of friends, I do still see you as one. So, please…"

I felt myself smile at those words. Without further delay, I reached out and held the Princess of the Dawn in a tender embrace while she returned the favor by draping a wing over me. I felt as if I was in the presence of someone I could place all of my faith in. Someone I could always rely on. I find it odd I feel such a presence from Celestia and not Luna or Nightmare Moon, but I suppose that should be expected since she is the eldest of the three royal sisters and obviously has more experience in reigning over Equestria due to Luna's millennium-long absence after the birth of Nightmare Moon.

"Luna was right. You are a cuddly sweetheart." Celestia spoke softly with her head resting on my shoulder.

"I try to be." I replied sincerely while my hand stroked the back of her long neck. This seemed to prompt a very relaxed sigh from the beautiful princess in my arms. It must be a hard spot to reach for her.

"Well… Enough delays." Celestia said after a moment longer before lifting her head from my shoulder before looking right at me. "Shall we return to the festivities?"

While that did sound like a fun idea, I was still in the mood to just relax for a bit. "Um… I'd actually like to stay out here for a bit, if that's OK. The whole reason I'm out here is to get away from the noise for a bit."

"Ah, I see! That's fine. Take your time." Celestia replied with a bright smile. While still clutching my drink cup in one hand, I began to just wander around the yard without ever really leaving it. I allowed my mind to wander while my eyes took in the sight of the town around me. Things were rather quiet at that time. Very few ponies passed by and the wind was warm. I could hear the hissing of cicadas, as the sun was low in the sky. I was surprised by just how late it was already getting. Just how long did that game of Spin the Bottle take to finish?

After a few minutes of just meandering around and savoring the moment to just let my mind wander, I finally noticed that Celestia had not gone back inside at all. She had returned to the stool next to the table and was watching me with silent interest. "Uh… I thought you were going inside to party."

She covered her mouth with her hoof while letting out a quiet snicker. It seemed she found it funny that I had only just then noticed that she was still there. I suppose that 'moonshine' had dulled my senses more than I expected. "Oh, I was just waiting for you. And…did you have too much strong drink? I'm noticing a slight sway in your gait."

"I didn't have that much to drink, did I?!" I exclaimed, not really thinking I was that loosened up by that point. "Pinkie Pie invited me for some standup, so I tried to loosen myself up with some liquid courage. It did the job pretty well, but I swear that I'm nowhere near being drunk."

After wandering around a bit more, I heard Celestia speak up. "You seem to be a man with appreciation for the simple things in life."

I shrugged my shoulders, not really certain if I should feel proud of that trait. "I guess… Maybe that's why I love living in this town so much. It's much more simple than the likes of Canterlot."

A minute later, I glanced over at Celestia once more. Before I could look away, she motioned for me to approach her with her hoof. Without a word, I complied and walked over to her before leaning against the wall opposite the table. "Have Luna and Nightmare Moon been enjoying themselves since they arrived today? I think they said they were going to stop by the spa to see you before the party."

"I suspected that's why they were there when the party started. Have they been OK back in Canterlot?" I replied while glancing up at the window above the back door. I think that may have been the window in Pinkie Pie's bathroom since I saw no movement up there…oh, wait. Her bathroom is in the room at the very top of Sugarcube Corner. I forgot how the room's walls are rounded all around the place. I suppose I should not be surprised I forgot since I almost never go in there. Well, I still saw no one looking out the window. Pinkie Pie was probably keeping everyone entertained and preoccupied with some jokes.

When I looked back at Celestia, she continued speaking. "They have been quite fine. In fact, I think Luna has been happier since she first met you. Before you arrived, she used to always have a very serious expression on her face whenever she and I were not out enjoying ourselves together. But now, I think I know why."

"She was resentful of you always taking the spotlight. Am I right?" I retorted, having already heard testimony from Luna herself while at the spa that day.

Celestia seemed rather shocked by my words. "How'd you know? Actually, don't answer that. But yes. I do believe that was the reason. But ever since meeting you, she smiles more often than ever before. She is more talkative and seems so much happier now." She then smiled brightly at me and spoke softly, "Having someone who truly appreciates her as a person and as a friend has done wonders for her, James. I don't think you know how important you are to her."

I lowered my head. Those were some very heavy words. Had I really made such a difference in the life of the Princess of the Night herself? Absentmindedly, I turned my head up to look at the window that was above the back door. And speak of the devil; Luna was standing behind it while looking down at me. After a few seconds, she waved her hoof at me while showing a calm smile before also waving at her sister. She did not seem too surprised to see her there. Had she anticipated that Celestia would sneak away from the palace to attend the party?

Once she and I had shared a friendly wave, Luna looked away as if someone had called her. She then glanced at me and winked; displaying that lovely light blue eye shadow she always wears before walking out of sight. However, I was suddenly pulled backwards and ended up dragging my heels along the ground while it felt as if someone had grabbed me by my shirt collar. When I came to a stop, I heard Celestia speak softly into my ear with a more menacing tone. "By the way… What is this talk of Luna's flanks being 'hotter' than mine?"

I felt myself instantly tense up upon hearing those words. No wonder Luna was not surprised to see Celestia out here with me. They had likely already encountered each other inside before she came to me. "Oh snap, she told you that?!"

"I do not take kindly to insubordination, you know." Celestia spoke with a hiss into my ear. I felt like I was in for a lot of pain right there. I squinted my eyes nearly shut while gritting my teeth. What was she going to do to me? I did not wait long for an answer before she whispered loudly into my ear. "Gotcha!"

I was suddenly pushed up onto my feet while Celestia giggled giddily behind me. "So sorry, I could not help myself! That subject was just begging for a retort!"

I turned and gave Celestia an amused grimace. "Hey, I was just speaking my mind at the time! Your sister is gorgeous!"

"Well, you can't help but feel at least a little jealousy when your sibling is complimented for something you both share while you are not. Am I right?" She retorted while winking at me. I have to say, Celestia can be a lot of fun to be with. Worlds need more rulers like her.

"I guess so. But make no mistake, you're gorgeous too." I retorted while reaching out and stroking my hand through her massive billowing mane.

"Well, it is certainly no mystery why my sisters are so fond of you." Celestia spoke while glancing up at the window Luna had been standing at a moment ago. She must have known that Nightmare Moon was likely up there at that time too. "Nightmare Moon cannot go a single day without mentioning your name. It is rather endearing to see how close she holds you to her heart."

This caught my attention. And considering the kisses she and I shared in that game of Spin the Bottle… "Uh… Just what do you two talk about whenever the subject shifts to me?"

Celestia seemed to scan my face for a moment before letting out a chuckle. "Oh, don't worry yourself. I know what you're thinking and that is certainly not the case. She has never once mentioned a romantic interest in you. But you are certainly precious to her. Very precious."

"How precious are we talking?" I asked, finding myself becoming more and more intrigued with every word I heard.

When confronted with this question, Celestia's rather jovial expression became one that seemed slightly darker. "Well… How do I word this? Is there someone in your life that you just cannot imagine yourself being without? Someone that, regardless of how many friends or loved ones that may fill your heart, you just cannot bear losing?"

That was a very serious question I would not have ever expected from her. And at first, I was not sure of how to answer. Even so, I crossed my arms for a moment to think. I tried thinking back. All the way back to exactly one year ago. That was a stressful day, to say the least. I was alone. I was lost. I was not certain of what to do. At least until I met… "There are six people in my life right now I can't imagine myself losing. Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. Applejack. Rarity. They're the six most important people to me."

My words prompted a very warm smile from the princess's face. "I can see that. They are all very close to you. Although, I am curious. What of Nightmare Moon? I know you and her had a very difficult reunion that night a few months back."

That brought to mind some unpleasant memories. And in all honesty, I was not certain of how to respond. "Yeah… But… I…" I let out a long sigh. "I just don't know… I mean… She's beautiful. She's likeable. But I…"

Celestia then spoke rather sternly towards me. "James. I saw the journal you had with you when I arrived in the Everfree Forest to assist your friends. Tell me. What did you really feel when you initially defeated her? And what did you feel when she fell before you a second time? The moment where she 'lay dead' before you?"

I felt tears beginning to gather at the edge of my vision as if summoned from nowhere. Images of those dreadful moments flashed through my mind of that night. I brought a hand to my eyes and held my face. "I thought I lost her…"

"What is she to you, James? I know you always held sympathy for her, but I do not think you were feeling merely sympathy for her at that time. I took the liberty to read over that entire journal while you rested from that ordeal. It was not an invasion of privacy, mind you. I wanted to make certain that I understood exactly what unfolded that night." Celestia spoke while showing me a very serious expression. And I suppose she was entitled to look over my writings at the time to make certain there was not a detail I overlooked that could point to future trouble. "From what I gleaned from your writings, you felt very strongly for her at that time. You were in turmoil. I am amazed you never once drew your sword on her. Never once attacking until the very end in order to defend Rainbow Dash. I could see in your writing the emotions you were feeling when you thought you had failed to save her."

She and I shared a very long silent gaze. I could find no words to speak. I feel she was right. But no words came to me. Clearly seeing I was not going to speak, Celestia spoke for me. "I feel Nightmare Moon may be one of the most precious friends in your life. And I can assure you she feels the same. If my sister were to ever lose you… There are no words to describe the devastation she would suffer. James. As sister to the Princess of Dreams, I implore you. Treasure your bond with her."

I wiped the tears away from my eyes. Those were powerful words to listen to. "I will… I won't ever leave her." I then began to approach Celestia before taking a seat on the fence near the table. "What about you though? Is there anyone like that in your life?"

Celestia seemed to not be expecting that question if that look she gave me served as any indication. "Me? Well…" She then looked away from me for a moment while adjusting her position on her stool. "There are two."

"Do tell." I replied while feeling my mood slowly rising through the magic of friendly conversation.

Celestia then glanced at me with a calm smile. "I am sure you can guess one. Luna. She and I have shared a powerful bond since our days as children millennia ago. She is the moon to my sun. Someone who shares a very special and powerful bond with me. If you are lucky, you too will find somepony like that someday."

I was hardly surprised to hear that Luna is that precious to Celestia. She always does seem like a doting older sister to the Princess of the Night. "Yeah, I can see that sometimes. And who is the second person?"

I did not expect Celestia's expression to darken like that. She almost instantly became quite somber. "Yes… The other one…"

"Take your time. I'll listen." I spoke softly while trying to make certain she did not feel pressured. I could tell that it was not going to be easy to talk about.

After taking a deep sigh to calm herself, Celestia began to speak while directing her gaze towards the sky. "I knew him since my childhood. Luna and I were dear friends with him for… I cannot even recall how long. Close to four thousand years, if I had to make an estimate. And he always knew how to make us laugh and smile."

I listened intently. I was not expecting to see Celestia of all people look so melancholy. I was also quick to notice a single tear slide down her face. "But as the centuries went on, I began to see something within those eyes. A powerful sorrow. He always tried to hide it and did a fine job of doing so, but it never truly went away. And as the centuries dragged on, that sorrow only continued to grow. And with it, I saw an underlying madness beginning to fester. I saw it…but I did not want to believe it. I thought that my friendship with him and Luna's friendship as well would be enough to fight what was building inside him." She then looked my way, tears staining her ivory cheeks. "I was wrong."

Those tears… I never thought I would ever see Celestia in such pain. "My best friend is gone, James… The sorrow and madness consumed him. And Luna and I had to act. We stopped him, but… I lost someone important to me that day…"

She ceased to speak while turning her gaze to the ground before allowing her tears to fall. To see beautiful Celestia, the jovial Princess of the Dawn, in such a forlorn state… I did not think it was even possible. What had she endured?

I felt a long sigh escape my lips. Without waiting for her to speak, I stood up and walked over to her before lowering myself slightly. I gently stroked her shoulder to let her know I was there. When Celestia looked at me with those sorrowful pink eyes, I gently wrapped my arms around her to try to comfort her in any way that I could. Whether she was a princess or not, I wanted her to know that I was there for her.

A sniffle came from right beside my ear before I felt Celestia wrap one foreleg around me. "Thank you… You are a great listener."

"I try to be." I replied briefly while my hand gently stroked her back. "But…who was this friend of yours? I've never heard of him."

Celestia was silent for a moment. When she did reply, I did not get the response I was expecting. "He was… That is a story for another day, James…"

The memory must have been especially painful for her if she could not bear to speak of it further. I did not inquire further and merely held Celestia in my arms to try to keep her calm. Eventually, she did lift herself from my grasp and gave me a tearful smile. "Thank you. I really needed that."

"It was no trouble, m'lady… But wait. What about Luna? Did you end up… You know. A thousand years ago? How did you endure that?" I replied before asking about that infamous day where Nightmare Moon was born into the world. Having to send your own sister into the moon itself for a full millennium… That has to be hard on one's conscience.

Celestia sighed deeply before looking away for a moment, although her response was not nearly as heavy as the last. "It was not easy… But I always had Philomena with me. She helped soothe the solitude I had to suffer. And I always clung to the hope that Luna would return. Even though I had doubts at times, I knew my sister was still out there, just waiting to return. I was praying that when she did return, there would be a way to purge her of the darkness that had plagued her soul. And thanks to Twilight Sparkle and her new friends, I finally got my beloved sister back." However, she then looked at me with a very grateful smile. "And in hindsight…perhaps it was for the best in the long run. Because through all that, I gained a new sister because of you. Now I have not just Luna, but Nightmare Moon as well. Thank you, James."

I averted my eyes momentarily at that praise. "I… Well, I guess it was a lot of trouble in the end. But I'm glad Nightmare Moon is with us too… But did you ever figure out just HOW she came to be? Luna becoming Nightmare Moon… That couldn't have possibly been natural, right?"

Celestia nodded in agreement. "You are quite right. That transformation was by no means natural. But even after all this time, none of us have even the slightest idea what could have caused it. But it couldn't have been the result of the meddling of a malevolent being. Still, whomever it was who brought about Nightmare Moon's birth, I am sure they must have been quite disappointed to see her become a true princess alongside Luna and myself."

I snorted just slightly while I tried to not laugh at that thought. "Heh, I'll bet. To see your ultimate weapon become one of your enemy's most powerful allies has got to have you kicking yourself in the end. But who do you think could have done it?" A thought then came to my mind. Just how old is Celestia and Luna? And what may have happened so long ago? "Celestia… Has there ever been some evil tyrant or anything who might have done something to create Nightmare Moon? Someone you might not have told me about?"

Celestia's response was stern and brief. "I'm sorry, James. There are some things that this world is better off not remembering. I cannot tell you anymore than that."

Taking Celestia's word for it, I decided to drop the conversation there. And considering how peaceful and wonderful this world is, I suppose any dark times from so long ago would be irrelevant by this point. Better to focus on the pleasant present than a dark past that happened so long ago that it will probably never happen again under the guidance of the three royal sisters.

"Well… You think we should get back to the party by now?" I asked while bringing myself to a standing position.

Celestia glanced at Sugarcube Corner behind herself before looking back at me with a smile. "I believe so. It wouldn't do to keep crying at a party. Shall we?" I nodded before holding the door open to allow Celestia back inside before following. The kitchen was empty at the time, so we headed right out to the storefront.

When we stepped out from behind the counter, the two of us found Fluttershy, Eleina, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle either engaged in conversation or just helping themselves to the various goodies located around the place. I even saw Mr. and Mrs. cake going about tending to the waste bins and bus tubs in a couple of spots. Despite being a relatively small party, the place was getting a lot of use.

Before anyone could say anything, Twilight was the first to notice Celestia and trotted right over to her. "Princess Celestia! I thought you weren't able to come!"

"I know, but who says one of the rulers of Equestria can't take a break for some fun now and then?" Celestia replied with a cheeky grin on her face. Once Twilight had drawn near, I saw the two of them share a traditional equine hug. Twilight reached out with her head and rested it against Celestia's chest while the Princess of the Dawn lowered hers and draped her neck across Twilight's upper back. It was rather endearing to see those two being so cuddly. "I wouldn't miss this party for the world. I hope I didn't miss anything significant."

Pinkie Pie then trotted over and let out a laugh. "Oh, you missed an awesome standup from James! He really reeeally likes toast!"

Celestia then lifted her head and looked at me with a smirk. "You like toast, do you? Well, I like bananas."

There was something…unnerving about that look she was giving me. I raised my hand and opened my mouth to speak, but then lowered my hand while my mind failed to find a proper retort. "Uh… I can't think of a standup routine involving bananas. Sorry."

Not too far away, I saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Spike gathered around in a circle with Button Mash pointing at the center. It seemed that they were discussing some sort of video game while moving around colored pieces of paper. Were they comparing gaming experiences?

While I looked on, my eyes fell upon Spike. I have to admit that if there is one person I see frequently but have not interacted with on a personal level very often, it would be him. I see him nearly every time I visit Twilight. In fact, half of the time I encounter her outside of her house, Spike is with her. Almost as if they are some sort of dynamic duo or he is her sidekick.

Eventually, Spike walked away from the group and over to one of the refreshment tables while trying to refill his drink cup with punch. Due to his small stature, he could not quite reach the punch bowl and began to look around for something. Probably a stool to prop himself up on. Seeing his need for assistance, I stepped forward and grabbed him by the sides. "Lemme help you with that."

Spike yelped slightly from apparently not seeing me coming while I lifted him into the air and held him near the handle of the punch bowl's ladle. Once he realized what I was doing, he glanced over his shoulder at me and smiled. "Thanks! I needed that." He then reached for the ladle and lifted it from the bowl before pouring the beverage into his plastic drink cup. But before I could start to lower him, he looked back at me. "Hang on a minute."

I watched in silence while he quickly chugged the contents of his cup before filling it again and repeating the process. Once he filled his cup for the third time, he tapped my hand. "Thanks. You can put me down now."

While I lowered the dragon child to the floor, I spoke to him. "Not easy being short, huh? You get all you need?"

Once he was back on the floor, Spike seemed to instinctively or reflexively brush his sides off. "Yeah, it's not always fun being this short. But it's no big deal." He then took another sip of his drink before looking up at me with those big green reptilian eyes of his. "So, what's up? You having a good time?"

"Yup. What about you? We hardly ever get to talk." I replied while looking down at him. I was almost expecting to see Twilight approaching us, but a quick glanced showed me that she was locked in conversation with Celestia at the time.

He also looked over at Twilight for a second before looking back at me. "Yeah, sorry. I usually only talk to Twilight unless something important comes up with one of her friends. I don't get a whole lot of free time as her assistant. But it's fine! I really don't mind it at all."

I reached out and ran my fingers over the green spines running over the middle Spike's head. "You're a good kid, Spike. I'm sorry we don't chat more often."

Spike snickered while playfully pushing my hand away. "Don't do that! I'm a big boy now!"

"Right, sorry. It's just that you're cute." I retorted while Spike rolled his eyes. Typical boy behavior. Most boys do not enjoy being called cute. While I looked at him, a thought passed through my mind. And in hindsight, I am surprise I did not notice it before. "Hey, Spike? Are you the only dragon in town?"

He clearly was not expecting that question. "Huh? Me? Well… Yeah, I am. I don't think most dragons want anything to do with ponies."

"What makes you say that? I think dragons are really cool and majestic creatures. I've had a deep interest in them for years." I replied while glancing over at Twilight and Celestia again. They really seemed to be deep into their conversation.

That look Spike was giving me… He seemed utterly flabbergasted by what I had said. "Majestic…? What dragons are you talking about? The only dragons I ever met were total jerks!"

My eyes scanned Spike carefully. Total jerks? That certainly did not sound like him. While Spike and I do not interact with each other very often on a social level, I can still see that he is a good kid. He is hardworking and eager to please those he cares about. In some ways…I can actually relate to him. "That doesn't sound like you at all. I've never once felt any bitterness towards you. Well…except for the few times you slammed the library door into my face."

Spike sighed while looking down. He seemed to be looking at his reflection on the surface of the punch in his drink cup. "I guess that's because I was born and raised by ponies. And you know how nice they are most of the time, right?"

"Oh yeah, definitely. The all around nicest folks I've ever met in my life… Wait. Have you actually met other dragons who live their lives more traditionally?" I replied while taking note of Spike's rather forlorn look.

He let out a long sigh while looking at himself in his reflection. He seemed genuinely upset or even remorseful over something. Had he done something he had come to regret? "I'll just say that 'real' dragons aren't exactly good people. It's no wonder you never see them hanging out with ponies anywhere in Equestria."

I could only imagine what he meant by that. Could it be that dragons are naturally unpleasant or even violent by nature? If that is the case, it is clearly no small wonder why they have not been socially accepted into Equestrian society. But at the same time… Spike is nothing like that. As I said before, he is a good kid. Perhaps living among the genuinely pleasant ponies of Equestria can influence one enough to suppress their more unpleasant and destructive tendencies. That would certainly explain how humans lived in harmony with them so long ago. At least I assume they did. I looked down at him and gently stroked my hand over his head and spines. "Well, that's certainly not how you are. You're a nice guy, Spike."

This time, Spike did not refuse my touch. Instead, he turned his head up to look at me with a slight smile on his face. "Yeah… I'm glad I live with ponies instead of dragons. I don't know what I would do if I never met Twilight."

"No kidding. They're a great influence on others, aren't they?" I replied while running one finger over the curve of the spine that stood directly on top of his head. "Come to think of it, where did you meet Twilight?"

Spike took another sip of his punch before looking up at me with a more passionate smile. "Oh, I've known her since the day I hatched! She was supposed to hatch me from my egg as part of some sort of… I dunno… An entrance exam into the Academy for Gifted Unicorns? I was just a baby back then, so I don't remember a single thing. I'm not sure if that's what it was even called."

I got a weird feeling while looking at Spike after hearing that bit of testimony. He had not been born normally, but through an egg? I am not sure why, but it felt rather odd to be looking at this very likeable child and knowing he came from an egg. Just… Well, perhaps it is because where I come from, the only sentient creatures on the planet are humans and we are born live. So I suppose knowing that someone with human-level intelligence and emotion, not to mention human abilities, could be born from an egg. I suppose that is just something I will have to become accustomed to. Although this also raised the question of exactly where and who Spike's egg came from, but it probably would be for the best I did not ask. I cannot imagine Spike's true mother and father being good people after what he had told me about traditional dragon behavior. If anything, whoever gave Spike's egg to Twilight to hatch may have ended up saving his life. "I guess that makes sense. And Twilight certainly is gifted when it comes to learning spells. She's got quite an extensive spell pool, huh?"

"Yeah, you'd think she likes looking up new spells to learn for kicks by now!" Spike retorted while glancing over at our brainy unicorn friend. Upon noticing Twilight's cutie mark, I instantly felt it represented the glowing spark that forms around a unicorn's horn when he or she focuses greatly to cast a spell. I see it most often when she takes a moment to use the teleportation spell. With how frequently she uses it, you could be forgiven if you assumed it is her favorite spell. And I certainly see her using magic more often than Rarity.

Just before he and I could converse further, I noticed Twilight walk right up behind her little dragon friend and speak with a slightly jeering tone. "So, what are you boys chatting about?"

"Oh, you know. Boy stuff. Right?" I replied while trying to be funny. Spike then looked behind himself and saw Twilight looking down at him with a smile.

"Uh… Hey there, Twilight! I'm having a blast! What about you?" Spike asked while chugging down the rest of his drink before chucking the cup into a waste basket nearby.

She then gave us both a delighted grin. "I'm having a great time too! You know any party Pinkie Pie throws is always going to be great." However, she then glanced down at Spike before looking up at me. "Come to think of it… Isn't tomorrow the one year anniversary of the day where you two first met?"

"How could I forget that?! He greeted me with a door to the face!" I replied while almost being able to remember how unpleasant it felt to get smashed into Twilight's house with her front door. I still peek through the closest window every time I am about to go inside to make certain no one is coming.

Spike did not seem entirely pleased to be reminded of that. I noticed a slight pink hue shining through his scaled cheeks while he scratched the side of his head. "Uh… Yeah. Sorry about that. I don't think I had my hands free that day."

"And come to think of it…" I muttered before looking over at the kids having fun at the far end of the storefront. "Tomorrow is also the day I first met them. I should take those girls out to dinner."

"What about me?! Can I come too?" Spike asked while clearly becoming excited at the mention of anything involving food. Kids. Heh…

Knowing that I had no real say in what Spike was allowed to do, I looked at Twilight. He too turned towards her and pleaded with his hands clasping each other. "Please, Twilight? Can I have the evening off tomorrow?"

Twilight did not take long to think up a response. She rolled her eyes while cracking a smile. "Oooh… All right, Spike. You can go. But you'll have to finish up your chores as soon as you get back."

Spike jumped for joy before giving Twilight a big hug. "Oh, thank you! I promise I'll get my chores done extra fast tomorrow!" He then ran off towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Button Mash, apparently to either rejoin their conversation or to spread the word.

"He wasn't giving you any trouble, was he?" Twilight asked while drawing a little closer to me.

I glanced back over at Spike at the far end of the room before looking down at her. "Nah. He's a good kid. Does he do his job well?"

Twilight glanced at her little assistant and smiled back to me. "Oh, he's always helpful and efficient. He never tires and is very diligent. He's been a great friend to me for as long as I can remember."

"Despite being as young as he is, he's not one to tire easily despite working all day? Dragons must be really hardy creatures." I retorted while also looking over at the little purple dragon boy. He seemed to already be lost in conversation with the other kids already.

For a moment, the two of us did not speak. I grabbed a drink cup from the table nearby and filled it with punch for myself. However, I soon felt Twilight gently nudge my side. "I spoke to Fluttershy."

I instantly knew where the conversation was going and immediately cast my gaze towards my dear friend. "And she said…?"

Twilight let out a long yet satisfied sigh. "She's very lucky to have you. She told me she can't believe that so many girls feel so strongly for you, yet you stay loyal to her. She is sure that if anypony else were her boyfriend, they would have left her for somepony like Rarity. She says she feels like the luckiest mare in the world that you can be so close to so many mares while keeping your heart reserved for her." She then seemed to smirk sheepishly upon realizing that she was not being very specific on what she wanted to say. "What I mean is… She's all right with you sharing your love with me… That just sounds so odd to me."

I chuckled for a second before gently caressing her mane. "You don't seem like someone who has much of a grasp on love."

While I lowered myself to the floor to give my friend a tender hug, she looked into my eyes with a calm pleading expression. "Will you teach me?"

"I would be honored, Twilight." I replied while wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close to me.

Twilight returned my embrace, her forelegs wrapping around me in a loose grasp. It felt pleasant to just lose myself right there, being in the warm embrace of a friend who could have very easily have been my mirror. However, she soon spoke up in a whisper. "You know… Rainbow Dash had talked to Fluttershy as well."

"Really? I was wondering what you two were discussing with her… Uh… Wait. Rainbow Dash? Really?" I retorted while my memories went back to my first Hearts and Hooves Day experience with her. I could still remember the guilt I felt when I could not accept her feelings for me. But with how things have become between Rarity and me in recent months… She surely would have become madly jealous if I would continue denying her that. I suppose if anything, the only reason why I had not informed Rainbow of such a thing was out of worry of what Fluttershy would feel since Rainbow Dash did try to come between us once before. Even though she did back out before she could go too far with it.

My friend seemed noticeably unsurprised by my reaction. She cracked a smile while pushing me onto a stool that was right behind me. "Uh huh. She just happened to come over while I was discussing…well…our chat from earlier with Fluttershy. She did seem really jealous when Fluttershy agreed to let you… What do you call that again? Sharing your love?"

"Well, that's the best way I can describe it. My heart and body belong to Fluttershy, but I have plenty of love to give." I replied while feeling slightly awkward about the whole thing. First there was Rainbow Dash, then there was Rarity, and now Twilight Sparkle. Though to be fair, she started developing feelings for me during my first week in Ponyville at roughly the same time Fluttershy did. It is indeed an odd feeling knowing there is more than one woman who wants you. Though as I explained in an earlier entry, it is not something that is new to me.

"Yeah. Well, Fluttershy felt it was all right for Rainbow Dash to do the same. But…she gave Rainbow that 'stare' of hers and seemed to warn her that you are her man. Come to think of it, did something happen between you two a while ago? Fluttershy really seemed like she was trying to hammer in a fact or something." Twilight explained while looking rather baffled the more she spoke. Just thinking about the scene she described caused me to smirk whimsically while being tempted to laugh.

"Oh, you have no idea. Rainbow Dash met up with me in the park for a picnic lunch and tried to trick me into drinking a love potion of some sort. But she backed out and knocked the cup outta my hand at the last second. I'm not surprised that Fluttershy would still be a bit wary of her after that." I retorted while shaking my head at the memory. Being a sucker for romance, the thought of such a brazen and bold mare using a love potion to get the man she secretly wants sounds really cute despite being about as morally bankrupt as one can get.

My words seemed to catch Twilight be surprise if that look said anything about it. "Love potion?! I was wondering what she wanted that book for… The last time I lent that book to anypony, the Cutie Mark Crusaders took it. I heard something…weird happened last year before I got it back."

"With those girls?! Well, it must've been something pretty crazy. Too bad I wasn't here to see it." I spoke with my voice being a bit louder than usual. Those three fillies can certainly get themselves into a lot of trouble when someone is not around to keep them on the right path. Fortunately, my input during their meetings has largely kept them out of trouble for a while. Mitta's presence also probably helps with that.

Twilight then seemed to proceed to finish up our conversation. "Well, I think I've distracted you long enough from the party." However, she then began to cutely curl her left foreleg around her right while nervously rubbing it. While averting her eyes, she then spoke rather meekly. "Also… Next time you come by my place and Spike isn't around… Do you think we…uh…"

I could see that she was not used to being in love at all and was feeling very insecure about herself. So I reached out and tenderly caressed her mane. "Twilight, I always have time for a kiss and cuddle. I'll teach you all I know about how to love."

Her expression instantly brightened before she pushed her head against my hand. "Thanks. I love to learn and I want to learn all I can about love. Just…uh…make sure Spike never sees us getting too cuddly. I don't think he's mature enough to understand this kind of friendship."

"Yeah, definitely not. Anyway, let's get back to having some fun. No telling how long this party will last." I replied while feeling eager to get back to enjoying the festivities. Parties like that one do not happen very often.

"Oh, sure! Well, I'll be around if you wanna chat. Now, where did Princess Celestia go?" Twilight spoke while she trotted away before heading up the stairs. With no one else in the way, I set my sights on the Cutie Mark Crusaders at the far end of the storefront.

As I drew near, I could hear Button Mash going on and on about some video game he had played. But after listening a while longer, I could make out from the mention of a paladin and archer that he was referring to the spectacular Equestrian Heroes he and I had played together not that long ago. By all means, try that game with a friend or three. The more players you have, the better the experience is.

Finally, I decided to speak up in a way only he would understand. "Well, good day, little archer. You been keeping your aim sharp since our last outing through the forest?"

The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Spike looked up at me quite suddenly. But before either could speak up, Button Mash beat them to the punch while waving at me. "You bet, Sir James! Keep that sword sharp, because who knows when the dark lord will strike next!"

"What's he talkin' about, James? Did he see ya in yer armor or something?" Apple Bloom asked while I brought myself to a sitting position beside her and Scootaloo.

"Huh?! Armor?! You have armor?! You're a real knight?!" Button Mash spoke up in excitement, apparently having instantly caught on to Apple Bloom's words a little too easily.

Before I could even counter his words, Sweetie Belle stood up and spoke in my place. "You bet! It looks really cool with all that dark blue and gold with a pair of really big white wings! It's also got a helmet that has a really big pretty mane coming outta the back that looks like an aurora around the night sky!"

I tried to get a word in there and started to open my mouth to speak. But, as expected, Scootaloo beat me to it. "He's also got a big sword and a really big shield! You should've seen him! He did a cool rising spinning slash! Like this!" She then grabbed a plastic fork from a plate nearby in her mouth before suddenly doing a spinning jump with it sticking out to her side. Her little wings flapped rapidly with letting out a familiar clicking buzz in the process, carrying her a little higher before she dropped back down.

Just as I was about to interrupt, Spike spoke up too. "Oh yeah, I saw it too! And that sword's blade glows in the dark! And the light feels warm, like from the sun."

This was all it took to send Button Mash on a spazzing tirade. He suddenly climbed onto me while looking at me with extreme excitement. "That all sounds so cool! Did you slay any dragons?! Did you ever fight the real Nightmare Moon?! How big is that sword and shield?! Did Princess Celestia ever knight you?! What kinda monsters have you gone up against?! Does your sword really glow?! What's your armor made of?! Can you show me it sometime?!"

Over and over, he spouted question after question. Kids… And every few seconds I would speak his name to get his attention, only to be drowned out by his constant questions. Finally, after close to a full minute of bombarding me with questions and requests, most of which I do not even remember, I resorted to shouting his name while placing my hand on his head. "BUTTON!"

That got him to shut up. He looked right me with a rather wary look as if I had intimidated him. I then spoke more calmly. "Yes, I do have a sword and shield. Yes, I do have a winged suit of armor. Yes, I have gone up against the real Nightmare Moon. Yes, the sword really does glow in poor lighting. No, I have not slain any dragons. No, Celestia and Luna have not knighted me. And… I don't know if I'll ever be able to show you. It's not like I can wear it at any time. Besides, I don't know if I would be comfortable having access to it whenever I want. It's best to only use it when you need it instead of all the time."

Button stood silent the entire time as if he was just drinking in my words. Every now and then, he would nod. Finally, the little colt beamed at me. "Only use it when you need it and not all the time? Got it." He then looked over at Scootaloo and grinned broadly. "Your big brother's really cool, Scootaloo!"

"You better believe it! I heard he took on a timber wolf a little while ago!" Scootaloo replied while looking rather proud of the fact.

"Hey, that wolf just needed to be reminded that they can't even digest meat. I didn't really fight the thing." I replied while remembering the day I spent with Derpy not very long ago. It was then that I remembered something I should have said earlier. "Speaking of that day, thanks for that wooden sword you girls crafted for me. It really came in handy that day."

Sweetie Belle gave me a big smile while looking at Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "It did?! Wow, I thought you'd never have to really use it! But Apple Bloom did most of the work. We just carried all the wood and supplies to make it."

I looked down at the little farm filly and rubbed her head while she smiled at my touch. "Well, you did a fine job on that, Apple Bloom. You used some good wood too since it's still no worse for the wear after that little scuffle."

The little farm filly then caught me by surprise with what she said next. "Yeah, I was goin' for tough wood that won't break or crack when it hits somethin', so I used some **Ipê wood since that wood's some sturdy and durable stuff. It stands up ta water really nicely too and termites won't bother it. It also don't burn that easily."**

**It was especially surprising to hear that little filly speak so professionally about how she did it. Just how does that girl not have her cutie mark yet?! She is so obviously a master of woodworking and design! Well, maybe not a master with how young she is, but it is clearly her calling. Still, I am sure it will not be much longer before she figures it out. Even Scootaloo, Button Mash, Sweetie Belle, and Spike seemed a bit lost while listening to her talking about the details of the type of wood she used. **

**There was an awkward silence in the air from listening to Apple Bloom do into such detail, so I decided to break I. "So…uh… Oh, right. Spike, did you let them know yet?"**

**The little dragon boy seemed a bit lost. Perhaps it had slipped his mind. "Uh… Sorry, I forgot. What was I supposed to say?"**

**I rolled my eyes while cracking a smile. I then looked at the three fillies around me and asked, "Do you know what tomorrow is? Or rather, do you know what will have happened a full year ago by tomorrow?" **

**The three fillies seemed noticeably confused. Scootaloo spoke first while rubbing her head. "Uh… The one year anniversary of the day I first thought up my wind walk trick?"**

**Apple Bloom spoke next. "The one year anniversary of when I choked on my first apple core?"**

**It was Sweetie Belle who successfully guessed it. "Ooh! I know! It's the one year anniversary since the day we first met you, James! Right?"**

**I grinned at the unicorn filly's answer and gently patted her head. "Yup. It's also the one year anniversary of when I met Spike too. I was thinking… How would you four like to go out to dinner to celebrate?" **

**Scootaloo jumped into the air and hovered for a few seconds in excitement while her little wings buzzed. "To celebrate the day I first met my big brother?! You bet! Come on, girls! I'm game!"**

**Apple Bloom looked up at me and smiled brightly. "You bet! I still remember how ya snatched Diamond Tiara's cutie mark right off 'er flank! That got 'er good!" **

**However, Sweetie Belle suddenly looked a little uneasy. "Wait! You're not gonna invite Diamond Tiara, are you?"**

**I honestly almost laughed at that question. "Are you kidding? She might be a nice girl now, but that day was when she became my first real enemy in Equestria. I'm not inviting her along to celebrate that!" The rest of us got a good laugh out of that. If I was going to celebrate anything with Diamond Tiara, it would be a celebration of the day where she finally learned the errors of her ways. And that would not be until a week later. "Anyway… You kids wanna stop by the arcade after dinner for some fun tomorrow?"**

**Spike seemed pretty stoked for that suggestion. "Oh, you bet! I'd love to try out that Equestrian Heroes game!"**

**Button Mash then spoke up with a look of desperation on his face. "What about me?! Can I tag along too?!"**

**Having Button Mash along for the ride did not sound like a bad idea at all. He really is a fun kid. Cute as a button too. "Sure thing, Button. Let's try for 6:30."**

**Not much later, I decided to leave the kids alone to play and headed back upstairs to see what was going on. By the time I got there, I saw that Pinkie Pie had already put away her collapsible stage and the little tables set out throughout the room. It seemed that everyone had gone back to just enjoying themselves while also enjoying the delicious treats set out on the refreshment table. I saw Celestia engaged in conversation with Twilight Sparkle before Nightmare Moon joined in. However, I then felt something lightly touch my cheek. Obviously a kiss.**

** "****Happy anniversary, honey." I heard a quiet meek voice speak. And sure enough, Fluttershy was hovering right next to me. And I was quick to return the favor with a quick smooch on her lips.**

** "****Thanks, Fluttershy. How's the…huh?!" I said to her before suddenly feeling land on my back. Even though it was enough to make me stagger forward, it did not feel all that heavy. "Someone there?"**

** "****Heya, James. Sup, Fluttershy? You two digging this party?" A familiar voice spoke up from just beside my head. With a quick glance, I saw that Rainbow Dash was piggybacking on me.**

**Fluttershy got a good giggle at the random entrance our brazen friend made. I certainly would not expect her to jump on like that. Good thing she is such a lightweight. Fluttershy then proceeded to offer a retort to Rainbow's question. "It's been a great party so far. Definitely one of Pinkie's better parties. How about you?"**

** "****Oooh, I'm just loving it. Good food, great friends to chill with, and the nicest hunk in town makes it all complete." Rainbow replied, although I was beginning to notice a bit of a slur in her speech. What was more, I noticed how…direct she was being about her feelings towards me, which is strange when one considers her ego and the fact that quite a few other ponies were around us. **

** "****Uh… Rainbow? Are you feeling OK?" I asked while turning my head to look at her. When we locked eyes, I saw that her expression was blissful, yet listless. There was also a noticeable pink hue in her cheek. I swear that she also felt surprisingly warm to the touch… Warm… Oh good lord.**

** "****Oh yeah, I'm feeling good. Really gooooood… Hey, I got an idea. How about we duck into the bathroom for a little while?" Rainbow Dash spoke in that slurred voice while looking positively stoned. **

** "****Uh… Why? What's happening in there?" Fluttershy asked while looking increasingly creeped out. This was certainly bizarre behavior from Rainbow. **

**Rainbow Dash spoke again without once looking away from me. I could feel myself beginning to sweat with how hot and nervous I was becoming. "Why? Well, you ever heard the saying that there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? I bet you wanna see what's at the end of mine, big guy." **

**By this point, I was beginning to have my suspicions. And Fluttershy was just looking on with her jaw hanging open. Without offering a reply, I looked over at Applejack at the far side of the room. She was looking on from right next to ciders casks with a somewhat bewildered expression on her face. "AJ, you only let Rainbow have some of the %5 cider, right?!" **

** "****Uh…" Applejack stammered before grabbing a used tankard that was resing on the table. She took a quick sniff of it before turning it upside-down and letting a leftover drop of its contents drip onto her tongue. A second later, she frowned and let out a groan. "Dagnabbit, that was the %50 cider!" **

** "****Oh, well, that explains everything, doesn't it?!" I replied in exasperation as I realized right there that Rainbow Dash was not getting frisky with me, but rather that her inhibitions had been removed from being drunk! **

**Rainbow dash grinned at me with a drunkenly lustful smirk before speaking to me. "Yeah, so what if I had some of the strong stuff? Come on, big guy. Let's head on up." She then started to flap her wings as if to try to pull me backwards to the steps that lead up to the second floor of Pinkie's loft and towards her bathroom. Fortunately for me, the flapping of her wings was so out of sync; they were hardly generating any lift at all.**

** "****Knock it off, Rainbow! That's just the booze talking!" I spoke rather loudly while trying to get away from her or find someone who was willing to pry her off of me. However, I was not having much luck since pretty much everyone was starting to burst into laughter at my predicament. Though to be fair, I too was tempted to laugh. "Stop laughing, guys! This isn't funny!" **

All the while of me trying to reach behind me and yank Rainbow Dash off me, that drunken pegasus mare kept trying to coax me into ducking into Pinkie Pie's bathroom to see 'what lies at the end of her rainbow' or however she said it. "Come on, James. I know ya want me. Quit playing hard to get!"

"All right, fine! Pinkie, can we use your bathroom for a bit? I need to have a word with this…nympho." I finally spoke up with a groan while looking towards my silly pink friend.

Pinkie Pie was covering her mouth with one hoof before pointing to the walkway that rounded the room higher up against the wall. "OK. Just head up the steps over there and go through that door. You can't miss it." She explained before forcing out another giggle.

With an annoyed scowl on my face, I climbed the steps before making my way to the blue wooden door at the far end of the room. Upon stepping through that door, I found myself in a very cramped stairwell. And upon reaching the top and stepping through the door at the top, I found myself in Pinkie Pie's bathroom at the very top of Sugarcube Corner. The bathtub was located in the very center of the room and seemed to be of one of those old fashioned designs, being all white and being atop four black 'feet' on the underside. The faucet was unusually high above the tub and seemed to be more like a showerhead, giving it more than one function. A ring that looked like a red and white peppermint hula-hoop hung above the tub while a light blue shower curtain hung from it. The whole thing was adorned with images of various treats liked wrapped candies, cupcakes, lollipops, cookies, and so forth. Definitely fitting for Sugarcube Corner. A sink with a design that brought to mind a ceramic flower planter was nearby with a faucet that was very similar to the one over the bathtub. Just behind it was an oval mirror with a pink frame that was adorned with yellow baubles that gave me the impression that they might be lights. The top of the frame stuck upward while bearing a strong resemblance to a club you might see on a playing card. A magenta heart design adorned the frame just above the mirror itself. A toilet was between two of the windows and did not seem worth describing, though it had a fluffy pink topping for the seat cover. There was a window at each of the cardinal directions of the room's walls with long pale blue curtains at their sides. And surprisingly enough, the tub was already filled with warm water.

"Sweet. You ready for some fun, big guy?" Rainbow Dash mumbled to me while looking at me from right next to my face.

By that point, I knew exactly what I wanted to do to her. "No, but I'm ready to drop you like a bad habit." Without further delay, I grabbed one of her hind legs and yanked her off of me before dropping her right into the tub with a splash.

Seconds later, Rainbow Dash lifted herself from the tub and coughed up some water. I was not trying to hurt her. In fact, I was hoping a good dunk in some warm water by bring her back to her senses a bit. However, she soon looked at me with that lustful look on her face again and panted. "Playing…hard to get…huh?"

Not wanting anyone to walk in on us during this chat, I locked the bathroom door to prevent any intrusions. Rainbow then hopped out of the tub and flung water everywhere while shaking herself off like a wet dog. She then slunk low to the ground and began to playfully narrow the distance between us with a very unsteady gait. I suppose she is really someone who cannot hold her liquor. The most I had ever seen her drink was six or so tankards of the %5 cider, but I suppose a single full tankard of %50 cider trumps that by a landslide.

Finally, I held up my hand and spoke one word. "Stop."

Rainbow seemed to listen and stopped her approach, but she still had that smirk on her face while staying low to the ground. Seeing that I had her attention, I decided to ask her the most obvious question. "Do you know you're drunk?"

"So what if I am?! I'm still me! And I know what I wanna do now." Rainbow replied before starting to draw closer again. But when she came close enough, I grabbed her by the shoulders to hold her down.

"Knock it off! You know I'm with Fluttershy, Rainbow! I told you before that this is the one thing I can't give you. So stop it." I finally raised my voice to her while being as strict as I could be. It did not feel good to have to put my friend down like that, but I had to draw the line.

At a painfully slow rate, I saw Rainbow's drunkenly blissful expression start to sink into something far from joyous. Soon, she gazed at me with a mournful expression that seemed vaguely familiar. "You think I don't know that?!"

Seeing that she had likely lost the drive to do whatever it was she wanted to do before, I let myself relax and took a seat on the floor. "Are you OK?"

Drunk as she was, Rainbow Dash let out a sigh and turned her head away. "I don't even know… I mean… I remember that day… I can still remember your touch… I can even kinda remember your taste…"

"You…never really were able to let go of your feelings, were you?" I asked as a feeling of guilt began to well up inside my heart. That occurrence on Hearts and Hooves Day still lingers at the back of my mind at times. And it is not always pleasant to recall.

Rainbow Dash looked right at me and took one step before stopping, as if waiting for a signal. I saw what she wanted and held out my arms. She then walked forward and fell into my arms before a sob escaped her lips. "I can't… You're… You're the first guy I ever felt this way about… I can't let go, James… I just can't bring myself to stop loving you… It feels wrong to let go…"

A long sigh escaped my lips. My arms wrapped tenderly around her, holding her limp form against me. It was very rare to see Rainbow Dash looking and acting so vulnerable. The alcohol in her system was definitely allowing her to let go of her inhibitions in order to let out her true feelings. She must have been holding in these painful emotions for quite some time.

While my hand tenderly stroked her mane, Rainbow continued to speak. "There are times…when I lie in my bed at night… I still remember that last kiss we had… When it felt like you were mine, even just for a minute. I swear my body aches for you sometimes… I wish you were mine, James… I wish I could be your mare… And I don't care how corny that sounds."

I had no words for her at that time. I mean, what could I say to that? Sorry for making her miserable by getting into a relationship with another woman? All I could do was hold her close to me before placing a kiss on your forehead. "Rainbow… I don't know what to say about all that…"

"Well… Could we just sit here for a minute? I just needed to let that out… I don't wanna put you on a guilt trip… I just needed to vent…" Rainbow Dash muttered softly without really moving in my grasp.

"Sure…" I replied softly. But after a moment more of silence, I decided to try to speak to her. "Rainbow… I want you to know that I do love and cherish you. As much as we bump heads over your ridiculous ego, I just can't imagine being without you. You're important to me."

Rainbow Dash took a long deep breath before lifting her head to gaze at me with her beautiful rose-colored eyes. "Come to think of it…I don't think we've been bumping heads as often as we used to… I guess you've been rubbing off on me, huh?"

"I guess that's how things work with those you love. Maybe you subconsciously adjust your habits in order to make those people more comfortable around you." I retorted while looking down at her. "Still… Just remember, Rainbow. I can never give you my heart or my body. But I have plenty of love to share."

A rather forlorn smile spread across her lips while the tears began to slow. "Yeah, I know… Fluttershy and Twilight told me about it." She then nudged me with her hoof and gave me a smirk. "And just how long were you planning on hiding that from me? Been smooching Rarity behind my back, right?"

She had a good point there. Why had I allowed Rarity to get so close to me while not paying much mind to Rainbow's feelings towards me? "Uh… Good point. Well…better late than never, right?"

I then felt that brazen pegasus wrap her arms around the back of my neck before giving me a lustful smirk. "Then how about you give me something you've been keeping from me for a while?"

Before I could say anything, I felt her lips upon mine. Almost instinctively, I pressed into the kiss as well. I felt the passion she was exuding. The boldness. Her feelings towards me are no mere crush. They are true. I felt the touch of her tongue. The taste within her mouth. It had the faint strong taste of an alcoholic beverage, but also the sweet aftertaste of apple cider. The instant we broke the kiss, Rainbow Dash let out a long sigh of sincere satisfaction. "Oh man, I needed that… Just as sweet as the last time."

"Yeah… For someone as wild as you, you really know how to give a good kiss." I retorted while stroking her rainbow-striped mane.

Rainbow Dash gave me a drunken grin before tenderly nuzzling her head against my chest. "Sweet as honey, but tough as nails when you need to be. It's no wonder so many mares want you, James. And for you to have the balls to be willing to share love with them while keeping your heart reserved for your real sweetheart… That takes some serious guts. I don't think a lot of folks would understand that."

"Thanks for understanding, Rainbow. You want another smooch before we head back to the party?" I asked, knowing that Rainbow was likely aching for some attention after the last time we spent such quality time with each other. However, I did not get the response I was expecting.

My wild mare of a friend looked at me and raised one hoof. "I'd love to, James. I really would, but not this time. I'm drunk. Even I know that. And I swear that if we have another kiss like that right now, I know I won't be able to stop myself from pinning you down and riding you until dawn. And I don't wanna do that to Fluttershy."

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuh….. Point taken, I guess…" I retorted while rather unnerved by that particular thought. At least she had the foresight to give me that warning.

Before I could stand up, Rainbow Dash nuzzled her head against me once more. "Still… Thanks for doing this for me, James. If I ever catch you alone, you better expect a smooch from me. And remember… If anything goes wrong between you and Fluttershy, I'll be there for you. I know that probably won't ever happen, but you'll always have me."

"I'm flattered, Rainbow. You're one awesome girl. Now, let's get back to the party before the others start to wonder what's keeping us…" I replied before my eyes fell upon the toilet at the far end of the room. "Actually, could you head on down without me? I'd like to take the chance to use the bathroom while I'm up here."

"Huh? The bath…oh, I getcha. OK, I'll see you down there." Rainbow Dash spoke with a nod before staggering to her feet and unlocking the door. But just after she left the room, I heard a yell and numerous crashes and thuds. Did she just fall down the stairs?! Fortunately, my fears were swiftly grounded when I heard Rainbow call out. "I'm OK!" I broke down into a snickering fit at that unexpected slipup and locked the door behind me. Once I was done reliving myself in the bathroom, I headed back downstairs to enjoy myself with the rest of the partygoers.

The party went on for quite some time. By the time the very first guests had begun to leave, the sky was already painted black and dotted with stars. It still impresses me how subtle Luna and Celestia can be when lowering and raising the sun and moon. I have been in Equestria so long; I do not even remember at times that they are responsible for it.

The first guests to depart were the youngest. Eleina had to get Button Mash home to get him ready for bed so he would be rested for school tomorrow. The poor little guy tried to argue with his mother for quite a bit, but his frequent yawning was a clear sign that he was reaching his limit. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon departed without incident as well, though I have no idea what became of Ruby. That filly just comes and goes as she pleases. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had to depart soon as well, so Big Macintosh decided to escort them. Applejack insisted on staying longer though and Scootaloo decided to try to stay up as late as she could. Then again, there was no one home at the time, so it seemed wrong to send her on without Fluttershy and myself.

One by one, the other guests began to depart. Lyra and Zecora headed out first while Mr. and Mrs. Cake began to clean the place up. In all honesty, it felt rather…sad to see the party end. I took a seat on a stool in the storefront and gazed at the area before me. Much of the snacks and sweet goodies had been consumed and several unfinished cupcakes had been left here and there. Everyone else was likely upstairs while Pinkie Pie did a bit more standup. Even though I was enjoying a bit of respite from the party, the atmosphere felt much quieter than before. Almost depressing, even. Parties like this are quite rare, even with Pinkie Pie, and I was certainly going to miss it.

Out of nowhere, I heard a voice speak up beside me. "Hiya, James! Having a good time?" Somehow, Pinkie Pie had snuck up on me despite having been doing some standup just moments before. I must have really been lost in my thoughts to not detect her.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm just chilling for a bit to pace myself. I'll be back in the action soon…" I replied while letting out a yawn. However, I think Pinkie Pie was quick to notice I did not seem entirely happy.

"Are you OK? Did something happen? You look like you're feeling kinda down." Pinkie inquired while lightly patting my shoulder. It is not often that I see her mellow out like that. She is almost always really peppy and jumpy.

Seeing no reason to be dishonest with my friend, I looked around slowly while explaining my mood to her. "Well… I guess the only problem is that the party's over. It just feels…sad to see such a fun event having to end, even though you know it has to. It would be one thing if it happened again tomorrow, but parties would not be parties if they became daily routine." I then looked at her and smiled just slightly. "Kind of funny how they are at their most enjoyable yet most depressing when they are kept spread out, huh?"

Pinkie Pie mirrored my expression. She smiled as well, though it was hardly noticeable. "Uh huh. I know what you mean. That's why I do my best to make every party the best it can be. So it will have been worth the wait! Did I do a good job on this one, James? I did set it up just for you, after all."

"Definitely one of the most enjoyable and memorable parties you've set up since I came here, Pinkie. You did a fine job." I replied while rubbing my hand over her poofy mane. "Actually, will you be throwing this party again next year?"

"You bet! You're the first human ever seen in Equestria, so it's an important anniversary!" Pinkie replied promptly while performing one of her springy hops. "I hope it'll be just as fun for you next year. I really wanted to make you smile with this party. I hardly ever see you smile. My other friends smile all the time, but I think I only see you smile half the time."

I suppose she has a point there. Despite Pinkie and I being on very good terms with each other, I am actually impressed by how little in common we have. Where she is peppy and optimistic, I am much more mellow and…not nearly as optimistic. She is definitely my foil. Come to think of it, I believe that is the same kind of connection she has to Twilight Sparkle as well….. Huh. I suppose Twilight and I have more in common than I expected. Of course, just because we have so little in common does not mean I dislike her. I sincerely appreciate Pinkie's exuberance and hold her close to my heart.

"You notice that, huh? Well, it doesn't mean I'm unhappy or anything. I'm just really relaxed most of the time." I explained, wanting to reassure Pinkie that I am not a depressed person.

My friend grinned brightly at me before speaking. "Yeah, I know. But it feels really good whenever I make you smile. The smiles you don't see very often are usually the nicest to see."

"Aww… Come here, Pinkie." I spoke while holding out my arms to her. She did not miss a beat and quickly wrapped her arms around me while I did the same. However, I soon felt a familiar sensation as more and more arms embraced me in a group hug. Next thing I knew, my other five dearest friends were around me and holding me in a tender embrace. "Girls…?"

Applejack spoke first. "Happy anniversary, pardner."

"One full year already… How time flies. Right, darlings?" Rarity added without even opening her eyes.

"And hopefully the first of many." Twilight spoke with her lips being almost right next to my ear. This group hug… I had received one just like it on my first night in Ponyville. How nostalgic…

Before much more time had passed, the sound of hooves clopping could be heard coming down the stairs. And soon, I noticed Derpy stick her head out from behind the wall of the stairwell behind the counter and look at us. "Uh… Bad time to say goodbye?"

At her words, my friends let go of me and scattered a bit. Rainbow, noticeably less drunk than before, spoke up first. "Uh… Nope! What's up? You heading out?"

Derpy grinned before trotting over to us while Celestia, Nightmare Moon, Luna, Mitta, Cadence, and Shining Armor soon followed. "Yeah, I need to get home to rest up for tomorrow. Postal workers gotta stay on top of their schedules!"

She went right over to me for a goodbye hug and that is exactly what I gave her. "It was great to have you with us tonight, Derpy. Have things been better at your workplace?"

The mailmare nodded while looking at me with her yellow derped eyes. "Uh huh. I do get criticized when I screw up, but they don't rub it in anymore. I just have to learn from my mistakes so I don't keep making everypony mad. But anyway, I need to get going. See you later! And happy anniversary!" With one last wave, Derpy trotted out the door and took to the air just before the door could close.

"Derpy's such a sweetheart, isn't she?" Fluttershy asked while Cadence and Shining Armor began to draw near.

"Yup. It's always nice to have her around." I replied to her while I turned my gaze to the young couple who was looking at me. "You guys heading out?"

Shining Armor nodded while gesturing with his hoof. "Yeah, I got a bunch of new recruits in and need to teach them how to properly use spears tomorrow. And Estoc doesn't know the first thing about using spears."

Twilight then trotted over her brother and gave him a traditional equine hug while he draped his foreleg over her back. "It was great to see you, bro. You coming for Nightmare Night in a couple of months?"

For some reason, Armor seemed to smirk while pausing to think for a moment. "Oooh… Maybe. We'll have to come with some costume designs first." However, he then looked over at Cadence and gave her a wink. "Honey, I don't think you and Twilight have done 'it' since the last time. Wanna fix that?"

Twilight and Cadence immediately glanced at each other before grinning enthusiastically. They then winked at each other before standing before each other and… Actually, I am very sure I already described this little skit during the journal entry I wrote on the night I first attended the Grand Galloping Gala. Regardless, they chanted together while the rest of us looked on. "Sunshine sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

Quite a few of the partygoers around me got a good giggle at just how adorable that performance was. I merely crossed my arms and shook my head while smiling broadly. "Man, that never gets old."

Once Cadence and Twilight had shared a hug, Cadence then approached me and extended a hoof to me. "It was a pleasure getting to know you a bit better. We really didn't have much time to chat last time."

I smiled while reaching out and holding the lovely alicorn in a tender embrace while she did the same. She really is quite the sweetheart, almost as if she is just bursting with tenderness. "Likewise. It was great to see you again."

Armor and I shared a friendly handshake before he and his wife made their way to the doorway. "Awesome party, but it's time to get going. We don't wanna miss the last train to Canterlot. Take care!" We all bid them farewell and watched them head off into the night.

Lastly, it was the royal sisters' turn to say farewell. They did not seem to have much time to actually speak though. Celestia was quick to share one last equine hug with Twilight before the three of them made their way to the door. Luna spoke first while showing a satisfied smile. "It was great to see you all again, but we must be returning to Canterlot at once. The guards and servants must be in quite an uproar by now since they cannot find my sister anywhere." She rolled her eyes before smirking at Celestia.

The Princess of the Dawn giggled rather nervously while backing away towards the door. "Oh, come now, Luna. It was worth it! I seldom get to just let loose at parties like this!"

Nightmare Moon then chuckled while using magic to hold the front door open for her sisters. "We really should attend these parties more often. But yes, it is time for us to depart. Thank you for the invitations. And sweetest dreams for all of you, my friends."

While my friends bid them farewell, I was left silent for a moment. The last of the princesses to head out the door was Nightmare Moon. And as she stepped outside, I noticed her glance back at me for a second just before the door closed behind her. A sense of desperation came over me. Celestia's words from earlier echoed in my mind. I had to do something before they could depart. "Excuse me."

Without much thought, I pushed my way through the front door and looked around. The area was dark, a half moon hanging in the sky. I glanced around quickly, catching sight of the three alicorns as they ascended into the air with wings spread. I did all I could to get their attention and called out. "Wait!"

Fortunately, they were not quite out of earshot. The three princesses stopped ascending and began to hover in place. They were quite a sight, their grand wings spread wide while flapping to keep them airborne. All three gazed down at me. I was unsure of what to say. I was not even sure of what I wanted. However, Celestia then inched closer to Nightmare Moon and seemed to whisper something to her. Immediately afterward, the Princess of Dreams descended and landed before me. Her gaze showed curiosity. "You wished to see me, my friend?"

Celestia must have known exactly what I had wanted. I did not even say anything. Even so, I tried to be honest. "Well… Uh…" I then took a step closer. "I kind of…don't want to see you go."

A pained expression filled the beautiful and exotic eyes of the mare before me. Her response was soft while her sisters hovered above us. "I… I do not wish to leave either."

After a moment more of silence, I reached out to her at exactly the same time she did. I then held my friend in my arms while she did the same. I could feel myself quiver for an instant. Was I…falling in love? No, it could not possibly be that. She is precious to me. Oh so precious. But my heart belongs to Fluttershy. Even so… What was I feeling? It was certainly a rare sensation. I just felt so…serene in her grasp at that time.

I could hear every sigh that escaped my friend's lips as I held her against me. My hand caressed the back of her neck with long slow strokes. Soon, she spoke softly to me. "I will see you before long in your dreams. Wait for me, my friend."

"Sounds good to me." I replied briefly, my lungs releasing a long sigh of my own.

I am not certain exactly how much time passed. But when we did release our grasps on each other, it was too soon. I could still see the want in her eyes. I wish we could have spent more time together, but I know her duties as princess come first. A burden of royalty that I have no love for. Even so, she did crack a smile and whisper to me. "My sister dropped something off at your home. She will send some guards to retrieve it in the morning, so enjoy it this evening."

I was baffled by this revelation. Celestia dropped off something for me to borrow for the night? Now I was curious. "Um… Thanks?"

As much as I did not want to see her depart, I had no choice. After one last tender embrace, I watched as Nightmare Moon spread her sable wings and rose into the air. She and her sisters waved at me while I waved back at them. They then turned and soared higher into the night sky and flew east until they vanished from sight.

I did not look away until the three royal alicorns could no longer been seen against the deep blue canvas spread over the night sky. But when I turned around to head back inside Sugarcube Corner, I found all of my remaining friends already standing outside waiting for me.

"Ya forget to say goodbye?" Applejack asked while my friends drew near.

"I guess you could say… Wait, where'd you find them?" I retorted while noticing that Spike and Scootaloo were fast asleep on Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy's backs respectively. Did they finally succumb to their internal clocks and pass out somewhere?

Mitta flashed me a grin before proceeding to explain. "I found them asleep under the refreshment table. The tablecloth was hanging low enough to hide them."

Pinkie Pie then rubbed her hoof against her chin in pondering. "Hmmm, I was wondering why we were two guests short for the last twenty minutes. I didn't think they left."

Twilight giggled in response while looking back at her sleeping passenger. "Well, it is past Spike's bedtime. And Scootaloo has school tomorrow, right?"

Fluttershy responded before I could. "Oh, right. She does. We better get her home so we can get her in bed."

However, Rainbow Dash then spoke up with a voice that sounded even more slurred than the one she was speaking with a few hours earlier. "Hey, you just leave that to me. I'll…ugh…I'll drop her off at your place for you. And you two can bunk at my place for toni…for… What was I saying again?"

Every last mare there was giving her funny looks after hearing that. And with how she was constantly swaying… I finally had to address this. "Rainbow, I thought you were just about sober by now!"

"She ain't! I saw 'er drinkin' from the %50 cask! I reckon she downed at least a tankard of the stuff before I got to 'er!" Applejack explained while looking mildly annoyed. Was she just going for the strong stuff because of how easily it loosened her up? Rainbow Dash has never given off the vibe of an alcoholic. Perhaps she just really digs the cider Sweet Apple Acres cranks out now and then and goes out of her way to gorge herself on as much as she can whenever the opportunity arises.

"Yeah, I did! So whaddya say we… Uh… We head on over to my place for some…fun games and…and… Whoa, I'm seeing triple the goodness now! Wanna make it a threesome? Or a…foursome?" She spoke up without any shame. And…was she suffering from double vision?!

Rarity was clearly unnerved by just what Rainbow Dash was hinting at. No subtlety at all. "Rainbow… I believe all that alcohol has finally gone to your head… Perhaps you should get home right now and guzzle some water to avoid a hangover when you wake up in the morning."

Before Rainbow could inquire further on my decision, I decided to settle it right there. "Before you say anything else, no. I'm not bunking with you tonight. Not like I could anyway, seeing as how your house is made of clouds."

This clearly got through to her, even if her judgment was greatly hindered at the time. "Ooooh, good point. Well, maybe some other time! I guess I gotta swap out all that cloud for some wood."

Rainbow Dash then went airborne, albeit while constantly swaying from side to side with her wings flapping out of sync. Twilight was clearly concerned for our drunken friend and called out to her before she could fly off. "Rainbow, you're too drunk to fly properly! Just walk until you get home!"

However, Rainbow was having none of Twilight's advice. "What are ya talking about?! I've flown drunk before! Besides, I'm unstoppable! Anyway, I'll see you girls to…ow!" Sure enough, she flew smack into Sugarcube Corner's roof while we all looked on with laughs and chuckles filling the air. In all honesty, it was hard not to laugh.

"Ugh… I'm OK! Anyway, I'll talk to ya some…oof!" She spoke out before being interrupted by a face-first collision with a house across the road. "I mean… I guess I'll…Argh! Aw, forget it!" Finally, after another loud thud, she just swooped out of sight without saying anything else. However, we then heard another distant crash and a yell from Rainbow Dash while we all burst into hysterical laughter. "DANG IT!"

"Well, can't deny she makes for some great entertainment when she's in that state! And I guess I learned something new today! Never fly drunk!" I spoke up once my laughter had ceased.

"Is she always that heavy a drinker?" Mitta asked while wiping some tears from her eyes. She must have been laughing especially hard.

"Well, when it comes ta my cider, she drinks like a fish. Gotta remember ta keep 'er away from the stronger stuff from now on." Applejack replied while shaking her head with a big amused smirk on her lips.

"Well, I really need to get back inside and help clean the place up. We're open tomorrow, you know! And thanks for coming!" Pinkie Pie spoke up before heading back over to the front door. But just before she could open it, my party animal of a friend looked over at me and gave me a wink. "And thank you for coming to Ponyville in the first place, James!"

"I know… Can you believe it's only been a year by now? It almost feels like it was just a couple of months ago." Fluttershy replied while looking up at me with a timid smile.

"I can hardly believe it myself. Man, time flies. But in all fairness, we really should be getting home now. Gotta get Scoot to bed." I replied while looking down at the sleeping filly on my girlfriend's back.

"Right, we really shouldn't be keeping you. We'll all chat again very soon, darlings. Let's be off now, Mitta. And stellar party, Pinkie." Rarity spoke next before she began to walk off into with Mitta by her side. However, Mitta then looked over her shoulder and waved at all of us.

"I really enjoyed the party! Let's do this again sometime!" She spoke loudly while Rarity too waved goodbye. One by one, we all said our farewells before heading home. As fun as those kinds of parties are, they tend to wear you out.

Fluttershy must have been just as tired as I was on the way home. We hardly spoke at all. Although I suppose it would be hard to speak considering the atmosphere. The occasional hiss of cicadas serenaded the chirping and ringing of crickets while we were bathed by the glow of the moon. Definitely a little bit of magic you can only hear in summer. And when we began to cross the meadow that our home stood in, the audio magic was joined by a visual form of magic that you seldom get to see. Hundreds upon hundreds of fireflies rapidly flashing their glows like malfunctioning holiday lights. Fluttershy and I could not really bring ourselves to speak as we walked. If you heard and saw what we were experiencing at the time, you too would likely be rendered speechless while indulging yourself in such sights and sounds.

Scootaloo stayed fast asleep throughout the entire trek. Once we finally did reach our home and step inside though, I noticed something slightly out of the ordinary. Sitting in the middle of a small round blue table just past the fireplace was a shiny silver chalice with a lid on top. "Waaaaiiiiit a minute… Do I know that from somewhere?"

Fluttershy seemed to know exactly what I was thinking and winked at me. "Maybe. Why not take a look inside?"

We approached the table together while Scootaloo remained sprawled out on Fluttershy's back, light snores coming from the little pegasus. When I removed the lid, I saw exactly what I was expecting. A shifting and swirling liquid consisting of a dark blue and white. A familiar liquid metal that I had not seen for a while. I then smirked while looking down at my girlfriend with a shifty stare. "You asked for this to be delivered to us, didn't you? Care to explain why?"

Fluttershy snickered a bit under her breath, apparently finding it funny that I figured it out so quickly. "Well… Yes. I sent a message to Princess Celestia asking if she could bring your armor down here today so we could use it tonight. I was thinking that…um…" She then began to blush, though she hardly seemed afraid. "I was wondering if…if you would like to go out for a…moonlit flight with me. Just the two of us to celebrate this anniversary together."

A flight under the moon with the girl I love? Could she have possibly come up with a more romantic way to spend time together? I sighed while looking down at her with a warm smile. "How could I possibly say no to that? That is one of the most romantic scenarios I've ever heard of." While Fluttershy grinned brightly as a giggle escaped her throat, I gently lifted Scootaloo into my arms. "Just let me get the scooter princess to bed and I'll suit up."

"All right. I'll be out back checking on the chickens. See you soon, honey." Fluttershy replied sweetly before trotting right back out the front door. With no one else to speak to me, I carried my little sister into the side room. I saw little Angela perched on a lantern in the corner. Seeing that my pet dove was fast asleep, I decided to let her sleep in peace.

After pulling down the covers on the little bed, I gently set Scootaloo on the sheets while making certain her head was rested upon the pillow before covering her. While still light, I swear she is significantly heavier when asleep than she is awake. Once covered, I made certain to tuck her in.

Dear little Scootaloo… I cannot fathom that it has been just one day shy of a full year since I first met her. And now she sleeps before me as my own adopted sister. Although… I do have to wonder. Whatever became of her parents? Do they still live? Was she truly orphaned or merely abandoned?

I shook my head while letting out a sigh. There is probably no one in Ponyville who knows the answer by now. And by this point, I suppose it is irrelevant. I am the only family she has now as her brother. And I will confess, while she can be a handful at times, she is quite fun to hang out with. I do not regret allowing her to stay with Fluttershy and me at all.

I feel warmth fill my body while I looked down at the pegasus filly before me. Her head was resting on its side, a barely noticeable smile on her lips. Despite being a complete tomboy, she is just such a precious child. And I adore her for what she is. However, I did not want to keep my lover waiting long. As silently as possible, I lowered my head and placed a soft kiss on Scootaloo's cheek. "Sweet dreams, sis. Love you."

Not wanting to keep Fluttershy waiting any longer than necessary, I walked back into the living room before sliding my shoes off. I then stuck my hand into the liquid and waited. I felt the liquid creeping over me. Sliding and stretching. It covered every bit of flesh and cloth on me, but I never once felt my clothes become wet from absorbing any of it. Bit by bit, the liquid hardened and solidified into a cool metal. And soon, I stood clad in my armor once more. I had all but forgotten how spectacular its design is. And I soon remembered the wings on the back when I tried to get through the front door.

I actually had to take a minute to get myself through the door's frame. I normally have to duck through the doorway already, so having to do so with a suit of sturdy plate armor on with a pair of large wings folded behind my back certainly does not help. Normally, pegasi and alicorns have their wings neatly and compactly folded against their sides. But because my wings have to be much larger in order to lift both my own weight and the armor's, they are simply too large to fold in the same way and hang down behind me instead. That takes up quite a bit of space.

Finally, I managed to squeeze my way out the door and closed it behind me. I then decided to get myself reacquainted with my armor's functions. Namely, the wings. Almost as if reacting to my will, the white wings on my back spread wide open. Despite having not flown for around three months, I soon found everything coming back to me like an old pro and began to ascend into the air. Deciding to catch Fluttershy by surprise, I flew right over the bushy roof of her cottage and spread my wings wide to slowly descend towards the chicken coop in the backyard.

The chickens began to squawk and scatter while I slowly and silently floated down from above. Fluttershy was not facing my direction and clearly did not see me coming. "What's wrong?! Girls, please calm down!"

I cracked a smirk at Fluttershy's obliviousness and landed with a light clank just outside the coop. Even she did not overlook that sound and turned to face me. Her gaze became one of…I cannot find the right word for it, but she fell silent without once blinking while she looked up at me. "Oh…my…"

"Hey there, honey. Ready to fly?" I asked while waving at her with a smile. I had forgotten that I had my wings spread and was reminded of it when I felt myself lean to one side when my left wing got caught in a gust.

"I had completely forgotten how amazing your armor is, James…" Fluttershy spoke softly before hovering up to me. She ran her hooves over my wings while closely inspecting them. "I love how the moonlight shines right off of them. Rarity was right. Your armor is simply fabulous."

I suppose she had a point right there. I had actually forgotten that my wings have quite a luster to them. Despite looking and feeling like soft feathered wings, they are entirely composed of a sturdy metal. And that gives them quite a shine under the light. "Heh, I guess so. Stylish and functional, the best of both worlds."

When Fluttershy looked away from me, she seemed to notice that the chickens had ducked inside the coop for the evening. Or perhaps they were just hiding from me. "Well… I guess it's just us now." She spoke softly before ascending a bit higher into the air. She then looked down at me and gave me a wink. "Shall we?"

I smirked while preparing my wings for flight. "Absolutely. Lead on, honey."

With a great flap, I propelled myself into the air and took off after the lovely pegasus. We rose higher and higher into the night sky, there being hardly a cloud in the sky to obscure Luna's beautiful moon and the shimmering stars dotting the night sky. Our rate of ascension was fairly low; though I am sure Fluttershy preferred it that way. She is not exactly one for heights. While we flew lazily over Ponyville, I felt so calm and relaxed while just gliding along. The sense of freedom that comes from self-generated flight… I can now say that if I had to choose what kind of pony I would like to become, it would have to be a pegasus. Or an alicorn, if possible. You cannot beat the convenience of both flight and magic. But I would definitely choose to be a pegasus if my choices consisted of just the three primary races.

Fluttershy and I would often glance at each other. At one point, we even got into a game of aerial tag. While my larger and stronger wings allowed for greater speed, Fluttershy's smaller form made her a bit more nimble and harder to touch. It was a silly little game, though we both got some laughs out of it. And it was just us and no one else.

Finally, I happened to notice something float in front of the moon. Quite possibly the only cloud in the sky. Being in the mood to just chill for a while, I called out to Fluttershy before pointing to the cloud. She seemed to understand and flew up to it along with me. I almost expected to fall right through it, but it felt quite solid against my armored form. Try to imagine the softest cushion you could possibly touch. That is the best way to describe it.

Fluttershy bounded right over to me and gave me a very content smile. "There's nothing like resting on a cloud, is there?"

"Nope. No wonder Rainbow Dash keeps nodding off when she rests on these. If someone could find a way to turn these things into bedding for unicorns and earth ponies, they could easily start a monopoly on the mattress market." I retorted while snuggling myself into the white cushion below me. Overall, it was not terrible large. Perhaps half the size of our bedroom back home. And despite not wearing my armor's matching helmet, my head rested firmly upon the cloud as well. Must be some sort of magic that affects the entire body that is built into the armor.

My girlfriend giggled at my words, apparently finding the thought of mattresses made of clouds being sold in stores to be rather silly. I could already imagine Rainbow Dash rushing in and obliterating them with punches and kicks for…well…kicks. Perhaps selling these would not be a good idea since pegasi can easily destroy them. Anyway, Fluttershy then curled up beside me with her head resting against the side of my chest.

The two of us just laid there beside each other. My hand tenderly caressed her side over and over, my eyes directed towards the moon hanging in the night sky. "Such a shame it's not a full moon tonight. That would make this moment even better."

"Well, you know what they say. There's a full moon pretty much every twenty-eight days." Fluttershy replied softly while smiling up at me.

Just floating on a cloud in the night sky while being illuminated by the moon and stars. Just… I could not make this up if I tried. We hardly even spoke. We were just basking in each other's presence. Although Fluttershy did eventually break the silence. "I can't believe it's been a full year… I hope we'll have many more years ahead of us together."

"Yeah… Doesn't even feel like it's been that long. But it's been a grand year, hasn't it?" I retorted while leaning down and placing a kiss on my lover's head. However, a thought popped into my head seemingly from nowhere. "Actually… We've been together for quite a while now. Do you think your folks would be OK with us being together?"

Fluttershy did not immediately reply. She did not even look up at me. It was not until after a good ten seconds that she finally did speak. "About them… My parents…"

That was when I made a sudden realization. I have seen Twilight's parents, Pinkie has shown me photos of her family, I have met Rarity's parents, and I have met a few members of Applejack's family, but I have not once seen or heard of Rainbow Dash's or Fluttershy's family members. And I was already getting a bad feeling about them in my gut. "Um… You're not estranged from them, are you?"

My girlfriend shook her head and looked up at me with a rather unhappy expression. "No, it's not that… Um… Well, you did tell me about yours. I guess I should tell you about mine."

I leaned back a bit to allow Fluttershy to rest more easily upon me. I had a bad feeling about what she was about to say. After taking a deep breath, she began to speak. "I never knew my father… And my mother never talked about him. It was always just the two of us. And she was always so sweet and gentle. I really loved her."

The lack of a father in her life actually said quite a bit about Fluttershy's character. Without a strong masculine person in her life, she likely did not have someone to instill confidence into her. But still, I would not have Fluttershy be any other way than how she is right now. Regardless, she continued to speak. Although what she said next was not what I expected. "Do you remember that lullaby I made?"

"You mean the one that starts with 'Hush now, quiet now'? Yeah, that's a very cute and soft lullaby. What about it?" I retorted, knowing that lullaby all too well by that point.

"Well, it used to have different lyrics, but I changed them because…it kept making ponies cry. They were too depressing." Fluttershy explained while looking noticeably disheartened.

"Depressing? Why would a lullaby be depressing? The purpose of a lullaby is to soothe someone into feeling calm and relaxed so they may fall asleep more easily? How could the lyrics be depressing like that?" I asked, finding it difficult that there could be a lullaby that makes one cry instead of feeling calm.

Fluttershy bowed her head for a moment in silence before she looked up at me again. When she did, I felt my heart sink. Tears were beginning to form at the edges of her eyes. "Because…I came up with that lullaby for my mother. I sang it to her when she was on her deathbed…"

I… I did not have any words to say to that. Fluttershy's mother… Dead? I… What could I possibly say to that? No father in her life, and now her mother was gone… Although there was one thing I had to ask. "May I…hear the original version of the song?"

She was clearly hesitant. But she soon nodded. "OK… But just this once. It hurts for me to sing it now…"

I gently placed my hand over Fluttershy's hoof. I wanted her to know that I was there for her. And then… She began to sing. "Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head… Hush now, quiet now, prepare for the path ahead…"

It was then that she spoke lyrics I did not recognize. Lyrics that instantly caused my throat to tighten as if some sort of magic was carried within them. As she softly sang, I could hear her voice breaking. And I am not surprised she had chosen to not sing this version of the song again in so long. "Drift, drift up above, the angels are beside you then… Drift, drift up above, one day we'll meet again…"

Such power in those words… As if summoned from nowhere, I felt the tears flow… I brought my spare hand to my face, holding my fingers over my eyes while I grit my teeth. I shuddered as muffled sobs escaped my throat. How in the world could a song so simple… So brief… How could such a song invoke such powerful sorrow in those who hear it?

I felt Fluttershy wrap her arms around me. I felt her shudder against me as I heard light sobs from her as well… That song… It was her way of saying goodbye to her mother. And what a way to say goodbye it was…

I reached down and held Fluttershy in my arms. I felt her arms wrap around me while our heads rested beside each other. I soon heard Fluttershy whisper with a choking voice. "Now you know why…I had to change the lyrics…"

I sniffled and gasped for a moment longer. I tried to shake off these overwhelming emotions, though it was not easy. "I see your point… But still…that was beautiful, Fluttershy… I think it really fit the moment when you sung it to your mom…"

I felt her nod against my pauldron. "I know… She… She died right after I sang it to her… I hope she heard me…"

"I know she did, honey… There's no way she couldn't have heard you…" I whispered back to her, my hand tenderly stroking her back. "Do you… Do you think she would've liked me…?"

Fluttershy nodded with a slightly more uplifting tone to her voice when she spoke. "She would have loved you… I know she would… I wish you could have met her."

A long gasping sigh surged forth from my throat. "Me too… She sounds like she was a sweetheart…"

Fluttershy soon pulled away from me and gazed at me with her glistening tearful eyes. "I came to Ponyville right after that happened… And…my friends became the most important people in my life… But…you're the most important thing to me now, James… I'm… I'm so happy that you chose me… You could have ended up with Rarity, or maybe Twilight… But you chose me in the end…"

It was then that I came to a powerful realization. When all is said and done… When everything is considered… I believe that it is Fluttershy who needs me most. I gently held her hoof in my hand and gazed into her eyes. She had always been precious to me, but now… I felt that bond deepen further. She needs me. And I want to be there for her.

"You'll always have me, honey. I won't ever leave you." I spoke softly yet firmly.

From that moment forward, there were no words. I held her in my arms while she held me in hers. The two of us gazed up at the moon and stars above. Where I am sure her mother was looking back at us…

That is all I am willing to write for today. This day… It was full of laughs, full of tenderness, and even full of tears. I believe this may have been the most fulfilling and important day I have had in Equestria for quite some time. My first full year here has ended and I can only fathom what lies ahead for me and the wonderful people who have made my life here so enjoyable. There are good times ahead for us and I intend to document them all so I can look back on them and smile.

Thank you all… I cannot express how content I am as I lie in bed now. Fluttershy is beside me sleeping soundly and I will soon join her. I love her… I love her so much. And I will always be there for her and for those I hold dear. I love my friends. I love this world. I… Just…thank you for bringing me here. Thank you.


	29. A Case of the Flutters

Today began like most others. I awoke in the morning at the sound of twittering songbirds somewhere outside the window. They were probably even nesting in the foliage that covers our roof. I slowly pulled myself up until I was seated in bed. 8 AM. Just another typical Friday morning.

After taking a moment to stretch, I turned my gaze to my right. Fluttershy was still sound asleep while on her side, her head turned away from me. Very tenderly, I stroked my hand through her mane. "Morning, honey."

I waited for her to look back at me. I continuously stroked my fingers through her long mane in an attempt to gently rouse the beautiful pegasus from her sleep. But a full minute went by with no response. I never knew my girlfriend could be such a heavy sleeper. We did not go to bed any later than usual the previous night, so I could not see why she was having such a hard time waking up. I then tried to wake her up by gently rocking her from side to side with my hands on her torso.

"Honey, it's time to wake up… Sweetheart?" I spoke softly while gently nudging her over and over. I finally heard a weak grumble come from her while she stirred in my grasp. But once she lifted her head to let out a yawn, she then limply dropped it back down onto the pillow.

"Uh… Are you OK, Fluttershy?" I asked while starting to suspect something was not quite right with her. I did notice that her body was slightly warm to the touch, more so than usual. After continuing to nudge her some more, she finally began to lift her head before looking at me.

"Oh… Good morning, James…" Fluttershy spoke abnormally quietly. She was constantly swaying slightly and her eyes seemed puffy and tired. Overall, she looked absolutely exhausted. It was very clear to me that she had come down with something. And from what I could see, it was a pretty severe case of…whatever the illness was.

"Whoa, you don't look so good." I said while gently applying my hand to her forehead. She certainly did have a bit of a fever to her. "Huh… Yeah, you've come down with something, Fluttershy. How do you feel?"

She mumbled groggily before me while apparently trying to speak. "Uuuh… I feel kind of weak… And everything keeps moving…"

"Weakness of body, fever, and some vertigo. Uh… I would have to say you might have the flu, if I had to guess." I replied while gently caressing her mane once more. While I certainly was not worried that the case was life-threatening, I did feel the need to support her however I could.

The first person I thought of to ask for help was Twilight Sparkle. With all the reading she does at home, she has probably read a book on medicine and diseases. She probably knows of one that can ascertain exactly what it was Fluttershy had come down with. We do have a medicine cabinet in the kitchen, but it is mostly just for first aid and the like. We only have medication for pain and the common cold. Regardless, I then gently kissed Fluttershy on the cheek. "Well, I'll send for Twilight. Maybe she can figure out what's wrong with you."

"OK, honey… Ugh… I think I'm gonna…lie back down now…" Fluttershy said with a small smile before setting her head back on the pillow with a thud. She looked absolutely awful, but it would do her good to get as much rest as possible.

I felt a sigh escape my lips while I looked down at the ill pegasus mare before me. A smile crept across my face while I gently tucked her in. "Just take it easy today, honey. I'll take care of you."

Her eyes lazily looked up at me while her lips curled up into a weak smile as well. I could tell she was very weak, but that did not stop her from whispering to me. "I love you, dear…"

There was only one response I could give. I tenderly placed a kiss on her nose while tenderly caressing her mane. "Love you too, honey. Just rest up for today."

While Fluttershy drifted off to sleep, I decided to get dressed. Since today was a warm summer day, I dressed light. I wore a pair of khaki shorts and a green polo shirt Rarity had recently woven for me before sliding on my socks and shoes. Right after that, I gently tapped on the birdhouse that was hanging from the ceiling in the nearest corner. "Good morning, Angela. You awake?"

Seconds later, my little pet dove stuck her head out the hole in the front and let out a gentle coo as if to say 'I am now'. I reached out and tenderly caressed her head with one finger. "I need to ask you for a small favor. Could you please take a message to Twilight Sparkle in town? I need her help."

Despite being a mere animal with no means to speak, Angela nodded in response. I swear, the animals around Ponyville, and quite possibly all of Equestria, are so clearly intelligent that you can probably have a full conversation with them and they would understand every last word you say. Anyway, she fluttered out of her little house and perched upon my shoulder while I went over to a cupboard that held some stationery and inkwells. I pulled out the smallest scroll I could and began to write upon it.

"Twilight, this is James. I am sorry to bother you, but you were the first person I thought of to ask for help. I just woke up and it seems Fluttershy has come down with something bad. I am not certain what she has and I know we do not have any medication for it, so I was hoping you would be able to identify the illness by its symptoms. Could you please come over as soon as you can?" Once that was done, I tightly rolled the scroll up and slid a ribbon down to its middle. I then held it up to Angela, who then grasped it in her foot. "Thanks, Angela. I'll have a treat ready when you get back."

I walked over to one of the bedroom's windows and pushed it open before kneeling by it with my shoulder directed towards it. Once close enough, Angela spread her wings and flew out the window and out of sight. She knows where Twilight lives, that much I am certain of.

I then walked back over to Fluttershy's side of the bed and saw that she was indeed fast asleep. Poor girl… I know what it is like to be rendered bedridden by an illness that saps you of your strength and even the focus required to do anything you like. Not a fun experience at all. Still, one must never underestimate the effectiveness of rest.

However, it was then that I remembered something. I still had to get started on breakfast. And Scootaloo has school today. Mumbling to myself about it, I quickly went downstairs and peeked in on Scootaloo. The little tomboy filly was still fast asleep in her bed. It was while I looked at her that I had an idea of what to whip up for Fluttershy. Citrus fruits are great for the ill since they are rich in vitamin C. I knew we had some oranges and lemons around.

Once I stepped into the kitchen, I went over to the refrigerator and pulled the door open before removing a pair of oranges and a trio of lemons. I also checked for grapefruit, a particularly large citrus fruit, but found none. I was hardly surprised though. Even when compared to lemons, they tend to be extraordinarily sour to the point of bitterness. I know I do not care for them and neither Fluttershy nor Scootaloo does either.

I first cut the three lemons into wedges before reaching into a drawer next to the sink and pulling out my secret tool for peeling oranges. A utility knife. With a press of a switch, the triangular blade popped out of one end. Taking one orange, I dragged the tip through just under the surface of the rind from top to bottom. I pried some of it off before taking the blade and sliding it between the rind and the fruit inside, separating the two. Once I had 'shaved' the orange, I pried the wedges apart and set them aside. I then repeated the process with the second orange before placing the citrus slices on a plate and filling a cup with water, although I did eat one of the wedges for a light snack. After making certain Scootaloo was still asleep, I began to make my way up the stairs.

Fluttershy was still where I had last seen her. Lounging in bed with hardly any energy. I then kneeled by her side and tenderly stroked her cheek to gently wake her up again. "Are you hungry, honey?"

"Some honey does sound good right now…" Fluttershy spoke groggily while seemingly struggling to lift her head. But the instant she looked at the plate in my other hand, her listless sickly expression brightened just slightly. "For me…?"

I nodded while cracking a smile. "Yup. Citrus fruits are good for when you've come down with something. It bolsters your immune system. Here you go." I then held out one of the lemon wedges to my beloved. I could tell she was in no mood to move at all, so I felt it would be best if I fed her myself.

Fluttershy weakly opened her jaws and bit down on the wedge, taking all the fruit off of it while leaving the rind intact. She seemed to be having a hard time tasting it at first, but her expression soon showed a glimmer of a reaction to the taste of sourness. "Can you taste it fine?"

After swallowing, Fluttershy nodded at me. "Yeah… I didn't taste much at first, but… I think the sourness turned my taste buds back on. More please?"

Piece by piece, I fed Fluttershy almost like a pet. It was such a calm and peaceful moment between us. I mean, I could have been tending to things I would rather be doing, but I felt content just being there for her. Once she finished the lemon wedges, I started handing her the orange wedges. With no rinds, she ate them whole.

"Feeling better, honey?" I asked quietly while tenderly stroking her cheek. She seemed just a tiny bit more awake now that she had a bit more vitamin C flowing through her.

Fluttershy started to look like she was about to start to climb out of bed. But when she tried to make herself stand, she fell back onto the mattress with a quiet thump. "Oops… I guess I'm not going anywhere today…"

A faint chuckle hummed inside my cheeks. As helpless as she seemed, Fluttershy seemed so cute at that time. "That's fine, honey. You just rest up for today."

My girlfriend seemed to relax as a humble smile spread across her face. However, she suddenly gasped weakly while looking surprised and slightly panicked. "But… What about all the little animals? I still need to feed them for the morning…"

Right, I had all but forgotten about that. The many little creatures that live around our cottage rely on Fluttershy for their morning meals. And their midday meals as well, if memory serves. As much as I did not want her to strain herself, I still had no idea of where to start. "Um… I'd be happy to do it for you. But how should I go about it?"

Fluttershy weakly smiled at me before pointing to the desk that was just to the left of the bed. It had some bookshelves built into it. "Look in that folder there. I once asked Rainbow Dash to watch my place one day so I could go prepare a spot to watch the annual butterfly migration and I needed to write down the morning routine for her to follow."

As beautiful as it sounded to watch entire swarms of butterflies fly overhead, I still felt a question pop into my head. "Uh… Rainbow Dash? Somehow, I can't see her signing up for that."

A giggle came from Fluttershy before it was abruptly interrupted by a brief coughing fit. "The only reason I asked her… Ugh… The reason was because all my other friends could not set aside time for it. Rainbow Dash thought the whole migration watching was boring, so she agreed to watch my place for a day instead of going with me to help set things up faster…" She then sighed while an awkward grin spread across her lips. "I don't think she enjoyed it. And the animals seemed kind of glad to see her go when I came home. I guess she didn't have the patience for it."

That got a laugh out of me. "Rainbow Dash? Baby, patient she ain't!" Oh man, Rainbow must have hated having to take care of all the animals hanging out around our place. Regardless, I then reached into the shelf and pulled out a pink paper folder. When I opened it, I found a single sheet of paper with various food words and numbers on it as well as the names of various animal types. A quick glance revealed that it showed when to feed the animals and how much food to give them with each meal. It seemed to consist of one feeding in the morning and another in the afternoon. "Oh, it's all kept in that mini refrigerator. I was wondering what all that was for."

Fluttershy nodded with a small smile before gently setting her head back down on her pillow. "It's really easy and simple… But… I'm sorry, but can I go back to sleep? I'm still really tired…"

"Sure thing, honey. You rest up and I'll take care of the critters for today." I replied before placing one kiss on her forehead. Sure enough, she almost immediately nodded off. Hoping to get this out of the way as soon as possible so I could get started on my own breakfast, I went downstairs and into the kitchen.

Over the last year, I discovered the presence of a small refrigerator in one corner of the kitchen that always contained simple foods, such as lettuce, carrots, fish, and what seemed to be a large coffee can, among other things. I never bothered to actually inspect the can though since I have never cared for coffee… But now that I think about it, I have never seen Fluttershy drink coffee either. She has always been one for tea instead.

After looking through the fridge and removing a rather surprising variety of goods, I decided to look in the coffee can. I mean, it surely was out of place in our household since none of us drink coffee. Heck, I doubt even Scootaloo cares for it. But I was in for a surprise when I held it in my hands. There seemed to be several small punctures in the lid. Was there something alive in it?

I got pretty much what I was expecting when I popped the lid off. The whole thing was filled with moist soil. And plenty of earthworms were squirming around in it. "Oh, so that's where she keeps the worms."

Even so, I had to prepare the worms since they were likely covered in mud. I went over to the sink and pulled out a large strainer before reaching into the can and grabbing a handful of worms. I then turned the faucet on and began to wash the worms and my hand of the mud. All the while, I began to quietly sing a brief verse. "Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I think I'll go eat worms…"

A moment later, I had pretty much a dozen worms wriggling in the strainer while I filled another bowl with a tiny layer of water before placing the worms in it. That would keep them moist while letting the birds pluck them at will. "Big fat juicy ones, little… Uh… How did the rest of that song go?"

With how much I had to carry, it required more than one trip to get all of the food outside. I could see many little animals eyeing me curiously. I suppose they were wondering where the little yellow pony who usually feeds them was at the moment.

"Sorry, guys. Fluttershy's calling in sick today, so you're stuck with me." I spoke up while setting out the bowl of worms. Not missing a beat, several songbirds swooped down before perching on its rim and began to pluck worm after worm from it. Perhaps this would go by more smoothly than expected. And I guess it helps that they have known me for a year.

"Let's see… One carrot for Angel." I read aloud the instructions on the sheet of paper I had. Off to the left of the cottage, I saw his little house within close proximity to a tree. He seemed to be sitting there on his haunches with his forelegs crossed while looking around impatiently. I suppose he was wondering where Fluttershy was with his breakfast. Somehow, I could almost imagine him calling out to her while threatening to drink his first ever carrot-flavored soda to get her attention.

"Morning, Angel. Hungry?" I asked upon drawing near with a carrot in my hand. While he initially looked rather surprised to see me coming, he soon crossed his arms again before looking away with disdain. He certainly can be a difficult little guy.

"Hey, I know you're used to it being Fluttershy who feeds you, but that's not happening today. She's come down with something bad and is resting in bed. So you've got me. Do you want this?" I explained while wondering if he would really be stubborn enough to refuse his breakfast.

The little white rabbit looked up at me with a look of mild concern while I nodded to confirm what I said as true. He let out a long sigh before once again looking away with a dissatisfied expression. But just when I thought I was going to have to leave him alone, he extended his paw to me in a fashion that seemed to say 'Fine, give it here' to me. I snickered lightly under my breath at this unintentionally humorous display and set the carrot down into his grasp. He then rigidly brought it to his mouth and began to nibble on it.

The rest of the animals around the place were far more accepting. I set out some berries and nuts for the chipmunks and squirrels, some more carrots and lettuce for the other rabbits in the area, and I had to take off my socks and shoes to get in the brook that ran in front of our home. I still had to get a pair of fish to deliver to the pair of weasels that live under the little earthen bridge that crosses it. However, I found that it was still too low for me to even squat under. "I guess even the duck walk won't work here…"

I could see that I was going to have to crawl to get under the bridge. It is only barely tall enough for Fluttershy to walk under. If I were to attempt to do a squatting walk to get under there, I would be liable to fall over and get my clothes soaked. Against my better judgment, I decided to take my shorts off. Wearing only my boxers below the waist, I was unlikely to get anything wet while crawling.

The two fish I had in hand were kept close to my chest while I crawled through the shallow water and under the bridge. I am no ichthyologist, but judging by the slender bodies and coloration of their scales, I assume the two fish were common daces. Although I did have to wonder if Fluttershy ever goes through any moral dilemmas when she has to feed a fish that was once alive to another little animal friend of hers…

Next to a small earthen den on the side of the brook that is nearest to Fluttershy's cottage is a very small wooden dock that apparently allows the weasels who live there to get out of the water without getting themselves muddy. Sure enough, the two lithe and flexible critters came out to greet me. They definitely seemed surprised to see me instead of Fluttershy, but they seemed happy enough once I had set the two fish on the dock. Not wanting to stay out of my clothes any longer, I quickly scratched their heads between the ears before crawling out of there as quickly as I could before stepping out of the brook and picking up my shorts while kicking the water from my legs. However, just before I could start to put them back on, I just happened to turn to the east and froze when I found someone I did not expect looking right at me.

I did not speak. Standing on the other side of the bridge was Twilight Sparkle with Angela perched upon her head. Even though ponies normally do not wear anything at all, it was still embarrassing to be caught outdoors in my undergarments. Finally, with a noticeable blush starting to shine through the purple coat on her cheeks, Twilight spoke first. "Uh… Why are you out here in your…underwear?"

Feeling my temperature rising in my face, leading me to suspect that I too was blushing, I hastily pulled my shorts back on. "Well… I didn't want to get my clothes wet while crawling under the bridge. Someone's gotta feed the critters, right?"

"Oh, right! Fluttershy came down with something bad, didn't she?" Twilight asked while glancing up at the little white dove on her head. "I read the note Angela brought to me and came over as soon as I could. I brought a book on medicine to help us figure out what she's sick with." Sure enough, there were a pair of saddlebags hanging at her sides with her cutie mark emblazoned on them.

"Sweet! And thanks, Angela. Come here, pretty bird." I replied with some excitement while I snatched up a few blueberries from a bowl nearby. My little friend flew over to me and perched on my opposite hand while pecking at the berries to open up the skin to reveal the fruit inside.

Twilight and I headed up the slope to the front door of the cottage before we headed inside. I set Angela down on the nearest shelf along with the berries she had not finished so she could finish her snack in peace. While I did so, Twilight peeked into Scootaloo's room. That little tomboy was sleeping late that morning. Before I could say anything, she looked back at me with a calm smile before speaking softly. "Scootaloo looks so darling when she's asleep."

"Yeah, you'd never know how much energy she has by seeing her asleep like that. Anyway, shouldn't we go check on Fluttershy now?" I retorted before heading towards the stairs. I did not want to keep Twilight any longer than was needed. I am sure she was in the middle of something when Angela showed up in the first place.

She nodded with a smile before trotting over to me and heading up the wooden steps. "Sure thing. The sooner we figure out what is wrong with her, the sooner we can figure out what needs to be done."

Upon arriving at the top of the stairs, we found Fluttershy fast asleep in bed. The poor mare… I almost did not want to wake her. "Care to do the honors, Twi?"

"OK. Leave this to me." My friend then quietly approached Fluttershy while I watched from a corner. Very tenderly, Twilight nudged our sleeping friend. "Rise and shine, Fluttershy. Doctor Twilight is making a house call."

Slowly, but surely, Fluttershy began to stir and mumble before lazily opening her very tired eyes. "Huh…? Twi…light? When did you bring your sisters?"

That surprised both of us. Sisters? Last I checked, Shining Armor is the only sibling she has. Cadence may be her sister-in-law, but I doubt anyone ever really calls them that. Twilight, her eyes opened wide in bewilderment, glanced to her left and right. "Huh? I don't have any sis… Oh, I see what's going on." She then used the levitation spell to pull a thick textbook from one of her saddlebags. "I thought you looked a little disoriented, but I didn't expect you to be suffering from double vision. That helps narrow it down."

"You're looking up the illness via symptoms?" I asked while drawing closer to keep an eye on Fluttershy.

Twilight gently rubbed Fluttershy's forehead with her hoof, both in a show of tenderness and apparently to check if she had a fever. "Let's see… Lack of energy, double vision, disorientation, great fatigue… Oh, here it is!"

Fluttershy and both leaned closer to try to see what was in the book. My girlfriend spoke first. "Uh… What is it? Do I have the flu?"

Our brainy unicorn friend smiled reassuringly at us both while placing the book back in her saddlebag. "Don't worry, it's nothing too serious. It seems you've come down with a case of the flutters."

I very nearly laughed at that title. Flutters? "Seriously? The flutters? You just made that up, didn't you?"

Fluttershy let out a rather weak giggle while Twilight too rolled her eyes, apparently finding the name to sound a bit silly as well. "I know it doesn't sound serious, but that's the actual name of the disease. It's caused by a viral strain that only affects pegasi. It's not lethal, but it mainly affects their hormones and nervous system to the point of generating significant energy loss and upsetting their equilibrium. It's called the 'flutters' because pegasi cannot fly when afflicted with it. All they can manage to do is flutter around haphazardly."

As silly as the name sounded, I soon found myself viewing it as being less humorous. The name certainly fits since it makes a pegasus' signature ability to fly extremely difficult to perform. "You heard her, Fluttershy. No flying until you feel better."

"Uh huh… I can live with that. But… Oh, wow… I didn't know your brothers came to Equestria too, James… What's their names?" Fluttershy groggily mumbled while turning her gaze towards me. I had no response to that. Twilight and I just laughed at how silly Fluttershy's illness was making her act.

Once Twilight had fetched Fluttershy a glass of water, she tenderly nuzzled her face. "There is medication for it, but another way to get over the illness is to get plenty of rest. Take it easy for now, OK?"

Fluttershy very clumsily lifted the glass to her lips before slowly gulping down about half of the glass's contents. "I will… I don't think I can do anything right now… But thanks for coming, Twilight… I think I'll get some more sleep now…"

"You do that. If you need anything, I always have time to stop by." Twilight replied while gently patting Fluttershy's shoulder to reassure her. Very soon, the sickly pegasus drifted off to sleep while Twilight and I headed back down the stairs.

"Thanks for coming, Twilight. I never would've guessed that she had something with such an odd name." I said once we had reached the bottom of the stairs.

My friend looked back up at me with a calm smile. "It was a pleasure. Fluttershy should be OK in a week or so, but some medication should have her feeling better in no time if you get some today."

That did raise a question though. I have yet to come down with anything significant ever since coming to Equestria. I know one of the local convenience stores sell simple medicines for pain and cold symptoms, but I have never seen them sell anything more specialized for specific illnesses. And I have not taken the time to locate the local pharmacy, assuming Ponyville even has one. "Uh… About that. Where can I even find that kind of medicine?"

I did not expect Twilight's response. She turned her gaze towards the far window, the edge of the Everfree Forest visible beyond it. "Well… If you want my honest opinion on what to do, I recommend you go see Zecora. Her homemade remedies are probably better than anything you can buy in a store."

Zecora… I had all but forgotten about her. It is a shame we do not see each other more often. "Oh, right. I almost forgot about her… Well, if she can come up with a concoction that can change me back after being turned into a pony, she can probably come up with a cure for the flutters."

"She certainly is a marvel with those natural ingredients. I just wish I knew that the first time I met her." Twilight replied with a slightly awkward grin on her face. "If anything… It might be thanks to her that the ponies of Ponyville were not more hostile or wary of you when you first arrived."

That was not a quip I was expecting. How could Zecora have possibly had a hand in my welcome into town being as smooth as it was? "Um… How so?"

With a slightly ashamed look on her face, Twilight looked back towards the window before looking at me again. "Well… Not long after I first got settled into Ponyville myself, I saw Zecora for the first time. And… Well, I know this is going to sound silly, but the entire town was scared of her to the point of everyone hiding indoors."

This made me roll my eyes in disbelief. "Um… That's probably the silliest thing I've heard since I first met you, Twilight. And that's saying a lot. Besides, what's so scary about Zecora? She's likeable, charming, and quite frankly beautiful. How can an entire town be so xenophobic of one person?"

Twilight rolled her eyes as well, apparently remembering some past frustration she held. "To be honest, it bothered me too. I never saw anything wrong with her at all. I knew she's a zebra and that her kind hails from a far-off land to the south. Although aside from that, I think they were put off by her odd coloration and the fact that she constantly kept herself shrouded in a cloak. It also did not help that she lives in the Everfree Forest and you know what kind of a reputation that place has."

"Uh… How can living in that place give you a bad reputation? I would expect them to want to know more about her if she can live there without trouble." I asked while finding this tale of Twilight's first encounter with Zecora becoming increasingly bizarre.

"It's because the Everfree Forest is 'unnatural', from what my friends told me. Mind you, this was very shortly after I arrived in Ponyville, so I wasn't familiar with how the ponies in town perceive things that are found locally. But… This is what they told me." Twilight continued to explain while looking increasingly irritated. "In the Everfree Forest, plants grow, animals take care of themselves, and clouds move. All on their own."

That revelation about how nature works had already been revealed to me in a previous conversation with the girls and I believe I already explained that once. Regardless, it still got a laugh out of me. Once I had managed to cease my laughing, I cleared my throat. "Right… So, what happened next?"

Twilight sighed while shaking her head. She clearly was not pleased with what she was thinking of. "Long story short, my friends and I ran into some Poison Joke while pursuing Apple Bloom, who was level-headed enough to not judge Zecora at first glance. We all suffered from some weird effects and were not even aware that the plant had caused it and assumed it was a curse. I'll admit…even I got dragged into the hysteria. We pretty much had a nasty first encounter with Zecora, but Apple Bloom got through to us and we realized that Zecora, while different and unusual, is a good person and never meant any harm. When we went back to Ponyville with her to get the remaining ingredients to whip up a cure for the Poison Joke's effects, we pretty much explained to the town that she was of no threat. If Zecora had never come along and showed us to never judge anyone who just looks strange at first glance… I'm worried your first impression with Ponyville would have been far more negative. Especially when we consider the delicate emotional state you were in at the time."

She was certainly right about that. When I think back to that first day, I was very distraught and nervous. And while the ponies in town stared, they never once showed fear of me or even the slightest hint of hostility. Curious, yes, but never hurtful. What would they have done if Zecora had not arrived first? "That's a good point… I'll be sure to thank her next time I see her."

Before we could even talk further, another voice spoke up from across the room. "Would you mind taking that somewhere else?! I'm trying to sleep!"

When Twilight and I looked in the direction the voice had come from, we were greeted by the sight of a groggy-looking Scootaloo gazing at us with an irritated scowl. I was quick to remind her of the current day. "Well, good morning, Scoot. You might wanna get ready for school. It is a Friday."

That perked her up right away. "Huh?! It is?! Uh… I'll get my stuff together! Be right back!" She then dashed back into the room, the sound of rustling saddlebags coming from within.

"Guess I better start on breakfast too. You wanna stay for an omelet, Twilight?" I asked while making my way to the kitchen.

Twilight seemed intrigued with the offer, but at the same time, she looked a bit hesitant. "That sounds tasty, but I already had breakfast. Spike cooked me some pancakes, so I'm not really hungry."

Scootaloo, apparently having heard Twilight, called out from across the living room. "You gotta try his omelets, Twilight! They're awesome!"

This seemed to get Twilight to rethink her decision since she turned her gaze to the floor while looking more focused. Eventually, she looked over at me again. "Well, what do you put in your omelets?"

"Oh, my favorite kind so far is with spinach, diced tomatoes, and feta cheese. They go together really well." I replied while searching through the refrigerator for the ingredients.

"Mmm, that does sound amazing… Well… Um… OK, I'll stay. But just for one omelet." Twilight spoke after a moment of thought. I then noticed her take a seat on the stool at the table while merely watching me.

The process of cooking the omelets was the same as usual and I know I described it in the previous entry, so I will not go over it twice. Along with the omelets, I fried up some hash browns and two slices of toast. By the time I had finished, Scootaloo had joined Twilight at the table. However, she was quick to notice that someone was missing. "Where's Fluttershy? In the bathroom?"

While I set out the food and plates on the table, I proceeded to explain Fluttershy's current condition to her. "Yeah… Fluttershy isn't feeling well today. It seems she's come down with a case of the flutters. It's an illness exclusive to pegasi, so make sure you don't get it too."

Scootaloo's eyes opened wide while her ears drooped. She clearly knew of the illness. "The flutters?! Uh oh… Uh… I'll be sure to give her some space until she's feeling better."

"Yeah, it is a little on the contagious side. You could… Whoa, that does look awesome." Twilight started to speak before I set the plate that was holding her omelet out in front of her. I had cut it in two to allow her to see the contents, which were an enticing mixture of green, red, and white.

"Care to do the honors?" I asked while holding out a fork to Twilight.

"Gladly." Twilight then used the levitation spell to grab the fork before using it to cut and lift a morsel of the omelet to her mouth. After a moment, she swallowed and grinned brightly at me. "Wow, that's delicious! Where'd you learn how to cook like this?"

"Well, my dad does run his own restaurant back home. I guess I inherited some of his cooking expertise." I replied while taking a seat on my own stool.

Breakfast was fairly uneventful from that point on. Scootaloo would keep talking about new scooter stunts she was developing while Twilight would often speak of her studies under Celestia and new spells she was trying to learn. I mostly just sat there and listened without a word unless they asked me something specifically. I actually felt rather bad that Fluttershy was not there with us, but I suppose it could not be helped. I doubt she would even be able to taste the food very well in her current condition. Although it made for a nice change of pace to have Twilight Sparkle with us.

Scootaloo seemed to scarf her food down rather quickly compared to the rest of us. Was she worried she would be late for school? Sure enough, I got my answer after she chugged the rest of her milk. "That was awesome! Ready to go, James?"

In all honesty, while I do enjoy my walks with Scootaloo, I was actually rather worried about Fluttershy. It did not feel right to leave her unattended. "Uh… What about Fluttershy? Who's… Say, could you watch her for a little while, Twilight?"

My friend shook her head with a frown. "I'd love to, but I really need to get back home. I've got some errands to line up for Spike and I need to get back to studying. The list Princess Celestia has given me needs to be completed by the end of the weekend."

I have never once figured out just what it is Twilight's studies entail, nor their purpose, but it is probably something for scholarly pursuits or the study of 'friendship', as I have been told a few times. Still, one learns about friendship by experiencing it, not by reading about it. Perhaps she was studying behavioral patterns. Regardless, I respected her decision. "OK. Well… Could you go by yourself this time, Scoot? I know you know the way. And you'll probably meet up with Apple Bloom on the way."

Initially, she seemed rather disappointed. But mere seconds later, her expression perked up as if she just had an idea. "Oh, all right. I guess it wouldn't be nice to leave a sick pony alone anyway. I'll be OK." She then hopped down from her stool and trotted outside the kitchen before looking back at Twilight and me with a smile. "I'm gonna get going now. See ya tonight, James!" She then galloped out of sight, but not towards the front door. Instead, she seemed to be heading back over to her room.

Twilight seemed to notice this as well. "You think she forgot her saddlebags?"

A moment later, Scootaloo ran past the doorway and out of sight towards the front door. In the single second I saw her, she was indeed wearing a pair of saddlebags, but there was something else on her as well. "Was that a helmet?"

Not even a minute after hearing the door close, I heard the buzzing of a small motor. Twilight and I then headed over to the window and looked outside. Scootaloo was riding away from the cottage on her scooter. "Well, that's one way to go to school in style."

Twilight let out a small giggle, apparently amused by Scootaloo's choice of transportation that day. "Have you noticed how good she is on that scooter?"

"You mean how she's skilled at scooter stunts and dance in general? I have to wonder how she's gone this long without figuring that out." I retorted while shaking my head. Her special skills, as well as that of the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders, are so blatantly obvious that it is actually embarrassing.

Twilight soon looked up at me and cracked a smirk. "You think they just need a push in the right direction?"

"You know what? I don't see why not. If neither of them have figured out what they're good at by the time their school's talent show is one week away next year, I'll tell them myself." I replied after thinking of those three fillies. I adore those girls, but their utter obliviousness to their true special talents is starting to go from endearing to mildly annoying. Especially when they display them without ever once noticing what they are doing so well.

I walked Twilight to the front door after that. Once the door was open, she turned around and motioned with her hoof for me to lower myself. I saw what she wanted and dropped to one knee while holding out my arms. Sure enough, she wrapped her arms around me for a tender embrace. "It was good seeing you, James. Take care of Fluttershy. And be sure to stop by Zecora's place before it gets dark. I know she has a cure. And… Oh! I just now remembered! I stopped by Sugarcube Corner on the way up here. Pinkie Pie wanted me to inform you that you have the day off. She didn't say why though."

Well, that was certainly random to say at the end of our meeting. I mean it was considerate of them to give me the day off so I could watch over Fluttershy. But it was way too coincidental of that to happen without me asking them for it. I wonder…

"She did? Huh… Well, that's convenient. I was just starting to wonder if I should ask them. Anyway, I'll pay Zecora a visit today when I get some time. I just need to figure out when the best time is. Take care, Twi. And say hi to Spike for me." I spoke quietly while tenderly rubbing my fingers through her mane. Not wanting to keep her away from her studies any longer, the two of us said our goodbyes before I saw Twilight trotting down the dirt path and across the bridge towards Ponyville in the distance.

I will admit that while the atmosphere of Fluttershy's house was calming, I actually found myself becoming bored very quickly. Fluttershy was still fast asleep, so I could not interact with her in any way. And although I suppose I could have gone somewhere, I felt so restricted in what I could do since I was worried about leaving Fluttershy unattended in the off chance that she would awaken.

I very soon found myself missing the modest hustle and bustle of Ponyville. While I do adore the area Fluttershy lives in, being stuck in her house for extensive periods of time is not something I enjoy very much. Although I have to say the atmosphere was delightful with the wind tenderly blowing through the windows while songbirds would occasionally chirp from somewhere outside. The only problem was that there was practically nothing for me to do to occupy myself aside from looking through some magazines. Even so, I would rather be enjoying the great outdoors or be around people in town. I can see why Fluttershy goes to Ponyville so often. Despite being shy, it feels good to be around pleasant people.

It was while I was reclining on Fluttershy's bench-like sofa while reading one of the school's newspapers that Scootaloo brought home to pass the time that I was subjected to an unexpected interruption. I noticed the faint sound of footsteps just outside the window. Actually, it was more like hooves than typical feet thanks to the telltale clopping sound. And immediately afterward, I heard someone knock on the door.

"I don't think we were expecting any guests today…" I mumbled to myself while I set the newspaper down and began to approach the door. But when I opened the door, I certainly did not see who I was expecting. "Uh… Hello?"

I saw not one, but two lovely mares standing before me. "Good morning. May we speak to one Mr. James please?" Asked the taller of the two.

"Well… This is different. What's up, your highnesses?" I retorted while stepping outside so I would not have to crouch. As it turned out, Celestia and Luna themselves were standing right in front of me.

Luna was quick to smile at me and caught me in an embrace right away. "Well, as much as I would love to say that this is a pleasure trip, I'm afraid to say that we are here on important business."

While returning my beautiful friend's affection with an embrace of my very own, I felt the need to ask. "Important business? What for?"

The Princess of the Night lowered herself back to the ground before extending her wing to me. I had failed to notice that she was grasping something in it. "Well, do you recognize this?"

I felt my playful side coming out as I beheld what I was seeing. A silver chalice with a silver lid set upon it. I then took the chalice in hand and removed the lid. "How'd you know I was in the mood for some fine wine?"

Luna and Celestia instantly looked at me with horrified expressions while I began to lift the chalice to my lips. But before I could fake them out, the chalice was coated with a billowing golden yellow aura and pulled away from me by an unseen force. Celestia, clearly the one casting the spell, spoke up with a less composed voice. "James, that isn't edible! You know this isn't used to carry beverages!"

I burst into laughter at just how spooked I had them. "I know what it is! I just couldn't help myself!" The two princesses soon looked at each other with crooked smiles before they too joined in the laughter.

Once the three of us had gotten enough laughter out of my little gag, I took the chalice in hand again while looking down at its contents. As expected, it contained a swirling mass of dark blue and white liquid metal. "So, what's this for again? There isn't some sort of new crisis happening, is there?"

"Not at all. It's just time for your next lesson." Luna replied with a grin upon her muzzle.

This caught me by surprise. Lesson? For what? I never signed up for anything. "Um… What kind of lesson are we talking about?"

Celestia smiled at me before gesturing towards the chalice with her hoof. "Well, as you know, your armor gives you the ability to use various types of magic. But the only spell you have mastered by this point is the basic levitation spell."

Luna then winked at me while continuing Celestia's explanation. "And to that end, we are here to begin training you to get even more out of your equipment. It would not do to have all this potential in such an impressive piece of armor with no means to access it."

While this proposition did sound interesting to me, I had to question exactly why such a thing would be necessary. The only reason I was given this suit of enchanted armor in the first place was because Nightmare Moon had become separate from Luna and was still a potential threat to the world. And that was something no one saw coming. I could not see myself getting involved with any future conflicts that would require the use of this armor. "Well… That sounds fun and all, but…do I have to? I mean… You don't really need me if another crisis comes up, right? Shouldn't the Elements of Harmony be enough to stop them?"

Celestia and Luna looked at each other while their expressions became more neutral. Although they said nothing, they seemed to understand each other perfectly. Celestia then looked back at me and continued to speak. "True. We do not expect to ask you for any aid should another grave conflict occur. However… This is YOUR armor, James. You are the only one permitted to access it. And therefore, you should be able to get the most out of it."

Luna then spoke while Celestia fell silent. "There is untold potential in this armor. A fusion of both Celestia's might and my own. And unless the wearer can draw out that power, the wearer is getting not even half of the armor's potential out of it."

Again. The fact that the armor's magical properties contain both the magical capabilities of bother the Princess of the Dawn and Princess of the Night. The two most powerful alicorns on the planet, Nightmare Moon aside. I honestly felt somewhat intimidated about having that much power in my possession. To give that kind of power to someone… That would require more than just trust. "Are you certain it's a good idea to give that kind of power to a mere mortal? Let alone a human? I mean… From the way you put things, the humans who used to live in this world were not always the most reasonable bunch."

Their response was not what I expected. They smiled at me. Celestia, as usual, spoke first. "James. If we had any doubts about your moral integrity, we would not have even showed you this treasure in the first place. We know this armor is in good hands. And as the creators of this armor, and as your friends, we only wish for you to use this gift to its fullest."

"Granted, we have no intention of ever forcing you into partaking in any future conflicts. However, more recent events before your arrival have taught us the value of…preemptive preparation. In layman's terms, we wish to be on the safe side by making certain you know how to get the most out of what you have." Luna added while casting her gaze towards me and the chalice in my hands.

"Getting the most out of what I have… That actually does sound like my style." I spoke softly while looking down at the constantly shifting mass of liquid metal. With a slight smile, I slid my shoes off before sticking my finger into the liquid. Like before, it began to creep over my entire body before hardening into a tough metal shell. In a mere moment, a sturdy suit of familiar winged armor covered my body. "Shall we begin?"

The two princesses smiled at me in satisfaction before Luna spoke to me. "Absolutely. Right this way. It would be best if we tutor you in a wide open area."

While I followed Celestia and Luna out into the vast open meadow that was somewhere between my home, Ponyville, and Sweet Apple Acres, I noticed something odd. I had never worn this armor while wearing shorts before. And yet, despite having my shins exposed, they felt comfortable. Along with the hard layer of plate armor, does that liquid metal also generate a flexible layer of under armor as well? I am certain I could wear this armor in just my undergarments and I would still feel comfortable.

During the walk, my eyes frequently glanced at the two beautiful alicorns before me. I would then look down at my gauntlets. The parts of my armor that contain the magical energies needed to cast spells. My right contains the power of Celestia and my left contains the power of Luna. I then turned my gaze towards them once more. For as long as I have known them this past year, I never once saw them exert any significant magical might outside of the moving of the sun and moon. It is strange… I know that they indeed must be powerful to accomplish such a feat, but… I always saw them as two likeable and beautiful women. Not paragons of magical might. Just what kind of power do they truly possess?

Eventually, the two princesses came to a stop and turned to face me. Luna spoke first. "I believe this area will do. Shall we begin?"

"I suppose…" I replied briefly, not entirely certain of what to expect.

Celestia began to pace back and forth in front of me while never looking away. "All right then. As we saw on the night you first received your armor, you have become accustomed to your swift ground movement and physical strength in your legs, you have become a capable flier, and you know how to channel the magical energies in your gauntlets to cast spells. Today, we will instruct you how to increase your spell pool while also learning how to use the more specialized magical energies within your gauntlets."

"By 'specialized energies', you mean magic that only you two can wield?" I asked, not entirely certain if I should interrupt them.

"That is exactly what she meant." Luna replied while drawing near. "There are many spells that any unicorn can use. But Celestia and I… Our magic is of unique polarities. There are some spells that only she can use, just as there are with me."

Celestia then took a step forward, possibly to draw my attention away from Luna and focus it exclusively on her. "And we will get to that. But first, the basics. As Luna said, there are many types of spells a unicorn can learn. Hundreds, in fact. From the basic levitation spell…" Her horn was then coated by a billowing golden yellow aura before she suddenly rose off the ground. However, she then spread her gorgeous white wings and flipped herself upside-down before hovering…while upside-down without any difficulty. "To the gravity change spell."

I hunched forward while my jaw hung open. Celestia was not flying upside-down at all. She was flying properly, but with gravity trying to pull her up into the sky! "How does… I thought… Actually, never mind. Magic can't really be explained to begin with, so why should I even ask?"

The two alicorns chuckled at my obvious bewilderment before Celestia's horn was coated by her magic aura again. However, she was soon coated by her own magic aura before slowly rotating herself until her hooves were just off the ground. She then lightly set herself down, having apparently set gravity's pull on her back to normal. "Also, although you are more accustomed to using it on other objects, you can use levitation on yourself."

Luna then stepped forward to draw my attention. "Of course, there is also the ever-useful…" Her horn was then coated by her billowing blue magic aura before she vanished in a flash of light and reappeared on the opposite side of her sister in an identical flash. "Teleportation spell. But I assume you've seen this spell used before."

"Yeah, Twilight seems really proficient with it…" I said while taking in their words. It was rather shocking to see just what magic can do even after spending a full year in a world where magic use is commonplace. But that is likely because the spells I normally see are of the 'common' variety. "But aren't those spells difficult to use?"

Celestia nodded while beginning to walk around me. "Some are. The spell I just showed you and the teleportation spell are highly advanced spells that are both tricky to learn and more mentally taxing than most others. The key elements to the use of the teleportation spell are distance and mass. The farther you go and the more mass you have to move, the more difficult and tiring it is."

Luna then spoke up, apparently to cover something Celestia had forgotten to mention. "Another thing. It is also dependant on line of sight and memory. You can only teleport to a place you can see or a place that you can easily remember. And depending on how far away the location is, you may not be able to reach it."

In an attempt to be witty or funny, I asked a question. "So you're saying I could use this spell to teleport all the way back to Earth and grab a sandwich from my favorite lunch spot?"

This prompted a snicker from Celestia while Luna rolled her eyes with a smirk across her lips. "No, of course not. Your home world is light-years away. Even the most powerful magic casters can't possibly get that far. Even the moon is too far away to teleport to."

Luna then began to walk towards me while her horn was coated in her magic aura. "Of course, they are not the only advanced spells out there. Others inclu…oof!" For whatever reason, she walked right into me. She clearly did not expect it either, despite having her eyes open.

"You OK?" I asked while looking on in concern. That was certainly clumsy of her, but she seemed baffled by it as well. Luna then reached out and tapped her hoof on my armored abdomen, almost as if she was expecting to phase through it.

"Hm. It seems your armor works quite well. It seems to resist all forms of passive magic." She spoke with a focused gaze.

"What Luna was trying to demonstrate is the spell that allows one to phase through solid matter. But I doubt you'll ever be able to successfully learn that one. It's one of the most difficult spells out there to master. Even I never got it down!" Celestia explained while getting a good laugh out of Luna's failed performance. I raised my hands while shaking my head, not entirely certain if I could believe that such a spell exists.

However, while I watched these demonstrations, a question came to mind. "Do you really think I can actually use these spells? I mean…I barely have a grasp on how magic works at all."

Luna nodded right away. "You do have a point. Even earth ponies and pegasi possess types of magic, though they are mostly passive. However, humans have absolutely no innate magical abilities whatsoever."

Celestia then continued to speak in further detail. "For them to use any magic at all, they would often craft magical artifacts to compensate for that weakness. However, your armor bestows upon you the same level of mental and magical focus as Luna and myself. You cannot feel it, but your mental aptitude for focusing and channeling magical energies is just as great as ours. With practice, you will likely even be able to match us someday."

This sounded too good to be true. I certainly did not feel wiser or smarter or more serene. But perhaps that is not what using magic is about. "Well… Shall we start so I can get a better feel for being able to use magic?"

"By all means, let's. Which spell would you like to try first?" Luna asked while Celestia looked on.

After a brief moment of thought, I came up with my answer. "How about teleportation? Doesn't get much more convenient than that."

Celestia smiled at me before speaking. "Excellent choice. Now, just do as I tell you."

Even though I somehow had a bit of a grasp of what she told me, there is no possible way I can go into detail on what her instructions entailed. Magic is an arcane art that is excruciatingly difficult to explain. My apologies, but you have to actually experience it to have any idea on how it works. Anyway, I did as I was told. I tried focusing the magical energies in my right arm for this spell, a golden yellow aura coating my armored forearm and hand in response to my will. An instant later, I found myself standing not in front of my mentors, but behind them. However, the experience was…jarring, to say the least. I instantly dropped to my knees while my eyes rolled around in my head as if I had come down with the world's worst recorded case of vertigo. I honestly felt as if I was going to vomit.

"Oh dear, are you all right?!" Luna asked while rushing to my side, but was quick to back away when she saw me lifting my hand to my mouth.

"Oog… Gimme a minute… Ugh… I… I… I think… Yeah, I'm gonna be OK… Man, that was close…" I groaned while breathing deeply to settle myself. I then sat down with a thud, my head still swaying from side to side.

With a nervous grin, Celestia approached me as well. "Yes, that's usually the first experience one has when they use the teleportation spell for the first time. It's very taxing on the mind and unless your focus is just right, it leaves you heavily disoriented. The only way to improve is with practice."

"In that case… Can we take a break while my stomach settles?" I asked while falling on my back and just looking up at the sky. I swear I felt like the world was spinning under me.

"Uh… Sure. Take all the time you need." Luna replied while sounding like she was about to start laughing.

After a good three minutes or so, I felt the world stop spinning and sat up again. The two princesses seemed to be whispering to each other in conversation. "OK, I'm good now. Uh… Could you explain some of the more 'specialized' spells to me now?"

The two alicorns looked at each other and smiled. Celestia then spoke while they approached me. "Sure. I think you'll find this part of the lesson to be quite dazzling."

Luna's horn was then coated by her blue billowing aura before she began to speak next. "There are some spells that are of a more offensive nature. Created for self-defense. This spell, while very basic, is very effective in repelling most threats." A broad beam of blue magical energy was then shot from the tip of her horn that rocketed off into the sky. "While it will send most living creatures sprawling, the most heavily concentrated forms of this spell can obliterate boulders. Although the softer and more durable bodies of living creatures will likely survive it."

I nodded while crossing my arms, rather impressed by this show of power. "But that's still a spell anyone can use with practice, right?"

Celestia then flashed me a slightly excited smirk as she began to back away from me while her golden yellow magic aura surrounded her horn. As if she was about to show me a very unexpected surprise. "Very true. But the reason we showed you the most basic forms of attack-based magic is because the unique magical polarities within your gauntlets…" When she paused, my eyes opened slightly wider when I saw that the golden yellow aura surrounding her horn had become a cloak of flickering orange flames. "…possess extraordinarily destructive power."

With that, Celestia reared up on her hind legs and launched a surging stream of fire from her horn high into the air. Fire… Raw unfettered fire. Or at least it seemed to be. The fire coming from her horn seemed to be a bit more fiery yellow in color that typical orange flames… Perhaps magic-based fire has slightly different properties than natural fire? Even so, I could still feel the heat. But as brazen as this display of power was, I could see that Celestia was taking great care to not expose her flames to the meadow we were standing in. Even so, it was quite clear to me. The Princess of the Dawn commands the power of heat.

"This is the kind of power your armor possesses, James! The power of flames!" Celestia spoke rather boldly while the spell was cancelled and she landed back down on her hooves. But the instant she turned to face me, I ducked out of the way. Having seen what her horn can do, I felt as if I was standing before a loaded rifle. Wait… Do not worry about what a rifle is.

"Hm? James, what is… Oh, stop that! Why are you… Stop!" Celestia finally barked at me as I repeatedly tried to stay out of her way.

Luna too seemed baffled by why I was trying to make sure I was not in her sister's direct line of sight. "James, what's wrong?"

I knew I was going to sound silly, but I decided to be honest with them. "Well… Let's just say after seeing that… I don't want to be in her way just in case that horn goes off again."

Celestia rolled her eyes at me, clearly finding my fears humorous. "James. Listen to me."

The Princess of the Dawn began to approach me. I tried to duck out of her way the instant she faced me, but found my feet rooted to the ground. When I glanced down, I found a familiar blue billowing magic aura surrounding my armored feet. "Luna, knock it off! Lemme go!"

Luna cracked a grin while she giggled. She was clearly restraining my movement. I kept trying to yank my legs up, but it felt as if I had my feet stuck in blocks of concrete. I felt my fear rising the closer Celestia drew. But soon, she stopped with her face mere inches away from mine. She then spoke with a serene smile and a soft calming tone. "Calm yourself, my friend."

Celestia tilted her head down until her horn rested atop my forehead. I could see that her magic was being channeled through it, although no spells of any sort were cast. "I know I possess the power to bring great harm to you or anypony I wish. But the important thing is that I have no intention of ever doing so." She then looked me in the eye; her beautiful magenta irises focused right on me. "Do you think I would ever harm you?"

Despite how nervous I was feeling, I could see no hostility in those eyes. In fact, I saw a deep concern. Celestia is a sweetheart. I know she is far from being violent. She would never harm anyone unless they threatened her people. I wanted to believe her despite my fears. I gently reached up and grasped her horn before lowering it. I was hoping I would be able to get over my fear by looking my fear directly in the eye.

"No, you're not like that. You're a wonderful person, Celestia." I spoke softly while her horn was mere inches from me. I ran my armored fingers up and down it. It possesses great power. The power to burn and kill. But I know it will not kill unless it needs to. It would never be used to harm me.

I felt the magical restraints on my feet vanish as Luna drew near. "Are you sure you're going to be fine? If our magic frightens you, we can postpone any further lessons until later."

Having felt my fears mostly fade away, I felt more comfortable in their presence. "Nah, I'm good now. But what about you, Luna? What's your equivalent to Celestia's fire magic?"

The Princess of the Night gave me an awkward grin. "Really? You dare ask that? What is the natural opposite of fire?"

My first guess would have been water. But before I could even reply, she turned away from me while her horn was coated by her billowing blue magic aura. A second later, a surge of icy light blue frost, snow, and frigid mist was conjured from the tip of her horn and unleashed in a swirling vortex while howling with gale force winds. After several seconds, the spell ceased. I was both shocked and impressed by what I saw. The line of grass before her was glazed over with jagged ice, as if a powerful winter storm had blown through.

"Woo! Awesome, Luna!" I called out while surveying the results of her demonstration.

Luna took a bow before me before lifting her head to look towards me again. "Where my sister commands heat, I control the chilling cold of the night. Fitting, no?"

Celestia then smiled while approaching her sister. "That power is contained within your left gauntlet. And there is one thing you must know, James. While my fire magic is clearly greater in destructive potential, Luna's ice magic is far more versatile. Care to demonstrate, sister?"

"Gladly. Watch closely now." Luna spoke with some gusto. It seemed that the two princesses were actually enjoying themselves while showing these demonstrations of their power. I suspect it has been a very long time since they last had the chance to let loose like this.

I watched closely while Luna conjured up a cloud of frosty mist above her. Seconds later, what I assume was the moisture in the air being super cooled compacted together and formed icy blue darts composed of raw ice. Wait… I doubt she would need the moisture to actually make them. I am sure her magic can create ice from nothing. Even so, five ice darts were floating in the air.

"James. Be still." Luna spoke sternly while the ice darts turned towards me. I understood where this was going and stood my ground. A second later, the darts shot towards me at great speed. They all slammed into my armored chest, shattering in the process. Even though I did flinch a little from feeling the tremor of the impacts, I did not even see a dent on my cuirass.

"Wow, this really is pretty resistant to magic. Even those that have physical mass, huh?" I asked while I instinctively brushed my chest off. I suppose the reason why I was not more worried was because my armor had endured a pointblank lightning spell from Nightmare Moon; so several tiny darts would hardly do anything as well. While I was on that thought, I spoke up. "Wait! Nightmare Moon can use lightning magic, right? What about you?"

"I'm so glad you asked! Celestia?" Luna spoke with a somewhat excited grin while turning her gaze towards her sister.

Celestia nodded before looking towards me. "Very true. But allow me to explain. The spells you just saw, the manipulation and creation of heat and cold, is actually the first level of our magic. They are potent, but easy to cast. However, each of these polarities has a second level that is even more potent and requires greater focus. And as you saw on the night you faced Nightmare Moon, lightning magic is the more powerful 'cousin' to your ice magic."

I was hardly surprised. Lightning on its own is a deadly element. Traveling at almost light speed and with a temperature of fifty thousand degrees Fahrenheit, it is one of the most powerful natural elements in existence. But…wait. "Hang on… The lightning that Nightmare Moon shot at me seemed a little…..slow for electricity."

Luna nodded while her horn was coated by her billowing magic aura again. "Very true. Watch closely." With her horn pointed skywards, a burst of arcing pale blue electricity shot forth. It was fast, I can say that much. But it did not reach into the heavens as quickly as I could blink. It also lacked the accompanying deafening roar of a thunderclap as well.

"As you can see, lightning magic is slower than real lightning. That is because it is not raw lightning. Our secondary forms of offensive based magic are not quite on par with the natural elements, although they do come relatively close." Luna proceeded to explain before turning her gaze towards Celestia. Now that Luna had finished her demonstration, it was time for the Princess of the Dawn to display her strongest weapon.

Celestia, her face showing a stern frown, nodded and turned away from us. "Please do not interrupt me. It has been many centuries since I last used this spell."

Her voice was uncharacteristically serious in its tone. What was she about to use? I saw her close her eyes as her horn was coated by her billowing yellow magic aura. However, I soon noticed something forming at the tip of her horn. A steadily growing orb of some sort of yellowish white substance. It clearly was not fire. No, that could not possibly be any type of flame.

I was tempted to say something. I wanted to ask Luna what sort of element her sister was displaying. But I could not. I could not bring myself to interrupt them. The pulsing orb grew, never leaving the tip of Celestia's horn as if it was balancing upon it. When it grew to roughly half Celestia's size, I saw her open her eyes. With a growl of effort, she lifted her head back before bringing it down. The orb was launched from her horn, rocketing off into the horizon to the west without much fanfare.

"Um…" I started to mutter as the brightly glowing orb became like a twinkling star in the distant blue sky. But before I could even ask any questions, I saw and felt it. A colossal fiery explosion filled the sky in the great distance. I could feel a slight tremor in the air that even startled several flocks of birds that had been roosting in nearby trees into taking flight and flying away.

Celestia turned to face me, her expression still stern. What she had just used was no laughing matter. Seeing what I was wondering, she spoke the answer. "That was the most destructive form of magic I possess. Plasma magic."

Plasma. That word sent a shiver across my flesh that lifted goose bumps. What Celestia had just launched from her horn was not a compacted orb of flames, but was actually a miniature star! And I had just witnessed it go supernova! I mean, she is the princess who controls the sun. And it is made of the stuff! I suppose I should not be surprised that she could produce a magical variant of it.

"Plasma magic… That's… Well, that is beyond awe-inspiring. And you said that it isn't real plasma?" I asked, knowing that real plasma is one of the most unstable and destructive elements out there. Is plasma magic just as unstable?

Celestia shook her head, although her expression remained stern. "No, I am incapable of creating raw plasma. While plasma magic is certainly destructive, it pales in comparison to raw plasma. Only my mother and father are capable of generating natural plasma and lightning respectively."

This actually left me momentarily speechless. I had heard of Celestia and Luna's parents at least once before. But being able to actually create such deadly energies… What are they? Finally, my curiosity got the better of me. "Who are they exactly? Your parents."

Luna and Celestia looked towards each other before glancing at me a couple of times during another one of their silent conversations. They soon smiled and turned to face me. Celestia spoke first as usual. "I suppose we can tell you. Though I would appreciate it if you do not go around spreading the word. Their existence by this point in time is a bit of a secret."

I nodded in silent agreement, promising to not reveal the information to anyone. I will make certain to hide this entry once I finish writing it as well. Luna then began to speak. "As I am certain you have guessed, we do not carry the titles of 'princess' without reason. King Orbash and Queen Sunflare. They are our parents and they reigned over this world for a short time in the distant past. Father crafted the moon while Mother wove the sun."

I had to stop a moment to take that in. Even though Celestia and Luna control the movement of the sun and moon, which by itself is a phenomenal feat, their parents actually CREATED these two celestial bodies?! The moon I can kind of understand, but creating a colossal self-sustained nuclear reactor in the void of space millions of times larger than the planet I am standing on… What in the world are they?! Are they gods?!

Celestia was quick to notice my confusion and spoke with a soft chuckle. "I know what you are thinking and no, they are not gods. They are merely the most powerful ponies who have ever existed."

"Yeah, I can kind of see that. Just… Wow… Do you think I'll ever meet them?" I replied while glancing up at the sun. Queen Sunflare made that… Wow.

Luna sighed before she offered a reply. "I honestly cannot say. They left this world in our care. I am sure they are still watching from afar as we speak. It would not surprise me if they already know about you."

"Do you think they would want to meet me?" I asked rather absentmindedly, kind of just blurting it out.

Celestia rolled her eyes while an uneasy smile spread across her lips. "I am not so certain about Mother. She was a rather stubborn woman at times. Father, on the other hoof… I am sure he would love you. I think you two would get along very well."

I cracked a small smile before turning and looking west. The king and queen of Equestria. They sounded like truly spectacular people. Just hearing their names gave me a very righteous and noble vibe. Sunflare. Orbash. I wonder if I will ever have the opportunity to cross paths with them…

"Your parents sound pretty cool. And they raised some very beautiful daughters." I spoke once I turned back towards the two alicorn sisters.

"Oh, you…" Celestia spoke with a giggle while a slight blush filled her white cheeks. Luna offered a similar expression, though she offered no words. It did bring to mind a question though. If Celestia, Luna, and even Nightmare Moon are so drop-dead gorgeous, then just how majestic are their parents? They must have been beating off suitors with sticks still attached to the trees before they were wed!

"Well, enough of that stroll down memory lane. Shall we get back to the business at hand?" Luna soon asked while regaining her composure.

"Right… So, what spell should I try next?" I asked while glancing down at my hands.

"Let's stay with the standard spells for now before moving onto the more specialized ones. How about the gravity-changing spell?" Celestia asked while drawing closer to me.

After explaining how to cast the spell to me, which I still cannot describe, I gave it a go. This time, I tried to cast the spell with my left gauntlet in the hopes of trying to make myself more ambidextrous in the use of magic. "So, how does this go? Do I just whooooaaaaa!"

Next thing I know, I am hurtling backwards for about five seconds before falling to the ground and flopping head over heels with a series of clanks. I sounded like someone getting kicked down a flight of stairs inside a metal trashcan. I am amazed that I did not hit my head on anything.

My mentors were quick to rush to my aid. Luna especially sounded like she was in a bit of a panic. "Good lord, are you well?! James, speak to us!"

"I'm a bit sore now… But that was kinda fun!" I replied while pulling myself to my feet. As embarrassingly badly as I was doing, I was still having some fun with it.

Celestia seemed especially relieved since she let out a sigh of relief. That look she was showing seemed to be of someone who only narrowly averted a massive mistake. "Let's not try that spell again until next time. I should have known better than to leave your helmet behind."

Bit by bit, we tried out more spells. I found myself having an easy time using them due to the armor heightening my mental focus, although actually using them correctly was proving to be a whole other challenge. I did not use a single one right. We must have tried out no fewer than a dozen spells. I believe it will take me several sessions before I improve enough to say I have mastered them.

After a while, I rubbed my head while feeling slightly lightheaded. My mind was clearly not accustomed to such focus and needed to rest a bit. "Man, this really takes a lot outta you when you've never used magic much in your life."

Luna hovered alongside me before gently nudging my side. "Do not worry about that. Even unicorn foals tend to tire easily when they use magic for the first few times in their lives, the levitation spell notwithstanding."

After taking a short walk around the field to clear my head, I returned to my mentors with a flap of my wings to close the distance more swiftly. "OK, I'm good. What spell is next?"

Celestia cast me a more subdued smile that seemed to show that her mood had shifted to one of wariness and caution. "I believe it is time that we begin to instruct you in harnessing the unique energies within your gauntlets. Now that you have a slightly firmer grasp of manipulating your magical energies, you should have an easier time harnessing them without losing control."

"All right then. Which first?" I replied while glancing at my hands. Left for cold and lightning, right for heat and…heat. Why did I write that?

Luna spoke up first. "I recommend ice. It is not as dangerous as fire and is more flexible and requires less focus."

The Princess of the Night then began to instruct me how to draw out the unique chilling magic within my left hand. I do not need to explain that there is no way for me to detail how I was understanding her by now, do I? Regardless, I looked down at my left hand while I curled my fingers slightly. My entire arm below the elbow was covered by a familiar billowing cobalt blue aura. Although I was also quick to notice that the same aura was surrounding Luna's horn. I suppose she was ready to intervene should I lose control.

Trying to do as I had been instructed, I watched as chilling artic mist began to emanate from my hand. While not much, I was succeeding. "How's this so far?"

"Good, good… Now, compress it." Luna spoke calmly while she watched with a focused gaze.

I did not want to try to go too far too quickly, so I tried to focus it into something simple. A slowly growing sphere of light blue ice began to form above my palm. I stopped the growth once it had reached the size of a baseball. The frigid mist did not disappear though and the icy orb continued to float above my hand.

"Not much, but it's a decent start." Celestia said softly while I tried to keep my focus going. I could only look on in small wonderment. I was harnessing some of the power of Luna herself. Even though it was only a mere glimmer of her full potential, it was right there in front of me.

"So… What now?" I asked, not certain if I should just let it go or not.

Luna then looked at Celestia. "Why not try launching it as a projectile?"

Celestia then flapped her wings to propel herself backwards before erecting a translucent spherical magic barrier around herself that matched her horn's aura in color. "I'm ready."

As I was beginning to lift my hand with the orb of ice still floating parallel to my palm, a question arose. "Wait… How am I supposed to accurately aim?"

Luna slightly tilted her head to one side in obvious puzzlement. "Pardon?"

I decided to explain in further detail. "Well… Whenever you girls launch any kind of spell from your horns, it is projected from right above your eyes. It's hard to miss when it's coming from just above your line of sight. A human's arms are not so properly aligned. How am I supposed to shoot straight?"

Luna cracked a smirk before chuckling in amusement. "Yes, I know. And we were quite aware of that flaw while forging your armor."

Celestia then spoke from inside her barrier. "To compensate, we infused a special enchantment into it. Like with other unicorns, where the spell goes depends on sight. If you point your hand in the general direction you are focusing your eyes on, whatever spell you launch will fly directly there. If your gaze on your target is not precisely focused when you cast the spell, it will still move in that direction, but there is a chance that it will miss."

"Let's demonstrate. Focus your gaze on a part of Celestia's body and let the orb go." Luna instructed while she watched.

My eyes scanned the Princess of the Dawn carefully. What was an obvious spot I could target? After a moment, my eyes rested upon a single point. The diamond-shaped amethyst on the front of the golden band that wrapped around the base of her neck. "OK… Target acquired."

I extended my hand in Celestia's direction, but had no idea if it was aligned with where I was looking or not. Apparently through nothing more than my will, I launched the orb of ice at her with speed that seemed to rival that of a bolt launched from a crossbow. And sure enough, it hit the barrier hard enough to generate a ripple effect upon its surface. Upon emitting a sound similar to tough thick glass being struck by a blunt object, I saw where the orb had struck. Right in front of the gemstone I had focused upon. "Huh! That really works!"

While my focus ceased and the blue aura around my left forearm vanished with the frigid mist, Celestia lowered her barrier. "Well done. Now it's time for the right." She then walked over to me and looked down at my right hand. "Allow me to explain how this works. Fire is less versatile than ice, but is still easy to cast despite its power."

After being instructed on how to manipulate the magical forces in my right gauntlet in a manner to generate fire, I first focused to bring up the golden yellow magic aura that corresponds with Celestia's magic. My right forearm was surrounded by the aura while I turned my palm upwards, fingers curled slightly inward out of habit. Celestia and Luna were watching with their magic auras coating their horns, probably ready to step in should I set the meadow on fire.

A moment later, small flashes of fire would flicker in my palm before fading away. Despite feeling the warmth on my face, my hand inside my armor did not feel the heat at all. Come to think of it, my left did not feel the cold when it was exposed to the frigid ice magic. And in hindsight, I was feeling rather cool despite the time of the year being late summer. I suppose my armor regulates the temperature inside to allow for greater comfort and optimal physical performance. Intense cold saps your stamina while intense heat can cause disorientation, dehydration, and even fainting at the most extreme prolonged levels. I was absolutely amazed by the sheer level of fine-tuning these two princesses had performed on this armor. They overlooked nothing during its creation.

"Go on. Focus further. Maintain it." Celestia spoke frankly while closely observing my performance. Trusting her faith in me, I gathered my courage and maintained my level of focus. A flame formed over my palm and continued to burn there without anything feeding it. I felt slightly apprehensive about having a flame that close to my hand, but I am sure I will get more accustomed to that over time.

Celestia smiled with a look of satisfaction on her face. "Very good. You can dispel it now." And I did just that. The flame quickly faded while my gauntlet's aura did as well.

"I have to admit it's…a weird feeling knowing you possess this much power in just your hands. I'm almost afraid to use it." I spoke while shaking my right hand almost instinctively to cool it, not aware that my armor was not even warm.

Luna smiled warmly at me before speaking. "True. But you should only truly be afraid of using it if you do not know how to control it. We will make certain you know how to properly control this magic before you can actually use it in a situation that requires it."

"Thanks. What's next? Lightning or plasma?" I asked in return, my gaze returning to my left hand.

Luna raised a hoof to her chin while seemingly pondering. However, Celestia then stepped forward with a more serious expression on her face. "We will help you get a grasp on how to use lightning magic today. However, I cannot let you use plasma magic. Not yet."

I was only partially surprised by this ultimatum. "OK… But why?"

"It's simple, really. Plasma magic, while not on the same level as its natural counterpart, is still highly dangerous. Only once you have mastered the use of ice, fire, and lightning magic will we deem you capable of properly controlling it." She replied with her expression retaining its stern stare. She was not joking around in the slightest.

"I get that much…but can't my armor endure it? It is almost magicproof, right?" I asked further, still feeling wary while also wondering what my armor's limits are.

Celestia's expression softened into a more worried expression. Luna too seemed wary as well of the thought. Finally, the Princess of the Dawn spoke softly. "Yes. Your armor is highly resistant to magic that may damage it. However, I will be honest with you. That spell I cast a short while ago? If I had used it on you instead…your armor would not have endured it."

Those words awakened a nameless fear in my heart. My armor is able to produce a type of magic that can…kill me? Luna was quick to notice that look in my eye and spoke next. "Your armor is indeed durable, James. But you know it is not perfect. We cannot allow you to have access to such a deadly form of magic until we are certain your control over other forms of magic is great enough to prevent you from being a threat to yourself."

"I get you… Yeah, plasma can wait. So, just lightning for now?" I replied somewhat meekly while trying to not look at my right hand.

Luna nodded while her expression brightened slightly. "Yes. Now, lightning magic requires greater focus than that for ice or fire. It is also more reliable than plasma for targeting a specific area. Since plasma tends to be rather explosive, lightning is much more precise. Essentially, it strikes hard and only effects a precise area unless your focus is not precise, which then it can spread. It is also the swiftest form of our magic."

I nodded in confirmation before she provided the details on how to actually cast it. I then looked down at my left hand as it and my forearm were coated by its blue aura. I focused harder than before, trying to get some sort of result. Soon, it happened. Light blue sparks and arcing bolts of electricity began to move through the air over my hand.

"That's enough for now. Do not rush yourself. We will continue this next time." Luna spoke authoritatively while I cancelled the spell right there. Knowing that lightning is potent and dangerous, I did not want to rush my training.

Before we had the chance to talk about anything else, a new question popped into my head. "Wait a sec… If launching spells depends on where my eyes are focusing, what happens if I try launching spells away from where I am looking?"

The two princesses seemed genuinely surprised by that question, if those looks they were giving me were any indication. Celestia cracked an awkward smile before stammering out a reply. "That? Well… Um… I honestly cannot recommend that. Chances are it would just go every which way. Not something you should do when someone is nearby."

"Ooh… So they would just turn into potshots. Thanks for the warning." I replied while the thought of ice, fire, and lightning just shooting every which way came to mind. As dangerous as it sounded, it also sounded like a randomly silly scene. "Anyway, what's next? I know plasma magic is off-limits for now, but…"

The two sisters then looked at each other before smiling and then looked back to me. Luna then spoke first. "Actually, that will be all for today. We want to ease you into this. Casting magic is not natural for humans, so it would be risky to rush your tutoring."

I suppose that made sense. I would not want to risk overreaching myself and turning the entire field into a scorched wasteland. And besides that, I enjoyed the session overall. I was especially glad to get to see Luna again, and Celestia was certainly a pleasant teacher as well. "Good point. Well, should we head back home? I should probably check on Fluttershy right about now. She's come down with a case of the flutters. Pretty unpleasant pegasus ailment, from what I was told."

Just as we started to head back across the meadow, Celestia seemed to know what I was speaking of. "Oh my, the flutters? That's no good. I had it once not that long ago myself. I could barely focus enough to get the sun up."

"How could you be affected by tha… Oh, right. Alicorn. Both unicorn and pegasus properties." I replied after a moment of confusion. "Wait… Is that why I heard there was an hour or two when the sky was without the sun and moon?"

Luna rolled her eyes while speaking in a slightly annoyed tone. "Yes. It finally got to the point that I had to raise the sun myself."

"At least we don't have to worry about not having a way to raise the moon if one of us has a sick day, right?" Celestia spoke as a cheeky grin spread across her face. The two sisters got a modest laugh out of that while I merely listened in silence.

The walk back to Fluttershy's cottage was fairly uneventful, although I enjoyed listening to the two princesses converse with each other. However, they soon noticed that I was staying behind them the entire time and looked my way. Celestia then asked, "Are you all right, James? You're being oddly quiet."

Luna, apparently knowing me a bit better than her sister, cracked a smile. "Are you just absorbing information back there?"

I bowed my head as a snicker rumbled in my throat. She certainly does know me well. "I guess you can say that. I'm just staying amused by listening to your conversation. Don't mind me."

When we did arrive at Fluttershy's cottage, we headed up towards the slope to the front door to retrieve the chalice that is used to hold my armor. It had been left right next to the front door when we departed. However, we found Angel stubbornly standing in front of the chalice with his arms spread wide, apparently trying to keep a few raccoons from getting to it.

"This again? Begone, you little urchins! That is not yours to take!" Luna spoke up with some minor irritation, causing the raccoons to scatter and flee.

"Meh, raccoons always have a penchant for shiny objects. Thanks for keeping them away, Angel. You saved us a scavenger hunt." I said while reaching out and gently patting the white rabbit on the head. I suppose he must have known that since Fluttershy is the only one around who could have convinced the raccoons to show us the location of the chalice if they ever took it, we would not have been able to find it for a while since she could not even climb out of bed. The little guy sure knows how to look out for her.

"That was very noble of you, little rabbit. We should bring you some carrot cake tonight when we return." Celestia said with a smile, although her words quickly caught my attention. Even Angel seemed puzzled.

"Wait… Tonight? You're coming back here this evening?" I asked while Luna used her magic to liquefy my armor before placing it back in the chalice. I then slid my shoes back on, which were still next to the door.

Celestia cracked a smile, apparently amused by my bewilderment. "What? Did you really think we came down here just to tutor you in magic?"

Luna then looked at me with a calm smirk. "Do you know what day it is?"

"Uh… Well, it's a Friday… Hang on… Eight days ago was the anniversary of when I first arrived in Ponyville…" I began to stammer and mutter while thinking things over. Was today another anniversary of sorts?

"Yes, and what happened on this day last year?" Celestia asked while that expression on her face looked more and more impish.

I crossed my arms while looking down. "Uh… I just finished my first week in Ponyville…" I then just happened to look to my left and saw the edge of the Everfree Forest. That was when it hit me. "Wait… Today's the day when I first met Nightmare Moon and Mitta!"

"Yes! And what happened the next day?" Luna replied while still looking at me.

"The next day? Um… That was the day when I… When I met you two for the first time." I spoke while gazing at the two beautiful princesses before me. It is true. I met all three of the royal sisters less than a full day apart.

Celestia grinned as brightly as her mother's sun. "Correct! And to that end, we have a special offer for you."

Luna then spoke after her sister. "James. As our friend, would you care to spend the day with us until nightfall? Nightmare Moon is expecting you back in Canterlot as we speak."

A day with the rulers of Equestria… If that is not a dream date, I do not know what is! I mean… I felt ungodly lucky. Celestia. Luna. Nightmare Moon. The three most beautiful mares in the world in my company for the entire day. Perhaps it is just because I am a man, but I shuddered in anticipation. And now that I think about it… Wow. To think that I have been friends with them for this long. I never would have had such an opportunity to get this close to any of the rulers or politicians where I come from.

"That's… Are you sure about this? I mean… Really? Me hanging out with all three of you?" I asked, still not entirely certain if I heard them right. As flattering as it was, it just sounded too good to be true.

Luna, clearly seeing my doubt, stood on her hind legs and held me in a tender embrace. "Of course we are sure. James. You have been my best friend since the day I met you. And there are no words to describe how important you are to Nightmare Moon. So, please. As the Princess of the Night, I implore you. May we have the honor of having you in our company for the day?"

There was only one thing I could possibly say to that. "It would be an honor, m'lady." However, I then pulled away from her and spoke sternly. "But not just yet. I need to pay a visit to Zecora to pick something up for Fluttershy. I did just tell you that she has a case of the flutters, right?"

Celestia nodded with a smile before glancing over at the Everfree Forest. "Ah, of course. That certainly must be tended to immediately. Would you like me to escort you?"

That certainly was an unusual offer. I would expect her to have ordered her guards to escort me instead. But seeing as how this was a personal visit for them, I can see why there were not any present with them when they arrived. "Um… Sure. I don't think I've ever run any trouble while heading there and back, but it'd be nice to have your company."

"I shall go as well! He is my friend, after all." Luna spoke up with a smile, although Celestia soon shook her head with a playful grin.

"No, you stay here with Fluttershy, Luna. I think you could still do with a little more instructing on how to speak as demurely as her." Celestia said with a rather jeering tone. Was she referring to something that had occurred before I arrived?

Luna did not seem to take that particular reminder very well at all. "Oh, you just had to bring that up! Well, so be it! I WILL stay here and soften my tongue with her over a spot of tea." However, she suddenly got right up in her sister's face with a stern glare in her eyes. "But you had best not allow anything to happen to him in my absence, Celestia. Understood?"

"Yes, yes! I will see to it that we both return unharmed. You have my word." Celestia retorted while looking noticeably unnerved. I can certainly understand why. Luna, despite her size, is likely every bit as powerful as her. And she certainly must value her friends highly due to likely having not had many throughout her very long life.

"Good. I will be upstairs with Fluttershy when you return. And I will keep this with me." Luna said with a satisfied expression on her face while levitating the silver chalice into the cottage with her.

"Well, shall we be going?" Celestia asked while she and I began to head down the slope before looping around the back towards the entrance to the Everfree Forest. And before long, we were walking along the simple dirt path that stretched out through it.

While we walked, I glanced at the Princess of the Dawn beside me. It was…an odd feeling to have just her in my company and not someone of the same social class. And she truly stood out against the wild and untamed foliage around us. Her radiant godly beauty was all the more noticeable at that moment. She seemed to notice my eyes looking at her and turned her head to look at me. "Something catch your eye?"

"Yeah. You." I replied briefly while getting right to the point.

Celestia let out a slight chuckle. "Are you worried about me? I do think I made it quite clear during that training session that I am not nearly as frail as I seem."

"Uh… It's not that, Celestia. I was looking at you because your beauty is just…radiant. About as radiant as the sun, to be honest." I responded once more while being as brutally honest as possible.

Her eyes widened at my words. I am sure she gets compliments all the time on her beauty, though this one still seemed to surprise her. "Well… Thank you kindly. Your appreciation is…well…appreciated." She spoke softly while giving me a subdued smile. "I actually don't get complimented on my beauty all that often anymore. I suppose that may be because that the ponies of Canterlot see me frequently and they just get used to it over time."

That sounds rather hard to believe. While I can understand Celestia may have a bit of competition due to Canterlot's extremely high aesthetic standards, I do not see how anyone could 'get used' to her appearance. "Well, I don't think I would ever stop noticing your beauty. You're gorgeous and it's plain as day."

Celestia did not immediately offer a retort. She looked at me in silence, as if her eyes were scanning me carefully to see if I was being honest or just trying to flatter her. Soon, I got a response. She extended her great left wing and draped it over me in a type of embrace. "Thank you, James. I can see that you do genuinely appreciate beauty. Never lose that quality. I'm sure the mares must be quarreling over you quite a bit."

I nearly facepalmed at those words. If only she knew. "Well, I'm way too shy to actually approach a woman I don't know too well on something like that. We would have to be friends for a while before I could feel I would not be rejected or attacked for it."

"Very true. I can see that you are a timid sort who is very cautious. You despise conflict and do all you can to not create any. You cherish peace and do all you can to make those you care for happy. You have a very big heart, one of the biggest I have ever seen. I would say Cadence is one of the few whose heart is bigger than yours." Celestia spoke with almost clairvoyant confidence. It was as if she was looking right into my soul.

"You sound like you've known me all my life or something." I retorted while listening to every word she said. And I can believe her about Cadence. That mare is a true sweetheart.

"James, I have seen many people over the course of my life. It's something you pick up on after several centuries." She spoke with a chuckle, having likely been asked that before. Even though, it was still flattering to be praised like that. And from her, of all people. What an honor.

While we walked along, Celestia seemed to be taking in our surroundings just about as much as I was. "The Everfree Forest has not changed all that much over the years. At least in form."

"You've been here before?" I asked before suddenly remembering the castle at the far end of the forest.

Seeing that look on my face, Celestia cracked a grin. "Of course. I used to live out here, you know. Although the forest was left untouched and undomesticated after Nightmare Moon came to be. I often wonder what has changed out here since that ti… Hm?"

Her ears flicked as she suddenly came to a stop. Her eyes then suddenly opened wide as her body became rigid. "James. Stop."

That tone of voice was very strict and wary. I did as I was told and froze, my eyes carefully scanning the areas along the sides of the path. I saw no movement in the trees. But Celestia then spoke quickly and with a tone of urgency. "Get behind me. Quickly."

I said nothing while I glanced around one more time before quickly getting behind the alicorn. A moment later, something stepped out onto the path while constantly glaring at us with glowing green eyes. A timber wolf. A growl constantly came from its wooden jaws as it began to pace back and forth before us. It did not seem to be the same one I encountered with Derpy not that long ago. It seemed bigger than that one. "Guess I should've brought my sword…"

Celestia did not budge from the spot she stood. Her horn was constantly coated by her golden magic aura. She then spread her wings wide, apparently trying to make herself seem more menacing and larger. With her body being as tall and long as it is combined with the length of her mane, tail, and wings, she was certainly looking too big to tangle with. The timber wolf seemed to understand this and rushed back into the underbrush.

"Hm. Smart dog." Celestia spoke while she folded her wings. "I doubt that one will… Huh?!" The rustling of branches and leaves were coming from the left. Somewhere directly beside me.

"What the…?!" I turned just in time to see the same timber wolf burst out of the underbrush, clearly having decided to go after the smaller and weaker of the two creatures it saw. But just as it leapt at me with wooden fangs bared, a flash of golden yellow light came from my right and slammed into the wooden beast. The instant it was shot, the creature was blown apart into dozens of pieces of wood and leaves.

My heart still pounding from that close brush with an imminent mauling, I instantly turned to face Celestia. She was looking at me with a panicked expression, her horn still coated by a billowing aura. The Princess of the Dawn then rushed to my side and instantly held me against her in her wing while glancing around cautiously. When it became clear that the timber wolf had not come with a pack, she let out a long sigh of relief. "Are you all right…?"

I too sighed as I felt myself relax. "Yeah… Thanks…"

Celestia rested her head on my shoulder as her grasp on me softened. Her tender touch almost felt motherly with how calming it felt to be held like that. "That was too close… Luna and Nightmare Moon would have my hide if something happened to you on my watch."

"It's OK… I didn't see that coming either… Thanks." I replied softly while holding her in an embrace of my own. I felt safe in her presence. Beautiful, yet powerful. Celestia's appearance is certainly misleading. She is not frail or delicate at all. She is truly a superpower of Equestria.

Celestia spoke softly to me in a soothing voice while she began to lift her head from my shoulder. "Stay close to me for the rest of the trek, James. I'll keep you safe."

"Thanks, Celestia…" I replied quietly before reluctantly releasing her from my grasp. My eyes then noticed the many pieces of wood littering the forest floor. "Uh… You really got that guy good, huh?"

Celestia shook her head while barely smiling. "Those timber wolves are a hardy bunch. It'll pull itself back together after a while. Although I doubt it will want to tangle with us again after that treatment."

"Come to think of it, just what are they? Bits of wood held together with some sort of magic? Did someone make them?" I asked while we continued on our way with the two of us staying very close together. I thought for sure that someone who used to live in the Everfree Forest would know something about a creature that dwells in it.

Celestia also seemed puzzled by the timber wolves' mere existence. "That is a very good question… Even after all this time, nopony has successfully figured out where they came from. They're quite an enigma."

Fortunately, the rest of the trek was peaceful. We eventually came to a familiar hollowed-out tree with numerous large exotic masks. It was while I was observing these that a thought came to mind. "Hey, Celestia? Have you ever visited the land where Zecora comes from?"

The Princess of the Dawn smiled at my question, clearly pleased with it. "Why, yes! The zebra ponies mainly hail from the Sereneighti, a region to the south that is known for its exotic wildlife and vast savannahs. The people there seem to prefer more nomadic lifestyles, but are friendly and hospitable with many fascinating traditions. Luna and I very seldom go since it is so far away, but we always have a good time with the locals."

"Exotic wildlife, huh? Fluttershy would have a field day down there." I retorted with a snicker while keeping in mind Fluttershy's deep fascination and love of all animals. I then peeked in through the window and saw that Zecora was indeed inside while apparently brewing something up in the cauldron at the center of her home's main chamber. "Well, it seems Zecora's home. Let's pop on in and see if she has anything for the flutters."

Celestia and I headed on over to the door at the side of the tree before I tapped on it several times. A moment later, the door opened to reveal Zecora. She smiled the instant her eyes fell upon us. "Ah, hello, my friend. Such a good morning to see you. Do come in. I have perfected a new brew."

"You mean some new tea? I can't wait." I replied while following the kindly zebra inside. "Oh, I hope you don't mind Princess Celestia tagging along. She escorted me here."

My royal companion then ducked through the doorway to enter as well. "Good morning, Zecora. I hope you do not mind. And did I just hear that you have concocted a new brew of tea?"

Zecora did not seem to mind Celestia's presence at all and greeted her promptly. "Yes, indeed I have, your majesty. To refuse your refined tastes would be a travesty." I suspect that Celestia must be a renowned enjoyer of tea and is probably a connoisseur of the drink. She would surely make a fine taster.

The two of us took a seat on some wooden stools near the cauldron while Zecora brought over a cast iron teapot that still seemed warm. I could notice a faint aroma wafting from the spout. Celestia, taking the fact that Zecora's jaws were preoccupied, used the levitation spell to bring over a pair of what seemed to be dark wooden cups from a nearby shelf. Zecora then spoke to us in her usual rhyming tongue. "A brew of a fusion of local and exotic flavors. Eucalyptus, pomegranate, and chamomile I am sure you will savor."

While I do have a taste for pomegranate and chamomile, I have to admit eucalyptus is something I have never tried. Although I am sure it is more common where Zecora comes from. Even so, I was not going to turn up an offer to try some new tea. I took one cup in hand while Celestia used the levitation spell to bring the other one closer to her. The tea was still warm, though not quite hot, which is just the way I like it. Together, we took a long sip from the cups. I immediately detected the faint taste of honey from the chamomile bit of the tea while also drinking in the delectable aroma brought on by the pomegranate. As for the eucalyptus… I am not certain how to describe it. Perhaps I will have a grasp of its description after tasting it often enough, but it escapes me as of this moment.

"That's some good stuff. It all blends together well." I said with a smile before enjoying more of my beverage.

Celestia mirrored my words and chugged the rest of her tea from her cup. "I concur! May I have some to take home and brew at my own leisure?"

Zecora's face showed satisfaction from seeing that her new brew of tea was well put together. "Absolutely, you both may. A request is all you must say." She then went over to a wooden chest that likely serves as her tea cabinet. Once she lifted the top open, the zebra mare reached in and lifted two bags from it that seemed to be slightly larger than my fist. "This brew is potent, so I recommend no more than one tablespoon for every two cups. And feel free to return to me for more once it is used up."

Once Celestia and I took our individual bags of tea, I then remembered what we were even doing there in the first place. "Oh, right… I forgot why we even came out here. Zecora, could I ask you for a tonic to treat a case of the flutters? Fluttershy's come down with a pretty nasty case of it."

Zecora lifted a hoof to her chin while she seemed to ponder my words. "The flutters, you say? Hmmm… Ah, have a cure I may." She then went over to another cabinet of sorts before opening it. Inside were many glass bottles that contained a rainbow of different colored tonics. It was rather dazzling to see how many types Zecora had amassed. "Ah, here it is. You are in luck. One of the ingredients requires much searching through swamp muck."

She brought over a translucent bottle filled with a fluid that was as white as the clouds. Once I took it in hand and looked it over, I asked the telltale question. "How much should she take in one sitting?"

"One should only consume a third with each day. The tonic is potent, so be patient if you may. Once the third day of consuming it has passed, her health will have once again been amassed." Zecora once again spoke in rhyme. Always so charming she is when she speaks. Is that how all the natives from the Sereneighti talk?

"OK. I'll make sure she takes some when I get home. I think that was all I needed." I replied while rising to my feet.

"It was a pleasure meeting you again, Zecora. And I will be sure to enjoy this fine brew you concocted. Shall we be off, James?" Celestia said while she too rose to a standing position.

I merely nodded before turning to Zecora and sharing a brief hug with the charming zebra. She spoke one last time before I could depart. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, my friends. Should you be in the Everfree again, feel free to stop by. My doors are always open, so please do not abstain."

"We shall, Zecora. Now we must be off." Celestia said with a grateful smile while I released my grasp on her. But before we could even face the door, I suddenly found myself standing before the front door of Fluttershy's cottage. "Well, that was a short trip! Shall we check on Luna?"

I immediately deduced that Celestia had transported us both back to my home with the teleportation spell. "OK, is there any spell out there more practical than the teleportation spell? I'm surprised I don't see Twilight using it more often!"

Celestia chuckled heartily at me while she used the levitation spell to push the door open. I suppose that spell can also double as a mere movement spell. "Well, overuse can be very tiring. Rapid overuse can generate nausea to the point of vomiting in even the most focused mages and even when spread out, overusing that spell can still leave you feeling mentally drained. You would know if you experienced it."

Once we went inside, the two of us went right upstairs. As it turned out, we found Fluttershy still fast asleep with Luna sitting at her bedside. However, it seemed that the Princess of the Night was taking a nap were she sat. Her eyes were closed while her horn was noticeably covered by her cobalt blue magic aura. "Uh… Luna?"

Celestia stepped forward while turning her gaze towards me as a smile curled her lips upward at the sides. "She's dream-diving, James. I'm sure she and Fluttershy are enjoying some quality time in the realm of dreams right now." She then looked closely at her sister before blowing into Luna's ear.

Sure enough, Luna's ear flicked in response to the flow of air rushing into it. This woke her up right away. "Eek! Don't do that, Celestia! I was enjoying an evening flight with a flock of bats!"

"Uuugh… Wha… Where are all the little squeaking… Huh? Princess Celestia?" It seems that breaking the link between Luna and whoever's dream she is diving into causes both dreamers to awaken seeing as how Fluttershy woke up too. She still seemed quite groggy, but she was awake and…semi coherent. Her head kept swaying back and forth.

"So sorry to awaken you, Fluttershy. I heard you had come down with something, so James and I visited Zecora for something to take care of it. Didn't we, James?" Celestia explained before looking over at me. I had made sure to grab a small cup from the kitchen before heading upstairs.

"Sure did. Here you go, honey." I said while coming over to Fluttershy's bedside. I then popped off the stopper on the bottle and poured some of the white fluid into the cup. I soon noticed that Zecora had drawn a black line across two parts of the bottle, apparently signaling how much made up a single dose. Once I had reduced the contents of the bottle to the first line, I carefully lifted the cup to Fluttershy's lips. I was surprised to find that the tonic did not really smell like anything. I was expecting some sort of extremely strong odor. "Drink it all down, dear. It's all you need for the day."

Fluttershy responded in kind by tilting her head back. I then tilted the cup further, letting the liquid flow into her mouth and down her throat. She gulped it down without much of a reaction before looking at me. "It didn't really taste like anything… Almost like a cloud."

"Really? That's the first thing I thought of when I saw this stuff's color. I thought clouds are one of the ingredients." I replied while looking at the bottle again. I suppose I could head back over to Zecora's place and ask, but I doubt it would be worth the trip. Maybe next time I visit for some tea.

"Do you feel any better now?" Luna asked while giving Fluttershy a slightly concerned stare.

Fluttershy did not reply right away. She seemed to check to see if anything was different by rubbing her eyes first. "Well… I think the world isn't spinning as much right now… But… Come to think of it, what are you doing all the way out here, your highnesses? Did something happen?"

The two sisters looked at each other before smiling at her. "Well, as you may remember, tomorrow marks the anniversary when we first met James after he returned from the Everfree Forest. And today marks when he and our sister, Nightmare Moon, first met." Celestia explained while glancing at me.

"To that end, we came out here to invite him for a little time with us as friends. But… Seeing as how you are bedridden, I feel it would not be right to leave you unattended." Luna then spoke with a more somber expression. I suspect she and her sisters may have been planning today for a while now, but I know none of us could have foreseen Fluttershy falling ill on this very specific day.

"Yeah, that's the story. I'd like to go, but… Will you be OK if I'm not here, honey?" I then asked while gently resting my hand on her hoof.

Fluttershy did not wait long to answer. Her expression was still very tired, but she still managed to smile just barely. "Oh… Is that what day it is? I almost forgot… Don't worry about me, James. I don't think I'll even be awake to enjoy your company very much today… I don't want you to sit around here doing nothing when you could be having fun with your friends."

I almost felt as if she just wanted me to be happy at the expense of her own happiness so as to not hold me back. I know Fluttershy adores me and wants me to be happy, but… Well, she will often choose to go along with something for the sake of a friend even if she herself will not be happy with the choice. "Are you sure? Do you really think you'll be OK?"

My girlfriend reached out and kissed my hand tenderly. "Don't worry, James. I've been sick before. All my little friends around here will take good care of me until you get back. Besides…" She then let out another yawn. "I…don't have that much energy. Is it all right if I go back to sleep now?"

I cracked a smirk as I saw just how sleepy Fluttershy was at that moment. She may as well have slept through the entire day. Hopefully she would be much closer to being back up to 100% by tomorrow. "Sure thing, honey. I'll try to bring you something home tonight."

"OK… Have fun out there… I'll see you this evening…" Fluttershy spoke softly before once again nestling her head into her pillow and closing her eyes. I tenderly kissed her on the cheek before standing up and placing the bottle of her medication and the bag of tea I had on the shelf nearby.

Luna and Celestia also rose to their feet while Luna gripped the silver chalice containing my armor in her left wing. Celestia then smiled at us both while her horn was coated by her golden yellow magic aura. "All right then. Let's be off."

A second later, I found myself standing in a chamber that I recognized despite having only been in it a few times over the course of the last year. The royal palace's throne room. There were no sign of any guards. Nor did I see Nightmare Moon anywhere. It was just the three of us.

"Well, first thing's first. Just let me return the armor to its resting place and we will go find my sister." Celestia spoke while she levitated the silver chalice from Luna's grasp. Luna, in turn, used her magic to reveal the passage to the hidden vault beneath the throne by raising the throne's foundation to uncover the spiraling stairwell beneath it. "I will be just a few minutes. Please wait for me."

Luna and I watched while Celestia stepped under the raised platform and disappeared out of sight. However, I felt a spark of curiosity in my heart. I had only seen that chamber beneath the throne a few times in my life. I felt the desire to see it again. I then turned to Luna and asked, "Excuse me. May I take a look in there as well?"

My friend nodded with a faint smile. "I don't see why not. Go right ahead."

I stepped under the throne's platform while Luna watched from the room's doors. But once I had descended to the point where I could not see her, I heard the stone pillars the platform rested upon beginning to rumble while they slid down. I suppose Luna and Celestia go to great lengths to make certain only a select few people know where my armor and weapons rest. And considering the kind of power they bestow upon the wearer, that is certainly understandable.

Once the throne was back in place, the only source of light was numerous small candles that lined the dark stone walls. It almost seemed as if the wax that made them up do not ever melt. I descended the stairwell, enjoying the musty earthen smell of the cool stone chamber. It was quiet. Very quiet. The only sound to break the silence was my own footsteps. Although the sound of hooves clopping against a stone floor soon reached my ears when I reached the bottom. Ahead of me was a stone hall that led to a familiar altar at the far end. It was noticeably brighter thanks to some torches that lined the walls. And walking towards me was Celestia herself.

The Princess of the Dawn stopped in her approach once she noticed me being vaguely illuminated by the light of the flames. Although I think I may have startled her in the process. "Hm?! Who are… Oh, it's just you! I hardly recognized you for a moment."

I got a good chuckle out of her reaction. "Sorry. I just wanted to see… Well…" I then pointed to the far end of the hall. The chamber where my gear rested.

Celestia took one look behind herself and looked right back at me with a smile. "By all means, go ahead. It is yours to do as you will with it."

Together, we went back into the chamber ahead. The liquid metal my armor is composed of was now resting in the basin in the center of the altar while the chalice that had been holding it stood to the left. And hanging on the wall above it were my prized weapons. The large and sturdy Lunar Shield and the hilt of the Celestial Sword jutting up from its scabbard on the shield's backside. But what drew my attention most was what I really wanted to see. Behind the basin that held my armor was quite possibly the most important component. My helmet and the Element of Humanity that lies embedded in its forehead.

I reached out and took the helmet in hand, my fingers lightly tracing over the elegant and smooth white gemstone that bore the form of two doves facing each other with wings spread, their bodies forming the vague shape of a heart while the gap between them created a perfect heart shape. Celestia seemed to take note of my silence and spoke softly. "It must be quite a feeling knowing that you are bound to an Element."

She was right. Although I cannot begin to describe it, I could feel a subtle connection to the gemstone upon my helmet. Almost as if it is a part of me. And the longer I looked at it, the stronger the urge to ask a fateful question became in my mind. Eventually, I turned to Celestia and did just that. "Celestia… Did you bring me to Equestria knowing this would happen?"

Celestia seemed slightly surprised by my inquiry. However, she calmly shook her head. "Not at all, James. The Lost Element's return to this realm was a shock for all of us. I honestly did not think for a second that a human who was not born and raised in this world would have the qualities needed to draw it out. But I am indeed glad that it is now back in our hooves. I hope it will continue to serve Equestria as well as the Elements of Harmony have done."

I felt myself smile slightly as well. The Element of Humanity ultimately gave us Nightmare Moon. By far one of my dearest friends. Without it, we would have never reached her. But still… There was one more question that still lingered in my mind. "Well… How did this thing come to exist?"

Celestia's expression instantly darkened when I spoke those words. However, she did offer a reply, though she seemed rather…forlorn at whatever thoughts were going through her head. "Well… The Element of Humanity is much younger than the Elements of Harmony. It was crafted by the last emperor of our human friends as a sign of kinship. The Element of Humanity, as I believe I explained to you, represents the fluidity of the human spirit. Nearly powerless on its own, but shining true when it is most needed."

"Emperor? He crafted it? And… What do you mean by 'last' emperor?" I asked further while taking in her words. The air was already cool, but the atmosphere carried a nameless uncomfortableness to it now.

Celestia nodded and continued to speak. "Yes. While Luna and I reigned over Equestria, the majority of the human population was governed by a lone emperor or empress. They mostly resided in towns and settlements out to the east, although many of our people lived amongst them and vice versa. We always maintained close bonds of friendship with each other and both of our people prospered, living under the same virtues of friendship that has guided this world for centuries. The emperor who created the Element upon your helmet was indeed a good man. An accomplished practitioner of the arcane arts, he was one of the most capable human mages this world has ever seen. I would even say he was on par with Star Swirl the Bearded. But seeing as how they both lived in different time periods, I was never able to compare them in person." She then let out a sigh and bowed her head. "How ironic that it would be Star Swirl who would foil him in the end…"

I listened in silence while putting the pieces together. When Celestia did not speak, I asked another question. "This last emperor… He was the one who was responsible for whatever happened that forced you to banish humanity from this world, wasn't he?"

She lifted her head and looked at me with a truly pained expression. Whatever it was that happened so long ago, it must have been especially jarring to her on a personal level considering how close the ponies of Equestria had been with the human population. "You are quite right… And despite it occurring long after his demise, Star Swirl had somehow foreseen it and devised a spell to be used in conjunction with the Elements of Harmony during the final years of his life. I will never know how he had the foresight to see such a cataclysm coming, or perhaps it was just on a whim." Celestia then sighed while looking away from me. "Mere days before his death centuries before that day came, he claimed that the spell he created for just such an occasion was the one spell he ever developed that he hoped would never have to be used…"

"And this spell banished them to distant worlds where they would harm no one, right?" I retorted while holding my helmet in my hands. I did not even ask her to tell me half the things she was saying. It seemed like she was venting more than answering my questions.

Celestia nodded in silence before suddenly casting her gaze towards me with a look that seemed to show shock. Almost as if she was then aware of what she had said. But she soon calmed herself and spoke with a rather somber tone. "I'm so sorry I told you all that. It's just… When those memories come to mind… I can't help wondering why it came to such a conclusion… It was so long ago by this point that…I do not even remember that man's name…"

How sad. A forgotten emperor remembered only by those ancient enough to have witnessed his most notorious deed. Still…it was rather disheartening to see Celestia looking so down knowing how jovial she normally is. "Are you sure this just came out of nowhere? Were there warning signs?"

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if she was debating whether or not to tell me something. "Actually… I do know what likely pushed him to do such a thing. But…I do not wish to discuss it. It's painful for me to remember how it came about…"

I said nothing else while I set my helmet back down on the altar. I then approached Celestia and partially extended my arms to her before stopping, waiting for her consent. She looked at me for a moment before stepping forward and allowing me to embrace her while she rested her head on my shoulder. It felt…odd to be this close to Celestia when we had very rarely spent any quality time together over the last twelve months. But she clearly needed a shoulder to lean on at that time. And I was happy to provide.

While we stood there in each other's grasp, I heard her whisper to me. "That is why you are here, James. To restore this world's view of humans to a positive level so we can slowly reintroduce humanity to this land. I have so many good memories of those days and I want to see Equestria finally be worthy of its name once more."

I did not fully understand that last line she spoke to me, but I felt it was not necessary. She was under quite a bit of emotional duress at that moment and I did not want her to be forced to remember anything else that she would prefer to not think about. "Well…how far off do you think that day is right now?"

A long breath blew near my ear as Celestia exhaled slowly before speaking. "It will take time… Much time. Possibly even decades. The process must be handled carefully. And the humans selected from your world must meet very specific criteria. But we can worry about that later. It is still much too soon to consider bringing another over." She then lifted her head and looked at me with a slight smile. "Besides, we would not want to spread a panic with too many people vanishing into thin air over too short of a time span, would we?"

That got me to crack a smile. And she certainly had a point. But then again, how would anyone even guess that those who vanish would have been drawn to a distant world light-years away that even the most dedicated astronomers had not yet discovered? It will likely be centuries before Earth ever discovers that this world exists. Or who knows? Perhaps a space probe has already floated by this planet, but misread it as being inhospitable due to this world's unique magical properties scrambling the sensors. That certainly is one such possibility. But I digress.

However, as I took in Celestia's words, I did feel a little pressure considering the sheer magnitude and even centuries of preparation Celestia and Luna had been putting into this project. And whether or not more humans would be allowed to be brought to this world is depending entirely on how this world perceives me. And while I am feeling…apprehensive on the thought of allowing more humans into this world who might bring Earth's vices along for the ride, I have faith in Celestia and Luna. They have seen many people over their very long lives and would likely be able to single out the best people for the job. Regardless, I slowly released the Princess of the Dawn from my grasp and looked at her with a slight frown. "I'll do my best to not give the people any reason to doubt humanity, your highness."

At my words, Celestia shook her head before tenderly resting her hoof on my shoulder. Her more somber expression had changed to show a calm reassuring smile. "No, James. You need only be yourself. I assure you that you are doing just fine."

Having decided that we had loitered in that hidden vault long enough, Celestia and I finally decided to head back to Luna. She was likely starting to wonder what in the world was keeping us by that point. But instead of heading back to the entrance on foot, I suddenly found myself standing before Luna while she jumped back with wings spread wide. "What the… Sister, don't do that! Use the stairs next time!"

Celestia let out a giggle at Luna's reaction to having us teleport right in front of her. "So sorry, Luna! It's just that I was worried that we were keeping you waiting, so I got us out of there as quickly as possible. And nothing is faster than teleportation!"

"You were down there for quite a while, weren't you? What kept you two?" Luna asked while eyeing us curiously. She did seem rather annoyed, judging by that scowl.

I decided to answer that question and spoke up before Celestia could. "We just got wrapped up in conversation. Sorry if we kept you waiting."

"Indeed. So sorry. Shall we go find our sister so we can get this day out on the town started?" Celestia asked while also looking noticeably embarrassed from having forgotten all about Luna waiting for us. Although I suppose I was just as guilty.

Luna, seemingly eager to get started as well, began to lead us out of the throne room and down the hall. "Absolutely. I believe she is in the garden at this time."

The three of us headed down the hallway that ultimately brought us to the main hall where the princesses greet the attendees of the Grand Galloping Gala. If it sounds as if I do not have the strongest grasp on the palace's layout, that is because I actually do not. Having only been inside the palace a few times, I do not really have its interior dedicated to memory. Pretty much the only place inside it I do have committed to memory is the main hall itself.

Regardless, the doors leading out into the royal garden were left wide open with a pair of guards stationed at either side. One seemed to be one of the royal guard's pegasi. However the other one seemed to be a unicorn stallion. Only instead of his coat being gray like most of them, I noticed that it was black. And there is only one guard I know who is a black unicorn. "Hm…? Estoc?"

The stallion turned his gaze towards the three of us, almost as if he had been awoken from a trance. His more neutral and serious gaze showed one of curiosity. However, his lips then curled up into a smile. "Oh, good morning! It's been quite a while, Sir James. And how are you, your highnesses?"

Celestia spoke first while we drew near. "We are quite well, thank you. Today is a special occasion, so James here will be in our company for the day. Have you seen Nightmare Moon this morning?"

Estoc replied while motioning his hoof towards the doorway. "Yes, she passed through here not even an hour ago. She has yet to come back inside."

"Many thanks, sergeant. Carry on." Luna replied while the three of us passed by. However, before we went too far, I stopped and whispered towards Estoc.

"Hm? The captain? He should be on patrol in town. You'll know him when you see him." Estoc explained in response to my question. I then thanked him and hurried on ahead to catch up to the two royal sisters before they could notice that I had fallen behind.

The royal garden has quite a different atmosphere during the day as opposed to the night. The garden was vast with many flowers, hedges, and even fruit-bearing trees. But I did explain how the garden is when I chronicled my first time attending the Grand Galloping Gala, did I not? Although I did not see Nightmare Moon anywhere, I did hear the occasional call of some sort of exotic birds that I did not recognize.

"She's around here somewhere. Shall we be off?" Luna asked before we ventured deeper into the garden. It felt less like a search and more of a leisurely stroll, to be honest. We often stopped to smell the exotic flowers that grew here and there, sampled the wild fruit that had ripened over the course of the summer, and even interact with the animals that would scamper or fly by. They were initially standoffish towards me, just like before, but the two princesses managed to convince them that I was of no threat to them.

Eventually though, we did locate her. Standing beside a bubbling stone fountain, I saw her. The Princess of Dreams. She seemed to be merely gazing into the basin at something. Perhaps a school of fish lives inside it?

Even though she was right ahead of me, I felt my stomach fill with butterflies. It was strange… I wanted to approach her, yet I was compelled to stay hidden. I do not believe it was from mere shyness. I felt myself tense up, my body slowly warming to uncomfortable levels. However, my two friends did not stand by idly. Together, they nudged me forward. They said nothing at all when I turned to look at them. They merely smiled and looked at me with gazes that seemed to say 'Go to her' to me.

After a moment of mental preparation, I did. I walked slowly towards my royal friend while keeping my footsteps as lightly as possible to avoid alerting her to my presence. I felt that feeling again… The one when I bid her farewell one week ago. I was happy to see her. Very happy. After all we endured together in the Everfree Forest on that night… It must have been the satisfaction of seeing our efforts bear fruit. She did not at all seem like the monster the legends spoke of. All I saw before me was a beautiful and passionate woman. And one of the dearest friends I have ever known.

Finally, I walked right up alongside her and looked down into the basin. As it turned out, there were some fish swimming around in the basin. Koi, to be precise. The colorful white, orange, and black carp became excited once they beheld me and began to scatter a bit without really retreating. Those kinds of fish are just so charming to watch… It reminded me of the pond my grandmother had installed in her backyard before she moved. However, I then noticed that the water was showing our reflections. Although I clearly noticed it before Nightmare Moon did since she soon let out a muffled gasp and looked at me.

I too looked at her once I saw her reflection show a look of surprise and found myself gazing into her beautiful exotic cyan eyes. There were no words between us at that time. I was not even sure of what to say at first. Fortunately, I did not have to. A delighted smile soon spread across her face before she reached out and wrapped one of her forelegs around me while resting her head on my shoulder. She then whispered to me what I felt was the perfect greeting for that time. "Happy anniversary, my friend."

It was then that I felt the courage to finally speak. I wrapped my arms around the back of her neck and spoke softly. "Can't believe it's been a year... And to think I found you entirely by accident back then."

"Most important day of my life, if you ask me." Nightmare Moon replied while lifting her head to look right at me. "I cannot thank you enough…"

"Then why not thank him with an entire day spent together as friends?" A voice spoke up from nearby. When Nightmare Moon and I looked to face the owner of the voice, we found Celestia and Luna approaching us.

I glanced at Nightmare Moon, whose mildly surprised expression became an excited smirk. "Point taken, my sisters. Now that we are all here, what is stopping us?"

Luna grinned broadly before turning and raising her hoof in the general direction of the garden's exit. "Then what is keeping us? Onward!" She was certainly getting into a festive mood.

However, before we could go anywhere, I took a good look at myself. All I was wearing were a pair of khaki shorts and a green polo shirt with slightly worn black loafer shoes. Not exactly the proper attire to be seen wearing in the company of royalty, let alone within the noblest city in Equestria. "Um… Ladies? Are you sure I shouldn't swap into something a bit more…sophisticated first?"

The three alicorns turned to look at me. Nightmare Moon glanced over me first and spoke with a dismissive smile. "You look fine to me."

Before I could even think up a retort to her claims, Celestia stepped forward. "James, don't worry about how you look. You're here to enjoy a day with friends, not to fluster over your attire."

Luna then stood near me and turned her gaze up to me. "You just focus on having a good time with us. If anypony has anything to say about your attire, you just leave them to us."

Well, I can certainly see how that would be effective. If the rulers of Equestria themselves tell you to back off, you had best listen. "Well, if you say so. Shall we?"

After a brief trek across the garden and then a walk through the palace itself, we departed out of the palace's main gate. Immediately on my left was a relatively small building I had overlooked in all my previous visits. Perhaps it was because I had not been exploring at the time, but I watched it as we walked by. A handful of guards seemed to be stationed around the building, which had a very steeply slanted roof despite being flat on the top. Luna noticed my silence and looked at where I was looking. "Those are the barracks for the royal guard, James."

After a quick glance over it, I deduced that the building and its contents were likely of very comfortable quality. "The guards get some pretty nice accommodations here, huh?"

"Yes, though it does not make them complacent. The royal guards always stay on top of their training." Celestia replied while we continued on. And before long, we entered Canterlot proper.

I believe I explained the overall architecture of Canterlot in a previous entry, so I will not go over it again here. Even so, while I did find the place to be rather elegant and easy on the eyes with its whites and golds and variety of pale colors, I felt very…out of place. I doubt I could have been more of a fish out of water unless I was a salmon in a desert.

Sure enough, many of the nobles we passed held their heads high and even had their eyes closed while their legs reached out far as they walked with noticeably exaggerated gaits. And with how some of them even held their heads so high that they were looking straight up, I almost found their obnoxious airs to be outright laughable. Although I did see that some of the nobles were more reserved than the others and seemed to be behaving normally in their posture and walking.

Nightmare Moon seemed to notice that I was being completely silent while lagging behind them and turned her head to look over her shoulder at me. "Are you well, James? You're being awfully quiet right now."

I shrugged my shoulders, not feeling very uncomfortable at all. "Oh, I'm just taking in the sights. I almost never visit Canterlot, you know."

Eventually, we came to a stop in the middle of an intersection of sorts. There seemed to be a café nearby with young couples and even single ponies seated around elegant round tables. Finally, Nightmare Moon asked the fateful question. "So…what's first?"

I suppose that was a very good question. Since I do not know my way around Canterlot at all, I had no idea where to go to have some fun. Celestia brought a hoof to her chin while apparently pondering what to do first. In mere seconds though, she looked at the three of us with an excited smile. "I just now remembered! The Wonderbolt Derby is being held today. And it should be starting soon. Shall we attend?"

Luna and Nightmare Moon seemed rather pleased at the thought, although I was not so certain at the time. It sounded like a sports event, which I am not entirely fond… Oh, wait. I had all but forgotten the lesson I learned when my six closest friends left for the Best Young Fliers event in Cloudsdale not very long ago. As long as I am with friends, I should still enjoy myself. "Sounds good to me. Where do we go?"

"Right this way. And let's not delay. It should be starting relatively soon." Celestia replied before she and her sisters led on. While we walked, I was getting quite a few stares from the locals. Especially the fancier of the lot. It was not the kind of feeling I was getting during my first week in Ponyville. That was more of a curious type of feeling. These stares felt much…colder. It was not pleasant, to say the least. But I did my best to just brush it off and stayed close to my friends. No one would dare attack me in any way if I was in their company.

As it turned out, our destination seemed to be a type of open-air stadium built right into the side of a part of the mountain Canterlot itself is built upon. The view from the cliffside seats was quite impressive, if not somewhat intimidating. It seemed to be on the northeastern side of the mountain, providing a fantastic view of the northern plains and even a river that flowed through them. Two aisles divided the seats themselves while six booths were at the back of the bleachers that seemed to be club boxes or something to that effect. The more expensive seats, so to say. Those three were divided by a single stairwell that seemed to lead up into what I assumed was a VIP box at the very top of the place that was adorned with a golden four-sided slanted roof with a flagpole jutting up from the apex that had a pair of long narrow triangular flags blowing in the breeze with the one at the top being the longer of the two. There were two similar flags being flown at the far ends of the roofs with two elegantly designed alicorn statues positioned on both sides. Sprawled out before the three rows of seats was… Well, the best I can describe it is an elongated circle of clouds with a large gap in the center floating out over the empty air next to the mountain. It seemed to be a racetrack of sorts that the Wonderbolts would use.

The bleachers were noisy and packed with nobles of varying colors and attire, but it seemed that we would not be seated among them. The three princesses led me up the steps in the aisle and towards the stairwell at the middle. Although I did end up noticing an exceptionally cold stare from one noble couple at the very edge of the seats while I passed them. I did not have time to get a good look at them, although I instantly disliked them.

I actually ended up falling behind a bit due to the chill I felt from that couple and noticed Nightmare Moon's tail disappear from sight while she headed up the stairs to the VIP box. I hurried over and found the stairs roped off by a rather elegant thick rope and poles normally used for crowd control in fancier establishments. Positioned at the side was a single unicorn stallion royal guard decked out in his golden armor. I began to reach for the pole to use as leverage so I could step over the rope and head on up after my friends, but the guard stepped forward suddenly with a stern expression. "Halt."

Before I could even begin to argue with the guard, I noticed Luna come back down the stairs before seeing me and giving the guard a rather stern glare. "Guard, allow James to pass. He is permitted to follow me and my sisters wherever he pleases."

The guard seemed rather shocked by this revelation and bowed before taking a step back. He seemed as if he was about to use magic to unclip the rope to let me pass, but I merely stepped over it. I was especially impressed to see that the stairwell was high enough to the point where I would not have to duck to walk up it. "Sorry I fell behind, Luna. I got a bit distracted by these new surroundings."

"It's no trouble at all, my friend. Feel free to make yourself at home up here. We have the best seats in the house." Luna replied as we reached the top of the stairs. It turned out that not only did we have the best seats, but the best accommodations as well. There was a table at the far end of the box that held bowls of fruit arranged in a stylish manner.

Before I could even really take a look around, a familiar unicorn stallion approached me who I recognized despite having only met him once before. "Ah, Sir James! It's been quite a while! When did we last meet, by chance? Wasn't it during the Grand Galloping Gala?"

I smiled while looking the fine fellow over. "Good to see you, Fancy Pants… And still no pants, I see."

This prompted a rather embarrassed chuckle from the refined gentleman before me. "Oh, dear me… I suppose you have a point. I really should start working into my routine a means for my attire to better match my name, shouldn't I?"

"It's fine, really. You look fabulous already. I just find it a little ironic that your name is 'Fancy Pants' despite that I have never seen you wear any pants." I replied while cracking an amused smirk. The two of us got a good laugh while I noticed Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare Moon caught up in conversation with a handful of finely dressed nobles at the far end of the box.

Fancy Pants drew closer to me before we shared a handshake. Really fine fellow, that stallion. Prim and proper, yet warm and friendly. "Well, what brings you to Canterlot today? I don't believe I've even laid eyes on you since the night we first met."

"Yeah, true. I'm just here for a special occasion with the princesses. An anniversary, actually." I explained while reaching for an apple nearby.

I was hardly surprised by Fancy Pants' response. His head jerked back so suddenly in surprise that his monocle popped off his face before dangling by its chain. "The princesses?! My word, you certainly have connections in places as high as the heavens! What could the occasion ever be?"

My eyes turned towards the three lovely alicorns nearby, the first one that caught my eye being Nightmare Moon. "Well… The anniversary when we first met."

The refined stallion before me lifted his monocle to his eye before apparently trying to gauge exactly where my eyes were looking. "Hmmm… Nightmare Moon has certainly proven herself to be a fine mare in recent months. I was just as shocked as everypony else to discover that she still lives, let alone that she actually had a change of heart." He then looked up at me and cracked a smile. "I have noticed that she occasionally mentions a 'James' whenever I speak to her once in a while. That's you, isn't it?"

I sighed while beholding her. "Yeah… I don't know what I would do without her. She's amazing."

Fancy Pants seemed to glance at her and me a few times before cracking a whimsical smirk. "Are you certain you two are not courting each other?"

That certainly came out of nowhere. Feeling mildly flustered, I nearly laughed. "What?! No, of course not. She's way outta my league. And besides that, I already have a girlfriend."

"Yes, yes, I have not forgotten. I recall you being quite sweet towards a certain Miss Fluttershy during the Grand Galloping Gala. I was merely jesting you, my good sir. Though Lady Nightmare Moon is quite a fine mare, is she not?" Fancy Pants replied with a hearty chuckle while levitating a martini glass filled with sparkling cider to his lips as a gold aura billowed around the glass and his horn.

I once again looked over at the three beautiful princesses while Fancy Pants awaited my response. In all honesty… It was difficult for me to decide who is the most beautiful of the three. Celestia, by far, is the most explicitly beautiful of the three royal sisters. As I said in a much earlier entry, I even mistook her for a goddess at our first meeting due to just how radiant her beauty is. Luna, while smaller in stature and not quite as eye-catching in terms of raw beauty, exudes a type of allure that just draws one in. Truly one whose inner and outer beauty come together as a fabulous whole. And Nightmare Moon… She certainly is unusual in her form. Those unnatural eyes, her mane and tail seeming more gaseous in appearance than her sisters, and that sleek black body. Some may be intimidated by her, but I… I see a great beauty in her. She is bold, yet tender. Passionate, yet sweet. I can understand that some would be a little put off by her physical appearance, but I feel her beauty rivals that of Celestia and a true beauty of a mare lies beneath that exotic and seemingly demonic shell. In the end, I cannot choose who is more beautiful. They must be the envy of many a mare and the cause of wet dreams for many stallions. "They all are, really…"

While Fancy Pants and I got into a conversation about Rarity, I noticed Nightmare Moon approaching me while a trio of very well dressed nobles flocked about her like a trio of foals following someone who was carrying a box of ice cream cones. They were largely incoherent with how they were all chattering at once, although I have to say some of their upper class accents sounded a bit…forced.

"Ladies, I wish for you to meet someone very important." Nightmare Moon spoke while apparently trying to get their attention once she was standing before me. They did eventually silence themselves while looking on in silence towards the Princess of Dreams. My friend then extended her hoof towards me while showing a genuine smile. "This is James of Ponyville. Equestria's only human and the dearest friend I could ever ask for."

The three nobles, each of them mares, stared at me with rather…disdainful looks while muttering to each other. I could tell they really did not think much of me, and it was clearly due to my attire. Finally, one of them spoke up in a voice that sounded ungodly snobbish. I mean…even Rarity has never sounded anywhere near that over-the-top snobbish. "Well… It is a…pleasure to meet you, Mr. James. But are all humans dressed as…boorishly as you?"

While I normally would have brushed that subtle insult off, largely because I would have seen it coming, Nightmare Moon did not take those words well. She looked down at the three nobles with a truly unsettling glare and asked, "Come again?"

The three mares instantly backed away with alarmed expressions while the one who spoke to me quickly tried to come up with something to say. "Oh, I mean… I mean modest! Yes, you humans have such a modest choice of wardrobe! Very simple and practical!"

To be honest, that does sound like me. I prefer clothes that are practical over stylish. Although if I can mix both categories into one attire, that is a plus as well. But regardless, I could tell that those words were not honest and were more sycophantic than anything. Even so, Nightmare Moon cracked a smug smile. "Much better."

While the three nobles quickly scampered off over to the refreshment table to escape Nightmare Moon, I could see by that look in her eye that she knew their words were not appreciated and she made certain they knew that. However, Nightmare Moon then turned her gaze to me and frowned with a truly forlorn expression. "My sincerest apologies, James. I was not expecting them to go quite that far in my presence."

"Meh, I kinda saw it coming. If they were trying to strike a nerve, they failed miserably." I replied with a shrug of my shoulders and even a slight smirk.

Regardless, Nightmare Moon shook her head in disgust before looking at me once more. "Even so, how can these people, with so much influence, wealth, and prestige in the very capital of Equestria, be so bitter and prejudiced towards those from less privileged towns for reasons as petty as clothing?" She then placed her hoof upon the shiny blue metal band that hung from her neck. "Look at this. With the exception of my crown, everything I wear is the same armor I wore when I sought to bring eternal night to this world. It is not made of gold or silver. It hardy even qualifies as jewelry. And yet they reserve their scorn for you. It's pathetic. Absolutely pathetic."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I never really take anything they say seriously. I just interpret it as…a bunch of hot air being let off by their inflated egos." I replied while reaching out and giving my friend a hug to show my appreciation for her intimidating the nobles for trying to offend me. I am glad to see that Nightmare Moon is not afraid to cross the line to put unpleasant nobles in their place.

I heard a brief chuckle come from her before she spoke softly. "Hot air, you say? That seems to sum it up quite nicely."

Before we could say anything else, a voice suddenly called out as if yelling through a megaphone. "Fillies and gentlecolts, welcome to the Wonderbolts Derby! The competitors are taking their places at the starting line and the race will begin momentarily!"

I recognized that voice right away. Although it had a bit of a noble accent to it, it sounded a great deal like… "Is that Luna?"

I looked around to try to find the Princess of the Night and saw her standing at the window of the box while clutching a microphone in her hoof's ankle joint. I somehow found it funny that she of all ponies would be acting as the announcer.

"Hey, Luna. Was that you just now?" I asked while drawing near. My friend turned to look at me and cracked an awkward grin, giving her actions away. However, I then noticed something out over the cloud circle that I did not see before. Hovering in a line were four members of the Wonderbolts decked out in uniforms and flight goggles. I recognized two of them right away. Soarin and the captain of the team herself, Spitfire. The other two consisted of a stallion, who was at the far end of the row and was too distant for me to make out any accurate details on, and a mare with icy blue wings and a white mane and tail with a windswept style. They were also more grown out than Spitfire's. I was also able to make out that her form was just barely smaller than that of Spitfire herself.

Fancy Pants stepped forward while his entourage flocked around him like a bunch of sycophants vying for his approval… Actually, scratch that. That is EXACTLY what they were. After a quick glance at the four pegasi, he spoke up with great confidence in his voice. "I'll be placing my bets on Fleetfoot. That little speed demon is sure to come in first."

"Mind if I throw my chips in as well?" Celestia spoke while using the teleportation spell to summon a purple coin purse with a golden mouth. Bit by bit, everyone began to toss some bits into the pile and made bets as well. I found that the fourth member of the Wonderbolts competing goes by the name 'Rapidfire'. "What about you, James? Who are you betting on?"

Although I have never been one for actual gambling, I took a quick look back out at the Wonderbolts. And my eyes fell upon just one. "Can't go wrong with the captain herself. I'm placing my bets on Spitfire." I then reached into my pocket and pulled out ten bits. A decent amount, but no great loss if my predictions turned out to be wrong. Even so, that is Spitfire. She surely must come out on top more often than not.

Out of nowhere, some fanfare was placed from the intercom system used to carry Luna's voice to the audience. The referee, a gray pegasus stallion in a black and white striped shirt standing beside the Wonderbolts on the cloud circle, blew a whistle while swinging a checkered flag. And then they were off. The four pegasi rocketed forward and began flying laps around the course. I knew they were fast, but they completed a lap in under two seconds. They were moving so fast, it was actually kind of dizzying. The ponies beside me kept following the racers as closely as they could, the four Wonderbolts being very close together as a blurred mass of blues, oranges, and whites.

After what I believe was a total of ten laps, Luna called out through the microphone just after who I believe was Fleetfoot crossed the finish line first, although Spitfire was not even half a second behind her. "And the winner is Fleetfoot by a nose!"

I felt a slight sting of disappointment as the crowd burst into cheers and applause. Even though it had been close, Spitfire lost by a nose. Although Nightmare Moon then brought up a question I did not expect. "Good choice on Fleetfoot, Fancy Pants. What made you so certain she would come out on top?"

Our prim and proper friend replied happily while adjusting his monocle. "Oh, it was from a little insight from Miss Rarity. When I first met her, I was expecting Rapidfire to triumph. But Rarity insisted that Fleetfoot was the superior choice since while she is smaller in size, she makes up for that in speed. And she was right. You were wise to place your bets on Spitfire though, James. She certainly put up a good fight."

Fancy Pants then nudged part of the pile of bits towards me. "Here's your share. Spitfire may not have come in first, but she still managed to net you some profit."

Relieved that I was walking away with more than I bet, I took the bits and pocketed them. Twenty bits in all. "Many thanks, Fancy Pants… Hm?"

As it turned out, the Wonderbolts were performing an encore of sorts with them flying around the outer edge of the course before swooping right over the audience themselves and right by our faces. However, one of them came to a quick stop after passing the VIP box and looked back with her mouth hanging open slightly. While I could not see her eyes, I recognized the pegasus as Spitfire by her mane and tail. Sure enough, she swooped back over to the box and lifted her goggles to reveal her eyes before smiling brightly. "Well, hey there, James! Never thought I'd see you up here! What's up?"

I reached out and shook Spitfire's hoof while gently pulling her into the box before she landed. "Just enjoying a day out on the town with some good friends. Sorry about your loss though. You almost made it."

"Huh? Oh, you mean the race? Nah, forget about it. Fleetfoot's the fastest flier we've got. I bet she's even faster than Rainbow Dash, between you and me." Spitfire replied with some dismissive gestures of her hoof and that warm smile I always see her with. She just has such a pleasant and laidback presence in spite of her name. You would think someone called 'Spitfire' would have a fiery temper, but Spitfire just seems very warm and friendly. A very pleasant woman indeed.

Seeing me engaged in conversation with the captain of the Wonderbolts herself seemed to draw some odd stares from the nobles. Fancy Pants then came forward and spoke with a curious smile. "Ah, jolly good show today, Spitfire. Very close race. But, uh… You seem to know Sir James quite well. Have you met before?"

Spitfire rolled her eyes while showing a toothy grin. "Know him? I taught the guy everything he knows about flying. Got pretty good at it really fast too."

Another one of the nobles spoke up in her irritatingly snobbish tone of voice. "You taught him how to fly? But I do not see any wings on him…"

"That's because the wings are on a suit of armor he has! And it's the sweetest suit of armor you'll ever lay eyes on." Spitfire replied promptly while apparently spreading her wings wide to emphasize my armor's size.

"Armor?! But you're clearly not a member of the royal guard… Sir James, are you a knight by any chance?" Fancy Pants asked as his monocle fell from his face once again.

Luna then spoke up before I could, although I found it hard to speak due to a rising feeling of nervousness in my gut. I was not used to this level of attention, especially from people of such a high social class. "No, he has yet to be knighted. Although he likely deserves it after all he did for Nightmare Moon."

In a rather disgusting display of fickleness, the nobles who had been rather dismissive of me minutes ago drew closer to me with looks of interest and admiration while constantly chattering a plethora of words that blended together to become completely incoherent noise. Their accents did not help either. Although they were clearly smiling at me, I felt nothing but irritation and contempt for these nobles. If Spitfire had not mentioned my armor, they would still be treating me like someone who is not worth their time. Bigots.

Before much else could happen, someone flew up to the window and called in. Judging by the white mane, I believe it was Fleetfoot. "Hey, captain! Soarin's taking us out for some pies! You wanna come too?"

Spitfire turned to face the pegasus and grinned brightly. "Sure! But come over here for a minute. I want you to meet someone!"

Although seemingly baffled, Fleetfoot hovered into the box through the window while lifting her goggles to reveal a pair of brilliant fuchsia eyes. "Huh? OK then… Waaaaait a minute… Isn't this the guy you were talking about? The one who…"

Spitfire cracked a smug smirk while Fleetfoot landed beside her. "Yup. Best wing massages in Equestria. One session with him and you'll swear you could bend your wings into horseshoes."

This instantly got Fleetfoot excited since she flew right up to me. "Oh, awesome! I've heard about you! I've gotta stop by for some of those magic fingers! My wings could really use it!"

"Uh… Sure. Just stop on by the Ponyville spa sometime. I work Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays." I replied rather briefly, not entirely certain of what to say to this woman. I also was not used to this level of praise or enthusiasm towards me.

Spitfire seemed to notice how uncomfortable I was becoming and called out to her wingman… Or is that wingmare? "All right, Fleetfoot. Let's get going. Wouldn't wanna let Soarin horde all the pies for himself. Great seeing ya, James. Let's fly again sometime."

"Yeah, see ya! And expect to see me in a few weeks!" Fleetfoot added before she and Spitfire took off for the rest of Canterlot.

"Well, that was a stellar performance as always. However, I must be off. Although it was a fine meeting, your majesties. And do give my best regards to Rarity, Sir James." Fancy Pants spoke while he and I shared one last handshake.

"I'll do me best to remember. And it was good seeing you again. Take care." I replied before seeing the fine fellow off, the gaggle of nobles flocking after him while leaving me alone with the three princesses. But once I was certain they were gone, I let out a loud sigh. "Finally… I thought they'd never leave!"

All three of my friends also showed signs of uncomfortableness as well as relief. Although Luna seemed slightly surprised by my words. "Why? What was wrong with Fancy Pants?"

"Oh no, he's fine! Really nice guy! But the others… Were they deliberately trying to sound as obnoxiously snobbish as possible? Those louts were absolutely agonizing to listen to! I can't tell you how much I wanted to tell them to shut up!" I raved while expressing my dissatisfaction with the other nobles. Trust me, if you had to be around people who sounded like they did, you would find their speech to start grating very quickly. I cannot accurately describe how they sounded through text, but you would be sick of them in a very short while.

"Ditto. That is one of the few things I honestly do not care for in Canterlot." Celestia spoke with a chuckle in her throat. She clearly found it satisfying to be speaking to someone who speaks so freely of how insufferable some of Canterlot's nobles can be. It must be frustrating to be known for having to live very close to such people.

Down below, the audience began to depart from their seats and headed out back towards the rest of Canterlot that was very nearby. Nightmare Moon took one glance at the moving mass of ponies before looking back at the rest of us. "I suppose that is our cue to be on our way. Where shall we go next?"

Celestia looked out through the window before looking at us with a smile. "Well… How about a visit to the art gallery?"

"Art? Huh… I guess it would be interesting to see some of Equestria's culture depicted in oils, acrylics, and canvas." I replied while the three royal sisters and I began to descend the stairwell to the bleachers before heading back into Canterlot proper.

"I do think you will enjoy yourself. I know you have a thing for art as well. Especially the written form." Celestia said while giving me a wink.

"Whatever do you mean? Is he writing a novel or poetry?" Luna asked with a look of mild curiosity. I suppose she was unaware that I keep journals on certain days and events.

Nightmare Moon looked on in silence while Celestia explained to them. I suppose I could have said something, but I felt Celestia telling them would be better than tooting my own horn. "Not a novel, per se. Although I'm certain it could become one if he attempted to publish it. You write some very emotive and descriptive journals, James."

I felt a shy smile creep across my face upon hearing her praise. Especially right in front of her sisters. "Well, yeah. I have a penchant for the written arts. I once tried painting, but I was never terribly good at it. Besides, I'm more interested in putting pencil to paper than putting a brush to a canvas. Although I think I prefer looking at visual art over written art, funnily enough."

"Then you will surely enjoy the sights we will see there. Onward then!" Nightmare Moon spoke with some enthusiasm while she and her sisters led me on.

Once again, we found ourselves trekking through the streets of Canterlot. Since it was midday, things were starting to get rather busy. Both the Canterlot elite and the middle class were out and about while tending to their schedules. It would seem that despite the class differences, both social classes do not seem to mind each other. Perhaps that is why Twilight Sparkle never seems to think poorly of the elite. They most likely never minded her due to being a Canterlot native.

Eventually, I caught sight of somepony I really was not expecting to see. Tall in stature, a white coat, flowing gold mane, and a vest around his neck. Prince Blueblood. What were the odds of me catching sight of that lout after the Grand Galloping Gala? Sure enough, Luna caught sight of him too and whispered to us with a snicker. "Don't look now, but I see Prince Blueballs."

That got a good laugh out of us. I had all but forgotten that little tidbit from my first encounter with him. However, he then seemed to notice me among the crowd and instantly flashed me a glare. I tried to pretend I did not notice him by never making eye contact. Even so, he began to trot my way with a scowl on his face. He was likely planning on giving me a piece of his mind. But before he could get much closer, Nightmare Moon stepped before him while her eyes were filled with a bright glow, stopping the prince in his tracks. "Keep walking."

This show of intimidation very easily subdued the cocky lout since he suddenly backed away and galloped off. Nightmare Moon certainly knows how to use her appearance and pre-coronation reputation to great effect. Celestia cracked a smirk while speaking as her sister's eyes lost their glow. "Well played, sister."

"I take it you've met him before?" I asked upon noticing how readily Nightmare Moon got between him and me. She really did seem displeased by his mere presence.

"Unfortunately, yes. And he knows to stay well away from me." Nightmare Moon replied while letting out a noticeably equine snort. I swear it feels as if only the Canterlot elites alone could like that guy. And even then only because they are infested with the same vices.

"Well, I doubt we will be seeing him again for the remainder of the day. Shall we be off?" Luna added before she and her sisters began to lead me through the crowds. To be fair, the streets were not really all that packed. I did not feel as if I was walking through a large metropolitan city at all. Then again, I suppose the local population cannot be allowed to become too saturated due to having nowhere for the city to expand, what with it being built on a mountainside.

I could have easily gotten lost among all the tall pale buildings if it was not for my royal friends guiding me. I swear the whole place looks the same everywhere I go. The only place that really stands out in town is the castle itself. Eventually though, I think we were drawing near since my friends began to veer off to the side of the street. Just as we began to stop, I thought I heard someone call out to me.

"Hm? Am I the only one who finds that voice familiar?" Nightmare Moon asked while glancing around, having apparently noticed it as well.

A second or two later, Celestia looked behind herself and smiled while looking past me. "Ah, I had forgotten that we have a guest staying with us in one of the castle's suites. Look alive, James. She approaches."

When I turned around, I saw a familiar unicorn mare galloping towards us. And I was all too happy to see her. "Rarity! Fancy seeing you here!"

My beautiful friend sailed into my arms as I lowered myself to one knee. The two of us shared a tender cuddle before she looked at me with those gorgeous azure eyes. "Truly, fortune is on my side to see you here! What brings you to Canterlot on this fine day, darling?"

"Special occasion, to be honest. You here on business as usual?" I replied, wondering if Rarity was in Canterlot for pleasure or for business. Every once in a while, she leaves Ponyville for Canterlot by train in order to place orders for some of her more specialized supplies that Canterlot has readily available. These trips seldom last more than a few days and I do miss her when she is not around. Talk about lucky meeting her when she was out of town. I was also quick to notice she was wearing a rather stylish black beret on her head along with a matching black scarf around her neck.

Rarity nodded while pulling her head away to get a good look at me. "Oh, absolutely. There are some tailoring supplies I can only get here and I have quite a few connections. And a special occasion, you say? And… Wait, where is Fluttershy? Surely you didn't leave her behind!"

Luna stepped forward while displaying a calm smile. "Actually, your friend has come down with a case of… What was it called again? The flutters?"

My friend seemed to recognize the name instantly. "Oh dear, I can certainly see why she would have to stay home. Poor Rainbow Dash nearly got herself fired from the weather team when she insisted on setting up a thunderstorm after coming down with a case of that. That was the first natural tornado I ever saw. Thank goodness the rest of the weather team fixed it before the thing could whirl into town."

I facepalmed at that thought. Rainbow Dash's ego would never let an illness keep her away from making her look tough and cool, but being so disoriented to the point of creating a storm cell that generates a funnel cloud? That must have been quite an embarrassment for her. I wish I could have seen it! "Good grief, Rainbow… She was stubborn enough to do that while sick with the flutters?!"

"Darling. It's Rainbow Dash. What would you expect?" Rarity replied dryly, almost as if she was baffled I would expect our brazen pegasus friend to do anything less. "But before I forget, what's this 'special occasion' that brings you here today? I can't imagine you coming all the way up to Canterlot alone."

Celestia smiled while she looked down at the lovely unicorn. "Well, it started off with a bit of magic training with his armor this morning. And now we are here to celebrate a very special anniversary with him."

Nightmare Moon then showed Rarity her signature smug smirk while lowering her head to her. "Can you guess what the anniversary is?"

Clearly puzzled, Rarity rubbed her hoof against her chin while casting her gaze towards the ground. "Hmmm… Well, if memory serves… On this day last year, James took shelter in the Everfree Forest to escape from that wretched Diamond Tiara… Ah! Now I recall! Today marks the first time he and dear Mitta met!"

"Who else?" I spoke while starting to feel myself smirk. Surely even she could deduce it.

"Who else? Well… Hmm…" Rarity muttered while thinking hard for a moment. Her eyes then glanced up at us before they settled on Nightmare Moon alone. Slowly, her eyes began to widen. "Oh my… Did he, by chance, cross paths with you that night?"

Nightmare Moon smiled warmly at Rarity's words. "He did. And he was the first person to ever view me as a mare instead of a demon that night." I then smiled a bit nervously while she draped her elegant sable wing over me in a type of embrace. "And we are celebrating that day today. Along with another anniversary of sorts. Can you guess what tomorrow will mark?"

"Now you have me baffled. Aside from the anniversary of James coming home from the Ever… Wait! Is it to celebrate the anniversary of the day he acquired his cutie mark?" Rarity retorted rather enthusiastically out of nowhere. I had all but forgotten that little detail. When you have had a cutie mark on your body for a full year, you tend to stop noticing it. I mean, you do know it is there and feel a bit of pride over having it, but… Well, it is a complex subject. But I certainly fail to see the need to celebrate it. I cannot recall seeing anyone else celebrate the anniversary of their cutie mark's appearance.

Luna got a good chuckle out of that guess. And I can guess why. "No, not quite. But it happened less than a full day after his first encounter with our sister."

After only five seconds of silent thought, Rarity sighed in defeat. "Well, I am certainly out of ideas. What will have happened one year ago tomorrow?"

The three royal sisters got a small chuckle out of Rarity's obliviousness. I suppose since she had not been present at the time, she would not be so quick to recall it. Celestia then spoke the truth. "Well, long story short, the three of us are celebrating the days we all met our friend here. Especially Luna and Nightmare Moon."

Rarity's mouth hung open for a moment, as if trying to find the proper words. "Wait… Truly?! When… Ah, now I recall. Yes, you two did stop by to address that issue last year. It just never occurred to me that the three of you would cross paths!" She then took a bow. "If that is the case, then do not allow me to disrupt you. Enjoy your evening together, darlings. I must be off as well. I am to rendezvous with Fancy Pants for some lunch in a short while. Au revoir!" With a friendly wave, the four of us saw the beautiful unicorn off.

"Well, I certainly was not expecting to cross paths with her. But shall we be off? The art gallery is right there." Nightmare Moon spoke once Rarity was quite a distance away from us. With a glance to my left, I found that we were indeed standing very close to a rather large white building with elegant blue and gold banners hanging from poles near the entrance.

Upon gaining entry, I was greeted by the sight of several large paintings in several chambers. A few royal guards were stationed throughout the place, which actually caught my eye. "Armed guards in an art museum? You don't see that very often… Pity, really."

Overall, the place was rather small. I suppose because being located in Canterlot and all that they only accept the cream of the crop in artwork. Although to be fair, I personally…was not terribly interested in most of what was being displayed at the time. Perhaps my tastes are very specific or perhaps I just do not have much appreciation for the more traditional styles of art, but I found myself becoming bored rather quickly. Although I have to say the atmosphere was quiet and calming, perfect to do some thinking.

The paintings seemed to range from abstract to surrealism to even cubism. One that caught my eye even seemed blatantly similar to another painting from where I come from. It depicted three…ponies that seemed like they had been deflated and spread out, hanging over a block, propped up by a few forks, and draped over a tree branch. I honestly almost laughed at the similarities. If I did not know better, I would have assumed the artist responsible was guilty of stealing the style from the artist from Earth.

Celestia walked up alongside me and seemed to take note of my temporary interest in said painting. She then tilted her head towards me and spoke in a whisper. "Yes, I know it looks rather silly. But surreal sights can be entertaining to look at."

She must have noticed the crooked smirk on my face. I replied with an equally quiet whisper to avoid disturbing the other visitors. They seemed too taken with the art to pay me any mind. "Huh? Oh, right. It just seems freakishly similar to another famous painting where I come from. Almost thought it was a rip-off."

What Celestia said next shocked me. "Ah, I think I know what you mean. Salvador Dali, wasn't it?"

How… When did she find out about that? I understand that she knows Earth exists, but still… Celestia seemed to notice my confusion and whispered before I could say anything. "I know what you're thinking. Well, I have been monitoring Earth for the past several hundred years while waiting for the proper time to bring a human to this world. So I know a bit of your world's history. And by the way… He truly was frightened of grasshoppers."

Wow… To think that Celestia had been preparing for that project so meticulously when she sought out a world that had the people she was looking for. And she actually saw Salvador Dali in the flesh? Man… I suppose anything really is possible with magic. "That's… Huh… That's some impressive dedication. And yeah, I recall reading somewhere that he had a fear of grasshoppers."

I found that Nightmare Moon and Luna had spread out through the art gallery, so I did not see them anywhere right away. Spicing up the gallery were a few sculptures here and there that seemed to depict various ponies and other creatures. My personal favorite was one that seemed to depict an earth pony stallion wrangling a manticore. You could almost feel the energy that would be exuded from such a scuffle.

The last chamber I viewed I found would be my favorite. The paintings on display seemed to be of a more realist nature, featuring landscapes and places and people in real locations in Equestria. The one that drew my attention most was a painting titled 'Canterlot at Dusk'.

I silently approached the painting and gazed up at it. It was truly impressive in sheer scale as well as detail. The scene before me appeared to be an oil painting judging by the texture of the dried paint before me. From what I could see, it depicted the city of Canterlot when viewed from a distance; the orange glow of the sun having almost faded over the western horizon while the moon was beginning to rise over the mountain the city had been constructed upon, the many stars dotting the darkening sky. It was actually rather calming to look at.

My train of thought was interrupted when I felt something drape over me before pulling me to my right. I soon found that Nightmare Moon was standing beside me with her wing 'holding' me. "Exquisite depiction, is it not?"

I felt a smile spread across my lips while I tenderly draped my arm over the back of her neck before pulling her closer to me as well. "Yeah. I always had a preference for these landscape paintings."

For a good three to five minutes, we just stood there in each other's grasp while our eyes remained focused on the beautiful painting before us. I even soon found our heads resting against each other as well. It was a very calm moment and I even felt myself starting to feel rather tired. Field trips like this tend to do that to you.

Before long though, Celestia and Luna made their way over to us. The Princess of the Night was the first to speak. "Enjoying yourselves… Oh, lovely view. Canterlot always looks so much better in the moonlight, does it not?"

Even Celestia smiled at that claim. "It most certainly does. The mostly white colorations all over the city really stand out in the darkness."

I replied only after letting out a yawn and releasing my grasp on my friend. "It certainly is… Can we go somewhere else? This place's atmosphere is too relaxing. I could curl up in the corner and take a nap if I had a few pillows and a blanket."

"I concur. Shall we go get some lunch? It is around noon now, isn't it?" Nightmare Moon added while she folded her wing against her body.

The two royal sisters looked at each other and nodded before looking back at me. Celestia then motioned for the gallery's exit. "Sounds good to me. Shall we be off?"

A very short while later, we were standing outside what I assumed was one of the most expensive restaurants in town. And, of course, I was worried for my wallet. "Uh… Ladies? Are you sure I can afford to dine here?"

Luna let out a snort while she rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. James, leave the bill to us. We have much deeper pockets, after all."

I have to say I was quite grateful that I would not have to worry about emptying my wallet for a hot meal. And I was quite intrigued on what I could find on a menu at such a fancy restaurant. Once we stepped inside, I found that the restaurant was indeed quite impressive to behold. There were many indoor plants and even some elaborate fountains here and there. And at the far end of the dining room was the exact same band that I had seen performing at the Grand Galloping Gala. "Impressive aesthetics and live entertainment. Very nice."

The server standing at the front desk bore an uncanny resemblance to the waiter I normally see tending to customers at Ponyville's café. The only difference between them being that his mane and tail were a blond hue. Upon seeing the three royal sisters approach him, he immediately spoke up with a very similar voice to the waiter I know as well. "Ah, your majesties! Right this way." My three companions began to follow him into the dining room without a word. But when I tried to follow, he spoke up again. "I will be with you in a moment, sir."

Nightmare Moon, clearly disappointed in the waiter's dismissal of my being in their company, spoke up with a frown on her face. "He is with us. James, come along please."

The waiter instantly looked back at me before glancing at the three royal alicorns behind him. I suppose he was wondering how someone who was dressed so casually could have anything to do with the three rulers of Equestria. And I admit I was feeling very out of place myself. It almost felt as if I did not belong there. Even so, he did not object and led us all over to a booth. It consisted of a single half circle-shaped seat against the wall. Celestia went in first before being followed by Luna and myself and finally Nightmare Moon. Once we took our seats, Celestia used the levitation spell to pull the table a little closer so we were snuggly tucked into our spots. I must say that I felt much safer with at least one of my friends by my sides. Although the frequent stares I was getting from the many nobles were very unwelcome.

A quick glance around the room from where I was seated revealed that Rarity and Fancy Pants were also dining in on the other side of the dining room. Once they happened to look our way, the two of them gave the four of us a friendly wave. In return, we waved back. Although they were not the only ones seated at that booth. It seemed they were joined by another one of Fancy Pant's hanger-on's. However, this mare seemed to be a step above all the others in terms of beauty. Along with being noticeably taller with an elegant body structure akin to Luna's, she had a perfect white coat and a pale pink mane that had a few curls at the tips. Her eyes seemed to be a light violet, I think, while an exceptionally long horn jutted up from her forehead. While I could not make out her tail and cutie mark due to their table and its tablecloth obstructing my view of her lower body, I instantly viewed her as being exceptionally gorgeous. It would not surprise me if she is a local model.

The three of my companions engaged in quiet conversation while I took in the rather elegant atmosphere and scenery. Before long, another finely dressed unicorn waiter silently set out four glasses, which he promptly filled with cold ice water. He also set out a basket of buns that were quite soft and warm with a plate of butter chips along with four menus before departing with a bow.

"Warm bread… You seldom find restaurants that serve this." I spoke quietly while taking a bread knife and parting one such loaf down the middle before spreading a butter chip out on it. Once it was pressed between the two halves of the loaf, it melted quickly and made for a tasty treat. The three princesses also helped themselves to the four remaining loaves while I looked through one of the menus. The prices… I actually cringed at some of them. If my friends were not handling my bill, I would have insisted on dining elsewhere. Or just stuck with an appetizer.

Before the waiter could return for us to place our orders, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that two ponies had approached our table and were not departing. When I glanced up from my menu to get a better look at them, I felt a slight chill. I recognized them as the unicorn couple I passed during the Wonderbolts Derby. With the following impression they made on me, I really cannot be bothered to remember everything about their appearances or attire aside from the colors of their coats, manes, tails, and eyes. The stallion had a gray coat while his mane and tail were a darker shade of gray. His eyes were a shade of blue while a pair of spectacles was resting upon his snout. His wife had a yellow coat similar to Fluttershy's and was wearing aqua green eye shadow. Her mane and tail… They bore an uncanny resemblance to Diamond Tiara's in terms of color. Her eyes themselves were a light purple and they were directed at me with a look of cold disdain.

"Ah, hello. Jet Set, Upper Crust." Celestia spoke with a smile that seemed slightly forced. I suspect she was not exactly pleased to be in their company, but had to keep face due to her stature and social position among the Canterlot elite. Luna and Nightmare Moon did not even bother to crack a smile.

The mare of the couple, who I suspect was Upper Crust, returned Celestia's greeting with a typical snobbish tone of voice. Though to be fair, I had heard worse that day. "Good afternoon, your majesties. I hope we are not intruding."

I instantly found myself feeling somewhat uptight and just tried to distract myself with my menu so I would not have to listen to the egotistical voices of the couple before us. Nightmare Moon spoke, her voice only barely hiding her own disdain for the two nobles. "No, we were only just seated. Do you recommend anything today?"

The stallion, who I am sure was Jet Set, offered a reply while using the most cringe-inducing snobbish accent I had heard from a stallion all day. Give Prince Blueblood some credit. At least his voice sounds genuinely noble and not snobbish! "I really must recommend the quiche today, Lady Nightmare Moon. The broccoli and spinach blends so well with the sage and basil with just a touch of red pepper."

Luna spoke up while apparently intrigued by the recommendation we had been offered. "That does sound delightful. Thank you."

However, I just happened to notice Upper Crust glance at me with that gaze of disdain before looking at Celestia. "But while we are here… Lady Celestia, I must ask. Why do you shame yourself by allowing such a…ragamuffin to be in your company?"

That… I have to give those two some credit. Calling out the princesses themselves just for spending time with friends from less privileged towns? That takes some serious courage. Or misguided conceitedness. Even so, I could tell from the looks on all three of my friends' faces that this question truly came out of nowhere and even shocked them. Although Celestia soon managed to collect herself and gave the couple a rather offended frown. "I beg your pardon?"

Jet Set then spoke while casting that high and mighty gaze at the three princesses before him. "I can understand that your royal duties require you to occasionally mingle with the common rabble down below, but why bring such a boor into the very heart of Equestria? He may be the only human in the world, but just look at him. No sophistication to speak of." He then turned his gaze towards me directly and gave me a very cold stare along with his wife. "You have no place here. Why don't you head back home to the mud and filth where you belong?"

Under normal circumstances, I would have simply not given such a lout the time of day. But in the presence of friends, I knew that I could offer a reply and they would stand by me should things get out of hand. While my eyes glanced him over, I felt myself smirk as a perfect retort came to mind. "At least I don't walk around with my balls exposed for the world to see."

Those words got quite a reaction as pretty much all of the activity in the dining room stopped. I heard a screech come from the cello, several nobles spewed their drinks, and Jet Set… Oh, Jet Set. That look on his face. Upper Crust looked absolutely mortified by what I had just said while her husband's mouth hung open as he twitched, a blush filling his cheeks. Luna and Celestia were snickering rather reluctantly to my left while Celestia was even holding a hoof to her mouth. Nightmare Moon, on the other hand, had burst into hearty laughter at my retort. And what made those words especially effective was the fact that it was true. Granted, nearly all stallions do not wear pants in Equestria, but that retort was directed towards just him. So if you happen to be a stallion who is reading this, please do not take those words personally.

Eventually, Jet Set began to stammer out a retort. "You… Ha… How dare you…"

My disgust having reached a level it almost never does, I continued to speak while slowly closing my menu and setting it down before me. "You do know not everyone has the privilege of being born with a silver spoon in his mouth, right? Those who are born into more modest lifestyles have to make due with what they have. And that teaches them the joys of the simple things in life. Which is more than I can say for you louts."

Just as it seemed that Upper Crust was about to speak a response, I noticed something unusual. A deep blue magic aura was coating their jaws. When I glanced to my right, I found that Nightmare Moon was casting a spell. Using the levitation spell to keep their lower jaws pressed against their upper jaws? I have got to remember that trick. She then glanced at me and cracked a smirk. "Do go on. I'm curious of what else you have to say."

Quite a few eyes were gazing at our table by then. And while I did not care for the attention, I decided to wrap things up there. "I bet you would be singing a very different tune if I was dressed up in shiny black boots, silken slacks, and a tailed jacket. But that just means you value one's clothing over the person itself. You would probably even like to invite my fanciest attire over for dinner, wouldn't you? That's what I really can't stand about noble louts like you. You are shallow fools who only value the petty and never the fundamental. By all means, tell me I'm wrong."

By then, Nightmare Moon released her magic grasp on the two nobles' jaws. I then decided to end my argument while reaching for my menu. "You may be better than me in terms of financial stability, but at least I'm a better person."

I think that last quip may have struck a nerve since Jet Set began to look absolutely furious at me. Considering his behavior, I suspect he is completely not used to being talked back to by someone of a much lower social class. I then noticed his horn become coated by a pale blue aura that seemed similar to his eyes. "Better…than me?" All four of us jumped when we saw him lift our bread knife into the air with levitation, a knife of which I will say right now is actually quite sharp. "You…wretched urchin! You need to learn your place!"

With myself being boxed in by the three princesses beside me, I was unable to flee. I firmly grasped the underside of the table and was prepared to flip it at the furious stallion to keep him away from me. But before either of us could make a move, Nightmare Moon suddenly shouted. "Guards!"

As if from nowhere, a spear was thrust forward and caught the bread knife as it was swung. Jet Set instantly lost that furious glare in his eyes and looked to his sides in terror. A pair of unicorn royal guards were standing with their spears crossed before him. I have to say it was very satisfying seeing such a high and mighty member of the Canterlot elite looking so frightened. His wife was no better off, looking as if she was about to flee in terror.

Once Jet Set released his magic grasp on the knife, Luna spoke with a very stern glare. "Harassment. And one charge of assault for Mr. Jet Set."

The two nobles before us seemed absolutely mortified and even confused. It was as if they could not comprehend being arrested. But just as they began to look less shocked and more frustrated, Celestia looked at them with quite possibly the angriest glare I had ever seen on her face. "I am only going to say this once. Nobles like you give Canterlot a very poor image. Not a day goes by where I do not feel shame whenever I see you and others that share your petty lifestyles and outlooks."

Wow… There was an audible gasp in the dining room as the rest of the customers and employees heard that. Those words coming from Celestia, of all ponies, were very satisfying and cathartic to hear. And I suspect she had been hoping she would get the proper opportunity to say them someday. Considering that she is often grouped with the Canterlot elite, it must be exceptionally frustrating to have to be compared to such unpleasant people. The Princess of the Dawn turned her gaze to the guards and spoke with a very displeased expression. "Get these louts out of my sight."

The guards nodded without a word and escorted the two humbled nobles right out of the restaurant with spears drawn. However, once they were out of sight, I noticed that Rarity was standing right behind where they had been standing with…something floating behind her head. "What's up, Rarity?"

My beautiful unicorn friend grinned very nervously at us. "Oh! Well… Um… I was just… Well… I was bringing…a bottle of… Yes! A bottle of sparkling cider!" She then levitated the object behind her head over to us. It looked like a very fancy wine bottle with golden foil wrapped around the top, but the label seemed to say it was sparkling apple cider.

Nightmare Moon's rather anger scowl became a more relaxed smile. "Ah, many thanks, Miss Rarity. It is appreciated." She then used her own levitation spell to bring the bottle to the table. A closer look showed that a thin layer of frost and condensation coated the dark glass, a sign that it had likely only just been taken out of an ice bucket. With that, Rarity gracefully bowed before trotting back over to her table. The rest of the nobles in the room began to return to their activities and the band began to play again.

"I suspect she was preparing to smash that bottle over their heads." Luna whispered with a smug smirk. I too suspected that. Why else would she have gotten that close to those louts while keeping that bottle concealed behind her?

A few seconds later, Celestia turned her eyes to me and spoke with a quiet whisper. "James, I want to apologize. I really did not want you to have to deal with that. Generations of such extremely high standards of living has caused many of Canterlot's nobles to fall into a state of moral decadence. It is a constant blight on this city. I truly must thank you for giving me the opportunity to finally say something about it. I've been wanting to say those words for a very long time."

I shrugged my shoulders, not really bothered at all by any of the insults Jet Set and Upper Crust had thrown at me. If anything, my words had much more bite to them. "It's OK, Celestia. I actually saw them coming, so they really didn't get to me. Although I'm really impressed that none of you have ever acted the way they do."

Luna spoke softly so as to not allow anyone else to hear her. "Well, perhaps that is because we know what it is like to live as commoners. We were not always princesses, you know."

I took a sip of my water before suddenly freezing as I took in those words. I then turned my gaze to the Princess of the Night and spoke equally softly. "You weren't?"

Nightmare Moon cracked a smirk, apparently wanting to speak. However, she held her tongue. Celestia then spoke softly as her rather displeased expression brightened slightly. "Indeed. Mother and Father were not always a queen and king, you know. They were commoners at one time as well. We only became royalty when they became the rulers and leaders of this world."

I would have never guessed that Celestia and Luna had such humble beginnings. No wonder they enjoy spending time in humbler towns. They once lived just like most people do, so they can actually appreciate such lifestyles. However, this did raise a question that I felt I had to ask. "But…who ruled over this world before them?"

The three princesses showed rather uneasy expressions upon hearing me ask that question. Luna was the first to speak. "You certainly know how to ask the most forbidden questions."

Celestia then whispered quietly so as to not draw attention. "Do you remember when I told you that some things are best forgotten? Trust me, James. Some things are better left unremembered. Please, do not worry about the past. Focus on the present."

It was rather disquieting to see the three princesses going to great lengths to not have to address such a question. What in the world happened so long ago before the rise of the king and queen? Who reigned over this world before them? Or was there no ruler and the world was just overrun with chaos? Well, they do have a point. Whatever happened that long ago has absolutely no bearing on today. Whatever happened back then, it is none of my concern. It was then that I decided to just leave the subject be.

Our waiter came back with four martini glasses for our bottle of sparkling cider. He must have caught sight of it from the far end of the room. "My sincerest apologies, your majesties. I could not have foreseen such a confrontation. Is there anything I can get you?"

Nightmare Moon spoke with a slight smile while she used levitation to remove the bottle's golden foil before popping the cork out of the bottle's neck and pouring the bubbling golden liquid into our glasses. "Yes, please. And thank you."

At this point now, I cannot recall exactly what each of us ate. Although I ordered a type of salad with a delicious mango-based dressing and an entrée of risotto. I have to say our dining experience from that point on was rather pleasant. And that sparkling cider was quite good as well, but we decided to leave out dessert. Although nothing really occurred that I feel is worth mentioning during the meal. My friends handled the bill and we departed without much bother.

However, just as we exited the building, we were then promptly approached by Fancy Pants and Rarity. My beautiful friend trotted towards me while Fancy Pants approached us at a walking pace. Their gorgeous unicorn mare companion was nowhere to be seen, but she had likely ducked into a store nearby. "Are you feeling all right now, darling? I truly hope that those wretched oafs didn't ruin your appetite."

I reached out and held my dear friend in a tender embrace, which she all too willingly returned. "Nah, it's fine. Actually felt kind of good to tell them off. If it wasn't for my friends here, I probably would've just stayed quiet."

Nightmare Moon, as well as her sisters, cast me some very puzzled gazes. "Huh? What did we do? I don't think any of us really did anything until Jet Set snatched up that knife."

It was understandable that they did not immediately understand. So I explained it to them. "What did you do? You were there. If I was by myself, I would've stayed quiet to avoid starting trouble. But knowing I had good friends at my back gave me a bit more courage. And sure enough, you were there for me when things got ugly."

Celestia instantly smiled at those words. "Very true. Knowing that you have dear friends by your side who will support you certainly does boost one's confidence."

I then looked towards Fancy Pants, who was standing a short distance away from me. "Uh… Sorry if I struck any nerves with what I said to them, Fancy. I really only meant it towards…well…"

To my surprise, Fancy Pants chuckled heartily while using the levitation spell to lift his monocle while a white handkerchief emerged from his coat's pocket and began to rub the lens. But if that lens has the same enchantment that my old glasses do… Perhaps it was out of habit instead of to clean it. Or perhaps it just happened to not be enchanted with… Am I rambling? Sorry. Anyway, he spoke to me with a calm smile. "Oh, don't be sorry, my good sir! They deserved every word of it. Everything you described. Every flaw you mentioned. It was all quite true and they knew it."

Fancy Pants then adjusted his monocle while placing it back over his left eye as a sigh escaped his lips. "And everything you spoke… It is quite a problem among the vast majority of Canterlot's elite. Quite disgraceful, really. It is as you said. Not everypony is fortunate enough to be born among us. And far too many view such ponies as being below them instead of being less fortunate. I hope to change that one day. One's value is not determined by their wealth or their social status, but by their strength of character."

To hear that from one of the Canterlot elite himself… It was rather unexpected. I could only look at the fine fellow before me and smile. "Fancy Pants… You're a very good man. Definitely one of the best in town."

Our refined friend smiled rather modestly. "Ohoho, James. I just try to appreciate the simpler things in life as much as I enjoy the more elaborate. And I find your home of Ponyville to be charmingly rustic. And Miss Rarity has told me quite a bit about you during our meetings. You single-handedly saved our very own Princess Nightmare Moon and even slew an entire mob of undead demons? You, sir, would be made a celebrity overnight if the Canterlot elite discovered your feats!"

However, I extended my hand to him and shook my head. "You do understand that any praise they give me would be just for that accomplishment and not for me being myself, right? I'd prefer to not have to interact with aristocratic oafs who are as sycophantic as Rarity is generous."

My beautiful friend sighed while bowing her head. "To think that I wished to become one of them for most of my life… Such a toxic influence they must have on others. I swear, from this day forward, any interaction I have with them is strictly business." However, Rarity then grinned nervously at Fancy Pants. "Oh, but not you! Your kind is truly a marvel among the nobles!"

Fancy Pants chuckled rather loudly at that show of desperate praise. "Your compliments are appreciated, Miss Rarity! But truthfully speaking, I do hope to turn the elite's behavior around someday. They just need a little push in the right direction."

Rarity then bowed towards the three princesses before slowly backing away towards Fancy Pants. "But enough talk. I've distracted you from your special day together long enough. I hope the rest of your day goes by smoothly." She then flashed me a wink. "I will be returning to Ponyville in a few days, so let's enjoy a spot of tea together next time we see each other."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you then, m'lady." I replied while waving goodbye. Together, Rarity and Fancy Pants began to walk away while I overheard one of them mention a yacht. But there is not a river that runs through Canterlot… Is there?

"Fine fellow, that Fancy Pants. Tis a shame that there are not more stallions like him in Canterlot." Luna spoke with a sigh, though she then smiled at us. "Well, enough of dwelling on that little disturbance. Where to next?"

I shrugged my shoulders, still having no grasp of Canterlot's layout. "I don't have a clue. You know your way around more than I do."

Nightmare Moon then rubbed her chin with her hoof while seemingly contemplating our choices. "Well… Why not stop by the opera house? A performance should be starting soon."

I did not care for the sound of that at all. "Before we go, isn't that just sitting in a VIP booth while looking down on a stage as a single performer sings in foreign lyrics without much of anything else going on?"

Celestia cracked a crooked grin at those words. Judging by that look she was giving me, I was right. "Well… In a nutshell, yes. It's lovely to listen to… Just not that much fun to watch."

"Thought so… But what else do you royals like to do?" I then asked, starting to wonder just how we were going to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening together.

My three royal friends started to look a bit troubled. This was clearly not what they had intended on happening. They are certainly part of the Canterlot elite, but I am not. So what they find fun and enjoyable may not necessarily apply to me. Fortunately, Nightmare Moon soon spoke with a smile. "Hold on… I see what the problem is. Instead of doing what the nobles around here do for fun, why don't we do what we think is fun?"

So simple and obvious, yet so brilliant. I just had to smile at her. "Sounds good to me. What can we do around here that's fun?"

Celestia and Luna looked at each other before smiling brightly. The Princess of the Dawn then looked my way and asked, "Why not hit the tennis courts? We can have a few doubles while we're down there."

While I have enjoyed a few tennis simulators of sorts back on Earth, I confess I had never played tennis in the flesh before. "OK, sounds good. But you'll have to walk me through the rules. I have no experience in the sport."

"No worries, my friend. We all have experience in the sport. Right this way." Luna replied before she and her sisters began to lead me through the elegant city while I tried to keep my eyes from falling upon any of the more snobbish nobles we passed. I was not going to let them affect my mood on this special day.

The tennis courts were located closer to the side of the mountain than most other places in town with plenty of trees and natural greenery adding to the atmosphere. It seemed that the tennis courts were outdoors while surrounded by tall chain link fences to prevent the tennis balls from being knocked too far away. But as we drew near, we were quick to notice the sound of a ball being smacked around by tennis rackets. Luna turned her head to ascertain the exact direction it was coming from. "Hm, seems we won't be the only ones here."

After drawing closer, I saw who was playing. Locked in one of the singles courts was Shining Armor and Cadence, the latter of which having her mane tied into an adorable ponytail while having removed her golden jewelry for the time being. Using the levitation spell to hold their rackets close to their heads, they kept smacking the ball back and forth while running here and there to keep it from getting past them. Sometimes the ball would soar high while at other times it would barely clip the net that divided the court in two. It seemed to be rather heated and neither was really at a disadvantage. Finally though, Nightmare Moon spoke up. "Good afternoon, you two!"

Just as Cadence returned Shining Armor's serve, the stallion looked our way and got smacked right in the side of the face by the ball while looking as if he had no idea what just hit him. Granted, tennis balls are light and soft, so it was unlikely that it hurt him. Even so, this was so random and unexpected that absolutely everyone burst into laughter. Even Cadence, who seemed rather embarrassed that she had practically slapped her husband, laughed so hard that she lost her grip on her racket and dropped it.

"OK, that's a first! Anyway, what's up? I didn't think I'd see you in Canterlot, James. At least not without my sister and her friends." Shining Armor managed to speak while using levitation to snatch up the ball, his wife having won a point.

"Special occasion, to be honest. I'm just having a night on the town." I replied while Nightmare Moon inched slightly closer to me.

Once I finished speaking, Nightmare Moon continued it. "Today marks the one year anniversary of our first encounter. And tomorrow marks the first with my sisters. So we're celebrating with our friend here."

Cadence then drew closer while she allowed her mane to fall free. "It's been a full year already? My, how time flies. Well… With how many there are of you, I think you would prefer some doubles. The courts are open right now." The doubles courts are a bit wider to accommodate the two extra players.

"Thanks… Wait a minute, what are you doing over here anyway, captain? I thought Estoc said you're on patrol in town." I spoke upon remembering what his right-hand stallion said to me earlier.

Armor seemed to be taken aback by those words. Had he been shirking his duties? "He did, huh? I'm actually on break right now. Once Cadence and I grab a bite for some lunch, I'll suit up again and get back to my post. Fuller is currently taking my place."

"Well, we had best let you get going then. And good show, Cadence. Way to keep your husband on his hooves." Celestia said with a smirk across her lips while giving Cadence a wink.

Cadence let out a playful giggle while winking at her husband. "Oh, I try. I need to make sure that the married life doesn't let Armor get soft on us." Shining Armor could not really offer a retort, merely snorting while rolling his eyes. Regardless, the young couple then left the caged court after putting their rackets and ball back before trotting away and back into town.

I was led inside one of the cages that held a wider court than the one Armor and Cadence had been using. Propped up in the corner were four identical tennis rackets and a single tennis ball. I went over to retrieve them and began to carry them over to my friends. "OK, so which sides do… Uh…"

"Something wrong?" Nightmare Moon asked while showing a slight smirk. While I had my back turned to the royal sisters, they had gone and done up their manes into ponytails like Cadence. And I have to say…those hairstyles with those long beautiful billowing manes was absolutely gorgeous. "You like our hair?"

There was really only one thing I could say. "Well… That new look for each of you is stuck somewhere between really cute and really hot."

The response I got ranged from flattered blushes to amused snickering. Luna was the first to offer a retort. "Well, we have to keep our manes from hanging low when we're making lots of movement. Would not want to trip over them or let them get snagged on anything."

After a brief moment of observation, I noticed that Nightmare Moon's mane was not tied up in any way. Although I suppose I know why. It does not hang as low as Luna's or Celestia's tend to and even seems lighter. Regardless, we took our places on the court after my three friends used levitation to grab a racket. Luna and Celestia took one side of the court while Nightmare Moon and I took our places on the other side. Since I still had the ball, I was tasked with serving.

I was slightly nervous about the whole thing. Even though I have had several experiences in virtual versions of the sport, I had never actually played the sport itself. After bouncing the ball a few times, I tossed it upwards and swatted it towards the left side of the opposite end of the court. And right into the net.

"Dang, that's a fault." I grumbled while Nightmare Moon used levitation to bring the ball back to me. I attempted another serve in the hopes of making it count. However, while it did clear the net, the ball landed on the side of the court that was parallel to me.

"Double fault! That's a point for us!" Luna called out while she tossed the ball back over to us. "James, are you certain you've played this game before?"

"Not in person! Only in simulations of sorts." I replied while grabbing the ball. However, Nightmare Moon began to draw near.

"Here, let me serve for the rest of the game. You just focus on returning the ball." The Princess of Dreams spoke softly while taking the ball from me. I offered no real reply, but moved over to where she had been standing regardless. Nightmare Moon then hurled the ball upwards before deftly smacking it over to the opposite side of the court, where Celestia returned her serve.

I do not have any desire to go over all the rules or technicalities of tennis. You could look those up in a book about the thing. Even so, the game got pretty heated. The three princesses were swift in their movements while looking absolutely stunning. I confess I may have missed the ball a few times because I was distracted by the ungodly beauty of the two royal sisters ahead of me, although Nightmare Moon at times served as a distraction as well. Despite this, I do feel Nightmare Moon herself did most of the work. I really was struggling to hold my own.

By some miracle, we managed to tie Celestia and Luna at one point before they got the advantage. And then at the break point… Well, we did our best, but Celestia and Luna came out on top. Even so, we had fun and played a few more games as well. Although I am sorry to say that my lack of experience doomed our chances at winning each time.

After a total of five games, we decided we had enough and returned the ball and rackets to the far end of the court. I had worked up quite a sweat, as had my friends. Luna then spoke up while untying her mane. "Well, that certainly was a fine time. You did quite well for your first time, James."

"Yeah, but you girls owned me. I still need to get used to actually playing this stuff in person." I replied while wiping some sweat from my brow.

Nightmare Moon seemed to glance over at a distant building that seemed to be at the edge of the sporting grounds. "Hmm… Why don't we all cool off with a swim?"

"Oh, of course! The fitness club is nearby and they have a pool. Shall we?" Celestia said while her pace quickened. It seemed she was really in the mood for a swim. And so was I.

The local fitness club was actually very close by. And once we stepped inside… Well, I actually rather liked it. It seemed to be a place where your social stature in Canterlot did not matter. I saw ponies there who were clearly nobles using several of the exercise equipment, such as the weight machines and treadmills. But I also saw just as many of the middle class there as well doing the exact same thing. It was rather refreshing to be somewhere in Canterlot without having to worry about rude glares from the elite.

Celestia led us to the front desk, where a young stallion promptly greeted her. I cannot recall how he looked since I did not see him often enough to remember, so I apologize. "Ah, welcome back, your highness! How can I help you?"

The Princess of the Dawn replied with her warm smile. "Yes. Please sign James up for one day of activities. I will handle the payment."

"The human? Ah, I was wondering if I would ever see him. One moment please… Your name has an E before the S, right? There we go. Please enjoy yourselves!" The receptionist spoke while jotting something down on the desk.

While my companions led me away and down some stairs, I glanced back over at the receptionist before we dropped out of sight. "He knew about me?"

Luna spoke up in response. "Well, yes. When you are the only human on the planet and you live among our people, word tends to spread. And it has been a full year since your arrival by now. So the initial surprise and bewilderment of a human's presence has likely worn off by this point."

Once we reached the bottom of the stairs, I was greeted by a glass door that led into a huge room with a large swimming pool. There did not seem to be anyone there at the time and it seemed to lack those pesky dividers that tend to split the water into rows, so we had the place to ourselves. However, it was then that I noticed a big oversight. "Hang on… I didn't bring any swim trunks…"

Celestia did not seem bothered much at all by that realization and immediately turned to face me. "Oh, don't worry about that. Just wear your shorts. I'll dry them off for you before we leave."

I watched as the three princesses removed their jewelry and neatly sorted them on a stone bench of sorts nearby. I have to say… Even though they wear next to nothing to begin with… Well, it is difficult to describe. But I swear they looked even more radiant with all their jewelry removed. I made certain to not say anything about it though and proceeded to remove my shoes, socks, and shirt while stuffing my wallet inside my shirt.

"My, you've slimmed down quite a bit since we first met, James. Equestrian cuisine must have done wonders for your waistline." Celestia spoke while I stood before the beautiful sisters. She was right. I cannot remember the last time my weight did not start with a 2. Living in this world has not only been good for my soul, but also for my body and health.

"Yup. An almost all-vegetarian diet is bound to slim you down. Although I do try to always follow a visit to Sugarcube Corner with a salad." I replied while looking down at myself. It felt great to see how much better I looked after spending so much time in this world.

I watched as Luna approached the edge of the pool. Her hooves checked the smooth stone floor for moisture, which was certainly a smart move since there were warnings posted here and there to not run where the floor was wet. With a show of true grace, she galloped forward before flapping her wings for a greater jump and tucking them against her sides while she dived into the pool. She got quite a bit of speed with that dive, resurfacing halfway across the thing. "Woo! A bit cold, but not too bad!"

"My turn." Celestia spoke before breaking into a run as well. But instead of performing another dive, she instead did a type of drill dive upon jumping. Spiraling through the air, she drilled through the water and popped up a short distance before Luna. I suppose not getting the extra speed Luna got stopped her from getting as far. "I suppose an aileron roll is not enough for less resistance."

I then looked at Nightmare Moon, who returned my gaze with a smirk. "Amateurs." She then spread her sable wings and lifted herself high above the pool. And as with most indoor swimming pools, the ceiling was pretty high up. We all turned our faces upward while watching the Princess of Dreams hover high above the pool. She then folded her wings and began to fall with her legs outstretched. From the look of things, she was going for a belly flop. But from that height… She was going to be feeling sore in the morning.

However, just before se could hit the water, her horn, as well as the rest of her, was covered by a billowing deep blue aura that held her just a few inches off the water. Celestia rolled her eyes while Nightmare Moon stood upon the water. "Showoff."

Nightmare Moon chuckled while she slowly sank into the water and began to float there while treading water. "What? Can't I have a little fun? Your turn, James!"

I approached the edge of the pool and decided that I would dive in as well. I brought my feet to the edge and leaned forward. However, when I jumped forward, I felt a sting on my abdomen while I heard all three of the princesses called out in some sort of groan just before my ears were covered. I quickly brought my head to the surface while still feeling the sting of my failed dive all over my torso's front. Luna immediately spoke up. "You really should try to avoid performing belly flops!"

"Not like I was aiming to do that anyway!" I replied while treading water. I decided to not try that again. Would not want to be sore the next day or for the rest of the evening. I never was that good at diving.

Having never seen any of Equestria's ponies swim before, I expected them to do some sort of dogpaddle. But that only seemed to be the case whenever they were treading water. The three princesses were quite graceful in their swimming movements, their swimming ranging from the backstroke to the front crawl and so forth. Me? I am not entirely certain how I was swimming. I am self-taught from years of trying to overcome my fear of the deep end and just do whatever works. I was likely the slowest swimmer out of the four of us, though the lovely ladies with me never once confronted me about it.

Once more, I felt rather out of place among the beautiful nobles. I was such a slow and cumbersome swimmer compared to their graceful strokes. After a few minutes of aimless swimming, I decided to get out of the pool and just have a look around the place and to give the princesses some space. But once I made my way over to some stone steps that extended down a few feet below the surface, I heard Luna call out to me. "Where are you going, James? You only just got in."

I decided to be completely honest with my words that time. I knew they would understand. "I really just feel like I'm cramping your style. I'll leave you ladies to enjoy some quality time together."

However, just before I could step up out of the pool, I froze when I found myself covered in Nightmare Moon's magic aura. "Oh, no you don't."

Before I could even try to get a word out, I was suddenly dragged across the water and back into the pool before finding myself stuck in a group hug by all three of the royal sisters while they kicked their hind legs to stop us from sinking. Celestia then asked, "Have you forgotten why you are even here? Today is a special occasion. So what if the Canterlot elite does not approve of us mingling with friends from a lower social class? That is not their choice to make."

Nightmare Moon then nuzzled my cheek with her snout. "Relax, my friend. For today, just forget that we are royalty. This is not a day of princesses with a commoner in their company. It is a day celebrating our first meeting."

Luna then spoke quietly into my ear. "So please… Let go of your worries and inhibitions. If not for yourself, then do it for us. We WANT you to enjoy yourself with us. Not as our subject, but as our friend."

Being in such close proximity to these beautiful ladies was a bit…different from what I am used to, to say the least. Even so, I felt a bit silly to let their royal status get between us. They could have gone the entire day without me as a day together as sisters. But they still invited me to come along as friends. And so I wrapped my arms around them the best I could to return their affection. "Sorry about that. It's just that royalty spending quality time with commoners is just such a rarity where I come from. But then again, this is Equestria and not Earth. I just need to adapt to your customs."

"Much better. Now think fast!" Nightmare Moon replied before the three of them dragged me under the water before immediately releasing their grip on me. I quickly swam to the surface before gasping for breath while the three royal sisters did the same. Once I shook the water from my face, we all had a good laugh.

To be honest, I was already feeling tired by the time we got out of the pool. Who knew that days spent having fun with friends could be so exhausting? Even so, I went over to my clothes and put them back on before turning to face my three friends who had left the pool behind me. "OK, so how am I gonna get my shorts dried befo…uh…"

"Something wrong?" Luna asked while she and her sisters stood before me. They were all quite a sight with their manes and tails weighed down by water. While wet, they did not billow like they usually do. Their manes and tails even seemed longer. While Luna and Nightmare Moon looked stunning in such a state, Celestia… Oh god, Celestia… That aurora-colored mane and tail were being dragged along the ground.

I must have been making quite an expression because Celestia started to look a bit worried. "Are you all right? You didn't drink any pool water, did you?"

"Huh?! Oh, no, not that… It's just… Well, look at yourselves." I replied promptly while feeling myself becoming rather flustered.

The three alicorns looked at each other and their manes and tails. Finally, Nightmare Moon seemed to catch on and smirked at her sisters. "I think what he's trying to say is that he thinks we're…oh, what's that modern term? Hot?"

Celestia and Luna also joined in with smirks of their own. Celestia then looked at me with an alluring gaze, though I could tell she was just messing with me. Still got me feeling nervous though! "Is that it? You think we look exceptionally attractive with our hair wetted down like this?"

"I would be lying if I said otherwise." I replied briefly, not entirely certain if I knew where this was going.

The three sisters suddenly laughed, though it was Luna who spoke first. "Well, the compliment is appreciated!" With Celestia's horn aglow with her magic aura, a powerful swirling warm gust engulfed us all for a full minute. The heated air was basically functioning as a hairdryer since I soon found my clothes entirely dried off.

"Oh, so that's how you were going to fix that. Well… Uh… Oh lord…" I began to speak until my eyes once again fell upon the three royal sisters.

"Oh dear, I'm not sure I care for that look… What is it, James?" Celestia asked while looking worrisome. The uncontrolled warm air had dried their hair. But… Their manes and tails looked impossibly puffy and… Oh lord, basically imagine them trying to get their hair to look like Pinkie Pie's, but failing.

All I could do was point at them while trying to not laugh. When the three sisters looked at each other, they all let out a shriek of shock. Nightmare Moon winced while her eyes glanced about nervously. "Oh good grief! This… This just won't do! Uh… James, you make yourself comfortable upstairs! We need a visit to the local hairdresser. We'll be back soon!" In a flash of light, the three sisters were gone. Shaking my head while snickering under my breath, I left the pool area and went back upstairs before taking a seat on a surprisingly plush bench that could have been a sofa.

No one in the lobby bothered me while I read through the latest issue of Equestria's Finest. It seemed to delve into information involving the ponies and…buffalo of the Appleloosa settlement to the southwest. Yes, I was quite surprised to see that there are sentient intelligent buffalo living in this world. But I suppose I should not be too surprised by that since there also seem to be cattle and oxen who are on the same level of intelligence and awareness that the ponies of this world are. Although I must say the cattle of this world still are not that smart since I have rarely caught a glimpse of a herd of them stampeding towards Ponyville before. Fortunately, Applejack always seems to straighten them out before they can reach town. But I digress.

After what I assume was fifteen minutes to half an hour, there was a flash of light in front of me before I lifted my head from the magazine. Once again, the three royal sisters were standing before me while their manes and tails had been returned to their natural billowing forms. It also seemed that they had retrieved their jewelry from the poolside. Nightmare Moon then winked at me before speaking. "I know you would prefer us to have our manes wetted down, but it would not do for us to keep tripping over ourselves. So you will just have to settle for us staying dry."

"That's cool. You're always stunning to look at anyway. So, where to next?" I retorted while setting the magazine aside.

Luna seemed to avert her gaze for a few seconds while seemingly being lost in thought. She soon turned our way and spoke with a smile. "Why not do a little window shopping in the business district? There are plenty of shops to see there."

Celestia grinned brightly before looking at us. "That sounds lovely. And you could take the opportunity to pick up some souvenirs, James. Shall we go?"

"Sounds good. Lead on." I quickly replied while climbing to my feet. Without further delay, I followed my royal friends outside and through town.

The place they had in mind seemed to be a single street lined with many ponies coming and going. The buildings there had tall windows displaying many types of products. From jewelry to clothing to cosmetics to pastries. There was even a toy store that really caught my eye by having an electric train set put up to go all around the store's interior.

Once again, my friends insisted that they handle any and all purchases I made. I was not entirely certain on what to do in terms of toys. I have no need for any and Scootaloo had always been content with her scooter and just having fun with her friends. Although it was interesting to just browse and see what kind of entertainment kids in Equestria are into.

We made certain to stop by a bakery to fulfill my promise to Angel that morning to reward him with a slice of carrot cake. I also made certain to pick up a strawberry shortcake for Mitta. I had to make certain that I spent some quality time with her before the day had passed. Today may be the anniversary of when Nightmare Moon and I first met, but it is also the anniversary of when I first discovered Sunny Town and Mitta along with it.

Eventually, I ducked into a jewelry store while my companions entered a boutique across the lane. I told them I was just going to do a little window-shopping while they browsed. Of course, the reason was something else entirely. For buying me lunch, inviting me for a day in Canterlot, and even having the guards arrest a couple of louts who tried to attack me for talking back, I had to thank them somehow. And I felt especially compelled to visit the jewelry store. After all, what woman does not like gold, silver, and gemstones?

I found that this jewelry store's interior was noticeably larger than the interior in the jewelry stores back in Ponyville, but the overall layout was quite similar. I suppose it does not matter where you go. Jewelry stores are all about keeping the merchandise easy to spot and observe.

Behind the counter stood a young unicorn mare clad in a fine vest. Aside from her cutie mark displaying a diamond necklace, I cannot recall the rest of her appearance. Regardless, she took note of my presence and spoke up with a refined accent much that that of Fancy Pants, but did not really sound snooty at all. Although it is possible she was only being hospitable to avoid turning away customers. "Good evening, sir. Can I help you?"

I tried to think of something that would go well with Luna and Nightmare Moon. "Well, I would like something that is a pair. You know, two rings or something that compliment the other?"

"Ah, I know exactly what you mean. Getting something for you and your beloved back home, are we?" The clerk replied with a playful tone, apparently being quite the romantic. And as much as I would like to get Fluttershy something, I know she is not big on jewelry. If I am going to get her anything, it will be a wedding bracelet. But only when and if the proper time comes.

"Not quite. I'm getting them for some friends of mine. Twin sisters." I explained while following her around the store. Inside a glass counter she stopped at were a pair of silver rings that caught my eye. They were set beside each other, one being embedded with diamond-shaped emeralds and the other with rubies. Perfectly complimentary. Red, the color of passion and confidence. Green, the color of balance. Each represents one of the night sisters perfectly. And green… I can certainly see why Luna and I get along so well. I too feel a connection to the color. My favorite.

Before I could even point to them though, the clerk spoke up once more. "Twins, you say? What race are they? Rings for unicorns? Or bracelets for anypony else?"

"Alicorns, actually. And those two right there look perfect." I replied while pointing to the rings. But before the clerk could open the case, she gave me a most peculiar look. "Uh… Yes?"

"Alicorns… You said 'alicorns' just now, didn't you? I thought for sure that only the princesses are alicorns." She replied while looking positively flummoxed. I suppose I should not be surprised. You seldom come across common people with close ties of friendship to the rulers of the land.

"Uh…yes. They are. Luna and Nightmare Moon, to be honest. Do you take credit?" I responded while being completely honest. I checked my pockets and pulled out my wallet before removing my debit card from it. I very seldom use it and only for my most expensive purchases. I could only hope that it was still working. With no way of checking my balance in my bank account back on Earth and with no way to add to it, I am certain it is only a matter of time before I end up significantly overdrawn and something is done and my account is closed. But until that day comes, I will get as much out of it as I can.

I could tell by that look she was giving me that the clerk was highly skeptical of whether or not I was truly getting something for the rulers of Equestria, but she did not question it any further. She removed the two rings and placed them in the same velvet jewelry box with the interior lined with cotton. "Will that be all, sir?"

I was about to speak up, but I noticed something else in the display case. And… Well, I will withhold what it was for now. Read on to find out more. I think I held my breath when I paid though. It had been quite some time since I last used it, so I was worried that my bank account on Earth had been closed despite having sent word back to my folks that I was doing fine. Thankfully, there were no problems and the payment made it through without trouble. I still have to wonder how that works… Regardless, I thanked the clerk, stuffed the jewelry boxes into my pocket, and then headed on out the door. And I made certain to not even look at my receipt.

Right as I headed out the door, I was greeted by the sight of the three royal sisters emerging from the boutique across the lane. They were laughing and smiling, apparently engaging in friendly banter. Each had a bag of sorts hanging off their sides like saddlebags with each being stuffed with various forms of clothing. I could make out scarves, shoes, and hats. I suppose even royalty like to dress down into something softer and more flexible than metallic jewelry now and then.

"Having fun, ladies?" I asked while drawing closer to them with my hand in my pocket, ready to pull out their gifts. And I am sure they did not see it coming.

Nightmare Moon grinned while glancing at the bags hanging from her sides. "Oh, we most certainly are. It was quite cathartic to shop til we dropped for once. Good thing we have deep pockets, hm?"

Celestia cracked a grin while letting out a cute giggle. "Now now, sister. Let's not get carried away with our indulgences. It's not a good example to set for the Canterlot elite."

Luna then looked my way and asked, "And what of you, James? Where did you run off to?"

"I'm so glad you asked." I replied while pulling a jewelry box from my pocket. "I wanted to get you girls something."

This clearly caught them by surprise, seeing as how they had been paying for everything today. Luna spoke after a moment of silent hesitation. "James… You did not have to… You do not have to spend your money on us."

I shrugged my shoulders while prying the box open to reveal its contents. "It's not anything too pricey, but I thought it complimented you two perfectly. Besides, I just like making my friends happy."

While my friends looked on, I took the silver ring that was lined with rubies between my fingers and slid it over Nightmare Moon's horn until it was snuggly nestled against its base. I then did the same for Luna when I grasped the ring lined with emeralds. "Don't you think they fit?"

The Princess of Dreams and the Princess of the Night looked directly at each other, their eyes focused on the ring at the base of each other's horn. Nightmare Moon soon smiled. "Indeed. It does seem to fit."

"And they compliment each other quite well. All too perfect for our contrasting dynamics, wouldn't you say?" Luna replied with a satisfied smile spread across her lips. I too smiled; glad to see that they appreciated my gift.

Celestia looked back and forth at her sisters before looking at me with a warm smile. "You're too kind, James. I really should have you compensated. This really was not necessary."

I could not help but smirk as I reached into my other pocket. "Really? Thanks. But don't think I forgot about you."

All three of them glanced at me with very surprised expressions, but said nothing. I then opened the box to display its contents. A gold ring lined with amethysts cut in the same shape as the diamond-shaped gemstone of Celestia's golden band around her neck. Purple. The color of royalty and wise judgment. Truly a color that represents the Princess of the Dawn well, if I do say so myself.

I slid the ring down Celestia's long white horn until it rested at the bottom. I was actually quite surprised to see how well it blended with the rest of her attire. She was silent, never speaking, as I truly believe she could not believe that I would have gotten her something like this. "Hey, are you all right?"

Celestia and Luna looked on in silence as well. What was Celestia going to do? Finally, I got a response. She rather shyly looked at me before speaking in a very matter-of-fact tone. "You value your friends' happiness over your own and do everything you can to make them happy. There is no cost too great for them." I then got the mother of all surprises. Celestia reached out and planted a brief kiss on my cheek. "You truly are sweet, my friend. You wear your cutie mark well."

The instant those soft lips touched my cheek, all activity in the street just…stopped. It was as if time had ceased to flow. All eyes were staring in our direction. Could they not believe that the Princess of the Dawn herself had just shared a kiss with a mere commoner? I too was shocked as well. Fortunately, Luna managed to break the silence. "Hmm… What time is it? Isn't it past five by now?"

Nightmare Moon flexed her neck before speaking a reply. "I do believe so. Time certainly does fly when you're out and about with friends. We should get some dinner soon."

"Good idea. And I know just the place." Celestia added while motioning for me to follow. "I'd hate for another confrontation like at lunch. Let's go somewhere where we will not have to worry about being bothered by anymore louts."

I was in quite a hurry to get away from the prying eyes and followed without objection. However, Celestia eventually looked back at me and smiled warmly. "Thank you again for this, James. I think I will permanently include it as part of my royal attire."

Before long, I found that my royal companions were leading me back into Canterlot's castle itself. "Uh… Why are we coming back here? I thought the restaurants are in town."

Celestia looked back at me and was clearly entertained by my confusion. "I never said we would be dining out, James. We have someone staying at Canterlot Castle right now who is quite a wizard in the culinary arts."

"A private dinner? Sounds tasty… But is this place really a castle? When I think 'castle', I think a towering fortification with walls made of thick stone blocks. This place seems to say 'palace' more than that." I replied while also taking in the ornate outer design of their home.

"Hmm… I suppose Canterlot Palace would make more sense… But somehow, Canterlot Castle has just stuck with the place over the centuries. You are free to call it whatever you wish though." Luna too replied while analyzing their home. I really cannot even begin to describe that place's outer appearance. You have to see the place to really understand it.

Once my companions had dropped off the items they had purchased in their own private quarters, we gathered in what I assume was a dining room very near the royal kitchen. The room was quite large and I found myself seated at a long table with around a dozen seats on each side. It felt awkward that only four of us were there, but I suppose it is rare to have enough guests to fill up the whole thing.

"He will be along shortly. I'm quite curious of what recipes he has developed during his career." Celestia said while she and her sisters joined me at one end of the long table.

"And who exactly is this guest who is staying here?" I asked, finding myself increasingly intrigued. Whoever the person must have been, it was unlikely he was a Canterlot native.

Nightmare Moon spoke next. "Well, he is more of a baker than anything, but he still has quite a repertoire of other types of dishes. He's quite balanced."

Before I could even say anything, another voice spoke up from the opposite end of the room with a very thick French accent. "Indeed, madame! And I must thank you for granting me ze honor of being here zis evening."

When I looked to my left to see who was approaching, I was surprised to see that our chef was not at all what I expected. Instead of being a pony of any sort, he was instead a griffon. You know how they are, right? Half lion, half eagle? Although to be fair… That yellow beak of his was too broad to be that of any sort of predatory bird. It looked closer to some sort of waterfowl. A tall cylindrical chef's hat stood atop his head while a red cloth was tied around his neck. His lion body was a shade of gray while a tuft of white fur covered the tip of his tail. His forearms and hands strongly resembled the yellow scaled flesh of most birds of prey. The feathers that coated his head and wings were a very light gray and his eyes were a brilliant yellow. He also had a very long and elegant moustache that curled at the ends, which he would sometimes stroke between his fingers. I also found that unlike ponies, he could easily alternate between quadruped and biped stances. "I really was not expecting to see a griffon…"

The griffon chef took one look at me and instantly froze, his eyes scanning me closely. "Ah, ze human of Equestria! I had heard rumors, but never dreamed I would cross paths with you! Gustave le Grand, at your service."

I reached out and shook his hand. He certainly had a bit of flair for the dramatic and even seemed slightly arrogant, but I suspect he had good reason to be confident. "A pleasure, monsieur."

Celestia then looked towards the griffon chef and spoke with a smile. "Gustave, if I may? We've had quite a long day and are quite hungry by now. If it's no trouble, may we ask you to prepare dinner?"

Gustave graciously bowed before the Princess of the Dawn with his arm and one wing draped over his chest. "But of course, madam. Allow me to present to you ze menu."

With one hand, Gustave lifted his hat and pulled four small menus from it before passing zem out… Drat, now his unique lingo has worked its way into my writing. Well, he then spoke while we opened them. "You must forgive me for ze menu being so small. I'm afraid ze castle's kitchen may not have all ze ingredients for ze full menu."

"So it's basically a catering menu. That's fine." I replied quietly while looking over ze appetizers. I have to say zat I cannot really recall what each item was since I have never dined out at a French restaurant and am not familiar with zeir cuisine… Dang it. Sorry about that.

Anyway, my royal friends ordered varying types of salads while I ordered a French classic. Escargot. Yes, it is exactly what you think they are. Snails. Without their shells. I assure you that it is much tastier than it sounds. And being mollusks, and therefore a type of seafood, it is good for you. Once Gustave left to start preparing our appetizers, I turned to my three royal companions. "A private dinner in the Canterlot palace with a master chef. Could this get any more sophisticated?"

Luna cracked a smirk while her horn was coated by her cobalt magic aura. "I can think of one way." A second later, I heard soft classical music beginning to play from nearby. After glancing around, I found that a phonograph in the corner of the room had been turned on.

I decided to try passing the time with conversation. "So… Who's this Gustave fellow? Seems like a nice guy."

Celestia nodded and glanced towards the doorway as if checking to see if he was coming. "Well, he certainly is confident in his skills. He was one of the contestants for the National Desserts Competition not that long before you arrived. Things got…awkward in the end for him and the other three contestants."

"And they were…?" I replied, hoping to get some more information out of her.

"Well, you know two of them. Pinkie Pie was participating on behalf of Sugarcube Corner with her entry being a… If I recall this correctly… A marzipan mascarpone meringue cake of some sorts. I understand it must have been quite a sight. There was also Donut Joe participating with his entry being his 'Donutopia' creation. I know you've seen that before. There was also a mule named Mulia Mild who entered with a full-sized mousse…moose. As for Gustave… Well, I have a hunch we will see his finest creation before long."

I had actually heard about that incident from Pinkie Pie herself once when she and the Cakes baked another Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness. That is the name of the cake in question, believe it or not. It seemed some bizarre circumstances during the train ride had resulted in the four competing desserts being heavily damaged, so they compromised and fused the surviving parts together to form a truly impressive work of culinary art, winning all four of them the prize. She has a photo of the end result lying around somewhere at her place, now that I think about it. But then I decided to ask the most obvious question. "Sounds tasty to me. But anyway… I don't think I've ever seen a griffon before. I mean I've seen mules and other creatures that live in Equestria's society, but I don't think I've ever seen a griffon in person until now."

The three sisters looked at each other before smiling at me. Luna then spoke to me. "Well, they are rather rare compared to us ponies. They reside all over Equestria, but are quite spread out. They are very similar to pegasi, even sharing their weather-manipulating abilities."

"Do they get along with the ponies and other people living in the world?" I asked, remembering from Rainbow Dash that her former friend, a griffon named Gilda, was extraordinarily unpleasant. If I had not forgotten about her at the time, I would have likely been a bit warier of Gustave at our first meeting.

Nightmare Moon spoke next. "Well, they get along with our kind about as well as all the other races of creatures in our society. Of course, like with every society, you always have a few bad apples here and there, but the griffons are pleasant folk in general like us. So don't worry about them should you ever meet one."

Before we had time to even really say anything else, Gustave came back into the room while pushing a wheeled cart that held four silver platters that each held a plate. Three scrumptious leafy salads and eight baked snails in a white wine cream. I think Luna's mouth may have been watering as she beheld our appetizers. "My word, those look delightful."

"Aren't zey always, m'lady?" Gustave replied with a confident grin while he set out our orders. I have to wonder how a beak can flex enough to show a smile or a frown… Well, in a world as magical as Equestria, who can really say?

Gustave seemed to be taking a particular interest in me while he stood there. It felt rather off-putting to see the face of an eagle or whatever kind of bird his avian side was looking at me so intently. Apparently speaking up before I could say anything that Gustave might take as insulting, Celestia got my attention. "James? As the guest of honor, why don't you take the first bite?"

I suppose Gustave was just eager to see what his very first human customer would think of his cooking. And so I decided to indulge him. Taking a fork in hand, I stabbed one of the seasoned snails and lifted it to my lips. Seeing as how it was fresh out of the oven, I had to blow on it quite a bit to bring its temperature down. It is difficult to taste anything when all your mouth is detecting is pain. Once I felt I had cooled it enough, I took the snail into my mouth and chewed thoroughly.

Once I swallowed, I looked up at Gustave and spoke while letting out a satisfied sigh. "One word, Gustave. Délicieux."

"Ah, music to my ears. Now, what can I get for you as ze main course?" Gustave asked with a delighted smile as his fingers stroked his thin and elegantly curled moustache.

We looked through the menu once more before placing our orders. The princesses ordered crepes of various sorts and an eggplant dish while I settled for some pan seared shrimp and scallops with a tomato and truffle oil relish. Gustave actually seemed rather delighted that I asked for a seafood dish before he took our appetizer plates away on the cart. Once he was gone, I turned to my hosts once more. "Hey, uh… What kind of diet do griffons have? Since they have both lion and eagle aspects, they're more carnivorous than all of you, right?"

Luna turned to me and spoke with a slight smile spread across her lips. "Yes, but not much different from you humans. They are omnivorous, but they especially have a taste for fish."

"Huh… Makes sense if they're part eagle. Those birds have quite a taste for fish." I muttered lightly while resting my arms on the table with one hand resting upon my fist. Even though I have seen fish that have a degree of awareness, such as those I see swimming in the pond within Ponyville's park, I suppose there are ordinary fish without much intelligence or awareness at all that no one minds being harvested for food. Just as long as they do not overdo it, I doubt any real harm comes from it. Although I am certain Fluttershy would prefer to not think about it…

In a matter of minutes, Gustave returned with a bottle of sparkling cider and poured us some in champagne flutes for some extra flair. He left the bottle behind before rushing back to the kitchen. Nightmare Moon smirked slightly while levitating her glass to the center of the table. "I was wondering what we would be drinking tonight."

Celestia and Luna then did the same, their glasses floating near the center of the table. The Princess of the Dawn then looked towards me. "Shall we have a toast? To our growing friendship?"

I could only smile at those words. I grabbed my glass of cider and held it out towards their glasses as well. "By all means." With several simultaneous clinks, we tapped our glasses together before all taking a sip in unison.

The following minutes while waiting for our entrees were spent with pleasant conversation, although I admit I mostly just listened. The sisters discussed various topics, such as Twilight's studies on friendship, Nightmare Moon's integration back into Equestria, the coming solstice, and so forth. I admit that I did get a laugh when Nightmare Moon brought up that Prince Blueblood shrieked like a little filly and climbed to the top of a lamppost in order to escape her when they first crossed paths. I can only imagine what that douche did to incur her wrath.

After a good while, we noticed a delightful aroma wafting into the chamber. Luna inhaled deeply before licking her lips. "Oh, I do hope he hurries. That scent is such a tease to the nostrils."

A few minutes later, Luna got her wish. Gustave entered the room while pushing the same wheeled cart as before, although the four platters were covered with silver domed lids. "My sincerest apologies for ze wait. But it is as zey say. You cannot rush art!"

One by one, he set out our platters before lifting the lids to release a cloud of steam. The aroma was absolutely delectable and really got my salivary glands working. And as soon as our entrees were set out before us, we dug in. Man, that was some good cooking. I failed to notice that Gustave had slunk away until after I was halfway done with my dish.

Once we had finished out meals, Gustave returned with his wing draped over something that he was carrying in his hand. "I trust everyzing was to your liking?"

"Indeed, Gustave. Simply fantastic. And is that dessert I see?" Nightmare Moon sighed with satisfaction while eyeing his wing.

Our griffon chef stepped forward before moving his wing aside. "Indeed, madam! Behold, my finest work! Exquisite, no?"

Resting upon a silver platter were eight chocolate éclairs that still seemed rather cool, as if they had been removed from a refrigerator around half an hour earlier. "That's what you entered in the dessert competition?" I asked while eyeing the desserts hungrily. I cannot even recall the last time I tried an éclair, but his had really caught my attention.

"Ah, so you heard? Yes, I entered my exquisite éclairs into ze competition. But I eventually found zat I was quite evenly matched against ze other three. And that mousse… Mmmmhm, tres magnifique. How I wish I could taste it again." Gustave explained while looking rather serene, as if fondly remembering the flavor of the mousse he tasted. I have to wonder who this 'Mulia Mild' is. I know Pinkie Pie, and I have met Donut Joe in his own shop, and I met Gustave just this evening, but where does Mulia hail from? Perhaps I will find out someday, or perhaps not.

Gustave passed out two éclairs to each of us, probably because he anticipated that just one of them would leave us craving another. With a light touch, Luna seemed to notice that the pastries were not as warm as traditional treats. "These seem rather cool."

However, Gustave seemed to know what he was doing. "But of course. Ze éclair is best served cooled, but not quite cold."

Whether it was meant to be eaten cool or warm, I found the éclairs to be…well, as he would put it, exquisite. And sure enough, I was left wanting more. We all devoured every last one of the éclairs, the chocolate topping going well with the rich cream filling. I really did try to savor it, but I could not help eating mine quickly. Then again, that is how the éclair got its name. Because it is normally eaten in a 'flash of lightning' burst of speed or so it is said.

"Phew! Fantastic, Gustave. It was all great." I spoke once I let out a sigh of true satisfaction. That fellow truly is a master chef and baker. If only I could figure out where he normally works.

The griffon culinary master took a bow and began to gather up our dishes. "And it was a pleasure, sir and madams. Anyone who appreciates my cooking is appreciated by moi in return."

We were all feeling quite full after that once Gustave took our used plates, glasses, and utensils away. And the atmosphere was much better without those snobbish nobles around. "Phew… Much better than lunch."

Nightmare Moon held a hoof to her mouth while she seemed to suppress a belch. "Indeed. And it was a pleasure to have you with us."

I then looked towards the nearest window and saw that the sky was turning a shade of orange. Sundown would be arriving soon. And judging by Celestia and Luna's horns being coated by their magic auras, they knew it too. "So… What comes next? This has been a really nice day, but how long am I permitted to stay?"

The three sisters glanced at each other, as if silently asking each other for an answer. Eventually, Celestia glanced at me. "Well… Forgive me if I am wrong, but didn't you say today that there was someone else you met a year ago on this day?"

I had all but forgotten about that bit. "Oh, right! Mitta! And…was there someone else?"

Luna nodded with a warm smile. "As much as we would prefer to spend some more of the evening with you, we should allow you to have some time with your other friends and…hm?" Nightmare Moon had silenced her sister by tapping on her shoulder. She then whispered something into Luna's ear, prompting a delighted smile from her. "Oh, yes! I had forgotten! Before we say our goodbyes, there is something we really must show you."

Celestia seemed to catch on as well and looked my way with a fairly excited grin. "Oh, I remember now! Please, let's be on our way now." I saw no reason to deny their request and followed the three sisters out of the grand dining room.

They led me through the palace halls here and there until we entered a long hall that I had been inside only once before. "Isn't this the Hall of the Elements? Or at least I think that's what you call it?"

Nightmare Moon looked back at me and nodded. "It is. Have no fear, we are not here to bring out the Elements of Harmony. This hall serves another purpose. Take a look at the windows. Do you recognize them?"

My eyes turned to face the tall stained glass windows that lined the walls of the room. I already went over some of them in an earlier entry, but there was one that I did not recognize at all. "This wasn't here before…"

Celestia and Luna stepped behind me while all four of us beheld the scene being depicted before us. The Princess of the Night spoke with a smile, "This hall also serves as a place where great important events are etched in glass to never be forgotten. And I know you remember what this scene is."

The window before me depicted my six friends from Ponyville rearing in an identical manner to how they are depicted in the window that shows Nightmare Moon's defeat at their hooves, but they were in a row at the very bottom while the six gemstones of the Elements of Harmony while floating above them as pink beams of some energy moved in two upward directions. At the center of the window depicted an angel with great white wings spread wide while clad in a mostly blue suit of armor as his arms reached partially upward. Above him was the 'Lost Element' itself. The Element of Humanity. The two beams of pink light seemed to be curving around the angel and ran into it, as if the Element of Humanity was empowering them. And at the very top was clearly Nightmare Moon with wings spread, the scene showing a frontal view. Although she was noticeably missing her helmet. Outside the pink curving beams of pink were a crescent moon on the angel's left and a sun on the right. And the way he was reaching up without sword or shield in hand… He was not reaching out to Nightmare Moon to do her harm. He was reaching out to her in order to merely reach and possibly comfort her.

"That's me…" I muttered quietly as Nightmare Moon stood by my side. There were no other words I could say. Knowing that was me in the scene being shown before us… I had been immortalized in Equestria's history. What can I possibly say to do such a feeling justice? There are no words.

I felt something as I stood there. My three royal companions draped their wings and necks against me for a silent embrace. Nightmare Moon was the first to speak. "I cannot thank you enough, my friend…"

"I am so glad you did not do what I had hoped you would do that night, James. Thank you for sparing our sister." Celestia added while sounding noticeably shaken. Seeing that window again… It must have stirred some powerful emotions within her. Guilt? Relief? Who can say?

"And thank you for giving her to us. Nightmare Moon has become a very welcome addition to the royal family." Luna spoke softly while I tried to return their affection with an embrace of my arms. However, I could not even begin to hope to get my arms around all three of them.

After a moment more of admiring and taking in this impressive work of art, we began to make our way back down the hall so I could gather up the two cakes I purchased. I had stored them in the kitchen's refrigerator upon entering the castle. But before I could leave, my eyes were once again drawn to another window I had seen once before. The one that depicts a 'chimera' puppeteer seemingly manipulating three ponies. Again, I felt a nameless feeling of dread in my heart. The scene was rather…ominous compared to the others I had seen.

"Discord." A voice spoke from behind me. When I turned to look, I found Celestia standing before me. Nightmare Moon and Luna had seemingly not noticed that I had stayed behind and were nowhere to be seen.

I looked back at the window again before turning to face the Princess of the Dawn. "Uh… Discord?"

She nodded at me with an expression that seemed both stern, yet melancholy. "Yes. The creature you see depicted here is Discord. He is the Spirit of Chaos."

That title certainly did not sound very nice to hear. "Chaos, huh? The guy looks like a mess. Almost like he was put together in a lab."

"Not exactly. He has always looked like that and is as ancient as the world itself. He is powerful and cunning. And…highly sporadic." Celestia spoke softly with a rather…tired tone of voice. She was clearly bothered by something… I just wish I knew what was wrong with her.

"Where is he now though? Is he an enemy of Equestria?" I asked, wondering if this entity being depicted before me had at one time been an extreme threat.

At first, Celestia did not say anything. Instead, she walked over to a tall arched window just to the right of the one we had been looking at. "He's right there."

This sounded like a joke when I first heard that. Regardless, I took a look out the window. I think that side of the hall faced the backside of the palace. And sprawled out before me was a very…VERY large hedge maze. A labyrinth. There were a few large statues set out in the courtyard that seemed to depict ponies holding flags, scepters, scrolls, and so forth. But at the point where the pattern of statues were supposed to meet at the center, there stood a much taller and…weirder statue. From such a distance, I could not make out much aside from the fact that it was tall, slender, and the body language seemed to show a type of panic. It seemed to resemble the creature depicted on the window to my left, but surprisingly enough, the body was not as crooked or jagged as the window made it out to be. "Interesting pose… Who carved that one?"

My question managed to coax a suppressed laugh from Celestia before she could offer a reply. "No, that's no statue. That is Discord himself. He was encased in stone when the Elements of Harmony were used on him. And that was the pose he was in when… Well, you know."

Petrification? That certainly sounds like an odd effect for the Elements of Harmony to inflict on someone. Does not sound very…harmonious to me. Not to mention knowing that a living breathing person was inside that statue… Not a pleasant thought by any standards. "Uh… Why that though? Nightmare Moon was purged from Luna and they only severed her control on the night when used on her a second time. Why such a fate for Discord?"

Celestia let out a long sigh while she shook her head. "I wish I could answer that… I cannot say I know exactly how the Elements function. Perhaps they left him trapped because there may still be a glimmer of good in his heart, but also perhaps because he cannot… I just do not know. Luna and I can no longer reach his twisted mind. He's…beyond reason."

Whatever it was she was thinking, I could tell Celestia was deeply bothered by something. And it was clear she was not entirely willing to discuss it. Even so, from what she was saying… This Discord guy sounded like bad news. Or at least a major headache. "Well… Do you think there's any way for him to break out of that shell?"

"No. As long as the Elements are bound to the ones who sealed him in the first place, he cannot possibly escape. Don't worry." Celestia spoke with a more relieved tone of voice. Just… What did this guy do? As of right now, I cannot fathom it. I have not seen any real scars on the world from some tyrannical rule from him or anything. Well, regardless, it was not something I should dwell on. The two of us then hurried down the hall to catch up to Luna and Nightmare Moon. Whatever it was Discord did, it will not be happening again.

The three princesses escorted me to the kitchen, though Gustave was nowhere to be found. Probably out browsing the local market and bakeries for inspiration. While I retrieved the boxed cakes, I overheard Nightmare Moon speaking to Celestia. "So, how did his first session go today?"

I assumed that she was referring to my first training session in harnessing my armor's magical potential. And I was right. "It went well. We had a few hiccups here and there, but that was to be expected. I'm confident he will be able to use our magic on the same level as us in time. Although that may be a ways off."

"Speaking of which, we should try to develop a proper schedule for visits in order to further his training." Luna added before looking at me. "James, what days of the week do you think would be best for us to set up a training schedule?"

"Which days? I think Sundays would be best. I have the whole day off then. Maybe the afternoons?" I replied without much thought.

"Agreed. We will stop by at 2 PM on Sundays from now on." Celestia spoke with a calm smile. It felt good to see her in better spirits.

Once I approached my three companions, Celestia gave me a rather somber frown. "Such a shame you cannot stay longer. I was truly enjoying today with you more than I expected."

"Always next year, right?" I replied with brighter smile. If this was to become a yearly event, then I am certainly looking forward to next year.

Luna then stepped closer to me. "Where shall we drop you off? Your home near the Everfree Forest?"

I was about to suggest that, but then I looked down at the boxes in my hands. "Actually, how about Carousel Boutique? Mitta lives there and I need to pay her a visit."

"Ah, there! I know the place. Shall we be off?" Nightmare Moon asked while the three of them stood near me. All together, the three princesses focused their magical energies through their horns. And an instant later, I found myself standing right outside Rarity's home with them around me.

I looked at the three beautiful alicorns beside me. Today, despite a few hiccups here and there, had been spectacular. And despite being as tired as I was, I felt a little disheartened that it had to end. "Same time next year?"

The three royal sisters each gave me a very pleased smile before Nightmare Moon spoke a reply. "Count on it."

Together, we all shared one final embrace. Those three mares… They are truly wonderful people. It is no wonder they are so revered by the people of Equestria. We all said our goodbyes before the three of them vanished in a flash of light. The sun was getting quite low in the sky by that point. Knowing that Rarity was likely still in Canterlot at that time, I turned and knocked on the door.

In a moment, the door swung inward and tripped the bell that hung just behind it. And sure enough, Mitta stuck her head out to see who had knocked. "Hello… Oh, James! Hi there!" I think she was about to jump up and embrace me, but stopped herself when she saw the two boxes I was carrying.

"Hey there, Mitta. Mind if I come in?" I asked while taking a step forward. While the boxes were not really heavy, I was still eager to set them down.

"Sure! Let me get the door." Mitta quickly pushed the door open before closing it behind me. "I'm sorry if you're looking for Rarity. She went to Canterlot for something involving her business. So I have the run of the place for now."

I cracked a smirk upon hearing that. "Yeah, I know. I ran into her up there."

Mitta was understandably baffled by that. She cocked her head to one side while she followed me into the kitchen. "Huh? You did? What were you doing up in Canterlot today?"

I decided to be blunt with my words. "Oh, I was whisked away by the royal sisters for a little fun out on the town to celebrate the anniversary of when we first met. And I think we had a good time." While I set the boxes down on the kitchen table, I looked at her over my shoulder. "But I had to cut the trip a little short since there is someone else I met a year ago today."

My friend looked at me with a somewhat confused expression, but I think she caught on since her ears suddenly drooped. "Oh my… A year ago… In Sunny Town…"

I sighed while cracking only a slight smile before I approached her and dropped to one knee. "Mitta, you saved my life a year ago on this day. Thank you."

There were no words between us for a moment. Mitta bowed her head modestly before tenderly embracing me while I did the same. I have to wonder… What was happening in Sunny Town at that moment? Surely the monsters were just going about their daily business in blissful ignorance to their past sins. But at least now Mitta is free of them and the curse they had brought onto that town. However, we both jumped as a familiar voice called out from the corner of the room. "Aren't you forgetting somepony?"

When we looked towards the source of the voice, we saw a familiar little filly with glowing yellow eyes trotting our way. "Ruby? Oh, right! I met you a year ago too! I swear, it's so easy to forget about you since you're so hard to keep tabs on."

Ruby giggled in amusement, apparently not surprised I have a hard time remembering her on occasion. "Yeah, I'm all over the place! Sometimes I'm right under your feet in the floorboards." However, she then trotted over to the table and sniffed the air. "Mmm, something smells really yummy! Is there any for me?"

"Leave the little box alone. That's for someone else. And yeah, I think there's enough for all of us." I replied while walking over to the bigger box and flipping the lid open before lifting the cake out by the small circular tray it had been set on.

When Mitta and Ruby laid eyes upon that white cream topped with sliced strawberries, they simultaneously licked their lips. "Ooh, strawberry shortcake…"

I suspect the cake may not have been an actual shortcake, judging by the size and icing. But I certainly was not complaining and neither were my friends. I cut us each a slice, although I cut mine smaller since I was still pretty full from that amazing dinner I just had. "You've picked up quite a sweet tooth since settling in Ponyville, huh?"

Mitta grinned broadly while she chomped down a bite of the cake. "I guess. Sugarcube Corner always has so much to choose from and we never had so many goodies back in Sunny Town."

I still am not certain of how a ghost can eat anything, but Ruby really seemed fond of the cake too. "And this is from Canterlot? It kinda does taste fancy."

While we sat at the table, I decided to break the ice with some conversation. "So, Ruby… Has your 'business' been booming?"

The little ghost filly looked my way with those glowing yellow eyes focused on me. "Uh huh. Every other day, somepony asks me to find something for them. It's like they just can't hold onto their stuff!"

"And how do you expect them to when they don't have any fingers?" I replied in an attempt to be funny. "That, or everyone's been getting a case of the butterhooves lately."

My two friends really seemed to like the cake, and I too have to admit the quality felt and tasted very high. If there is one thing that I have to say is superb in Canterlot, it is their cuisine. I even made certain to cut two more slices to take home to Fluttershy and Scootaloo.

As much as I would have really liked to spend time with Mitta and Ruby, it was just too late in the day to really get anything worthwhile done. And I still had to get home and check on Fluttershy. I strongly doubt one dose of that tonic Zecora gave us would be enough to have her entirely back on her feet. "Hey, girls? I really don't want to cut my visit short, but I should probably get going now. Fluttershy's come down with a case of the flutters and I need to make sure she's holding up all right."

Mitta and Ruby seemed to be very understanding and gave me calm smiles. "Oh, the flutters? Sounds nasty. Is she fluttering everywhere over there?" Ruby asked with a look of concern.

"Actually, I think it got its name because it makes pegasi very clumsy fliers. But no, she's mostly just bedridden. And… I'm sorry that I only just got back. I wish I got back sooner so we could actually have enough time to celebrate."

To my mild surprise, Mitta shook her head. "No, it's fine. I honestly had completely forgotten what day it was. Living that long in Sunny Town really messes with your ability to notice the flow of time. But what about Sunday? That's a day off for you, isn't it? We could have the entire evening to ourselves."

Although I was expecting Celestia and Luna again that afternoon, I was certain that our training session would have concluded for the day by the evening. "Sounds good to me. I'll show up at 5 PM and we'll figure out what to do from there." I then proceeded to box up the two slices of cake for my girlfriend and little sister.

Before I could leave, I shared one last hug with my two friends. It really does my heart good to know that they have become so accustomed to life in Ponyville. Hopefully their lives here will compensate for all those misspent centuries in that accursed deathtrap. After a few more words of parting were said, I headed on out the door and made my way across Ponyville to go home amid the hissing of cicadas. Hopefully this Sunday will make for a great evening with those two.

By the time Fluttershy's cottage came into view, it was getting quite dark out. But I could still make out plenty of movement. As it turned out, Fluttershy was outside tending to her little animal friends. Did that tonic's first dose really fix her up enough to be up and on her feet? Even so, I quickened my pace and hurried over to her. "Evening, honey. Feeling better already?"

Fluttershy's eyes immediately brightened upon turning to face me. But when she tried to flap her wings to hover up to me, she staggered back and forth. "Oops… I guess I'm not all the way there yet… But I feel good enough to get up and take care of my little friends."

Knowing what she wanted, I got down on one knee and tenderly kissed her forehead. "Well, I'm glad you're already feeling good enough to be back on your feet. Is Scootaloo home yet?"

Before Fluttershy could even reply, a familiar voice called from the side of the cottage. "Fluttershy! I think I've got a problem!"

When the two of us looked towards the source of the voice, I could not help cracking a grin. Standing by the side of the cottage was Fluttershy's entire flock of hens standing close together. And being carried upon them was Scootaloo. "I tried feeding them like you said, but… I guess they really like me and wouldn't leave me alone!"

"Maybe that's because they see you as the queen of chickens, Scoot!" I laughed while beholding my sister being carried around on a bed of chickens. When one moved in a direction, the others followed. Scootaloo did not seem particularly bothered though. She actually looked like she was having a bit of fun.

I just happened to glance over at Angel's house when I remembered what was in one of the boxes I was carrying. "Excuse me for a bit, honey. I need to give Angel something."

Angel was sitting at the entrance to his house while having apparently just finished nibbling on a carrot. He looked up at me while I set the box down at the base of the ramp and dismantled it to reveal its contents. "Thanks for guarding that chalice today, Angel. Here's a little something in return."

Angel's eyes brightened as he beheld a slice of carrot cake that was almost as big as himself. The little white rabbit then looked up at me while giving me a big smile before running inside his house and coming back out with a fork that seemed to match his height. He then used it to take a big bite out of the slice before beginning to slowly chisel away at it. I doubt he finished it this evening.

When I went back over to Fluttershy, she seemed a bit puzzled over what I just did. "Why did you give Angel a slice of carrot cake? It's not his birthday already, is it?"

Considering that she was likely asleep at the time it occurred, I was not surprised she had not seen it. "Nah. He did a good deed for me today, so I returned the favor. And besides, I've got something for you and Scootaloo." I then opened the other box and lifted out a plate holding two slices of that strawberry cake.

Scootaloo was quick to notice the white and red cake. "Whoa, that's awesome! Lemme… Whoa! Hey, chickens! Let me get off… Fluttershy! Get these birds away from me!" It seemed that Scootaloo just could not get down from her living feather mattress with those chickens constantly moving every which way like a single organism. It was as if she was a joystick and they were the vehicle.

"Oh my… Hold on, Scootaloo! Come on, girls! Let's get you back to the pen." Fluttershy called out while she trotted by, the tender pegasus making a familiar clicking sound with her tongue. The chickens then followed after her with Scootaloo along for the ride. I could only watch with a smile.

The rest of the evening went by without anything really worth noting. Man, I am tired. Why is it those long fun days like this leave you so exhausted? I am actually struggling to stay awake to finish this by now.

Today was fun and really cathartic. It was amazing to be able to spend so much time with two of my dearest friends in the world. And Celestia… I am amazed by just how much personal quality time we spent together. Almost as if today was specifically a bonding experience for us. That mare is such a sweetheart.

Although… There is one thing on my mind. Discord. What is the story behind that guy? As of right now, I am not entirely certain of what to think. But as long as the Elements of Harmony are bound to my friends… I suppose I should just put that thought out of my mind. There is no way we will ever be speaking in this lifetime.

Well, that is enough for now. My pillow is calling. Time to put the pen down and get to sleep. Hopefully, Nightmare Moon and Luna will be joining me tonight. I wonder where we will be? Skyrim? Tallon IV? Maybe even Pop Star? Only one way to find out. And off to sleep I go.


	30. Pink with a Chance of Chocolate

Well… Today had quite an interesting start. What woke me up was the sound of rain. Not to mention a noticeably sweet aroma. I rose from my pillow and took a look around. Normally, it is rather dark outside whenever rain is falling. But it seemed rather bright at that time.

Before I could even look at her and start to wake her up, Fluttershy lifted herself from her bed and also seemed to notice the faint sweet scent wafting in through the window. "Wow, something smells really yummy… Oh, good morning, honey. Did the smell wake you up too?"

"Actually, yeah. It's getting my sweet tooth excited, but I just can't put my finger on what it could be." I said while going over to the window. The smell seemed to be coming from outside. Did Pinkie Pie drop something off from Sugarcube Corner? Sure enough, it was indeed raining. However, the rain was an unsettling shade of…brown. "Oh crap… I hope that's not…crap."

Fluttershy seemed to notice my rather unnerved expression as I was looking out the window. "Is something wrong?"

Not sure how Fluttershy would react to what I was certain was manure being poured all over her property to fertilize the soil, I closed the windows and tried to smile at her. "Oh, nothing. It's just raining right now, so don't go outside for a while."

"Oh, that's all? OK then. I'll be in the bathroom fixing my mane for a little bit. I'll be right out, dear." Fluttershy spoke with a convinced smile before walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

While I got dressed in some jeans and a green polo shirt, I just had to peek out the window. Just how in the world does the weather team get the clouds to produce manure?! Rainbow Dash never told me about this part of her job! I better ask that tomboy next chance I see her. Once the rain actually stops.

I went downstairs to get started on breakfast, but I soon noticed that Scootaloo was not in bed. She is seldom awake before I am nowadays. However, before I could even ponder this, I noticed that the front door was open.

"Oh boy, I hope she didn't go outside…" I grumbled to myself while heading over to the door and taking a look outside. And when I did… Well, I saw her. And I swear I nearly had a heart attack when I saw that she was not only sitting out there getting drenched in the liquid gunk, but was also sitting at the edge of a puddle of it while slurping from it with a drinking straw!

"Gah… SCOOT! NO! GET AWAY FROM THAT! DON'T DRINK THAT STUFF!" I yelled at the top of my lungs before rushing over to her not caring if I got myself soaked in that stuff. My yelling clearly startled her a bit since she suddenly stopped sipping from the puddle and looked my way. "Oh god, we need to get you to the hospital! Gotta get your stomach pumped right away…"

Even though I was genuinely terrified for my little sister's health, she pushed my hands away when I tried to snatch her up. "What's your problem, James?! It's just chocolate milk!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. Chocolate milk? Chocolate….MILK?! "Wait… You serious?! How in the world does the weather team make chocolate milk come from the clouds?!"

Scootaloo seemed just as baffled as I was, but she seemed to be genuinely enjoying the whole bizarre weather pattern we were getting. "I dunno, but it's awesome! All the chocolate milk you can drink and all you gotta do is step outside! Maybe it'll start raining other kinds of food!"

I turned my gaze to the sky, which seemed to have…pink clouds floating in it. "Yeah, until it starts raining spaghetti that ties up the town and we have to abandon the place by sailing across the ocean on giant stale sandwiches… Oh god… Is Ponyville going to turn into the town of Chew & Swallow at this rate?!"

That look Scootaloo was giving me… She clearly thought I had a few screws loose. "Uh… Yeah… Did you fall out of bed and hit your head this morning?"

"Uh… No. Just something I remembered from a children's book I read… Shoot, how long has it been? Twenty years? Maybe more? Well, it was a long time ago and the book had a town where all the food everyone got came from the sky." I explained while thinking back to my early years. Man, what if there is somewhere in Equestria with those kinds of weather patterns? By this point, it would not surprise me.

Needless to say, that kind of scenario really piqued my little sister's interest. "A place where it rains food?! Awesome! Maybe that's what's happening now!"

Out of curiosity, I held out my palm and allowed some of the rain to pool in it. Once I had enough, I took a sip. Sure enough, it was chocolate milk. "Wow, it's actually edible! Is this some sorta prank by the princesses?" I then looked down at Scootaloo and saw by then that she was soaked with the creamy beverage. "OK, enough of this. Go inside and wash up. Just be glad today is a Saturday."

Scootaloo licked some of the milk off her coat before looking up at me with a smile. "OK, but put out some tubs to catch all this stuff! We'll have enough chocolate milk for weeks!" She then trotted back up to the cottage's front door and disappeared inside.

While I looked around at the landscape being soaked with chocolate milk, I snickered to myself. "Then again, this stuff doesn't smell bad. So that means it can't be what I think it was. Thank god. I thought I was gonna have to give Mike Rowe a call." After a moment more of observing the really weird weather, I finally threw up my arms and called out in a deeper voice than I usually do. "Oh, what the heck… CHOCOLATE RAAAAAIIIN!"

Suddenly, a voice spoke up from beside me. "Some stay dry and others feel the pain!"

When I looked down to my left, I saw Pinkie Pie mimicking my pose. Although judging by the wetted down look of her mane and tail, she had likely been out in this weird weather a heck of a lot longer than I had been. "Wait a second… How do you know those lyrics?! And where did you even come from?!"

My silly pink friend giggled while looking up at me. "You know me! I'm all about anything sweet and yummy! Even songs that are about stuff that's sweet and yummy! Now go on! Next verse, next verse!"

I rolled my eyes at her. I should have known that Pinkie Pie would have been taking maximum advantage of this strange weather. "Some other time. I gotta get back inside and…change clothes. No way I'm going to work drenched with this stuff."

Pinkie Pie, not surprisingly, did not share my thoughts on the weird weather. "OK! I'll just be out here drinking up all I can!" She then flopped onto her back with her mouth hanging wide open while letting it fill with as much chocolate milk as it would hold. But just as I was about head back inside, a thought occurred to me. Now that I was out there, I may as well fetch the eggs from the chicken coop.

While I headed around the side of the cottage, I shook some chocolate milk from my hair. While I love walking in the rain, this sticky sweet stuff really was not agreeing with me. I would have to take a shower once I got back inside. However, when I finally turned my head up while avoiding any soaked mud or chocolate puddles, I jumped at the sight before me. "What the… Ostriches?!"

Where… How… Why… Where did this come from?! Milling about in the coop's pen where several ostriches. But…where could they have come from? And where were the chickens?! The towering flightless birds looked my way with their big black eyes focused on me.

Naturally, I was really not sure of how to go about this. I have never been on the same side of a fence as an ostrich, let alone half a dozen of them. Even so, I had to get those eggs and the giant birds before me did not seem hostile. And the last thing I wanted was to receive a kick from one. "OK, girls… Uh… You're all girls, right?" I spoke to them while keeping my hands raised and in front of me. "I'm just gonna get into the coop and get some eggs. Don't mind me. Just give me a few minutes and I'll be outta your feathers."

Fortunately, the ostriches did not mind my presence much, if at all. It was almost as if they knew me. Regardless, I grabbed the closest pail and crawled into the coop. After dumping the chocolate milk that had accumulated in it, that is. It was one time where I was really hoping that Derpy would be taking a nap there. However, much to my shock, I found the nests each containing a single massive egg. Ostrich eggs. "…..Did the chickens turn into ostriches overnight?"

While trying not to think of how those birds even managed to get themselves in or out of the coop, I took one egg in hand. For those of you who do not know, an ostrich egg is roughly eight times larger than a chicken egg. I stared at the pail after I place three eggs in it. "I'm gonna need another pail."

After packing the giant eggs into the pails, I carefully carried them back around the front of the cottage and ducked through the doorway. Fluttershy was on the other side while seemingly drying Scootaloo off with a towel. However, she suddenly turned to me and eyed the eggs that were peeking over the top of the pails. "Uh… James…? What kind of eggs are…"

"Ostrich eggs." I replied dryly. I too was not sure of how really word it myself. The whole day was just getting more and more surreal.

"And… Where did you get…" Fluttershy asked while sounding mentally overwhelmed. Even Scootaloo was giving the eggs some funny looks.

I rolled my eyes, knowing how silly my response was going to sound. "The chicken coop."

Scootaloo gasped when I said those words. "Really?!" She then galloped over to the window that faced the backyard. "Fluttershy, check it out! We've got ostriches!"

"We do?!" "Fluttershy said with a gasp before running over to the window. "Oh my! I've never seen ostriches up close! I need to go see this!"

While Fluttershy ran past me and out the door, Scootaloo followed close behind. "Me too! Wait up!" I could only grin and snicker at Fluttershy's obsession with animals, especially the more exotic ones.

I then took the pails into the kitchen and washed them and the eggs off in the sink. However, when I opened the refrigerator to put the eggs inside… "Oh, come on! How am I gonna fit these in here?!" With how colossal those eggs are, I really had to experiment on getting them inside while making sure they would not roll out. Although I did leave two on the counter to be used for breakfast.

Once that was done, I went into the laundry room, which the kitchen leads into, and dumped all of my milky clothes over the sink. I then took a wet rag and cleaned off the sticky fluid from my shoes while being careful to not allow any water to get inside. Originally, Fluttershy used to clean her laundry in a very old fashioned way with just a tub of water. But when I showed up and started getting more and more clothes from Rarity, we decided to get a washing machine and dryer installed to save us both a lot of time. Regardless, I then rushed upstairs and into the bathroom to run myself a shower before Fluttershy or Scootaloo could come back inside and see me in the nude.

While I was washing up, I looked out the window that was right next to the tub. There was still plenty of rain falling. And all of it was laced with chocolate milk. However, I then noticed something was odd about the sky. Namely the clouds. "What the… I thought the clouds are supposed to turn a bit pink during the sunset, not during the morning!" Yes, the clouds were actually a shade of pink. And to top it off, they seemed to be moving and weaving through the air every now and then with erratic movements. Almost as if they had a mind of their own. And sure enough, I saw Rainbow Dash swooping around while seemingly trying to round them up or something. But the clouds clearly were not in the mood to cooperate.

The instant I saw her, I just knew I had to ask what the deal with the weather was. I pushed the window open and called out to her. "Hey, Rainbow!"

It took a couple of tries, but she finally heard me and swooped a little closer to the window. "Huh?! Oh, hey there, James!"

"What's the deal with the weather today?! This rain is chocolate milk! And what with the clouds?!" I kept calling out to Rainbow while she seemed unwilling to get too far away from the clouds.

Rainbow Dash let out a groan while looking around at the rather cheeky clouds as the swooped through the air while dropping torrents of chocolate rain. "Yeah, I know! And these clouds are made outta cotton candy, if you can believe that!"

"Cotton candy?! Pehahahaha! Just how drunk were you pegasi last night?!" I replied while finding this whole day becoming weirder and funnier with every new discovery I made.

"Gimme a break! Even we couldn't have set… Hey, get back here!" Rainbow yelled before chasing after a cloud to the south. By that point, I just could not stay put any longer. Once I got out of the shower, I slipped on a blue polo shirt and some gray cargo pants before heading downstairs. But before I could go anywhere, I was going to need to get some food in my belly. And Fluttershy was already whipping up some omelet's.

Let me tell you that those ostrich eggs make one mean omelet. Just one of them was enough to fill the entire frying pan. Because of this, the three of us ended up having almost nothing but two types of omelets that morning. Nothing of any real interest was spoken at the table while we ate, so I will not bore you with it. Once I had eaten my fill, I grabbed an umbrella and headed outside. I just had to see what else was going on out there.

The first place I decided to check out was Sweet Apple Acres. On my way down there, the chocolate milk rain kept shutting down and turning back on at random intervals. That, and those clouds… I swear they must have been alive since they kept diving and swooping all over the place. Even so, I kept my umbrella above me at all times just in case the rain started up again.

Upon arriving at Sweet Apple Acres, I found Applejack at work in the cornfields while plucking ears of corn from the stalks. Oh, right. I suppose I should mention that while Sweet Apple Acres is an apple orchard, it also doubles as a conventional farm. They grow a variety of vegetables, such as corn, although apples are their most plentiful crop. Regardless, it seemed that the really weird weather had not yet reached the place.

I approached Applejack while she was pulling a small cart filled with the ears she had plucked. That is corn ears, not actual… Oh, you know what I mean. Anyway, I spoke out to her once I came within earshot. "Morning, AJ. What's up?"

My farm pony friend turned to look at me while chucking another ear of corn into the cart. "Howdy, Ja… Uh…" She stopped and stared at me with a truly bewildered expression. "Um… James? Why are ya hidin' under an umbrella on a bright sunny day?"

Before I could say anything, I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye and saw Rainbow Dash chasing down another one of those rogue cotton candy clouds as it flew over the farmhouse. "Ah, forget you! I'm gonna eat ya when I get my hooves on you!"

Within nothing else I could possibly say, I pointed at the cloud that was still spewing chocolate rain. "Because of that."

Sure enough, the bizarre sweet and sticky rainstorm reached us and began to douse the entire farm with its payload. Applejack licked some that managed to get on her cheek. "What the… Chocolate milk?!"

Rainbow Dash, apparently having given up on the chase, which is quite impressive considering that the clouds can somehow outrun or outmaneuver one of the fastest fliers I know, swooped down to us. "Man, this is just crazy weather, huh?!"

"At least it's something to write home about! I thought Equestria was a weird place before, but it just keeps surprising me!" I replied while managing to blurt out a laugh. Honestly, I was having more fun with the whole thing than I was letting on.

However, Applejack rubbed her hoof against her chin while surveying the area. "Yeah, it is a might crazy… And mighty familiar too! Haven't we gotten weather like this once before?!"

That certainly caught my attention. I mean… Equestria is a very weird world when compared to where I come from, but… This type of weather happens every once in a while? "Wait… This has happened before? Who or what can cause this to happen out of nowhere at random intervals? And what's that popping sound?"

We all looked around as the sound of rapid popping filled the air. I found myself cracking up in laughter when I saw what the deal was. The cornfields were turning white with popcorn! A few nearby ears of corn even pelted the three of us with popped corn kernels and we were soon up to our necks in the stuff. Or rather my friends were up to their necks while I was up to my hips or so. However, I then noticed Pinkie Pie leaping in and out of the piles of popcorn while still just having a ball with the whole thing. I knew where she was coming from though. Chocolate-covered popcorn is a tasty treat.

"What the… Pinkie, get outta there!" Applejack yelled once she saw Pinkie literally swimming through the light brown wet piles of popcorn while opening her mouth wide and taking huge bites of the stuff every few seconds.

Pinkie Pie, still hungry for more, merely giggled while she flopped into a puddle of the chocolate milk and began drinking up as much as the clouds would fill her mouth with. I swear that mare has a food fetish. "No way! Who knows when we'll get weather like this again?! I'm gonna milk it for all it's worth!" I think that last line was supposed to be a pun.

Before we could argue any further with that goofball of a mare, someone else approached us. Although it took me a moment, I finally saw that it was Rarity while clad in a very plain raincoat and matching hat. To top it off, a beautiful azure parasol was sticking up from a mostly golden tiny saddle on her back. Why she would make such a beautiful parasol with a gold-rimmed amethyst on top and gemstones hanging from the edges when it was only going to get tarnished by rain and chocolate milk is beyond me. Something that pretty should be reserved only for indoors or dry weather use. Anyway, she approached us with that elegant gait of hers and spoke up while not seeming very fazed by this odd weather. "Good morning, darlings! I saw this truly unnatural weather and decided to see if you needed any help, Applejack. Well… Any help that does not require me coming out from under my umbrella."

Applejack rolled her eyes while adjusting her hat to help keep the rain from getting in her face. "I dunno if you can really do anythin' about this one, Rarity. But don't this all seem… Wait a minute…"

We all heard a rather odd sound and glanced at some nearby apple trees and saw the apples on them enlarge right before our eyes while bright flashes of some sort of magic light emanated from them for an instant. The apples must have been quite heavy since the trees bent very nearly to the ground. Due to their lower altitude, several small woodland creatures jumped at the easily accessible apples and began to nibble away at them. I once again began snickering like a fool while I beheld this odd sight. "Oooh, so those are the apples that Big Macintosh got his name from! Now it all makes sense."

"You know McIntosh apples don't get that big, James! I got no clue of what's doing this!" Applejack yelled while sounding both bewildered and frustrated. And yes, that is how one actually spells out the name of that type of apple. But until I see Big Macintosh write his name that way, I will keep spelling his name like this. Easier to write out too when I do not have to worry about capitalizing an I.

Just when I thought this day could get no weirder, I got quite a shock. A bunch of rabbits suddenly… How do I even describe this? The rabbits… Their legs suddenly grew much longer and… Hooves on the ends… Deer legs. Yes, the rabbits grew long spindly deer legs and started trotting around while being even taller than the average pony. There was only one thing I could really say to this sight. "Real life jackalopes… What does this world NOT have?!"

It turned out that Fluttershy had pursued her little rabbit friends all the way over to Sweet Apple Acres and could only look on in shock at this very unexpected transformation. "What?! No, this isn't really happening! There's no such thing as rabbit and deer hybrids! It's not possible!"

However, Fluttershy was suddenly coated in a hot pink magic aura and brought down to us. A familiar voice then called out from nearby. "You know this isn't the first time this has happened, Fluttershy. This just has 'Discord' written all over it!"

When we turned to face the source of the voice, we found Twilight Sparkle walking towards us with Spike by her side. "Or at least that's what I would say if it was possible. Where did this even come from?! Déjà vu?"

Rainbow Dash continued to hover in place while keeping her arms crossed. "Yeeeeah… Didn't Princess Celestia say the only reason Discord got out in the first place was because the Elements of Harmony weren't connected to her and Princess Luna anymore? Doesn't that mean he should still be stuck while they're connected to us?"

That name again. Discord. I recall Celestia telling me a bit about him. However, I was not certain if it would be wise to mention him, so I stayed quiet. Twilight looked around while Spike helped himself to some of the popcorn that was lying around. "Well, I doubt my fail-safe spell will work this time either… Time for the direct approach! Rainbow, would you mind?"

Our brazen pegasus friend seemed to know what she was getting at and gave our brainy unicorn friend a salute. "You got it!" One by one, she swooped through the air and began to push each and every cotton candy cloud together. However, due to the fact that they have very different physical properties from normal clouds and even seem to have minds of their own, some of them kept getting away.

Rarity seemed to notice this problem too and smiled at Twilight. "Why don't we gather up a few too to speed things along, Twilight?" I could see a faint azure glow under her hat, showing that her magic was in use.

Twilight seemed to understand and nodded while her horn was coated by her own pink magic aura. "Of course! Let's round them up!" One by one, each of the clouds that got away from Rainbow Dash were covered by azure or pink magic auras and began to move towards the cluster of pink clouds that Rainbow was keeping contained. However it seemed that Rarity was grabbing up more than Twilight due to her mastery of using that spell on multiple objects at once. However, it also caused me to notice Pinkie Pie lying in a puddle of the chocolate milk rain while being completely saturated in the stuff. Was she bathing in it?! Regardless, she hurried over to the spot below where all the clouds were being corralled and opened her mouth wide to gather up all the chocolate milk she could while being exposed to a torrential downpour of the stuff.

"My turn now!" Applejack called out while pulling her rope out from under her hat and twirling a lasso over her head by her teeth. She then flicked the loop in the rope at the clouds, which had been brought much closer to the ground, and got they cluster neatly lassoed in the middle. The squeeze it put on the clouds also seemed to shut off the rain.

Not everyone was happy with this though. Pinkie Pie, who looked like she might have already consumed more than a week's supply of the rain, looked at us in disappointment while being completely soaked in it. Sweet lord, I can still remember how absurd she looked at that moment. "Oh, come on! I wasn't finished yet!"

Applejack then tugged hard on the rope and tied it and the giant cotton candy cloud to a white wooden fence nearby. "Phew! All right, critters! Soup's on! We've got cotton candy, popcorn, and plenty of chocolate milk for y'all right here!"

"Lemme at it!" Pinkie Pie called out before pouncing upon the pink edible fluff. However, she only had about ten seconds to help herself before a swarm of Fluttershy's little animal friends swarmed over it and pushed her away. And again… Those long spindly deer legs on those little rabbit bodies… I cannot recall the last time I saw something look so amazingly awkward. And I admit I was tempted to taste that cotton candy cloud with all that chocolate milk stuffed inside it. However, that would probably be too sickeningly sweet for my tastes.

"Well, I guess that fixes Ponyville's weather problem." Fluttershy said while our friends gathered around. Except for Pinkie Pie, that is. She kept trying to get to the cotton candy cloud for another mouthful, but the many little animals made it difficult to get her jaws close enough.

After a few more seconds of observing the very bizarre sights that were around me, I looked down at my companions. "I take it this doesn't happen often."

"Nope. I reckon this is only the second time we've been hit with this kinda weather pattern. Unless Rainbow Dash tried somethin' weird last night, that is." Applejack replied while glancing at Rainbow with a smirk.

Rainbow clearly did not like that accusation at all. "Hey, you know we pegasi can't turn clouds into cotton candy and precipitation into chocolate milk. Something really weird must be going on! And I still say Discord did this!"

Discord again… Just… What in the world would anyone hope to get out of stuff like that? Making apples turn giant on trees. Turning rabbits into jackalopes. Turning the clouds into semi sentient puffs of cotton candy filled with chocolate milk that causes corn to pop. That just does not make any sense at all. It sounds like the results of a child's imagination. Well, a child with some serious sanity issues and an overactive imagination.

"Now, Rainbow. You know that's not possible. Not while we're still the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. We put him back in his place and he's not going anywhere as long as we're still here." Rarity explained with a very confident tone of voice. And they were the ones who defeated him the previous time? Just what had happened before I arrived in Equestria? I knew that they had bested Nightmare Moon, but what about this Discord guy?

Before any of us could question these bizarre occurrences, Spike suddenly heaved before belching up a plume of green fire that quickly took on the form of a scroll. Twilight immediately used the levitation spell to hold it in place before unfurling it. "Um… Oh, this can't be good… Princess Celestia needs to see us in Canterlot right away."

Celestia personally requesting their presence… The last time this happened was when Nightmare Moon tried to bring about the eternal night about five months ago. Whatever the reason for this, it must have been bad. Fluttershy seemed especially worried, but then glanced up at me before looking back at Twilight. "Does it say if James is needed too?"

Twilight seemed to glance back through the scroll again. "Well… She didn't say he couldn't stay behind… Would you like to come too, James?"

I shrugged my shoulders while cracking a smile. "I wouldn't mind seeing the princesses again. I know Luna and Nightmare Moon would like to see me again."

Rainbow Dash then smirked before nudging my shoulder. "Sweet! If we're lucky, we'll get to see some more of the knight in shining armor routine!"

"Oh, that would be stunning! But before that, just let me return my raincoat and parasol to my home. I won't need it now that the rain has stopped. I will see you at the train station, darlings!" Rarity beamed before trotting off for home.

Before anyone could say anything else, I then remembered something important. "Wait a second… I have work today. And someone needs to Tell Scootaloo that I'll be gone until later."

Rainbow Dash instantly smiled at me and gave me a salute. "You leave that to me, big guy. I'll tell Scoot what's going on and stop by the spa to let your bosses know that Princess Celestia called for you. They can't say no to that!"

"First thing's first, Rainbow. We gotta hose ourselves down first. I'm used ta gettin' down and dirty, but I just can't take being all wet and sticky like this!" Applejack spoke up while shaking some of the chocolate milk from her body. Boy, am I glad I brought an umbrella with me.

"Yeah, good idea. Feel free to leave that umbrella here, James. I'll drop it off at your place when we're done." Rainbow added before she and the rest of the girls and Spike started to head over to the farmhouse to find the garden hose. Well, except for Pinkie Pie. That goofball had to be dragged away from the cotton candy cloud by her tail. With nothing else to do, I hurried on through town to get to the train station. Hopefully we would not have much trouble getting up to Canterlot.

With the weird weather having been cleared up, the trek through Ponyville was rather uneventful. I did see quite a few of the townspeople gawking at the leftover puddles of chocolate milk here and there, but I had no time to stop. And when I did reach the station, I found none other than Rainbow Dash waiting for me on the platform with a train already set to leave the station. She also seemed to have the scroll Celestia had sent tucked under her wing.

"You're always the first one to arrive, aren't you? Unless it's a day where you sleep in, huh?" I asked while stepping over to her.

Rainbow Dash snorted, but still cracked a smirk. "You read me like a book every time. Am I that easy to read?"

"Well, maybe to me." I said while reaching out and gently stroking her mane. Rainbow managed to chuckle for a bit while gently pushing her head against my hand. Mere minutes later, we were joined by our five other friends. However, it seemed that Spike had been asked to stay behind and watch over the library in case something else came up. Regardless, we quickly piled into the train. And right after that, I felt the train lurch forward as it began to pull out of the station.

I found a comfortable spot on the closest seat I could find and just started to watch the scenery go by. Trains have a habit of drawing your attention to the passing scenery. However, I soon noticed why I was so distracted by the landscape. There was a noticeable lack of activity in the train car.

My six companions were unusually quiet during the ride. Even Pinkie Pie did not talk all that much. There was an air of…unease about us. Why? Just what had them so bothered?

While the train climbed the mountain below Canterlot, we started to get more of the same weather as before. Chocolate milk began to splatter against the window before slowly dripping down the sides. It was still very bright out and it did not have the same calming atmosphere of a traditional rainstorm. In fact, while I did initially find such strange weather to be worth a laugh, I was starting to really miss actual rain. There is nothing like a train ride during a rainstorm. But this… This felt unnatural and even a bit worrisome.

"Everything all right over here?" Twilight asked while she took a seat beside me. I glanced at her and saw that she was not smiling at all. A profound frown was set upon her lips.

While I was tempted to smile, I could not help but take note of Twilight's melancholy expression. Tenderly, I wrapped my arm around the back of her shoulders. "I should be asking you the same thing. You don't look too good."

"I guess I'm just worried…" Twilight spoke softly while letting out a sigh. Her eyes were watching the rain coming down, that shade of brown giving a rather surreal sense to whoever witnessed it. I gently pulled her closer, letting her lean against me.

After a moment, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Twilight was no longer looking out the window, but was instead looking at me directly. I could see…something in those beautiful purple eyes. A nameless fear of sorts. Finally, I decided to break the silence. "Did…something happen last time Discord was free?"

Twilight's expression darkened, as if she really did not like whatever she was thinking. She then just leaned her head against my side without really looking at anything in particular. "I really don't want to talk about it…"

Not feeling entirely up for much of a conversation myself, I decided to respect Twilight's decision and turned my attention to the window again. However, my focus was soon broken when I felt something. Twilight was tightly grasping my hand in her hoof's ankle joint. "Twi…?"

My friend was gazing up at me with a look of desperation of some sort. Soon, she held me in a tender embrace before whispering softly into my ear. "I love you… Please, don't ever change… Don't ever leave…"

I could feel a tear drip onto my neck while Twilight's grip became like a vice. To provoke such an emotional response… What in the world did this Discord guy do to her in the past? Even so, I tenderly wrapped my arms around her while tenderly stroking the back of her head. "Shhh… Love you too, Twi… I won't ever go away. You girls mean the world to me."

Twilight stayed by my side throughout the rest of the ride. Actually, all six of my companions stayed in adjacent seats. None of us were more than one seat away from at least one of us. It was odd… Almost like they were staying close to each other and me out of some sort of anticipation. Just what was I getting myself into by coming along?

After we had ascended up most of the mountain, I found that the strange weather patterns had not yet reached that high. And when we pulled into Canterlot, it seemed that everything was normal. For the moment, at least. We wasted no time and headed straight for the palace and marched right inside. The guards did not say anything or did anything to hinder our progress. And once we entered the main hall, there they were. Standing at the top of the stairs were the three royal sisters themselves. I noticed Luna and Nightmare Moon smile at me upon seeing me, but possibly due to how the situation was quite serious, they did not immediately approach me.

Twilight broke into a run, as did all of my friends, and dashed to the base of the staircase. "We came as soon as we could. What's happened?! Has Discord broken free again?" I trailed behind my friends and stood behind them while merely listening to whatever was spoken.

Celestia was the first to speak. "No, Twilight. You know as well as I do that there is no possible way for him to escape his confines as long as the Elements of Harmony are bound to those you used them upon him. He still remains bound."

Nightmare Moon then turned to her sister with a rather perplexed expression. "I was not present when he first escaped from his confines. Exactly what happened two years ago? Was it really possible for him to escape?"

Luna, who likely holds just as much knowledge on the subject, began to explain. "While the Elements' bindings on him will remain once the connection with their previous bearers has been lost, it becomes much more fragile. Any exposure to even a small burst of disharmonious energies, even from a simple argument, would empower him enough to free himself. But as long as the Elements are bound to the ones who imprisoned him the last time, escape is simply not possible."

"Then what's the deal with all that weird weather and stuff goin' on down there in Ponyville?! That isn't normal now, is it?" Applejack called out while looking noticeably irked by the whole thing.

"No, of course it is not." Celestia replied while looking rather concerned about what was happening. "It is difficult to say exactly why this is happening again when Discord is incapable of weaving his chaotic magic. If I had to make an assumption, I would guess that some of Discord's magic may have not been erased the last time the Elements of Harmony were used and have only just now manifested."

"Well… It sounds like something the Elements could easily fix." Fluttershy said while a smile began to form on her face.

At those words, Luna cracked a confident smile. "And that is why you are here. Come. The Elements await."

Together, Luna and Celestia began to lead my six companions up the stairs. But halfway up, Twilight spoke with a rather uneasy tone. "Also, I'm sorry if we weren't supposed to bring James along. It's just that I thought Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon would want to see him…"

The three princesses paused when they heard that and looked back and forth at each other. All three of them then chuckled together, as if they were finding something funny that we were not seeing. Celestia then winked at Twilight in a playful manner. "Twilight, I did say that we needed you and your friends to come to Canterlot right away. And unless something has changed, I seem to recall that James is a close friend of yours as well."

My friends and I could only look on in silence. They anticipated that I would come along? Nightmare Moon then grinned at them. "Twilight. From now on, when you receive a message mentioning your friends, remember that it also refers to him."

Twilight grinned brightly before nodding. My six friends then looked back at me with inviting smiles, as if they were silently asking me to come along. I have to say I felt a very unusual warm sensation as I heard those words. There was nothing I could say. I could only run up the stairs to catch up to them while they continued on to the hall where the Elements of Harmony are held.

I think I have already explained in a much earlier entry that it would be difficult for me to describe the whole thing. You have to see it to understand and appreciate its interior design. While we proceeded down the hall, I could not help but glance at the many stained glass windows that lined the sides. I know I had already seen them before, but knowing that they showed people I know helped me appreciate them on a level few have ever done. Although when I passed by a normal window dividing two of them, I saw the courtyard before the distant labyrinth. And among the large pony statues… Was there supposed to be an unoccupied pedestal out there? I had only seen that place once two weeks ago, so I could not recall precisely.

The walk through the hall was shockingly quiet, I have to admit. I did not hear a single quiet conversation between anyone except for Celestia and Twilight occasionally speaking to each other to relay what had been happening back in Ponyville. The air had an awkward presence to it. Me, I was mostly just along for the ride. Eventually, we reached the far end of the hall and stood before the door that blocked access to the Elements of Harmony.

"Allow me." Celestia said before plunging her horn into the circular slot that served as the lock. Upon casting a unique spell that generated a light blue magic aura around her horn, she retracted it as the lights and magic tumblers within the door began to activate.

"Remember, all you are to do is return to Ponyville and merely use the Elements to restore balance and dispel this…bizarre anomaly that has overtaken the place. Simple, really." Nightmare Moon spoke while looking upon our friends.

However, Pinkie Pie did not seem entirely pleased with this idea. "Hey, can we let this weather stick around a while longer? Who knows when we'll ever get this stuff again?! Remember, as long as there's cotton candy clouds, we get chocolate rain! Cotton candy, chocolate rain!"

"Meh, don't mind her. You know how Pinkie Pie is." Twilight said while shaking her head as an amused smile spread across her lips. Before either of us could say anything, that light blue glow shown through the doorway and revealed the jeweled box that housed the six Elements.

"You all know what to do." Luna spoke quietly as she used the levitation spell to carry the box out of the tiny chamber that held it. As it began to open to reveal its contents, she continued to speak. "Take these and return to Ponyville. Once all is well, return with… Wha… What is this?!"

Her grasp on the box ceased before letting it fall to the ground. We all looked on in bewilderment. The box was empty. The Elements of Harmony were nowhere to be seen. But… Is that even possible? It seems only the royal sisters themselves can even open that door. So who could have possibly gotten by the lock?!

"Gone?! You've gotta be kidding! I'm getting déjà vu all over again!" Rainbow Dash yelled while holding a hoof to her head while letting out a frustrated groan. I stepped forward and picked up the box before taking a closer look. It seemed that no one broke into it, but rather just removed the Elements without trouble. Who could have even have gotten to them.

"You don't think… Discord can't really be free again, right? He's the only one who…" Fluttershy whimpered while looking quite unnerved.

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes while a frown spread across her lips, looking just as flummoxed as the rest of us. "Of course not. There is no possible way for that walking mess of patchwork to be out and about.

Right after she said that, there was a flash of gray light from somewhere behind us as a rather loud voice called out that I had never heard before. "Au contraire, mes petits poneys! Heeeeeee's back!"

"What the…?" I muttered before we all turned in unison to look at the source of the voice while it spoke again. Upon facing the source of the voice, I saw…quite possibly the most unexpected and random sight I had seen since… Well…since as long as I can remember. But what I saw instantly caused me to crack a crooked smile. There were three earth pony stallions with eyes closed and serene expressions on their faces lined up in a row. Two were holding two types of guitars while another had a violin tucked under his chin. Each where clad in black shirts and pants with a en exotic red bow at the base of their necks while wearing rather stylish black sombreros while rather ethnical multi-striped scarves hung over one arm. And behind them… Oh my lord, where do I start?!

From what I could tell, he seemed to be the exact same creature depicted in some of the stained glass windows I had just seen. Only instead of being crooked, his body was smooth and flexible. And he seemed far from sinister. Even jovial and jolly! But how to describe him… First thing that came to mind was that he had to be some sort of chimera. Although that was not what Twilight told me he is. Apparently, the guy is a draconi…dracone… Uh… Excuse me. Twilight, please write the correct way to spell what that guy is below this line, please.

Draconequus

Thank you, Twilight. Now, how to describe him… Well, his body is very slender like some sort of serpent, I suppose. But he does have limbs. His legs seemed to be a horse leg on the left and a…dragon leg on the right? It looked nothing like Spike's legs though and was green. The central segment of his body is brown and possibly covered in feathers instead of fur. His tail is long and slender like most of him and is covered by reddish scales and light pink hair along the spine and with a long plume of it at the tip. One arm bears a close resemblance to a lion's while the other, on the left, seems to be a griffon's arm. He even has wings, though both seem too small to carry him. And this is coming from someone who has seen pegasus fillies fly with their tiny wings… Oh, who am I kidding? If they can fly with those, he can with his. The right seems to be a purplish gray bat wing while the left appears to be a bird's wing and was a slightly darker hue of Rainbow Dash's coat colors. The length of his neck and head are covered by light grayish brown fur while his head seems to be very similar to a goat's, although he has a single thick tusk or fang hanging down from his upper jaw and some big bushy eyebrows. Lastly, the two horns on his head. The right appears to be a deer antler while the left… Well, it is light blue and has thick round segments… A more exotic type of dragon horn? Along with that, he had another one of those 'scarves' draped over his left arm while holding a silver bugle in his right hand. Hanging behind his head was another sombrero while a bow matching those on the musicians was affixed to the base of his neck somehow. Anyway, the guy seemed to be far from being some sort of bad person, let alone some evil tyrant, and instead seemed to be the crown prince of all goofballs!

Without further ado, the quite frankly ridiculous weirdo in front of us brought the bugle to his lips and began to play a tune on it while beginning to dance in a way only he could. The three musicians then began to play their instruments in unison without so much as paying the rest of us any mind. What, had he just conjured them up as drones? Even so, I was very tempted to laugh while this guy danced before us while steadily drawing closer to the three alicorns between us. Nightmare Moon gazed at him with an especially annoyed gaze and spoke, "You're joking… You're joking, right?"

After a moment more, he danced his way up to the three princesses and snapped his fingers. Three glasses of sparkling cider or champagne appeared in the air with a gray flash of light for each and began to float in the air without any signs of magical influence. "No jokes about it, my dears! I'm free again! Free of that dull and boring stone coffin!"

"Yes, we can see that quite clearly." Luna said dryly while sipping from her glass with disinterest. And…. I swear I have heard that guy's voice somewhere before, but I just cannot put my finger on it! Regardless, I was quickly finding myself liking him. My friends clearly were not in the same boat though and were glaring at him with wary scowls.

It was then that I got a good look at his eyes. They have yellow sclera and red irises. Although the right's iris is much smaller than the left. The guy who I assumed was Discord then looked at the Princess of the Night and spoke with great cheer. "Oh, show a little enthusiasm, Luna! My good fortune is your good fortune."

With a snap of his fingers, two rather hot mares appeared from nowhere beside Luna and began to cuddle and caress her with rather alluring expressions on their faces. I actually got a good laugh out of this because Luna looked rather embarrassed by this, clearly because she is not interested in mares like that. I wish I could remember how they looked, but they did not stick around long enough for me to really remember their appearances too well. And I will explain why in a moment.

Anyway, Luna was clearly not amused by this. "You know I never had any desire for your fantasy concubines. Away with them!"

Discord, clearly too jolly to see anything wrong with this, extended a hand to her with glee. "Oh, loosen up. I thought you would have been a bit more exuberant once you gave up the royal Canterlot voice!"

When Luna still did not change her expression, Discord sighed in defeat. "Oh, very well then." With a snap of his fingers, the two 'fantasy concubines' suddenly teleported over to Applejack instead.

Needless to say, my farm pony friend did not take kindly to their affections and freaked out a little while our friends looked on with their scowls turning into awkward grins with a few even starting to snicker while biting their upper lips. "Whoa, hey! Back off! You know my barn door don't swing that way! Beat it!"

Finally, Celestia put her hoof down and raised her voice. "Discord!"

The…hang on… The draconequus held his arms out to his side while looking absolutely delighted. "But I feel like celebrating!"

Celestia scowled harshly at him and again spoke loudly. "I don't!"

With a sigh, Discord frowned before snapping his fingers again. The two mares who were harassing Applejack vanished in a bright flash, but that was all that disappeared.

Finally, it was Nightmare Moon's turn to scold him. "All of it. Now."

"Oh, for goodness sake! I just can't ever catch a break with you killjoys anymore, can I?" Discord groaned before snapping his fingers, although I noticed a whimsical smirk on his face while he did so. Upon hearing the snap, everything that he had conjured up vanished in flashes of gray light. The beverage glasses, the musicians, his attire, everything. But by then, I had burst into rather hearty laughter. What a way to introduce one's self!

"Now then… You have some explaining to do." Celestia growled while looking noticeably on edge. I really could not see the reason why though. This guy, while weird and sporadic, seemed entirely pleasant! Funny, even!

Discord merely held his arms out to his sides while grinning brightly, not the least bit intimidated of the Princess of the Dawn. "What's there to explain?! I was confined in stone, but now I am free!"

He then swooped through the air like an airborne slithering serpent at surprising speed and went from princess to princess while draping his arm over their shoulders in a friendly fashion. "Do you have any idea how relieved I am to be out of there?! Joyous! I thought for sure I would be stuck in there for eternity that time! There are no… Helloooooo, have we met?"

Discord stopped himself short upon finding Nightmare Moon's face inches away from his. The Princess of Dreams merely scowled at him and spoke briefly. "Back off, imbecile."

"Ah, the Mare in the Moon herself! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to recall that you and Luna are one in the same. Why am I seeing you alongside yourself? Or is this some sort of way to double the fun?!" Discord exclaimed while beholding my royal friend. I suppose I should not be surprise. He probably was not free when Nightmare Moon was discovered to be a separate entity from Luna not that long ago.

"Long story, Discord. That is all I will say." Luna replied while still looking rather wary of him. I merely looked on in silence from behind my friends, who also seemed apprehensive. Was there something I was not seeing with this guy?

Discord did not seem too bothered by the lack of details. "Oh, I see. Very hush hush and whatnot. Although I have to say you looked much more fearsome with the helmet. I couldn't see much while stuck in stone, but I seem to recall your appearance turning the world on its head! How I wish I could've partaken in that day of mayhem!"

Nightmare Moon promptly snorted at Discord's reminder of her darker days. "The days of being an envy-blinded demon are far behind me, Discord. But be warned. I do not suffer fools as lightly as my sisters."

"Yes, yes, I can see that in your eyes already. And… Hm?" Discord spoke before he glanced in my direction. His eyes lit up as they locked with mine. "Well, what have we here? Do my eyes deceive me? Do I see an actual human before me?"

I honestly was not certain of what to say, but my six companions instantly put themselves between the two of us. Rainbow Dash then let out a growl. "Yeah, and you can just stay right you are!"

Discord, clearly not paying my friend any mind, began to approach us with a rather…sly smirk on his face. "I thought there was something missing the last time I was free. And now I know what. There was a distinct lack of a human population. Just how much time did I spend in that stone container the first time around?"

My friends seemed understandably confused by Discord's words. And it is no surprise too, considering that Celestia and Luna have likely not revealed the reasons behind my presence in Equestria. Rarity was the first to offer a retort. "Are you certain your chaotic mind is not working right? You did not see any humans the last time we crossed paths because there have never been any humans in our world!"

Considering how ancient Discord likely he, he clearly knows much more about this world's history than we do. He smirked cheekily while letting out a chuckle. "Oh, Miss Rarity. I suppose even the bearers of the Elements of Harmony would not be keen to that little stain on Equestria's history. Did it never cross your minds before? I mean it's practically right there in Equestria's name! Celestia, what have you and your sister been hiding from…"

The wily draconequus was suddenly interrupted when Celestia let out a shout. "SILENCE! Not another word!"

One look at her revealed that Celestia was looking quite frustrated and was clearly desperate to make certain the truth did not become known to any of her people. At least not yet. Discord, clearly in control of the situation, was still perfectly calm in her presence. "Oh come now, Celestia. Surely your people have the right to know of…"

Once more, Celestia interrupted him. Only this time, her horn was coated by a fiery aura. "Discord. I will only say this once. Either you hold your tongue, or I will blast your jaw right off your face."

Having seen the kind of power Celestia possesses firsthand, I was actually rather fearful of what would happen if she unleashed her full might within the hall we were standing. However, despite this threat, Discord calmly sighed with minor disappointment. "Haaa… So be it. There's no need for violence, Celestia." He then turned to me and cracked a smile. "But anyway, who have we here? I certainly was not expecting to see a human this time around."

I decided to introduce myself right there. "The name's James. And you're Discord?"

He began to approach me with a smile and effortlessly pushed my friends aside with the use of the levitation spell. However, the only magic aura I saw was covering a single finger and was yellow in color. It was not billowing though. More like…a bright electric glow that was clearly different in properties from those used by ponies and my armor. There was no matching aura covering my friends as they slid across the floor either. It was as if he moved them merely with his will. While I still felt there was no reason for me to fear him when taking into account the first impression he left on me, the fact that he was this smug and relaxed in the presence of three very powerful and frustrated royal alicorns led me to believe that this creature before is extraordinarily powerful. And being able to conjure up living breathing people from nothing… Just what is this guy?

Regardless of whatever I was thinking, Discord approached me in a very open and friendly manner. "Indeed, it is! And I thought I heard a man laughing not long ago when I made my presence known. Good to see SOMEONE here has a sense of humor, not like… Oh my, what's this now?"

When Discord started to get too close, Nightmare Moon suddenly stepped between us with a look of defiance in her eyes. I know all too well that Nightmare Moon adores me, as I do her, but for her to get between us like this… She was clearly being very protective of me. Did she really not trust him? She spoke briefly and sternly, her intentions made clear. "Not another step."

Discord, much like before, did not seem worried at all and began to reach out to her. "Oh, come now, Nightmare Moon. You don't want that temper of yours to get you into any… Gwaaaaaaaarrrrggggbbbllle!"

This time, Nightmare Moon did not stand there and do nothing. She unleashed a torrent of magical lightning right into him from her horn! I jumped back upon seeing this, as did everyone else. Discord kept flailing erratically as arcing electricity coursed through him, somehow giving us an occasional view of his skeletal system. I have no idea how that works… Anyway, after a good ten seconds of the treatment, Nightmare Moon relented. Discord stood before us while looking positively fried and disoriented, much of his fur either standing on end of singed. Pinkie Pie was the first to comment on that. "Yikes! And I thought Nightmare Moon was all nice now!"

Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, laughed and cheered at the spectacle. "Who cares?! That was awesome!"

After a moment of swaying back and forth while a long garbled sigh escaped his throat, Discord finally regained enough of his senses to speak. It really looked like that attack had hurt him. "You zapped me…" He then shook his head to clear his mind and looked at Nightmare Moon in shock. "Luna never zapped me!"

"Well, I'm not Luna anymore, am I?" Nightmare Moon growled while glaring at Discord, her horn's magic aura ready to launch another spell if needed.

"Indeed… You are much more easily provoked!" Discord wheezed before his shocked gaze became a mischievous smirk. "How fortunate for me."

Nightmare Moon did not take those words well. Her horn was covered in crackling light blue electricity while she gritted her teeth. "Is that a challenge?!"

"Of course not, Nightmare Moon. Although I am looking forward to getting to know you. We were not exactly…capable of interacting with each other much in the past, so I hope we can fix that soon." Discord replied after having restored his body to pristine condition with a snap of his fingers. He also regained his composure quickly as well. Still, seeing Nightmare Moon actually get a shot in like that was pretty impressive.

My dear friend was not pleased with Discord's jeers at all and immediately shouted at him. "Enough of this banter! What are you even doing free?!"

Twilight then spoke up as well. "That's right! We're the ones who used the Elements of Harmony on last time and they're still connected to us! That means your restraints should still be strong! How'd you get this time?! This makes no sense!"

Discord smirked while crossing his arms. I too was quite curious of how he escaped. Although I did feel that everyone was severely overreacting to this guy. Either that, or I simply was not reading between the lines. "Oh, but what fun is there in making sense? Although I suppose you do deserve an explanation, don't you? To be fair though, I'm not entirely certain how I managed to break free myself. But I will tell you what I know."

"Fine! Just spill it already!" Rainbow said with a shout. She looked as if she was ready to pounce at him.

While surrounded on all sides, Discord began to explain the situation. However, as he spoke and paced around us, he began to walk straight up an invisible wall and across an invisible ceiling and back. Just…how was he doing that? It did not seem that he was using levitation or even a gravity spell to alter anything. It… I had no words. "I think it all started a few months back. Back in May, maybe? It's hard to keep track of time when you're stuck in the same spot and pose for weeks on end. Anyway, there I was balanced upon that pedestal right out there in front of the labyrinth with the worst itch ever on the tip of my tail with no way to scratch it! But then, I felt something…familiar. If I had to call it anything, I would say it felt like the presence of the Elements of Harmony, only…inversed."

Somehow, that sounded vaguely familiar. I crossed my arms while casting my gaze away. "Inversed… As it…opposite?"

"That does sound kind of familiar… Wait… When we went to stop Nightmare Moon…" Fluttershy gasped as she too seemed to be thinking of what I was pondering.

Nightmare Moon's eyes opened wide in shock, the realization dawning upon her as well. "No… The Elements of Chaos…?"

How could we have forgotten about Nightmare Moon's failsafe to protect herself from the Elements of Harmony when we confronted her months ago? Needless to say, Luna and Celestia were quite shocked to hear those words. Celestia turned to her sister, a mixture of anger and shock on her face. "Elements of Chaos?! Nightmare Moon, what did you do?!"

"It was solely for defense! I wove them from the residual energies left behind by the Elements' previous use! Used nothing more as a means to repel the Elements of Harmony! Perhaps… Not destroyed…but shattered and scattered to the winds… There was no possible way I could have foreseen this!" The Princess of Dreams shouted in defense. I can still remember where it seemed the Elements of Harmony were almost completely exhausted by the time the Elements of Chaos shattered under the strain of them and the Element of Humanity. They probably only narrowly escaped destruction and the energies within were carried away on the winds.

"Ah, so you are the herald of my escape? I suppose I shouldn't be surprise. You and I did have a lot in common, not seeing eye-to-eye with the rest of Equestria. Anyway, I felt this chaotic forces being drawn into me. It wasn't like a little burst of disharmonious energies released from an argument or anything like that. This boost I felt was quite significant. I knew then that I could break out of there and be free once more. At least I would have if I didn't have to constantly squirm against my confines!" Discord spoke with a smile, then a smug smirk, and finally a look of irritation.

"Squirm? Constantly?" Luna asked while showing a rather baffled look.

Discord then raised his voice a bit while bending himself over backwards while appearing to stretch. "Yes! It was only barely enough for me to strain against that stone shell! I had to wiggle and strain constantly until just yesterday to break out of there! Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to push and pull to chip away at a stone shell that's worn over your skin?! The moment I finally got free of that couldn't have come soon enough!" I have to admit, as agonizingly frustrating and slow that process must have been, the way he was wording it made it sound funny. However, he then cleared his throat to regain his composure while his foot and hoof came back down onto solid ground. "And there you have it. I finally and free and set about to entertaining myself. And now here I stand before you all."

Bottom line; it seemed that Discord had been freed through a sheer stroke of luck on his part. Even so, the most sinister I had seen him be was with him jeering at the princesses or whenever he talked without trying to have fun. Kind of like a diabolical mastermind sort of way. Even so, it seemed more playful than genuinely villainous.

Nightmare Moon fell silent. I can imagine why. Knowing that her actions had directly resulted in Discord's release surely must have been guilt inducing. However, she then lowered her head and spoke softly. "I see… Then if I am to blame for this…" She then suddenly raised her head as lightning began to surge around her horn while she cast a wrathful glare at Discord. "Then it is my duty to put you back! Or put you in the ground, if I must!"

The atmosphere had instantly turned from tense to actually pretty scary. My friends and I instantly backed away as a confrontation brewed between Discord and the Princess of the Night. Only one question was going through my head. Did she even have the means to hold her own against him? Discord certainly did not seem worried and even picked his teeth disinterestedly with the claws on his right hand…uh…paw.

Just before Nightmare Moon could assault Discord, he pushed is open hand towards her as if silently telling her to halt. "Before you do anything hasty, may I remind you that I am the only person on the planet who knows the current location of the Elements of Harmony? If I'm gone, who is going to bring you to them?"

Nightmare Moon hardly seemed phased by that claim. However, Celestia took it seriously and called out to her sister. "Nightmare Moon, no! Stand down!"

With some serious hesitation, Nightmare Moon ceased channeling her magic and took a step back with still looking quite frustrated. "Fine. So, where are they? What have you done with them?"

It was actually starting to get rather creepy with just how smug and in control of the situation Discord was. Cunning. Very cunning. "Well, where would be the fun just telling you, hm? Why not a game for old time's sake? The bearers of the Elements search for them. And when they find them, I surrender without a fight. Sound fun? I know you all enjoy a game or two, don't you?"

My six friends glanced at each other before Rainbow Dash pointed her hoof at him. "Hay yeah! We know your tricks now, so we'll beat you at your own game this time!"

The rest of my companions did not seem to object. I merely watched in silence to see where this development would go. Discord, cheeky goofball he is, seemed absolutely delighted as he let out a laugh before doing a type of back flip and floating in the air as if reclining on sofa. "Stupendous! I know you won't be disappointed. But first, like before, a little hint to get you started. To find the Elements of Harmony, you must search within."

My friends just stared at him before Applejack offered a retort. "Beggin' yer pardon? Within what?"

"I know! Cryptic, isn't it? But you're a bunch of smart girls. Especially Miss Twilight Sparkle. You'll figure it out pretty soon, I wager. Anyway, I'll be around for when you decide to start looking. Arrivederci!" With that, he was gone in a flash of gray light while his jolly and rather maniacal laughter echoed through the halls.

"Sooo… That was Discord?" I finally asked, having been both thoroughly amused and intrigued by the strange fellow I had just seen.

Rarity nodded while she turned to face me. "Indeed, darling… Wait, what are you smiling at?"

I suppose it was hard to hide my expression at the time. "Why not? That guy's hilarious! I don't see what the big deal is with you girls. He's funny and crafty, so why so wary?"

My friends either sighed, groaned, or held their faces in their hooves. Nightmare Moon then turned to me and spoke. "You clearly do not know what we do. That was Discord. Spirit of Chaos and former ruler of Equestria."

That certainly caught me by surprise. "Wait… That guy ruled this place before? Sounds like it was a fun and happening time while he was in charge."

"Hardly." Luna said while she began to lead us back down the hall. I soon found her standing before the first stained glass window I had seen Discord being depicted in. The one with three ponies connected to puppeteer strings leading up to Discord himself while flames rose around them. "Do you see this, James? During Discord's reign, he kept the entire world drowned in chaos. Imagine the strange occurrences you saw in Ponyville not only kept constant, but also magnified. If he is not dealt with soon, this will spread to every corner of Equestria and will only worsen as time goes by."

After Discord's first appearance before me, it was very difficult for me to view him as being an awful person. Crafty and cunning, yes, but also jovial and friendly. And yet…the scene I was seeing being depicted on the window before me painted a very different story. Discord's expression in it seemed sadistically sly. As if he was taking pleasure in seeing the ponies below him being miserable. But…that certainly cannot be right. And yet, all of my friends had been unconditionally hostile towards him the moment he showed up. What had they seen that I have not?

"OK, girls! Discord said we need to look within! But…within what? Ourselves?" Pinkie Pie then spoke up, apparently having regained her enthusiastic composure.

"Probably not, Pinkie. But within…. Within what…? Within…" Twilight Sparkle replied before she started to pace with her head hung low. But as she passed by a normal window on one side of the hall, she looked out at the hedge maze that lied beyond it. "Within…a maze! A labyrinth!"

Fluttershy did not sound so sure about that suggestion. "Um… But didn't we look out there last time? And wasn't it not the place they were hidden?"

"Yeah, they were in a book in the library the whole time!" Rainbow Dash added while I had to suppress a laugh at the thought. In a book? The stuff you find in libraries these days.

Twilight looked over at us and nodded with a determined smile. "Yes, I know. But this time, the clue he gave us is that we must search within. And I can't think of a trickier place to hide something inside of than such a huge maze. Besides, I doubt Discord would expect us to search the same place twice. The Elements of Harmony have to be out there somewhere."

Nightmare Moon seemed rather satisfied with that claim and nodded with a calm expression. "That does sound reasonable. Come. The sooner the Elements are back in our possession, the better."

The lot of us proceeded further down the hall. But just before we could exit it, Fluttershy then spoke up again. "Wait… What about James?"

That was a good question, really. What was I going to do while I was there? I have no connection to the Elements of Harmony, so I doubt there was any reason for me to take part in this search. Even so, I did want to be close to my friends during this troubling time. "Well… What can I do?"

Pinkie Pie then smiled and hopped over to me. "Wanna help search for the Elements? It'd be really extra nice if you came along!"

"Would that be a good idea?" I asked while turning towards the three royal sisters. Surely they would know what is best.

They silently glanced at each other, as if having some sort of silent conversation. Finally, Celestia closer her eyes while her golden yellow magic aura covered her horn. After several seconds, she dispelled her magic and looked at us. "Good. Discord is nowhere nearby. Yes, James. I think it would be best if you go with them. But I must insist that you wear your armor. Just as a precaution."

"Oh, sweet! I was hoping we'd see that armor again sometime! Maybe we'll even see some awesome swordplay again!" Rainbow Dash spoke with gusto. I know she loves some occasional action, but she seems to really have taken a shine to my gear and weapons.

The thought of actually getting into a fight with Discord seemed completely pointless. From what I had seen myself, he is not a dangerous person. "Oh, come on. I don't have any desire to harm Discord. I actually like the guy."

This prompted Applejack to scowl at me before rolling her eyes. "Like him? Pardner, trust me. Yer gonna be sick of 'im before the day is done."

"Well, regardless, let us be off. Nightmare Moon, please escort our friends to the main hall. Luna and I will take James to fetch his equipment." Celestia said before Nightmare Moon led my six companions down the hall while she and Luna led me down a different path that took us to the throne room. I suppose separating us may have been the better choice. The location of my armor is a closely guarded secret, after all.

Once we had entered the throne room, Celestia closed her eyes while using the same spell as before as Luna used the levitation spell to lift the platform the throne was resting upon and revealing the spiraling stone stairwell that led down into the hidden vault. Or at least that is what I like to refer to it as.

Celestia opened her eyes and glanced around. "All right, Discord is still nowhere nearby. Hurry, let's go." With the two princesses by my side, we rushed down the stairs before Luna hastily lowered the throne back into place. I am sure it seemed nothing was out of place in the throne room after that.

"You girls sure go to great lengths to keep this spot hidden." I said while minding my feet. There were still candles lining the walls, but it was still pretty dark.

Luna, who was walking ahead of me, spoke without taking her eyes off the stairs below her. "Discord likely does not even know that this chamber even exists. And he probably is not even aware that the Element of Humanity was crafted after he was first sealed. But if he knew this place is here, he could reach it easily."

The more I heard about Discord, the more curious I got. "The way you describe this guy makes it sound as if he's some sort of god."

Celestia, who was right behind me, spoke softly. "No, not quite. But he may as well be. His power is borderline omnipotent. The Spirit of Chaos. Whatever he wishes to happen, he can make happen. I am sure you saw what was happening in Ponyville before you came here. He can bend reality itself to a certain degree. Do not underestimate him. Only our mother and father have the power to truly rival him."

Again with the mentioning of Orbash and Sunflare. If they posses the power to craft the sun and moon and Discord has the power to hold his own against one of them… Just how powerful is he?

I said nothing else for the rest of the trek. Before long, I found myself standing before the stone altar that holds my armor in its liquid state. And once again, I saw my helmet resting behind the basin, the polished white Element of Humanity gazing at me. And above it hanging on the wall, the sturdy Lunar Shield and the mighty Celestial Sword's hilt and part of its crossguard sticking up behind the shield's top. "Do I really need these? I mean… Discord won't really try to hurt me, will he?"

"When it comes to that lunatic, we can never be too sure. Your armor will keep you safe from any of Discord's more chaotic form of magic." Luna explained, her contempt for Discord being constant in her voice.

"Well, if you say so." I muttered while sliding off my shoes and feeling the cool stone floor through my socks. I then reached out and dipped my fingers into the constantly shifting liquid metal in the altar's basin. Seconds later, it began to creep up over my arm and all over my body before hardening into a sturdy metal shell. Once more, I was clad in the spectacular enchanted armor crafted by my royal friends. Only one piece was missing. I reached out and held my helmet in my hands while gazing at the Element upon it. The one Element that Discord had overlooked.

"You should take it." Celestia whispered as I beheld the helmet in my hands. I did not say anything in response, but I did turn the helmet around and place it upon my head. I heard a faint sound from behind me and found that my helmet's mane had extended from the vertical slot on the backside, completing my armor's form.

I turned to face the royal sisters behind me and saw that they were smiling. Celestia spoke first as she beheld me. "It always amazes me to see your armor in its complete state. Simply beautiful."

"Well, that's because its creators are just as beautiful and it shows in their craftsmanship." I replied while cracking a smile. My two friends also grinned happily or sheepishly, clearly appreciating the compliment.

However, Luna's expression turned serious once more. "Before you go, take your sword and shield. We must take every possible precaution."

I let out a sigh while finding myself becoming mildly annoyed by how seriously they were taking this thing. I then spoke while I used the levitation spell to lift the Lunar Shield off the wall. "Don't you think you ladies are taking this stuff a little too seriously? I honestly don't see what's so bad about the guy other than being the king of all spastic goofballs."

Once I had closed my shield's clasps over my left forearm, I saw that Luna and Celestia were giving me rather forlorn gazes. Luna let out a long sigh while she shook her head. "James… You have not seen the turmoil that Discord's obsession with chaos has wrought. To him, the only thing that matters is chaos and nothing else. He is beyond reason and cares little for how his madness affects others. It is sad, but that is what he is. And we must make certain that you are safe from his machinations during this troubled time."

Luna's words carried a grave tone to them. I wanted to believe her, I really did. But still… Discord's first impressions on me had been very positive. I could not imagine such a jolly and silly fellow being so…evil. Has he had a change of heart?

"Well… I'll be cautious. But I think I'll be OK in this armor." I replied while looking myself over. I truly did feel safe within that enchanted shell. If Discord does try to mess with me, it will likely not effect me.

"Good. Just remember, do not pay any heed to his wiles. He is not one for brute force. He enjoys sowing confusion and discourse and playing mind games. Never take what he says too seriously and you should be fine." Celestia explained while nodding in satisfaction.

I then stepped forward with my shield on my arm, but paused when I took a closer look at my two friends at the base of their horns was a gold or silver ring lined with gemstones. "You wear these all the time?"

Celestia smiled wholeheartedly upon seeing that I recognized the rings I had purchased for her and Luna a couple of weeks ago. "We do. And thank you dearly for these. Hardly anypony notices them, but we always tell them that they are gifts from a dear friend."

However, her expression soon darkened, as did Luna's. And it was then that I saw it in their eyes. The same nameless fear that I saw in Twilight's. Why? What was making them look at me like that? Were they so deathly afraid that Discord would do something to me? Before I could even say anything, the two princesses stepped forward and caught me in a twin embrace, each of them draping a wing over me. "…Ladies…?"

"Please do take care…" Celestia said with a whisper, her eyes clamped shut.

"Do not forget. Be cautious at all times." Luna added while sounding equally bothered. There was nothing I could really say. But…their fear was starting to get to me as well. I could feel it. Something that one cannot describe. A feeling of dread. But there was no time to discuss it. Together, we began to make our way back to the stairwell that led up to the throne room. I did not want to keep my friends waiting.

* * *

><p>I do not like this… Discord has escaped and is now on the verge of plunging all of Equestria back into chaos. This would not be the first time. We have bested him before and our bonds of friendship only grew stronger as a result. I know we can succeed again and we know what to expect. But he… James does not. I know we can succeed, but I am still so afraid…<p>

My name is Twilight Sparkle and I am waiting here in Canterlot Castle in the main hall with my five closest friends. Nightmare Moon is nearby and is watching over us. My dear friend, James, is somewhere with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They are probably helping him prepare for the trial we are about to face by retrieving his armor. I have no idea where it is kept, but it is likely in a place even Discord does not know about. His armor is amazing and it will probably keep him safe. But…

My friends keep looking at each other the same way I look at them. They are worried. Not for themselves, but for him. We have dealt with Discord before. And…that day was one of the worst days of my life. I can still remember the despair when my friends were forced to turn on me… If it was not for Princess Celestia reminding me what we had been through and what I had learned with them, I would have lost my friends forever. This time, we know what to expect. I am sure we are ready. But still…why am I so afraid?

"Girls… Am I the only one here who's a might worried about this whole thing?" Applejack asked while she looked at us with that worrisome gaze.

Rainbow Dash seemed to be trying to hide her worries, judging by that smile on her face. "Not me! We've handled Discord before and we know what he's gonna do this time! All we have to do is ignore him so he doesn't mess with our heads. Right?"

"It's not us we're worried about, Rainbow." I said while looking up at her as she hovered off the ground like she does pretty often. "It's James…"

"Oh… Right. Him…" She sighed while dropping back to the ground.

"Yeah… I… I don't know if I'm comfortable with him coming along… I'm scared of what Discord might do that would hurt him…" Fluttershy whispered while looking especially worried. I do not blame her. She and James have been lovers for a while now. Before long, I would not be surprised if they get married.

Rarity seemed to be trying to calm our worries by keeping a smile on her face. "Darlings, it is as Rainbow Dash said! We know what to expect from that scoundrel this time around. All we must do is not repeat our mistakes. So long as we do that, he will not be harmed."

"But I didn't listen… And he still did something to me that made me all mean and bitter…" Fluttershy replied while looking very ashamed of herself. I never actually saw what happened between her and Discord, so I cannot even guess how she turned into such a cruel and mean spirited person at the time. If James saw her like that… I do not think he would ever want anything to do with her again.

Even so, that was exactly what I was worried about. And I know because James and I have very much in common. And…I dread the thought of him being forced through what I endured that day. "That's exactly the problem. I know how James thinks and feels, and I can promise you that if he goes through what I did last time, he will be hurt just as much… No, worse! He's much more sensitive than I am. And…you remember the first day we met him, right?"

Pinkie Pie nodded while looking unusually unhappy. I guess even she could not be perky at the moment. "Uh huh… Like with how he was kind of lost and afraid?"

I nodded at her and looked around at my friends. "Exactly. He came to Equestria with nothing and we became his first friends when he needed us most. And I think it's no exaggeration to say that we are quite possibly the foundation for his life in Equestria. And if that foundation is destroyed…"

Rainbow Dash then spoke up while waving her hoof at me. "Twilight, you know we're not his only friends! He's friends with a bunch of ponies! Scootaloo, Mitta, Derpy, Lyra, Nightmare Moon… The list just goes on and on! Aren't you overthinking this a bit?"

I frowned at her. She clearly was not getting my point. "That's not what I mean! What I'm saying is that we're probably more important to him than anypony else in the world right now. I still remember when I thought that our friendship had ended last time Discord was loose. I still had some friends, but at the time, it did not register with my mind. All I could think of was what I had lost… You girls… You're the best friends I've ever had. I can't imagine life without you anymore. I'd do anything to keep our friendship going!"

All my friends smiled very warmly at me with truly grateful smiles. "Twilight… We can't imagine being without you either…" Fluttershy spoke tearfully before she and the rest of my friends rushed forward and held me in one of the warmest group hugs I have felt in quite a while.

As soon as the hug ended, I continued with my explanation. "But you understand what I mean, right? If I was that devastated when it happened to me, just imagine what it would do to James! It would break him… I can't bear the thought of him going through what I did…"

Pinkie Pie then raised her hoof and called out with a smile. "Then let's make a promise to make sure that we don't betray him or let Discord mess with our heads again! No, not just a promise. Let's make it a Pinkie Promise! Because nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise!" But she then suddenly poked Applejack in the chest and looked her dead in the eye with a kind of menacing glare. "NOPONY."

Oh boy, I could see what she was getting at. She was reminding Applejack of when she used a loophole to get around a Pinkie Promise by simply not telling her what she wanted to know at the place and time we had agreed on. But that is not important now. Even so, Applejack seemed a little unnerved by Pinkie's glare. "Uh… Heheh… Yup, nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise! And I say we all promise."

We all came together and formed a circle, reaching out and touching our hooves together. Rarity then spoke first. "Then let it be said. We hereby promise to resist any and all of Discord's manipulations that may cause us to turn upon each other a second time. And to insure we do not bring any sort of harm to our newest and very dear friend. We promise. For him. And for each other."

I feel so much better after we did that. We just have to stay confident. I know we can overcome this problem as long as we work together as friends. Discord will not get to us a second time, now that we know what to expect. And we even Pinkie Promised! No way we will fail now!

I here them coming. James and the princesses must be getting close. James has been carrying around some paper with him all day and has been jotting something down in it every now and then. Probably another journal recording. I am going to hide this in James' journal entry at the first chance I get. Just in case something goes wrong, this will serve as a permanent testament that we promised to not fail. But I know we will not fail. We cannot fail. I need to go. And best of luck to us all.

* * *

><p>I found Nightmare Moon and my six closest friends waiting for me in the center of the center of the main hall. And they all instantly looked up at me the instant they heard the clanking of my greaves. Rarity, as usual, was the first to comment on it. "Oh, looking smashing, darling! I just cannot get enough of the knight in shining armor look!"<p>

However, Fluttershy seemed naturally puzzled and even worried. "Um… Is it really necessary for James to be wearing the armor? Discord's never been violent before."

The two royal sisters and I descended the stairs together while Celestia offered an explanation. "We will not be taking chances on this. Just to be safe, James will be wearing his armor for the duration of this crisis. I hope that isn't a problem."

Pinkie Pie then reared up on her hind legs and lifted her arms into the air. "No way! That armor's awesome!"

However, once I got to the bottom of the stairs, Luna stood before me. "One last word of caution, James. I know Celestia and I have been tutoring you in the use of magic, but I can assure you that you are still not ready to use what we have been teaching you in a live fire situation. I doubt it will come to such a point, but do not attempt to use any magic you have not yet mastered."

In all, we have had only three of so training sessions since we first started. And while I have gotten a bit of a grasp on various types of advanced and even elemental magic, I have yet to perfect anything outside of the basic levitation spell. "Will do. I doubt I'll even need it."

Twilight, on the other hand, seemed intrigued by this revelation. "Magic? Wait… You've been teaching him in secret?"

Celestia cracked a smile at her student. "Yes. Every Sunday afternoon, Luna and I stop by his home with his armor so we can train him in harnessing more of his armor's magic potential. And he is advancing at a steady pace."

My friends all looked up at me while bantering in unison, apparently impressed at the thought that my armor's magic capabilities are that high. Completely forgetting about the problem at hand, Twilight then grinned at Celestia in excitement. "Is it possible that I can teach him how to use some magic sometime? I promise I'll watch over him as closely as a hawk!"

Celestia and Luna chuckled together at my dear friend's enthusiasm. Luna then smiled and said, "Let's discuss that once the problem at hand has been resolved. Do you need us to guide you to the labyrinth?"

"No, we know the way. Come on, James! Let's go find the Elements!" Twilight replied while she began to lead our friends towards the backside of the palace.

Before I got very far, I stopped before Nightmare Moon. Unlike the other two princesses, her expression actually seemed calm and confident. Had she and my other friends done something to lift their spirits? Regardless, she smiled at me and tenderly nuzzled my chin due to my helmet mostly covering my cheeks. "Take care my friend. I know you and your friends will be victorious."

"Thanks. I don't think it'll be too rough though. See ya." I replied before running off to catch up with my friends. I was actually caught by surprise on just how fast I can run while wearing my armor. Perhaps if I wore it more often, I would remember that bit about it.

Before long, I found myself out in the courtyard with the labyrinth spread out before us. Those walls of leaves and branches actually reached quite high, even compared to my height. Regardless, Fluttershy seemed a bit nervous on having to go in there. "Um… Do we really have to search through the entire place? It…looks really easy to get lost in there."

Rainbow Dash then boldly stepped forward and spread her wings. "Yeah, but you'll have watching for anything from above!" She then took to the air and began to rapidly ascend while flying towards the maze ahead. "I'll let you girls know if I spot anything shiny!" However, right after she finished saying that, there was a bright flash of grayish light on her back and… Where did her wings go?!

Sure enough, Rainbow Dash noticed that something was amiss when her ascent began to slow. When she looked back at herself, she let out a groan while she fell out of the air and hit the ground with a thud. "Oh, come on! Not again!"

I actually got a good laugh out of that unexpected sight. And I quickly deduced that Discord was responsible since that grayish color to that flash of magic was consistent with his actions before. "Able to bend reality at will… I guess they weren't kidding!"

There was a flash of the same light on Fluttershy before she shrieked upon seeing that her wings had vanished as well. Only I was not expecting the horns on Rarity and Twilight Sparkle's heads to vanish as well. Rarity let out a horrified scream, but Twilight just seemed annoyed by it. "Of course, should've seen this coming!"

Right after that, I heard Discord's familiar laugh. "Ohohohoho! It's always even funnier the second time around! It just never gets old!" He then continued to laugh before appearing before us in another flash of gray light while standing tall.

Rainbow Dash then climbed to her feet and stomped her hoof once. "Yeah, yeah, real funny. We get the drill! Everypony plays fairly, so no wings or magic allowed. Right?!"

"Yes, quite right! Good to the brashest of the bunch still has a functioning brain." Discord said while suddenly and quickly slinking over to her and lightly tapping her on the head. I too must confess that while Rainbow Dash is brave and athletic, she certainly is not the brightest of the group. Although the dimmest is undoubtedly Pinkie Pie, from what I have seen. But that is beside the point.

I finally felt the need to speak up after glancing at my four companions who had just unwillingly been turned into earth ponies. "This is only temporary, right?"

Discord smiled smugly before continuing to speak. "Of course, they'll get them back in due time. As Rainbow Dash here said, wings and magic are not permitted to prevent any form of cheating. The second… Wait a minute, what happened to you?!"

It was only then that Discord took a good look at me and my armored form. "That's some fancy and fine armor you've got there! Like the wings, but the mane is a little too girly for my tastes."

"Oh, who asked you?!" I groaned, personally finding the aurora and night sky mane coming from my helmet to be more ambiguous than feminine.

Despite that, Discord began to circle me in ways that only such a slender and flexible body can while frequently dropping to all fours. "I see some Luna on you and a splash of Celestia. Did you turn them into your clothes?! Hey, Celestia! Good choice on being the wings! You always did have the loveliest wingspan!"

Oh my lord, this guy was cracking me up big time. Even some of my friends were not able to stop themselves from at least snickering. Very soon though, he regained his smug and calm composure. "Unfortunately, those wings have to go if you're going to play. Don't worry though, you'll get them back once the game is over."

He then snapped his fingers. But there was no flash of magic light. Discord, seeing that nothing had happened, looked at my large folded wings with a perplexed gaze. He then snapped his fingers again while the rest of his body remained still as stone. When that did not work, he began rapidly snapping his fingers while looking more and more frustrated. Honestly, this guy should do standup sometime. "Oh, for crying out loud! I know I said you have some lovely wings, Celestia, but you need to get off!"

We all broke down in laughter at Discord making a fool of himself. To see someone that smug and powerful being completely unable to alter my armor… It is a satisfying experience. Finally, I decided that Discord had embarrassed himself long enough. "How about I promise to never once use my wings?"

Discord immediately stopped snapping his fingers and looked at me with a rather curious stare. "You promise? Are you sure? Because the second rule of this game is that everypony must participate. If even one breaks the rules or forfeits, you all lose…" He then began to tap his fingers together in a rather diabolical way. "And I win. Are you sure you can go through the game while resisting the temptation to fly?"

"Yes, I'm sure. So can we get started now?" I replied while wondering just how many more times Discord would make me laugh. I decided to omit the fact that my gauntlets allow me to use magic, but I also decided to make a mental not to never use any for the sake of playing fair.

"Oh, glorious day! It's been far too long since I last had any fun with a human! This is going to get very interesting!" He then flapped his wings and began to hover above us with arms spread wide. "Head on in and this game will get started! Best of luck, everypony!" And after another bought of jolly laughter, he was gone in a flash.

"Man, I don't think I'll ever get tired of that guy. Wearing the princesses… Ha!" I said with a laugh as I started to approach the maze's entrance with my friends.

"I just don't get what see in that guy! Meh, whatever! We're here now, so let's get this party started!" Rainbow Dash grumbled while she walked next to my right. Fluttershy stood to my left with Pinkie Pie and Rarity beyond. Twilight Sparkle and Applejack stood to Rainbow's right. I was walking right down the middle. However, as soon as we set foot past the towering arched entrance, we were caught by surprise as tall hedges shot up from the ground and cut us off from each other while another sprang up behind us and locked us inside the maze.

"Stay calm, everypony! There's nothing to worry about! We just need to keep looking until we reach a point where our paths cross!" Twilight called out while the rest of my friends sounded rather startled. I too found this to be somewhat unnerving now that I was basically a rat in a maze.

I then heard Fluttershy speak from the other side of the hedge to my left. "Um… Right! James, are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here, honey. I'm just going to finish writing this and leave it here before I get going." I replied while writing this part here.

"James, are ya still carryin' that journal around?! This ain't exactly the time for that!" I heard Applejack yell from somewhere to my right.

While I certainly suppose she had a point, a day as straight-up weird as this is worth documenting. "It's fine! I'm almost done here! I'll just leave it here so I can come back for it once this…game is over. Go on ahead and I'll catch up!" One by one, I heard the sound of clopping hooves becoming more and more distant.

Just in case that crazy chocolate milk rain reaches Canterlot, I brought my paper along in a weatherproof binder to keep it safe. And now I should finish this entry up. Still, what an interesting mess this has turned into. Although I am not really worried at all. Actually, I am having fun! And Discord… What an odd yet funny guy. He seems far too fun loving to be dangerous or sinister…

But…if that is the case…then what is this overwhelming sensation of dread I am feeling right now? It is as if my gut is trying to warn me of something… What am I getting myself into? What am I going to find in this maze? What is Discord going to do next?

Perhaps I am just overthinking things…but this dread will not leave me. I pray Discord is nowhere near as vile as my friends have kept making him out to be. I need to stop writing now. My friends have gone ahead and I need to start searching too. Wish us luck. I have no idea what I am going to find out here.


	31. Prelude to Madness

**-UNDOCUMENTED-**

Ugh… Here we go again. Once more, I trek through this vast labyrinth of hedges, leaves, thorns, and wretched filthy dirt! To think that Discord is loose again! Were our past efforts all in vain?! No, this is surely all Nightmare Moon's doing! She must have been in league with that twisted schemer of a draconequus!

No… No, Rarity. You must not lose faith in your princess. Nightmare Moon could not have possibly foreseen that her Elements of Chaos would have been drawn to that petrified lunatic once their crystalline forms were reduced to dust to be carried away on the wind. But still… Ugh, how frustrating! And I swear this maze spreads for miles! Is that even possible up here on the mountainside that Canterlot rests upon? No, I had best not think too hard about that. Discord can twist anything he wishes. For all I know, the maze has been shrunken down and us with it to make it seem larger. Oh, I do hope my friends are faring better than I have. I have spent the last fifteen minutes or so searching high and low and I have yet to lay eyes on a single Element.

Oh, James… If only you could spread your beautiful wings and search the maze from above… And with me in your arms. I pray you are faring well, my dear. And I cannot say how grateful I am that your armor protects you from Discord's wiles. You have yet to see the bedlam he can twist out of others. And I pray you never do. We vowed to make certain we would not allow ourselves to fall victim to Discord's manipulations ever again. I would never be able to forgive myself if I revealed myself to you as the dreadful miser I became the last time Discord sank his hooks into my mind. To think that I saw a boulder as being a colossal diamond! And that I even named him Tom! No… No, my darling. There is no treasure to me that can match your boundless love. Nothing is more precious to me than my dearest friends, but you are the crown jewel that rests atop them all. Discord can tempt me with all the diamonds in the world. I will never abandon you or my dear friends, my darling! Not again.

But enough of my wandering thoughts. I must remain vigilant. Where could those Elements be hiding? Perhaps down this path? Or this one? Drat, there are so many twists and turns that I have no idea where to look! And… Am I backtracking? Ugh, Discord! At least have the common courtesy to place a few path markers so I know if I am wasting my time… Wait… What is that glow?

That glow… It is a light shade of blue… Ah, of course! Perhaps it is the Element of Laughter! I cannot help calling out as I draw near the bend. "Aha! That makes one!"

Wait… I see no Element, but a stone wall. And embedded in it are… Oh, this farce again? Does Discord truly expect me to fall for the same temptation twice?! I will not even give ten seconds of my attention to such an alluring trio of diamonds! "By all means, Discord! Try something new!"

And I am off. But… A flash… And he stands before me once again. And…oh my, he looks rather displeased with his arms crossed. "And where do you think you're going? I've made you a gracious offer I know you cannot refuse, Rarity. Why do you turn your nose up at it?"

"Ha! Cannot refuse? Begone! I rebuke thee! I know better than to be led astray by your wiles. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! And I shan't be fooled twice!" I trot on past him and continue on my way. But then… He tries to get my attention by tapping me on the head? "Yes? Did I not make something clear?"

Something is amiss… He does not seem terribly frustrated in the slightest and taps his wrist. "I can't seem to get a good look at Canterlot's clock tower from here. Do you have the time?"

"The time? I don't normally wear a watch… Why, is their one on my ho… Hoo… Hoo… Wha... What have you done to me?! My coat! Turning gray?! Creeping… Consuming… What have you done?! Answer me!" My coat… A pale shade of gray… It is slowly covering me… I… I feel something… No… Not that wretched greed! Not again!

That horrid demon… Looking down at me with that sickening smirk of satisfaction. "Well, I suppose you should have been aware of the unspoken rule of this game the second time around, Rarity. I made this game, and the unspoken rule states that the game master is free to do as he pleases. And another unspoken rule is that one by one, the contestants must be twisted into their opposites until only one remains. By force, if needed. I was originally planning on leaving Twilight Sparkle as the last one standing once again, but I am considering giving the human contestant that honor this time. And I think your 'darling' James will get quite a kick out of seeing you lug around 'Tom' again. I know I did! How did such a frail little lady like you even lift that thing?! A daily diet of protein shakes?"

James… No… If he finds me… He knows how much I adore him… If I allow myself to be consumed by this greed… No, I must not allow this! "Discord, no! You know not what you're tampering with! You must reverse this! I have seen how dearly he holds us to his heart! He must not be allowed to see us like this! Please… I beg you, remove this rising greed from me!"

My pleas… I believe they are sinking in. He looks horrified. "Oh, dear… Yes, I do recall seeing how protective you and Nightmare Moon herself seemed of him. It would scar him to see you in such a state. And if all six of you were tainted, it would break him. Devastate him. Drive him into the deepest pits of despair! He would never be the same man again!"

"Yes… Yes, you do understand! So please, revert this before it is too late and we can get back to playing this game fair and square!" So close… Do it… Hurry…

That look of fright and horror… It is becoming one of such…heinous glee. "Revert you? Remove the greed? Why ever would I do that?"

My heart sinks… I feel tears building at my eyelids… "No… You must remove this! Please, I beg of you! Not for me, but for him!"

He towers above me while shaking his finger. I… I am doomed… "And now you shed tears? Oh, what spectacular misery. My dear Rarity, I cannot tell you how long it has been since I last had the opportunity to have some genuine fun with a human. I am most curious to see how he handles seeing his dearest most precious friends turned into the very opposite of what he loves them for. That level of mortal chaos will surely be a sight to see!"

He circles me, hand held to his chin. I cannot speak… I feel it creeping… Sinking into me… No, please… But those diamonds in that wall do look divine… No, do not falter, Rarity! That is not what you want! "Maddening, isn't it? Knowing that great riches are just under that craggy exterior and you keep insisting that something else is more valuable to you. Well, I do believe that I should leave you in privacy to determine your priorities. After all, who am I to decide your fate for you?"

Discord… You… You demon… Manipulating our lives like some trickster god… I despise you… Looking down at me like I am a mere pet to toy with… "I think I will pay a visit to three of your friends before I stop by to see how 'Sir' James is faring. Who know? Perhaps I just might have Twilight be the last one untainted after all. Now, I should let you get reacquainted with Tom over there. Have fun, you two lovebirds!" And with that, he is gone…

I am alone… The greed… It is seeping into my mind… Those diamonds… So…fabulous… No… I must get away… I cannot let this vice consume me! I made a promise! We all made a promise! I cannot…allow myself…to fall… My will is fading… I am…losing myself… James, darling… Where are you… Hold me in your arms… Remind me what is most precious to me! I do not want some rock! I want my darling friends! I want them, not those! No… Turn away, Rarity… Do not look at the gleam of those gems… No, stay away from them! Why can I not look away… No… Please… I promised them… I promised myself… I…do not want… NOOOOOOO!

Ah, there you are, Tom! To think I tossed you out like a mere pebble! How did you even get behind that wall of rock? Bah, it does not matter now. You are mine again! Ooh, just look at your luster. Surely thousands of carats worth! Now I just need to get you back home. You are all I need, you handsome hunk of a gem. You and all the riches in the world!

* * *

><p>Well, if this isn't a wild goose chase, I don't know what is. I reckon I've been looking around this maze for a good half hour by now and I swear I've gone back and forth over the same path more than once.<p>

I don't like this… Need to stay away from anything that looks out of the ordinary. I ain't about to let Discord twist me more than a cinnamon twist at breakfast. If I just keep moving fast, maybe I can stay ahead of him. Wait… Nah, I just need to make sure to not repeat any of my old mistakes. Better take my time so I don't overlook anything. If I come across a grove of apple trees in this big old maze, I'll just keep on walking this time.

I've been running along nonstop for a while now. And no sign of… Hang on, what was that? Looks like… A trio of red delicious apples?

"Huh… I guess I could use a bite ta keep me goin' for now." I said while going over to them. But… Now they're rolling away from me? Heh, I see what's going on now. This looks a might familiar too. "Think I'm gonna just wander on into yer trap again, Discord? Nice try, but I don't forget bein' duped that easily."

All right, back to searching for them Elements of Harmony. Only clue me and the girls got is that they're 'within' something. Gotta say this maze is a mighty fine place to hide anything. The place looks way too big to even fit on the mountaintop! Or is it just me?

And there's another bunch of apples rolling away. Just keep walking, Applejack. Ain't nothing good's gonna come out of following them. And there's another… And another… And… Whoa, he just popped up out of nowhere! And he looks a might miffed. "Oh, for goodness sake! You're worse than Picard! I keep throwing apples upon apples at your hooves and you just keep walking! Can't you take a hint?!"

Now, I don't have a clue on who this Picard guy is, but it looks like Discord's starting to get really annoyed that I'm not taking the bait. For once, I'm feeling mighty smug in front of him. "What? Ya not used to ponies not doin' what ya want 'em to do? It's called keepin' a promise and not fallin' for the same trick twice. Maybe you'd actually get it if ya had friends, Discord. Now, beat it! I got some Elements ta find!"

That should give him some food for thought. Ought to keep him off my back too. Hang on… What did he say right there? "Oh, so that's what this is about, is it?"

There's something I don't like about the way he said that. I look back and see him just peeking over his shoulder at me. "I was wondering why Rarity refused the diamonds she loves oh so much. You've all made a promise to each other to not let yourselves do what you did last time. Is that it?"

So he figured it out, huh? Not like it matters. "We sure did. And I ain't gonna break a Pinkie Promise for anythin'! So if ya don't mind, I've got some searchin' ta do!"

And I'm off again… Wait… Is he right behind me now? I look… And yup, there he is. Back still turned, but standing a few feet away from me. "But more than anything, you made this promise for him, didn't you?"

There is…something really awful about the way he's saying that… It's making my skin crawl. "It's no wonder she pleaded in tears for me to reverse the corruption before she became that entertaining miser she used to be. He's a dear friend to you, is he not?"

Rarity… Corrupted…? "Wha… No! What did ya do to her?! Where is she?!"

I'm yelling and snarling at the guy, but he still looks totally smug right there now that he's facing me. "Oh, she's probably out there somewhere lugging around a boulder that looks like a sparkling diamond to her without a single care for friendship. Just as you'll be in a moment."

That little… Rarity promised! No, wait… I know there's no way she would ever break a Pinkie Promise. We're all in this together! And…why is he reaching out to me with just one finger? "Hey, back off! What're ya doin'?! And what did ya do to Rarity?!"

And now the guy is chuckling at me. The more I hear him, the sicker of the guy I get. "Oh, nothing much. She refused my temptation, so all I had to do was reach out and touch someone. Because either way, you are playing by my rules and the unspoken rule says that I am free to do whatever I please. I made you a liar once. And I will do it again. Now hold still for a second. Either we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. What's it going to be, Applejack?"

This is bad… I need to get away! "How 'bout none of the above?! Get away from me!"

I'm running… Running wherever I can to get away from that scumbag! No way he's turning me into a liar! Not a second time! Wait a second… That rustling from the right inside the hedge… "Playing hard to get, huh?! Well, you better stay on your toes, Applejack!" What the… Here he comes, trying to snatch me up! "Wopah!"

No way you're getting me, you freak show! Ha, I jumped and he just ate some dirt for sure! Wait a second… He's still down and dazed… Perfect! I'll make sure he knows to back off! "So, ya wanna rumble, huh?! Well, all right then! Let's rumble, pardner!"

I'm charging right at him! One good buck to the face should get my point across and make him leave me alone. And he's looking a might scared right now. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hang on a second! Uh…wait! You wouldn't hit a guy with glasses, would you?"

Putting on glasses? Nice try, but no dice! I turn just as I get close and BAM! Right in the face! And…did he just explode into a bunch of apples? Even though I don't see a mouth anywhere, I can still hear him from somewhere. "All right, so you would!"

I'm feeling mighty proud of myself. Ain't no way I'm going to let myself break that promise. James is a nice guy and I'm not gonna let myself hurt him. Now I just need to find Rarity and keep her away from James until we find the Elements of Harmony. As long as he doesn't find out what she's become, I doubt it'll faze him.

Now to start looking for… What the?! Something poking me on the head?! "Boop!"

"Hey! Hands off! What did… Huh?! Oh man… No… No, what did ya do?!" What's with my coat?! I recognize this… Turning kind of…grayish… And what's this I'm feeling? I'm feeling all right… No, I'm feeling weird! And it feels right! No, what am I thinking?! This isn't right! I'm… Darn it! Discord got to me! Gotta fight it… I ain't going back on my word!

He's still looking down at me. That smug grin. He knows he got me. That little… If I wasn't too mentally overwhelmed right now, I'd clean his clock! "That's what you get for kicking a guy in the face while he's wearing glasses. Downright dishonorable. I'd expect something better from you, you dirty little liar."

"I'm not a liar! I'm the biggest roughest toughest mare in the world and I'm gonna squash ya under my hoof… What the… Why am I sayin' that?!" All these fibs coming out of my mouth… They don't even make sense, but they're still lies! I'm not somepony who lies!

And now he's laughing… Discord, you're gonna pay for this! "Oh, I wish I could stick around to see what comes out of your mouth next, but I really must be going. Hmm… Twisting Rainbow Dash into a traitor would cause the game to end right away. Best save her for last. Perhaps Pinkie Pie will be next… Or maybe Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy… No… Anyone but her! "No, ya can't mess with Fluttershy! Not her!"

"Was that a lie just now? When it comes to you, I'm not so sure what to believe. So, by saying that I should stay away from Fluttershy, you mean that I actually SHOULD go to her? Well then, I shall! But maybe not just yet. I'll save the best for last. Goodbye, Applejack! And thank you for being such a good sport." And now he's gone in a flash… But I still hear that awesome laughter all around me… No, it's not awesome! It's creepy and evil!

What's wrong with me… I can't even be honest with myself… It's getting worse… I broke my promise… Oh man, Pinkie Pie's gonna have my hide! Girls… I'm sorry…

Wait… No, I'm not. I'm not sorry at all.

* * *

><p>One little two little three little dead ends! And still no Elements! Wow, how long have I been looking? Over here, over there, and all over everywhere! It's easier to get lost in this labyrinth than it is to get lost in my head! Just like… Hey! No, Zipzee! You can never come out! The world must never see you or find out about my previous life! It's a good thing nopony can see my thoughts!<p>

I'll just keep hopping along and humming a song. Mmhmhmmmm! Mmmmhmhmmmhmmhmmm! Or even better! I'll sing one! Which would be best? Maybe I should sing Giggle at the Ghosties? Or how about good old Smile Smile Smile? Or maybe… Nah, I'm never singing You Gotta Share, You Gotta Care again. If that can cause a buffalo stampede, it must be my worst song yet! Hmmm… Maybe… Aha! I got it! All you have to do is take a cup of laughter and add it to the mix! Then you take a little something sweet, not laughter. Add a little laugh, just a… Wait, where IS all that laughter coming from? It's messing up my singing! And it doesn't sound like my friends…

Maybe it's around this corner… Oh, goody gumdrops! Look at all those balloons! And they all have eyes and big happy smiles! A balloon garden! I gotta see it up close… Waaaaaaait a minute! This seems…kind of familiar. And my Pinkie Sense is twitching hard. Lets see… OK, it's a combo. Watery eyes… Itchy flanks…and a sneeze! That means… There's a trap ahead! Or maybe it's just my allergies… Nope, it's definitely a combo! But I guess that's kind of obvious, seeing as how Discord made a garden like this last time!

I guess I should steer clear of this… But it's a balloon garden! And balloons are fun! And balloons! And more balloons! The only thing that could make this better is some more cotton candy and chocolate rain! Well… OK! I'll go through the garden again. But I'll be extra careful this time and listen closely to my Pinkie Sense! Not even Discord can do anything about that!

And I'm hopping through the balloon garden! I swear all those balloons are looking at me! All those pinks and blues and yellows and greens! And they're all still laughing! That's fine though. I love making ponies laugh! But I guess that means I also love making balloons laugh too! And… Uh oh! Twitchy tail! That means… Whoa! Close one! I almost fell! And right into a mud puddle! And there's a balloon's string tied around my hind leg? I better do something about that.

OK, that's off now. Uh… OK, I think I better get out of here. I don't wanna become a big mean old grouch again! I bet Discord's waiting around here just to mess with my head more! Here I go! Hopping and humming… Yikes! There he is! Just popped up out of one of those balloons! "Going so soon, Pinkie? Why not stay a while longer? I went through all the trouble of setting this place up just for you, after all."

He did? Just for me?! How nice! "Oh, and I love it here! I just love balloons and parties! And it feels like this is a party with only the friends, cake, and music missing! But I really can't stay. I gotta find the Elements of Harmony! Bye!"

And off I… Whoa! A mud puddle?! What happened?! I thought my Pinkie Sense would let me know if I was about to fall! And now all those balloons are laughing at me again… Just ignore them… They're not even alive. It's just Discord being a big old meanie pants again to try to make me hate loving fun and laughter. And I almost never fall for the same trick twice!

"Oh dear, are you all right? It's too bad your Pinkie Sense went AWOL when you really needed it." Discord's behind me now. And… Huh?! That's my tail! No wonder I didn't feel it twitch that time! Give it back! How'd he even take it off of me anyway?!

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is this yours?" He snapped his fingers…and my tail's back where it belongs! But now I need to get my leg untied from that pesky balloon… There we go! But they're still laughing at me!

Discord's starting to fly all around me. He looks kinda worried and concerned… Nah, it's all a trick! And I made a Pinkie Promise to not fall for anymore of his tricks! But what's Discord up to? "Face in the mud again? And I thought you were used to being laughed at by now."

"La la la la la! I can't hear you! So I'll just be going now! Bye!" And I am outta there! Phew! It was fun while it lasted, but I was really taking a big risk in there! But I gotta keep moving. I Pinkie Promised to not let Discord mess up my head again. I was so angry and mean last time! And I can't let myself be like that again! It was hard enough on Twilight last time. And I can't let that happen to James… He's just as sensitive as Fluttershy. And I'd never be able to forgive myself if I ever hurt Fluttershy…

Huh? Discord just popped up in front of me again. And… Wow, he's got his arms crossed and looks really annoyed. "So, you're playing this game too, huh? Completely ignoring me? If there's one thing I hate more than having no chaos going on, besides ink rain…and country music…it's being ignored."

Huh? There's a game going on I wasn't told about?! Well, that's mean! "Ooh, so now we're playing a new game?! Nice! What are the rules?! And who's playing?! Can I play too?"

Discord's smirking at me now. And he's talking in that fake playful tone of voice… And I should know! I'm all about being playful! "Oh, I'm just referring to the game that Applejack and Rarity were playing. At least before I gave them two shades of gray. Some sort of promise about not ever listening to me?"

Gray? And a promise… Wait… No! They broke a Pinkie Promise?! A PINKIE PROMISE?! Just hearing that… Ugh! I'm feeling so MAD! "WHAT?! Nopony… NOPONY breaks a Pinkie Promise!"

"Indeed! Some friends, huh? You'd think true friends would honor such an agreement. But then again, how can you ever be sure your friends are really friends?" Discord is hovering around me with those wings flapping away. I feel mad…but kinda scared too. "Why have friends at all when they're just going to turn their backs on you in the end? Is it worth the heartache if every friendship you forge is merely temporary? It may provide you happiness for a short time, but it'll only leave you with a gaping hole in your heart in the end. Hardly worth it, is you ask me."

I guess he has a point… And it almost sounds like he knows what he's talking about… No… Don't even go there, Pinkie! You know your friends better than that! We're all connected on a very special level! The Elements of Harmony proves that! They would never break a Pinkie Promise… In fact, I bet they're still out there in the maze right now looking for the Elements! I bet they're just fine! "Heheeheehahaha! Yeah, right! I know Applejack and Rarity better than you! No way they would ever break a Pinkie Promise! Nice try though!"

And I'm on my way back down the path. Just need to ignore jerks like that… Huh? He's in front of me again? "Oh, hi there! Forget something?"

And now he looks annoyed again. What did I do? "And here I thought you were the most lacking in brains of the group. Seems that brain of yours works better than I thought. Well, I can see nothing I say is going to shake your faith in your friends, so we may as well get this out of the way."

OK, this is getting creepy… He's got one finger pointed at me and keeps coming closer. "Um… What're you doing? What's with that finger?"

That smirk… That really…really mean smirk. This can't be good… "I was not joking when I said that your two friends broke their promise. They refused to listen to me at all, so I twisted them directly. And before you can call me out on that, I never did say that there is a rule stating I can't corrupt them by force. You should always read the fine print when you get involved in a game with the master of chaos!"

I can't believe this… I never knew he could turn them into mean gray opposites of themselves with just a touch! That means… If he touches me… "Uh… Thanks…but no thanks!" Now I'm running! Running to try to stay away from him! I made a Pinkie Promise to not let myself change! And I INVENTED the Pinkie Promise! If there is one pony in all of Equestria who can't ever break a Pinkie Promise, it's Pinkie Pie! That's me!

Down this way… Now that way… I have no idea where I'm going, but I can't let Discord get to me… Wait… Left shoulder itches… Pinkie Sense, don't fail me now!

From the left! He's coming out of the hedge! Close one! Now it's my right shoulder! The right wall! Now the bottom of my hooves… Out of the ground! Woo! I'm just barely staying one step ahead of him! He'll never catch me as long as my Pinkie Sense keeps me alert!

Left! Below! Above! Behind! Right! He is really going all-out to try to get me! This is actually kinda fun now! And now it's just a long run down a straight path! I can hear him flying just a little ways behind me. But he'll never get me! Wait… What was that flash of light at my shoulders and my flanks? "Don't fall behind, Pinkie Pie! You look like you might be too fast for your own good! Or at least your hooves are!"

Too fast for my… Ow! Oof, that hurt… What's wrong? Why did I fall… Huh? Hey! Are those my legs running on ahead?! They detached from the rest of me?! Animation error?! What are those guys at the HUB doing?! "Hey! Come back! Yoo hoo! This way! Oh, who am I kidding?! My head is the part that has the ears!"

Uh oh… Discord's right next to me… Looking down at me. I'm… I can't believe this, but I'm scared… And my laughing isn't helping! "That was a good chase, Pinkie Pie. You're certainly hard to keep down. Now, do me a favor and just hold still."

His finger is slowly coming towards my face. No… Please… "No, don't touch me! Please, I made a promise! Don't make me break it! Get away… Get… No! Get it off! Please, I'm begging you! Make it stohahooop! Please! I don't wanna stop being me! Get it off! Get it off!"

"Oh, quit being such a big baby. It's not like I stuck you with anything! And quit your crying! In a minute, you won't care about having friends at all!" He finally took it off… But I can still feel it… All that awful bitterness and anger I felt before… I'm crying… I don't want to lose my friends… I have to ignore these feelings... I can't let myself break a Pinkie Promise!

There's another flash… My legs are back on me. "For cooperating, I'm making sure you get your legs back. Go ahead and test them out, if you want." Discord… You meanie… You big…horrible…manipulating meanie! What gives you the right to do this to me?! "Now then… I think I'll pay a little visit to Miss Fluttershy before I check on your human friend."

"What?! No, not Fluttershy!" I reach out and grab him around the foot. I can't let him get to her! Anypony but her! "She'll hurt him the most! You cant do that to her! Please, don't do this! It'll be awful!"

He's looking at me… That awful sinister grin. Why was James not wary of this jerk?! James, I wish you could see what he's doing to us so you'd know he's such a horrible person! "Are you kidding? That's exactly what I'm hoping for! A good old-fashioned soap opera rife with drama! Once I'm done with Fluttershy, I better get some popcorn ready! As for now, farewell, Grumpy Pie!"

He's gone… I feel all that bitterness… No… This isn't me! I'm not someone who hates being happy! I love being happy! I love seeing and making people laugh! I love having friends! I… Who cares about friends? I hate every… No! Fight it, Pinkie Pie! You made a Pinkie Promise! But who cares… No… Pinkie Pie never breaks a Pinkie Promise… Pinkie Pie never breaks a Pinkie Promise… Pinkie Pie…never…breaks a…Pinkie…Promise…

* * *

><p>Oh dear… I think I might be lost… It's too quiet… I would feel a little better if I heard some birds chirping at least. I never liked mazes. Especially ones where I have to go in alone… Hello? Anypony there? Twilight? Are you close by? Applejack? Maybe Pinkie Pie? Or maybe Rainbow Dash? Or are you out there, Rarity?<p>

OK, Fluttershy… Just stay calm. It's only a maze… James would probably be laughing if he saw me acting like this over nothing… I'm just such a coward… I'm so glad my friends don't mind though. I don't know where I'd be without them today.

Now… Where are the Elements of Harmony? I know I've been too nervous and apprehensive to pay much attention to my surroundings, but I'm pretty sure I would have spotted one of them if it passed by my field of vision. Shiny gemstones embedded in golden jewelry are easy to notice. I wish James was here… I would feel so much calmer if he was with me… I hope he's doing all right. And that Discord hasn't done anything mean to anypony.

Maybe I'll find something over… Wait! Something's coming! Hide! If I can just… Phew! I was able to fit inside the hedge. Maybe if I peek out… Huh? Butterflies? And there's three of them… Wait a minute… Last time I saw butterflies was just before… Maybe I shouldn't follow them this time.

All right, they're leaving now. I guess it's safe to come out. Or should I stay inside the hedge? I'll be safe there… But it might take longer for me to find my friends… Wait, that's right. We promised that we would not let Discord get to us again. If I just ignore him, I should be OK.

I'm climbing out of the hedge… It looks safe… OK, time to go. Here come those butterflies again. Just act natural. Let them fly by. Um… Oh, they're just ordinary butterflies. But I should just ignore anything that isn't one of my friends. Maybe if I look down this path? And there's the butterflies again. And there they go. Still nothing down here… Still so nervous… Take a few deep breaths, Fluttershy. It'll be OK. You can do this. It wasn't so bad the first time, after all. Except for when I saw the… Uh oh…

I see the butterflies again. But these have… They have tiny little horns. And they're talking? "Poor Fluttershy. Looks like your friends have left you all alone again."

It's Discord again… Just ignore him. Don't even look at him. Just keep walking. I think they're following me though… Just keep walking. Don't pay any mind to what they say. "Aren't you feeling a little burned up that they haven't come to you yet? It's almost like they value the Elements of Harmony more than they treasure you."

Just keep walking…. Just keep walking… I think it's working! They're not talking anymore. Huh? That flash of light behind… Eep! He's in front of me! And…he looks really frustrated. "OK, you were the last one here I was expecting to be acting like this, Fluttershy. With how timid and helpless you are, I thought for sure at least you would follow my trail of breadcrumbs like the first time."

Well, at least he's not doing anything to me. "Oh, I'm sorry… I know you wanted things to go your way, but… I made a promise to not listen to you this time. So, I'll just be going now. If that's all right with you…"

Be careful… Go around him… Phew, he's not doing anything to stop me. "Yes, I'm quite aware of that little promise you and your friends made…honey."

That word… I feel such a chill in my heart. "Wha… What did you call me?"

He's looking over his shoulder at me… And I really don't like that smirk… He's up to something. "That's what he likes to call you, isn't it? Your human friend."

James… My boyfriend? Does Discord know we're in love? "Why do you ask?"

Discord's turning to face me. And he just snapped his fingers to conjure up…a pair of doves? They're so cute! And they're perching on a bird's roost on his hand while nuzzling each other. "I have to say it's been ages since I last saw a human and a pony being so lovey dovey with each other. And I have to confess that you two seem like such a cute couple!"

Oooh… I feel so warm and fuzzy inside when I hear that. "Thank you… I try to be good to him. And he always tries to be good to me too. I hope we'll be together for a very long time."

Discord seems happy too. Really truly delighted. "Ah, the tenderness of young love. Just seeing that makes one smile. But do you know what is even more entertaining?"

Huh? More entertaining? I thought seeing two young lovers isn't exactly fun to watch, but it does make one feel warm and happy inside. "Um… I don't know. What's more entertaining than that?"

There's that really mean smirk again. What is he… Huh? He just touched one of the doves and it turned a little…gray? "A little marital strife. Nothing like a little drama to spice things up."

The dove just pulled out a…shovel? And… Wha… What is she doing?! No! Stop hitting him! That poor little dove is being beaten over and over by his mate! He's trying to reach out to her, but she keeps pummeling him! Why is she doing that?! Wait… She stopped and threw the shovel away. She's…laughing and smiling at him? The poor little dove is cowering and curled up in front of her… Why… Is that…supposed to represent James and me?

The doves are gone in a flash, but… I… I'm shivering. That was so horrible to see… "Why… Why did you show me that…?"

"Because that is what is going to happen to you and your little sweetheart." Discord's smirking at me with one finger raised… Is he… Again?! "Three of your friends have already broken their promise thanks to a little 'direct' intervention from yours truly. And I'm pretty sure you know what's coming next. But for the sake of a little fun, why don't I give you a head start?"

He… No… He didn't… Three of my friends were forced into breaking the promise we made?! And… No… No, get away from me!

I'm running… Fleeing… I can't let him get to me… I won't let myself become that monster! I can still remember the cruel words I said… The awful mean things I did… I can't let myself do that to James! He'll never trust me again! I don't see Discord behind me… Did I lose him? No, I can't slow down. James, help me! I need to find him! His armor keeps him safe from Discord's magic! He can protect me!

This way… Oh dear… A dead end. Maybe if… No… No… Discord! I'm cornered! "Well, that was a fun chase! But it's time we swap out that kindness for some delightful cruelty."

That finger… If he even touches me… "No… Please, you don't have to do this! Please, just go away!"

He's not stopping… Still coming closer… "Let me think on this for a moment… What's that answer I'm looking for? It's on the tip of my tongue… Oh, right. No, I don't think I will. It's been far too long since I last saw the kind of chaos that comes from a dysfunctional relationship and you are going to provide it! I've already got some popcorn popping and I'm not letting that go to waste!"

I can't move… Too terrified… That… No, it's touching me! I feel it… That…desire to hurt others… No, I have to resist! Need to…push back… I'll never forgive myself if I ever hurt him! "No…! I…won't….!"

The gray going down my leg… It's going back up! Maybe I can resist it! But…Discord keeps pushing hard! No! I can't fail! I promised my friends! I promised myself! I can't let myself change now! Please… No! Get off me!

Discord is looking really mad now… He's snarling at me… "How are you resisting this?! This is my game and you are going to play by my rules! And the #1 unspoken rule is you play things my way!"

It's so strong… I… I have to… Please, no! I can't give up… I won't let myself…hurt him… "I can't let you do that to me… I love him too much to hurt him!"

"And I say it's time for you to break his heart!" He suddenly pushes down really hard! I… I can't…. I feel it seeping into me… Need to resist… No… Please… I can't… NOOOOOOO!

"You're more trouble than you're worth. And quit crying! It's not like I violated you! Anyway, time to check on the newest contestant. And don't worry. You'll be seeing him very soon, Fluttershy. And be sure to give him a nice big hug for me." He's gone… But… I failed… I can't even make myself stand… I can feel it inside me… These horrible thoughts…

I want to see him cry… To see him in pain… Why am I thinking these horrible things?! This isn't me! But…I want to hurt him… I want to see him broken… I'm such a failure… Of all the promises I've ever made, I had to break this one… I can't resist these urges… Any minute now, I'll be gone and only a monster will be in my place… James… Please… Don't come this way… I have to get as far away as possible before I lose myself!

I… I don't want to see him plead… I don't want to see him happy… I want to crush him… No… This isn't… James, please… Stay away!


	32. Mortal Chaos

Words from the author

This chapter has been in planning for close to two years now since shortly after the start of Season 2. And I can say now, this one probably warrants a warning. For those who have been following my works for a long time, one may remember a chapter I put out a long time ago called Devil of the Eternal Flame. That was the first chapter I ever wrote that I felt was deserving of a warning at the start.

This chapter though... It is quite possibly the single most messed up thing I have ever written. While probably not on the same level of gore as other more infamous fanfics, the psychological aspect is where this chapter truly hits hard in my eyes. While not terribly jarring to me probably since it came out of my own head, from the outside looking in this chapter will likely be hard to stomach. Proceed with caution.

* * *

><p>-UNDOCUMENTED-<p>

Hmm… Should I be more worried than this? I suspect I have been searching this hedge maze for the last half hour or so by this point. At least the weather is nice. Bright and sunny with a gentle breeze every now and then. Granted, I can only feel the breeze on my exposed face, but still. I cannot even guess why the girls were so wary of this whole thing. I actually find this experience to be relaxing.

Although I do have to say it is rather quiet out here. Maybe too quiet. Aside from the faint rustling of leaves from the hedges all around me when a particularly strong breeze kicks up, the only sound I hear is the clatter of my metal boots clanking with each step. I am especially surprised that my helmet does not muffle my hearing at all. Celestia and Luna sure know how to forge some fine suits of enchanted armor.

Still no signs of my friends or the Elements of Harmony… The only clue we have is that we must 'search within'. I do have to say it was clever of Twilight to guess that they would be hidden within the labyrinth. Although Discord did not seem too worried when we showed up out here to start searching. Although… Causing their horns and wings to disappear? If my friends had looked like they were in pain or I saw even a drop of blood from where their appendages used to be, that could have easily gone from funny to scary.

Right… Discord. Where is that goofball anyway? Is he just waiting outside the labyrinth for us to find the Elements? I honestly cannot bring myself to dislike the guy after his first appearance before me. Although my friends really seemed to hate him and even the royal sisters seemed highly wary of him. I know they say he ruled the world at one point, keeping the planet engulfed in utter chaos that resulted in eternal misery for the people. But… Is it really possible for someone so hilariously funny and jolly to be that vile? I simply cannot process it. He certainly seems cunning and sly, but not evil.

Perhaps I am just not searching hard enough. Maybe if I examine… Wait a second. Discord said that wings and magic cannot be used. But he never said anything about swords. Just let me get the Celestial Sword out… Wow, it feels like it has been too long since I last beheld that beautiful white blade. The glow seems to be gone, but I guess that is understandable since it is currently pretty bright outside. Now then… A few hacks against this hedge and… There we go! A spot I can squeeze through.

Nothing new over here. Maybe I should just look around over here for a while before carving another gap in the walls. Wait a second… Will Celestia and Luna be mad that I may have just vandalized their hedge maze? Uh oh… Uh… Maybe I should refrain from cutting anymore holes in the walls. Yeah, better play it safe. I suppose I will just…return my sword to its scabbard on the back of the Lunar Shield… Yeah.

Walking and walking… I have to say this is all pretty relaxing. I am just letting my mind wander as I…well…wander through this maze. This is not scary at all. I wonder how the girls are doing as I… Huh? Oh, that is cute. A pair of little white doves perched upon a hedge. "Well, look at you. What's up, pretty birds?"

Wait… What is with those looks they are giving me? And…are those a pair of horns on their heads? They do not quite match either… And… What the?! They are talking to me?! And I know that voice… "Pretty birds? Why, how kind of you to say such a thing. And that armor of yours is mighty easy on the eyes too."

Sure enough, they are engulfed in a bright gray flash and… Oh, good grief. Now Discord is lounging around on top of the hedge. That got me good. "Uh… Man, you sure had me fooled. Sorry about that… I tend to talk a lot when I feel no one is around."

"Oh, there's no need to apologize, my good sir! It just goes to show how much you care when you compliment the little things like that. It's rather endearing, honestly." He just hopped down in front of me. I do not feel the least bit bothered at all, although I really should not let myself get distracted by a friendly and funny face.

"Thanks. Well, I should keep looking. And don't worry, I haven't been using any magic or flight." I say while I start to go on my way. Need to keep moving. I have no idea how big this maze could be. It could take hours to locate the Elements. Hopefully we can get this game over with before I have to run to the bathroom. I doubt there is an outhouse in the labyrinth.

I round the corner and…there he is playing croquet…with his head?! It is completely detached from his body while it holds a long mallet in its hands. And he can still talk?! "Glad to see you're still sticking to the rules. Most would try to cheat by now if they could."

Then he bonks his head, sending himself rolling through a hoop before…his body is already on the other side and snatches up his head before placing it back on his neck. Able to alter reality as he wishes… Now I have seen everything. And… Hang on… That tone of voice he is using… "But back to the previous topic… It's just a shame that your friends do not share the same caring nature that you have."

There is something I really do not like about the way he said that. Wait… Now I remember. I should not take anything he says too seriously. Although I suppose I may as well hear him out. "What do you mean by that? Of course they're caring. I should know. I've been living among them for a year now."

He is shaking his hands at me. Looks like he might have not worded his response properly. "Oh, that came out wrong! What I meant is yes, they are quite caring towards each other and their friends. However…" Now he is floating around me like a swaying snake in the breeze? "What I meant to say is that they are not quite so caring towards humans. And I should know."

I shrug my shoulders and just keep walking. It did not sound like he was being honest. More like he was just messing with me. But… Hang on. What did he just say? "I know you want to know. Those royal bumpkins might not want to tell you the truth, but I know everything they know. This world once had its own human population, as I am sure you must have been told at some point. Aren't you curious of what became of them?"

I sigh while turning to face him. "I already know that much. They did something that caused them to fall out of harmony, forcing them to be banished to distant worlds."

"But what exactly did they do to warrant such a grim punishment?" That question actually got my attention. And… Well, it is tempting to hear him out. I mean he must have been around back when that crisis occurred. Even when trapped in stone, someone with his kind of power could probably observe the earthshaking events that unfolded back then. And even though it is very possible that he is lying…

…..Fine. I suppose if anyone knows the truth, it is Discord. I guess I have the right to know since I am here as the first step to undo the damage that was done back then. "OK then. What happened back then that caused the humans to be exiled from this world forever?"

I better stay cautious. That sly smirk on his face is just screaming 'Just a little more and I will have you in my clutches, you little bumbling oaf' to me. "Very well then. Just be warned, everything I am about to say now is the honest truth."

And there he goes floating around me again. "As I'm sure you've guessed or have been told, humans did indeed reside within Equestria back in the day. And they got along with the ponies and other creatures in the land just as well as you did. But then one day, someone got thinking. And that thinking led to a radical change in the human's perception of their little pony friends." That look he is giving me… I really do not like it. "Are these ponies really our equals? Or are we the truly superior race?"

The mere thought of such a concept taking hold in anyone's mind sickens me. I cannot stand such an outlook on life. Viewing one's people as superior over others is just begging for conflict and strife. Not a healthy mindset at all. But as tempted as I am to comment on that, I feel I should hold my tongue until he finishes.

"And so, the betrayal began. Your human predecessors banded together and invaded to make the ponies and Equestria theirs alone. About as out of harmony as one could get, really. And so, with all other options thrown out the window, the royal family used the Elements of Harmony to banish their former friends to far away worlds." And now he is giving me that sly look again. "And you may be wondering. 'What does this have to do with me?' you might be asking yourself right now. Well, ask yourself this. Do you really think all the scars from that betrayal are gone?"

The emotional scars… I suppose it would not be surprising if the human race was reviled after that incident. And Zecora… Her people still have tales about humans that have been passed around the fire for ages. And there he goes again. "Do you really think your friends will still be your friends once they find out about what really happened? Do you truly believe Equestria itself will want to have anything to do with you once the truth is revealed? You're walking on thin ice, kid."

As convincing as he is sounding right now, Luna's warning still echoes in my mind. Whatever it is he is saying is likely just to mess with me. For all I know, he is spinning lies on the spot. "What would you have me do?"

Now he just looks delighted while holding his hand to his chin. "Ah, what to do indeed! Isn't that the thousand bit question… Well… If you want my honest suggestion… Let it all go."

"Come again?" I ask in response. Let it go? What, does he mean to just stop caring about anything?

"That's right." Now he is giving me that sly diabolical smirk again. "Rather than looking forward to what's going to happen the next day with your friends, it would probably be wiser to just stop caring altogether so that when that wretched day comes where all of Equestria turns their backs on you, you will be feeling too detached to really be fazed at all. Sometimes a little apathy can be sheltering."

Apathy… The complete opposite of humanity. I will not deny that there have been times where I have felt quite apathetic, but that has not happened since I arrived in Equestria. Well, I can see Discord is trying to just get under my skin by this point. And I know better than to doubt those wonderful mares who mean the world to me. "That's a convincing argument you're making, but no thanks."

Huh… He looks genuinely shocked. What, did he think I am that gullible? "What're you saying? You mean to tell me you think the ponies of this world won't reject you once they find out what happened ages ago? The entire reason humanity no longer exists in this world is because they became terrified of their former friends!"

I think now I should be on my way. So I turn my back on him. "My friends will vouch for me. They know to judge the individual for what they are, not for what the majority of their race is like. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find me some Elements. Maybe I'll even find some hydrogen and oxygen to merge into the Element of H2O." All right, I know that was a bad pun. But I simply could not resist.

"Oh, you little…" Huh? What is he… Just poked me on the head? "You've been letting your heart guide you for too long! Time to show a little apathy!"

Well, that was certainly rude. I am looking back at him with a bit of a glare. He is finally starting to bug me. "I'll start being more apathetic when I feel like it, thank you very much."

Huh? Now he looks totally baffled. Why? What did he think I would say? "Uh… Are you feeling all right? Feeling a little gray? Looking a little gray?"

By now, I am just sick of him. So I just keep walking. And he is still poking me on the head over and over. "Well, this can't be right… What's going on here? Is that some gray I see? No, that's still white and dark blue… What gives?! Why isn't it working?!"

That makes forty taps on the head he has given me… Now fifty. All right, I think it is time I make this spastic pest buzz off. But how? Hmm… Ooh, that will work. I would normally never consider doing this. But if Discord can shrug off being fried by a lightning spell from Nightmare Moon, then he will surely be all right in the long run with a little blunt force trauma.

I smack his arm away and look up at him. I wonder if he knows what is about to happen. "Don't you have some busted balls to be tending to?"

That certainly seems to have baffled him. He lifts his hands in a puzzled manner, his face looking truly flummoxed. "Huh? I don't have any broken balls."

And now for the punch line. I just lashed out with my foot, kicking him right between the legs. Man, what would that have done to anyone else, considering the kind of strength my boots give me? That look on his face… Looks like he just got poked with a needle somewhere and now he is just frozen in place. Well, there is only one thing I can say to him. "You do now."

Time to get moving. I turn and head on my way. But as soon as I round the next corner… Was that a little girl I just heard scream? Oh lord, I cannot help snickering… Well, he certainly had that coming. I just hope he will be fine. Even though he will likely brush that wound off, it will likely still be sore for a while.

Huh? Who was that I just heard from my left? On the other side of the hedge? "Huh? Who just screamed? Was that Rarity?"

I know that voice anywhere. "Twi? That you? You doing OK?"

"James?! Hang on, let me find a way around!" I can hear her hooves clopping in a rhythm that matches a gallop. She seems to be going on ahead. I better try to keep up. Now she sounds like she is moving further away from me. Maybe there is something up ahead… Aha. There is an open area here. Must be like a rest area. I see a few potted plants in elegantly carved stone pots and a stone bench or two. And here comes Twilight.

"Oh, thank goodness! I was worried sick! Are you all right?" She asks right before sailing into my arms while I kneel down to catch her. Phew… It feels good to hold my dear friend. I was just starting to wonder if anything had happened to her. "Was that you who screamed a minute ago? Did something happen?"

"Me? Nah, that was Discord. He wouldn't stop poking me in the head, so I gave him one pair of busted balls to tend to so he would take a hike." I just said in response. Sure enough, she seems kind of baffled by those words.

"Busted…balls? What kind of balls?" She definitely does not get it, so I will just show a simple sudden forward jab of my right shin. "What do… Oh, good lord, you didn't! Not with that kind of strength!" Now she gets it. Even though she seems horrified, she also looks like she is trying hard to not laugh. I cannot say I blame her. It is a little cringe-inducing to imagine a guy getting socked there.

"Hey, he asked for it! Besides, I'm sure he'll walk it off in no time. Looked like it still hurt though!" And now we are both laughing. Man… First Nightmare Moon zaps him good and then I give the guy a low blow to the gonads. Good thing the guy is highly resilient.

Considering the location, it may be a good idea to sit down and take a break. I will just sit on this bench here. "Any sign of the rest of the girls?"

And now Twilight is joining me on the bench to my right. "Not yet. I was hoping you would've found one of them by now."

She certainly does seem relieved and even a bit happy. "You know, I think I'm starting to get why you and the other girls are so wary of that guy. Discord can be a real pest when he wants to be."

"A pest… Right." Now she seems rather worried. Was it something I said? And… Now she is just gently leaning against my arm. "I was worried he might've messed with your head by the time I found you. I don't want to lose you…"

Mess with my head? So that was the name of the game, huh? "Well, he tried. But I never took the guy seriously. I don't think he liked that though."

Twilight really seems to like it when I stroke my fingers through her mane. I just cannot help it, really. Almost like petting a friendly animal, but knowing that you are pleasing a person instead. I hear her let out a pleasured sigh before she speaks softly. "Well… Did you have any luck in finding any of the Elements of Harmony?"

Well, that is discouraging. I was sure that Twilight would have found at least one of them by now. "Can't say I have. I'm not even sure if they're being stashed separately or are all bundled together somewhere. You sure they're out here?"

"Well, this would be the first place I would think of looking when the hint to finding them is to 'search within'. The last hint Discord gave us was that we had to 'go back to the beginning'. And the Elements were being stashed inside a book in my house! But this time… They must be out here." She does seem pretty convinced that they are somewhere out here. And it would make sense. This would be a cunning place to hide pretty much anything.

The moment is actually rather calm. But at the same time… It feels a bit…worrying. Not like a relaxing moment in the day. But rather…a calm before a storm. Not a rainstorm or even a chocolate milk storm. The weather seems fair and the sky clear. But… There is that sense of dread again. Something is going to happen… And what is going on with the other five girls in the maze? Are they all right? Again, Discord might be a pest at times, but I just cannot see him as being dangerous.

Twilight just jumped down from the bench and is stretching to loosen herself up. "All right, I think we should keep moving. The sooner we find the Elements, the better."

I better get back on my feet too. "Sounds good. I'll keep an eye out for them."

What is with that look Twilight is giving me? Is she still worried? "Um… Actually, would it be fine with you if we stuck together?"

As much as I would like her by my side, I tend to focus better when I am alone. No distractions and the like. And with how dear they are to me, my friends are certainly a big distraction at times, but in a good way. Now is not one of those times. "As much as I'd like to, I think we'd be better off splitting up. We'll cover more ground that way."

She does seem disappointed, but she also seems to understand. "I guess you have a point… Just be careful. Don't listen to Discord at all if you see him again." And there she goes. "I'll start down this… Oh, wait. You came outta this one. Um… Over here then! I'll see you up ahead, James!"

"You take care!" And she is gone. Now I better get going. That is the path Twilight came out of… Maybe this one over here. All right, now to keep searching.

Another ten minutes have gone by and I have found nothing. No sight of my friends and no sign of the Elements of Harmony. Even so, just walking along out here is a good way to just chill and let the mind wander… I wonder how the royal sisters are doing? Are they watching from the palace? I can still see a bit of it over the top of the hedge here. And… Hang on. Who is that I hear?

It sounds like some grunting… And some heavy footsteps. Judging by the sound of the voice… Is that Rarity?! Sweet! Now I just need to hurry along and… Oof! I ran right into that hedge… Man, I forgot how fast my legs carry me when I wear this armor! Maybe I should wear this stuff more often. OK, down here… There is another corner. Turn right here… Then another right… Then left… And then… What…the…crap?

What the hell is she doing? She is lugging around a huge boulder that is probably as tall as I am! I had no idea she was ever that burly, even if she does seem to be struggling under the weight! And she appears to be covered in a layer of gray dust judging by how pale her coloration is. What, did she find a quarry in the labyrinth somewhere and dug that thing out with her bare hooves?! Her mane and coat do seem a little scuffed up… But still… That boulder… Do not laugh, James. Do not laugh…

Well, I found her, so I may as well catch up to her. "Heya, Rarity! Uh… Why…are you lugging around…that…rock?"

All right, NOW she puts it down with a thump. But she seems a little annoyed with me for some reason. "A rock?! What do you mean?! Just look at the luster on this gorgeous hunk of a diamond!"

"Duh… Diamond?" That is all I can say, really. She thinks…that freaking boulder…is a diamond?

And now she is nuzzling and…kissing…and caressing that boulder like… Oh, I just have no idea! "I know. Dazzling, is it not? Just look at that gorgeous light blue sheen! Oh, you are such a handsome gem, Tom. Where have you been all my life?!"

Tom… She is calling that massive boulder…Tom… Can…not…contain… "Bwahahahaha! Tom?! Diamond?! No wonder you wear glasses sometimes!" Need to stop laughing… Oh god, my gut hurts! Sheesh, who knew Rarity could be this funny?!

"Don't laugh! I know what you're trying to do! You're just trying to make me think this diamond isn't all that valuable! Well, it's not going to work! There is no other diamond out there like this one and it's mine, you hear me?! MINE! You can't have it!" Man, she is practically screaming at me. Could she get any sillier?

Well, I suppose I better do her a favor and cleave that boulder in two with the Celestial Sword. To be fair, there is the possibility of gemstones being inside the thing. Just do not ask me why they are already cut and polished whenever they are dug up. "OK, enough of this standup routine. Leave that stuff to Pinkie Pie. Now, let's see if there really are some diamonds in… Ow!"

Wha… What the hell was that for? She just…jumped and kicked me squarely in the gut. My armor prevented me from actually getting hurt, but…I still felt a sting in the heart when she did that. Rarity…just tried to hurt me? My best friend? And she looks…furious at me. "I said you can't have this! This diamond is mine and no one else's! So keep your grubby hands off it!"

I can still feel it… I instinctively hold my empty hand to my armored belly. There is no wound or bruise, but… "Why'd you do that? We're… I thought you loved me…"

She is hoisting that thing on her back and… That gaze she is giving me… No love or adoration at all. "Love you? What could I possibly get out of someone like you? The only thing I have any need for are all the riches in the world! Now begone! I need…erf… I need to get this gorgeous hunk of a gem home! Now, which way to the exit?"

…I cannot believe what I just heard… Rarity… What… One of the most precious friends I have… She just dumped me for…a rock.

I cannot proceed right now… I am just sitting with my back to a hedge. I still cannot fathom it. Not even an hour ago, she was happy to be with me and complimented my armored form. Now… Why… Rarity, I thought you loved me... Adored me. And I always adored and treasured you, you gorgeous mare… Why do this? What has bewitched you?

I am not even certain of how much time has passed. Rarity is long gone, but… I just cannot bring myself to stand. This misery… How can it be affecting me this deeply? I still have five very dear friends with me out here somewhere. And yet… I am crushed. I can still remember when we met… Rarity was the first person in Ponyville to actually try to help me. Granted, she may have hurt me right away by accident, but she patched me up right away too. But now… It is as if she does not even notice the bracelet around her ankle anymore…

I hear the sound of hooves clopping. But I do not care. I am too miserable to pay any mind. It is probably just Rarity passing me without even casting a glance in my direction… Wait. A hoof on my shoulder? And that voice… "Hey… James? You OK, big guy?"

Rainbow Dash. I… I grab her in a tight embrace. I never thought I would be this relieved to see her. But she certainly is surprised by this desperate seeking of affection. "Whoa! Uh… Are you all right? Why're you this clingy?!"

"I… I don't know how to say it…" That is all I can squeak out. I am just too relieved to have a familiar and friendly face here.

I think Rainbow is catching on to how I feel. I can feel her holding me in a tender hug that you would not expect from such a brazen and athletic mare. "Easy, buddy. Calm down… What's wrong? I don't think I've ever seen you this bummed out since the day I first met you."

All right… I do not want to give Rainbow Dash any reason to be upset with Rarity, but… I need to be honest. "Rarity… She just dumped me for a rock… Even kicked me when I tried to get close to it."

She just suddenly let go and backed up. Rainbow looks…angry yet baffled? "Huh?! She kicked you?! And she'd rather have a rock with her instead of you?! What's her problem?! Last I checked, she had the hots for you!"

"I don't know either… But everything she said was sincere. She wanted nothing to do with me…" It still hurts to remember. I… I just cannot wrap my head around it. Why? Why did she become such a wretched miser? She is the bearer of the Element of Generosity. Such behavior should be beneath her…

I cannot even look at Rainbow… Cannot even lift my head…. Huh? Her hoof on my cheek? "James… Listen to me."

I may as well look at her. And… She… A kiss? I… It feels soothing… Familiar… I… I feel calmer. Just… Thank you, Rainbow… She is looking into my eyes with the same tenderness I only see every once in a great while. "James… I don't know what's gone wrong with Rarity, but trust me when I say this."

I can only nod. And now she is smiling somberly. "I love you, big guy. I don't care if you're already spoken for; I still love you all the same. And no matter what happens… Even if all your friends in the world turn their backs on you, you'll always have me. So…" The touch of her hoof against my cheek… "Don't worry too much. You've got something you'll never lose. You have my heart… OK, I know that sounds way too sappy to be coming from me, but I'm trying to make a point here!"

OK, that got a chuckle out of me. Man, Rainbow… What would I do without you? So unlike myself, yet I cannot help adoring her despite her occasional ego flare-ups. All right… I am feeling a bit better now… The sting is still there in my heart, but… I suppose it is a bit more bearable. But still… I want Rarity back.

"Did you see where she went? I wanna track Rarity down and chew her out. You don't dump a friend for a rock!" Wow… I feel lucky to have a friend like her. Rainbow, you are a marvel.

Well, I suppose I should point her in the right direction. "I last saw her going that way. I don't know how long ago that was…"

She seems pretty determined… I hope she can set Rarity straight. I love that mare… "Thanks. You keep an eye out for the Elements and I'll catch up to you later. Keep your chin up, James! I'll get through to her somehow!" And there she goes. Well… I guess I should get going too. Not like the rest of my friends will turn their backs on me. Still… Was it something I did? No, that cannot be right. Rarity has been very dear to me since very shortly after my arrival in Equestria. I know I blame myself too easily for this stuff, but still…

So far, nothing yet. No Elements of Harmony. And no friends… I need to keep my spirits up… Just let my mind wander. Hum a tune. Just enjoy the pleasant weather and surroundings. Hm… There I go humming that little jingle I sometimes hear Fluttershy sing. The weirdest thing is I swear I have heard it somewhere before, and not in Equestria. Strange, is it not? Well, it is not like I can go back to Earth and try to find out at my own leisure. It is catchy though.

Still… My thoughts keep going back to Rarity. Why would… I can still feel that ache in my heart when I realized she had just attacked me. I know she loves anything fancy, including gemstones, but she has never put them before her friends. What could drive her to become that way?

All right, enough of this. Need to find those Elements. Might as well run. And off I go. The only thing I hear is the clanking of my armored feet as I zip through the maze. Need to look through every gap in the walls I come across though. Nothing there… Nothing here… And nothing… Is that Applejack?

Whoa! Hit the brakes! Close one. Came to a sliding stop right in front of her. "Sorry, AJ! You OK? Any luck finding the Elements?"

"Sure did! I saw all six of 'em!" Huh? What is with that look on her face? Right after she said that… Her eyes keep glancing everywhere while she seems to be biting her lower lip. But still… She saw the Elements?! Nice!

"Sweet! Where are they? Do you have them?" Hopefully she has them under her hat. I do not see them on her person, so… Huh? Nothing under her hat?

"Nope. A big ol' alligator came along and gobbled them all up. Sorry, James." Wait… What? An alligator? On a mountaintop? In a hedge maze?

Something seems off here. It is not like Applejack to joke around like this. "Uh… AJ? Are you feeling all right? And why are you looking…a bit dull? Rolled around in some gravel dust?" She seems a little…pale as well. Kind of like Rarity. Maybe I should brush it off of her… Huh? This stuff is not coming off.

Looks like Applejack is getting annoyed by me brushing her with my hand. "Hey, knock it off, tubby! I'm just fine!"

"Oh, sorry. It's just that I saw Rarity and… Hang on. Tubby?!" Well, that came right out of nowhere. Barking insults at me? That is not like her at all.

"Yeah! Yer about as broad as my barn! Ya check a scale lately?" She keeps making that weird face whenever she says something weird, but she still seems…sincere about it.

I have to let out a sigh at that last remark. "AJ, I know I was a bit portly when I first showed up in Ponyville a year back. But I've slimmed down! I know I have to be under 200 pounds by now!"

"Well, I'm not seein' it. Too many trips ta Sugarcube Corner?" All right, is she deliberately trying to push my buttons? She certainly is not doing a good job of it right now. I can brush off any comments about my weight, but this makes no sense! What is her problem?! Now I am genuinely concerned for her. Letting Applejack out of my sight would probably be a bad idea. She must have hit her head or something.

"All right, enough of that. I think I should stick with you for now. Is that all right?" I doubt she will object to my company. Applejack may not be my closest friend, but she is still a dear friend nonetheless.

Wait… She just shook her head? "Nah. I'm good on my own."

May as well tell it to her straight. "AJ, I'm starting to get worried about you. A lot of the stuff you're saying doesn't even make sense. I just want to be there for you as your friend."

That look she is giving me… Is that a show of confusion or something else? "Friends? I don't recall us bein' friends."

Wha… Why… What is she saying? "AJ… What is wrong with you? We've been friends for a full year now."

"News ta me. I never liked ya to begin with. Always hated ya, to be honest." That… I… Applejack, what… That pain in my heart… Why does this hurt so much? "Why don't ya just scram? Nopony likes ya anyway."

There is nothing I can say to that. Even though she makes that weird face every time she says something, it always turns into a look of sincerity. And she is not exaggerating at all. That face shows that she is telling me straight.

"Well… All right. I'll just…go…" It is all I can say. I am just walking away now while she walks in the other direction. Applejack… I never thought those words would hurt this much… What happened to you?

What is happening in this maze? My friends are turning on me one by one… Why? Rarity always loved me, and then she attacks me. And now Applejack admits that she always hated me? What is next? I want to believe Rainbow Dash's words from earlier, but… Will she still be the same pegasus I know and love when I see her next? Will Twilight still be happy to see me next time we cross paths? I feel so doubtful… Why am I so scared? That feeling of dread is swelling in my heart.

I feel so listless as I wander… I am hardly even paying attention to my surroundings. The Elements of Harmony are feeling less and less important to me… I still have my Element embedded in my helmet's forehead… No, I still need to stay alert. If nothing else, having a task to focus on will keep my mind off of what just transpired. Stay alert. They have to be around here somewhere.

I seem to have hit a few dead ends, but have found nothing. Wait… That faint sound. The sound of hooves clopping against the ground? They are too light to be Rarity's. Good. I am not sure I want to see her again as she is now. She would likely attack me on sight. Just need to find my way around this hedge.

Great, there is another corner. This way… Now that way… Ah, over there. Pinkie Pie! I never get tired of that peppy mare. But… What is with that stance? She is constantly slinking low to the ground? Is she on edge about something? Trying to track something down?

"Phew, am I glad I found you. Are you OK, Pinkie?" Seriously, if there is someone I always love having in my company, it is Pinkie Pie. We could not be more unlike each other, but that probably means we just mesh better. Opposites attract and all that. But… Why does she look so grouchy?

That glare she is giving me… I have never seen that look of utter hostility in her eyes. "Glad? About what? Need a good laugh?"

There is something…spiteful about that tone of voice. It is not filled with the usual pep and joy I always hear from her. And… What is the deal with her coloration? It is not just her mane and coat. It seems to be her eyes as well. I suppose I have mentioned this before, but the colors of the ponies in this world are quite vibrant. But like Rarity and Applejack, they seemed…duller. Almost as if a thin layer of gray dust had been applied to them. She looked like her colors had become the same subdued shade of pastels.

If it was anyone else, I would likely be a bit wary and eager to keep my distance. But Pinkie Pie is one of my dearest and most dependable friends. Friendship is quite literally what keeps her going in life. So I know I have nothing to fear. "No, not really. I'm just glad to see you. Are you OK though? You seem…grumpy."

"So, I look grumpy, huh? Well, maybe I am!" Is she…yelling at me? I am tempted to just turn around and walk away. I really cannot stand being yelled at. No, I should not leave. Not yet.

"Well… Is there anything I can do to help?" I know she likes my company. Pinkie Pie and I have been pretty tight for a while now.

She is walking away from me now. "How about you just get lost?"

This is escalating much faster than with Applejack and Rarity. What in the world is wrong with her? "You sure? I thought you would like a friend with you while we search for the Elements of Harmony. Would you rather…"

She just started yelling at me… She looks so furious… Almost like she could pounce on me and start pounding on me at any second. "I don't care! I hate the Elements of Harmony! I hate everything! I hate you! Just beat it!"

That… That was all I could stand. I can only just turn and walk away… That hurt. Being yelled at always leaves me feeling bitter inside, but…that… She hates me now? She hates…everything? What the hell happened to you, Pinkie Pie?

I am alone… I honestly want to cry, but the tears will simply not come to me. I am just huddled in a corner somewhere in this maze. Twilight… Rainbow… I wish one of you were here now… What in the world is going on? My friends… They're not even friends to me anymore. It is as if they have become entirely different people.

Wait… I am noticing a pattern. Rarity, the bearer of the Element of Generosity, is now a greedy hoarder. Applejack, the bearer of the Element of Honesty, is now either a terrible liar or likes to strike nerves as hard as a hammer. Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter, is now a wrathful and spiteful person who seems to hate just about everything. They are all…opposites of how they used to be. And that leaves…

No… Oh god, no… Not her. Not Fluttershy too! She is the Element of Kindness. And the opposite of that is… I do not want to even fathom what she would be! Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash… What has become of them since we last crossed paths? Have they been twisted too?

I cannot just stand here. I need to get to Fluttershy right away. For all I know, she is the only one I still have. If I can get to her before she becomes twisted, maybe I can keep her from changing too. I cannot even guess what could have…corrupted the rest of my friends, but if I can find Fluttershy, I may be able to keep her safe. I love her… I cannot bear the thought of losing her too. We have already been through so much by now and I will not let it all be thrown away!

More than ever, I am tempted to fly and search the maze from above. But I cannot. Discord is probably watching from somewhere and I should not break the rules just to locate my girlfriend… Oh, fine. I am sure Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare Moon will understand with the current circumstances. I need to close the gap between us as soon as possible.

I draw my sword and start hacking my way through the hedges, barging through the crudely cut holes in the walls of leaves and bushes. Now over here. The Celestial Sword cleaves through them like paper. Virtually no resistance. And my armor keeps me safe from scrapes and cuts. But I do not care about me right now. I need to get to Fluttershy before…whatever strange phenomenon is plaguing this labyrinth twists her into…the opposite of 'Kindness'. My armor's enchantments are likely shielding me from such effects, but in her case…

How long have I been at this? I have been in too much of a panic to even really keep track of anything. I swear I may have even passed one of my former friends along the way. I did not pay them any heed. Whoever they are, they are dead to me. No, that sounds too cruel. I mean… I hope they are in there somewhere, but… I am not sure if I would be able to trust them again after all that. They may not be the same people in terms of values and outlooks, but they are still physically and identically the same mares who became the foundation of my life in this wonderful world. And now only a single piece of that foundation remains… And there she is!

Thank god. She is right over there. And from way over here, she seems just fine. That light yellow and pink seems the same shade as before from this distance. Now to just catch up… My armored legs are carrying me towards her with great speed. I drop my sword and remove my shield from my left arm before reaching down and wrapping my arms around her before she can even turn to face me. "Thank god, you're OK… I missed you, honey. Have you been all right?"

Wait… She is struggling against my embrace? "Who's that? Let go!"

Did I startle her? I better let her go for now. All right, now she is looking at me with…a bit of a glare? Wait… Now that I am closer… Her mane and coat are a little…duller. Is she… No… Please, no! Please still be the mare I love… I know you are in there somewhere, honey…

"Oh, it's you. No luck in finding the Elements?" Well, at least she is smiling at me. Although there is something…dubious about that look in her eyes.

"No, nothing yet. But… Man, I can't tell you how happy I am to see you, Fluttershy. I was worried about you." Now I just need to stay with her at all times. I know I told Twilight it would be better to split up, but with all that has been happening, I cannot allow Fluttershy out of my sight.

"Oh boo hoo hoo, you worry too much. What, did you think the hedges would eat me?" Where… What did that come from? That just sounded really mean more than anything.

Still, I guess I have to snort at that one. "Uh… Of course not. It's just that something…weird has been happening with the others. So I dropped everything to find you. I mean, why wouldn't I? I love you."

What is with that stare? It looks…disdainful. "You do? Well, I'm not so sure I do. I mean, I'm a girl with very specific tastes."

I can feel my body heat rising. Sweat is oozing all over me. No… Not you too, Fluttershy! No, do not panic. Talk it out. I cannot lose her. "Well… What tastes do you mean? What do you want in a man?"

That smirk on her face. It almost feels evil… "What kind of man do I like? Well, I like a man with endurance. A guy who can really take a hit. Someone who enjoys pain."

"You mean a masochist…" Why… Just… What in the world would Fluttershy want with a man who enjoys pain? Unless… Oh, please do not say what I think you are about to…

"Exactly. I know we've been together for a while, James. And you're really good in bed too. But my tastes have changed. You still want us to stay together, right?" I swear she is getting enjoyment out of my anxiety. I know I am stressed and I cannot hide it.

Even so, I do not want this relationship to end. She just might be the only one I still have by now… "Of course I do. I love you…"

Now that there is a very worrying smirk. "Then prove it. Punch yourself in the face. Show me how badly you want us to stay together."

…She wants to see me in pain. Well… Hopefully this is all she wants to see. I know this is not how Fluttershy really is. But maybe…if I stick with her, I will be able to help bring the real her to the surface. I better take my gauntlet off first. An armored fist would likely hurt like hell. Wait, what did she just say? "No. With the armor still on."

What is her deal?! Does she want to see me in as much pain as possible? Well… I suppose I cannot turn back. My fist is raised. I just hope I do not have to hit myself as hard as possible. "All right…"

I close my eyes and… Ow! Good god, that hurts! I even staggered from that hit! But…at least she is smiling. Even if a very cruel smile. Please, do not ask me to do more… Crap. "Nice. Now, go get your sword."

This… She cannot possibly be serious. But…I have to. I cannot lose her now. I retrieve the Celestial Sword from nearby and stand before her. "Looks like your neck is still exposed. You know what to do. Just a little cut."

She… Why… She wants me to draw my own blood. Fluttershy wants to see me bleed. But I love her too much. Maybe just a tiny scrape.

I lift the edge of my sword to the side of my neck. I can feel the edge lightly touching it. I feel the faint warmth of the blade. But…it is so sharp. What if I apply too much force? It might take my entire head off. Does she know this too? That vile grin… Is she hoping I will kill myself?

I want to make her happy. But…this is not right. I love her…but… I… I drop the sword, letting it clatter at my feet. "I…can't…"

The smirk has turned into a scowl. I know I displeased her, but I know this cannot be right. I should not have to wound myself to please my lover. "Thought so. You always were such a weak little loser. Well, I'm done with you. Maybe I'll find somepony else to please me instead."

She… No. Please! You are the only one I have left! "Honey, please… We've been together since almost the very beginning… I'll do whatever…"

She did not even let me finish. She just…jumped and kicked me square in the chest. "I said I'm done with you, idiot!"

That one… It knocked me right off my feet. All I hear after that is a loud clank when I hit the ground and something clattering away from me. Knocked the wind out of me. She… Dear little Fluttershy…attacked me? I clamber to my hands and knees. My helmet… Where is it? I do not feel it on my head anymore. But… That does not matter. She is walking away. No… I cannot let her go like this…

I am too jarred to climb to my feet. I can only crawl. She hears me coming. She looks back at me with that scowl… "Baby, please! Don't go! I can change! I'll…"

The next thing I see coming is her hind hoof. And…the pain… Right in my exposed forehead… I see stars… My skull throbs… That blow… It was all I needed to know then… She is gone. The mare I love… Now a demon who only wants someone as vile as her.

I do not know how much time has passed. I am still where I fell. First Rarity, then Applejack, then Pinkie Pie, and now Fluttershy. And by now…Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle… They too… All six… I… I have never felt this empty… I knew that they were precious to me. I just did not know exactly how precious…until they were gone…

The tears finally flow… Quiet sobs escape my lips. My head throbs. My heart aches. I do not even feel anything around me. They were there for me at the very start when I needed someone most. And they were with me every step of the way since then. And now… The very opposite of what they… Wait…

Generosity became greed. Honesty became lies. Kindness became cruelty. And… Show a little…apathy, he said… Apathy… The opposite of… Humanity…

This is… I know who did this… He can twist anything at will… Even someone's very soul… This…wrath building inside me… The pain is being drowned in the inferno that is flaring within me. I have never felt such rage… But now…I know who has taken away those I hold most dear. "Dis…cord…"

He… I know it was him now. He did this to them! I climb to my knees. My hands. I see them. Under normal circumstances, I would likely just continue to wallow in despair. But… I possess the Celestial Sword. I wield the Lunar Shield. And in my very hands… I see it. Over my left, sparking electricity. Over my right, flickering flames. I have power. Power to actually do something about this!

Forget this game. Discord, I'm coming for you! I bring my sword and shield to my hand and arm with levitation as I do the same to my helmet, placing it upon my head. The pain from the blow my beloved dealt to me still pounds in my skull, but that does not matter. Even if I have a concussion, the pain is nothing compared to how my heart feels. Only one thing matters to me now. The only thing I seek. "You're a dead man, Discord!"

With a flap of my great white wings, I take to the sky. And I see it at the far edge of this vast labyrinth. The open area right outside the entrance. That freak must surely be there. And I'm off. Swooping low over the labyrinth. No sign of my friends… What am I saying? Friends? They're gone. Forever, probably…

There he is. Slouched on a hammock between a pair of trees with wide canopies. Well, not for long… Wait. This guy… He can alter reality at will. Including himself. He can pop off his own head and put it right back on. He is immortal… Any kind of punishment I inflict on him will be fleeting. There has to be a way. I need to make him vulnerable before I strike…

He sees me coming. Sipping from a lemonade glass and lifting a pair of sunglasses from his eyes while he watches me descend. Maybe I should sheathe my sword. Yeah, I'll just slide it back into its scabbard for the moment. I want nothing more than to tear into him, but it needs to wait. Be patient. And be careful. I need to play my cards just right if I am going to give this sick bastard what he deserves.

"Ooh, love the wingspan. I'd say yours is even more majestic than Celestia's herself. Do they ever need any preening?" He is so casual with how he addresses me… I know what you did, you monster. Don't act like you don't know what you did to them! But I can't show it. I need to make sure he does not even suspect that I have seen what has become of my friends. And he sure isn't acting like he knows. I guess that low blow to the balls must have left him too sore to keep tabs on us. But I need to stay calm. Just for now. If he knows I've seen them, he'll be more cautious of me.

"Although I have to say you were the last contestant I was expecting to stoop this low. Not only did you use your wings, but you completely forfeited the game by leaving the maze! For shame, Sir James. For shame." Well, what do you know about shame, you freak show?

The drinking glass, sunglasses, and hammock vanish in flashes of gray light while he is levitating himself to his feet. "I was hoping this game would go on a bit longer, but it seems you've decided to make it end in failure." He is lifting his hand into the air while keeping his fingers ready to snap. "I was really hoping you'd hold out a bit longer before calling it off. How disappointing. But regardless, it looks like I…"

I just threw up my hand, silently telling him to halt. I know just what to say to make him shut up. "Before you end the game, what was the second rule again?"

Now he just looks annoyed. Good. Now to get under his skin. "You forgot? I thought it was obvious. Everypony must participate and if anypony quits the game or cheats, then everypony loses."

"And what does that make me, Sherlock?" I balk at him with a smirk. Yeah, let's see how he likes it when I get defiant. My armor is immune to his quirky magic, so he can't do squat to me.

"What does that make you?! What kind of question is that?! I said everypony has to… Everypony has…" Now he's catching on to what he said. Silly Equestrian lingo. That look of utter bamboozlement… If he had worded that rule a little differently, I would not have as much control over this situation. All thanks to a slip of the tongue. "Every… Pony…" And now his jaw and hand drops to the ground like ropes of taffy. I have to say that got a laugh out of me.

"That's right, numb nuts! The rules don't apply to me because I'm not a pony. The game's still on." Now he can't call the thing off. He's not going anywhere while the game is still going on in the labyrinth. Even if the contestants don't give a flying feather about it anymore.

One yank of his tail and his jaw and arm retract back into their previous locations. And now he's just holding his head in his hand while grumbling quite loudly. "Confounded loopholes…" And now he's looking at me with that irritated defeated glare. But… What's with that look he's giving me now? "Uh… Is something wrong with the emblem on your helmet? I thought it was white when I last saw it."

White? Emblem… The Element of Humanity? A quick look at my helmet's forehead section reveals… Well, this is weird… It's gray. The twin doves now have hooked tail feathers that curve downward… And wings of blades. For some reason, it gives me the mental image of falcons. Tch, like it matters. Not like it's going to be of any help here. It's useless on its own. Only one thing matters to me now. "News to me. No clue what it means."

Now with my helmet back on, it's time to lay the trap. "Besides, the whole reason I'm out here is because that lame excuse of a game in there is boring as hell. I was going to pass out from boredom if I didn't get outta there!"

Now, before he can say anything, time to lay the bait. "But if you're interested, I know a much more exciting and fulfilling game."

Discord is starting to look quite offended by those words. "Boring? A game created by a master of entertainment… Boring?! You must be off your rocker! A scavenger hunt through the wonkiest labyrinth you will ever see! How is that boring?!"

Good. I'm frustrating him now. Better keep pushing it. "Two words. It is. And wonkiest? Where are the giant piranha plants? Where are the confetti fountains? Where are the dogs that shoot bees at you when they bark?! There's nothing wonky about that maze! But I have a much more enjoyable game in mind. And I can promise you it's not a game you've ever played because it's native to where I come from."

That's it. Now he's looking a bit more intrigued. "A game from the world you come from, eh? A game I have never taken part in before? Do go on, Sir James. Enlighten me."

Nope. Can't tell him just yet. Need to get him to bite on the hook. "Can't tell you yet. Either you agree to play or you don't. I'm not telling you more until you promise to play."

"Really? Kid, just because I love games more than I love my favorite paper and glue casserole doesn't mean I'll just blindly dive into any offer for fun. You'll have to do better than that. Tell me what this 'game' entails and I'll think about it." Huh… So he's wilier than I expected. Well, all right, I suppose I did expect him to get suspicious. But now to really lure him in.

"You know, I never would've taken you for a coward. I was expecting the immortal unstoppable Spirit of Chaos himself to be a bit bolder. But judging by your body's structure, I suppose you probably do have some chicken in you somewhere. No wonder you're such a cowardly ponce." He sure doesn't seem to be liking that. Now for just a bit more pushing. Turn to walk back towards the maze and… "Fine. I'll just get back to playing this boring scavenger hunt and leave you here to nurse your balls. Call me when you're in the mood for some real fun."

I can hear him growling and grunting behind me. He must be tearing himself apart trying to decide whether or not to give in and take the bait. Not that he knows it is bait. Ah, there's a bright gray flash of light in front of me. And there he is and boy, does he look desperate. "All right, fine! I'll play this mystery game with you! The Spirit of Chaos never turns down an opportunity for some more exotic fun!"

Excellent. Oh, I can feel a smirk spreading across my lips. That's right; just follow me right into the lion's den. "Good. Just so you know, you can't back out now. Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! Does this look unsure to you?!" That face… Must…not…laugh…

All right then. Time to lay down the game board. "All right, I see that! OK then. This game that we're gonna be playing is called the 'Ultimate Game'. And it can only be played between two contestants."

Now he's looking pretty intrigued. "Ah, I see. A little mano-a-mano. And an 'Ultimate' game? I like it. Tell me more."

"Oh, it's called the Ultimate Game for a very good reason. There is no other game out there where victory is more satisfying. And unlike most games that are played for just fun, this one always has a spectacular prize for the victor. That's why it's called the 'Ultimate Game'." Heheh, I'm actually starting to feel pretty pumped. I feel my blood boiling. Oh, Discord. If only you knew what I have in store for you. All you have to do now is just play along.

The way he's stroking his little goat beard with his hand. He's really liking the sound of what I'm saying. "Ultimate entertainment. And a prize, you say? Ooh, I'm liking the sound of this more and more. Is there anything we need? Can we play it right here?"

Here, huh? Well… Let's see. "Hmm… This place is pretty expansive. May as well go over the rules… Wait a second." The royal palace isn't too far away. Someone could easily look out the window and see what's going on. I can't allow that. If the royal sisters catch wind of what's about to happen, they might intervene. And I can't have them get in the way. All three of them could easily overwhelm me. "Well, it might be best if we keep the royal family from finding out about this. The Ultimate Game always gets really intense. You got a way for us to keep them from seeing or hearing anything that goes on out here?"

Now Discord's looking all the more fired up about this. "A game so fun that we can't let them find out?! Oh, those are the best kinds of games! Just leave this to me!" He just flew up at the edge of the courtyard and conjured up an artist's palette, a black beret, and a paintbrush. "If they can't be allowed to see anything out of the ordinary, then they'll only see the ordinary!"

What the… That paintbrush just grew a hundred times larger after he dabbed some paint on it. And now he's making huge and broad strokes every which way. I think I can see the liquid disappearing as he smears it over nothing up there. A minute later and he comes back down. "There we go! I just painted a lovely view of this place. No matter what changes on this side, they will only see how the place looked right now. Oh, and I also made it soundproof. They won't hear a thing that happens on this side of the mirage."

So this is a soundproof area now? Good. That means no one will be able to hear him scream… "Nicely done. Now then, the rules. The most important part of the rules for this game is that both contestants play on equal ground. Let's see… You have wings and I have wings. You can use magic and I can use magic. You have legs, I have legs and so on. In terms of base physical abilities, we're pretty evenly matched… What are you looking at?"

Discord seems to be eyeing our surroundings. "Aha! I know just how to liven up the playfield. I'll be just a moment." With a snap of his fingers… Chunks of the ground start rising up with whatever was on them. By this point, nothing he does surprises me. Just roll with it. A few trees and even some of the statues get lifted into the air too with varying degrees of altitude. Some of the ground out here has gone from grassy to checkerboard patterns of pink and purple. It's like seeing something out of a surreal storybook or animated film from decades past. Considering the surrealism of the place… Things are going to get really twisted once we finally get started.

Now he turns to me and smiles excitedly. "Much better, wouldn't you say? Nothing spices up a game quite like a bit of random chaotic placement of the environment."

"I won't argue with that…" Huh? Looks like he just had another idea since he suddenly interrupted me.

"Oh, wait! Even better! Why don't we get an audience to watch this Ultimate Game? It's always better with an audience." An audience? He doesn't mean…

"Who? You mean the girls out there?" I glance over at the blocked entrance to the hedge maze nearby. I know all six of them are still in there. Most likely just going about consumed by their vices.

"Well, who else did you think I meant? I'm sure your friends would like to get some entertainment too. They can afford to put off searching for the Elements for a short while." He is saying that so casually… Friends? What friends? Those six dreadful mares out there? They're not my friends anymore, scumbag. You made sure of that.

"Sure. I guess they can watch…" Whatever. They can watch or they can just keep walking. What, is he going to set up some televisions in the maze for them to watch like a game show?

"Excellent. Just give me a moment and I'll get them set up." And up Discord goes before looking towards the sky after snapping his fingers… Was that some sort of flash of light in one or more sections of the far-off segments of the labyrinth?

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, my little ponies! Can you see me?! Um… Is this thing on? OK. I'm sure you girls must be getting worn out from searching all over the labyrinth by now, so pull up a seat and grab some popcorn because Sir James and I have quite a treat for you! For the moment, the game you are playing is on hold. And instead, I give to you the Ultimate Game! The contestants are myself and Sir James down there. We will…" He is just going on and on without even talking to anything as if there is an invisible camera floating in front of him…

That little… All right, now I'm pissed. "Hey, retard! Are you trying to piss me off?! Get back down here!"

Seems I startled him a bit. This wrath is getting to me… Hang on a bit longer. Don't lose it yet. You'll get your chance to rip him a new one. And now he's fluttering back down to me. "Sheesh, temper, temper. I'm just as eager to get started as you, but there's no need to yell. Now then, was there anything else we needed to discuss before we get started?"

Finally, I almost have him right where I want him. "Yeah. Like I said, we need to play on equal ground. We can both fly, use magic, and so forth. However, I'm sorry to say that as you are now, you are ineligible to play this game. Sorry, Discord."

"I'm… WHAT?! You keep going on and on about how this is the 'ultimate' game and I can't even play it?! Why?! You better have a good reason for this! If not, you had best prepare for the most unpleasant pillow fight of your life." And now a bunch of pillows flash up out of nowhere behind him. Man, now Discord just looks ticked off. Heh, just a little more. I've almost got him by the broken balls.

"The reason why you're not eligible to play this game is because this is a game that is exclusive to mortals. Something that you're not." And… Whoa. He actually looks quite bummed out. And there go the pillows.

"You're serious? Only mortals can play this? So… I'll never be able to experience for myself the thrill and excitement of the Ultimate Game?" Man, he's actually taking it pretty hard! Why?! This guy can do anything!

Is this idiot really not able to think outside the box? "What're you talking about?! You're the Spirit of Chaos! You can twist anything to your will! Of course you can play! You just need to make yourself mortal!"

"And how am I supposed to do that?! I'm practically a god here! I can't be mortal!" Now he seems rather frustrated. Good. Now I just need to give him one more little push.

"How do you do that? Last I checked, you can even alter your own body. Remove your immortality. It's that simple." Honestly, how has he not yet considered that?

That look he's giving me… He looks utterly baffled. "Remove…my immortality? I can do that?"

"Have you seriously never once considered that? Go on. Try it. Surely you must be able to do that." Come on, I'm this close. Just a little more.

He…smiles. "I don't know… Let's see if I can." He just…unzipped a section of his chest and reached inside. "Let's see… There's my favorite bugle, my moustache for fisticuffs… Ooh, I just love the fabric they use for those officer uniforms. I really should try that on again sometime. That feels like… Whoa, can't remove my heart. Oh wait, I suppose I can. Wait… What's this?"

Seems he's got something. He's pulling his hand out and… Is that it? A glowing pulsing orb of ethereal light rests in his palm. "That's…your immortality?" I must confess… It's beautiful. Never thought I would see something like that come out of such a wretched being of a person.

Why is he just staring at it like that? He almost looks…forlorn. His ears are drooped. He's not saying anything. I want him to just lock that thing away, but I can't act hasty. Need to be civil for the moment. "So…this is it." He just conjured up an iron strong box and placed it inside, but has not closed it. And…what was that he just muttered? "I wish I knew I could do this a long time ago."

Well, whatever. He seems to have perked up now. "All right then! Now that I'm mortal… Say, what IS the prize for winning this game anyway? Is it anything good?"

Man, I am so glad he asked that. "Can't tell you. Not until the game has started."

"All right, now you're pushing it, kid! What're you up to?!" Crap. Seems he's starting to catch on. Need to word this carefully.

"Me? Nothing. I'm just trying to increase the thrill by keeping you guessing. Nothing wrong with a little teasing, right? And besides, you're going to need to lock away more than just that little thing there." I hope he buys that.

Seems to be working. He looks a bit thoughtful, but also amused. "Heh, I should've known you had a cheeky side. I like that in a player. All right then, what else do I need to put away for the duration of the game?"

"Well, as I said, we must play on equal ground. You can fly like I can and we can both use magic. But there is only one spell I have mastered. The basic levitation spell." And now to demonstrate. I snatch him up with a magic golden yellow aura that matches the one covering my right gauntlet and spin him around in the air for a second before setting him back down on his feet. "See? The only spell I can do flawlessly."

Looks like he got a bit dizzy from that one. But he seems amused nonetheless. "Whoahoho, I didn't know you could do that! So, those gauntlets work like a unicorn's horn. But wait… Do I seriously need to lock away ALL of the magic I know that you haven't mastered yet?"

Heh, the guy has one foot in the trap now. One more step and he's mine. "I'm afraid so. But trust me, it's worth it. Winning the Ultimate Game fair and square is far more satisfying than winning it by foul means. You're gonna get a serious kick out of it if you play with the necessary handicap."

"Restrictions do add to the thrill, don't they?" Now he gets it. The guy is reaching into his chest opening and pulling out glowing orb of light after glowing orb of light. "There's the turn things flat as paper spell, there's the drink glass like water spell, there's the do anything you want spell…"

How many types of magic does this guy have in there? I think I've been waiting close to five minutes by now… And is that box bottomless? Did this guy take storage lessons from Merlin or something? "And done! Only the levitation spell is left. Anything else?"

"Just one more thing. The box has to stay locked until the game ends. It cannot be opened until it's over. And if it is opened, you lose instantly." Come on… Lock that sucker and you're mine.

"Will do. Just let me fish that spell out of there for a moment… All right. And… Ready. Just let me put it back in." And…done. That box has been closed and locked. Just to be sure, I take it and try to open it myself. "Ah ah, it won't open. Not until one of us has been declared a victor."

Finally… Time to begin. I place the box in the gap in his chest and he zips himself up. "So then, Sir James… Does that mean the game has started?"

"Yes… Yes, it has. And now I can tell you what the prize is." I feel tension rising… He is finally in my grasp. "Truth be told, the Ultimate Game gets its name because the prize the victor receives is the single most valuable possession one can ever acquire."

I start to walk away from him to give us a little more space to get started. And now he sounds like an excited kid in a candy store. I would wager that if he still had the magic to do so, he would be cycling through a bunch of outfits to match the stuff he is saying. "The most valuable thing one can have?! What is it? Power? Wealth? All the chaos and entertainment one can handle?"

I stop fifty paces away. Time to cast this friendly façade off. He's mine. "Life."

He sounds baffled by what I just said. "Huh? Sorry, I didn't quite catch that. What do you mean by 'life' being the prize?"

I glance over my pauldron at him. No need to hide my wrath any longer. He just took a step back. He can see the rage in my eyes. "The prize for winning the ultimate game is the right to live. It has the ultimate prize. And the ultimate punishment. The victor is given the right to live while the loser is robbed of that right. One lives. One dies. That's all there is to it."

That look of silent terror in those eyes… Heh. He knows he's in trouble. "Now, hold on a minute! What's this about?! I agreed to the Ultimate Game, not a life or death duel! What do you have against me?!"

That little… "I saw what you did to them, Discord. My friends are gone and a bunch of wretched horrible people took their place. The most important people in my life don't even exist anymore."

"You saw… You mean I missed it?! Even after all that popcorn I prepared?!" No remorse at all… He doesn't even care… That's it! I'm done beating around the bush!

I draw my sword. And Discord is backing away from me. Rightfully so. He knows he's in for hell. "And you don't even see what's wrong with that?! First rule of logic, punk. You don't ever take away what gives a man's life meaning when that man has the power to bring you to your knees!"

It's time. I'm charging him now as fast as my enchanted armor will carry me with sword out to my side. This sucker's mine! He's backing away. He almost doesn't seem sure if I'm just messing around with him or am really gonna pop his head off. "Whoa, easy there! I'm not…"

Oh, shut up and fight! "What's wrong?! Not used to being the one at a disadvantage?! If you don't wanna die here, do something about it!"

I come in swinging while he uses his wings to back away in terror. I hear the wind whistle as my blade cleaves through the air. I can hardly believe how swiftly I swing my sword… Left, right, up, down. Has it really been that long since I last held the Celestial Sword in my hand?

Retreating out of range? I don't think so! I detach the Lunar Shield and hurl it at him with levitation. And bam! Right in the middle of the body! "Oof! What the… Ow!" Pinned to a statue. You're mine, scum!

I flap my wings for a boost in speed and height and bring my sword down. But… The little twat slithered out of there before I could hit him! The sword cleaves right through the statue with no problem at all before the two halves fall to the sides and hit the ground in two heavy thuds. It was one of the statues of a pony holding a scroll. Reattach the shield to my arm… And Discord is over there looking at the statue's remains. I know what he's thinking. He can't believe a metal sword can cleave through stone like paper. And he's wondering what would have happened if he was the one who got slashed instead. I point my sword at him and scowl as fiercely as I can. "You see this? That's what you're gonna look like in a little bit."

He isn't even trying to talk to me. But I still don't think he knows he's in any real danger. I bet it's been a long time since he last felt any pain, if ever. "What's wrong? Not used to being mortal? Not used to being vulnerable to injury? Not used to being unable to fight back?"

Oh, now he says something. "I never agreed to this! I quit! I…ugh…" He clutches his chest. I think the lock box inside him is trying to remind him of something. And I can't help but smirk.

"Hey, I told you the rules. One lives. One dies. You forfeit, you lose. And that means you die. And you don't wanna die, do you?" I feel so in control with him cowering before me while I walk towards him, it's not even funny. You're playing by my rules now, Discord. And there's no way in hell I'm letting you beat me now. Not when all I have left is the desire to bring you down!

Looks like he still thinks he can weasel his way out of this. What a coward! Backed into a corner and he isn't even trying to fight back! "No, I don't! Come on, there has to be a way for us to get outta this without the other croaking!"

Well, if he has to ask… I guess there is one way then. "You're right. There is. Both contestants can survive the game by forfeiting together. But that's not gonna happen, is it?!" He flies out of range just in time. And… Hey. Judging by those motions of his hands… Oh, I get it now. Finally starting to get into the game, is he?

A couple of the statues are starting to levitate. And here they come! Is he trying to bash me into submission? Either way, that stuff is too heavy for me to stop and I don't trust myself being able to cleave through those things without one of the halves crashing into me. My armor isn't perfect and anyone who knows plate armor knows that heavy smashing blows are its greatest weakness. That is why maces and war hammers work so well against them. My wings are making sure I don't get hit, but he keeps hurling them at me! Fine, let's try this!

I point my left hand at one of the incoming statues. Come on… I know I can do this. Focus… No, not ice… I need lightning! Come on! Unleash the thunder! And… There! A massive bolt of magical electrical energy just shot from my empty armored hand! And… Wow. It obliterated the statue of stone into countless chunks of rubble!

I knew it… I do have the power to take him down. Looks like those few magic training sessions are starting to pay off. And Discord… Oh, that look on his face. "What the…?! Hey! You said you had only mastered levitation!"

That's right. I did say that. "Heh… Yeah, I did say that was the only spell I mastered! But that doesn't mean it's the only spell I can use! In other words… You better stay on the move because I have no idea what I'm doing!"

That look on his face… Fear or frustration? "What? Not used to your opponent not playing fair? You're just as guilty as me, freak! Let's see how you like it! Dance!" Now he's shrieking like a little girl as I take potshots at him, bolts of magic lightning zipping past him while he weaves through the air like a flying snake. "Dance, sucker, dance! Oh, and think fast!"

I stab the Celestial Sword into the ground to get my right hand free. Now then… Heat… Fire… There it is! Surging flames! And I don't even feel the heat! Now to shoot the sucker down. Lightning and fire flying through the air while he struggles to stay on the move. Doing twists and flips and loops. I swear, I think he might actually be having a little bit of fun with this. I know I am! The guy is just a little bug to me that I'm trying to swat down. I have a god on the run… OK, maybe not an actual god, but close enough!

"Stand…still! You… Ah, screw this!" Forget the magic! I can't hit such a slippery target! Reattach my shield and grab my sword… Fine. I suppose this will be more satisfying anyway! "All right, have it your way!"

With a flap of my wings, I soar towards him. "No… No, get away from me!" Yeah, you better be scared! I go for his head, but he swoops away. But he can't escape! These wings are too responsive for him to get much distance. Swoop! Rise! Charge! Fine, I see direct strikes won't work either. Well… How about this then?

I hurl the Celestial Sword at him and use levitation to guide it. Now he's on the run again. Man, it's hard to make that thing fly right into him! I need to line up the blade just right! All right, time for something new… How do I… Focus… Just need to connect… There! A magic rope connected to my hand! The golden yellow chain connects to the sword's pommel! A whip with a blade on the end!

"Hey, sucker! Think fast!" With a swish of my hand, the rope swings the blade at him. Oh, that look of terror and those terrified shrieks… But still so hard to hit! With every long swing of the rope, he weaves around it! Now I'm swinging the rope over my head in continuous long circular sweeps, making subtle changes to the altitude. Good thing this thing isn't interfering with my wings. Again… And again… Fine. Time to get cheap.

"Get down!" I use the magic in my left hand to grab him with levitation and slam him into the floor down below. That definitely got him good! Now, time to close in! I drop to the ground and charge again. He's getting up… Not this time! I hurl my shield at him… There! Right in the face! Whoa, he looks dazed now. He can barely stand. Now's the time. I make a huge jump, using the wings for extra lift until I'm high above him and turning to my right. Now… Down I go and…

I swing down. I land with a knee bent with sword lowered. Did I hit anything? Something falls in front of me. Dark and leathery… And a spray of crimson fluid… Blood. His wing… I just severed his wing! And that sound… A scream of agony. I just… This guy is a true immortal, and yet… I just wounded… No, maimed him! And if I can make him bleed…I can make him die! "I can do this… I can win!"

Hobbling forward, grasping at where his wing once was, is he? Well, now I've got you! I jump and grab his other wing and clamp my legs around his slender middle. And now for the heart. My sword's blade. Over and over into his body! Where is it?! Where's his heart?! Or the lungs?! I can make him suffocate if I can puncture them! He wretches. He yells. He flails. I must have stabbed him…no, impaled him at least fifteen times now! All this blood… I would normally be horrified to be seeing this, but now…

"Aaaagh! Enough!" Huh?! He just reached to his left and grabbed my leg?! He's pulling hard… Trying to fling me off! Dang it, I lost my grip with my other leg! I'm only hanging on by his wing…. Crap! I can't reach his body very well from here! And how is he still this responsive after losing that much blood?! I know he locked away his immortality! This is one hardy guy…

He keeps pulling… But I'm not gonna let go now! Need to… This angle is too awkward… Fine! With one sweep of my sword, I sever his other wing! But the instant I do, he screams…and flings me hard back over to the hedge maze?! I'm careening through the air too fast to do anything! Oh man… Ow! Flipping and flopping over the walls and… Oof! That hurt… I'm down. Where… Huh? What's this here?

Some sort of huge mirror? It's just standing in the middle of the path. And… That's me. But instead of my reflection, it's showing me from behind. And standing a good distance behind me is…Applejack's replacement. "That's some of the lousiest brawlin' I've ever seen. The guy didn't even bleed! Guess it don't help that yer sword's make of applesauce and…"

"Shut it!" I smack her right across the face with the back of my gauntlet. That lying imposter… You're not Applejack. And she's down. Out cold. Now… Which way did I fall from… That way. To the south. I take to the air again and swoop over the labyrinth. Now that I know I can hurt him, I can… Huh?!

That little… A chunk of rubble the size of my head hurled right at me! That knocked me right outta the air… Man, that fall hurt again. Cheap shot… Well, what would you expect from that scumbag? He sounds like he's wheezing… He's in a lot of pain. Good. "You… You little monster! Why're you doing this to me?! I never tried to maim or torture you! This is going too far!"

I slowly climb to my knees… The adrenaline is starting to make me dizzy and my muscles ache. My sword… It's not entirely white anymore… The pure white blade… Stained red here and there. The faint glow turns crimson as it shines through the sticky liquid. Discord's blood… I actually managed to wound him… I can kill him… I hold his fate in my hands… The fate of a god… I can do whatever I want to him now.

He erased the people who are most precious to me. All I have left is…a twisted desire I've never felt… All this wrath… And yet I feel…excited… Almost joyous that I know I can end this monster. His blood is on my sword… Even on a bit of my armor… I can end him… Make him suffer the way I am suffering… I want to see him plead and beg… Want to see him lie helpless at my feet.

I… I am going mad… And it feels so…liberating!

"Let's stop this! This isn't fun anymore! Come on, let's just call it off!" Still thinks he can weasel his way out? Well, not anymore. This is getting too fun to stop.

"Heh… Hehehee… Stop? Now? Why would I do that?" I am laughing so lightly… I don't even notice the pain anymore… I am pumped. I slowly stagger to my feet, my body hunched forward with sword lowered. "You… Hee… You have…no idea what you did to me in there… Do you?"

He just jumped back right as I lifted my head to look at him. Yeah, you know you're screwed now. Huh? Why's he pointing at me? "Your emblem… It's… Glowing…"

The Element of Humanity again? Might as well check it first. There's a part of the Celestial Sword that's still white. And it's pretty reflective. Maybe if I… Well, what's this? It's not gray or white. It's…black. The two sides don't even really match anymore. Lots of ruffled uneven feathers on the wings and tails. And on the heads… Tiny slit little sinister glowing crimson eyes. Ravens. The bird of death… How fitting. "Well, that makes sense now, doesn't it? Where ravens fly, death follows."

There's blood oozing from so many impalement wounds on both sides of his long slender body. Such a vibrant crimson coating… Looks pretty good in it, to be honest. And he's still alive? "Heh... Heheh… Did anyone ever tell you that you look really really good in red?"

"This… This isn't like you… What's happening to you? I saw you not that long ago… You were quiet. Reserved. Gentle… That look in your eyes… It's…hungry…" He's fearful… Frightened, yet unsure of what to make of me. That's good. The more fear, the better.

I guess I may as well tell it to him straight. I suppose he deserves at least that much. "What's wrong with me? Oh, I dunno. I mean, you should be asking yourself. You made me this way after all, stretch. You broke me, Discord. But probably not in the way you were planning, huh? Seriously, I feel like everything in my head is starting to fall apart cog by turning cog. Hehee… And I have you to thank for it. Because…" A little lick of my blade… Weird… That blood tastes a bit…tangy? I wonder what the rest of him tastes like. "To be honest… I'm feeling pretty good right now."

What's this? No wisecracking? No funny quips? No words about chaos? He's just slowly backing away with that look of silent terror in his eyes. I wonder why… Oh, now I know! He knows he's dug his own grave. And he knows he's been backed into a corner. He knows his doom is nigh. Well, the first act just finished. Let's step it up to the next one! "Well… Hehehee… Enough stalling, mate. Put your game face on, Discord. It's go time!"

Oh sure, NOW he starts running! "Hey! I said put your game face on, nutjob! I didn't say run! Now get back here! I'm hungry!" I swear that blood tasted like oranges! Blood oranges, to be precise. Now if I can just get close enough to take another swing. "Your blood tastes sweet and tangy! What else you got in there?! Got any chicken?! Maybe some sushi?! What about some tacos?! Or… Yes! Crab! Got any of… Hey! Get back here, you runaway deli mart! I know you got some crab in there somewhere!"

"You're crazy you're crazy you're crazy you're crazy!" Well, I wonder what his first guess was? Ah, screw these legs. Wings away!

I swoop ahead and get right in front of him. "Hey, that's how you like things, right? Besides, you made me this way, you crazy bastard! So that means we're both a couple of loonies right now! Just the way you like it, right?"

Why do I talk instead of splitting him in two? Oh, now I remember. I don't want this game to end just yet! Wait… Are those… His wings! Those will do nicely! "Oh, excuse me for a second. I see a snack that could use some roasting."

Just use a little levitation to bring those over to me. Huh? Ooh, I'm really REEEEAAALLYYYY liking that pleading look in his eyes. "Please… Give them back… Those are MY wings!"

"Dude, you know you don't have the magic to put these back on right now. Remember? I don't remember being a master of a reattachment spell for severed limbs. But OK, I'll let you have them back. But only when I'm done with them!" I stab my sword into the ground to get a hand free and then spray those wings with a gout of concentrated fire. Oh wow, that look in Discord's eyes. Watching his pretty little wings being roasted to a crisp right in front of him.

Looks like he's got nothing to say aside from some pretty pathetic whimpering. And… Mmm, what a tasty aroma. Roasted draconequus wings! I singed the feathers right off the other, but the one that looks like a batwing doesn't seem to have much meat on it! Oh well, might as well take what I can get. Nom! Mmm… Not much there, but what is there… Yummy. "Wow… You make for some good eating, Discord. You sure you don't have some crab in there to go with this? Or what about some lobster?"

Hmm… That look of horror and despair. Heh, never thought I'd see him get that attached to something he has probably popped off his body for fun at one point. "What's the matter, Disco Dude? You want some? Well, since you probably have some dog in there somewhere, roll over and play dead and then I'll pass you some… Oh, wait! Scratch the play part!" I grab the Celestial Sword up in my left hand and give him a super happy grin! "I'll help you really be dead! Then you can have all the Discord wing meat you want!"

And… There he goes? Now he's just crying like a baby while he flees in terror. Aw, the poor widdle Spirit of Chaos crying because I won't share my yummy wummy food with him because he wouldn't play dead? Oh well, more for me!

It was kind of tricky getting that meat off with the bits of feather quills still stuck in the skin… Huh. And here I was expecting his bones to be made of cake or something edible. Now then, where to find that loony? Maybe I can spot him from the air. Up I go and… Is he seriously thinking he can hide behind one of those purple bushes there? He didn't even bother to hide his tail plume! Might as well give him a bit of punishment for it. Conjure up a little ball of fire… Hey, Celestia was right! This magic isn't that tough to use at all! And fire! I mean launch the fireball, not just fire. And it hits his tail. Doesn't look like he notices yet. "Hey, Disco Dome! I'd like to place an order for some fried draconequus tail! You have an extra crispy recipe?!"

Now he sticks his head up and lets out a delightful little shriek when he sees the flames. And he's running and prancing all over while leaving a trail of smoke in his wake. Oh man, I need to laugh! This is turning into the most fun I've had in ages!

"Put it out! Put it out, I beg you!" He BEGS me? Well, how can I say no to that? I drop down in front of him and he's stomping his feet over and over like a little kid who really needs to make tinkle.

I do have to wonder how much it hurts to be on fire, but looks like he's in quite a bit of discomfort. Oh, wait! Need to do something first! "Just a sec!" Now to meditate… Use levitation to keep myself in the air while grasping sword in both hands and keeping the blade held vertical. Eyes closed… Be one with the discourse…

"Come on, hurry up! This really hurts, you know!" Such a shame I can't open my eyes, but he sounds like he's constantly fidgeting in pain.

"Do you mind? I'm trying to do the crab cake. It's a very delicate state of mind. Maybe you've heard of the fish stick too?" I try and try to explain to him that I need to keep focusing… OK, not really. I'm just drawing out his pain to see how long it takes for the fire to spread to the rest of him… And it sounds like it didn't take long!

"Aggggh! Put it out!" Whoa, now he's a living torch!

Sheesh, all this yelling… "Ugh, walking messes of patchwork. Nag nag nag!" I stick my left hand at him and whoosh! Instant blizzard! A few seconds later and… Ooh, nice! A perfectly preserved prehistoric draconequus! And the ice hasn't even begun to melt! And it looks like the fire's been snuffed out.

"Hey! Discord! You still alive in there? I don't get, you alive or what?!" Knock knock. You awake? I know you're incased in a frigid chilly layer of magic ice, but I'm pretty sure a hardy psycho like you is still surviving in there. I'll just fly up to your face. Waving my hand… Yup! His eyes are still tracking me. Seems his teeth were clenched when he got the cold shoulder. Or maybe I should call it the cold…everything.

"Can't move? Hang on, I'll get you out." Not. I'm still feeling a bit hungry and… Ooh, what's this behind him? A nice big slab of dragon tail ripe for thawing. I always wondered what reptilian meat tastes like.

That ice casing sure is creaking a lot. Trying to look behind himself, huh? "Hey! What're you doing back there?!"

I raise my sword and… Oh, brilliant idea! "Pop quiz! What has two eyes, two horns, two arms, two legs, and no tail?"

Wait for it… "Um… A tailless deer?"

Seriously? He's too apprehensive to even try to be his usual goofy self with a really witty response? If that's not a good sign, I don't know what is. I guess I'd be too if I had a mad butcher on the other side of a shell of ice that was covering me. Anyway… Eeeeennnhhh! Wrong answer! "Nope! The answer is… YOU!" And down goes the Celestial Sword and off goes the tail! What the…?! Yikes, he just busted out of his icy shell while screaming in agony! Guess that dose of pain gave him the incentive and boost of adrenaline to break loose!

"Hey, Discord! Looks like you got a little leak at the other end! Better call a plumber! You want me to put a good word in with the Big M for you?" I wonder what that blood tastes like? Maybe strawberry syrup? Anyway, better get roasting. So convenient to use my right hand as a stovetop.

Now, where did… Oh, he's ducking behind one of those statues. "What's wrong with you?! You don't do that!" Aww, the big boo hoo baby's crying to see his tail being roasted before him?

"Oh, quit looking at me like that! You know that if you win, you'll be able to restore all your lost limbs with a snap of your fingers!" And now for the first bite… Mmm, that's some good eating. Not sure what it tastes like. It could be the taste of baboon butt, for all I know! "Of course, that's a pretty unlikely IF by this point."

Man, Discord is just cowering there behind that statue. I bet he's wondering which part of him I'm gonna chomp on next. Well, lucky for him I'm starting to feel pretty satisfied… Hang on… What's that doing there? Never noticed it before. It's right behind me. Hmmm… Maybe if I lift it up on an angle a bit…

"What're you… Whoa, what's going… Ack!" Whoa! I felt that! I just tilted the camera angle and the shift of gravity caused the statue to topple onto him! So this is what it's like to look through the eyes of Pinkie Pie! I see little things here and there I never noticed before. And… Uh oh, he's not getting up, is he?

"Uh… Discord?! Discord duuude?! Disco Duck?! You still alive?!" …..No response. Well, I already plucked this thing clean, so I'll toss what's left of the bones. Better get over and check to see if he's OK. "Don't you die on me, man! I'm not done with you yet!"

A little levitation should get that thing off of him. And… Uh oh. He's not moving. "Are you dead? Uh… You're still alive, right? Come on, it's no fun messing with a corpse! You're still breathing… Right?"

He's not responding! Oh man, oh man, oh man… Come on, Discord! You can't be dead yet! Uh… Wait. He's… He's still breathing! Phew, close one! But… How to wake him up?

Hmm… Ohohoho, I got it. I hope that fur on his face adds enough cushioning for what I'm about to do. Wouldn't wanna break anything…..yet! I'll just prop myself over the base of his neck. A little slappy slap treatment should wake him up. "Oh Discooooo. Time to wake uuuuuuup!"

One! Two! One! Two! Back and forth! "Rise and shine, skinny! Up and at 'em! Oh, that's how we're gonna do this, huh?! Fine then."

"THAT'S for being tall!"

"THAT'S for never writing to say hi or introduce yourself!"

"THAT'S for being stuck in stone instead of diamonds!

"THAT'S for using a mariachi band instead of Michael Jackson's backup dancers!"

"THAT'S for never shaving!"

"THAT'S for never getting your eyes fixed… HEY! WHY! WON'T! YOU! WAKE! UP?! WAKE UP!"

"THAT'S for being a total douche!"

"THAT'S for turning the most important people in my life into douches!"

"THAT'S for turning me into the biggest douche!"

"THAT'S to check if you've woken up yet! But I guess not…"

"THAT'S for not having any crab in you!"

"THAT'S to check if the reader is still scrolling down to see what I say next!"

"THAT'S for making me like you…!"

"THAT'S for making me hate you!"

"THAT'S for getting floored by Sisko, you pussy! Keep your left up! Jab with your right!"

"THAT'S for never showing me how to do the moonwalk!"

"THAT'S because my wrist's getting tired!"

"THAT'S to jack up the chapter's word count!"

"THAT'S for kicking me in the balls! Oh wait, that was you, not me…"

"THAT'S because the little voice of reason is telling me to stop, but this feels soooooo good that I don't wanna!"

"THAT'S for having no symmetry!"

"THAT'S for not tasting like chicken!"

"THAT'S because I felt like it!"

"THAT'S to see if the readers haven't chickened out and left yet!"

"THAT'S for playing a bugle instead of a saxophone. EVERYBODY PREFERS SMOOTH JAZZ!"

"THAT'S for turning the clouds into cotton candy instead of real cotton!"

"THAT'S for making it rain chocolate milk instead of root beer!"

"THAT'S for making the corn turn into popcorn. WITHOUT THE BUTTER!"

"THAT'S for not getting a good night's sleep last night!"

"THAT'S for letting Nightmare Moon get such a cheap shot on you, ya pansy!"

"THAT'S because you made the cake a lie!"

"THAT'S for turning all those poor beavers into gold! Wait, that wasn't you…"

"THAT'S for all that haters who're getting pissed off reading this!"

"THAT'S because I'm getting bored!"

"THAT'S for being the ponciest ponce to ever ponce past the poncing parlor!"

"THAT'S because looking at your ugly mug makes me wanna slap you!"

"THAT'S for all the hot pegasisters who're reading this! Hey, be sure to comment!"

"THAT'S for having more fans than me!"

"THAT'S for never making my former friends laugh!"

"THAT'S for making ME laugh!"

"THAT'S to see how long I can pad out this scene!"

"THAT'S for forgetting to bring a saw with you before you started sawing logs!"

"And finally… THAT'S for making me add almost two whole extra pages to one of the best Human in Equestria stories on the Internet!"

…..Iiiiiiiieeeeeeeee guess he's not waking up. Sheesh, the guy's a heavier sleeper than my mom. Any heavier and he'd condense himself into a neutron star. Well… Guess I'll just have to wake him up the…fun way. Hehehee…

One little orb of compacted fire here… And another here… And another and another and another… All right, I'll shut up now. Now I've got a whole bunch of flickering fire 'bombs' set up all around him. I better get some distance first. That statue looks sturdy enough to weather a blast. Oh good gravy, I'm giddy as a schoolgirl.

Still not awake, is he? Well, he's about to experience the world's most effective alarm clock! "Bon yoyage, mon cheri." And BOOM!

Up he goes, flipping and spiraling through the air while leaving a trail of smoke… Oh, that woke him up! Now he's screaming while he falls a good fifty feet or so. And… Ow. That looks like it hurt. "Hey, Discoooorrrrddd!"

And now he's looking at me in terror. Oh god, I can only imagine how big I'm grinning. "Are we done?!"

Now he's clamoring to his feet while looking more bent outta shape than a thousand bendy straws. "Wha… What are you?! You're madder than a hatter!" Hey, he finally said something witty! Good show, Discord!

"Me?! What am I?! Well, I guess you can call me…Tooty Fruity!"

And now he just gives me one long silent stare. "Uh… Tooty Fru…"

"But only if you're partial to me using your pelt for a rug and having a mad swordsman skip rope with your entrails! And I'm betting you've got some looooong entrails!" Good thing I interrupted him before he could finish, or else I'd have to kill him on the spot! But now… Focus just a little… There we go! Teleported right over to him! Still just a little dizzy… But now I'll just rest my elbow on his side. Oh sure, now he notices me there. "But yep! I'm madder than a hatter who's been splattered on a platter who makes a mess of your bladder. But hey, you can't complain! You made me this way! And I'm having the most fun I've had in… Well, since I was in diapers! What about you, big guy? You having fun yet? Are you?! Because I know I am!"

He's terrified. Absolutely petrified. He can't even move away from me. Guess I better break the ice. I'll just point the fingers on my right hand at him. "First idiot to die a fiery death says what."

That look… Once again, the little fool is too baffled by my words. And he'll say the magic word in three…two… "Uuuuh…. Wha…"

"POW!" And boom! Big burst of fire right into him and sending him sprawling! Looks like he's still in one piece too! "You are… Oh, you aren't dead! That's a big surprise!"

Aw, now he actually looks pretty tired. Bleeding and singed all over. Seems he's even struggling to bring himself to his feet. "This… This madness in your eyes… I get it now… You're in pain."

Me? Pain? Ha! "Pain?! Quit fooling yourself, Discord! I'm having a blast here! The most fun I've had in… Oh, I already told you that!"

And he's still trying to talk to me? "You can't fool me! I know it's all just a façade! I know you're still torn apart inside! And I can help you!"

OK, what is going through this guy's head? Better bring my sword back over to my hand just in case. Offering to help me? The only thing this loser's good at helping with is helping mess you up. A little point in his direction should remind him who's in charge here. "You? Help me? OK, I'll humor you. Talk."

He's starting to look more…confident. He's got something up his sleeve. "I know the game required that I lock away every bit of magic that you can't use, but… Well, I hid one little type of magic away just in case. The magic I would've used to corrupt you at the first chance I got. And here's what I'm getting at. I know you're in pain. I know how dear your friends were to you. Well, I can take away that pain, if you'll let me."

My friends… I… There's no denying it. I do feel a bit of pain in my heart. It's all but buried in the fun and enjoyment I've been using to drown it, but…it's still there. My friends are gone forever. I know that much. But if that pain can be erased… "You would do that for me?"

That smirk… He's luring me in. But it's so hard to turn down… "If I know you as well as I suspect I do, I would say that your complete opposite is a truly apathetic individual. Let me free you and you will never have enough caring to feel pain ever again. We'll be able to call this ridiculous game off and we'll go our separate ways. What do you say?"

He's just trying to save himself. But still… Now I feel the pain rising again… Fine. Anything to get rid of this agony before it becomes unbearable. I stab my sword into the ground beside me and rest my hand on the pommel. "Agreed… Get over here and do it."

"With pleasure." He might be in pain, but he's clearly confident. That offer is so hard to refuse… But at least now, I'll be free of the pain. No point in holding onto memories of those who no longer exist.

He stands before me, my head bowed. "Just remove the helmet and get it over with…"

I can see out of the corner of my eye. He's reaching for my head. "Trust me, Sir James. You won't regret this."

"If I may… One last word before I lose myself?" He at least can spare me that much.

He still seems confident and smug. Definitely looks in control. "Very well. Let's hear it."

…..You didn't really think I was gonna just throw in the towel like that, did you? "Discord… You…" And now to throw off that deceptively glum expression. "You're such…a gullible retard!"

I grasp my sword in a reverse grip and swing upward! The poor fool didn't have any hope of getting away in time. A perfect vertical cleave up the middle of that slender body. And the sound of his shriek of agony… Oh, that is satisfying. He staggers away, fresh blood oozing from the long slit in his front. I just hope that locked box stays in there. That look of terror and frustration. Is he gonna start fighting back now? I'd love to at least see him TRY to struggle against a superior opponent! "You… Why?! I can take away your pain if you let me! Why're you still insisting on going through with this…barbaric excuse of a game?! It's not fun at all!"

"Why?" I hold my arms out to my sides and give him a more subdued smirk. May as well tell it like it is. "Discord… There's no tomorrow for us. So let's enjoy this last little bit of entertainment for as long as we can, all right?"

Oh goodie… That look of horror and despair in his eyes. It's finally sinking in. He knows there is no way out. I'm not calling this game off for anything. I'm not letting him escape. Not alive, at least! But let's see just how much more fun I can get out of this little bug before I finally squash him. "Still don't get it? Then let me say it in a way you'll understand…" I call the Lunar Shield back over to me and let it affix itself to my left arm. Now I'm ready. "I'm gonna mount you on my fireplace wall!"

Huh? He's flying backwards and up? How?! I fried and ate both of his wings! He… Oh, I get it. Self-levitation. Well, it's cool that he's getting the most outta what he has. "You know what? Go ahead. I'll give you a thirty second head start."

Oh my, what's with that look? He's looking pissed! Trying to stir up some courage, huh? "You… Do you have any idea who you're toying with?! I am Discord! The true master of chaos! And you're just a flimsy little human in a tin can! Go ahead! Take my wings and my tail! I'm not giving up my throne without a fight!"

Hmm… Big chunks of the ground are being ripped out of the area and lifted into the sky to join those he made before the game started. And… Well, something doesn't feel right here. The sky's gotten cloudy and dark… The more surreal bits of floating landscape are getting duller and gloomier… Some other force is at work here. Meh, not like I care. But I can't have this idiot getting defiant on me. "Still think you're in control, huh? Guess I need to remind you of who's the pitcher and who's the catcher. Bottom's up, ya loony."

He's just floating up there like some sorta god with all that junk floating around him. Kind of looks…heavenly. But he's forgetting something. He's the mere mortal now and I'm his god! And it's time I do the godly thing and smite the infidel! "OK, thirty seconds are up! It's go time!"

I take to the sky, swooping at him like a cackling seagull! No, seriously. I'm laughing that much! Woo! Huh? Whoa! He just made what looks like a giant earthy hand try to snatch me up! Now THAT'S getting the most outta what you have! Nicely done, Discord! Now he just needs to find a way for all this floating landscape to shoot rocks at me to turn this into a bullet hell!

OK, watch it! Yeesh! Dang it! OK, all this stuff trying to swat me out of the air is getting to be a real pain! Oh, wait… Brainstorming here… Hey! You! Yeah, you! Stop looking up porn and pay attention! Things are about to get fun! Huh… Why did I never notice you guys out there before? I guess this must be Pinkie Vision or something!

Eureka! I've got it! Just need to close the gap instantly! Relies on line of sight and mass… Focus… And now Discord's right in front of me! "Hey, Discord! Stab stab stab!"

Ooh, I must have hit some sirloin steak in there. And just listen to him wretch in agony… Wait… I feel like I hit something too hard for my sword to scratch. That box in his chest? No, that's too high up… This is closer to his belly. Meh, whatever! Time to see how many times I can do this trick before I hurl!

"Hey, I'm over here! No, here! No, down here! Aim for the board! Did I ever tell you that you look great in red?" Teleport, slash. Teleport, slash! Over and over! To the left! To the right! To the front! To the back! Now dip, baby! Faster! Over and over, blood flying with every swing! Faster, faster, faster… Oh… Oh boy… Oh god, slow down! STOP! Oh my god, I'm gonna spew!

Sweet buttery Jesus, this spell really messes with you when you use it too much, too fast! Gotta land… Where's some… There! That chunk of floating land looks close! OK… Easy… Don't toss your cookies… Deep breaths… All right… I think I'm good… And Discord… Wow, that's a lot of red. And he looks good in it… Wait… There's…something hanging out of his gut. What is that? Something wrong with the pipes? Good thing I'm a certified plumber! At least I would be if I had a license.

"Get down here, buddy! There's something wrong with you!" I just grab him with a levitation spell and yank him out of the air. He's screaming and flailing while trying to get away, even trying to do the dogpaddle and breaststroke, but I plop him down right in front of me. Nah, I just hold him aloft for a minute so I can have easier access to his gut. "Oh, cool it. It's-a me, Jimbino! And I seem to notice you've got something wrong with your inner workings."

"Huh?! What're you talking about?! There's nothing wrong with that area!" What, does he think I'm about to reach in and pull his intestines out? Jolly good guess, but not this time.

"Oh, behave. I'm not gonna hurt you! This time, anyway." And now I thrust my hand in and start feeling around. "Hmm… Whatcha got in here? Oh, hope you don't mind me tickling your ribs for a second…" Whoa, that feels hard. Doesn't feel like a bone either! Now to pull it out. "OK, I found the problem! Looks like you've got a pretty severe case of the…Element of…Honesty?"

….What…the…literal…bloody…hell? One of the Elements of Harmony? OK, props to Discord. I really didn't see this coming! I give him one of my more menacing glares while he seems to be grinning extra nervously. "Uh…yes! How bizarre! I can only wonder how that got there…"

"Quite…" And now for a smirk. "What else you got in there?" And now I hold him up with levitation and start shaking the sucker like in open bag. He keeps flailing and wretching like he's about to barf. And out comes another! And another! And… Did he seriously stash all six of the Elements of Harmony inside himself?!

All six of them are lying at my feet. Saturated in his blood, as is my armored hand… OK, that's a dick move if I ever saw one. "Are you serious?! The clue to 'search within' meant that we had to search inside the one place we'd never think of checking?!"

What is with that nervous expression of relief on his face? Does he think the game's over now that I've found the Elements of Harmony? "Heh… Heheh… Well… Yes! Rather ingenious hiding spot, wasn't it?! But you found them after all! So that means you win! Elements located, victory secured, myself defeated fairly and squarely!"

He thinks it's all over, does he? I take one look at the piled pieces of jewelry before looking at him with a big smirk. "Pardon me, but I seem to recall that the rules of THAT game was that everypony participates or the game is over." And now… I merrily kick them off the floating hunk of earth and let them fall below while he looks on in utter gut-wrenching horror. "I'm not a pony. I have no place in that game down there."

He's starting to hyperventilate. Oh wow, that sound he's making while he starts to back up. "The only way that game is going to end is if they find the Elements. Which means that they need to find a way out of the labyrinth. Too bad there IS no way out! The only game that applies to you and I is the Ultimate Game. And I already told you the rules." Now I just snatch up the Celestial Sword and hold its bloodstained blade up. "So, are you going to prolong the enjoyment, or are you gonna just stand there and let me perform facial reconstruction on you?"

He isn't even trying to talk. He just jumps and levitates away from me at surprising speed while never once taking his eyes off me. Now I get it. He knows he's more boned than a grave robber getting it on with an entire cemetery's occupants. There's nothing he can do or say to save himself. He's just a rat in a cage now. The only question now? How long can he last?

I walk right up to the edge of the floating chunk of land and look right at the distant draconequus. Oh goodie, I'm grinning so hard. I need to stop that! My cheeks and jaw are getting sore! "Atta boy. You just keep on running. Don't let yourself die too soon, Discord! I'm not done having fun here!"

And now to close the gap! I swoop at him, but… Whoa! Look's like he's getting serious! He's making all the floating debris gravitate around him like a spherical net! Seems he's gonna do whatever it takes to make it as hard as possible for me to get to him….. Perfect! I love it when they go down like cornered rats! And I bet he does have a bit of rat in him. Well, this raven's in the mood for some rat ala mode! With a side of crab! I know you've got some crab in there, Discord! And I'll carve it outta you if I have to!

All that debris is just whirling around him while he floats in the middle. Ah, screw it. One little teleportation spell later and I'm hovering right in front of him! "Ding dong! Jimbo calling… OW!" What the… Something just hit me and sent me flying right outta the net of debris! Where'd that giant earthen hand come from?! Oh, no. No no no no no! I am NOT the pesky little fly here, Discord! You're not gonna swat me down like this!

So, he's got a little something for everything in there, huh? Well, might as well blow it all away. Might wanna get a little altitude here… Man, it's gotten pretty dark out. But it's only the afternoon, right? Is it Discord's doing? Meh, whatever. Now then… Maybe lightning will blow it all away? Or maybe… Oh, hell yeah! Why didn't I think of this sooner?!

All right then… How do I do this? No, that's fire. Come on… Come on… Wait… There we go… That pulsing glowing orb of yellowish white energy. That's right! Come on! Let's see how he stands up to a solar flare!

Huh? Now Discord has something to say? "Hang on… That's… No! You're not really using that, are you?!"

He's in a panic! Sweet! I bet he knows what's coming! "You recognize this, huh?! Then I betcha know what's coming!"

Now he's waving his hands. Do not want, huh? "No! Stop! You mustn't! Do you even know what you're doing?!"

Heh… Heheh… That makes me laugh. Do I even know what I am doing? Might as well be honest. "I HAVE NO IDEA!"

Grow, baby! Grow! I lift that swelling sphere of plasma above my head as I focus more into it. It's growing huge! So bright… And Discord's in an absolute tizzy down below! It's twice my size…. Now five times! Now ten! Jeez, it's hard to keep a grip! It keeps stretching and distorting! I can barely keep it compacted into a spherical form! It feels like it's gonna blow at any time!

"You're gonna wipe out the entire mountaintop if you let that go off! Please, don't do it!" What's this? Discord showing concern for Canterlot? Well, if that's not out of character, I don't know what is!

Still… Blowing up an entire mountaintop? "This thing will wipe out the mountaintop?! Awesome! What if I get it big enough to wipe out the whole mountain?!" OK, my throat's gonna be sore in a while. I can't stop laughing! Bigger… And bigger… And… Hang on. Why am I looking at the labyrinth?

What's wrong with me? I'm trying to have fun! But… They're still in there… If this goes off now… No, they don't even exist anymore! That's not them down there! But… No! Aim for Discord! Make sure he gets it! But still…

Ah, screw this! I direct my hand to the northern horizon and let it loose! That huge glowing orb rockets higher and higher until it's just an itty-bitty spark in the sky. And then… BOOM! I actually felt that one! A huge flare of light in the sky! I just hover there while looking on. And that would've wiped out the entire mountaintop and Canterlot with it?

"That… WOOOOO! Did you see that?! Man, that was huge! I could hear it from here! Felt it too!" Dang, if only Celestia could've seen that. Too bad she has no idea what's even going on out here. Good thing too. No telling what'd I have to do to her if she tried to stop me. Still… Better not use anymore plasma magic for the rest of the game. Yeah. Wouldn't wanna blow myself up with him. Oh, wait! Yes I would! But it would be much more enjoyable to make sure he dies first!

Hang on… What's that light coming from? My hand? "Oh, fire. Fire… FIRE! HOT! HOT!" Yeowch! I guess I didn't handle that plasma as well as I should've! My whole gauntlet is ablaze in yellowish white flames! And it hurts! It really hurts! I thought my armor is supposed to be heat resistant! Gotta put it out! Maybe… yeah! Ice! I blast my right arm with a magic blizzard from my left! It encrusted the thing with that gorgeous bluish ice and the flames seem to have faded. A little magic fire gets rid of it, but… Whoa. The metal seems a bit mangled…melted. Well, considering that plasma has an average temperature of 11,000 degree Fahrenheit or hotter, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. And ouch… I mean…ouch. It hurts… My arm hurts… That thing… What did it give me? Second degree burns? Well, whatever! This pain is nothing! I'm having too much of a blast to let a little burning agony stop me! But still… Yeah. No more plasma.

"Anyway… Back to business!" Focus in the left hand… There! Ice spikes flying at him! But he just uses all that debris to block it. Well then… How about on the inside! Didn't see that coming, huh?! Several shiny spears of ice are sticking out of him all over. And with all that red oozing from the filled wounds… Wow, it actually looks really pretty! But I can admire living art another day. There's more fun to be had!

More ice spikes! Now teleport behind him! Fireballs away! And now teleport right up to him while he deals with that! "Hello! And goodbye!" And boom! Stream of lightning right into him! Don't let up though. Keep it going! And… All right, how does that work?! I keep seeing his bones every few seconds?! "How does it feel to have this happen without being immortal, hm?! Not so easy to walk off, is it?!"

What the?! Oof! A giant rocky hand just snatched me up?! And it's trying to crush me between its fingers… Nice move, Discord! But not good enough. Just focus a bit… And there! Teleport! I think my head's getting used to that now. Not feeling too dizzy anymore.

I landed on a chunk of debris…and now he's sending the whole fleet of them after me like one big disjointed chain! Woo! Keep it coming! I'm running and jump and tumbling as they come crashing down at me while I just keep swapping ground for the bigger chunks of earth. It's crazy… I'm leaping and moving with such speed and agility I never even knew I had! My legs though… They're kinda burning up. Man, I must be really overworking myself throughout the whole game so far. But it's all worth it to see this loser drop dead!

Whoa, going vertical now! A little gravity spell should fix that. "Wow, Discord! You're driving me up the walls here!" And up I go! Running along the walls…and now upside-down! Woo hoo! Oh, this looks like a good spot to get to him! Jump straight up and return gravity to normal and flip and… Dropkick! "In the face!"

Considering that each leg has the kicking power of both an earth pony's hind legs, I just kicked him with the force of two earth ponies! I'm amazed I didn't take his whole head off or shatter his skull! But that looks like it really hurt! But what could make it even funnier? How about this?! Swoop low and… "IN THE NUTS!"

Missed?! Well, I guess he must've seen that coming. He levitated just out of reach when I took a swing at the twins nestled inside him. Seems he learns from every hit he takes. Good! That'll really draw this game out! Well, let's increase the fun of the chase! A swing of my hand launches a crescent wave of flames, but don't let it fizzle out! Maintain it…grow it… There! Let's see how he likes a fire serpent chasing him down!

Around and around the Discord goes. If he stops, off with his toes! Now he's abandoning his asteroid belt of floating debris and rising higher into the dark and…rainy sky. And what's with this rain?! It's not chocolate milk, is it?! No, look's more like…ink? Doesn't look like he's doing this… Well, whatever! I'll let that thing fizzle out now. It's getting kinda hard to maintain it in the rain anyway. Now then, teleport higher just as Discord turns around…

"Huh? It's gone?" Good. And now to tap him on the shoulder. Ooh, he just froze up like he knows what's behind him!

"Page for Mr. Discord!" Turn around and…my fingers in your face! "Bang, you're dead!"

And bang! Another explosion of fire! Lucky for him it's raining. That's helping cool him off. But it at least stunned him. And that's one loooong fall. Oh, idea! I dive to catch up to him and turn him over before taking a seat on his neck!

"Ow! What're you doing?!" Don't like it when I yank your horns? Well boo hoo, cry me a river and drown the whole world!

"What're you? Blind?! BEST RIDE EVER!" Wooo! Riding this sucker to the ground! "Oh, if it's nautical nonsense be something you wish… Whoa, that ground's coming up fast! Time to bail!" And I kick off of his head and down he goes. Splat! Right into… What the hell happened to this place? It's a mess! Mud and twisted landscape everywhere I look… Man, it's dark too. Not night dark, but… And all that floating landscape…

Something isn't right here. The more surreal floating chunks of the landscape have become…mangled. Twisted… Nightmarish. But Discord can't be doing that. And it doesn't match his style either… He's not that kind of crooked. But… With how scary the place is getting… Time to scare the piss outta him before we get to the last stretch. Heheheh…

There he is. Lying facedown in a huge muddy section of the area. What is this place anyway? Some sort of courtyard? Well, I know just how to greet him. I'll just stand in front of him, hunched over to bring us a bit closer. He's starting to push himself up… Coughing up mud… And now he's looking right at me while I give him a big happy smile. Now for the proper greeting in a sexy deep voice. "Hey there, sugar tits."

His response? Well, what do you think?! He sprints in the opposite direction while shrieking like a little girl! But he doesn't get far. He trips and faceplants into the mud again. Oh good grief, I can't help tittering like a little imp. Now to get away from him before he gets back up. Hmm… All this debris makes for some good cover.

I'm watching you, Discord. Oh, does it feel good to wait for you to get in just the right position. Look at him stagger to his feet. What a beautiful mess. Stained with blood, mud, and plenty of singed hair. How absolutely pathetic. The great Spirit of Chaos reduced to a maimed and battered fool. That look of terror in his eyes. He's constantly glancing around. Wondering where I've gone… Oh, that's right. The Element of Humanity has 'eyes' right now that glow. Better keep my hand over it to make sure he can't see them. It's pretty dark and ominous out here right now. He's looking right in my direction, but it's too dark for him to see me peeking from over this rock.

I can hear him. Labored breathing. I must've collapsed one of his lungs or something. Or maybe I cracked a rib or two. He's calling out to me now. He's desperate. "I know you're out there…! Please! Let's call this off! I get it! I can't beat you in this state! You've proven yourself a wily opponent! But this isn't fun anymore! So please… Let's just call it off!"

Hmm… What was that spell to project one's voice? Ah, right. That one. "Call it off? Why? I'm the one with the advantage, you little weeny. And yes, my sensors indicate that you are, in actuality, a weeny. You can't hide what's inside. And I should know because I've seen your insides."

"You're sick… You're not mad! You're not even insane! You're sick!" And he still thinks he can call me out for what I am when he made me this way? I'm starting to think he can't properly comprehend just how much harm he's done to me. But he'd have to be really messed up in the head to not see that.

"Am I? Must I remind you that it was you who made me this way? Oh, and by the way… I'm hungry again. So…uh…you might wanna hide now. I'll give you sixty seconds to find a hiding spot. Because if I see you out in the open… Well, I'll be finding out if there really is any crab in you. I'm just hoping it's the king kind." And off he goes. He's not taking chances anymore. Seems he's using levitation to gather up a bunch of rock and wood and is building it around himself while huddling against a larger rock over there. And sixty seconds have passed. Too bad I was watching the whole time.

Now to mess with him more. I'll just meander over to the rock next to where he's hiding. Now I'll pass right by his hiding spot. Better look right at it just to make sure he knows I'm close. Shuddering in there, Discord? You better be. Wet yourself yet? I can see a little hole in the mess of rock and wood. I bet I could see him if I got right up to it. Look at his spot for about ten seconds…and then keep walking. Yeah, I know you're in there, buddy. But you don't know that yet.

Now to pretend I'm looking over here. Now I'll climb onto his hiding spot and act like I'm looking around from a higher vantage point… Wait. Why am I… Tears? My throat is tightening… No, not now! Ignore the pain… Focus on the game. They're gone, James! They don't even exist anymore! Focus on your prey… There… I'm OK now. Now then, back to the fun times.

I think it's time to let Discord know I know where he is. Walk right by his hiding spot one more time…and now hurry back and look right in the hole! There he is. Looking at me in frightened silence while neither of us even breathe. Eight seconds later and… "It's raping time!"

What just happened?! I just heard a little girl shriek before that makeshift shelter exploded before something knocked me down and ran right over me! Did that idiot just trample me?! Oh my god, that is FUN. NY. I can't stop laughing! "Ohohoho gohahod… I liiiiiiike this game!"

He's still running over there, so I better make sure he stops. Conjure up a bit of lightning and make it strike down right in front of him. Now to teleport over yonder and out of sight. And add a little more mad giggling for addition spookiness. He's still right there out in the open with plenty of debris to hide my movements. But… Hang on, what's that over there?

I know that hilt and sun crossguard. The Celestial Sword? Fell in a bush, huh? Hmm… I guess it is about time for the final stretch. Let's get you back in my hands and… Whoa. After all that hacking and slashing I did to the guy, the blade… It's completely covered in a layer of sticky crimson fluid. It must have coagulated with the help of the blade's subtle heat since it's not dripping off anymore. The thickness seems to vary here and there, but I don't see a single spot of white anymore. The rain isn't even washing it off. And the glow… Oh god, the glow. With things being so dark out here, the blade is glowing quite nicely. And the glow… Such a beautiful chilling crimson hue. Just wait until Discord sees me now! But not yet. I'll leave this hiding behind this stone for the moment. One last scare to give him before I go to town on his sorry hide.

"I gotta hand it to you, Discord. This is really fun." OK, he hears me. Looking around while constantly keeping his hands close to himself. "Oh, but it's not what you're thinking! I don't mean the tearing you asunder or the constant scaring you out of your skin. I mean…it's fun actually playing god."

He's got his back turned. I just ran over to the nearest rocky crag, the sounds of my greaves splashing through the wet mushy ground alerting Discord just before he could look at where I was. Now to teleport over to the other side of the area and do it again with the nearest set of cover. "Being superior to everyone. Having all the power you could ever ask for. Being far above the person you want to see suffer. I'll tell ya, Discord. This is the life. I can't remember the last time I felt this…alive. No wonder you like toying with mortals. It makes you feel so much bigger than them."

Now on the other side of the field. Seriously, this guy looks like he's about to have a breakdown. "But what about you, huh? What's it like being mortal for the very first time? What's it like having no control at all over your fate? What does it feel like knowing you can't do anything to save yourself?"

Now the lightning is kicking up. A massive thunderclap just ripped through the air while the flash of lightning cast my shadow towards Discord as I swapped hiding spots. He almost saw me. And good lord, did that boom get a good yelp outta him. Just need to keep him guessing on where I am before starting on the last phase of this game.

"But more than anything, I have to wonder… How does it feel now that the flow of time has reached out to you and taken hold? I bet it feels good being immortal. Untouched by time. Fearing no harm. Constantly above the petty laws of nature." And now to return to the Celestial Sword. One teleportation more and it is back in my hand. Now for a classic scare.

"But you know… Even immortals aren't truly immortal. For you see… Even if the flow of time does not register with you… Even when your wounds close as quickly as they are rend… You are never truly safe from death…" Now to just levitate myself out from the hiding spot. No sound. His back is turned to me. Sword in hand with crimson glow being cast. Oh god, I can only imagine how I must look in the dark! Now to just lightly set myself down without making a sound. I'm probably only fifty paces away from him now. "You see, Discord… You can run. You can cheat it. You can do all you can to delay it. But in the end… It WILL find you… The reaper ALWAYS finds you!"

Wait for it… Oh, fine then. "That's your cue to turn around, nimrod."

He finally turns to face me and… Oh yeah, that's the reaction I was hoping for. A shriek of absolute terror as he staggers backward and falls right on his back. He isn't even trying to get up. He's just pushing himself away from me in the mud as I just casually walk towards him. I bet the only thing he can really make out in this awful lighting is the crimson glow of the Celestial Sword's bloodstained blade and the glowing crimson 'eyes' of the two ravens upon my helmet's forehead. Although occasionally a flash of lightning illuminates the area for a couple of seconds. And his pleas. Oh sweet joy, it's what I always wanted to hear out of that idiot. "NO! NO! PLEASE! NO MORE! LEAVE ME BE!"

He honestly thinks I'll call the game off by this point, does he? Guess I better remind him what his place is. "Are you kidding me, Discord? After all the fun I've been having, you really expect me to just stop here? What would you expect me to do after that? As I said earlier, there's no tomorrow for us. So, let's enjoy this grand finale for as long as we can! The previous stages of the game were fun, but now I'm about to go all banana nut butters on ya! So I recommend you get on your feet and start running. Don't you die on me just yet, got it?! You've got ten seconds to get a move on."

He's barely staggering to his feet. Too terrified to even try to resist me? Come on, man. You can make this whole thing more fun than that. "Three…two…one. Time to play."

I lunge at him and make a big upward swing of my sword, but he once again uses that pesky levitation spell on himself to move back… Oh, now that is chilling. With every swing, the crimson blade of the Celestial Sword leaves an awesome red light trail in the dark! "That's it! Keep on the move! You better keep running if you wanna stay alive!" Oh, sweet lord, I could just start singing now! And when I channel my heat magic into the blade! It becomes a surging huge blade of crimson flames that is triple the size it normally is! Let's see you dodge this, Disco Dude!

It's kinda hard to keep my footing on this wet muddy ground. With every lunge and sweep of my sword I make, I keep sliding all over the place. Well, how about this?! I can do some self-levitation too, you know! A quick jump, start to levitate, and go nuts with a spinning somersault slash! Oh, I know I hit something that time! Now, slow down the rotation and… There we go! A gentle landing.

What's Discord clutching there? His left shoulder? Huh? What's that in the mud? "Lemme guess. Just a scratch, right? Well, I beg to differ! Your arm's off! No, it isn't, right? Well, what's that then?!"

He just now noticed his severed griffon arm sticking out of the mud. Aw, the poor loony looks like he's about to start crying. Now he's trying to put it back where it used to be, but it won't stay. I think I can even see the bone exposed in the stump. How pitiful. And now he gives me that look. Not sure what to call that one. He looks devastated, yet horrified, yet… Man, there are no words. You just have to imagine him with the most pitiful expression you can think of. "Seriously, dude. How the hell have you not bled out yet? You got a whole blood bank in there to keep you going?!"

"Please… No more… I don't want this! This isn't a game! This is torture!" He actually managed to squeak out some words, huh?

"Still don't get it, huh? This IS a game, Discord. Maybe not a very fun game to some, but still a game nonetheless. And it's a game as old as time itself, to be honest. One seeks to do harm to the other. The other seeks to defend itself. One lives. One dies. Of course, you could just forfeit and end your suffering now…" Now to point my sword at him with the wackiest grin I can manage! "Hehehehehee… But that wouldn't be nearly as fun now, would it?!"

And once again, he's on the run! But chasing him down is too slippery and cumbersome. And all this lightning… Hoo, yes! Just get a load of this atmosphere! Grim and foreboding! Well, if he doesn't want to meet me up close, I'll just have to toss him a line. Or rather a sword on the end of a magic chain!

I just conjured up a magic golden chain connected to my right hand and am whirling the Celestial Sword above me. Just look at that whirling trail of crimson light. "Hey, Disco Duck! I hope you got eyes in the back of you head! Because I'm about to gouge them out!"

And it's a swing…and a miss! Man, he's too flexible! It's like trying to hit a wind chime in a hurricane! Swing and swing and… Oh, come on! Hold still! Then how about this?! Raise it up and bring it down! "Stab stab stab! Hold still, you loony!" I hope that blood doesn't come off in that mud with each missed stab… Sheesh, it's even harder to hit him while making stabs from above like the descending stinger of a scorpion! At least it's fun to see this guy dance while trying to avoid getting skewered! "Say my name! SAY MY NAME!"

OK, that little sword is too easy to dodge! I need something bigger… Something broader… Something…spikier. And I know just the thing! Keep him busy for a moment with one hand while the other… Yeah! A nice chunk of earth with some sturdy bedrock on the underside! Now to pull and break… This is a lot easier than I thought it'd be. Guess I learn better by doing instead of listening!

"Mozart versus Beethoven…" Now that looks really wicked. I mean sure, something that big and heavy is deadly, but it needed something more. So I felt that I could chisel a bunch of sharp pointy ends out of the flat end. Now to levitate that over… "John de Lancie versus MASHY SPIKE PLATES!"

He looks up…and what kinda scream was that?! Still… Oh, come on! I put a lot of work into that! The least he could do is stand still! Sheesh, that was quite a tremor it made when it slammed into the ground. Now to lift and… "Stand…still please!"

Over and over… Now he's just pissing me off. "Come on! Stand still for just five seconds! Pretty please?! It'll make for one hell of a mess, you know! I'd love to see that!" But he's not having any of it. Hey, and I know this is out of nowhere, but where did those ice spikes lodged in his body go? Did they melt? Or did he yank them out?

Oh, screw this! I'll never hit that slithering douche with that thing! May as well just leave it. He takes just one look at me…and off he goes. Levitating like a snake over the ground. Well, two can play at this! I grab my sword and take off after him, but from the side while keeping my distance.

I can see him on my left. I can only imagine how I look, running through the dark with that crimson blade glowing while those two tiny eyes on my helmet look at him whenever I look his way. I have to keep hopping over bits of debris too. Does he think I'm about to start closing in before taking a few more swings? Not this time!

I stick my empty hand out towards him and start to bombard him with magic lightning bolts! But why stop there? I use my wings to hover just off the ground while staying on the move and take turns with my hands while keeping the Celestial Sword levitating nearby, swapping between lightning bolts, frigid icicle spears, and bursts of fire. Just how is this guy managing to weave and tumble around so many of these projectiles?! Tch, fine…

I may as well get a bit more altitude. I fly above what I think is the central area of the wasteland, rain still pouring down around me while Discord seems to be keeping his distance. Now for something to really make him dance. Let's see… Nope, I can't generate both lightning and ice at the same time. I have to alternate. But maybe… Fire and lightning… Oh, hell yes!

"Yo, Discord! You might wanna get on the move!" Now, fire and lightning at the same time… Focus… Build the energies… Bring both hands forward… Keep them close together… Whoooooaaaa! It's a continuous huge beam of electrical and fiery magical energies! A swirling vortex of electric blue and fiery yellow! To think that I could've done this at the start! A bit hard to control though… It feels…heavy! I can only turn it slowly! Crap, Discord is narrowly staying ahead of it! But this stuff is scorching the ground pretty fast. The mud is turning into dry dirt whenever it passes over it, but the rain wets it down again in no time.

Meh, screw this. I'll never hit him at this rate. Rather than raw power, I should use sheer numbers. Quick! One little teleport down there behind him! "I'm over here!"

One quick little barrage of fire bullets peppered him up nicely before he could even react. Now to the left! "No, over here!"

Looks like I should've let the guy get a bat. I threw a bunch of icy screwballs at him and he tried to hit them with his face! No, wait. I was aiming at his face and they just slammed into him the instant he started to look. Now to teleport again behind him!

"Where are you looking?!" And bang! A big arc of lightning! Hey, I was wondering how I kept missing before! That's right. I haven't been entirely focusing my eyes on his body before casting a spell and he keeps weaving and tumbling through the air! No wonder I keep missing half the time.

Repeat the same steps a few more times while throwing out an insulting wisecrack with each time and its time for the big one. I teleport back up above the middle of the area and raise my hands to the stormy sky! Man, this place has gotten scary. I don't even want to look at the landmasses that are still floating. It's like something has merged with Discord's chaotic magic that still lingers and has twisted it into something…freaky. But enough about that. Let's get back to us! If memory serves, casting magic on something requires line of sight while pointing my hand in the direction it is in. But if my hands aren't pointing in the same direction I'm looking… Oh, this is gonna get crazy!

"Hey, Disco Duck! Let's see you dance!" Focus…and let 'em rip! Shooting ice shards, fireballs, and crackling lightning orbs into the sky at rapid-fire frequency! And down it all comes! It's raining fiery freezing shocking hell! And Discord… Oh, wow. The poor sucker should've brought a parasol! He keeps getting pelted since he's too confused by all the falling magical projectiles that he can't keep an eye on what's directly above him!

Did I seriously keep that going for a full minute? Well, it sure was fun to see how chaotic that got! I love scattershot attacks like that. Ooh, looks like poor Disco Ball is having trouble keeping himself up. Tell you what. If he survives this next one, I'll give him the chance to get in a free hit. It's no fun when the game's entirely 100% one-sided!

Lightning sparks around my left hand, flames flickering over my right while I grip the Celestial Sword in the right. Discord looks like he might be ready to pass out. "What's wrong, big guy? Getting tired? Well, I hope you got enough in you for one last burst! Here comes the best!"

I raise my left hand high and arcs of lightning shoot up and rain down all around me while staying connected to my hand! But no, it doesn't stop there. They stay there, a bunch of electric pillars! And now, let's give it a whirl! They start to spin like poles on a carousal, spreading outward to slam into Discord! But it looks like he's catching on. He keeps slipping through the gaps! Now to spin them in reverse. He keeps moving forward and back to get through them whenever they approach and retreat.

"Not bad, Discord! Time for the next phase!" Now to whirl them again… Now stop! And with my right hand… Pillars of flame that jut up and rocket forward between the pillars of lightning! And Discord's staying on top of things still, getting between two of them before they can mow him down! Now to rotate the pillars again and send out more pillars of fire! Well, this isn't working as well as I hoped. Time for the final phase.

"Nice work, twinkle toes! But let's see you get through this!" Now for a second cage of electric pillars! One whirls in one direction while the other spins in the opposite. They keep passing each other, often catching Discord between the two. And more fire pillars keep sliding between the gaps to get him! Oh, this is just glorious! It's just a shame that he's not getting hit more often.

And he finally drops! He just got caught in one of the lightning pillars and collapsed! I guess now's a good time to dispel these spells. I'll just drop to the ground and check on him. Oh, now he start's to climb to his feet. All that blood. And that singed fur. Not to mention both wings, most of his tail, and an arm missing. Utterly humiliated.

"Wooo, good times! I told you the Ultimate Game's a blast to play! But holy handjob, you're a mess! I knew you were gonna get your tail served to you on a silver platter with a lemon and star fruit garnish, but I didn't think I'd mess you up this bad!" I just can't stop laughing! I'm having way too much fun here!

Oh, now that's a new look. He seems tired and scared, but he's starting to look pretty pissed off now too. "Oh, what, you gonna cry now?! You gonna cry, ya big baby?! Yeah, go ahead! Cry for me! Rage quit, I dare ya! Go on! Rage quit!"

That labored breathing of his is starting to turn into a growl. What, does he have one last act of defiance up his sleeve? "Do you… Can you even fathom who you're toying with?!"

"Hmmm… Do I? Well, you were the almighty Spirit of Chaos a little while ago. But all I see now is a wimpy and pitiful little twit who's splashing in the deep end. But tell you what. Since you've been such a good sport so far and haven't had much luck, I'll let you get in one good shot. No questions asked. So go ahead, sucker. Lemme have it." I'm just standing ready. What's he gonna do? Hit below the belt? Punch me in the face? Maybe suplex me into the mud?

His eyes are wandering. No, more like scanning me. He's trying to figure out where to strike. There's a lot riding on this one blow and he wants to make it count. "One move…? Well, how's this then?!"

The claws on his right hand extend. And those are some pretty big lion claws! "Ooooh, real scary! But do you really think they can get through my armor?"

"No, of course they can't." What's that strangely smug grin? He's up to something. But I did promise him one free hit, so may as well let him do it. "But I see one spot that'll work!"

He reaches back like he's about to slash me across the face or something. But instead, he…grabs me by the hip? I'm looking down and his hand is just holding me there. "What? We gonna do some dirty dancing?"

He grins wickedly. And with one pull of his hand… What was that sound? And…that searing pain. Man, that hurts. That…really hurts! There is a crimson fluid oozing from the left side of my waist… I see what he did. He slipped his claw between the tiny almost impossible to notice gap between the tasset and the cuirass. And he just gutted me pretty nicely. I bet he even tore my intestines open. Maybe he even ripped a tear in my kidney. Who knows what he did? But still… This is…perfect. Just the opportunity I was waiting for!

Now then, time to go for an Oscar. Look down at the blood. Now slowly bring the hand to it and lift, looking at the blood in silent shock. Good, good. Now then, take a step forward… Ow! Jeez, it hurts to move with this wound! It hurts… No, ignore the pain! I'm so close now… Take another step, then cringe… Drop the sword. Now stagger back several steps. Good… Gasp long and deep. Lean back and…I'm down!

Now to just lie here. Breathe deep, sound in pain. OK, I really am in pain here, but you get the point. And here he comes. Looks like he's in a lot of pain too, but good god, this guy is one hardy son of an Ursa. I'm starting to think he might've left a tiny bit of his immortality inside himself to make him a little harder to drop. Now he's lowering his upper half to me while looking pretty smug. I'm keeping my eyes almost completely closed, but open just a tiny crack so I can still see him.

"You're definitely out of your head, Sir James. You could've won if you continued coming at me, but now you're doomed. You're going to bleed out from that wound, both externally and internally." Yeah, sure. Keep talking like you're the one in control here. "But I don't want to see you die. I've never been the killing type. I'm willing to call this game a draw if you are. We both forfeit, I get all of my magic back, I heal our wounds, and we both go our separate ways. And if you're still so torn up about your friends abandoning you, I can still replace your anguish with apathy. What say you? Shall we let bygones be bygones? Surely this isn't something worth dying over!"

OK, he's right where I want him. And it sounds like he's done talking. "Heh… Heh…Heheh… You…really are one gullible little twit, aren't you?"

Now he just looks annoyed while I look up at him. No point in feigning defeat now. "I don't think you're grasping just how dire your situation is! I know that's just one wound there, but that bleeding isn't going to stop! Let's stop this thing and start thinking about how we might live to see tomorrow!"

"I must've hit your head a little too hard at some point, Discord. Have you forgotten? There IS no tomorrow for us. I'm not done with you yet. And you're right where I want you. Remember this little friend of mine?" I lift my left hand and focus my magic in it for a special type of teleportation. The Lunar Shield resonates with that polarity. And here it comes. I'll just hold it aloft for the moment in front of him to make my point. "Now here's a riddle I just thought up. How many whacks to the head with the Lunar Shield does it take to crack open the skull of a draconequus?"

Looks like Discord isn't sure of what to make of this. I mean, sure. A big shield isn't exactly menacing by itself. But bear in mind, there is nothing harder than the Lunar Shield. His skull will break long before it does! "I'm asking because I honestly don't know! But let's find out now, shall we? Hold still now!"

And now to bring that sucker down into his head! But looks like Discord was quick to throw up his hand. He keeps trying to push it away while I try to use levitation to smash it into his face. But now… "Psych!"

That sound… A sudden yelp of pain and a splash of blood from his knees as something swiftly cleaves through them. He's standing perfectly still now, probably having no idea what just hit him. I mean, seriously. Why do you think I dropped the Celestial Sword at a spot that would end up behind that sucker once he took several steps forward? I just use levitation to toss the Lunar Shield away while I start to stagger to my feet. Don't need that anymore.

"You… What did you do?! What was that pain I just felt in my knees?!" Discord looks like he's starting to panic. And for good reason. He's all mine now. I finally have him cornered and helpless. Not even a little levitation from him will save him now.

"Not sure what happened just now, huh?" I use the levitation spell to bring the Celestial Sword back to my right hand while my left clutches my side. That's a lot of blood… I need to hurry up and get this over with. I've come too far to miss out on this opportunity now! "Well, let me give you an idea."

Now that I'm back on my feet, I lift my right foot and give Discord the boot! Off he goes. Right off his legs and into the mud on his back! "I've heard of getting knocked out of your shoes before, but never right off your legs!"

He has hardly any mobility now that all he's got left are two bleeding stumps and one arm. He tries to prop himself up, but he pretty much has to rely on his long flexible neck to see what just happened. And sure enough, his feet and shins are still just standing there. "My… My legs?! You… What do you want from me?!"

Oh, my cheeks are so sore. I'm smiling as big as I can while I look down at this pathetic little idiot. "What do I want? I want your head. In other words… Hello! This is the part where I kill you!"

He's hyperventilating, trying to pull himself away from me with his only remaining arm while never once taking his eyes off of me. He knows he's cornered. And I'm still faster than him. Dang, this hurts… But I'm still staggering forward faster than he is retreating. Go on. Just try to keep away from me.

Well, it's gonna be tough to pin him if he keeps squirming like that. A quick little impalement should stop him long enough for me to get in position. Once I get close enough, I plunge my sword deep through the center of his body, prompting another shriek of agony. "I wouldn't move if I were you. That thing's stuck right in the ground itself and cuts through most things like paper. You'll bisect yourself if you keep crawling."

Still trying to talk his way outta this, huh? Even while I'm moving around to his chest to pin him down? "You're not thinking straight! Look at yourself! That's not just some little paper cut, you know! You're gonna die if we don't quit this game! What's wrong with you?! None of this makes any sense!"

Sense? Of all people, the Spirit of Chaos is talking about sense? I feel the smuggest smirk ever spread across my lips while I slowly lower my face to his. He's scared, but weirded out too. Probably thinks I'm gonna French him or something. Now that my face is mere inches away, there's one thing I have to ask. "But what fun is there in making sense? Am I right?"

That look of absolute dread. He knows there is no way he's getting out of this alive now. He knows he screwed up bad and he's about to pay the price for it. Wait… What is he saying? "But…why? Why do this?! I don't get it!"

Why…he asks? "Why…? Hehee… Why… WHY?!" I reach back and grab the Celestial Sword in a reverse grip before yanking it right out of him and keeping it pointed at his face, ready to plunge it between his eyes! "You actually have the balls to ask me WHY?! After all I've said and all I've done to you, you STILL don't get it?!"

I am so tempted… He's right here in front of me, pinned under me, and all I have to do is plunge my sword's crimson blade right into him! But no… Not yet. "I've been dropping hints here and there and you still just don't get it?! Heh… Hehee! You really can't even begin to comprehend what it is you did to me, can you?!"

He's not even trying to counter or reply to anything I say. And my voice… I can feel the tears… It's like some bizarre fusion of laughter and sobbing… "You probably didn't see me show up in Ponyville a year ago, did you? You didn't see how lost and confused I was, wary of the people and baffled of where I was. But you wanna know who came to my aid when I needed someone most? I'll give you a hint! There was six of them!"

Oh, that look in his eyes. I don't think I can describe it if I tried! But he just glanced over at the labyrinth over yonder. "DING DING DING! We have a winner! Yup! It was those six wonderful mares. They could've just left me alone to my confusion and fear, but instead, they helped me when no one else did. They became the foundations for my life in Equestria. And as the weeks went by, I started wondering how I would ever get by without them. I didn't think life could get any better with such awesome friends. But then…someone came along and wrecked everything in just one afternoon. And he's this idiot right under me!"

God, it's so hard… I want to just end him right here! So close and there's nothing stopping me! But not yet… Need to resist a little longer… "You just don't know what it's like, do you? You can't even comprehend living not for yourself, but for the people who mean everything to you! You think it's funny to completely erase the minds and personalities of such people, leaving totally unlikable scumbags in their place! And what really pisses me off about you…is that you just don't care. Well, it's all fun and games until you tick off the one person you really shouldn't have trifled with, isn't it?"

The pain… It's all coming back… "They're gone… All gone… And I'll never see them again… No… Haha… No more tears… All that's left is this game… And I can finally win it…"

It's time. Put a smile on, James. You finally have this monster by the balls. "You know… It's been fun. There's something satisfying about seeing you being completely humbled before me. And as for this fatal wound you just gave me? Well, let me tell you something. Do you know what the one thing that is more satisfying than winning the Ultimate Game is? Can you even guess?"

No words? Nothing? He looks too petrified to say anything. I guess I may as well tell him then. "It's an easy guess, to be honest. The one thing more satisfying than winning is snatching victory right out of the hands of your enemy when they are about to triumph. For you see, Discord… I lose…but you don't win. Make no mistake, I'm probably not gonna survive this injury, but I'm sure as hell not gonna die before you do!"

I guess that's all there is to say. And it's about time too… Huh? Now he has something to say as I lift my sword? "Wait! I can reverse them! I can change them back to how they used to be! I promise! I swear it!"

….Seriously, dude? You must have been thinking that up the instant I first pinned you down like this, weren't you? "Hehehee… You're a riot! You really think I'm gonna start buying what you say now?! No dice, Discord! The last thing I expected was to find out you're a coward! Now then, I don't have much longer, so I may as well send you on your way. I would say it was nice knowing you…but it wasn't!"

I finally thrust my sword down at him, but the little cockroach is trying to hang on until the end! He reaches up with his remaining arm and grabs mine by the wrist, just barely keeping the blade away from his face! He's just wailing and screaming in sheer terror, completely at my mercy! I'm pushing as hard as I can, but… All this bleeding… I'm starting to feel just a little more tired now… Not good. I need to finish this before fatigue finally sets in. I'm so close… I didn't come this far to fail now!

"What's wrong?! No smiles?! No laughing?! I thought you loved having fun with these games! Come on, you pansy! Laugh!" I at least have my left arm free. This should get him to back off. An armored fist to the face! Pow! And again…and again! There went that tusk hanging from his upper jaw! And one more… Now he lets go. Groaning in pain as he holds his mouth. "What's wrong? Too joyful and excited to even think of how to process it?! Well, that's fine! Just leave all the laughing to me!"

And so, I laugh. With no more resistance, I plunge my blade directly into his face… Again… And again… Over and over… So much blood. It's splattering onto my chest… Onto my face! His body finally goes limp, but I can't stop! I just can't stop laughing! And I can't cease stabbing! More and more, I just keep stabbing! Finally… Just one more! With both hands, through the face! "Come on! LAUGH! LAUGH WITH ME!"

…..I'm shuddering so much… The Celestial Sword is sticking straight up as my hands rest around its hilt. My breathing is harsh and erratic. I look down and… He… I did it… I actually did it… He's dead. Discord…is dead. His body is still. His arm limp. His head… Oh, don't even ask me to try to describe the carnage his face has become. There are simply no words to paint a picture of the mess his face is in. Just let your imagination do the work, if you have the stomach for it. But still… I did it. I killed him. Discord is dead. Slain by my hand…

And now…the laughter is coming back. So this is what it's like to bring justice to the one who ruined your life… It feels…good. Very good. I'm laughing so hard as I look to the sky. Victory is mine! "Oh, man! That was fun! You should really see the look on your face now, Discord! Oh, wait, I'm sorry. You don't even HAVE much of a face anymore, do you? They're gonna need all the staples and glue in the world to put you back together!"

I laugh… And laugh… It feels good. But…the tears… And this sound. The laughing is turning into…crying. He's gone…and my wrath with it. I… Oh, god… The pain is returning, both in my body and my heart. My head throbs, my legs burn, my arm screams in agony under its melted mangled shell. But now… I hold my face in my hands. There is no joy left. No satisfaction. So…this is revenge. He took away what is most dear to me. Erased it from existence. And I made him suffer for it. But…I gained nothing from it. With all the rage and hate gone, there is only…emptiness.

The rain is starting to slow… Blood continues to ooze down my side. I do not have long, but I am not afraid. It is strange, but…I welcome it. My vision blurred by tears, I turn my gaze to the labyrinth. The entrance still sealed by a wall of leaves. But maybe… Maybe I can get back inside. I know they will not care, but… Maybe my words will still reach them. If nothing else, I at least want to say goodbye…

I stagger to my feet… My god, this pain… It feels as if my entire body burns… I cannot even move my right hand anymore. The burns beneath the shell… I feel so weak now that the adrenaline has run its course. But I have to make it. I have left Discord's corpse behind. What I did to him… Was it right? Wrong? What I did… I became worse than he ever was... But it does not matter anymore… I will be gone soon either way. Perhaps I deserve it too…

My stance is weak. I shamble across the ground as the rain finally comes to a stop. This ground is still whole and stable, not a field of mud. My hand grasps my waist, futilely trying to staunch the loss of blood. I feel as if my feet weigh ten times more than normal. My vision…it occasionally blurs, and not by tears. My gait is becoming increasingly unsteady. I stagger from one side to the other, trying to stay on the path. Finally, I cannot stay standing. I lose my balance and drop to one knee with a clank.

It is not much further. The entrance is maybe another hundred paces… If I can just…push myself to a standing position again… My right hand reaches out… I know they are in there. A little more… Come on…

I push myself up slowly, but… I cannot. I groan as my strength gives out, falling flat on the ground with a clank. My helmet… It rolled off. I do not need it. But the Element of Humanity… The ravens are gone. Only the form of twin white doves remain.

No matter what I do, I cannot climb to my feet. I feel so weak… So…cool. Come on… If I cannot stand, then I must crawl. My right hand. It hurts… But I have to use it. I claw at the ground while pushing with my feet. The rate of progress is painfully slow, but at least I am moving forward.

Closer… Closer now… It looks so much closer now. But it still seems so far off. A bit more… Drat… I… I cannot keep going. I have no strength… I scrape my armored fingers against the wet hard ground in vain. This is as far as I can go…

There has to be something I can do… I know I will die alone and I welcome it by this point. They are gone, but… My left hand. Still soaked in my blood. Yes… I know a way. If they find me, at least I can leave something behind to show them that even if they are not the same people anymore, at least I still remember what they used to be.

I reach ahead, drawing one finger along the ground. The shape… A diamond. I return my hand to the blood pooling at my side before continuing. The next shape, an apple. And then a balloon… No… My hand is shaking… I feel so weak… No, I have to keep going. Even if the shapes are crude and sloppy, I have to make them at least recognizable.

A star with six arms… Then a lightning bolt… And finally… The most precious of them all. A butterfly. They are all spread out in a circle. It is strange… I can almost…feel them. I place my hand in the center, the six crimson paintings around it. My tears flow once more, a faint smile starting to come to me. "The gang's all here…"

This is fine… It is the most I could hope for at this point. At least if someone finds me, they will know that I still held those six…wonderful mares close to my heart. But still… The pain… I have never felt more alone… And never before this empty. I have to wonder… Who really won this Ultimate Game? Discord lost his life. But I… I lost much more than that. I may have been the last one standing, but… "Looks like…you won this game after all, Discord…"

My eyes are heavy… I may as well close them and wait… I feel so…tired. At least the pain will fade soon. I will be free of it… Wait… That sound… The faint sound of hooves… Panicked breathing… Something touches me. It tenderly turns me over… Something cradles me. Something relatively small. A warm drop of fluid oozes down my cheek to my lips. Salty. A tear. Something presses against my face. A soft and thin coat… And this scent… The barely noticeable scent of water vapor… I know this scent. I know who this is… Rainbow Dash.

I struggle to force my eyes open. And there she is… She is the only one here… Her wings… They have returned to her. She clutches me in her arms. But why… I thought she… "What are you even doing out here…?"

She looks down at me. Those beautiful rose-colored eyes filled with such sorrow. Tears cascade down her face. She speaks in agony. "Don't say it… I know what you're thinking. And I'm gonna be completely honest with you. Discord never got to me, James. I never turned my back on you…"

Her colors… They are just as vibrant as when I last saw her… I feared that she too had been… I… I feel a small glimmer of relief in my heart as more tears fall. "I thought he… Like the others…"

I feel her hoof touch my cheek. So tender and soft. She sobs heavily as she tries to speak. "I know… I saw Applejack on that mirror that popped up next to me. He definitely got to her… But…" She suddenly breaks down in tears, holding her hooves to her face. "Oh my god, I can't believe you did all that! You even ate part of him! I couldn't even watch half the time! I never should've left you alone! I should've stayed with you when I found you!"

She saw everything? Discord was not joking when he said we should have an audience? All I did and said… All the blood I spilled… Thinking back… How could I have done all that… It went against everything I ever stood for… I cannot believe she witnessed that. "You must hate me…"

She looks at me once again, shaking her head. "No… I hate myself for not being there for you… We promised, darn it… We Pinkie Promised! We promised we wouldn't let this happen again! And now look at you…"

I try to reach out to her, my strength waning. She holds my right hand on her hoof, my grasp tightening. "At least you didn't break it…"

A tiny tearful smile spreads across her lips. She is choking on tears, but manages to speak. "Yeah… Element of Loyalty… That's me… Oh man, I can't believe he hid those inside himself… But…you found them. Everything's gonna be OK now…" She reaches out and places a tiny kiss on my cheek. I felt such warmth… Rainbow… I… Words cannot describe how relieved I am that I at least still have you in the end. I do not feel quite as…alone now... "Just hang on… You know I love you… The other girls will be out here in a while and… Just… Please, hang on… You're gonna be all right, James… We'll make it up to you somehow. We'll put this all behind us and get things back to normal right away. So please… Just try to…"

She is becoming quiet… I no longer hear anything. The only sound that reaches me is a steady pounding in my ears. I feel so cold… Her expression… It is changing slowly. From sorrow to puzzlement… And now…as I feel myself going numb…I see her expression becoming one of horror as my hand falls from her hoof. She grasps me, shaking me while screaming in tears. She must be screaming… And that look in her eyes… Fear and anguish like I have never seen.

The textures in my vision are fading… All I see are shapes… And now only colors… My eyes… Everything is going black… They begin to close. Too heavy…

I feel nothing… I am not even certain if I am still drawing breath. All I hear is the pounding in my ears. A tempo of two beats every second or so. But as the seconds go by, the interval between each beat becomes longer… And longer… Slower…

Finally…it stops. The pounding does not come…

And at last…a moment or so later…..I know no more.


	33. Shattered Souls

I saw everything… Everything that happened outside the labyrinth. The shrieks of agony, flashes of blood, and that mad laughter… And when the mirror shattered…I felt myself return with it. And then… And only then did I realize… What had I done?!

James… I was corrupted and when he found me… No, I swear that was not me! It was not me, James! Just as I am sure it was not you who struck Discord down! I know it was not you because at the end…just before static filled the screen, I saw your hand resting in a circle of our cutie marks…drawn in your own blood… One look to my side revealed that my companion, if you could call it that, still remained by me… How could I ever choose a boulder over the love of that man?

"You… Get away from me!" I screamed with tears in my eyes as I grabbed 'Tom' in my magical grasp and hurled him over the horizon. A distant thud was heard moments later as he likely landed at the far edge of the labyrinth… Wait. Magic? How was I using magic when…

"Hold on… How could I do that when… Wait!" I quickly reached up and touched my forehead. It was there. My horn had returned! Discord's demise must have undone everything he ever altered! "Yes! Oh, thank goodness! I feared I would never… What am I doing, celebrating my horn's return? I need to get out of here!"

I could not stay. I had to find my way out! I needed to find the rest of us! If everything I saw on that screen was not some morbid illusion, then… He was dying. James was out there at that moment bleeding to death… No! Where was the exit?! Be strong, my prince! Please, you must live! I will never forgive myself if you… No, I will not think that! You must live!

I sprinted down the paths, passing hedge after hedge. But just after rounding another corner, I came to a skidding halt as I very nearly ran right into somepony. "Eek! So sorry! I just… Twilight?!"

My scholarly friend stood before me, her horn having also returned to her head. "Rarity?! Wait… Did you see it too?! All that happened?!"

I felt my heart sink with guilt. I saw and heard everything he said. The madness that was brought on by our… I staggered back, the tears finally flowing free. "I tried, Twilight! I truly did! I turned away from Discord's temptations, but he touched me on the head and… It consumed me!"

She was clearly shocked by my words. I knew Discord could twist us through temptations and manipulations, but through mere touch as well? "He corrupted you by touching you?! He could do that all along?!"

"What have I done, Twilight…?! I promised myself I would not fall for Discord's tricks a second time and… He could be out there dying right now! And it's all my…" I paused when Twilight reached out to me and grasped my shoulders. I gazed right into those intelligent purple eyes of hers. I could see tears building at the edges, struggling to get out.

"It wasn't your fault, Rarity… If Discord could do that with just a touch, then there's no way we could've kept this promise… Even if it was a…Pinkie Promise…" Twilight said rather forlornly while she bowed her head. I could see it too. She had witnessed everything… And knowing that we failed… Discord was indeed no more, but… Surely we would not be robbed of our dear friend as well!

"Hey! Who's out there?! Hang on a second, I'm comin' through!" I heard a very familiar boorish… I mean rustic accented voice call out before we turned to see our good friend Applejack burst through one of the hedges. But when she turned to face us… "Phew! Lucky I found ya so… Uh… Girls? What's wrong? Do I have somethin' on my face?"

"More like your eye! What happened to it?!" I pointed at her right eye. It was swollen shut and was the same shade of purple as a plum. And that was the same eye that James struck when…

Applejack instantly sighed and pulled her hat down to partially conceal it. "I reckon you girls already know how it got that way… James walloped me pretty good. Can't say I didn't have it comin' though…"

Twilight looked on in shock as she took a step towards our friend. "He actually… What did you do to him?!"

A lone tear slid down Applejack's face before she looked right at us. "One of the last things I ever said ta 'im was that I always hated 'im, Twilight! And he believed me!"

So even she, one of our most reliable friends, could not withstand Discord's corruption. And what of Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy and bold Rainbow Dash? Still, despite our differences, I could not stay silent in the face of Applejack's guilt. "You are not alone, Applejack. I too harmed him…"

Before she could even offer a retort, we were all greeted by a loud and very familiar voice. "Girls! There you are! I was wondering how many more pages I'd have to jump through to find you! Are you all OK?"

We all got a good fright out of that. Pinkie Pie just popped up out of nowhere! "Gracious, Pinkie! Warn us next time you… Oh, forget it. Asking you how you do that is the same as asking why all the gemstones I dig up are already cut and polished."

Applejack was the first to actually approach Pinkie Pie while making certain her hat was covering her swollen eye. "Good ta see ya, Pinkie. But… I'm… I'm sorry. We couldn't keep the Pinkie Promise in the end…"

Considering how furious Pinkie was when it seemed that Applejack had broken a Pinkie Promise during her prolonged departure after that rodeo competition a while back, I was expecting her to have an absolute meltdown upon hearing those words. But instead… Pinkie Pie bowed her head while her mane seemed to…quiver like a balloon on the verge of deflating? "It's all right. I… I couldn't keep it either…"

"Pinkie… You too?" Twilight asked while drawing near. However, she jumped back when Pinkie suddenly threw her head back and screamed as tears gushed out from her eyes like they were being sprayed from a garden hose. Yes, that is bizarre, but I was not terribly bothered due to having witnessed it before.

Seconds later, Pinkie Pie began to frantically recount whatever it was that happened when that monster found her. "I tried! I tried to ignore everything he did to make me turn into that angry mean jerk I was last time! But when I did, he chased me down! He made my legs fall off so I couldn't escape! I begged him to take his finger off my head when he touched me, but… How could I, Twilight?! I'm the one who invented the Pinkie Promise, but I still couldn't keep it!"

Twilight, likely being the only one among us who was not overcome with guilt, grabbed our hysterical friend by the shoulders and gave her a good shake. "Pinkie! It's gonna be OK! As far as we know, everything that happened on that screen was just a trick! Let's wait until we get outta here before we start assuming James is in trouble!"

"Twi's got a point, Pinkie… I mean… It hurts knowin' what we did, but… We shouldn't count our chickens before they hatch, ya know?" Applejack added as Pinkie Pie ceased her crying.

However, it was then that I realized we still had two friends missing. "Wait a moment… What of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?! We still need to find them!"

Pinkie Pie, once her tears had been dried, turned to us. "Actually, I saw Rainbow Dash fly by just a little while ago. I guess she's out of the maze right now."

"Then that just leaves Fluttershy. Let's go. I'm not leaving without her. Although it might end up taking forever to find her out here…" Twilight replied before she started to follow the path before us. However, before she got more than ten paces, Pinkie Pie jumped in front of us with a rather…serious gaze. "Huh? Pinkie?"

"I've got this, Twilight. Just a minute!" Our exuberant friend replied before reaching just out to the edge of my vision and…pulling SOMETHING past us before doing the same thing over and over at a rapid rate. The scenery was constantly changing as if time was rapidly passing while our location changed as well!

"Good heavens, Pinkie! What are you doing?!" I screamed out while glancing around in shock. I saw us in a hospital, then in a very urban city while… Why were we dressed up in those shockingly flashy costumes?! And were those diamonds in my mane?! And then… Why was I clad in armor?!

"Whoops! Too far! Hold on!" Pinkie yelled before going to the other side of my vision and doing the same thing. Now it seemed time or…whatever was going in reverse.

"Pinkie Pie, knock it off! I feel like I'm gonna be sick!" Twilight said with a yell while keeping her head down with her eyes closed. I too was starting to feel more than just a little nauseous myself at the moment.

"Hang on! Wasn't that Fluttershy right there?!" Applejack suddenly called out while pointing in one direction.

"Just a sec! Go back a few panels and… There!" Pinkie Pie suddenly reached to the opposite side again and…it all stopped. And standing right in front of us was a terribly distraught and…clearly startled Fluttershy.

Our friend staggered back and nearly fell down, even though I could clearly see that her eyes were strained and swollen from countless tears having been shed. "Wha…?! Where did… When…"

"Don't ask, OK?! It's something Pinkie Pie did and I don't wanna know this time!" Twilight replied while trotting over to our friend. "But what about you? Are you all right, Fluttershy?"

At those words, Fluttershy staggered back. I could see it. Utter turmoil and grief in her eyes. And once more, the tears fell from her face. "I… I hurt him… Kicked… His head… I…"

Before she could collapse, I rushed to her side and held her in my arms. She sobbed and wailed in my grasp, holding onto me as tightly as she could while I did all I could to sooth her wounded heart even as my own tears began to well up in my eyes again. I can only imagine what sort of hell she must have forced her beloved through once Discord had his hooks in her. "Shhh… I know, darling… We all carry the blame…"

But just as she began to calm down, we heard it. A distant scream. Or perhaps a wail. And that voice… I knew it. "Was that…Rainbow Dash?"

"It sounded like it came from the direction of…" Twilight began to mutter, but she then gasped as her horn was coated by her billowing pink magic aura. "Everypony, get close to me! I'm getting us outta here!"

We all drew near and stood right next to our friend. And a few seconds later, we found ourselves standing just outside the labyrinth. But…the courtyard… "What in the heavens…?"

The landscape before us…What… The sky… Dark and filled with thunderclouds. Many muddy pits from where chunks of the landscape had been torn out littered the ravaged courtyard. I could still see some of them floating in the sky in twisted nightmarish forms. And bit by bit, they would slowly revert to their previous natural forms before plummeting to the ground with a mighty crash. But…why… What could cause them to become so twisted? Surely that was not Discord's doing. He had always been a mad buffoon, but I could not ever see him conjuring up something that wretched!

"This ain't right… This really ain't right… Almost feels like I'm dreamin' here…" I heard Applejack mutter as we beheld the carnage of the struggle we had all witnessed. It was not an illusion at all… But…Canterlot Castle is so close by. Why had the princesses not seen or heard what had transpired? Surely they could intervene, so…why?

Twilight stepped forward, gazing around at our surroundings. But when she turned her gaze to the path before her, she suddenly called out. "That's… No… No! This isn't happening!"

She burst into a gallop and we all followed. I dreaded what she had noticed ahead. And seconds later, I saw them. And… No… Please… This was not happening… What had we done… What had I done?!

My throat clenched shut as I beheld what lay before me. We found her. Rainbow Dash. Her face was buried in her arms as she was hunched over…his corpse… Motionless…his body lying in a pool of his own blood. So much red…James, I… How could we do this to you… I loved you, you wonderful man… And beyond, a trail of blood that led to… No, I could not bear to gaze at it. I knew what was there. And I could not bear to see it. But before we could reach him, we all froze at the sight of where his hand had fallen. In the center of a circle of…our cutie marks drawn in…his own blood.

James… You… How could you do this… After what I did… After what we did… You still were thinking of us… You still held us close to you heart, even after we threw you away… The tears burst forth from my eyes as I sobbed, my friends joining me as they looked on in shock. Even in the end…we were still his friends to him… None of us were silent. Except for Fluttershy. She approached her beloved, her gaze frozen in silent horror. It was Pinkie Pie who spoke the first words as her mane and tail hung low. "Why… We all promised… I don't get it…"

My vision was too blurred to really see my friends. How they were reacting to this horror before us, I did not see. I saw Twilight's form approach our fallen friend. Her hoof reached out and touched his cheek before pulling away. "He's…cool…"

Applejack was the next to speak. With the form of her hat tilted downward, she spoke to the only one who was there for him when he…took his final breath. "Rainbow… Is he… Did he really…"

I wiped my tears away to see. Our brash pegasus friend very slowly and shakily lifted her head until she was gazing at us. Eyes swollen, tears flowing, spirit…broken… That gaze she showed us was unlike any I had ever seen before. I had seen confidence in those eyes, as well as joy, sadness, insecurity, fear, anger, but this… It was unlike any I had ever seen. She was…shattered. Broken. To witness someone she sought to protect perish before her… It must have been more than her soul could bear. She spoke softly to the point where it was almost a whisper. "I… I couldn't…do anything…"

I felt my heart break. Absolutely shatter. What had I done… I wanted noting to do with that wretched boulder. Why could I not see past that horrible greed? I had all I ever wanted around my ankle with that lovely bracelet. And his tender love… He was… If only I had held on a bit longer… If only he held me in his arms before the corruption could take me… Darling, why… Why did I cast you aside when you are all I needed?!

Finally, Fluttershy collapsed before her beloved. I could not even bear to imagine what had transpired when he finally found her in such a corrupted state. It must have broken him to ultimately be driven to such madness that even the Spirit of Chaos could not stop himself from cowering before him. "I… I'm sorry… Please… Forgive me… If you can still hear me… I love you… It should've been me… I should've been the one who…"

There were no words for a moment. We were all crushed. Our friend gone. Murdered by our own hooves. However, I saw Twilight glance to her right. Lying nearby was…his helmet. The polished white form of the Element of Humanity rested upon the forehead. I feared that perhaps…he was still twisted with despair and madness when he perished. But instead…he died as the same loving and tender man we had always known. Seeing that helmet must have awakened something in my friend since she then gazed back down at our fallen friend and spoke quietly. "No… I won't let it end like this…"

"Twilight… What do you mean?" I asked weakly, being the first to hear her.

She looked at all of us. Her eyes still poured tears, but a look of defiance was now filling her gaze. "I know what it's like to almost lose a friend… This isn't the first time. I… I refuse to believe he's truly gone… We need to get him to the nearest hospital right away. It's our fault this happened…so it's our responsibility to make sure he survives."

I glanced back down at him. I was still about as devastated as you can imagine. But even then, I felt it. A glimmer of hope in my heart. Perhaps… Just perhaps he was still there. Holding on by a thread and sheer force of will. He made it very clear to all of us in the final strokes of his bloodied fingers just how dearly he held us to his heart in the end. He would not want it to end here. "Indeed… It was our failure that led to this…"

Twilight nodded as we all gazed at her. Our friends too were beginning to look slightly more hopeful. "Yes… But that doesn't mean we have to fail in at least trying to set things right. I know where the hospital in Canterlot is. I can get us all there with the teleportation spell." She then reached out and gently rested her hoof upon his upturned armored palm. "I don't want to say goodbye… Not now…"

"Me neither… If he dies not knowing that we were still his friends in the end… I don't know if I'll ever be able to live with myself…" Pinkie Pie said glumly while trying to smile even just a little. To her, friends are her life. And if she were to lose one forever as a result of her own actions… I dread to see how shattered she would be.

Fluttershy… She did not speak. But along with that faint look of hope in her eyes, I could see another emotion. Desperation. She could not bear to lose her beloved. I know her well. She needs James. He loves her and she loves him. There may very well be nopony in her life more precious. While I gazed at her, I focused to use my magic to snatch up his helmet. If nothing else, I would bring it along to keep it safe.

Twilight turned her gaze towards Rainbow Dash while drying her tears. "Rainbow. We need you to report back to the princesses and let them know what's happened. I don't know why they haven't already come out here yet, but please tell them that we're at Canterlot Royal Hospital and that James is in dire peril."

Rainbow Dash, a tiny glimmer of her usual confidence restored in her eyes, wiped her tears away and nodded. "Ye… Yeah. I got it. You girls get going. Just… Please make sure he stays alive, all right?!"

Applejack nodded with a faint smile before patting her on the shoulder. "Count on it, Rainbow. Now get movin'. They need ta know about this one."

While Rainbow Dash took to the air and flew off for the palace, Twilight motioned for us to draw near. Her horn was coated by her billowing pink magic aura while a bright glow was emitting from the tip. Seconds later, I found myself and all my friends, James included, within the lobby of Canterlot's hospital. Pinkie Pie, wasting no time, rushed over to the receptionist's desk and shouted while waving her arms in a frantic manner. "Help! Friend is hurt! Bleeding everywhere! Save him!"

The receptionist, a young unicorn mare, seemed to very nearly fall out of her chair when Pinkie Pie jumped at her. "Ack! There's no need to shout! Now, calm down and tell me what… Oh my goodness!"

One glance past Pinkie Pie at the bleeding armored man beside us told the receptionist all she needed to know. She instantly reached out and pressed what I assume was a button on her desk to activate an intercom. "We have a patient in critical condition in the lobby. Extra large."

The mention of size puzzled me until I saw a pair of medics rush down the nearest hallway with a gurney designed for use with larger patients like minotaurs. With a quick use of levitation magic, they placed him upon it and rushed him back down the hall. Without a word, we all followed. And we soon found ourselves right outside a pair of swinging doors with a backlit sign just above it that read 'ER'. His fate was out of our hooves by then. All we could do was wait for news on his fate.

Several seats were provided just outside the doors for us, likely there for those whose loved ones had been admitted and were being diagnosed. And there we stayed. I was constantly by Fluttershy's side, making certain she had a shoulder to lean on. As devastated as I was, whatever anguish she was experiencing was likely tenfold greater than my own. She never looked at me. The tears never ceased. She kept muttering softly under her breath things like 'I'm going to lose him' and 'It's all my fault'. Discord, how could you do this to her…

Our friends kept pacing back and forth. They could not remain still while looking in a state of minor shock. I am not even entirely certain how much time passed, but we eventually turned to the far end of the hallway upon hearing the sound of running hooves. And sure enough, Rainbow Dash burst around the corner. "Girls! Is he OK?! Is he gonna make it?!"

Applejack was the first to speak up when we all faced her. "I dunno, Rainbow… But they're takin' a while ta come back out. I guess that means they're doin' all they can ta save him."

Our brazen and uncouth friend bowed her head while letting out a very loud sigh. "Thank god… I can't believe this is happening…"

"Me neither… But what about the princesses? Did they take the news OK?" Pinkie Pie asked while still trying to look hopeful, bless her optimistic little soul.

"That depends." A voice spoke from behind Rainbow. With our attention focused upon Rainbow Dash, we had failed to notice the three princesses walk up behind her. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Nightmare Moon stood before us. They all seemed to be maintaining their composure, but I could see that something had jarred each of them. What had they heard and witnessed?

"Your highness! We…" Twilight stepped forward, but was clearly having difficulty speaking much like the rest of us. "We… James is… We failed! I'm so sorry, but…"

Celestia raised her hoof for her student to remain silent. "I know, Twilight… We have seen the carnage. The courtyard is… What did Discord do to prevent us from seeing or hearing the chaos out there? But tell me. Discord… Is he truly…?"

Fresh tears poured from my friend's eyes as she surely recalled that demon's final moments. "Yes… He's…dead. James…tore him apart…"

I could see a look of shock in our princess's eyes. Even I was having difficulty comprehending at the time the outcome of the crisis. Discord is no more. We will never see him trouble Equestria again. A being so powerful and omnipotent that even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna combined could not defeat him without the aid of the Elements of Harmony. And now he is dead…

"It is for the best. If he was still drawing breath after this, I would've destroyed the cretin myself." Nightmare Moon said boldly before stepping towards us. She was angry, but at the same time fearful. A look of desperation was in her eyes that I had never seen before. "But still… I saw all of you promise. You vowed that you would keep him safe. Tell me. How did this happen?! What possessed all of you to betray him like this?!"

Princess Luna was quick to approach her sister's side and rest a hoof on her shoulder. "Please, calm yourself, sister. This is not any easier for me either…"

Before they could argue, I decided to speak the truth. The princesses of our night and dreams had the right to know. "Discord… I remember him tempt me with the same thing as the last time. But I knew better than to be led astray again. But then he touched my head and… I saw it… A shade of gray coming over me. I felt a familiar wretched greed fill me and… James found me."

All eyes fell upon me momentarily before Nightmare Moon frowned forlornly. "I see… He corrupted you all directly… There is no way you could have resisted his influence if he sought to win this by any means…"

I was grateful that she understood. Nightmare Moon has always been a very passionate mare and her bond with James has been extremely powerful since the night she was rescued. The situation could have very easily become…heated. Using the levitation spell, I gave his helmet to them. "The Elements of Harmony are still out there in the courtyard, but we at least brought this along."

"Let me see that…!" Princess Luna spoke briskly while she took the helmet from me with her own levitation spell. She seemed to closely examine the Element of Humanity embedded into it. "The Element of Humanity is still whole… He still lives."

I felt my heart rise at this confirmation from the princess herself. We all felt it. I suppose that when the bearer of an Element perishes, the Element that is bound to that person fades as well. Fluttershy then turned her gaze up and asked, "Then… He's going to be all right?"

As if to answer that question, we all turned upon hearing the sound of swinging doors open. Standing before the twin doors to the ER was a surgeon clad in a facemask and a light blue garb. He drew near before lowering his mask. "Are all of you with the human man who was brought in?"

I instantly glanced at the Element of Humanity being held in Princess Luna's magical grasp. It was still there. Purest white without a single crack in its flawless sheen. It was Pinkie Pie who answered the doctor. "Uh huh! How is he, doc?! Is he OK?! How long until he's back on his feet?! What kind of get well card should we get him?!"

He gazed at all of us, his expression melancholy and even somewhat fearful before he spoke. "I'm not certain you will even be able to get one to him in time. I'm afraid he does not have long to live."

I felt my world all but shatter at those words. We hurt him. Betrayed him. Drove him into the deepest pits of despair and madness. And now he was on the verge of death because of us with no way to save him?! Before any of us could even put together a proper response to those words, Rainbow Dash ran right up to him with tears and wrath in her eyes. "You've gotta be kidding me! What's wrong with him?! Why can't you save him?!"

The doctor took a step back at our friend's outburst, but managed to retain his composure. I too was eager to hear exactly what the exact condition of our friend was. "The main cause of impending death is mostly from heavy blood loss. But among that we have found several muscle tears, second degree burns on his right arm, a deep gash and tear in what we assume are his intestines, and a concussion to the frontal lobe. I rarely see this many types of injuries on a single patient."

The mention of that last type of injury baffled me. I witnessed the entire battle and James never once endured a blow to that area. Twilight too was quick to notice as well. "Wait… A concussion? That doesn't make any sense. We saw everything and he never took a blow to the head. And even if he did, his helmet would've protected him."

Fluttershy bowed her head near me and turned away. There was something about those words that struck something deep inside her. More tears flowed. There was something she did not want to say. Was it she who gave James a concussion? What happened between them once he found her in such a twisted state? Regardless, I gently embraced her and whispered into her ear to calm her. "Shh… It was not your doing, darling. Do not blame yourself."

The doctor continued to speak to us while we all looked on in silence. And with his words, I began to feel a rising anger. "Well, regardless of how he acquired them, I'm sorry to say that your friend's odds of survival are quite low. In fact, I fear that any attempt to sustain him would ultimately result in failure and a loss of resources…"

It was that last line that caused my blood to boil. Loss of resources… Is this truly how materialistic the ponies of Canterlot are, especially to those from more humble backgrounds?! However, before I could even begin to voice my rage at such a suggestion, I was shocked to see Nightmare Moon beat me to it. She rushed forward, eyes aglow, and shoved Rainbow Dash aside before glaring at the doctor and bellowing in an…echoing voice that sounded vaguely familiar to me while we all looked on in silence and awe.

"How dare thee! Thou wouldst dare to place thy resources before the well-being of thy patient?! That man must live!" She roared at the frightened surgeon as he cowered before her while she brought her wrathful face ever closer to his. "Thou will do everything in thine power to insure our friend survives this ordeal! Do we make ourselves clear?!"

The hall became eerily silent. Such a powerful presence! Even Fluttershy could not help making a quiet input on such an outburst. "Wow… And…I thought Princess Luna was scary when she talked like that…" What do they call that again? The Royal Canterlot Voice?

Regardless, the surgeon cowered before the Princess of Dreams before shakily nodding. "Y… Yes, your highness… But… Even if we try, I… I'm sorry, but I truly do not believe we can save him!"

"Oh, come on, doc! Y'all got some of the best medical know-how in all of Equestria up here! Don't ya have some sorta medical magic ta help patch 'im up?!" Applejack barked out defiantly while we all began to glare at him in anger. Why was he so hesitant in saving James?! Was it more than just resources?

The doctor gathered his fortitude before speaking to us. "The truth of the matter in why it is so difficult to operate on your friend is due to lack of insight. We know next to nothing about the human body. We will do what we can, but we are still working in the dark!"

"Then allow us to shed some light on this issue." Princess Celestia said before turning to Princess Luna. "Luna, please retrieve the tome on human anatomy from the sealed documents vault and bring it here."

"The sealed… Ah! Yes, at once!" I knew not of what they were speaking of, but Princess Luna then turned and ran down the hall and out of sight.

Princess Celestia then turned to face the doctor again and spoke to him with a very stern gaze. "Return to the operating room and do all you can to sustain him until my sister returns. The information she will bring will seem archaic, but it will still prove invaluable to you." The doctor bowed before our princess before turning and heading back through the twin swinging doors.

Nightmare Moon slowly lifted her head while the glow that covered her eyes faded away. It was then that the weight of the situation finally registered with her as she staggered while turning around. "So… It is in their hooves now…"

"Uh… Nightmare Moon? Are you OK?" Pinkie Pie asked while she staggered past us towards her sister.

Almost as if in a haze, Nightmare Moon passed us without even turning to glance at us. Although I did hear her mutter something under her breath. "He can't die… Not now… He has to live…"

When she finally reached her sister, Princess Celestia reached out and caught Nightmare Moon in a tender embrace with her wing. "He will live, sister. He must."

Her words seemed to help Nightmare Moon regain some of her composure before she turned to face us with the Princess of the Dawn speaking to us. "I sincerely apologize for all that has occurred. Even I could not have foreseen Discord doing something this wretched. But rest assured, your friend will survive. I will make certain our hospital staff uses everything at their disposal to save him."

"Thank you…" Twilight spoke softly before bowing and then looking at her again. "Actually… Would it be all right if we stay in Canterlot until they stabilize him? I don't feel…comfortable going home without him…"

"Ditto… I don't wanna go home and find out a few days later that he died while we weren't there for him…" Rainbow Dash added while we all looked on in silence. I too could not bear to leave Canterlot knowing my dear friend's life could come to an end at any time.

The two royal sisters glanced at each other and nodded before Princess Celestia smiled solemnly at us. "Yes. You may all rest within the palace while your friend recovers. Although I feel it may be wise to send word home to make certain your loved ones know that you cannot return just yet. Also… Twilight." She then looked directly at Twilight before speaking further. "I want you and your friends to tell me everything that happened once we return to the palace."

"All right… We won't leave out any details." I could see that she was hesitant to speak of what transpired out in the labyrinth. I was too…

While we were on our way down the hall to depart, I overheard Pinkie Pie ask Rainbow Dash about her pet tortoise, Tank. Apparently he is able to get around her home fairly easily and raid the refrigerator when she is gone for extended periods of time. But before we got very far, I turned back when I noticed Fluttershy was not beside me. She was standing before the doors to the ER once more with her back turned to me.

I could not leave her there alone. After making certain that my friends had not noticed, I rushed back to her. "Darling… He is in good hooves now. Canterlot, if nothing else, has some of the most advanced medical magic in the world. Please, have faith in them…"

For a moment, she did not respond. But when she did finally turn to face me, I saw it in her eyes. She was still in utter shock. The tears still poured while she stared blankly at me. "Rarity… If anything happens to him… I…" She then gritted her teeth and squinted her eyes shut as the tears surged forth, her voice being reduced to a truly pathetic squeak. "I'll never be able to forgive myself…"

I too felt my tears fall at those words. I too have harmed our beloved friend. I reached out and held Fluttershy in my arms as she weakly sobbed and shuddered in my grasp. "He will not leave us, Fluttershy… He loves us too much to let go…"

My head hurts… This day has been absolutely wretched. It started out just fine, even if somewhat surreal. And then, in just one afternoon, it has become arguably the worst day of my life… How could this happen… James… My love, if you ever read this, please believe me. We did everything in our power to resist Discord's manipulations, I swear we did! We are still us! We still treasure you as you have cherished us…

Please, darling… You must survive this. Do not leave us now. It has only been a year…

* * *

><p>I cannot believe what has occurred… Discord… Dead. The Spirit of Chaos has fallen and at the hands of the dearest friend I have ever had. And it came centuries too late. Like my sister, I too wanted to believe that he could have been saved, but now… We made a mistake, Celestia. We should have destroyed him while he was vulnerable. For now… My dearest friend lies on the verge of death.<p>

I stared out at the ruined courtyard just outside the labyrinth. The place where Discord met his demise. What madness took place out there? The bearers of the Elements of Harmony did indeed reveal to us all they knew that had transpired, including what they did after Discord had once again corrupted them, but what they described when my friend abandoned the search for the Elements and set his sights on Discord…

It is simply unfathomable what they described. My gentle and loving friend…reduced to a murderous psychotic madman? Is that… Is that truly what a human can become when what is most dear to him is stripped away? And with the power he had in his possession in the form of his armor and weapons… It is no small wonder he felt he could challenge Discord and triumph. The wretched state of the courtyard stood as a testament to it.

Nopony stood with me as I wandered the ruined courtyard, the sky dark and gloomy as the rain had finally subsided. So much mud and crumbled earth and stone. Uprooted trees and mass of soaked soil as if they had fallen from the sky. And blood… So much blood splattered here and there. Discord's corpse was nowhere to be seen, having likely already been collected by the royal guard for cremation. I had not seen it, praise the stars… But even so, I found the spot I had unknowingly been searching for. The moment that could have very easily become the spot where my friend would have perished.

Just ahead of a pool of dried blood was what seemed to be a crude painting of six shapes in the form of a circle. And between them rested a small dark red stain. The forms of the shapes… A star, a lightning bolt, a butterfly, an apple, a diamond, and a balloon. The forms of the Elements of Harmony. The forms of…those he holds most dear to him. Some were more crude than the others to the point of being difficult to ascertain, likely due to his hand becoming unsteady from weakness. But still… I knew what it was he was feeling as he lay here…dying…

My eyes became filled with tears as visions flashed through my mind. What had become of him since he had been admitted to Canterlot Royal Hospital? I felt panic set in. I had to see him! With a flap of my wings, I took to the air and soared over the palace before descending into Canterlot itself. I knew where the hospital was and set myself down right before its sliding doors. I burst into the lobby, just barely containing my fear as I approached the receptionist ahead of me. "Excuse me. Where may I find Dr. Flatline?"

The receptionist promptly replied after glancing through something out of sight, "The doctor is currently on a temporary break in the lounge… Uh… Your highness?! Where are you going?! That is for authorized personnel only!"

I continued on regardless of the objections I received. I needed answers. A surgeon best known for reviving patients whose vital signs had ceased, Dr. Flatline had been placed in charge of the operation to save my friend. And sure enough, I found him in the surgeon's lounge with a cup of coffee floating before him. "Hm?! What are… Oh, your highness! What can I do for you?"

"You know full well why I'm here, Flatline." I spoke boldly in both panic and frustration. "Your patient. James. Has he stabilized yet?"

He did not take long to respond at all. "Oh, him. The human. You should know that operations of this severity can take hours, if not days, of constant medical attention. I just had to step away for a short while to relax myself. I have been working on him for… How long ago was I called in? Ten hours?"

"Yes, I know… Just… Well, what has become of him? Is he well? Is he going to survive?" I pleaded while remaining as civil as possible. I was desperate. I needed to know what his ultimate fate would be.

"Do not fear, your highness. I have never lost a patient and I intend to keep it that way. And I must say that the old tome you provided for us, while extremely archaic in appearance, has proven to be very helpful. We have closed the tear in his intestines and have we should begin to address the torn muscles soon. Although treating the burn on his arm has proven tricky due to how expansive it is. We are also having difficulty dealing with his low blood supply, as blood transfusions are impossible. Pony blood is probably incompatible with the human body. To compensate, we are utilizing experimental magic to bolster his bone marrow to produce more at a higher rate." He went on and on about things I could not understand, but remained positive the entire time. His hopes were likely high that the surgery would be successful.

"Good… Good, that is all good to hear. Is there anything else?" I asked once he paused in his explanation.

He spoke once more after a quick gulp of his coffee. "Well… From what I have seen, it would appear that his will to live is very strong. That is certainly proving to be helpful. Do not fear, your highness. I am confident that he will survive this. However… I do have a spot of bad news."

His words both calmed and alarmed me at the same time. Even though I was relieved that my friend would survive this ordeal… What could be so foul that it would bring a frown to the doctor's face? "And… What is the bad news?"

A long sigh escaped his lips before he began to explain. "Your friend was frighteningly close to death when he was brought. His odds of surviving were much lower than the odds of him perishing. His concussion in particular has proven to be more…severe than at first glance. Exactly how much time passed between the moment he sustained that injury and when he was brought in?"

Of course… I had been informed by a tearful Fluttershy that during her encounter with her beloved after Discord had his way with her, she had forcefully kicked my friend squarely in the forehead after his helmet had fallen off. A blow like that could surely result in some from of cerebral trauma. "I know not… All I know is that for an extended time, he went through a very…grueling incident."

Flatline frowned while he bowed his head momentarily. "I would've recommended that he be brought in immediately after that injury was suffered. Whatever he went through afterward has complicated the damage further to the point where we had to place him in what is referred to a 'medically induced' coma to insure successful surgery. As of this moment though, I am very confident he will retain all mental facilities and make a full recovery. Although even once he fully stabilizes, I cannot guarantee when he will awaken. It could be days, weeks, or possibly even months. I'm sorry, but there is really nothing that can heal that part of him aside from time itself. As for the rest of him… Well, it is still too soon to say. He's already gone into cardiac arrest twice and is still in critical condition. As I said, I am confident that we can save him, but… He's just in such bad shape. A lot can still go wrong. You will be the first to know once the worst has passed."

A coma… I felt my heart sink at the sound of that dreaded word. Even if it was necessary to insure that he would return as the man we know, to know that he could very possibly never awaken filled my bowels with a heavy sinking feeling. Discord… How could you do this to him? What could drive you to harm a man like this?!

There really was nothing more I could truly say to that. The only comfort I took from that conversation was the knowledge was that my friend was still holding on. Still, I had best return to my sister and divulge the information I had gained to her. "I see… Well… I trust you will do all you can, Flatline. I must be going…"

The good doctor took another sip of his coffee before he nodded towards me. "Take care, your highness. You will be the first to know if anything changes."

I made my way back towards the hospital's lobby. My mind was so heavy… Even with the doctor's optimism, we were now faced with a new complication. What could I tell the six bearers? That their friend may never awaken? That even if he survives they may never hear his voice again? As an immortal, I know that a lone immortal's lifespan is still a rather long time. And judging by his age… He may have another fifty years ahead of him. Half a century of silence… It… It sounds unbearable…

Before I could even reach the lobby, the sound of an argument reached my ears. One of the voices I recognized right away. Loud, high pitched, and filled with energy. The bearer of the Element of Laughter. Pinkie Pie. "Come on, you gotta let me see him! He's one of my best friends ever and I need to say I'm sorry!"

When I rounded the corner, I found that lively mare looking like she was on the verge of bounding over the desk and onto the receptionist. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Your friend is still in intensive care and must not be disturbed."

I decided to step in and end the argument before the situation could become anymore heated. I stepped forward and rested my hoof upon Pinkie Pie's shoulder. "Calm yourself, friend. I just received word from one of the surgeons. Our friend is still in critical condition, but the doctor is optimistic that he will pull through in the end."

My words seemed to sink in a little too deep. Pinkie Pie slumped to her knees while letting out a loud sigh of relief. "Oooooh my gosh… Thank goodness… I couldn't even sleep last night thinking about him… What else did the doctor say? Anything permanent?"

The doctor's last words echoed through my mind. Our friend is now in a coma, possibly to never awaken again. But… I could not tell her. I knew the truth would be revealed in time, yet… I could not allow myself to be the one to reveal the truth to her. "No… Well… Maybe… I mean… That is all he told me. It is still too soon to say for certain. I'm sorry, I wish they could tell me more."

Fortunately, she believed me. An unsteady smile spread across her lips while she clamored to her feet. "OK… Well… That's good. I'll be sure to tell the girls… I know Fluttershy will feel a bit better… And I need to get some coffee with lots of sugar."

It was a lie. I know I was not being honest with her, but… I could not let her know the truth. From what I understand, Pinkie Pie is desperately dependant on her friends to function. And if she found that her actions had placed one of her dearest friends in a coma for potentially the rest of his life… I dread to know what she would do. I saw her off and began to make my way back to the palace. My sisters would not be pleased with my findings.

I had difficulty locating Nightmare Moon. And even if I did find her… She would not take the news well at all. She loves that man… James, if only you knew what you are worth to my sister. However, I had little trouble finding Celestia. Standing in the throne room with her gaze directed out the window facing the ruined courtyard below. She was alone. And troubled.

"Sister… Are you well?" I tried to approach her gently, not raising any grand questions or topics until I had confirmed that she was well enough to see me. When I drew near, she did indeed turn her head to gaze at me. Those eyes… They seemed haunted. Guilty. And I knew why.

"Why did I allow this to happen, Luna? How could I have been such a fool to think that he could've been saved?" She spoke to me, never blinking once. Such inner pain in those eyes…

I knew what was troubling her. I walked up alongside her and gazed out the window. Beyond the colorful tint, I saw it. The ravaged courtyard still stood in shambles. We had been told of the sheer extant James went to in order to destroy Discord. He disregarded our warnings, unleashing upon him the deadly magical energies of fire, ice, and lightning. He was even doom driven enough to attempt to unleash plasma magic upon him! His madness drove him to wield magic he had not yet perfected… And in the end, he did the impossible. He ended the Spirit of Chaos himself. "Do not blame just yourself, sister. I too shoulder some of the guilt…"

Celestia sighed deeply, doing all she could to hold back the tears. "I just… I could not let him go. I should've known that once that sorrow and madness opened that hole in his heart wide enough to the point that even you and I combined could not fill it… I should've accepted that he was past the point of no return. And now…"

"Sister… I too was hopeful that his heart could be mended in time. But…hope clouded our judgment. He opened his heart too wide, turning his immortality into a curse. At least now… At least he is probably where he always wanted to be at this moment…" That mad fool… Discord, I pray you are where you craved to be at this moment. And that after all that you did, your old friends would be willing to forgive you.

"Yes… I suppose he is… Perhaps… Maybe he saw a way out through James. Perhaps this outcome was what he desired all along. But it's not like we can ask him now…" Celestia said with a sigh before gazing at me with those eyes on the verge of tears. I can still remember those days as well. Since our days as fillies so long ago, he had always been an important part of our lives. A literal lifelong friend. And even now, I too am feeling the pain of loss. Discord… Why did you have to change, you mad fool?

"But aside from that… I heard you visited the hospital today. Is he…?" My sister asked quietly as she gazed at me with a fearful gleam in her eyes.

I was uncertain of where to begin. What should I tell her? Do I start with the good or the bad? "Well… I have both good and ill tidings. Which would you prefer to hear first?"

My sister was hardly surprised. Considering the severity of events that had occurred, a strictly positive outcome would be nothing short of miraculous. "I suppose… Let us begin with the bad news first."

And so it was. I began with the bad news before ending my revelation with the worst news. "Very well… I spoke to Dr. Flatline today. And… Our friend remains in grave physical condition. From what he told me, James has gone into cardiac arrest more than once. However… The worst news is that he is now…comatose."

That look of shock in her eyes as her ears drooped. It was a more severe reaction than I had foreseen. "Comatose… I know that he had suffered a concussion, yet… I… I understand… And the good news?"

"I am sorry to say there is not much to share. The only good news I have is that the tomes of human anatomy we provided the hospital staff has proven invaluable. That, and they are confident that they will be able to save him in the end with no permanent injuries sustained. Of course, that will matter little if he is to never awaken…" There was very little in terms of uplifting information I could share. I wish there was more…

"I see… Then we can only have faith that they will succeed in the end." My sister replied before turning her gaze back to the window. "But even if he does awaken, we may have to…"

I felt a powerful fear grasp my heart. "Sister… You're not truly considering that we…"

My sister gazed at me in both sorrow and grim determination. "You saw it, Luna. Behold the state of the courtyard before you. This is exactly the type of behavior we were seeking to avoid bringing to our world when we chose him over all others."

She was right… The worst humanity has to offer took place just yesterday from the one man we could not have possibly foreseen exhibiting it. We had to carefully select a human from that distant world who was either free of such urges or had the presence of mind to never exert them. But still, I know my friend well. This…was not in his nature. "I know… We must never allow our people to be exposed to it, lest it influence them. We must not allow this side of humanity to taint this world… But still… I know that was not truly James who did all this… And you know it too!"

Celestia gazed at me with a conflicted stare. "I know… And I do not wish to see him go either. This was not by his own will. It was yet another burst of raw chaos brought about by Discord's foolishness. I do not want to consider that our friend could ever choose to become this way through conscious thought. He is above this side of himself… I know it… I want to believe it…"

I suppose it is inevitable. When he… If he ever awakens, we will have to ascertain if he is even capable of becoming like this again. James is my friend. The first friend I ever gained since the day I took up the throne so long ago. He will always be my friend. But if he is doomed to repeat his actions from just yesterday… Will I have the strength to say goodbye if we choose to banish him from this world to preserve our world's purity and way of life?

After a moment more of silence, I gazed at my sister again. She never once blinked while looking out the window at the carnage. "Celestia… Is he dear to you as well?"

My sister glanced at me rather suddenly. I do not believe she was expecting such a question. "Me? Well…" She then turned her gaze back towards the view before us. "To be honest… I…believe so… Our times together have been brief and very few and far between. But in the few times we have been together, it was always…pleasant. And whenever we were alone… I felt something…familiar within him… I believe…I saw some of myself within him, if that makes any sense."

I understood exactly where she was coming from. And I had seen it too. My sister and my friend seem to mirror each other to some degree. A type of natural chemistry. "I've seen it too, Celestia. I see him in you as well. I can understand why he and our sister get along so well. He is closer to the being the sun than the moon."

A tiny smile spread across her lips. A forlorn smile, but still a smile. "I suppose so…"

Night came. My sister lowered the sun while I raised the moon as predictably and smoothly as clockwork. But I could not immediately bring my head to my pillow. I still feared for him. What had become of my friend since when I visited the hospital today? Was he at death's door?

I paced back and forth across my chambers. What could I do? If truly he is in a coma, then he will not be awake to…

It was then it occurred to me. Being in a coma is essentially the equivalent to being unable to awaken from a deep slumber. And where one's dreaming mind slumbers… I can visit.

I felt relief wash over me. Very soon, I would be seeing my friend in person. I prepared my spell to take effect and got myself comfortable in bed. I felt myself becoming heavier as the minutes went by. I was both eager, yet relaxed. And then, like many times before without me knowing when the transition occurred, I drifted from being awake into a dream state.

The dreamscape sprawled out before me like a field of clouds in the night sky. A nexus, if you will. Where I most often first arrive when I do not have a set destination when I prepare to dive into the dreams of others. I tried to feel for his presence among the countless other dreaming minds under the glow of the moon. And soon, I felt it. It felt different from the others… Familiar… Indeed, the dreaming mind of a human.

I felt it form before me. The gateway was set before me. A shifting portal of glimmering mist. And so, I charged through. But when I did… What… Just what happened? Something repelled me. As if I had been shoved backwards by an unseen force.

I saw nothing there as I climbed to my feet. To be repelled? Was it a nightmare? No, even a nightmare could not repel me so thoroughly. Something…or someone must have been trying to keep my out.

"You… I know not who or what you are, but stand aside! My friend needs me!" I roared at whatever it was that stood between me and my dreaming friend. I have occasionally ventured into the dreaming minds of comatose patients in other hospitals, so this was still not a normal experience. Still, it felt awkward and even embarrassing to appear to be yelling at nothing in particular.

Once more, I charged at the misty veil before me. I exerted greater power this time, but I still felt the unknown presence trying to force me out. And then I heard it. Bizarre distorted laughter. It was indecipherable, yet…vaguely familiar. Had I heard it before?

"No… Stand aside, you cretin! Dreams are my domain! James, I know you are in there! I will be there soon!" I called out, exerting as much magical power to struggle through this unseen obstacle. The infernal laughter did not cease. It did not merely sound sinister, but also…mad. Twisted. But I had little time to contemplate this event as mere moments later, I felt myself torn asunder.

I awoke in an instant, the memory hazy as my entire body ached. But I can still remember it at this moment, that brief instant when I felt my body come apart at the seams. What hellish entity could… I could not bypass it. Even my power could not let me enter my friend's dreaming mind. What phenomenon is this?

Still… The only comfort I can take from this is that if his dream was there, he still lives. Perhaps I will attempt it again tomorrow. But for now… I need to sleep off this fading memory. It was so brief, yet felt so real… Just… Please, my friend. Stay alive. I am not ready to lose you…

* * *

><p>What a mess… How'd this all happen anyway? I went into that maze so sure we'd come out on top again and now… Now one of my best friends is laid up in the hospital and we don't even know if he's going to make it. The last thing I ever said to him was that I always hated him… And I wasn't even being honest with myself. So much for being the one with the Element of Honesty…<p>

I have to say I don't really like sticking around in Canterlot for too long. All this fancy stuff up here and the way a lot of the locals look at me really don't sit right with me. But I have to admit I am feeling way too out of things to really mind today. What with all that happened and all…

I took a good look at myself in the mirror this morning when I woke up in one of the royal palace's guest rooms. That patch on my eye was still there to help with the black eye he gave me… Right, it was James who whacked me in the eye when I got all snippy with him. Can't say I didn't deserve it, especially after all the lies I said to his face.

After I grabbed my hat, I went out into the courtyard that the royal garden covers. I just needed to get some fresh air before I could really start my day. And being surrounded by all that green really helped. I just meandered around through there, listening to the birds chirping. Didn't even recognize some of them. At one point I even swung by the way back into the palace. When I looked around a bit, I could almost see where I set up my stall during the Grand Galloping Gala.

I chuckled a little when I saw James try to test out Big Macintosh's sentry. The poor guy got a good blow to the gut from one of the apples inside it, but he still laughed it off. Hoo boy, that was a fun night… Real fun…

I don't know what happened. The tears just came pouring when I remembered that moment. He… I don't want it all to end now. I know it's only been a year and I never really clicked with him like my other friends did, but… He's still my friend and I know he'd always be there for me if I ended up in the hospital too.

I had to get away from that spot. I just turned and ran. I didn't care where I ended up. I just needed to get somewhere away from it so I could just let my mind wander. And boy, did I wander. I think I must've wandered through that garden for a couple of hours at least. I didn't really pay any mind to anything until I heard somepony calling my name.

"Applejack… Applejack! Hey, I'm over here!" Once I finally noticed I was being called, I looked around and saw Rainbow Dash flapping overhead.

"Huh? Oh… Mornin', Rainbow. What's goin' on?" I said while trying to at least crack a smile. Don't know if I succeeded though.

She seemed kind of freaked out over something, but she also looked a bit fired up too. "We've all been called over to the hospital! I think they've got an update on James' condition! And Princess Luna kept saying it's probably good news!"

Good news?! Was he going to be all right? Well, either way, I was feeling worlds better after hearing that! "Really?! Well, all right then! I'm on my way right now! Let the girls know I'm comin', OK?" Rainbow Dash then flew off for the hospital while I ran from there all the way through the palace, right through the streets, and right into the hospital without even stopping. Although I was a might tuckered when I got there.

"Hey, girls! What'd I miss? Any good news?" A quick look around the lobby showed me that all my best friends were there. Well, them and the three princesses. They all didn't look as down or scarred as before. Things must've been looking up.

Princess Celestia was the first to say something. "We just received word that a significant change has occurred in your friend's condition since he had been admitted. Right now we just need to wait for Dr. Flatline to arrive with the prognosis."

"That…doesn't sound like a very nice name for a doctor…" Fluttershy said while looking even more worried than before. She still had that same guilty look in her eye as when we first caught up to her. Poor girl… I can only imagine what happened between her and James when he caught up to her after Discord had his way with her…

Nightmare Moon looked at Fluttershy when she said that. "His name is rather misleading. Dr. Flatline is regarded as a marvel in resuscitating patients whose vital signs have…well…flatlined. And from what I understand, that has happened several to our friend after he was admitted."

"Phew! That's good! I thought he was the kind of doctor who…uh…" Pinkie Pie started to say something, but then she clammed up when one of the hospital's doctors rounded the corner. He didn't look like the one who first came out of the ER when we first brought James in.

I think the fellow might've overheard us since he was cracking a bit of a smirk. "Making fun of my name? Don't worry, I get that a lot. Flatline usually carries a very negative vibe with it. But I assume you are all here for your friend? And…I certainly wasn't expecting to see all three of you, your highnesses."

Princess Luna was the one to reply to the doc. "Along with being vital to an important project, James is a close friend to my sisters and I. We had to attend. Now please, what is his current condition?"

The doctor went from looking pretty amused to pretty grim right away. I knew whatever he was going to say, it wasn't going to be good. "Well… He has finally stabilized. His blood levels have increased to a safe level and his torn muscles have been tended to. Although I can't say how glad I am that you removed his gauntlet the way you did, Princess Celestia. His burns on the arm were borderline third degree. We would've likely ripped quite a bit of his skin off and made for a tougher recovery process."

That really sounded pretty messed up. His right gauntlet did look pretty mangled and melted last time I saw it. And if it got hot enough to melt over him… I don't even want to know how his arm looked afterward. Even Princess Celestia didn't look too happy to remember having to do that in the emergency room. "I'm glad I could aid him in his time of need. And what else of his recovery? Will he be well?"

Dr. Flatline gave us a nod. "In the long run, yes. He still has a ways to go and everything will be done to speed up the healing of the burn that covers his forearm. But at the very least, the worst has passed. Your friend was very lucky to survive. If he had been brought in a few minutes later, I dread what we would've found upon admitting him."

I felt my lungs deflate like a big balloon. We all kind of slumped to the floor. Man, it felt so good to know he was going to be fine. Rarity even wiped some tears from her eyes. "Oh, thank heavens… Doctor, we are in your debt…"

"Don't thank me just yet. That was the good news." Those words got me scared. I mean if James was past the worst part, what else was there?

"Huh? Wait, there's more? Come on, doc. It can't be that bad, right?" Rainbow Dash was starting to look a might panicked. Hay, we all were. Although Princess Luna didn't seem all that bothered for some reason. But I didn't have time to wonder why.

Anyway, the doctor then said something that made me feel sick with anxiety. "As I said, your friend is healing and will survive. But his mental health is another issue entirely. I don't know what happened after he initially received his concussion, but whatever occurred had significantly complicated the injury."

Fluttershy raised her voice in a panic and took a step forward. "You mean he has brain damage?!" I felt myself feel weak in the knees. What was going to happen to James in the long run? Was he going to be a vegetable? I mean physical injuries are one thing, but brain injuries could completely…change what he is. Would he be the same guy I know next time I saw him?

Fortunately, it looked like that wasn't the problem since the doc shook his hoof all dismissive like. "No, not at all! We were able to tend to the injury properly. All of his mental facilities are intact. It was indeed a close call, but his brain is fine."

"Well, that's all fine and dandy then. Just don't spook us like that again, doc." I just had to say something after that. I almost felt like I was going to barf from what that did to my nerves.

"Yes, my apologies. However, the severity of that concussion brought with it some…complications." The doc said, making my stomach churn all over again.

"Come on, no more bad news, please! Just tell us he's gonna be fine!" Pinkie Pie finally almost yelled while looking like she was about to bounce off the walls with impatience. I could tell she was desperate. She just couldn't sit still over the last few days while worrying about James.

"Right, sorry. I assure you this is the last part. But… As I said, there were complications with surgery regarding his concussion due to its severity. It would've been relatively simple if he had been brought in immediately after suffering it to prevent further trauma to his head. But apparently that wasn't the case… In order to insure successful treatment, we were left with no choice but to induce a coma to prevent any further…"

Rainbow Dash didn't even let the guy finish. She swooped right up to the doc and grabbed his shoulders. "Doc, you can't be serious! A coma?! He's in a coma?! When's he gonna wake up?!"

I've got to hand it to the guy. He sure was going a good job of keeping a straight face with Rainbow Dash getting all up in his face like that. But his words only made that pit in my stomach dig itself deeper. "I don't know. Nopony knows how one determines when a coma will end. He could wake up tomorrow or in a year. We have no means of knowing when, or IF, he will ever awaken."

Nightmare Moon took a step or two closer while her face looked like someone had chiseled it out of a boulder and painted over it. But for the rest of us… That news hit harder than a wagon loaded with bricks. "Doctor…"

Just before she could say anything else, she looked at us over her shoulder. We all got freaked out by that. She was looking right at us. I know we broke that promise. And she had every right to be miffed at us. But a moment later, she looked back at the doc. "Discord… Has his remains been cremated yet?"

"Well… Not yet. They are still being contained within the morgue. Why do you ask?" The doctor said while looking kind of confused. I was also a bit worried over why Nightmare Moon would ask that.

She still didn't change that look on her face. Almost like she was trying to hold in some anger. "I would appreciate it if you postpone his cremation for another day. I wish to have a…moment with that cadaver."

She then turned to face her sisters, a bit of a glare settling in her eyes. "Is that fine with you?"

Princess Celestia seemed pretty bothered by what her sister was getting at. But I reckon I knew what she wanted. She probably was going to focus all her anger over what happened onto his corpse and blow it apart. Good thing we were nowhere near the morgue. Even so, Celestia didn't object. "I suppose there is no harm in allowing you to have your way with his remains. It is not like he can feel it anymore."

We didn't say anything. It probably wasn't a good idea to even try to talk to her right then. But Princess Luna did when Nightmare Moon started to pass her. "Sister. If I might make a suggestion… Do try to make sure at least some of him remains when you are done."

I didn't get to see Nightmare Moon's face, but I reckon it had one mean looking scowl on it. "Do not fret, Luna. I will be certain to spare a few chunks of flesh."

Once she was gone, we all looked back at Dr. Flatline. Twilight was the one to talk next. "Doctor… You're certain you have no way of knowing when he will awaken?"

"I wish I did, Miss Sparkle. We have done all we can. But from what we have seen, his will to live is exceptionally strong. Something must be keeping him going. If anything, it just might prompt him to awaken sooner than expected." The doc said while trying to smile a bit. And there was something in those words that got me feeling hopeful. A strong desire to live, he said. Why?

Turns out it was Pinkie Pie who made the first guess. "Something keeping him going… He wants to see us again." She then took a few steps towards the doc. "Doctor… Uh… Would it be all right if you could move him closer to home? So we could be there for him a bit more easily?"

"Move him to…Ponyville?" He asked while looking a bit confused by that request. I have to say too that it's pretty unusual for Pinkie Pie to act all that serious and sincere.

Fluttershy nodded and took a step forward. "Please… Ponyville is his home and he has many friends there… And…we want to be there for him while he heals…"

Princess Celestia was the next one to talk. "Please, Flatline. Being in a place closer to home just might influence his recovery in a positive light. I implore you, please allow him to be moved to Ponyville Hospital."

The doctor didn't take long to offer a reply. "Yes, I see your point. Very well. He will be moved to Ponyville Hospital within the next couple of hours. Just let me send word to them that they will be receiving a comatose patient and we will prepare a transport."

There really wasn't much else to say after that. The doctor left and we all headed on back to the lobby. But when we got there, I could hear what sounded like distant booms from somewhere down the hall on the other side of the receptionist's desk. Maybe even thunderclaps. I didn't want to imagine what Nightmare Moon was even doing to Discord's body. Even if the scumbag had it coming…

"This just can't be happening… Right when we are on the verge of escaping this nightmare, another problem has been thrown at us? Is this fate's punishment for our failure?!" Rarity ranted for a minute in that usual prissy fashion of hers. On any other day, I would've been a might annoyed, but I couldn't bring myself to have a problem with her that time. She had every right to be that upset.

Needless to say, we were all a bit rattled. Here I was thinking that James was going to pull through just fine once his body was finally past the worst part. But now… He might never wake up? I just… I felt sick with myself. Even if Discord was the one who was really responsible, I still had a hoof in what happened to James…

"What're we gonna do now… I mean… A coma?" Rainbow Dash muttered as she paced back and forth while she didn't seem to be looking at anypony in particular. I know Rainbow Dash pretty well and it was mighty unsettling to see somepony as brash and tough as her all weak in the knees and shot in the nerves over one friend. I mean she was right there with him after… And when we got to him, he was… Is that…what it feels like to watch a friend die right in front of you? Is that what it did to her? I mean he didn't die, but… He looked dead when we got to him…

Princess Luna spoke up when Rainbow Dash ended up bumping into a wall. "Please calm yourself, Rainbow Dash. If Dr. Flatline says that our friend is going to live, then he will live. He has never lost a patient."

I had to say something then. "But this ain't about him livin', yer highness. This is about 'im…never wakin' up. How can we say we're sorry if he can't hear us?!"

Both of the princesses didn't say anything at first. But I could tell they were just as bothered as the rest of us. Princess Luna and James had always been like crispy pie crust and gooey apple filling since pretty much the first day they met, but… I just don't know what things were like between him and Princess Celestia. I mean they had been kind of distant since he showed up. At least that's what I'd think…

Anyway, it was Princess Celestia who answered me. "Applejack… No, all of you. Please… You must not blame yourselves too hard. I know it is very easy to feel guilty for your actions, but… You must never forget. The ones who harmed your friend. They were not you. In the same way that the one who…murdered Discord was not truly James. At least…I hope that was not him. This entire crisis is the result of a mad spirit obsessed with and drowned in chaos. And if anypony is to blame… It is I. So please… Do not fault yourselves for your friend's predicament."

I don't know why she would say she was at fault for what happened. But I guess it wasn't my place to ask. Even so, Fluttershy tried to not cry while she said something in return. "I know… I know that wasn't us who… But…why does it still hurt…?"

"It is understandable if you still feel remorse over your actions, Fluttershy. It may have not been you in body who turned on him, but it was still you in physical form. Still, you must not blame yourselves… Even though I know it is surely difficult to do so." Luna said again, but she really didn't look all that happy about it.

Princess Celestia then motioned for us to come closer. "Once more, I cannot tell you all how sorry I am that this has come to pass. If nothing else, take comfort in knowing that Discord's reign of madness has been ended forever. But for now, return home and rest. Your friend needs you all to be there for him until the day comes where he awakens." She then looked right at Twilight. "I will send word to Spike informing him of the situation and that you are all about to return home. I will make certain he knows to meet you at the station."

"Thank you, your highness… And we'll let you know if anything comes up." Twilight said before she stepped forward and shared a little hug with Princess Celestia. And after that, we made our ways over to the train station and were on the next train out of Canterlot.

On train rides, the girls and I usually get really chatty to help pass the time. But not this time. We hardly made a peep during the whole ride. All I heard was the rattling of the wheels under our hooves and the lurching of the train car. I just couldn't say anything. All I could do was look out the window and watch the scenery go by while we rolled down the mountain.

Eventually, we did get a little racket to break the silence. And sure enough, it was Pinkie Pie. She ran over to the side of the car I was on and pointed at something. "Hey! Is that him?!"

"What're ya goin' on about, Pinkie?" I asked before looking too. All the other girls came over to check too. And we saw it. A couple of pegasi were pulling some sort of medical looking wagon through the sky while descending towards Ponyville.

"That's a medical transport… James is in there." Twilight said while she actually started to smile a bit. "He's almost home."

"Then…we can go straight to the hospital and see him once we get there." Rarity added while… I actually don't know what to make of that look she was showing. Hopeful, but still really messed up on the inside?

Rainbow Dash started looking really impatient. "Well… Hey, would you girls mind if I left out the back door and went on ahead to check on him?"

"He ain't there yet, Rainbow. Besides, I think we should all go together. Not ta mention the conductor might flip if he found out one of the passengers disappeared on 'im." I said in reply. I know Rainbow and James have been mighty tight for a while. And… Well, I can understand why she'd want to check on him right away.

The rest of the ride was pretty unenjoyable. I just wanted to get there and head on over to the hospital and see how our buddy was holding up. I even found myself pacing up and down the aisle. And don't get me started on Pinkie Pie. She looked like she was going to blow a fuse or something while sitting all huddled in the corner of her seat.

At one end of the car, I found Fluttershy looking out the window while hardly budging a muscle. I know this is probably common knowledge by now, but she and James… Well, they're sweethearts. Wouldn't surprise me if they get hitched sometime next year. And… Well, how do you think you'd feel if you betrayed and attacked your future spouse against your will? I know Fluttershy isn't exactly the chattiest out of the six of us, but she'd been really quiet the last couple of days. So I decided to mosey on over to her and see if there was anything I could do to help while passing the time. "Howdy, Fluttershy. How're ya holdin' up?"

She didn't say anything or even look at me at first. I tried nudging her too. "Fluttershy? Hey, you all right?"

When she did look at me… Her eyes were just as empty and gloomy as the last time I saw her. "Oh… Hi, Applejack…

I pulled up a seat across from her to rest my legs. "What's wrong… Wait… Sorry, I guess there's plenty that's wrong right now. But… Well, I've noticed you haven't been very chatty lately."

"Sorry… I guess I'm…too depressed to want to talk…" She said real quiet like. She didn't even look at me when she said that.

I don't know what it's like to fall in love, to be honest. Never met a guy that just sang to me like James must've sang to Fluttershy. So I can't say I know what it's like to hurt that special somepony. "Well… Ya wanna talk now?"

She didn't say anything, so I tried to bring up a topic that might make her feel better. "Well… Would ya mind fillin' me in on how you and James got together? I mean it was a pretty short amount of time before you sent him that love letter."

Fluttershy looked at me while looking a might confused. "How we… What do you mean?"

I was really glad mentioning James didn't strike a nerve. "Well… I'm just wonderin' how you two got so lovey dovey not even a week after he first showed up. I mean he's a nice guy and all, but…well…"

She didn't seem to mind talking about him much at all. "I guess it all started when I first met him… Twilight and Rainbow Dash said that someone in Sugarcube Corner was a bit distraught and that they were not sure if they should approach him. I was a bit nervous, but they said he didn't seem dangerous. I had never seen anything like him before. And he was so quiet and reserved. He didn't make any kind of mean or rude advances on me, even if he was sounding bitter. And he even gave me a cupcake afterwards. I was worried about him all day after seeing how upset he seemed at first, wondering where he was until Pinkie Pie set up his welcoming party."

"Uh huh. And how'd you end up… Ya know." I asked while trying to not say too much so she could focus on her thoughts.

Fluttershy let out a long sigh for a moment before she started talking again. "I never was the most popular mare in Cloudsdale or Ponyville. Nopony was ever interested in me. But James… He never judged me or got annoyed with how shy I am. Most stallions have never been that accepting of me. I guess…he was my first crush. And I kept debating over whether or not to tell him. So I wrote a love letter. But I couldn't decide whether or not to show him then or later. I guess my little bunny, Angel, got annoyed with me not making up my mind and snuck it out of the house to him. I was so terrified when he showed up with it in his hand. Like I had made a terrible mistake. But…he didn't reject me. He gave me a chance and…"

After a moment longer, she looked at me as tears started to flow down her cheeks again. "Applejack… Do you think I made a mistake? Would he have been better off if I didn't… Would this have not…"

I really didn't know what to say to that. The guilt was really eating away at her. Who knows? Maybe if they weren't as close as they are now, maybe Fluttershy wouldn't have hurt James as much when he found her out in the maze after Discord got to her. But there was one thing I could say. "I don't know, sugarcube. I really don't know… That's somethin' you're gonna have ta ask him yerself."

Not much else happened on the way back, but I stayed close to Fluttershy the whole time. It didn't feel right to leave her alone while she was in that state of mind. But when we finally pulled into the station in Ponyville and stepped outside, we found one baby purple dragon waiting for us. "Hey! Over here, Twilight!"

Spike was already there and waiting for us, so we went right over to him. "Howdy, Spike. Sorry if we couldn't come home right away."

Twilight then asked, "How are things back home, Spike? Have you been taking care of Owlowiscious?"

"Yeah, no problems on this end. Owlowiscious and I have been keeping the place nice and tidy. So, what happened? All that weird weather cleared up bit by bit a couple of days ago. And… Uh… Wait. Is someone missing? And what happened to your eye, Applejack?" The little guy didn't take long to notice that there was one person less than when we left for Canterlot a few days ago. And he sure didn't waste any time noticing the white patch I had over my black eye.

None of us wanted to say the truth to him. No telling what kind of effect that sort of info could have on a kid. But Rainbow Dash then stepped forward a bit with her head hanging low. "Don't worry about her. Just a black eye. As for James… He's…not doing so hot."

"He's not… What do you mean? What happened up there anyway?! I thought I saw a huge burst of fire in the sky on the day you left way out north! Pretty much everypony in town heard it!" Looks like Spike saw that solar flare or whatever James almost used to blow up the entire mountain with when he went nuts.

"Spike… Darling, did you happen to see a carriage or wagon being brought in from Canterlot not too long ago?" Rarity then asked while Spike surprisingly wasn't too head over heels for her. I guess he could tell things just didn't warrant that kind of behavior at the moment.

Spike took one look in the same direction I saw that transport being brought in before looking back at us. "Uh… Now that you mention it, I think I did see something like that heading towards the hospital… Wait, James wasn't on that, was he?!"

"We're about to find out. Come on, Spike. We've got to pay a visit to the hospital." Twilight said while using her magic to pick the little guy up and set him on her back before we all ran off for the hospital. And I was already getting that sinking feeling in my gut on what we would find once we were in the same room as him.

We didn't take very long to get to the hospital. And right as we showed up, we saw the same transport as before being pulled away back to Canterlot. Anyway, we barged right into the lobby and Pinkie Pie pushed past all of us to get to the front desk. "Excuse me! Is he here?! Was James brought in?"

Turns out Nurse Redheart was at the desk at the time. "James? Oh, yes. He was only just brought in. Although I don't think he's in any condition to be able to receive visitors though."

"Please, Miss Redheart… We know he can't talk to us, but… Can we please see him? Just to make sure he's all right?" Fluttershy asked while stepping past Pinkie.

Redheart took one long look at Fluttershy before nodding. "All right. I don't know what happened that placed him in such a predicament, but I won't stop you from checking on him. He's in room 12. Just take the elevator up to the top floor."

"12? You mean the room I was admitted to when… Yeah. Anyway, thanks." Rainbow Dash said with a bit of a smile before we all headed down the hall a bit to find the elevator. It was a bit of a tight squeeze for all seven of us, but we made it in all right.

Spike pressed the button for the top floor before I felt something pull down on me while the elevator started to move. "Why wouldn't James be in any shape to see any visitors? Is he OK?" Poor kid… He just couldn't understand what happened.

I tried to say something that maybe he would understand. Wouldn't want to say anything that would mess with his head though. "Spike… James is… He's not doin' well right now… Somethin'…awful happened up in Canterlot while we were there…"

Right as I said that, I felt something trying to pull me up right as the elevator stopped. I always really liked that feeling. I thought Spike would say something after that last bit, but he stayed pretty quiet. I guess he could tell we weren't really in a conversing mood. And sure enough, right down another short hall was the room we were looking for.

"Hey, it's the same room you were in when you got hooked on Daring Do, Rainbow Dash." Pinkie Pie said when we all got close to it. But she shut up pretty quickly too. Right on the other side of that door was our friend. And…I wasn't entirely sure if I was ready to see him.

"Are you here to see James?" I thought I knew that voice from somewhere. And sure enough, peeking out from behind the hall's corner behind us was the same doctor who looked after Rainbow Dash when she got brought in for that broken wing she had a little while ago. Never got his name though.

"Yes, doctor. Is he all right?" Twilight asked while we all looked at him. I was hoping he had better news than the docs in Canterlot.

He sighed while he came closer. "Well… All of the information that was forwarded to me was quite accurate. He is certainly not in any danger so long as we look after him. But he has been entirely unresponsive to all forms of stimuli. You are free to visit him if you wish, although I can promise you he will not know you're there. You all have my sincerest sympathies. I know this must be a difficult time for you."

Still nothing but the same bad news as before. But I still wasn't able to wrap my head around someone not being able to wake up. Lack of experience and all. "Thanks, doc. Well… We're goin' in now. Just let us know if anythin' changes."

"I will do just that. I'll just leave you to him. And… Well, I know I probably don't need to tell you this, but do not try to rouse him. He will not awaken to anything right now." And then he was gone.

"It's can't be that bad… Right?" I heard Fluttershy said while she reached for the door. But she didn't push it open right away. She looked back at us first. I was scared. But I was hopeful too. We had to see what had happened to him since then. I had not seen the guy in two days. A second later, Fluttershy grabbed the knob with her wing and gave it a twist. When the door opened, we got a big surprise. Nopony was there. Just an empty hospital bed with a curtain hanging on the other side.

"He's…not here?" Spike asked while we all took a step inside. But it didn't take long for us to notice something in the air. That beeping sound you always hear in a hospital room. What's that name they use for that doohickey? A heart monitor?

"He's on the other side… Girls, let's go…" Twilight said while she started making her way around the curtain. We all followed while pretty much holding our breaths. My heart was pounding in my chest. Was he all right? We rounded the corner and… There he was.

James was laid up in a bigger bed than they normally use for patients since he's quite a bit bigger than us ponies. But still…he was there. Out cold, but alive. He had one of those masks over his mouth hooked up to a respirator and that monitor was set up next to a bunch of other gadgets. He only had his head above the covers. And…he didn't move or say anything.

I couldn't say anything. I just… I felt myself starting to tear up. Two days ago, I was scared out of my mind that I was going to lose my friend. And here he was, still alive right in front of me. Fluttershy was the first to get closer while we all watched. She reached out and felt along the covers before she set her hoof down on something. I think it was his hand. "I… I was so scared for you…"

We all got a bit closer after that. Spike, probably still not really getting what had happened, spoke up. "He looks just fine to me."

"He's not, Spike… It's possible that he may never awaken." Rarity said while looking over at him. I could see she was holding back tears. Poor girl… She and James have always been pretty close since the day he showed up.

I still don't think Spike really understood just how serious the moment was, even after Rarity talked to him. "Never? That doesn't make sense! He's gotta wake up at some point."

Before we could say anything, Pinkie Pie gave us a really…desperate looking smile. "Yeah, he has to! He… He needs to wake up someday…"

We all watched while Pinkie went over to the other side of his bed and looked right at his face. "Hi, James… It's been a couple of days, but… How're you doing? You remember me, right? Pinkie Pie? Your workmate at Sugarcube Corner? The girl who sets up all the parties there? Your…friend?"

None of us said anything while she talked to him. But still…it was hard not to get all misty-eyed from watching that. The more she talked, the more desperate she started to look. At one point, she even started nudging James' face. "We're… We're still friends, right? You know that wasn't really me saying all those angry mean words at you, right? You… You're gonna wake up and… And things will all go back to normal soon… Right?"

"Pinkie… Don't move his head. He just had cerebral surgery." Twilight said once it looked like Pinkie was about to have a breakdown. The poor girl was in tears. Probably even in shock. And I… I couldn't accept it either. I didn't want to believe that he might never wake up. But while I watched, I noticed something on the little nightstand next to him. A little cup of water that one of the nurses must have left behind. Since all that medical gear was on the side Pinkie was standing, it had been moved to the side of the bed closest to me.

I looked at the water for a few seconds before I got an idea. Pretty much nopony can sleep through a good soaking. "Hang on a second, Pinkie. I know what'll wake 'im up!"

I grabbed that cup in my teeth and flung my head sideways, launching the water out of it and splattering it all over James' face before anypony could say anything. I then set the cup back down and watched. That had to wake him up. His face was soaked.

"So sorry about that, darling. Uh…Applejack just wanted to make sure you…um… She just wanted to make certain you were all right… You sleep well the last few days?" Rarity asked while we watched. That just had to wake him up right there.

A moment passed and… He didn't say anything. He didn't even groan or grumble from getting wet. Didn't even open his eyes.

Next thing I knew, Rainbow Dash swooped out of the room. And before we could even dwell on it, she came back with a metal kettle in her teeth that had steam coming out of the spout. "This'll get the job done!"

I really wasn't liking the look of that. Especially when she started hovering over James with the thing held between her hooves. "Uh… Rainbow? Where'd ya get that? And what's in it?"

She gave us all a really confident smirk. That kind of look she makes when she's not going to let anypony stop her. "Hot water they use for coffee."

"Rainbow, wait!" Fluttershy shrieked while reaching out for her. But it was too late. Rainbow dumped about a pint of the stuff right on James' face without a second thought.

"Uh oh! He's gonna be steamed! He hates those kinds of pranks!" Pinkie Pie shrieked while we all backed away. I was expecting James to wake up with a yell or something and be really ticked off. I know I'd be if someone dumped something hot on me!

We were all just watching, pretty much just anticipating him to wake up all ticked off. His face was all red like he had just stepped out of a hot shower. Or that's what Rainbow Dash told me once. Don't have a clue of how she knows that. But after a minute, things started to get really… Well… Rainbow Dash's really smug smirk started to turn into something else. She just hovered over his bed while looking down at him. "Uh… Did that hurt? I mean… That DID wake you up… Right?"

I felt myself feeling a bit sick. I wanted to see him wake up. But even after that… Rainbow dropped the kettle with a clank, spilling whatever was left onto the floor. She then dropped right down on him without even looking at us. "Hey… You can drop the act now, James. I know that one woke you up. Hehe… No need to keep playing dead. You already gave me a good scare back outside the maze. Don't you think that's enough?"

None of us said anything. But it was becoming all too clear to me. James…wasn't going to wake up. And Rainbow Dash couldn't accept it. "This… This is about the time when I threw your lunch in your face, isn't it?! I already said I'm sorry! You even got me back for that! Come on, wake up! Joke's over!"

The longer that went on, the harder it was to listen to. I even saw and heard her start to cry while she started to pound on his chest and shake him. "Wake up already… You know what you saw and heard wasn't from the real them! Please… I know you're still in there! I know you can hear me! We're all here now… Wake up…"

Out of nowhere, Rainbow Dash was covered in a turquoise magic aura and yanked right off the bed. I recognized it right away, especially when somepony ran right over to us. "Rainbow Dash, no! I already told you that he's in a very delicate condition!"

The doctor we saw in the hall was right beside us. And Rainbow… She looked about as wrecked as when we first found her outside the maze with James after… Yeah… Anyway, Rainbow really wasn't happy to be kept away from our friend. "But… Doc… He's gotta wake up!"

Well, the doctor sure wasn't happy about it either. "And I already told you, Rainbow Dash. He CAN'T wake up. And we do not know when, or if, he ever will."

Of all people, it was Spike who spoke up next. "But he can't stay asleep forever! He's got to wake up sometime!"

I just felt so helpless… For the first time since that mess in Canterlot, James was right in front of us. And we couldn't even talk to him. At least the doctor wasn't being too harsh with us. "I understand your frustration. Comas are not exactly common afflictions. I know it must be difficult for you to grasp that your friend may never awaken. But you must be patient. Only time can heal that part of him. And I assure you that if anything changes, no matter how minute, you will all be informed right away. So please… All I can say is…have faith."

It hurt knowing the truth. I knew we had to wait, but… I don't think there's any way I can sum up just how much it hurts to know all that! Anyway, the doctor started to lead us out. But before we got out, I took one more look back at the curtains that blocked my view of James. And somehow, I managed to sneak back over to him without anypony noticing. I couldn't stay long though. Someone was bound to notice me missing before long.

Seeing him sprawled out on the bed in front of me… With only his head sticking out of the covers. I could hear him breathing. And that heart monitor kept beeping nice and slow. He was alive and pretty healthy, but… I knew everything I said to him would never reach him. He was there, but…at the same time, he wasn't. But still… I tried to make him hear me.

"Howdy, pardner… How ya holdin' up?" I said quietly while feeling along the sheets. I felt his arm and moved it down until I felt something a bit broader. It was his hand. But when I pressed down a bit, I felt something grab on a bit from under the sheets. His fingers had clasped over the edge of my hoof… I felt myself choke up right there. He couldn't hear me, but… Maybe… Just maybe somewhere in there, he could still feel me right next to him.

"I heard from the docs… Yer… Yer gonna be OK. Ya ain't gonna die on us…" I kept saying while never looking away from the guy. I took my hat off and set it on what I think was his belly. "Never seen ya this quiet. Kinda reminds me of when I first saw ya… Heh… Remember back then? I saw somethin' tall in front of my house and there ya were… You were pretty shy back then… Didn't talk too much. Kinda like…now…"

I couldn't hold the tears back. They just came on pouring from my eyes. "James… I dunno if you can hear me, but… All the things I said back in the maze? That… That wasn't me… I wish I could've told ya then, but… They were lies. All lies… I never hated ya, James… I never even remotely disliked ya. You've always been a friend to me. Maybe not the closest friend I've ever had, but… Yer a friend I never wanna lose…"

For a minute, I didn't know what else to say. So I just set my head down on his chest while looking up at him. I could feel him lift my head up with each breath. I could hear it too… "Just… Wake up soon, all right? I can't tell ya how much the girls miss you… I know I do… Like…maybe in a week? Can you promise me y'all be up and about in a week? I still need ta say I'm sorry… I can't do that if ya can't hear me…"

I had to get out of there right away or else the girls would come looking. The rest of the day… It's been glum. I could barely even tell Big Macintosh and Granny Smith about what happened. Thank goodness Apple Bloom and her friends weren't there. I didn't see her get home until sundown. I don't know what I'll tell her tomorrow…

Can't believe this is happening… I just want things to go back to how they were just four days ago. Feels like it's been forever since things were all right…

* * *

><p>This morning didn't go too well. I think I might've overslept. Usually it's James who wakes me up. But for some reason, he didn't come home last night. And...Fluttershy said he's in the hospital. But she wouldn't say why.<p>

Anyway, I climbed out of bed and looked around for a clock. And when I looked at it, I saw it was past 9 o'clock. "Whoa! I'm late! Better grab my scooter!"

I grabbed an apple from the kitchen and grabbed my saddlebags and riding gear before running outside and around to the back. I always keep my scooter in the backyard. I said hi to the chickens, revved up my wings, and zoomed off for school. "Later, girls! I gotta eat and run!"

Man, it always feels so awesome to ride my scooter so fast. Although I usually don't eat and ride at the same time. But once I was stuck with just an old apple core, I tried a new trick. I tossed it into he air, jumped and kicked it away, and landed right back on my scooter. Man, I wish my big brother could've seen that.

Well, I got to school in just a few minutes. Amazing what a pair of wings and a board on wheels can make in time! I set my scooter up just inside the playground and ran inside while taking off my helmet. "Sorry I'm late! Did I miss anything?"

Everypony was already in their seats while Miss Cheerilee was up in front of the blackboard. I'm almost never late, so she looked kind of surprised. "Good morning, Scootaloo. You're almost never tardy. Is everything all right?"

I dropped my helmet off with my saddlebags and hurried over to my desk. "Yeah, sorry. My big brother didn't come home last night, so he didn't wake me up. Fluttershy said he's in the hospital."

"All right. Well, let's get back to... Wait, the hospital?!" Yeah, I don't think anypony was expecting that. Everyone was looking at me.

I really wasn't in the mood to talk about it though. I was late enough already. "Uh... That's what Fluttershy said. She didn't say why though. Um... What were we doing today?"

That got Cheerilee to forget about it. "Oh... Well, we were just going over the history of Cloudsdale. Now, where was I...?"

While she was flipping through a textbook, I looked back and forth at Sweetie and Apple Bloom. They had been moved to the front row with me and were seated next to me. Sweetie Belle then whispered to me. "Hey, Scoot? Did Fluttershy really not tell you what happened to James? I think he and my sister were gone for a few days."

"Yeah. That's why I was bunking with you for the last couple of days. And no, she never said why. But she looked really bothered about something. I've never seen her so sad." I said back to her. I mean I know Fluttershy is really...well...shy sometimes, but she's been pretty depressed since she got home yesterday.

Apple Bloom leaned over to me and whispered, "Uh... Applejack told me this mornin'. She said somethin' really awful happened up in Canterlot the day all that chocolate rain started pourin' over Ponyville. I think she said he's...in a coma?"

I had no idea what that word even meant, but it got me feeling really worried. I thought maybe James got a broken leg or something like that. Sweetie Belle then raised her hoof. "Miss Cheerilee? What's a coma?"

She really didn't see that coming. She gave Sweetie Belle a pretty weird look before she pushed the textbook away. "That's a bit off topic, Sweetie Belle. Although we do have a book on medicine on the shelves if you want to take a look during free time. Now, back to the lesson at hoof... The earliest settlers during Cloudsdale's founding were..."

I couldn't even really focus. I hadn't even seen my brother since the day he left for Canterlot a few days ago. And he was in the hospital now. And Fluttershy... I'm just a kid and I could still see something was wrong with her when she came home yesterday. She didn't want to talk very much and she just looked so depressed... And whenever I asked her what happened, she would always say I shouldn't ever know. I don't get it. What happened up there?!

"Psst... PSST! Scootaloo!" I heard somepony whisper loudly behind me. When I turned around, I saw Silver Spoon trying to pass me a note. She was using the desk right behind with Diamond Tiara right behind her. If it had been a year ago, I wouldn't have taken the note. But those two are OK girls now. After I checked to make sure Cheerilee wasn't watching, I grabbed the note and put it on my desk.

"Is James going to be OK?" That's what I saw on the paper. It took me a second, but I recognized it. It was from Button Mash.

I looked past the desks behind me. And there he was leaning past his desk to look at me. Button Mash waved at me, but he didn't look very happy. So I went back to the note and flipped it over before writing down an answer. "I don't know. Want to go see him after school?"

I got a sneaky idea on how to get the note back to Button Mash. I stuck the note in my wing and leaned back to let Silver Spoon take it without Cheerilee noticing. I waited a little bit before looking back at Button. He leaned past his desk and nodded at me.

Lunchtime and recess came pretty quickly. So we all went out to the playground. Sweetie Belle even remembered to bring that book Miss Cheerilee told us about. Well, I pulled out a sandwich and apple Fluttershy had put together for me. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom came over too and opened their lunch bags while Sweetie Belle put the book down. Sweetie then asked, "Well... Are we ready to find out what a coma is?"

I don't know why, but that word gave me a big sinking feeling in my gut. I could tell that Apple Bloom felt the same way by that look she was giving me. "Uh... I guess we gotta find out sooner or later..."

"Yeah... Let's start looking." I said while munching on my sandwich. But right after that, I heard somepony coming closer. And when we looked, we saw Button Mash right next to us. It looked like Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara also had the same idea since I saw them coming too.

"Hi... Uh... Can I have my lunch here too?" Button Mash said as he sat down by us. I don't know what to say about him. He's a nice guy and we sometimes have fun at the arcade together, but I don't know if I can say he's my friend. But I know he and James have been good buddies since the first day they met. Does that mean we're friends too?

"Sure, Button. Have a seat." Apple Bloom said while she scooted over a bit. I nodded too, but then Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon came over. They didn't even need to say anything. We made some more room for them to get into the circle.

"So... What's this about James being in a coma? Did something happen?" Diamond Tiara said while she and Silver Spoon took out their lunches too. They usually have fancier stuff than us, but I don't like it very much. Too rich for me. I'd rather have James and Fluttershy's yummy home cooking.

"I don't know. The last time I saw him was when he and Rainbow Dash went up to Canterlot a few days ago. You know, when it was raining chocolate milk?" I replied while looking at the book in the middle of the circle.

Apple Bloom then said, "My sis went with 'im too. Didn't Rarity also go?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. My sister went too. And so did Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkie Pie. They didn't get back until just yesterday too. But what's a coma?" Sweetie Belle said before we all looked at the book in front of us. I don't remember the title, but it looked kind of boring to me.

"Well, let's find out. I've got this." Silver Spoon said before she pulled it closer and flipped it open. "OK, where's the section about comas..."

She looked really smart while she looked through the book with her hoof adjusting her glasses. "OK, found it. Um... Well, it's..."

I don't remember everything she said. I was already getting bored. But I think she said something about it being a problem where someone can't wake up? Button Mash didn't look that worried after she finished reading that part of the book. "Ooh, so it's a sleeping disease! Kinda like this? Hi, everypony! I had a lot of..." Then he fell over and started snoring with his eyes closed. That was kind of funny. We all laughed. Wow, this doesn't look anything like my big brother's journals. He always puts a lot of detail into everything he writes. Oh well. I'm just writing this because I'm not in the mood to do anything else.

"Well, it doesn't sound like too big of a problem! He can't wake up? Then we just have to MAKE him wake up." Diamond Tiara said with a big smile. It was like everypony wasn't worried anymore. But... I didn't know what to think. It didn't sound like a big deal, so...why was Fluttershy so depressed about it?

Well, we all went back inside when recess ended and put the book back. I don't remember much about what else Cheerilee talked to us about for the rest of the day. I just couldn't focus. I wanted to believe my brother was OK, but... Fluttershy's acting gave me a completely different feeling. Fluttershy's always been a good friend, but... James is the only family I've ever known. I don't know what'd I do if I lost him.

At one point, I got so bored that I tried to draw. I pulled out some crayons from my desk and a slip of paper. I used some brown, some blue, some green, some orange, and some purple. But after a while, Cheerilee talked pretty loudly. "Scootaloo! Are you drawing in class?"

I knew I was in trouble. I quickly put all that art stuff away, but it was too late to hide the drawing. But when she came closer to look at it, she didn't say anything. All she did was look down at my desk and the picture. I tried to draw a human and a little pegasus holding hooves... I mean hands... I mean... You get the idea. It was supposed to be James and me. I guess she must've known that too since she showed me a kind of sad smile. "I'm sorry. Never mind. My mistake."

I was glad Cheerilee was going easy on me. I think she understood things a bit better than I did. After a minute longer, I held my head up in my hooves while looking down at the picture. I couldn't help whispering while looking at it. "Sometimes I wish I could call you 'dad'..."

The rest of the school day was really boring and quiet. And when the bell rang, I couldn't wait to grab my saddlebags and get out of there. But I wasn't alone when I ran out the door. "Hey, Scootaloo! Are ya goin' ta see James?"

Apple Bloom was right behind me. And so was Sweetie Belle, Button Mash, Silver Spoon, and Diamond Tiara. I guess they all wanted to check on James to make sure he was all right. "Uh huh... You wanna come?"

"Of course we do. He's our friend, isn't he?" Diamond Tiara said while looking... Actually, she was looking pretty worried. But it was also pretty cute to hear her call James a friend. I wonder what she'd be like if he never showed up.

It felt good to have my friends with me while we walked through Ponyville. I was excited to see my brother again, but... I was really scared too. I hadn't seen him for a couple of days. Was he OK?

I can't remember the last time I ever went to the hospital for something that wasn't a checkup. It was pretty quiet at the front desk. Silver Spoon was the one who talked to the nurse there. "Excuse me. Is Mr. James here?"

The nurse looked down at us. I was kind of scared. Was James still there? "James? Well... Yes, he is in room 12. Just take the elevator up to the top floor and it'll be right down the hall."

"Cool! Thanks!" Button Mash said kind of loudly before we went looking for the elevator. It was pretty close by. And when we got to the top, there it was. A door with a 12 on it.

"OK... Here we go." Sweetie Belle said when we started to get closer. But when we did, somepony opened the door and came out. "Huh? Rarity! What're you doing here?"

It was Sweetie Belle's big sister. Rarity was carrying some saddlebags when she came out. And just like Fluttershy, she was looking pretty glum. "Sweetie Belle? And... Oh, what brings all of you here? A hospital is no play for children to play."

"We're here to see James. Is he...all right in there?" I replied while feeling kind of nauseous in my gut. It was scary. He was right on the other side of that door and I was both excited and freaked out.

Rarity looked back at the door before looking at us with a really depressed look in her eyes. "I am certain you kids have already heard something of his current condition. Well... No. He is not OK. He is far from being OK. He's... What is a term you would understand... He is...well...broken as of this moment."

That really didn't sound too good to me. Apple Bloom then spoke up with a bit of a smile on her face. "He's broken? Well, we'll just have ta fix 'im up!"

That really sad smile Rarity was showing... I didn't know what to make of it. "No, Apple Bloom... It's not like that. Only time can repair his broken soul." She started to walk by us to the elevator before looking back at us. "You can see him if you want. But do not try to move him. And be sure you do not move his head. He's...in a very delicate state right now."

Once she was gone, we all took a big deep breath before we went inside. But he wasn't even there. Diamond Tiara looked pretty annoyed right away. "Huh? He's not here?! What gives?!"

"But what's that sound? You know, that beeping?" Button Mash said while he looked around. I heard it too. Some kind of steady rhythm of high-pitched beeps. And it sounded like it was coming from the other side of the curtain.

Sweetie Belle went first and peeked around the curtain. A few seconds later, she looked back at us. "Girls... I found him."

I felt myself starting to sweat. We all ran around to the other side of the curtain. And... I didn't know what to think. He was right there. Asleep and hooked up to a few machines and a bag of some kind of clear liquid connected to something under the covers by a long tube. He had some kind of clear plastic mask over his mouth and nose. I didn't know what to think. I felt really glad that he was alive, but... Something didn't feel right.

Button Mash jumped up onto the bed and tapped his hoof on James' chest. "Hey... James? Are you OK? Want me to bring my Joyboy over so you can have some fun while you're here? I don't mind if you borrow it for a little while."

Something felt really wrong. James wasn't even moving. I could hear him breathing, but nothing Button said got his attention. Silver Spoon then said while moving her glasses up around on her nose, "It really is a sleeping sickness..."

"I hope it's not contagious..." Sweetie Belle said while looking kind of worried. I wasn't though. I don't think a coma is something you can catch.

Suddenly, Button Mash gasped. "Wait! I got it!" He then pulled the covers up on one side to show James' arm. But when he did... "Agh! Needles!"

I gagged when I saw where that tube was going. It was connected to a needle going that was stuck in his arm. We all couldn't stand looking at it, so Button pulled the covers back down until only his hand could be seen. "What're ya even doin', Button?" Apple Bloom asked while Button started looking around in his saddlebags.

"I went home to get a few things on our way here." He said before pulling out a can of whipped cream and making a little mound of it on James' hand.

"Wait. You're not actually going to prank him with that, are you?!" Sweetie Belle shouted while Button put the can away and pulled out a...feather?

"Wow, that's mean. Do it! That'll wake him up for sure!" Diamond Tiara said while we all started to get excited. That gag never gets old!

I then said, "Go on, Button! James loves whipped cream on his ice cream sundaes!"

Button was grinning real big while he started to tickle James' forehead with the tip of the feather. I guess it would've been better to try his nose, but that mask was covering it. "Wakey wakey, James! There's something on your face!"

Any second, James was going to wake up and smack that pile of whipped cream right into his own face. We waited and watched while trying to not laugh. But after a minute, James still didn't move. It was actually starting to get kind of scary. "Uh... James? You feeling anything yet? You awake?"

Button Mash kept trying to tickle James into waking up, but nothing happened. He finally dropped the feather and looked at us. "Girls... This is really creepy. Why isn't he waking up?"

"That is because he simply CAN'T wake up." I heard a voice behind us. And when we turned around, we saw one of the hospital's doctors standing there. "I hope you kids aren't causing trouble for him. My patient is in a very delicate state right now."

"But...he has ta wake up someday, right?" Silver Spoon asked while we all looked at the doctor. "Comas don't last forever, right?"

The doctor took a moment before he looked at all of us and sighed. "A coma is not a disease. And it's not exactly something that can be treated or cured. Only time can heal him now. These things can last days or weeks or even years before the victim wakes up. Sometimes they never do."

Never wake up...? That... That scared me. I couldn't stop myself from yelling. I think I was crying too. "What do you mean he might never wake up?! He has to! He needs to wake up and come home someday!"

"I understand if you are frustrated. That is a normal reaction to a loved one being in this situation. And I am sorry that this happened. Rest assured though, he is in good hooves. And if anything changes, you will be informed immediately. Now please excuse me for a minute. I need to tend to his bandages." The doctor said before going over to the other side of the bed. He lifted up the covers that was covering James' arm. I couldn't see it, but Button Mash could.

"Hey, uh... Doc? What's under those ba... Oh man... Urk..." I don't know what Button saw, but he almost fell off the bed. He fell down and looked all green in the face while he looked like he was going to toss his cookies. "You girls don't...wanna see that..."

"What's wrong with 'im? What's with James' arm, doctor?!" Apple Bloom got pretty worried. I was too, but I didn't have to say anything since Apple Bloom was already asking him.

The doctor was doing something with some white patches and medicine while he talked to us. "It seems he suffered severe burns to his hand and forearm during whatever it was that happened that resulted in him being stuck in this condition. Our treatment seems to be working well though. There is already new skin beginning to grow in to replace the damaged and destroyed tissue. It will likely be all healed up in a few weeks. He was lucky it was not any more severe than this. Of course, we have no way of knowing if he will even be awake by that point."

I really didn't know what to say. It was so much to take in. "Well, that should do it for now. I will leave you to him. Just please do not do anything to move him. He is not well."

The doctor left after that. None of us really said anything for a minute, but it was Silver Spoon who talked first. "So...he might never wake up? That sounds...scary. Will he get older over time? Will he stay the same?"

Those words scared me. I didn't want to imagine myself growing up without him and him getting older while still asleep. We've only been together for a year... Diamond Tiara went over to him and pulled herself up halfway onto the bed. The rest of us didn't say anything. And even though it's been a really long time since the last time she was a jerk, it was really weird seeing Diamond Tiara looking so sad over someone. I heard her talk while reaching out and touching his cheek. "Hey... James? You'll be OK in the end, right? You're gonna wake soon, right?"

He didn't say anything. And I think I heard Diamond Tiara starting to cry. That really threw me for a loop. Her? Crying over somepony who made her look like a joke a while ago? "You helped me, you know... I feel much better about myself now, thanks to you... It's weird, but...I'm glad you punished me back then. It took a bit, but... You made me a better pony... So...wake up soon, OK?"

She didn't say anything for a minute. But she did finally push off the bed and came over to us. She was crying. "I can't take it... I need to go."

"OK, Diamond Tiara. Let's go. I don't want to stay either..." Silver Spoon said while she and Diamond Tiara started heading towards the door. She looked like she might start crying too. But she then looked back at us and asked, "Do you want to come to Sugarcube Corner for some milkshakes with us? Our treat."

"Sure! Count me in!" Button Mash said before he looked at us. "You girls coming too?"

Sweetie Belle looked at Apple Bloom and me before nodding. "OK, we'll go. Just no milkshake races this time."

Button nodded, but he looked back at James for a second. "Hang in there, James... You're gonna be all right..." But when he jumped down, he knocked James' arm off the bed. I don't think he noticed though.

We didn't follow them right away. When we were alone, we all looked back at James. Still asleep. Still no sound. Almost like he was...dead. Apple Bloom sighed while she touched his arm. "Can't believe one of us Cutie Mark Crusaders is stuck like this..."

I didn't say anything. I wanted to talk, but... I couldn't think of anything to say. But then Sweetie Belle gasped and smiled at us. "I know what we can do! Let's make a bunch of cards and gifts for him! So he'll know how much he missed him while he was asleep!"

I tried thinking about that. I could see the hospital room in my head all filled up with balloons, flowers, and little pink and red heart cards. I felt myself smile. "That sounds really nice..."

"It sure does! Whaddya say we go get some of them milkshakes and then head over to the clubhouse ta get started?" Apple Bloom said with a pretty hopeful smile. I know she wasn't really happy, but she was trying hard to not show it.

I looked back at my big brother before looking at my friends. "Sounds good. Uh... Could you go on ahead? I still got some things to do here. Oh, and if you get there before me, I want my milkshake to be strawberry and banana."

"All righty, Scoot. We'll let 'em know. Y'all catch up with us soon, ya hear?" Apple Bloom said before we all shared a group hug. I used to not like those very much, but they've really grown on me. But once I was alone, I went over to James' arm. It was hanging off the bed and was also on the floor.

I pushed my head under it until I was right under him with his hand on my head. Sometimes at home, when he relaxes on the sofa, I like to lie on the floor next to him and let him pet my head. It always feels so nice. But this time... His hand didn't move. I didn't feel him drag his fingers through my mane. But I did feel his fingers kind of grab my head. Not very tightly, but they kind of closed over me.

"James... Big brother, can you feel me? Can you hear me?" I was hoping he'd hear me. Maybe say something. But he didn't. I tried to not cry. I really didn't want to cry.

I cried. Pretty hard.

Why couldn't he wake up? I wanted to hear him. I didn't even get to say goodbye! What if I never hear him again?! I threw his arm off me and sat up before holding it against me. I cried into it like a long pillow. "I miss you... You're right here, but it doesn't feel like you're here... Please come back... I miss you...Dad..."

I can't help it anymore... I don't care if he never wants me to call him that. All this time, he was never my brother. He's always been my daddy... It sounds so silly and girly, but... I don't care. James... No... Dad. I love you. I miss you. I want you to hold me again. I don't care what anypony says... I need you... Please, wake up soon... I want you to come home.

* * *

><p>Dark days have come. And I know not how to banish the dark shades that have been draped over our lives. Discord… You wretched idiot. How could even your madness drive you to maim a man's heart? You may be finally out of our lives forever, but at what cost?<p>

I rose from my bed with a heavy head. My sleep was restless, disturbed with… I cannot recall. All I remember was such energy that left me still feeling fatigued. Perhaps I was raging against that vile draconequus, blasting him asunder. I cannot quite recall. Such is the fleeting nature of most dreams.

The palace was quiet. With the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony having departed for home yesterday, there was noticeably less activity. I chose to enjoy breakfast out in the courtyard's garden. I tend to enjoy long walks through it when something troubles me.

The royal chef had prepared a fine omelet and fruit pastries for me. My dining location was tucked away in a corner of the garden. A patio with an awning protecting me from the elements. Not that I required it. The day was sunny and bright.

I was honestly hoping for a rainstorm to pass overhead. It would fit my mood much better. But before I could enjoy much of my meal while sitting at the table before me, I was greeted by a familiar form approaching me. Tall and fair, her gorgeous aurora mane and tail flowing. My eldest sister. Celestia.

"Good morning, sister. May I have this seat?" She asked softly. Floating beside her was a silver platter like mine lined with delicacies not unlike what I was feasting upon.

I saw no reason to turn her away. Using my magic, I pulled over another iron-framed chair for her to sit upon. "You may."

We dined in silence for a short time, her sipping milk from her cup while I sipped tea. I was far from being in a conversing mood, although I was certain my sister would manage to get one out of me. And soon, she did indeed break the silence. "Are you well this morning? You are dreadfully quiet."

"Indeed, I am." I replied bluntly.

My sister gazed at me with that forlorn frown I had seen on her face for the last few days. A stare that oozed guilt. "I assure you that he is well. I have ordered that the hospital personnel forward his current condition to us every twelve hours. His vital signs are only improving. He will live."

"And yet he remains unable to awaken and communicate in any possible way. Correct?" I asked in return, bitterness coating every word.

She did not immediately respond to me. Although after a moment, she asked with a most uneasy gaze, "Yesterday... How much of Discord was left when you…"

I looked my sister directly in the eye with nary a show of emotion aside from scorn. "Enough."

"I see… I will not inquire further." My sister said while she fell momentarily silent to partake in her morsels of food.

While I consumed my breakfast, my eyes scanned her. She seemed to be locked in a complex fusion of mourning and remorse. If I know her as well as I feel I do, then I could hazard a guess of what was on her mind. But when she tilted her head down at one point, I saw it. A golden ring lined with amethysts resting at the base of her horn. "You are still wearing that?"

She seemed taken aback at my words. Perhaps she was uncertain of what I was referring to. When her eyes seemed to glance up, it was then I knew she understood. "Oh… Yes, I almost never take it off. It is precious to me and I make a point to wear it daily."

I fell silent momentarily. My eyes carefully scanned hers before speaking. "What is he to you, Celestia?"

I was expecting her response to be prompt. But my expectations were foiled. She fell silent; her wandering eyes showing great turmoil. But eventually, she did indeed provide an answer. "I don't know…"

Truly a frank, yet puzzling answer. "You know not? Come now, Celestia. You have known him for a full year. Surely you have established your views of him by now."

Celestia was silent. Truly she was carefully gathering her words. Despite my bitterness, I was immensely curious. "You may tell me. I will listen."

A long sigh escaped her lips. "I still remember the day when he first stood before us. The way Luna reflexively bellowed at him with the royal tone. And how quickly they became close. He was clearly not at ease being around royalty, but it made me smile as he became increasingly open to her and to myself."

She fell silent for a brief moment, seemingly to gather her thoughts. Or perhaps her courage. "And then you came into our lives. I found it endearing how precious you became to him and him to you. And I would often chuckle to myself whenever you and Luna would venture to Ponyville on occasion to spend some time with your friend. In truth…it even made me somewhat…envious."

That certainly was not a term I was expecting. For so long, I had always viewed my sister as the mare who had everything. She has always had beauty, power, and the love of our people. What more could she possibly want? She seemed to see my confusion in my eyes and continued. "Perplexing, is it not? I have always had so much, yet I was left wanting. As the two of you spent so much time with him, I was always left wondering. What did you two see in him? And in time, I was blessed with the few opportunities I had to spend some personal time in his company as well. It felt so…nostalgic. Being in the presence of a human completely at home in Equestria. And then… Do you recall that day from just a week or two ago? When he came to Canterlot for the day after his first magic session?"

"How could I forget? That was a fine time we had." I retorted with a faint smile spreading across my lips. Oh, I hope we can have another day like that before too much longer. It was so entertaining and cathartic when he properly addressed Jet Set and Upper Crust's jeering.

Celestia smiled as well. It was clearly a happy memory for her. "I spent more time with him that day than any other over the past year. And it was…enlightening. I thought at first that he was more attuned to you and Luna since you are both mares of the night. I was wrong. He is not the night after all."

An interesting assessment. A yin and yang sort of alignment, she seemed to be suggesting. "And if he is not the night, then what…"

My sister smiled forlornly at me. Not entirely free of the sorrow that had gripped her heart, but no longer smothered in it. "It is said that the sun craves the cool glow of the moon."

It was only then that I saw it. And to think that I had been so oblivious to such a comparison. Indeed, I could see my sister in him. The genuine sweetness, yet sternness when necessary. And even that occasional cheekiness. He certainly displayed that well during the altercation with the abovementioned couple. The sun craves the moon…just as the moon craves the sun… How poetic. It is no small wonder Luna and myself have become so dear to him and vice versa. And I would not change that for anything in the world.

"And yet, despite how much of myself I see in him, we had remained distant for so long. I know I have become accustomed to heavy workloads, as I needed to be during Luna's absence for a thousand years, yet I grew envious of you two. I wanted to see what drew you to him. And when he came to Canterlot that day, I did indeed see it. A type of…kinship. I wonder if he saw it too… It was the first time in quite a while that a man looked at me not as a princess or superior, but as a mare…" My sister spoke both with a forlorn smile and a look of much uncertainty. As she paused, I gazed at the ring at the base of her horn. He did not need to present it to her, yet he did so anyway. I still treasure the ring of silver and rubies he gave me, yet only wear it together with Luna's matching ring during special events as they are a set. It would not do for one to be seen without the other. And yet, despite the supposed distant bond he and my sister shared, he purchased for her a piece of jewelry that could have easily been seen as a missing part of her royal attire.

Finally, she asked one final question. "Nightmare Moon… Do you think he will ever forgive me for what I forced him through?"

I remained silent. I know why she sealed Discord away while abstaining from destroying him while he was vulnerable. If I had been in the same position with my most beloved friend… I would not have had the strength to set him free either. "I pray he does… I would not wish to see him hate you for the rest of his life."

"Neither would I… I do not wish to have to banish him like the others…" My sister muttered before she began to halfheartedly feast upon the rest of her meal. Luna and I have been nothing short of distressed. But Celestia… She undoubtedly has been carrying the heaviest burden since Discord's demise.

What a droll day… The atmosphere was just as gloomy and grim as mere days ago. I could barely focus on anything. When the time came to lower the sun and raise the moon, I was most relieved. Just before midnight, we received another update from Ponyville Hospital. Vital signs below normal, yet continue to improve and stabilize. Still comatose. I cared little for the state of his body. Until he awakened, my beloved's condition did not matter to me.

As I rested in my bed with my spell ready to send me into the realm of dreams, I lied awake. What I would give to hear your voice again, my love. But so long as you remain in a deep slumber, I… Wait. Slumber? As in sleep?

A burst of inspiration came to me. Yes… He may be unable to awaken, but surely his mind continues to dream. Perhaps in the realm of dreams, I could meet him. But…what would I find once I set foot into his dreaming mind? Would the madness that drove him to slaughter Discord still be there? What horrors awaited me?

Casting caution to the wind, I calmed myself. I felt myself grow heavy and still. And then, the transition was complete. I found myself in a cloudy field below the night sky. A nexus of sorts that I usually find myself in when trying to decide which dreams to visit.

I wandered and searched, feeling for a familiar presence. And I found it. That familiar portal of shimmering fog. But when I stepped forward, I felt another presence. Something dark and twisted, yet not that of my beloved. It felt…intimately familiar. And when I attempted to pass, that presence threw me back with unexpected force. Twisted distorted chuckling filled my ears.

I climbed to my feet swiftly. Who would dare keep me away from he who holds my heart? Frustration sank into my heart. I would not be denied! "I know not who you are, but stand aside! I am the Princess of Dreams! This is my domain, cretin!"

But before I could charge through, another voice called out behind me. "Sister, no! It will not relent against you!"

I stopped. Approaching me on wings of darkest sapphire blue was my sister and former self. Luna. She too, being one who can dive into dreams, could easily reach this realm as well. "Luna… You know of this?"

"I do." She said upon landing. As she folded her wings, she stepped forward until she was beside me. "I have already attempted to enter his dream. And each time, this…anomaly repels me. And should I persist, it…destroys me. I can still remember the feeling of my body literally coming apart at the seems to force me to awaken…"

Something that forces the dreamer to awaken, driving them out of the realm of dreams. Entirely harmless, yet irritating. But as I gazed at the portal before us, a thought came to mind. Luna and I could not break through on our own power. But together?

"Luna, let us try again. But as one." I said with a smirk. Together, I was confident we could prevail against this obstruction.

"As one?" Luna asked while she glanced up at me. But that gaze of confusion turned into a confident smile. "Ah, I see. Yes, we are mistresses of this realm. We should be able to go as we please together."

Together, we channeled our magic through our horns. And together, we charged. Indeed, we pushed our way through the mist without much resistance. However, it did not relent easily. It soon began to feel as if we were pushing against a gale.

Sharp pain would occasionally fill me. And soon, I even began to feel my blood begin to spill. My skin had been torn open somewhere on my body. And soon, I lost the feeling in my right wing. Was it even still attached to me? I had to remain focused. If I lost it, my magic would fail and I would likely be forced out. Luna yelped and grunted beside me, yet she struggled on as well. "Enough, you wretch! Let us through!"

Finally, I shrieked as I very nearly lost my focus. My vision in my left eye suddenly faded. I could not bring myself to open it, although I could feel something oozing down my cheek. Too thick to be tears… I did all I could to not think about what was happening to us. It was only a dream. Anything we suffered would be fleeting. Although it became quite clear that whatever this apparition is that was trying to keep us out, it was struggling to at least maim us in the process.

Finally, the resistance ceased. The sudden forward momentum caused me to lunge forward and fall upon my side. The pain… It was filling me, but I was still whole. I had made it into the dream. And Luna… I could hear her beside me. "We made it, sister… We're in."

Luna's groans were agonizing. "I know…but… Why can't I feel my leg… Where is my leg…"

I could not even bring myself to look at her. But I was quick to remind her of our power. "Think nothing of it, sister. This is the dream world. Quickly, restore yourself to being whole."

I was quick to cast my spell. And an instant later, the pain receded. I could feel my wing again and vision returned to my eye. There was a flash of magic light near me. One glance at my sister revealed that she too was entirely unscathed once more. "Such a horrible defense to keep us out… I pray we do not have to repeat this process tomorrow night… Wait… Where are we exactly? Is it morning?"

Indeed, something was amiss. The air and the atmosphere felt more akin to the real world. A warm spring day. Fair weather. And…Ponyville? It seemed we were standing atop a small grassy hill not terribly far from the town square. "Rather uninspiring location for a dream, wouldn't you say?"

"I would not say that, sister." Luna muttered while she surveyed our surroundings. "It's calm… Peaceful… Almost idyllic. Perhaps even…healing."

Healing… It had never occurred to me. After whatever bedlam he was forced to endure at the hands of Discord, a return to the town he treasures so much would likely do his shattered soul good. "Well… If this is indeed his dream, shall we go find him?"

"We most certainly shall. Although let us keep any information that this is a dreamscape from him until we have a better grasp of the situation." Luna said with a nod before we spread our wings and took to the air. Indeed, the air… It almost felt…real. Not at all transient.

We were not the only ones in the nonexistent village. Many familiar faces were going about their business below us. I saw Rainbow Dash lounging around on a cloud and Applejack carting her goods to the market. Were we dreaming? No, it had to be a dream. Soon, I saw it. Sugarcube Corner on the horizon. "Considering the current time in this realm, do you suppose he may be working there now?"

Yes, that is right. Our friend works at Sugarcube Corner three days a week. And if that dreamscape was trying to pass itself off as reality, then it would be a safe assumption that our friend was there. "It certainly is worth checking. If not there, then perhaps at the spa."

We landed before the front door of the confectionary and made our way inside. Soft yet cheerful music could be heard playing from somewhere within the storefront. And standing just behind the counter was Mrs. Cake herself. She was quick to respond to our presence. "Oh, good morning, your highnesses! What can I get you today?"

Luna bowed briefly before she looked directly at her. "With all due respect, we are not here for business. We are merely searching for something. Is James here at the moment?"

"James? Why, yes! Just a moment, I'll fetch him for you." With that, Mrs. Cake pushed her way through the swinging doors to the kitchen. My heart leaped in my throat. He was nearby. And probably faring well. Luna was silent as well, not a word escaping her lips. And a moment later, someone ducked through the doorway once more. I did not move or speak while trying to hide my shock. There he was. My beloved James, alive and well.

"Oh, hey! Luna, Nightmare Moon! Can I get you anything?" He promptly spoke to us with a friendly smile. There was no sign of weakness of injury. No pain or scarring in those gentle brown eyes. No sign that anything was amiss. It was as if the horrid trials he had been forced through mere days ago never even happened…

It was a struggle to contain myself. I wanted to cry. To reach out and hold him in my arms and wings. I was fearful I would never hear that voice again. And now he stood before me free of harm. And yet, I had to reign in my heart's desires. I could not behave in any sort of fashion that could raise an alarm. And so, I forced myself to smile calmly. "Oh… Not really. The only thing you can truly give us at the moment is a dear embrace, if that is not too much to ask."

"That's it? OK then." He did not show any signs of discomfort at all. It was the same disposition and quiet joy he had always shown in our presence. And soon, I felt his arm around me with his head next to mine. Luna too was being held in an embrace, both of us folding a wing over him. All was well… Well…as well as things could be within his dreaming mind.

"It's so good to see that you're well, my friend…" I heard my sister whisper. I could hear it in her voice. Her emotions were on the verge of boiling over. But she had to hold them in. We could not give any inkling of anything abnormal until we had ascertained the nature of this dreamscape.

"Are you OK?" He asked softly, all too aware of our restrained emotions on the verge of bursting forth. I should not have been surprised. He has a perceptive sort.

Fortunately, before we could even attempt to soothe his worries, the sound of the shop's door opened. And sure enough, a familiar quiet voice spoke from just behind us. "Oh, I'm sorry… Am I interrupting anything, your highnesses?"

At those words, James released us from his grasp and moved past us. And standing with her body partially through the doorway was the bearer of the Element of Kindness. Fluttershy. James was quick to respond to his lover. "Oh, not at all. What's up, honey?"

The way he was responding to her presence showed no inkling of awareness of the dreaming properties of the world around us. I then decided to speak to her as a nondream as well. "I hope we are not intruding. My sister and I were merely visiting our friend."

Fluttershy responded with that endearing meek smile of hers, but then seemed to take heed of something just behind her. Or was it beneath her? Regardless, she then looked at us once more. "Oh, I see. But…um… Right now, there's somepony I'd love you to meet."

"Truly?" Luna asked while we all watched in puzzlement. Except for James, that is. He was glancing at Luna and I with a truly giddy grin. He clearly knew something that we did not.

"Come on, now… It's all right. They won't hurt you." Fluttershy spoke softly while clearly trying to coax someone to step forward. I was expecting it to be a new little animal friend of hers. What eventually did step forward was far from what I was expecting.

At first, I had no comprehension of who I was seeing. It was so obvious, yet my mind could not process it. Soon, the truth I could not understand came to light when the little creature before me spoke shyly. "Mama…? Who are they?"

Fluttershy grinned cutely before gently nuzzling the child's cheek. "That's Princess Luna and Princess Nightmare Moon. They're the ones who make the moon come out every night and make sure you always have the sweetest dreams."

"She called you 'Mama'… Do not tell me she…" Luna too was just as taken aback as I was. And sure enough, James smiled at us both.

"Luna. Nightmare Moon. This is Gladesong. She's our daughter." He said with a proud smile. His daughter… The child of her and… Somewhere in my heart, I felt such burning envy, even if it was just a dream. I knew he would never be mine, and yet…

Fluttershy then even expressed a brief giggle. "Also… We'll be getting married in a few days. I hope you can both come."

I was uncertain of what to say. And I could not allow my innermost feelings to surface, even if just a dream. But before I could even do anything, the tiny pegasus filly bowed shyly before us. "Um… It's an honor to meet you, your…tallness?"

Any bitterness in my heart was quickly stifled at her words. A hearty chuckle escaped my throat, as it did with anyone who heard her. "The correct term is 'highness', child. But please, there is no need to bow. Your father is a good friend of ours. And you are Gladesong?"

The child before me was indeed a pegasus. Her coat was a tanner shade of yellow than her mother's. Her mane and tail were styled in a similar fashion to Fluttershy's, though were not quite as long. And for whatever reason, the coloration of them brought to mind two flavors of ice cream. They consisted of the same dark brown hair of her father and a similar shade of pink to her mother's. And her eyes… The same gentle brown as her father's. Furthermore, her body seemed…somewhat lankier than the average filly. Almost fawnlike. Was it a trait her mother had as a child? Regardless… I felt my heart soften in her presence. So precious…

"Ye… Yes. My name is Gladesong. And you're both…Papa's friends?" The child asked while looking quite nervous. Surely she had inherited some of her mother's timid nature. But at least she was not cowering behind somepony. So it is safe to assume she was not as timid as her mother.

Luna was quick to comfort the uneasy child by gently holding her wingtip to her cheek. "There is no need to be so timid, child. Please do relax. As friends of your father, we are your friends as well."

Her eyes brightened instantly as most of her uneasiness faded rapidly. "Really?! Uh… OK!"

"Now that the thought comes to me, just how old is she?" I felt the need to ask. Even if Gladesong had been born as early as possible after James' arrival in Equestria, she would likely still be in diapers at that moment. Perhaps this dream was a projection of what could have been if their child had been conceived as soon as possible.

The answer I received was not what I expected. James smiled at us and said, "She's almost three."

Three… It was then that the truth began to make itself clear to me. The dream… It was not a projection of what could have been. It was a projection of what the near future could very possibly be. Luna too seemed to be aware of this as well, if that gaze of mild shock was to serve as any indication.

Feeling we had learned enough, I attempted to make an escape with my sister. "Well… I just now remembered that we are meant to be at the town hall very shortly. But it was good seeing all of you. And it was especially a pleasure to meet you, Gladesong. Be good for your mother and father, all right?"

The child performed an adorable little hop with a bright smile spread across her lips. "OK! I'll be good for Mama and Papa!"

"Good to hear. Now then, please do excuse us. Let us meet again very soon." Luna said while reading my actions. Without trying to draw attention to ourselves, we made our way out of Sugarcube Corner. But while saying our goodbyes as I looked back at Fluttershy through the door… I saw…something… Her eye. It was barely detectable, but… I swear I saw her show a devious smirk as the colors of her eyes shifted for just an instant before returning to normal. The colors… What was it? It did not look like a pony's eye…

"What do you make of this dreamscape, sister? Our friend now a father to a darling filly? Who could have predicted that?" My sister said with much puzzlement in her voice as we walked along. The world certainly felt real, but… That?

I felt a frown spread across my jaws. Indeed, something was not quite right. "Indeed, Luna. I think I am beginning to comprehend exactly what this world is." I stopped, gazing at the town of Ponyville around us. "We are in Ponyville because it is the one place in Equestria he prefers to be in. And now, a child with his beloved… Luna. This is indeed a dream, but it is the ideal dream. This is he living the most ideal life possible. In his eyes, at least."

"An ideal life… You don't suppose this dream may be healing him, do you not?" My sister asked while looking and sounding increasingly intrigued.

"It would not surprise me. I have stepped into the dreams of a comatose patient before and they still had the atmosphere and presence of a dream. This…does not. Furthermore… I strongly suspect something…or someone may be forcing him to experience this dream." My thoughts immediately went back to that ominous presence I felt and heard when we attempted to enter my beloved's dreaming mind. That, and the sudden brief anomaly in Fluttershy's face…

Luna was not so certain. "Forcing him to experience such a wonderful dream? Truly perplexing. I would expect any forced dream to be an act of hostility, yet James is clearly happy here. You don't suppose someone is trying to help him, do you?"

That would only be wishful thinking. I could feel the twisted madness in that distorted laughter as we were maimed while trying to access this dreamscape. "Perhaps… Or helping him to serve itself… It is too soon to say, sister. Let us spend whatever time we have left investigating this town. We just may have to return tomorrow night."

For the remainder of our time dreaming, Luna and I roamed across Ponyville. It was…unsettling how real the place felt. Even far from the eyes and ears of the dreamer, the people in this nonexistent town behaved exactly as they would in the real world. And yet, every now and then, I would catch a glimpse of the exact same phenomenon. A brief glance with eyes that were not their own. It was always too brief to make out the colors, but from what I can remember… They were warmer colors. Not cooler like greens or blues. And they would always have that same devious smirk. But it would only last for a second or two before it would fade. As if the people themselves were not even aware of it. Or were they?

I could feel it coming. Morning was coming even as evening began to set upon Ponyville. I would awaken soon. I moved to the spot where Luna and I had found ourselves upon entering James' dream. That hilltop near the town hall. And sure enough, I saw her soaring towards me. Luna set down before me and gave me a concerned frown. "Anything to report, sister?"

"This world is indeed all too real, despite being a dream. Even far from the dreamer, the people continue to go about their lives without interruption. Although… Have you seen any very brief anomalies in the ponies? Especially the eyes?" I replied while wondering if she had seen what I had seen.

Luna seemed surprised by my words. "You saw them too? It was always so brief that I could've sworn I had only imagined it. And yet, I could not part with the feeling that…I was being watched by some higher power… Wait! Sister… Do you suppose that…Discord may still be…?"

That name again. That name I have come to loathe. "Preposterous. You know as well as I do that he is dead. And besides, think about it, sister. If he were still living, would you really expect him to be keeping the man who butchered him in a fit of madness this happy and content? No, I could only see him playing the guise of a trickster god toying with his life at every turn. And this dream is far from that."

"Hmm… I see your point. He would likely be cross with James after that. But then again, he is indeed beyond the living now. Even so… This is a curious turn of events that likely requires investigation." My sister nodded after only momentary contemplation. "Shall we return tomorrow night to investigate further?"

I nodded. Despite how…perfect my beloved's life seems in this dream, there was something about it that left me uneasy. "Indeed. I will see you there. But for now, we must awaken. The moon must be lowered, Luna."

"Yes, I shall get to that right away… And it seems nopony will notice us vanish from up here. I shall see you at breakfast, Nightmare Moon." Those were the last words I heard before I awoke to the feeling of a soft mattress below me and soft plush covers draped over my body. Morning had come. And I was awake.

I feel it is too soon to mention my findings to anyone just yet. I would not want to raise and alarm over anything that could be nothing. For now, this shall be kept between me and my fellow sister of the dreaming planes. But something is going on inside my beloved's dreaming mind. And we will find out what is wrong. But even so…

Please, awaken soon, my love. It was a pleasure to see and feel you again, but nothing could ever match holding you in my wings in the true physical plane. Please… I do not wish to see decades go by only to watch you fade from this world without hearing your voice again…

* * *

><p>Well, guess I'll try my hoof at this again. It's been a really long time since I last wrote something like this. But… I need to do something to cope. I'm really tempted to start hitting the tavern to help me get my mind off things, but we're not too far gone… Yet, at least.<p>

In case you haven't figured it out yet, this is good ol' Rainbow Dash writing. You know me. The fastest thing with two wings? The most dependable and loyal… Oh, forget it. There's no way I can call myself that after what happened… Darn it… He was right in front of me and I couldn't do anything! I felt him go limp… I saw him become still… Is that… Is that what it feels like to watch somepony you love die?

Thank god we got him to the hospital in time. But now… A coma? I still can't believe it. Why a coma?! I mean… It feels so much better knowing he's not gonna die on us, but… What if he never wakes up?! I've heard these things can take years to end! And sometimes, they never do…

It almost feels like a sick joke… Like it's our punishment for failing him. That wasn't just a promise. We Pinkie Promised! Ugh, if Discord were still alive and kicking, I'd sonic rainboom the guy into next year! But… I know he didn't get to me. I didn't betray James, so…why do I feel like I did?

"I don't get it, Tank… Why'd this happen?" I was just lounging around on my bed upside-down with my pet tortoise hovering next to me. He has to wear that little propeller thing on his shell all the time or he'll fall right through the floor. But anyway, he just bowed his head while he really slowly started to frown. He's only met James a couple of times. First time, he fell right on the poor guy's head.

I didn't get too long to really think about anything. Next thing I know, there's a knock on the window. Yeah, cloud houses have windows. But they're more like curtains. I went over to the window and pushed the thing open. Cloudchaser was flapping on the other side. "Morning, Rainbow Dash. Something wrong? You didn't come into work for the last few days."

Come into work? Wha… Oh, dang it! I forgot all about the weather! I facehoofed right on the spot. "Aw, maaaan… I'm really sorry. Some really awful stuff's had me bogged down lately that I just couldn't focus and forgot all about it. What's on the schedule today?"

"Yeah, I thought it had something to do with your friend. I'm really sorry about whatever happened. Anyway, we're behind on getting some precipitation over Ponyville, so we need to really bring in a heavy downpour to make up for lost time." Cloudchaser said while looking at me with a bit of a sad frown. I guess somepony found out about it.

"Something heavy? Yeah, I guess we were getting kinda dry lately. I'll get right on it. Just let me finish things up here and I'll get right to work." I guess my wings could use a bit of flexing. I've been taking things real slow lately. Anxiety will do that to you.

That looked like it got Cloudchaser ready to go away. "Cool! I'll go round up some clouds to get things started." And off she went.

I honestly didn't wanna go anywhere, but I did have a job to do. I made sure Tank would be OK before I took off for town. By the time I got there, there was already a pretty decent cloud cover over town. So I went to work, swooping all over the place and pushing more and more clouds over Ponyville. With all that extra moisture being packed together, the massive cloud cluster started turning a pretty scary dark gray. All we had to do then was wait for the rain to start pouring on its own.

"Well… That's over and done with…" I guess I had a lot of free time on my hooves after that. But what to do… I wasn't feeling hungry or anything like that. But after a minute, I had an idea. There was someone I wanted to see.

Yeah, you know where I was going with that. I made a beeline for the hospital. And since I knew the room I was looking for there wasn't on the ground floor, I slipped in through the front window on the top floor. And right after that, I heard a thunderclap outside. And then the rain really started coming down. "Phew. Close one."

It didn't take me long to find the one hospital room I was familiar with. Room 12. I knew what was on the other side. And…I was both hopeful, but also dreading to see him. I already saw him before and…it hurt back then.

I nudged the door open. I didn't wanna do anything to disturb anypony. But something was weird. The room was really quiet. "Huh… Guess they took him off that heart monitor."

But when I went around the curtains on the other side of that spare bed, I got a good shock. He wasn't there. James was…gone.

"Wait a minute… James? You still there?" I had to be seeing things. The only reason somepony would take someone out of a hospital room like that is… I pulled the covers down. Still nothing. I looked under the bed. Nothing! "No… No…! Where'd you go?! You've gotta still be here! They didn't take you to the morgue! They didn't!"

My head was spinning. I felt like I was gonna barf. I've never been more scared in my entire life than right then. Good thing the doctor showed up when he did or I might've totally snapped. I saw him loop around the curtains. "What seems to be the… Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?! This room isn't even in use right now!"

I didn't wait. I swooped right up to the guy and grabbed him by the shoulders. I was so scared, I was crying buckets. "Where is he?! Where'd you take him?!"

"Rainbow Dash, calm down! Your friend is still fine! We just moved him to a ground level room!" He pushed me off while almost yelling at me. I know I was really bouncing off the walls, but… I couldn't help it. I love that man…

"Huh? Ground level? He's…still alive?" I felt my heart slowing and a headache building. I mean to go from freaking out to calming down that fast has to be murder on your nerves.

The doc adjusted his stethoscope around his neck before he looked at me. "Yes. Still comatose, but his vital signs are stable. Since we deemed him a high-risk patient, we moved him to the ground floor for speedier access to his location if something came up. I'll take you to him if you want to visit."

"Yeah… Yeah, I'll go. Lead on, doc…" Man, that gave me a good scare. My heart was still pounding and I even still felt sick. I needed some water really soon.

We went down the elevator and the doc led me through the halls. The room we stopped at wasn't too far from the lobby. I think it was G5? I guess the G means it's on the ground floor. There was a window on the wall next to the door that let us look in, although it also had long white blinds that could be closed from the inside. And there he was. Still asleep…

"I'll leave you two alone. Just don't cause any trouble for him, all right?" The doc said before he headed down the hall. After that, I decided to just head on in.

The room was so quiet… I mean like…really creepy kind of quiet. The only thing I heard was the beeping coming from his heart monitor. And the rain was pouring just on the outside of the window with an occasional lightning flash. Ponyville was getting soaked and the weather couldn't have better fit the mood.

I went over to James and stood by his bed. He still looked the same as when I saw him. Looks like the nurses were doing a good job of keeping him shaved and clean. I know he hates going a full day without washing up at least once.

There was no point in trying, but… I gently nudged his cheek. I couldn't reach his mouth as long as he was wearing that mask. "Hey… How're you holding up, big guy? I bet you've sawed enough logs to rebuild half of Ponyville by now."

Nothing. He didn't say anything. But I could hear him breathing. It felt so… I don't even know how to describe it. He was right in front of me. Still alive, but asleep. And no matter what I tried, nothing would wake him up. His body was right in front of me, but his mind… I don't know where it was. It hurt… Oh man, it hurt like nothing I'd ever felt before…

"James… I'm not gonna cry. I know you're still alive in there. I know you were still yourself when I found you. You're not the monster Discord tried to turn you into. You're still…you, ya know? I know you're gonna wake up someday soon… I mean… You'll be all OK and back on your feet in a little while, right?" I didn't want to cry. I couldn't cry. I mean, yeah. I love the guy, but…

I don't even know where that came from. I just started bawling like nobody's business out of nowhere and laid my head on his chest. "Why did this happen?! You weren't even supposed to be there! Why'd you have to come along?! I don't care if Discord's gone for good now! It wasn't worth it if it meant I'd end up losing you…"

No… I shouldn't blame him for coming… I wanted him to be with us when Discord got loose again. He's always been a good friend… Just like the girls. But why… Why did Discord have to do that to him? But… I don't even know what to think… I just want James back…

I could hear him breathing with my ear against his chest. Really long and deep breaths… Whenever he would hold me, he would always be breathing really deep like that… Really calming. Lifting and lowering. I just sniffled like a little filly being held by her dad. "You know I still love you, right? No matter what… No matter what happens when you wake up… Even if things fall apart with everypony else… You'll always have me."

I started to gently rub my hoof up and down his arm under the sheets. I just wanted him to feel me… To know I was there. "I know you and I always bumped heads a bit more than with anypony else. I know my ego gets on your nerves sometimes. You probably think I don't notice when you roll your eyes or shake your head, but I see it. I'm sorry… That's just…one of my quirks, you know? I mean I'd prefer it if you were a bit more wild and direct too, but I don't ever hold that against you. I mean… Things will still be the same between us when you wake up, right? You won't leave me, will you?"

I don't even know how much time passed. I think I might've even passed out for a nap with my head on his chest. I just…didn't want to go. I was scared of what might happen if I turned my back on him for even a minute. But when I finally came to, it was from somepony nudging me. "Hey… Rainbow Dash? Are you awake?"

"Huh? Who's… Oh. Hey, Mitta. What's up?" Turns out Mitta had swung by for a visit. I shouldn't have been surprised. She and James have been pretty close ever since he got her outta that freaky zombie village in the Everfree Forest. I don't even remember its name.

She didn't look too happy. I guess she found out about what happened to him. "I came by to visit James. Is he…?"

I didn't try to hide anything. I pushed myself off the bed and looked at her. "Yeah… A coma. Nothing you do will wake him up. And don't ask, OK? It's…a long story."

"I know… Rarity told me all about that…Discord person…" She kept looking at James and looking back at me. I guess she wanted to spend a little personal time with him.

"Huh…? Oh… All right… I've been here for a while already, so I'll leave you two alone. Have fun…" I said and started to make my way out of the room. When I looked back in through the window, I saw Mitta place her hoof on James' shoulder. I didn't move for a minute for some reason. I guess I just couldn't look away. After a moment, she set her head down on his chest kind of like how I did. That's when I when I went away. I didn't need to see her cry.

The whole day was just such a drag. I didn't have any drive to do anything. And that weather wasn't helping. Even into the night, that huge downpour just kept going. I couldn't even focus enough to read my Daring Do novels. Everything that was fun to me…just didn't interest me at that time.

I guess that's what depression does to you. I was just feeling so bad and sick with worry that I just couldn't have fun or even do anything to make myself happy. All that guilt… And the shock of everything that happened… Will James even still be himself when he wakes up?

I looked out the window. Still plenty of rain and lightning. But even with all that ugly weather, I didn't want to be at home. I just wanted to be near him to make sure he would be all right.

I felt some of my depression get pushed down. I got a bit of a rush, as I knew what I wanted to do. I went around my house, gathering up some stuff for an overnight stay. A blanket, a notebook, a writing quill, a pillow, an inflatable mattress… Was that all I needed? Oh yeah, and a little nightlight. Once I had that stuff packed up in some saddlebags, I checked on Tank to make sure he'd be OK for the night and then took off for Ponyville.

It was late, so things were really dark as I flew through the rain. The wind was pretty bad too, but flying through that kinda weather is a piece of cake for me. When I got to the hospital, all the lights were off. I guess everypony was closing up for the night. But there's always some security around there. Maybe they're there to keep the mental patients from wandering outta the place. I even saw one when I got chased out by the hospital staff when… Actually, never mind. Not one of my smarter decisions back then.

I couldn't go through the front door because of the security guard stationed around there, so I had to slip in through the front top window and then take the elevator down. I almost ran right into the same doctor again on my way around. But I finally managed to find room G5 again and slipped inside. Close call. With how quiet the place is, you'd think somepony would've heard the door click shut.

I made sure to close the blinds to the window next to the door so nopony could see me in the room. And… He was still there. Exactly where I left him. Every moment or two, a flash of lightning from outside the window across from him would light the big guy up. I couldn't even see the moon out there.

"Hey there, James… Nice night, huh? I know you always loved those warm summer rainstorms…" I gotta admit it was really calming to listen to that storm outside the window. It made for some really cozy atmosphere. I went to the other side of the bed, the side where all that medical equipment was sitting, and set up my makeshift bed with that little lamp I brought giving me a bit more light to work with.

"There we go. Hey… You don't mind me staying here for the night, do you?" I said while reaching out to James. The poor guy still didn't move or say anything. I knew he wouldn't respond, but… I couldn't help it. I was hoping that just maybe he would wake up if I said something to him. When he still didn't say anything, there was just one thing left I could do. I kissed him on the cheek. "OK… Sweet dreams, James… And just don't forget… I'll always love you."

Well… I think that's it. I better turn this light off before somepony notices a bit of it peeking through the blinds. I just…want to stay close to him for now. James… Even if you can't hear me, I hope you're at least dreaming of us. We miss you…

* * *

><p>Another night ends and another day begins. Such is my morning routine. And yet, today is far from normal. I could almost immediately feel it in the air as I rose from my bed. The perpetual air of gloom permeating throughout the palace. The anxiety. And I knew the cause.<p>

I have not been well these past few days. To know that I am responsible for… How could I have foreseen the bedlam that would have occurred once Discord became free once more? And how could he have been foolish enough to tamper with the human heart? Discord… If I had any inkling of anticipation that allowing you to live this long would have brought this upon us, I would have never allowed myself to be blinded by my desires.

As if led by an invisible force, I found myself standing within the courtyard just outside the labyrinth. The bloodstains and remnants of Discord's corpse had since been removed. But the scars remained. The landscaping needed to restore the mangled environment had not yet begun. Awful… Simply awful. For such a pristine environment to be so thoroughly ravaged, the struggle there must have been awe-inspiring, if not horrifying.

I knew I was delaying the inevitable. I knew, and yet I did not want to believe it. I knew Discord was beyond salvation. A prisoner of his fractured heart. I knew he would never return to how he once was, and yet I clung desperately to the hope that he just might. And in the end, he was taken from me regardless. And yet, despite this fact, I cannot fault the one who ended his eternal life. He was his final victim. And for once, Discord did not escape the consequences of his madness. No. If anyone is at fault for this, it is I.

I stood before the aftermath of the madness that must have consumed my friend. Another mistake upon my shoulders. I pray my subjects did not witness too much… To think that this is the magnitude a human whose heart is fueled by wrath and despair can enact upon those who have wronged him. And James… I could never have imagined him being capable of something like this. Discord… Why? What did you take from him to drive him to such insanity?

It would have been one thing if the horror stopped there. But with Discord's demise, a new grim chapter has begun. Our friend, his heart and mind fractured, lies in a deep slumber. A coma that he may never awaken from. A coma…that is my doing. No one… No single person aside from my sisters and I know the true reasons behind Discord's madness and why he remained alive in this world. When the day comes that our friend awakens… Will he find it in his heart to forgive me?

I could not remain. The memories became too painful as I beheld the ruined landscape before me. I returned to the palace and made my way to the kitchen. My appetite having suffered at the hands of my mood, I was not hungry for more than a few morsels. I hardly even noticed the taste. After a few bites, I retreated to a place where I could be at peace. The patio that lies within the royal garden.

The chirping of many types of songbirds filled the air as I rested upon a cushion, although the weather seemed surprisingly gloomy. It seemed that Ponyville had been under a heavy downpour since yesterday. I suppose the air currents had carried some of their weather to us. It felt as if it could begin raining within the hour. And yet, I did not mind. I hardly noticed anything around me.

After some time, I was finally woken from my trance by a stern male voice. One of the royal guards stood before me. His name eludes me at this moment, but he presented to me a thin parcel. I recognized the emblem printed on one side. It came from Ponyville Hospital. I thanked the guard and he departed, leaving me with the parcel and its contents, which I promptly removed from its container.

"Vital signs continue to improve… No changes in cognitive or sensory awareness… Nothing new then." The report as I requested contained the current condition of my hospitalized friend. Reading it, I was both relived yet disappointed. He was not in danger of death, but was still in the clutches of the coma that had taken his mind captive.

It has been a few days since he was taken from Canterlot and moved closer to home. I can only imagine how his friends are handling his condition at this time. It must be jarring to have someone you saw just a few days ago come home in a coma he may never awaken from. Although I hardly had time to dwell on it. I soon noticed a familiar presence nearby. "Good morning, sister. Are you well?"

With a twist of my head, I found Luna resting beside me. If there is one pony whose company I can never tire of, it is hers. Despite my heavy heart, I managed to coax myself into showing at least a slight smile. "Well… I suppose I'm about as well as I can be, all things considered."

"You are worrying us, Celestia. You seldom eat and your disposition is far from sunny." Luna said while looking noticeably bothered. I suppose I should not be surprised. She knows me better than anypony else.

A long sigh escaped my lips while I shook my head. I would be lying to myself if I said I was fine. "You know everything that has occurred, Luna… Much is weighing on my mind, as well as my heart…"

"I know… I too am finding myself longing for the days when Discord was still with us…" Luna spoke with a sigh, her face showing a profound frown. "However, I do have some good tidings. Nightmare Moon and I have been keeping a close watch on our bedridden friend."

"I have just received an update from Ponyville Hospital, sister. There is no need for… Oh, wait. You mean… In his dreams?" It took me a moment to actually catch on to what Luna was referring to. There is only one place where both she and our sister of the night can access with equal ease.

Luna displayed a small smile. "Indeed. While there have been some…interesting complications in accessing his dreaming mind, we have found that he is consistently dreaming of the same place at all times. It is a very pleasant and happy dream for him, so his mind is likely healing."

A happy dream… I was fearful that his mind was locked in eternal misery after what Discord forced him through. Knowing that his dreams are indeed blissful did much to soothe my worries. Even if we could not reach him, at least he was not in any sort of pain. "It pleases me to hear that… After all that has passed, he deserves respite. Please, continue keeping watch over him as only you and Nightmare Moon can."

"It will be done, Celestia." Luna said with a more confident tone, although her brief show of a smile was quickly replaced by another forlorn frown. As was mine. "Still…there is nothing quite like being in a friend's presence while in a world you know is real."

My routine went by without much change. I saw to the audiences of the mayors of Manehattan and Los Pegasus, partook in a local party of the Canterlot elite, and dealt with some more of that dreaded paperwork. And despite my inner turmoil, I faced them all with either a gaze of focused serenity or a calm smile. What I would give to be able to go a day while allowing myself to openly grieve…

Finally, in the mid afternoon, I stood upon my balcony. The sun was still high in the sky, although I would eventually have to gradually make it set sooner to accommodate the approach of autumn. However, my gaze fell upon Ponyville in the distance. That thick rainy cloud cover was still keeping it in the dark.

He was there. Still asleep and unable to awaken. I wanted to see him. To insure he was well. It was my ambition to see Equestria truly returned to the state that earned it its namesake that brought him into this world. And now knowing that he was suffering because of my foolishness…

My mind was made up. With my wings spread, I leapt from the edge of my balcony and swooped down along the mountainside. My duties could wait. There was somewhere I needed to be. The wind carried me along, though I soon had to exercise greater effort to remain aloft as I drew near Ponyville once my coat and feathers began to absorb the rain.

Few were out and about in the rain, so my arrival in Ponyville went unnoticed. Although once I arrived just outside the local hospital, I found myself soaked to the skin. I marched into the lobby, were one of the local nurses was quick to notice me from behind the receptionist's counter. "Good af… Oh, your highness!"

"One moment, please." I spoke before I spread my soaked wings. From my tail to my mane, I was a sopping mess. But with a quick cast of one of my heat-based, spells, I was instantly dried as all of the moisture I had accumulated burst forth from me in a cloud of steam. Once more, I was warm and dry. I then gazed directly at the nurse while I folded my wings. "Now then, may I… Wait. What is… Oh, don't tell me it happened again!"

The nurse before me was clearly trying to not laugh. Now I remember why I do not dry myself like that whenever I get out of a swimming pool or the bathtub. While my coat and feathers were fine, my mane and tail were… Well, use your imagination. All I will say is that they did not retain their usual billowing elegance.

One emergency makeover later, courtesy of a few extra nurses with spare hair combs, I stood before the nurse behind the front desk. "Now that my little issue has been dealt with… Where may I find a certain Mr. James?"

She seemed to know exactly who I was referring to. "Oh, you'll find him in room G5. It's down the hall to your left."

"Thank you. And just as a precaution, if anypony comes looking for me, tell them I wish to not be disturbed." I then decreed before leaving the lobby and heading down the hall she had directed me to. The hall was mostly deserted aside from a couple of surgeons who were all too easily distracted by my presence. However, I soon found it. Room G5.

Before I could push the door open, I noticed that the room had a window near it to look through. The blinds were not in a closed position, so I could easily see into it. And sure enough, I was not the first to visit. Seated at the side of the bed that lay beyond the window was somepony I know all too well. My own student, Twilight Sparkle.

"Oh, Twilight… Forgive me for what I have forced you all through…" I muttered softly to myself before pushing the door open. It pained me to see my dear student in such distress. I know she and James had always been close to the point of where she was the first person he met upon arriving in Ponyville a year ago.

Twilight was quick to respond to the sound of the door opening and turned to face me. That shocked gaze she showed was a clear indication that she was not expecting me at all. "Princess Celestia?! You… I wasn't expecting…"

Soon coming to a loss of words, she sprinted towards me and soon fell against me while I draped my wing over her. I then gently rested my neck over hers to hold her close to me. "It is all right, Twilight. I snuck away from the palace to visit. Nopony knows I'm here yet."

A lone tear fell from her eyes as I held my dear student against me. "I'm glad you're here… It's just… I didn't expect being with him when he's like this could be so hard…"

I lifted my head. He lay before us, a mask upon his mouth and nose as he lay in a deep slumber. It felt as if I could awaken him with a tender nudge, yet I knew in my heart it was far from being that simple. Twilight gazed up at me, her eyes filled with uncertainty now that she was in my presence. And so I guided her. "Come… Let us go to him together."

In unison, we walked forward until we were at his bedside. Twilight then reached out and rested her hoof upon his hand just under the sheets. "I didn't think it would hurt this much… I touch him…and I talk to him…but nothing works… I keep thinking he'll hear me and wake up…but I just can't reach him…"

Indeed, I did feel a type of pain in my heart I had seldom felt in my very long life. A feeling of helplessness as I stood before someone who holds some importance to me. "I know, Twilight… But while he cannot hear you, I'm certain he can still at least feel you. You have always been dear to him and he likely has not forgotten that."

Twilight did not speak. She merely leaned against me while I held her in my wing. She remained silent for quite some time, never speaking while either touching or embracing her dear friend. James… Could you still feel her? Could you still feel her heart reaching out to you? You are most precious to my student… I pray you have not forgotten.

After some time, my student finally turned to me with tears still fresh in her eyes. "I… I think I need to get a wet cloth or something. My eyes are sore… Do you need some time with him too?"

"I would appreciate that, Twilight. If you don't mind…" I replied softly. I did indeed wish to get in some solo time with our friend, but as she was there first, I could not force her to rush her visit.

She departed with her head hanging low. It is never easy when a loved one lies in a coma. I stood before him in solemn silence. Beyond the window, the rain still pounded against the glass. A fitting atmosphere. My friend lay before me. I was both in his company, yet entirely alone as well.

"How are you today, my friend?" I idly asked, not truly taking into account whether or not he could hear me or not. I was half expecting him to show at least some minor response. A soft groan, a stirring, perhaps even a twitching of the eyelids. Instead, I got nothing. It…almost felt as if I was speaking to a corpse.

My eyes wandered. And soon, they fell upon his right arm. Unlike the rest of him, it was exposed. The bandages were still tightly in place. I cringed as I recalled that day when he was first admitted to the hospital in Canterlot just after whatever hellish circumstances took place outside the labyrinth. I had been informed that the gauntlet over his right forearm had been melted and twisted to the point of being difficult to remove. And yet, when I used the spell needed to melt it off of the wearer…

Such severe burns… What sort of insanity drove him to continue fighting with such a wound, let alone continue using that hand to hold his sword? He must have been in utter agony with such burns coating his flesh. Just what level of heat could even damage his armor in such a way? The alloy it is constructed of is highly resistant to heat. To think he was mad enough to attempt to use my own plasma magic in spite of having not even begun training to harness it… It was a miracle he did not end up obliterating himself in the process.

"I don't know who is the bigger fool. You for attempting to use magic you could not possibly control as you are now or I for allowing this to happen…" I said with a sigh while beholding the unconscious form of the man before me. "No… I was the fool for certain. James… Forgive me for allowing Discord to do this to you… You did not deserve this…"

I drew closer to his face. He still did not show any signs of reaction to my presence. "If only you knew how much you are missed… Your friends long for you. As do I…" I lifted my hoof, feeling for something precious atop my head. And I soon felt it. Tightly wrapped around the base of my horn. A ring. "Do you see this? Do you remember the day you gave me this treasure? I still have it. And…I still think of you whenever I see it in my reflection."

"I wish I got to know you more before this happened… It feels as if there may be more between you and I than I ever expected. I only saw glimpses of it during our recent activities together. Something…familiar. Something kindred…" I said softly, feeling myself reaching out to him only to have no one reaching out to me as well. I felt so alone at that moment…

I gazed down at him in silence momentarily. What was going on in his dreaming mind? What was it my sisters had seen? My friend… I hope your thoughts and dreams are nothing short of paradise after what you struggled through… "Just please… All I ask is that you awaken someday soon. There is much riding on your shoulders, whether you know it or not. You have been performing splendidly as the herald of humanity's return to this world. Please… Do not let it fall apart now. Not when we have already come so far."

Ever so tenderly, I brought the tip of my wing to his cheek. A single feather lightly touched his face. "Please… It pains me to see you this way, my friend… I mean… We are friends, aren't we? I hope… I hope you saw me as a friend…"

I could not stay any longer than that. Reluctantly, I departed and was able to say my goodbyes to Twilight before flying home. This time, I made certain to coat myself in a barrier to shield myself from the downpour. Upon reaching the balcony to my private chambers, I was fortunate enough to find that nopony had discovered my absence. Although my sisters will be searching for me before our midday meal now.

I shall end this documentation here. I am not even certain of why I am writing this. Perhaps as a means to look back on this disaster and remember where it was I fell short…

* * *

><p>Ugh… What day was it? Let me check the calendar… Oh, right. It's been eight days since that whole thing happened. Eight days… Feels like eight weeks.<p>

I've felt so sick all week… And I'm usually bouncing off the walls and smiling and giggling! This isn't like me…just like how it wasn't like me when… No… Pinkie Pie NEVER breaks a Pinkie Promise. I didn't break that promise… I know I didn't. I know I couldn't. But…it happened anyway…

I'm a mess… I don't know if my hair wants to stay poofy or saggy. I haven't even been able to work. I'm just…so scared and depressed… I want to tell him I'm sorry. I want to say that wasn't really me. But…what if he can't even hear me? What if he never wakes up so I can tell him? What if he dies not knowing it wasn't real?

Maybe… Maybe he was already waking up! Yeah! Maybe he was already sitting up awake in bed at the hospital! So I went around my place, gathering up all sorts of things for a friend in the hospital. Checkers, a box of chocolate drops, and a tea set! Warm tea is always good for ponies who are bedridden. And maybe humans too. But once I was all packed up, I headed off to the hospital right away.

It felt so good to be going to the hospital so sure he would be awake. I hadn't heard his voice in eight days. Been having the weirdest dreams too. And he was almost always there. Don't you just hate it when you wake up from a dream and then you just can't remember it an hour later? Oh, and just in case you haven't figured it out yet, this is Pinkie Pie writing today!

Well, I got to the hospital in no time. So I went right up to the front desk and gave the receptionist my best smile. "Morning, Miss Redheart! I'm just here to pop in and say hi to James."

She gave me a pretty sad smile for some reason. "I see. Well, don't go up to the top floor today. You haven't been in for a few days, but he's been moved to the ground floor. You can find him in room G5."

"G5?! I thought we were G4! This I gotta see! And thanks!" And off I went down the side hall. Wow, James is in the room with G5 ponies?! Golly, time sure flies! G1 was a long time ago, but had a good start with all things considered. G2 was just OK, but G3 was just awful. And I should know! I was there! And I was a real idiot back then! And don't get me started on G3.5! Just…why… Just remembering that gets me depressed… Oh, wait. You don't know about all that stuff? Um… Look! There's a moose behind you!

Anyway… I saw that there was a window on the wall next to the door to room G5. "Ooh, I can see what's in there?!"

I ran right up to the window and peeked in. But the room was empty. Well, except for the bed with James in it, that medical equipment, and a little nightstand to his left. But no G5 ponies. "Aw, nuts. Guess I'll have to wait another five years or something after all. So much for a sneak peek!"

I went inside after that. All that rain the last couple of days had finally let up, but the weather was still really gloomy. So it was kinda dark in there. So I went over to the nightstand and flipped the lamp on. That brightened things up a bit. And James was still asleep.

"Good morning, James! Been sawing lots and lots of logs lately? Well, I've brought some goodies for the little dream lumberjack." I gave him my best smile and pulled out a box of his favorite treats. Chocolate drops topped with little icing patterns to look like balloons! "Mmhm! It's your favorite! Chocolate drops!"

Something was fishy. I was talking pretty loud and nudging him a lot, but he wasn't waking up at all. Maybe he just needed a bit of coaxing to wake up. So I moved one of them right under his nose. After I removed that mask on his face, that is. "Yum yum, sweet and yummy! Come on, James! I dressed these up just for you!" I then chomped on one to demonstrate just how tasty they were. "Mmm! Soooo good! I really should get some milk with this!"

He didn't even lick his lips or roll over. I didn't even hear his stomach growl. "Oh, come on, James! You haven't eaten anything in days!" I managed to pry his mouth open and started to push one of them in, but it was too wide to fit into his whole mouth. But it was enough for one bite.

"Here you go… Just baked this morning… Go on… Take a bite and…" I kept pushing it bit by bit, but… He… He wasn't biting. I felt myself choking up. Why was I wanting to cry? He was fine… He was OK… He was gonna wake up any second… "Come on, James… You need to eat your breakfast…. Can't…start your day without…"

I… I couldn't keep lying to myself… I collapsed by his side and just started bawling my eyes out. I was doing all I could to wake him up and he still wasn't there! I climbed back up to him and laid on his chest while looking at him. "I know you're still mad at me! I'm mad at me too… You're just trying to get back at me for blowing up at you like that, right?! Well, you've done enough! You're scaring me, OK?! You've punished me enough! So please, just wake up and we can go right back to being friends, all right?!"

I was begging… I just wanted to see him smile at me again… To hold me and hug me like he used to… But he didn't. He didn't open his eyes or say a word. I knew he wasn't dead, but… Why is this so hard?! I've never had to deal with anything like this before! It's just…torture… It's torture to see one of my bestest friends in the whole world like this!

It took a few minutes, but I stopped crying. Crying wasn't going to solve anything anyway. My mane and tail… It's been a while since I saw them that straight and dark. "James… I'm so sorry… I Pinkie Promised that day and… I invented the Pinkie Promise… Why couldn't I keep it? You didn't deserve that…"

I laid my head on his chest. I could still hear his breathing. It was calming to listen to. "You never did talk much when on the job… You always got so focused when working. And you hardly ever smile compared to the rest of my friends… But when you do smile… It's… It's always such a nice smile. And you always give the best hugs… I… I just want things to go back to those days…"

He didn't make a sound. But he kept breathing. At least he was still breathing. I reached out and licked the icing and chocolate from his lips. I don't think the doctors would like it if they found out I tried to feed him while he was still asleep… Tasted really sweet. "You're always so quiet… Almost gloomy sometimes… So it always feels so good to make you smile and feel happy… You and me… We're nothing alike… But I wouldn't change anything about you, James… I know…I'm important to you… Or at least I…was. We're good friends… Really good friends… At least I hope we still are… Just… When you finally do wake up… Just…please… Please still be James… Please still be that quiet sweet serious man I know…"

I don't think I moved for a while. I just wanted to be there with him. I could almost feel him. He felt so close…but so far away too… At least we could pass the time with that game of checkers I brought along. I reached into my Pinkie Space and pulled out a little table that's just right for a checkerboard. "Hey, James? You… Uh… You up for a game of checkers?"

He didn't answer. At least I think he didn't answer. "Huh? You prefer chess? Ooh, that's pretty sophisticated! Lemme see if I brought chess pieces… Um… Yup! I've got the whole set!" I was starting to feel a bit better. I wonder why?

"OK, you've got black and I've got white. Your move! Uh huh… Just pawns right now? OK, now you're moving your rook. I'll just move my knight here and… Ooh, you got my knight! But now I've got your bishop! Hey! You're pulling out the queen already?! Well, you better not move it there, because I'll… Oh… You've got me in check already." Wow, I didn't know James wasn't bad at chess at all. But it looks like he just takes things as they come at first until he starts to get an idea of how to make things go. Just what I'd expect from him!

"Checkmate?! Already?! Ooh, you got me good! Wanna go again?" I couldn't believe I already lost. Oh well! I would just get him on the rebound! So I put all the pieces back in place and we started over. Just the pawns with James moving his big players forward a bit at a time.

Well, that went on for a while. And James won more games than he lost. But after a while, I heard somepony behind me. "Uh… Sugarcube? What're ya doin' there?"

It looked like Applejack had stopped by for a visit too. So I turned around and gave her a big smile. "Howdy, Applejack! I'm just keeping James company while he rests up. Wanna join in for a game of chess? He's pretty good!"

"He's…playin' ya in a game of chess? Uh…how? Wait a sec…" Right when she said that, I heard the door open. And Twilight was standing in the doorway. "Oh, howdy. What brings ya around these parts, Twi?"

She looked in at us with a tiny little smile, though she still looked really sad. "Hey there, AJ. Pinkie Pie. I was jus stopping by to check on James… Um… Was I interrupting a game of chess between you girls?"

"Nah, I just got here. But…uh… Could I have a word with ya in private for a minute, Twi? It's important." Applejack said before she kind of pushed Twilight out of the room and almost completely closed the door behind her.

"Hmm… That was sudden. Hey, James? Could you hold on for just a second? I wanna listen in. And no moving pieces around while my back's turned! Oh, I know it's kinda invasive to listen in on a private conversation, but I'm feeling a bit suspicious. Don't look at me like that! I promise I won't ever tell anypony about what they're saying!" I left James by the chessboard and scooted over to the crack in the doorway. What were they up to?

"I wish I was kiddin', Twi. I saw 'er movin' the chess pieces on the far side of the board. And she says James is playin' her in that game." I heard Applejack say. What was she even talking about?! It's against the rules to move your opponent's chess pieces in a game! I was really tempted to just bust outta the room and tell her off, but I stayed quiet. I wanted to hear what Twilight had to say.

"You know Pinkie Pie, Applejack. And you know what we've been going through. I think it's just her stress and guilt manifesting in her thinking she is seeing James awake and all right instead of comatose. I know I wish he was awake…" No… James wasn't comatose. He was doing fine. But when I looked back at him… He was still lying there. Eyes still closed. Mask still on his face. His arms were still under the blankets…

I heard Applejack talk again while I started to feel really scared. "Do ya think we should get 'er some help? I mean… Pinkie's always been really off the walls, but not like this… She's really startin' ta spook me, Twi…"

"I know, Applejack… It's scaring me too. Pinkie… She's not somepony who values friend's lightly. I really do think that to her, friends are everything. Friends are her life. And knowing she helped put one of the friends that make her life worth living in a coma… You know what that's like. But…let's wait a while and see if she starts to cope better. It's hard enough on all of us having just one friend locked away in a hospital. I don't want to have another friend have to be put away too…" I heard Twilight say. But… I helped put James in… But that was a Pinkie Promise… I… Pinkie Pie never breaks a Pinkie Promise… Was it all a nightmare? That couldn't have happened, right?

I went back over to James. He was still there, fast asleep. I reached out and touched his cheek. "James… Please be honest with me. Did… Did I do something to help make you like this?"

He didn't say anything that time. Nothing… I… I couldn't keep trying to lie to myself. I did do it… I couldn't stay. I ran out the door and past my friends and went all the way home. I want to cry… Maybe even scream. But nothing came.

I went right upstairs and fell on my bed. I can't believe it… I don't wanna believe it… I couldn't have done that to him… My head hurt… I felt sick…

After a moment, I reached under my bed and pulled something out. A little something special I bring out sometimes. A little cassette player. There was already a tape inside. So I hit the play button as the little wheels inside started to spin.

"Uh… Pinkie? What's that in your mane?" I felt myself smile when I heard that voice.

"Huh? Uh… Well… It's a tape recorder! You know, something to record…" I heard myself say, but I got cut off.

"I know what it is. I had one as a kid. But what're you doing with it?" I heard the voice ask again. Hearing that conversation was helping me remember that day much better.

I heard myself not say anything for a moment. But I remembered what I was about to say. I talked along with it. "Sometimes, I just wanna have something to listen to that helps me remember a nice day with my friends. Something I can listen to and remember such a great time. Is that OK if I record us sometimes?"

I remember smiling when I heard the voice talk again. "Oh… That's actually really cute. Sure, you can record me anytime, just so long as you don't go showing those recordings to just anyone."

"Oki doki loki! You got it!" I smiled and almost giggled while everything I saw started to get blurry. "But…um… James? Are you feeling OK? I thought you'd come down with something really bad lately. And you wouldn't stop coughing up gunk."

I remember him smiling at me when he replied. "Yeah. It was really annoying for a while, but I'm gonna be all right."

I hit the rewind button for a second and let it go. I heard the voice again. "I'm gonna be all right."

I held it down again.

"I'm gonna be all right."

And over… And over…

"I'm gonna be all right. I'm gonna be all right. I'm gonna be all right."

I couldn't take it anymore. I held the little tape player to my chest and cried while I heard him keep talking. "You're gonna be all right, James… You're gonna be all right…"

I've been staying home all day. I keep playing the recordings of all the tapes I used to record us talking just so I can hear his voice. I feel so awful… Like I can't find the drive to do anything. If he doesn't wake up soon, I'm probably gonna go crazy…

Please… James… I'm sorry… Please, wake up. I want to hear you again… I want to see you smile again. I want us to be friends again…

* * *

><p>Um… I'm not sure I should be writing this. But… I've been so sad… So depressed. My name is Fluttershy and…I just need something to help me cope right now. I need to try to find a way to pass the time. Something to help me wait until he wakes up…<p>

It's only been nine days, but it feels like it's been so much longer than that. It feels so…wrong to wake up and not see him sleeping next to me. I love him… But why did this have to happen? He… I can't believe he did that to Discord! And I'm the one who drove him mad with despair… He's still alive, but…I can't reach him. Whenever I visit, he never responds to me. I've never seen someone close to me in a coma… It's…so frustrating…

I heard a loud cooing just after I woke up today. I felt so tired…and so sickly. Every time I've woken up in the morning for the last few days, I haven't been feeling well. I even threw up a few times. But Angela was there for me. She perched on one of my bed's corner posts and nuzzled my cheek while cooing softly. I knew what was wrong. She was missing her friend. "Good morning, Angela… I know, I miss him too… But he'll be home in a while… Hopefully in a really short while. Just…please be patient… Uh… Ugh… Oh no… Excuse me. Need to get to the bathroom!"

I felt it coming again. I don't know what's been wrong with me. I know I've been so depressed lately and that's never good for you, but it's almost like I've been eating a lot of spoiled food. I can't think of any other reason why I've been so queasy, especially in the mornings. Anyway, after…well…tossing my cookies, I went downstairs to start on breakfast. Today is a school day for Scootaloo, so I need to make sure she is ready.

It hasn't been easy keeping the truth from her. I don't know what she would do or think if she found out what happened in Canterlot that day, even if I couldn't resist… I don't think somepony as young as her would even be able to comprehend the horror of what I saw… It's best that she never finds out.

I tried cooking up some omelets and hash browns the way James sometimes makes them. With diced tomatoes, feta cheese, and spinach in the eggs. And just after I finished setting the table, I heard some footsteps coming. "Morning, Fluttershy…"

Scootaloo came into the doorway. She looked pretty groggy and her mane was messy. But I still tried to smile. "Good morning, Scootaloo. We've got hash browns and omelets today. I also made a bit of toast, if you want some."

"Thanks…" She hopped up onto a stool, but didn't look very hungry. I know she's been trying to stay optimistic lately, but I know the news of James being in a coma has been very hard on her. He's…the only family she has. Sometimes, when I look at them when they're together, I feel more like I'm looking at a father and daughter. I wonder if she feels the same…

I didn't say anything for a minute. Scootaloo just looked at her plate and the food on it without a word. Did they remind her of something? Or was she just not sure if she was hungry? Eventually, she did look at me with a really unhappy stare. "Do you know when Da… I mean James is coming home?"

It sounded like she was about to call him something else. "Da? Um… Who did you mean by that? Is there someone else on your mind?"

Scootaloo groaned a bit and looked at her plate again before looking back at me. "Sorry… I almost called him 'Dad' that time."

Dad… Does she think of James as a father? But still… It only made me feel worse about everything that happened. It would be one thing to have put her brother in the hospital, but the person she sees as a father? It wasn't easy for me to hide my guilt, but I couldn't show it in front of her. "Oh… Well… Why is that? I thought he was always like a big brother to you."

Scootaloo let out a long sigh. I was hoping I didn't touch on a sensitive subject. But after a bit, she started talking without looking at me. "It took me a while before I started seeing it. When I first met him… The way he looked out for me and was there giving encouragement… It felt like having a big brother. But after living with him for this long… The way he walks me to school and sometimes helps with my homework… And the way he tucks me in at night and tells me bedtime stories… I finally saw that isn't what a brother does. That's what a father does."

It hurt to hear that… Not because I was unhappy to hear her saying she sees him as that. I was actually happy that she began to see my boyfriend in an even more powerful light. What hurt was…knowing what I did to him. And James still has not awakened. If he dies… Scootaloo will be an orphan all over again. And would James be happy with being a daddy? But in any case, I tried to smile at her. "So…he's your daddy to you? That's just…so sweet… If you want, you can call me 'Mommy' too."

She actually smiled a little bit when I said that. I think…I even saw a tear fall down her cheek. "Well… Uh… Tell you what… When James wakes up… If he's OK with me calling him 'Dad'… I'd love to call you 'Mom', Fluttershy."

I felt such a warm fluttering in my heart. Something that beat down the dark depression and guilt I had been feeling for the last several days. I'm still not sure if I'm ready for the task just yet, but… It felt…good to be called that. I walked over to Scootaloo and gently nuzzled her cheek while I think I also shed a few tears. "Well… I hope I'll be a good mom to you when that day comes… But for now, let's eat up. You have school today."

"OK… And thanks, Fluttershy." Scootaloo said while looking a tiny bit happier. I once asked her about her real family after James told me a bit of what she told him. The poor dear never even had the chance to meet them… We didn't eat very fast, but I did feel some of my appetite return. Once we had cleaned our plates, Scootaloo went back to her room to gather up her school stuff and hurried out the door with her helmet on. I soon heard the buzzing of her wings while she rode her scooter across the meadow towards Ponyville.

After that, it was time to give all my little friends their breakfast. No matter how I felt, I still had to be there for them. I fed all the little birds, all the scampering squirrels, the ferrets under the bridge, all the little bunnies, and everyone else I can't think of off the top of my head. I was feeling much better by then. Doing anything with my little animal friends always makes me smile. At least…it did for a while. Before long, my thoughts went back to the man I love… The man I betrayed…

It had been a few days since I last went to visit him. My guilt had kept me away. I don't think he even knows that wasn't really me who hurt him… But today would be different. I had to make sure he was still OK. After leaving Angel and Angela in charge of my cottage, I set off for town.

I didn't stop to say hello to anypony. I didn't even notice anyone I know. At least just as I was getting closer to the hospital. I heard a familiar voice call out to me at one point. Somepony who knows me better than anypony else. "Fluttershy! Darling, wait for me!"

I almost didn't even notice the voice until I heard the sound of galloping hooves coming closer. When I turned around to look at whoever had just called me, I saw my best friend, Rarity, coming my way. "I haven't seen you for a few days, darling! Are you all right?"

Seeing her made me smile a bit. I can always count on her to be there for me. "Um… I'm not sure. I haven't been feeling too well lately, but I'm on my way to visit James. Maybe he's woken up by now."

"You poor dear… Surely all of the anxiety is getting to your nerves. Trust me, even I have felt ill at times since then… Shall we go together?" I could see that Rarity was trying to smile. I also wasn't surprised to hear even she wasn't feeling well either. She loves him very much… Maybe as much as I do. And we both hurt him badly…

"Sure… I think I need a friend with me today…" I said while trying to smile. But I couldn't. There was nothing to smile about. But we went on anyway. The hospital was just ahead.

The lobby was empty aside from the nurse behind the receptionist's desk, so we went right over to her. Rarity took care of all the talking. "Excuse me. We were wondering if visiting hours are open for Mr. James."

The nurse glanced down at something out of our sight and then nodded. "He is. His location is room G5. Just go down the hall to your left."

"Thank you…" I whispered quietly, although I don't know if she heard me. I just wasn't feel very chatty at the moment. Rarity led the way and I stayed right beside her.

"I've been trying to visit on a daily basis, darling… How often have you been stopping by the hospital?" My best friend asked while looking at me. And I knew she wasn't going to like my answer.

"Not very often…" It was all I could say.

Rarity clearly didn't expect that. She knows me well. I always share with her the details of my relationship with James whenever I stop by for tea. "But… Why not? I know you adore him just as much as I do. Isn't he the man you intend to marry one day?"

I felt the tears coming again. The memories… They were coming back… I couldn't keep walking. I had to stop. "I… It feels like I don't deserve to be around him… I still remember what I did… What I said… That wasn't really me, but… I still remember it…" I then looked right at her, but my vision was blurry. The tears kept flowing down my cheeks, but more kept building in my eyes to replace them. "I still remember watching him when he punched himself in the face…and when he held his sword to his neck… I felt…pleased… Dominant… Seeing him in pain made me feel good! How can I show myself to him after that?!"

I really didn't want to raise my voice, but I couldn't help it. I felt so…angry at myself. I'll never forget how I felt when I told him to… I don't want to remember… But Rarity… She held me. Hugged me close. "Darling… I am just as guilty… I still remember how I felt… I remember seeing him as something without worth. Something I could get nothing of value out of… I did not even see him as a person anymore… It hurts to know that, even if for just a short while, I saw him as nothing… The only thing that mattered to me at that time were the riches of the world…not the boundless love and companionship of my friends… And that is why I want to be there for him… To make certain he knows that what he saw was just a wretched mirage. To prove that my heart still pines for him…"

I wish I had Rarity's resolve… I wish I was as strong as she is… "OK… Well… I'll…try to be there for him too… I love him… And I'm so lucky he…chose me to be his mare."

"Indeed you are, darling." Rarity said with a tearful smile while she wiped my tears away. "He is indeed a wonderful man. It's no wonder more than one mare desires him. Well… At least I hope he's still the same man he was when… Enough of this topic. He's right there."

I turned my head. We were already right in front of his room. The blinds for the window next to the door were open, so we could see him. Nothing had changed since I last saw him. Well…except for that bouquet of flowers sitting in a vase. "Were those there before?"

"Hmm… I visited just yesterday in the morning and they weren't there at the time. Let's take a closer look." Rarity spoke before she pushed the door open. I could smell them a bit from the doorway. And there was a tag attached to the vase. Rarity held it with her levitation magic and looked closely. "Let's see here… We miss you, fellow Crusader… Best wi… Oh, Sweetie Belle… This was so sweet of you."

I went over to the vase too. It was a gift from the Cutie Mark Crusaders. And even though James earned his cutie mark a while ago, he's still technically a member and friend to them. But still… It was very sweet of them to do this for him. Scootaloo has been spending a lot of time at the clubhouse with her friends. But now that we were there… James was right in front of us.

It always feels so…unnerving when I see him looking no different than when I last saw him. Sometimes… When I stand in that room alone with him… It feels like time reset. Like I keep getting sent back a few days. Like…nothing has changed…and that nothing will ever change… And knowing I was the one who put him in that bed…

"Good morning, darling… Are you feeling any better lately?" Rarity asked quietly while she gently rubbed her hoof over his cheek. He still didn't move or say anything. Just like before… "Still sleeping soundly, I see… What are you dreaming about…? Perhaps a grand dance at the Grand Galloping Gala? Soaring through the sky in armor with your beloved? Or perhaps…a little get-together with moi for some warm tea?"

I knew she was just trying to distract herself. Rarity's been crying a lot lately… And I wanted to spend a little with him now that I was there. I reached out to Rarity and placed my hoof on her shoulder. "Rarity… Would it be OK if I… You know…"

She looked at me with some tears starting to already build in her eyes. Her voice was also breaking a bit. ""Oh… Absolutely, Fluttershy… Of course you may spend some time in private with your beloved. I'll… I'll just go refresh myself with a cappuccino in the lounge… I'll be right back…"

She left in a bit of a hurry. Now, it was just us… I stood next to him. I heard the beeping of the heart monitor. The wheezing of his respirator. And the faint sound of his own breathing… But I didn't hear the one thing I wanted to hear. I didn't hear his voice. "James… Do you remember me…? The real Fluttershy?"

I felt over the sheets that covered him, trying to find his hand. It didn't take very long to feel its shape. I left my hoof on his hand and looked at his face. I didn't see any sorrow or anger or even happiness. Just…blank. Almost like an…empty shell. "Honey… Do you still like it when I call you that? Do you still want to call me 'honey' too? Or maybe 'sweetheart'? Do you… Do you still love me?"

Why was I even talking… Nothing I said even reached him. I wanted to tell him I love him. To remind him what he was to me. But until he woke up…he would never know. I rested my head on his chest, my tears flowing again. "I know you still love me… I saw what you did in the end just before the mirror shattered… I saw what you drew on the ground with your own blood… I want you to know…that I still love you too…"

I gazed right at him. His head was lying flat on the mattress with his face looking straight up. Something about dealing with a concussion or coma or something like that. His mind and heart was broken… He couldn't wake up because he was still in pieces… "I wish I could reach inside you and put everything back together… Put all the pieces of your heart back together and mend your scarred mind… I just…want to put this all behind us… Please, honey… Wake up… So we can go home…and…go on living like we used to…when we were in love…"

I don't know how much time passed… Everything just became a blur… I stayed there by him, my head on his chest. He felt so close, but so far away… I could almost feel it, strangely… It almost felt like he could feel me. Like he was happy. And for a little while, I felt happy too… But in the end, I started to feel kind of sick again. I didn't want to leave him, but I felt so awful…

In a while, a sound got my attention. Somepony was pushing the door open. It was Rarity. "Fluttershy… Are you all right?"

I was about to say I was OK, even though I probably wasn't, but then I felt my stomach churn again. "Uh… I don't know… I've been feeling queasy on and off for a few days now…"

"You have? Well, now that we're at the hospital, why not schedule an appointment? It's likely just anxiety, but it wouldn't hurt to be safe." She said with a look of concern in her eyes while she came closer. "I'll look after James while you take care of. Is that all right?"

"Yeah… I guess it would be smart to do that now. I'll be just a little while." I at least managed to smile a little at Rarity while my stomach settled again. I saw Rarity take a little scented candle out of her saddlebag and set it next to the flower vase before lighting it. I was looking forward to coming back to find the room filled with the smell.

I went back to the lobby to book an appointment. The nurse who is assigned to me is Miss Redheart. "Excuse me. I'd like to set up an appointment for a checkup. The sooner, the better."

The nurse behind the counter… I think her name is Sweetheart? She smiled sweetly at me. "All right. And you are Miss Fluttershy, right? Just let me check in with Nurse Redheart." She then pressed something under the counter. "Paging Nurse Redheart. When is the earliest time you are available for a checkup with one of your patients?"

I heard a familiar voice speak through an intercom on the desk somewhere. "Me? Well, I should have enough time for a checkup right after my lunch break. Give me another ten minutes and I should be free."

"All right. I'll just show your patient to your office and she'll be waiting for you." Nurse Sweetheart said in response before turning off the intercom. She then stepped out from behind the counter and motioned for me to follow her. "I'll show you to her office. Right this way."

Before long, I was seated in Nurse Redheart's office. I usually only visit once a year. I was actually a bit nervous while I waited in there. I've always been healthy except for the occasional common cold. And maybe the flu. Is it possible to prevent yourself from getting sick to those things anyway? Almost feels like there's no way to stop it…

I didn't have very long to think. Nurse Redheart soon came in. She gave me a bit of a sympathetic smile while setting her coffee on the desk. "Oh, Fluttershy? Good to see you. I'm so sorry for what happened to your sweetheart, but I assure you we're doing all that we can for him."

That managed to get me to smile a bit. "Thank you… He seemed to be healthy when I saw him today."

"Well, we're doing all that we can. And you will be the first to know if anything changes. Now then, how have you been lately?" The nurse asked while she sorted through some files on her desk.

I decided to be completely honest. "Well… I've had a loss of appetite, some queasiness, occasional vomiting in the morning, and…um…lack of energy."

"Sounds like the telltale signs of depression. The lack of energy could also be due to malnourishment due to lack of nutrient intake. But to make certain, I'm going to run some tests on you. Now, hop up on the table." She replied while I did what she asked of me. The tests were…uh… I don't feel entirely comfortable describing them. And I think I shouldn't because of…patient confidentiality? At least I think that's what it's called.

Well, as it turned out, I wasn't really sick with anything. Although…there was one bit of news I wasn't expecting. But…I don't think I should write it here. I don't want anypony to know about it just yet. Not until he knows… Once I got out of the office, I went right back down to room G5. It looked like Rarity had stepped out for a while, so I slipped in while making sure nopony was around. I didn't want anyone to hear what I was going to say.

The room smelled sweet. Kind of fruity… I think it was coming from the scented candle Rarity put by James' bed. Well, I went over to him, and… I felt so excited…but scared too… "Hi, honey… Um… Are you happy to see me?"

I knew he wasn't going to say anything. My nerves were all jittery. My stomach was full of butterflies. I wanted to tell him right there, but I knew he wouldn't hear me. I placed my hoof over where his hand was resting. "I have something important to tell you… I don't know if you'll be happy…or afraid…or… I don't know… I'm not even sure how I feel about it… But I can't keep it a secret forever. I'll try to make sure nopony finds out before you do, but… Please… James, wake up soon. I need you to be the first to know…"

I don't know what else to write now… My mind is just swimming with so many thoughts. But… I need him to come home… I miss my love… Please, James. Come home… I'll be waiting as long as I have to…

* * *

><p>I cannot believe what a mess things have been since that day in Canterlot ten days ago. We are all still feeling the pain. Just… How did that happen? Why did Discord do that to him?<p>

I have been trying to keep myself distracted with all these books. But…the memories still keep coming back when I least expect them too. Thank goodness Spike has been here for me. I do not think I have ever been this reliant on anyone for emotional support. It feels like I could have done so much more back then. I know Discord never got to me. I never betrayed James. So…why do I feel like I failed him?

"More tea, Twilight?" I heard a familiar boy's voice ask. Spike was standing next to my bed with a tea tray in his hands that was holding a teacup and a teapot with steam coming from the spout.

"Thanks, Spike… I really need this." I said while trying to smile. I really do appreciate all the work he does around the library.

"I even remembered to add some lemon to it. I'll be around if you need me." He spoke with a supportive smile before running back down the stairs to the lower section of the loft.

I sipped slowly from my tea while my eyes lazily scanned over the words of the book. Before long, I was not reading so much as I was just looking. I would even at times read over the same page multiple times while just trying to distract myself with anything that could take my mind off of the memory. But it did not last… Largely because I had experienced a very similar event a couple of years ago. I know what James went through…but at the same time I do not.

The first time Discord was freed, I felt it too. Watching my dearest friends become nothing short of complete jerks. Even to the point of never wanting anything to do with them again while still longing for the friends I had lost. I was hurt… And I was all but broken. But at the same time, I had not lost all that was important to me. I still had Spike. And my family in Canterlot. And even Princess Celestia. But James… As much as I am ashamed to admit this, I fear my dearest friends may not be as precious to me as we are to him…

Unlike me, James came to this world with nothing. And we… We were his first friends. The foundation for his life in Equestria. Friendship is indeed a wonderful thing. It is something I cannot honestly see myself living without anymore. But…what if friendship is all you ever had?

I know what my friends were like after Discord corrupted the first time. And if we serve as the foundation of his life… To see the people who are the foundation of his life in Equestria become…what they were… It would have meant in his mind, everything built upon that foundation would have come crashing down. The emotional and mental shock must have been unfathomable… And he did all he could to fill that hole in his heart… Even if it meant filling it with the twisted satisfaction of bringing revenge to the one responsible for his misery…

As things are now, James is holding on by a thread. Our friendship… All but destroyed. Even if he awakens… Can he ever recover from this? I know him well. Serious, yet sensitive. It would be difficult for him to trust us again after what happened. And we even promised we would not let this happen… But it happened anyway…

Before I even knew what was happening, I felt something drip onto my hoof. The tears. The memories hurt… I love that man… He has always been so dear to me… It was then I decided I needed to go. I had to see him at the hospital. It had been a few days since my last visit. I did not care if he would not see or hear me. I at least had to see him.

I trotted down the stairs and found Spike sorting books in the library. "This one goes to the Adventure genre shelf… And this goes to… Oh, hey! Need anything, Twilight?"

"Not right now, Spike. I just need to be somewhere right now. I'm leaving you in charge of the library while I'm gone. I'll try to be back soon." I said while using the levitation spell to open the door at the far side of the room that led outside into Ponyville.

My little assistant nodded and gave me a salute. "Yes, ma'am. I'll keep the place tidy."

I did not stop for anything or anypony on my way to the hospital. Nopony called out to me and nothing caught my eye. I had an objective to fulfill. And so I reached the hospital without any trouble and went right up to the counter. It seemed that Nurse Redheart was minding the front desk today. "Um… Hello. I was hoping I could visit James. He's in room G5, right?"

Redheart nodded, but then gave me a neutral stare. "He is, but Nurse Sweetheart is currently making her rounds in there at the moment. Just let me check to see if she has finished checking your friend's condition."

I guess it would have been best to wait for the nurses to finis up in there so I would not be getting in the way. I also did not want to be interrupted during a personal moment with a friend. Nurse Redheart then pressed a button on an intercom device hidden by part of the desk and spoke into it. "Hello? Nurse Sweetheart? We have a guest who wants to visit room G5. Are you about finished in there?"

What I heard over the intercom was not at all what I was expecting. "Actually, I was just about to call you myself, Redheart. Our patient… He's looking right at me. It seems James has just regained consciousness."

"He… What?! He's awake?!" My mind just exploded in a surge of anxiety and relief. I almost climbed right over the counter and yelled at the intercom. "Is he OK?! Is he talking?! James, are you there?!"

Nurse Redheart almost raised her voice at me and pretty much had to push me back. "Miss Sparkle, please!" I felt rather embarrassed that my emotions had gotten the better of me like that. But still… After almost a full ten days with no interaction while living with the constant dread of knowing he may never awaken with from his coma… Well…it is very taxing on the nerves, to be completely honest.

While I stood there feeling my face flush red from embarrassment while also having my nerves feel like they were on fire, Nurse Redheart spoke into the intercom again. "I'm so sorry about that, Sweetheart. But how is he? Are his vital signs stable? Is he showing complete awareness of his surroundings?"

There was a brief delay from the other end that made me all the more anxious. I had to know what was going on in that room! But soon, Nurse Sweetheart did reply. "I think so. I've tried talking to him since he woke up just a minute or two ago. But he hasn't said anything to me at all. All he's been doing is…..glaring at me."

Glaring… Was he angry? I felt a powerful urge to reach out to him, so I took a few steps towards the desk. "Nurse Redheart… May I please speak to him? From here?"

At first, she did not say anything. But after a minute, she silently motioned for me to come to the other side of the desk. I walked around the end and saw a complex grid of buttons showing different room numbers with a small microphone device next to a fairly large speaker. The switch next to the number G5 was flipped on. So I held down the button to activate the microphone. "James… This is Twilight Sparkle. Can you hear me?"

I did not hear anything from the other side. "Nurse Sweetheart… Do you think he can hear me?"

"Um… He just turned away from me. I think he can hear you just fine, Miss Sparkle. Go ahead and keep talking." I heard the nurse reply. So I did just that.

"James… I don't know what you remember, but… You've been in a coma for about ten days now… I honestly didn't think you were going to wake up this soon. Things… Well… Things have not been easy for us. And not for me either… I've missed you… I'm here in the lobby and…I want to see you. May I please come down to the room you're in?" I felt like I was on the verge of tears. I wanted to cry, but my emotional restraints were keeping me from breaking down in front of somepony else.

A moment of silence passed. Was James talking too quietly for me to hear? Eventually, I did get a response, but it was from Nurse Sweetheart. "Well… He isn't refusing you. I think it'll be OK for you to come visit him. Just give me a few more minutes to finish up in here and you can have all the time you want with him, Miss Sparkle."

"Thank you… I'll be there soon, James. Just wait for me." I said quietly, desperately wanting to cry.

Right now, I am just resting in the lobby while writing this down to pass the time. As soon as Nurse Sweetheart comes down here to let me know the room is open to visitors, I will go see my friend. It… I am not sure what to feel. It feels like the worst is about to be over, but it also feels like a new storm is about to blow our way. I just want all this drama to end… But more than anything, I want my friend back… I love him… James, I will be right there. We have a lot to catch up on…


	34. The Nightmare Goes On

I can still remember it. The moment when all feeling left my body. The world went dark. My ears fell deaf. My body became still. I was not even certain if I still drew breath. It was the moment I both dreaded, yet invited. The moment where I was to pass from the world of the living into the sweet cold embrace of death.

And yet… Mere moments later… At least I assume it was that long… I felt warmth returning to me. And the touch of a hard object gently rubbing or shaking me. A hoof? Why could I feel it through my armor? My eyes opened. And…I was not out in the ruined courtyard just outside the Canterlot labyrinth. I was home. Inside the cottage I share with Fluttershy. And there she was standing beside me.

At first, I was filled with a powerful chill. The Fluttershy I knew was gone. Replaced with a vile sadistic monster with a penchant for inflicting pain. And yet, she smiled at me with the same tender grin she would often show me and spoke in a sweet and quiet tone of voice I feared I would never hear again. "Are you all right, dear? You looked like you weren't dreaming very well. Was it a bad dream?"

Her colors were vibrant and soft, not the somewhat washed out grayish hues she was colored in the last time I had seen her. I certainly did not feel like I was dreaming. But… That horrific battle… The betrayals I suffered at the hooves of the most important people in my life… Was it all a nightmare?

Still not entirely certain of what had happened, or that the suffering and even madness I had just gone through had all been in my head, I slowly brought myself to a sitting position. I was resting on the sofa right beside the stairwell in the front room. I looked directly at Fluttershy, my beautiful lover still showing me that tender gaze she always has in her eyes. "Uh… I don't know… Did something happen recently with someone called Discord?"

She seemed familiar with the name, appearing both baffled and shocked at my words. "Discord? That was a few years ago. But everything's all right now. Are you feeling OK? You didn't eat anything weird before you took that nap, did you?"

That battle… It happened all that time ago and I did not even remember what happened between then and now? What was wrong with me? But even then, I was filled with a terrible uncertainty. Fluttershy was fine and standing right in front of me. But what about… "Uh… Honey? Is it all right if I head into town for a little while? Just to take a walk? I need to clear my head."

Her response was quick, yet sweet and sincere. Fluttershy smiled tenderly at me before reaching out and placing a kiss on my cheek. "You do look a little groggy. Maybe you should get some fresh air. Just be sure to come home before long. I'll be starting on dinner in a while."

That little kiss did wonders in helping me bury my doubts about her. Fluttershy was truly back to normal. But what about everypony else? I was even somewhat apprehensive of what I would find outside. But once I did pass through the front door, I saw the vast meadow and the winding dirt road that led into Ponyville in the distance. Many little animals were scurrying here and there, going about their daily activities. It was idyllic, yet completely routine. Nothing was amiss.

Was I just worrying myself over nothing? There did not seem to be anything out of the ordinary. But if that was the case, why were those memories… I had to find my friends. I needed to make certain that they were still themselves. And so I crossed the bridge in front of my home and then ventured towards Ponyville with the warm summer sun beating down on me with a fair number of clouds in the sky.

The day certainly felt pleasant. A gentle breeze was picking up now and then and things were rather quiet. Pretty much the only sound that broke the silence was the sound of windswept prairie grass swaying in the breeze. It is quite different from the sound of leaves rustling in the trees. It actually calmed me. Made me stop in my tracks as I just allowed myself to bask in the beauty of the nature around me for a moment. If nothing else, it reminded me of how great life tends to be when you live in Equestria. Especially in a place like Ponyville.

Once I did resume my walk, I soon found myself inside Ponyville proper. There was a modest amount of activity with the locals as they went about their activities. The streets even felt rather quiet. I knew what day of the week it was just by the lack of activity alone. It was a Sunday. No wonder I was not at work.

The only friend of mine I knew for certain that was still herself was Rainbow Dash, so I did not immediately search for her. Despite this, she was the first I found. Before getting far, I just happened to notice that bold and beautiful pegasus just lounging around on a low cloud. Actually, I doubt 'low' would do it justice. I almost tripped over her when the cloud she was lying on drifted in front of my legs. It was floating maybe no more than a foot off the ground.

With such a spectacular display of laziness right in front of my, I could not even say anything. I merely stared as she drifted by. But once her face drifted under my shadow, Rainbow lazily lifted an eye open. That prompted her to stand at attention and lose that sleepy gaze right away, lifting her head before glancing down at herself. "Uh… Heheh… Yeah… Chose a heavy one today. Almost heavy enough for fog."

I snickered briefly at those words. Rainbow certainly loves speed, but she also loves to take it easy too. Maybe too easy. "No worries. At least you won't get hurt much if you roll off it in your sleep."

"Yeah, I guess… Anyway…" Rainbow Dash then hopped up onto her hooves and smiled at me. "What's up? Not much going on in town today. Just taking a walk?"

"Kind of… In all honesty, I was just looking for my friends." I retorted honestly, knowing that the response was way too simple and sounded more like something a child would say. At least in hindsight.

Sure enough, that caused Rainbow Dash to look at me a bit cockeyed. "Your friends? Last I checked, you've got plenty in town. Just look around! They're never far!"

"I mean… My most important friends. And you're one of them. You know what I mean, right?" I said while trying to be a bit more specific.

Those words prompted a rather adorable reaction from my brash and brazen friend. Her ears cutely lowered at the sound of those words. "Oh… You mean us. Well…" Was she blushing? "That's…uh…really flattering, James. Well, you found me. Something wrong? You've already found Fluttershy, right?"

"Yeah, she woke me up from a nap. But do you know where I can find the others?" I replied while trying to not sound lonely or desperate. I was just…fearful considering what I remembered from that dream. Of course, that is assuming it WAS just a dream…

Rainbow Dash was all too happy to point me in the right direction. "Well, You'll find Applejack over at Sweet Apple Acres. Still plenty of apples to harvest at this time of year. Gotta get them ready for cider! Then you'll find Twilight at home. Stuck reading some books Princess Celestia assigned to her. You know how things can be with that egghead. You'll find Pinkie Pie at home at Sugarcube Corner. No telling what she's up to. And if you don't find Rarity at the café, you'll find her at the Carousel Boutique. Seriously, most ponies just take it easy on Sundays."

I reached out and gently stroked my friend's mane. I know she would have preferred a kiss, but considering we were out in public, she would not have been not entirely comfortable to let herself be seen being sweet on someone. "Thanks, Rainbow. I'll let you get back to your nap then."

"Thanks, big guy. Anyway…" She stretched her arms out wide and yawned before falling backwards onto her cloud again. Almost immediately, I heard light snoring. I rolled my eyes at my lazy friend while I walked away, wishing I could nod off as easily as her.

My next destination was the nearest location I could find. Sugarcube Corner. Right as I was approaching the door, I stepped out of the way as it swung open to reveal a merrily humming Derpy Hooves carrying a basket of fresh muffins by her mouth. She clearly did not notice me since she went trotting right by me. It was all right if she did not have time to shoot the breeze though. I was looking for someone else. Once I was inside, I was greeted by the familiar sweet smell of various baked treats. And by the cheerful grin of Pinkie Pie standing behind the counter.

"Hey there, James! What can I get you? We have a fresh batch of your favorites! Chocolate drops! You want icing on them?" She called out in a show of cheerful and friendly exuberance I feared I would never see in her again. Her call to me had such volume and passion in it that for a brief instant, I mistook it for the bitter anger that I had last heard from her.

I stood back for a moment, my eyes carefully scanning my friend ahead of me. Her coat and mane and tail were filled with the familiar vibrant hues of pink that gave credence to her name. Her big blue eyes gazed at me with constant alertness and hospitality, though her mouth soon curved into a small frown after I said nothing for a moment. Finally, she even tilted her head to one side a bit. "You OK? James, I'm right here. You remember me, right? Pinkie Pie? One of your bestest friends in all of Equestria? Why're standing way over there still? You're supposed to be over here by now!"

After what I went through with her… After what I heard her yell at me in that dream… Assuming it was just a dream… After that, there were…no words of relief I could say to express how overwhelmingly glad I was to see that Pinkie Pie was still the same overly joyful mare she was when I first met her. Finally, I extended a hand to her. "Uh… Before I do anything… Could you come here for a minute?"

"Huh? OK, sure. What's up?" She replied before coming out from behind the counter and trotting over to me while I got down on one knee. Once she came within range, I reached out and wrapped my arms around the base of her neck and pulled her in for a tight embrace. And for once, Pinkie Pie was not entirely sure of how to respond. I doubt that happens to her often. "James…?"

"I'm just glad you're still you…" I said while I felt a barely detectable pressure in my eyelids. The building of tears. I was tempted to cry. The waves of relief and the feeling of some closure after that nightmare was almost more than I could take. But I endured. I did not let a single whimper or sniffle escape my lips. If Pinkie Pie heard the slightest sob, she would not rest until she knew what was wrong with me. And I did not wish to trouble her any further.

"Well, of course I'm still me! There's only one Pinkie Pie, isn't there?" I heard my friend exclaim before she wrapped her arms around me as well, letting my arms slide down to her upper back. "Unless we're talking about the Mirror Pool. Then there might be dozens of Pinkie Pies! But that's for another episode."

It did not matter to me what her random and nonsensical words were alluding to. I had my irreplaceable friend back and that was the important thing at that moment. But before I could dwell on it any further, Pinkie Pie pulled away from me before showing a big toothy grin. "Anyway, hang on for just a few minutes! I got something to give you!"

I did not even get a chance to say anything. She just rushed back into the kitchen like she was on a mission she could not ignore. And so I decided to wait. And roughly five minutes later, Pinkie Pie returned with a platter in her mouth. "Here you go! I just know you're gonna love these!"

There was not anything of any grand extravagance on the platter. Just seven chocolate drops arranged in a bit of a diamond formation. But what really drew my attention was the icing she had placed on each. The one at the top of the formation was clearly a six-armed star. The same one on Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark. She even added the white 'shine' between the bases of the arms and tiny little white dots too. Going clockwise, there was clearly Rainbow Dash's cutie mark with red, blue, and yellow icing making up the lightning bolt and white for the cloud it was bursting from. Next was Pinkie Pie's, show one yellow balloon and two light blue ones with white strings hanging down. At the bottom was Rarity's, sporting three delicious looking light blue diamonds. Moving back up was Fluttershy's cutie mark, showing three little butterflies of pink and sea foam green. Or perhaps turquoise? Lastly, there was Applejack's cutie mark with three red apples and a tiny green stem on top of each. It was both endearing to see all of my friends cutie marks placed on my favorite treats and downright impressive that Pinkie Pie has the patience and focus to create so many detailed designs on a small round pastry. But what caught my eye was the one at the center. A seventh chocolate drop topped with a design done in white icing. My cutie mark. Twin white dove shapes with talons clasped and wings spread to create the shape of a heart between them.

Was Pinkie trying to tell me something? If it had been any other time, I would have found it very cute and touching. But with memories of that dream still fresh in my mind, it hit me in a way I was not expecting. Try as I might, I felt and heard myself choke while tears built in my eyes. I took the platter in hand, leaving Pinkie Pie's mouth free while I gazed down at the lovely treats before me. It was then that the tears flowed and Pinkie knew that something was definitely wrong. "James…?"

I could not contain my emotions. Not this time. I set the platter on the counter and dropped to my knees before embracing her once more without a word. A pathetic whimper echoed in my throat despite keeping my lips sealed while my body shuddered. The designs on those chocolate drops… Why did they seem so beautiful to me at that moment? Was it a reminder of what I felt I had nearly lost?

"James… Come on, you can stop crying now… Is something wrong?" I heard Pinkie Pie ask softly while she patted her hoof on my back. I knew I was worrying her, bless her loyal and optimistic soul. I pulled away from her until we were looking right at each other once again. "Come on… You can always tell Pinkie Pie what's wrong. I swear I'll listen…"

I wanted to put it into words. Tell her how joyful I was to know that I still had her in my life after thinking I had lost her forever. You do not know what it is you have until you are faced with the horror of having it turn on you and abandon you. Even if it was just a very convincing dream… I wanted to tell her, but…the words just would not come out. "I… I don't want to talk about it… I mean…I can't say it… Don't know how to say it… Just… Thank you for these. I love them."

That look on her face clearly told me that Pinkie Pie was far from convinced. She knew something was wrong and she probably was going to go out of her way to find out what. Not that I minded. Regardless, she did show a concerned smile and nuzzled my cheek. "I was hoping you would. I've been trying to get those just right for a while. Personalized cutie mark chocolate drops! I just know they're gonna be a big hit!"

That sounded like an awesome idea, to be honest. Not to mention the sheer variety of icing patterns on them would be staggering. But regardless, I was still feeling emotionally overwhelmed as I stood up and looked down at the platter of cutie mark chocolate drops. "Say… Would you mind taking a photo of this before I eat them? I don't want to forget this…"

"I was just thinking about that!" Pinkie replied while pulling up a large camera that seemed meant for taking larger panorama shots. She seemed to notice this after a second and stashed it away behind herself, probably in her 'Pinkie Space', and pull out a smaller and much more conventional black camera with a fairy large lens extending from the body. "Can you hold that up on an angle a bit so I can get a better shot?"

I did as I was requested and lifted the back edge of the platter until it was up on a fairly steep angle without the chocolate drops sliding off. There was a click and flash, and then Pinkie Pie stashed the camera away. "Great shot! Anyway, I'll go get you some milk to go with those."

I spent the next several minutes enjoying the chocolate drops Pinkie Pie had fixed up for me. While seven is a bit much, I was feeling particularly famished. God, those were good… The icing only made them better. I should get some more sometime. What cutie marks should I ask her to add? Maybe Lyra's? It would be flattering to see Celestia's cutie mark on them. Or maybe even the hypothetical cutie marks of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. In any case, once I finished those up with the glass of fresh milk Pinkie Pie brought out, I said my goodbyes and left to make my way over to Twilight's home since it was closest at that time. Although I had the strangest hunch I would be seeing Pinkie again pretty soon.

The trek to the library was fairly uneventful despite me expecting to be ambushed by Pinkie Pie at some point. Although I swear I did see a rather conspicuous bale of hay at one point. It was weird. Even though a bale of hay would not be out of place around Sweet Apple Acres, and Ponyville is very close to it, the little thing somehow caught my attention. Even so, it could not be anything important. Could it?

I soon found myself standing right outside the only home or establishment in the entire town that was built into a tree. It felt refreshing to be back. I paused while beholding the great tree house. Twilight… She was the only one I did not see turn against me, but I also did not see her in the end when… I really was not certain of what to expect. I thought I lost her two. But maybe like Rainbow Dash, she… I kept forgetting that it was just a dream. Just a dream… But why did it not feel like a dream?

When I started to reach for the door, I stopped partway. It almost felt like I was forgetting something. And that was when it hit me. "Wait!" I suddenly jumped back. And roughly a second later, the door burst open to reveal Spike with his back to me and a stack of books in his hands. "Ha! Didn't get me that time!"

"Didn't get who… Oh, hey! Sorry, can't see over this stack here. What's up?" Spike asked while looking at me over his shoulder as he walked backwards out of the house. I never did figure out where he even takes all those books. I know he takes care of replenishing various supplies around the library such as scrolls and ink, but I never asked where those books go. Does Twilight run a book rental service where Spike delivers the books that are wanted when they are returned?

"Hey there, Spike. I was just looking for Twilight. Is she home?" I asked in return while idly glancing up at the tree before me. My first guess was that she was on the second floor.

Spike nodded while starting to back around me. "Yeah, she's home. I last saw her in the loft. But I gotta get going. Need to deliver these. See you around, James!" He then walked off with that stack of books towering over him. He certainly is tireless in his duties. Dragons must have a lot of power in their bodies. The kids must be no different.

I found Owlowiscious fast asleep on his perch when I ducked into the library's first floor. As you would expect from a library, the place was quiet. Although I could hear soft classical music coming from somewhere upstairs. Twilight's tastes in music are rather broad and she has no specific favorite type, but I do hear her playing classical music on her phonograph more often than anything else. Following the tune, I went upstairs.

My heart was strangely tense. I could not imagine Twilight of all people betraying me. In fact, out of all six of my dearest friends, she gives me the impression that she would be the last to even consider it. When I reached the loft, I did not immediately see her. Although I did see the phonograph that was playing the vinyl record that was providing the music. Plenty of piano and violin were heard. A quick glance around the room revealed that Twilight was practically above me. Resting above me on her bed with her face in a book was Twilight Sparkle herself. No wonder she had not detected me yet.

I was uncertain if I should get her attention. Should I stay and confront my fears or just leave her in peace and assume all is well? I did not take long to decide. I knocked on the wooden wall beside me. That got her attention. She immediately lifted her head and glanced around before looking down at me. And as soon as she did, she showed me that delightful smile she always does when she sees me. "Oh, hello! What's new, James?"

I tried to smile despite my doubts. "Not much. I just wanted to see you, Twilight. Still in bed?"

She seemed a little embarrassed about that observation, if that blush in her cheeks were of any indication. "Yeah, sorry you had to see me like that. Sundays tend to be pretty lazy, so I'm just taking it easy today. But now that you're here, let me come on down." She then hopped out of bed and starting trotting over to the stairs that lead down from the upper section of the loft. All the while, she never took her eyes off me.

I followed her over to the steps that led down to the level I was on. "So, anything new? Anything I might've forgotten about?"

"Well, aside from that really weird screw up with that spell that turned me into a stallion for a day a few weeks back, nah! I'd say things have been pretty normal in town." Twilight said with a slight chuckle. Turned herself into a stallion? Wish I could have seen that. Must have been hilarious. But even so, I had no memory of that day. Why? Surely, I must have seen that. "Don't you remember? I honestly thought you were going to pass out from laughter when you found me like that."

"I don't remember…" I said briefly. I was starting to feel like I had forgotten a great deal of memories I should have. Had I been in a coma? What had I missed?

Twilight was starting to give me a concerned gaze once she reached the steps. She stopped descending when we were eye-to-eye with each other. "James, you…really don't? You were howling with laughter. How could you not remember?"

I did not have an answer and averted my gaze, a hint of doubt still lingering in my head. But Twilight could clearly see something in my eyes. "James… What's wrong? Is there something you're not telling me? You seem…afraid of something."

Analytical as always. Knowing I could not hide the fears in my heart from her, I decided to speak the truth. "I just… I only just woke up from an awful nightmare a little while ago. And I know that dreams are just dreams, but… This one felt…different. It felt too real. Even to the point where it messed with my head when I woke up."

"What happened in the dream?" Twilight asked while she lied down on the step before me.

My answer was straightforward and truthful. "To be completely honest… The most important people in my life were turned against me."

This response caused Twilight's eyes to widen in a show of possibly shock and even realization. As if she knew exactly what I was speaking of. "James… This dream didn't happen to involve Discord, did it?"

My only response to that was a nod. What Twilight did next caught me by surprise. Using the levitation spell, she pulled me closer until she was resting her hooves on my shoulders. She then spoke softly while looking me directly in the eyes. "I know what it's like to go through what you did. But just remember, it was only a dream." I felt her rest her head on my shoulder while she held me in a shockingly tight embrace. "I could never let you go, James… I love you. You're way too important for me to say goodbye to."

Such a heartfelt response. The tiny amount of doubt I held in my heart for Twilight quickly faded as I wrapped my own arms around her. "Please don't doubt me… I will never leave you… Never…"

"I won't, Twi… I know now that you would never do that." I said quietly, my head gently resting against the side of hers. A wave of relief swept over me. I knew she would never leave…

We just stood there for a minute or two. Not moving, just caressing each other in an embrace. Finally, Twilight pulled away from me and gazed at me with a somber smile before placing a tender kiss on my lips. "You know I would never leave my friends. Especially a friend as precious as you. So please… Don't let one little nightmare make you doubt us…"

I was actually starting to feel a little silly for doubting Twilight's stalwart devotion to her friends. Or to me. Her friends are just as important to her as mine are to me. We are dependant on them. That may be a weakness, but it is also a strength. Even so, with the doubt I held for most of my friends all but erased, there were still two more I needed to check on. "Thanks for still being you, Twilight. Don't ever change. But right now, I still need to see Rarity and Applejack. They're both at home, right?"

My friend nodded with a smile on her face. She seemed calmer about what I had told her too. "That's fine. I know they'd like to see you too. But if you want to see me again, just come on back anytime. I'm not going anywhere today."

I said my goodbyes with a lighter heart than before and made my way back outside. But while I was closing the door from the outside, I noticed something behind it. Another bale of hay. Was it the same one as the one I saw on my way over? Or was there some sort of promotion or special advertisement going around from some sort of…hay bale salesman where they were giving away free samples?

Regardless, since the thing was left right outside her house, I ducked under the doorway again to let her know about it. "Hey, Twilight?! I think you've got something weird in the mail today!"

Sure enough, I heard the rapid clopping of her hooves up above before they began to echo down the stairs. Twilight then came into view and looked right at me. "What was that? Something in my mail?"

"Yeah, someone dropped this off." I replied before stepping around the door and moving the bale into view. I tried to lift the thing since it was roughly the same size as Twilight herself, but it was shockingly heavy for its size and material. In the end, I had to settle for shoving it along the ground. "What's the deal with this thing?! It's heavy!"

It was pretty obvious what a hard time I was having, so Twilight saved me the trouble by using the levitation spell to pull it in. Although she seemed to drop it at first before using the spell a second time. "You're right… I had to apply more focus than usual to move it. But are you sure this is mine?"

"I would assume so. It was right outside your door." I replied while looking the thing over. It was really just a bale of hay.

Twilight seemed just as perplexed as me while she looked the thing over. "Well… I guess I could have the thing as a snack. Or maybe make some home style hay fries with it. Anyway, thanks for letting me know about this." With nothing else to say, I headed out and made my way to the southeast. The Carousel Boutique would be the best next destination for me.

I both love Sundays and dislike them. I enjoy them for bringing a much needed day of rest, but also dislike them for how dull they make the day. With so few people around, the town felt almost lifeless. I could literally talk to myself and nopony would hear me. I could not wait until tomorrow.

The southeastern edge of town is always the quietest part of town. And Rarity's home is the jewel that stands out most among all the other dwellings. I was unsure of how to approach Rarity regarding the memories of that dream, but with how she is practically my best friend, I was sure I could find a way to bring up the subject.

Knowing I did not have to knock, I pushed the boutique's front door open. The bell that hung just behind the door rang as expected, getting the attention of the only pony in the room. Surprisingly, it was not Rarity. It was someone I had all but forgotten about. Mitta, who seemed to be doing an inventory check. "Welco… Oh, James! Hello! Can I help you with anything?"

My friend trotted right over to me and into my arms for an embrace. How… In my despair during that dream, how did I forget about her? Mitta and I have always had a special bond since I discovered her and Sunny Town out in the Everfree Forest. And yet… During that brief time, I could not remember her and what we had been through. The little crimson and gray earth pony mare held onto me with one arm while I gently held her head to my chest. A small smile spread across my lips. It felt good to see her again after what felt like far too long.

"James…? Can I help you with anything? I was a little busy when you walked in." Mitta asked once more, reminding me that I had not offered an actual reply. In my mental and emotional constipation, I had only provided a few puzzled and confused mumbles. I suppose she had every right to be concerned though. My mind was still a cluttered mess of emotions.

"Sorry… I'm just…especially happy to see you right now." I said quietly while my grip on her remained firm. It almost felt like I had just been reminded of a priceless treasure I had left buried in a basement that I had only just rediscovered while looking for something else.

I heard a faint giggle from my friend while she threw her other arm around me. "I missed you too… Haven't seen you for a few days. Wanna meet up for lunch tomorrow?"

"That sounds great. But for the moment, do you know where I can find Rarity? It's kind of urgent." I replied, hoping my gorgeous friend was at least upstairs. There was no sign of her anywhere in the workroom despite having most of her equipment put away. Must have been a slow weekend.

My friend nodded with a smile while motioning for the stairwell that leads to the second floor. "Mmhm. She's right upstairs working on some custom orders right now. She said I shouldn't disturb her unless necessary, but I don't think she'd turn away one of her best friends."

That certainly saved me the trouble of hunting her down. I tenderly nuzzled Mitta's cheek with my own. "Thanks, Mitta. I'll just let you get back to work then?"

"Sure! I still have a bit of stuff to check." She then went over to a stool and picked up a clipboard with the underside of her hoof. "Now… Did I count fifty rubies or just forty-nine? And was that a half dozen pounds of gold thread or seven?"

Seeing that she was quite focused on her task, I left Mitta to her current agenda and made my way up the stairs. After passing the bathroom, I came to the door that led into Rarity's private quarters. From within, I could hear the beautiful muffled tone of her voice singing a familiar song I had come to recognize. "At home at the opera, on a fancy yacht… I'll be the talk…the talk of Canterlot. I'm the crème du la crème, not just another Jane Doe…"

It has certainly become one of my favorite songs written by her. Is Rarity secretly a songwriter? I never did ask… Regardless, I opened the door as quietly as I could to avoid disturbing her train of thought. And once I stepped into the room, I found Rarity's magic hard at work. Many pieces of fabric and accessories were flowing through the air along with small tailoring tools that were all coated by that glittering light blue magic aura. And standing at the center of the room with a dress horse before her and horn aglow with a matching billowing magic aura was Rarity herself.

I am uncertain who the attire was for, but it seemed to consist of varying hues of white, red, and gold. Went together quite well. I only saw the design that one time, so I did not have enough time to commit its form to my memory. Regardless, I waited patiently on a stool while watching my beautiful friend work her expertise and skill. It was poetry in motion, seeing the fabric being unfurled, snipped, stitched, and applied all in a veil of light blue magical energy. All the while Rarity would continue to hum and sing, doing to my ears what her little show was doing to my eyes. However, with the memories of that dream still fresh in my mind, I did not feel entirely comfortable.

After a short while, Rarity paused in her endeavors and let out a satisfied and forceful sigh. "There we go. That should go for now. Need to plan out the rest. Now then, gold lace or… Hm?"

It was then that Rarity happened to notice me behind her. I offered her a silent wave while smiling. Upon seeing me, those lovely azure eyes lit up immensely. "Darling! When did you get here?" Wasting no time, Rarity practically flung all of her supplies across the room towards her work desk. But instead of ending up in a cluttered mess, they all landed in their proper places in a very tidy fashion. Leave it to Rarity to keep her private chambers tidy. "Truly, fortune smiles upon me today. A burst of inspiration and a visit from my beloved? Only a surprise delivery of fine wine and fresh gourmet cheese could make this day perfect now!"

Before I could even say anything, she was in my arms and tenderly embracing me. "But what brings you by my home, darling? Is there something I can help you with?"

That show of suppressed love and genuine generous sweetness I had always known her for… Rarity was absolutely showering me with it. But even then, my doubt was holding me back somewhat. And sure enough, it did not take Rarity long to notice that something was not quite right. She soon pulled away and gazed at me with noticeably worried eyes. "Darling… Is something amiss? You have not even said anything. And you feel…distant."

Much like my previous friends, I decided to just be direct with my answer. "I woke up from a nap just an hour ago or so. And… The dream I had… It felt more real than most dreams. And… I wanted to see you to make sure that you were still…well…you."

Rarity was understandably baffled. It is not like she could have seen that dream for herself. She tenderly rested her upturned hoof against my cheek and gazed at me with such profound sympathy and support. "James, my dear… What was it that occurred in such a dream that could make you doubt me?"

I was uncertain if I should divulge much of what occurred to her. Especially with… I looked right at her when I asked in return, "Would you ever really…cast me aside for a boulder?"

Saying that seemed to awaken a look and feeling of shame in my friend. Her eyes glanced down and then from left to right while she slightly backed away from me. She then dropped down onto the floor again and walked over to her bed. She then looked at me and patted the soft covers. Understanding that she wanted me to approach her, I did just that. But once I took a seat, I felt myself grasped by an unseen force. Her magic.

I was forced to lean my upper body towards her, though I did not feel intimidated or worried. Rarity in turn brought her face to my own and soon closed her eyes. I knew what was coming. That precious kiss. Our lips joined, melting away much of my doubt. It was then that her magical grasp on me released me, allowing me to gently drag Rarity down to the mattress below. I felt her arm curl around me. I remember the touch of her tongue against my own. It felt as if…it had been too long. Soon, our lips parted and she gazed at me as I noticed a lone tear flow from her eyes. "How could I ever choose anything over all that you have given me?"

A twinge of guilt welled up in my heart. I swear I did not seek to make Rarity feel bad by revealing a glimmer of what she did to me in that dream. "I just… It felt real… I thought you had…"

Rarity tenderly rested her hoof over my lips while we continued to rest upon our sides. She then showed a soft smile while she whispered to me. "My love… Whatever it was you saw in that dream, think nothing of it. It was merely a dream. Nothing more. The truth is that I love you. You have been a dear friend to me for so long and you have given me so much. And in return, I have given you my heart. You are…irreplaceable to me. I could never choose anything over the boundless love you have shared with me. You will always have me, my prince. As I will always have you…"

Such powerful words… Rarity has always been one for flair and sophistication and her choice of vocabulary proved it. It felt…so touching to hear her say those things. She has always been one of my most dearest friends and I was relieved to see that had not changed. Once more, our lips as our eyes closed. Oh, what a kiss… I felt my hand rise while our tongues began to dance, feeling for something. And I felt it. Her hoof. My fingers tenderly curled over the sides while it curved towards me. The same hoof that held that bracelet I gave her a year ago. So beautiful, yet so loving. It is an honor to know that she loves me so.

This kiss lasted quite a while. When we did finally break it, albeit reluctantly, my mind was in a bit of a haze. And from that look in her eyes, Rarity's was too. But even then, we still managed to sit up and hold each other in an embrace. I heard Rarity whisper to me in an almost sorrowful whisper, "I love you, my prince…"

My hand tender caressed her silken coat on her back. And I replied in kind. "I love you too, m'lady…"

Five down. One to go. My doubts had all but faded and had been replaced with soothing relief. But there was still Applejack. I needed to make certain the last things she ever said to me were never really said. As much as I wanted to stay and partake in a spot of tea with Rarity, I felt the urgent need to seek out my remaining friend. I gave her a goodbye kiss and made my way out of the boutique. But upon doing so, I saw a…rather peculiar sight. Right next to the tree that stood outside the Carousel Boutique was another bale of hay. Only it seemed that someone had gone out of their way to dress this one up like a blocky scarecrow. It was wearing a light blue jacket that looked like it had been made for me and a baseball cap.

"…..What?" I blurted out while approaching it. This time, I felt the urge to investigate. I just happen to see a bale of hay in town, then I find one right outside Twilight's place when I try to leave, and now I find one that has been haphazardly dressed up outside the Carousel Boutique. I knew it was not there when I arrived, so Rarity could not have put it there. And even then, if she had been the one to place it there, she would have dressed it up much better.

"OK, what gives? Is someone in this thing?" I asked out loud while circling the hay. I tried giving it a lift and found that it was just as heavy as the one I had tried to drag into Twilight's house. Something had to have been inside it. "I know something's in this thing. You better show yourself. I don't wanna have to dump boiling water on this thing to flush you out."

What happened next actually gave me a bit of a spook. A pink nose and a pair of nerdy blocky glasses emerged on the side that was facing me. To top it off, a blocky bushy moustache and matching blocky bushy eyebrows adorned the goofy pair of glasses as well. Was it even hay at all? Was it some sort of new life form? Oh, who am I kidding… Anyone could tell it was Pinkie Pie in another weird disguise. But I decided to mess with her for a bit. "You know, you're a long way from the nearest pineapple and ocean."

"Huh…?" I heard Pinkie's unmistakable high-pitched voice say from within the bale of hay. I guess even she did not grasp what I was getting at.

Trying to make as much fun of the situation as possible while doing my best to humor Pinkie and her atrocious espionage skills, I continued with the farce while placing my hand on the hay. "Oh, wait… The guy I'm thinking of is a sponge and a total douche. What's your name again? I think I remember… Oh right. Haybob Squarecoat. So, Mr. Squarecoat... What brings you to the Carousel Boutique?"

"Me?! Well… Um… I was just gonna… Um… I was gonna see if Rarity could… Uh… Could…make me anew coat! Gotta have all my coats…uh…square, you know!" Pinkie replied from within her 'disguise'. "I'll just…uh…head on inside."

"Yeah, you go ahead and do that. See ya." I retorted with a slight snicker while the bale of hay started hopping towards the door. Feeling a bit more lighthearted than before, I decided to continue on to the west. Sweet Apple Acres likely still had Applejack doing some work.

I stayed to the south of Ponyville, staying just outside its borders to prevent interacting with anyone that may distract me from my task. Eventually, the roof of a tall farmhouse began to rise over the horizon. And rows of trees lined with red dots. Well… Some were. I suppose the harvest season was on the verge of being completed. There were only a handful of trees that were still loaded with apples.

Son enough, I came to the main area of Sweet Apple Acres. And I did not have to wait long to spot Applejack coming out of the barn side of the farmhouse with a pair of empty bushels at her sides. Feeling both anxious and hopeful, I hastened my pace while calling out to her. "Hey, AJ! Got a minute?"

My farm friend was quick to look in my direction and gave me her inviting smile. "Howdy, James! Ya come over for a lil' bushel haulin'? Might not be much longer before we've got all the trees out 'ere cleared out."

While it would not hurt to earn a few more bits and to get some exercise, I was not there for that. "Um… Maybe some other time, AJ. I came here for a more…personal reason, if you have time."

"Sure! I've always got the time ta help out a friend. What's eatin' ya?" Applejack replied while dropping her bushels for the time being.

Still unsure of whether or not I should reveal all of the details over what I saw in that dream, I decided to start things with a simple question. "Well… How do I say this… AJ? Have you ever…hated me?"

Not surprisingly, my friend tilted her head to one side with a flummoxed expression on her face. "Beg yer pardon? Hate ya? What makes ya say that?"

"Please be honest with me, AJ. Have you ever hated me?" I asked again, wanting an honest answer.

Applejack's puzzled expression became one that was more worrisome. It was then I could tell she knew I was not joking around with her. "Well… Never, if ya wanna know the truth. I mean… I'll say it right now. You and I haven't really clicked all that loud, but… I'd say we've gotten mighty tight with each other over the last few years. But why'd ya ask me that? I didn't do somethin' wrong, did I?"

"Not in reality. It's just… I just woke up from a nap. And the dream I had felt…too real. You ever have a dream like that? Where you woke up questioning if what you saw was something that really happened or was going to happen?" I replied while feeling the doubt tugging at my heart. I did not want to lose Applejack.

Applejack let out a sigh at those words. She then sat down on a stump nearby that seemed to be used for splitting firewood. I have occasionally spotted her swinging an axe around. She has quite the swing and great aim. Regardless, she motioned for me to approach her, so I pulled over a wooden crate to sit on. She then bowed her head and sighed again. "I know what ya mean, James. A while ago, after the Apple family had that lil' run-in with those Flim Flam hooligans, I had a dream where the two dopes had bought out the farm and we had until sundown ta pack up. And when I woke up, I honestly felt like it was real. I went around, askin' my brother and grandma if the farm was bein' bought out."

I stayed silent, allowing Applejack to continue. She soon let out a slight chuckle and looked at me with those big green eyes. "And wouldn't ya know it? It didn't happen. I mean, sure. That memory stuck around in my head for a while, but the farm's just fine today, ain't it? So I say whatever ya saw in yer dream… Just forget about it. Just a dream, ya know?" But she then frowned at me with a somber look in her eyes. Apparently, she realized she had not given me a direct answer. "I mean… No, James. I never hated ya. Never even remotely disliked ya. Yer my friend. And the Apple family never gives up on their friends."

Next thing I know, she had her arms around me for a firm yet gentle embrace. "Never forget that, all right?"

I responded in kind, feeling my faith in my friend being mostly restored. My arms tenderly draped across her back. "Thanks, AJ… I'd hate to lose you…"

Before I even had the chance to do anything, Applejack pulled away from me and…placed her hat on my head. Still looks good with her mane showing, but she certainly does look fine in that hat too. "And I'd hate ta lose ya, pardner."

Applejack did not say anything about why she placed her hat on me. Perhaps a sign of kinship? An attempt to cheer me up? Whatever the reason was, she did not even so much as ask for it back. So I tried to make light of it by giving her a smile while angling the hat's wide brim downward a bit over my face. "Any fella with a lil' lady like you for a friend is one lucky fella indeed."

That got a good chuckle out of my friend. Appreciating her efforts to cheer me up, I gently placed her hat back on her head while making certain it was on the proper angle. After she lifted her hoof to the brim to adjust it further, Applejack hopped back onto her hooves. "Ya sure yer feelin' all right though? Anythin' I can do?"

As much as I appreciated her concern, and as much as I wanted to ignore and suppress the doubt in my heart, I still felt uneasy. As much as I wanted to believe that everything that happened in that dream was just a mirage, some small part of me was not so quick to let me dismiss it as false. "Nah… I'll be fine. Besides, don't you still have some apples to pack away?"

"Guess ya got me there. I really should get back to buckin' the rest of the apples around here. But if ya ever need anythin' just holler, all right?" Applejack replied while giving me her caring smile before retrieving her bushels and heading back out into the grove of apple trees. As for me, I just wanted some time alone to think. So I headed south.

My destination was the local park just past the brook at the south of Ponyville. Even though Sundays tend to be fairly lazy days in town, the park tends to see a lot of visitors taking advantage of the day off. Granted, not every business in town is closed on the day, but I digress. I was not in the mood for the presence of others or conversation, so I made my place to my favorite spot in the entire park.

The air gradually became quiet while a warm summer breeze blew through my hair. My favorite spot. The local pond. I am quite frankly surprised that it does not get more visitors. As usual, I saw that sack of fish food set out in the middle of that tiny peninsula that juts out into the body of water. Once I was in my favorite spot, I took a seat by the sack of fish food. Only this time, I did not toss any to the fish that were likely waiting just below the water's surface. I did not come to relax, but to think.

My left leg was completely extended while my other was bent with my knee sticking up to allow my hand to rest on it. My mind wandered in the near silence of the area around me. I had found and spoken to all six of my dearest friends. The friends I feared I had lost. And even though they were still themselves… Still the same wonderful women I had come to adore, the memories still came flooding back.

I still remembered the anxiety… The fear that caused my chest to burn and stomach to churn. The pain of being kicked squarely in the head by my own girlfriend. The wrath… The building despair and madness… I even still remember the smell of blood on my hands… That wretched laughter as I tore Discord apart… What had I become… And of course, I could still remember the cold that filled me and the weakness that dragged me down as I lay dying after all was said and done. I was dying. And I had lost that which made my life worth living.

It was just a dream. I kept trying to tell myself that. But it was not easy to let go of the notion that it was something more. However, I did not have that much time to think things over for much longer as I heard the sound of hooves clopping. They were drawing near, but I paid them no mind. Probably just some visitors who wanted to feed the fish. But they came to a stop just behind me. I felt the urge to get up and walk away to find a more secluded location. I was not in the mood for conversation or company. But before I could, a familiar voice spoke up behind me. "James…"

I was left both happy, yet anxious when I heard that voice. I immediately turned my head to look behind me. They were all there. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle. And they all had the exact same concern look on their faces. It was then that Twilight spoke again. "We need to talk."

It was hardly surprising. What with Pinkie Pie having likely tailed me all afternoon in that lousy disguise, she probably talked to all my friends after I spoke to them. I still felt no words come to my lips, so I weakly motioned my hand for them to gather around. They all walked around to my front and took a seat or lied down. All six of my most precious friends were lined up in a row before me. And yet, I still felt uneasy. I did not understand why. I always felt calm in their presence.

"Are you…feeling all right?" Fluttershy asked quietly, showing a profound worry in those beautiful eyes.

Feeling strangely bitter, I replied dryly with my voice in more of a monotone pitch that I rarely speak with anymore. "I'm guessing a certain Haybob Squarecoat told you I haven't quite been myself today?" My eyes were focused exclusively on Pinkie Pie. And she knew it.

"Wait, how'd you know?! There's no way you could've seen trough that disguise! I kept changing it up!" Pinkie exclaimed loudly, looking genuinely surprised I had seen through her disguise. Rainbow Dash silently shook her head while appearing to be mildly annoyed. I suppose even she could see through it with no problem.

"Pinkie, you already tried and failed to hide from me using a cardboard box. What makes you think I wouldn't notice you hiding in a bale of hay with you adding more and more stuff to it? When a disguise doesn't work, you throw it out and use something else." I once more replied dryly. That actually got a bit of a chuckle or grin out of the rest of my friends. I just hope they never ask her to wear a disguise to keep track of someone. It would likely backfire horribly.

"Uh… Yes… That would be wise. But in any case, darling… Pinkie Pie informed us that you have not been quite…yourself today. And you have come to us with the exact same worries each time." Rarity then explained while still looking rather worried.

Applejack then added, "I know ya already went over that whole dream thing with me, but… James, we gotta know. What happened that's got ya so weirded out?"

I could tell that they were not going to depart. And a part of me did not want them to. I was glad that they had sought me out during my time of need. But I was reluctant to reveal the full details. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"What kinda question is that? We all came here to find out. Go ahead, big guy. Tell us. We'll listen." Rainbow Dash then said rather softly, not showing her usual brashness.

With some hesitation, I decided to break things to them slowly. "OK… The dream was… It was when we had to deal with Discord."

"But that was a few years ago by now, was it not?" Rarity asked while seeming noticeably puzzled. If what I saw was a dream, then what was it that really happened between us and that freak show that left Rarity looking hardly bothered at all? Was he still alive?

I continued to speak in that low monotone, not feeling emotional enough to speak normally. "I don't even know anymore… But from what I remember, he stole the Elements of Harmony and we went looking through a labyrinth or something. I wasn't worried since I was all armored up. But…when I found some of you… You had been…corrupted… Changed… You weren't even the same people anymore."

They seemed all too aware of what it was I was referring to, judging by those uneasy or even slightly horrified expressions. But Twilight still managed to reply calmly. "Go on…"

Despite the silence, I could feel a subtle tension in the air. "You turned me away… Declared you hated me. Some of you even attacked me. Hurt me. It was only then that I knew what I had lost…and who had taken it from me. I fled the labyrinth to find Discord… Tricked him into a 'game' where our lives were the prizes and…"

It did not take much imagination after that last bit to figure out what happened. Fluttershy's eyes went wide in horror before she asked, "You…killed him?"

The memories became more vibrant. I felt tears build in my eyes as I felt my chest burn while I held my hand to my face. "I went mad… All that laughing to drown the pain… I can still remember the smell of blood… I even remember the feeling of cold when I was bleeding to death in the end… I remember the moment when I…"

I was suddenly silenced when I felt a hoof over my mouth. When I lowered my hand from my weeping eyes, I saw Pinkie Pie holding her hoof over my lips, tears also starting to fall from her eyelids. Her gaze was silently pleading with me to say no more. And so I stopped speaking. But my words had clearly jarred my friends.

"That sounds like…one hay of a nightmare…" Rainbow Dash spoke softly while gazing at the ground.

"I knew somethin' was on yer mind… But somethin' like that? What did ya even eat last night ta make you dream up somethin' that freaky?" Applejack asked, her eyes showing sympathy and concern.

I buried held my hand to my face again, letting the tears flow. The memories… Even though they were false, they still hurt. "I don't know… But it felt so real…"

Finally, Pinkie Pie moved my hand away from my face and looked at me with a pleading gaze while speaking in a surprisingly serious tone I rarely hear from her. "But it wasn't really, right? But if it really hurt that much… James, we've been friends for a long time now. But… What are we to you?"

A question that I was almost expecting. I suppose I would've eventually had to answer that at some point. I was unsure of how to answer that at first, averting my eyes before asking in return, "Do you mind if what I say sounds corny at all?"

"All that matters is that you are honest with us, darling. Go right ahead." Rarity replied with a calming tone in her voice.

It was then that I decided to be completely straightforward with my answer. Without even bringing myself to look at them, I spoke my heart. "You girls are my life."

Nothing. Not the slightest sound was heard in response. I turned to look at them and saw that they were frozen in place. They glanced about, bowed their heads, even shed a tear or two, but did not say a word. In the end, it was Rainbow Dash who broke the silence while looking genuinely touched. "What do you mean…?"

I tried going into detail, hoping I could make my answer more clear. "When I came to this world, I had practically nothing on me. I was lost. I was confused. I had no idea what to do. But on my very first day, you were all there for me. You welcomed me with more hospitality than I could've ever had expected back on my home planet and helped me get accustomed to this wonderful world. I was never without help and you were always there for me. You were…and still are the foundation of my life in Equestria. I don't even want to know where I'd be today if I never met you girls…"

They continued to gaze at me in tearful silence. But soon, Applejack gazed at me with a bit of a smirk while still shedding some tears before trotting towards me. "Come 'ere, sugar cube."

Next thing I knew, my strong and dependable friend was holding me in a tender embrace. One by one, the rest of my friends came forward as well. I was soon being held in a rainbow of colors of the wonderful women who have come to mean everything to me. I then heard Fluttershy whisper, "The feeling is mutual, honey…"

As much as I tried, I could not get my arms around all of them. So all I did was bask in their warmth and their sincere affection. I heard Twilight begin to speak from next to my head. "James… Thank you. I'm glad we met you too. And don't let any dream tell you that we would leave or betray you, because we won't. You are just as important to us as we are to each other. You're a piece of a puzzle. And I don't want that puzzle to ever be incomplete…"

However, it was then that an important question came to mind. "Thanks… But wait… How did we handle Discord when he got lose again?"

"Wait, you seriously don't remember? You been comatose for a few years?" Rainbow Dash asked in return from right next to me.

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie burst out of the group hug with an excited smile. "Oh, I can show you! I made these for just such an occasion!" She then reached behind her, apparently into her 'Pinkie Space', and pulled out a total of eight small wooden puppets. Judging by the strings attached and the control bars, they seemed to be marionettes. Six of them were of my six closest friends without any horns or wings, one was obviously Discord, and the eighth was clearly me in armor with sword and shield in hand.

"OK, that's a might creepy, Pinkie… And when'd ya make those?" Applejack remarked while my friends started to pull away from me. Was Pinkie Pie seriously about to put on a puppet show?

"Oh, I made these a while ago just for fun! Anyway, let's get started!" Pinkie exclaimed while she held the control bars for my puppet self up. Just do not ask me how she did it without fingers…

"OK, from what I remember… We were all separated like the first time when we went into the labyrinth to find the Elements of Harmony. So James was all on his own!" Pinkie Pie narrated while making my puppet 'walk' along in a jumpy and clattering manner. But what can you do when your only means to control them is with strings?

"But after a while, he met up with Twilight! And boy, were they happy to see each other!" Pinkie then used her other hoof to hold the control bars that moved Twilight's puppet form. She then made hers and mine come together before making their arms rise up and cutely hold each other in a hug that got a sound of adoration from some of my friends.

"After that, they decided to stick together." Pinkie Pie then made our puppets 'walk' in place to signify them moving through the maze. "But when they rounded a few more corners, they found Rarity and Tom!"

"Tom? Wait a second… Wasn't that the…" I started to say, but Rarity suddenly barged in with a truly flustered look.

"Pinkie, no! We promised we would never speak of this again!" Rarity practically yelled while I noticed her starting to sweat. Did she remember her strange attraction to that boulder?

But Pinkie Pie did not seem willing to relent. "Sorry, but he wants to know what happened! But I didn't make a puppet for… Oh, wait!" She then reached to the side and pulled over a rock lying nearby that was roughly as big as my puppet form. "There we go! Now we have Tom! Anyway, Rarity wasn't acting herself! She wanted nothing to do with her friends and instead kept showering her affection on the handsome boulder!" All the while, Pinkie made Rarity's puppet constantly rub against the spare rock while Rarity tried to hide her face in utter embarrassment. Despite how unpleasant the memories of that dream were, Rarity's reaction was utterly hilarious.

"Never knew you had a fetish for big rocks, Rarity." Rainbow Dash said with a smirk while wiggling her eyebrows.

Rarity did not take that well, clearly not being proud of her actions that day. "I do not! It was Discord's doing and you know that! Why do you think I never wanted us to speak of this again?!"

Feeling the urge to poke fun at such a ridiculous attraction, I smirked at Rarity. "Just what else did you do with that thing that you're not telling us?"

"James, I... I... Ugh, please! Just stop teasing me!" Rarity groaned loudly as everyone around me laughed while she pulled her mane over her face. Maybe that was going a bit too far, but I am sure she would never go that far with a boulder.

"Anyway… Back to the story!" Pinkie Pie said loudly to get our attention. "James was disturbed by the changes in Rarity. It hurt to see somepony so precious to him become so different and wrong! Fortunately, Twilight knew what was wrong and how to fix her. But since she couldn't use magic without her horn, she explained to James how to use the spell since his armor's gauntlets could still use magic!"

I was actually mildly shocked to know that there was really a way to return my friends to normal. If only I had known that the changes in their minds and souls was temporary… So much bedlam could have been avoided. Oh well. It was merely a dream, so perhaps it was not the case then. Regardless, my puppet extended the hand that held the sword towards Rarity. And after that, Pinkie Pie continued to speak. "And wouldn't you know it? The spell worked! Rarity remembered who she was and pushed the boulder away! And she was very happy to see her friends again!"

The three puppets then gathered around each other, showing a type of cute group hug. But once that was over, Pinkie made Discord's puppet jump into the scene. "But Discord saw everything! And he went right to the rule breakers! He laughed and called out 'Oh, too bad! The temptation was too great to resist, wasn't it? You knew you shouldn't use magic, but you did it anyway, huh?'. It looked bad. Discord was right. James did use magic when the rules were that magic and flying couldn't be used!"

Pinkie then made Twilight's puppet hop forward. "But Twilight had an idea! 'Hold on! We couldn't use magic to help ourselves find the Elements of Harmony! That spell was just to turn our friend back to normal! It's completely unrelated to this game of yours!' Twilight said while looking up at James."

With a flick of a string, Pinkie made the wings on the back of my puppet extend. "James then said 'And I don't see what's wrong with using my wings for little things like this.' right before using his feathers to tickle Discord's nose!" And that is exactly what she did. She made the wing go towards Discord's puppet face and rub the tips of the feathers over the nose.

"After a great sneeze, Discord pouted and crossed his arms. 'All right, fine! But if I see you doing any other kind of magic or using those wings to fly, the game is over and I win. Got it?!' Discord shouted before disappearing again. And with that big meanie outta the way, they could continue the search!" Pinkie continued before yanking Discord's puppet out of sight and making the puppets of myself, Rarity, and Twilight hop and flail along while trying to simulate walking.

Next, Pinkie Pie made Applejack's puppet come into view. "The next pony they found was Applejack! But something was off about her too. She kept saying things that weren't true or didn't even make sense! But with one cast of the same spell as before, she was back to her old self. Good old honest Applejack!" Applejack herself let out a light chuckle at Pinkie's recounting of her purification. Once more, Pinkie had the puppets engage in a group hug. Even if it was getting repetitious and probably did not happen that way, it was still rather cute to see.

After making the puppets clatter along for a moment longer, she made Rainbow Dash's puppet hop and flail over to the group. "Everypony then found Rainbow Dash! She seemed OK though. Still tough and loyal just like we'd always known her." Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and held her head high while nodding proudly. I guess she was feeling pretty good with herself for being one of the few to stay out of Discord's clutches.

"But then they found me!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed while having her puppet come onto the scene. "I was so mean and angry and bitter about everything! Good thing my friends were there to change me back to normal though! And boy, did I ever thank them with the best hug I could ever give!" In ways I cannot explain, the forelegs of her puppet form suddenly extended like ropes of taffy and wrapped around all the other puppets. Was that a special function she built into it? Either way, my friends mostly grinned or laughed at the enthusiasm of the puppeteer performing.

"And last but not least, there was Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed while making the puppets hop and flail about over towards Fluttershy's puppet. Funny thing I should mention about the Pinkie Pie puppet is that unlike the others, her puppeteer seemed to be trying to reproduce her jolly hopping movements. But at the sight of the Fluttershy puppet facing the others, I felt great unease fill me as I recalled the moment in the dream when I had been kicked squarely in the forehead by my lover.

"She was just so mean! And she was especially mean to James!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed while making the puppet swing her tail at some of the other pony puppets and even seemed to take a swing at my puppet form. Fluttershy herself even seemed to cringe and seem rather guilty with how she seemed to try to hide her face behind her mane.

"But it didn't last long. James went right to work on using the spell Twilight taught him to change Fluttershy back. And with that, everypony was back to normal!" Pinkie Pie said once more while she made the Fluttershy puppet practically jump at my puppet replica and hold onto it in an embrace. Cute. Very cute.

"And so, off we went to try to find the Elements of Harmony together! But we had already been searching for a while. And we didn't even find one! And so Rainbow Dash called out to Discord, claiming the game master was cheating himself! Well, he decided to pop up for a visit!" And as she said those words, Pinkie yanked the Discord puppet back over, but had somehow slipped on a pair of sunglasses, orange water wings, and rather flowery swim trunks. "And so he gawked at us and said 'Do you mind? I was about to catch some waves down at Cantercun. What're you complaining about now?' while we all looked on feeling pretty annoyed." Sure enough, she was keeping Discord as unpredictable and goofy as I remembered him. The little play was actually getting pretty entertaining.

While doing her best Fluttershy impersonation, which I have to say is quite impressive, Pinkie Pie then spoke while making the Fluttershy puppet hop forward a bit. "Fluttershy was brave enough to step forward. And she asked 'Um… Well, we haven't found any of the Elements of Harmony yet and…well… You didn't give us a lot to go on.', but then Applejack said 'Yeah, all ya said was that we had ta search within or some other junk like that. Ain't sayin' much, ya know.' while we all looked at him with really annoyed glares."

Pinkie Pie then quickly removed Discord's more tropical attire and put them away somewhere while she made Discord cross his arms. "And Discord just laughed at us and said 'What, you want me to lay out a trail of bread crumbs for you? I gave you the only hint you're gonna get., my little ponies.' while he got closer and closer to us."

With subtle tweaks of the strings, Pinkie Pie made Discord's puppet form shamble closer to us. It seemed to be approaching my puppet form more than anyone else. "And he looked down at us and smirked and said 'You know, you could just give up. If you think this game's a lost cause, we can…' but he got cut off when Rainbow Dash kicked him away!"

As she said, the Rainbow Dash puppet did a type of jumping kick and kicked the Discord puppet away with a blow to the abdomen. "But Rainbow Dash noticed something weird when she kicked Discord. She looked at him and shouted 'Hey! I felt something there! Something that didn't feel like bone!' while we all started to give hi some funny looks."

Of course. So he did hide the Elements of Harmony inside his own body. Anyway, Pinkie Pie had the Discord puppet raise its hands. "Discord decided to play dumb and acted like nothing was wrong. 'Well, when you're me, who knows how your body works, Rainbow Dash. I could be made of fish paste and candy canes on the inside for all you know!' he said with a laugh. But James was starting to get an idea. He pointed his sword at the goofy draconequus and smirked a bit. 'In that cause, stick out your tongue and let's see what's on it.' he demanded while we looked on. I remember thinking we were about to play doctor or something!"

And so she made the Discord puppet's lower jaw drop open before a long thin pink appendage extended quite a distance. Probably installed it herself while she was making it. "So he stuck out his really really long tongue. And there was nothing on it! 'See? I have nothing to hide.' he said with that smug smirk still on his face. But that's when James grabbed him by the tongue and said 'I meant to show us the whole thing!' and started pulling!"

That actually caught me by surprise. She made my puppet version drop its sword and shield and grab the 'tongue' with both hands before it started to pull with the pink appendage starting to extend. "Discord didn't like this at all and started to cry out 'Whoa, what're you doing?! That's not nice! Let go!' but we all started to join in! Applejack said 'What's the matter, Discord? Ponies got yer tongue?' while we all started pulling!"

True to her word, all six of the pony puppets grabbed the tongue and started pulling as well while it started coil on the ground. Did we seriously do that?! It almost looked painful, but hilarious too! After the tongue had been pulled on long enough for three times its initial length to emerge from Discord, I saw them. All lined up in a row were the six Elements of Harmony hanging from Discord's tongue. "And there they were! The Elements of Harmony had been 'within' Discord the whole time!"

My friends started to show looks of satisfaction or anticipation, as they seemed to be recalling their moment of triumph. "We couldn't believe it! The one place we never would've guess to look! We all scrambled to put on our matching Elements, even if they were a bit icky and slimy. 'You've got to be kidding me, Discord! We had to search within you the whole time? You jerk!' Twilight yelled at Discord while we all stood ready to use the Elements. Victory was ours!"

There were some chuckles and grins among my friends. Finally, Pinkie Pie gave the string that was connected to the tail of the Discord puppet a yank, causing the tongue to start to rapidly retreat back into the body. "And so we stood victorious, the Elements of Harmony back in their rightful places! 'Looks like we win, you wretch! Any last words?' Rarity asked while she stood ready to use the Elements with us. Discord, defiant as he was, groaned before bowing his head in frustration. 'You little… Fine. I did all I could to make sure I came out on top, but you all won fair and square. If nothing else, I'm a man of my word. Let's get this over with!' Discord groaned before he stood ready with his arms crossed. He knew he lost and there was nothing we could do. And so we put him back where he came from!"

When Pinkie Pie said that though, the six little plastic or glass objects that made up the crystalline gemstone segments of the Elements of Harmony began to give off a glow. And then… Well, I have no idea how she did it, but the little toy props began to essentially recreate the functions of the Elements of Harmony on a much smaller scale. My puppet doppelganger seemed to stand back since it seemed the Element of Humanity was not necessary to get the job done. Although Rainbow Dash soon spoke up while we all looked on in intrigue. "That's a pretty funky lightshow those puppets are putting on. Are you sure those are just lights?"

It was at that moment that the rainbow of harmonic magical energy rose rapidly into the air from the six pony puppets and dropped right onto and engulfed the Discord puppet, creating a miniature rainbow in the process. But once the rainbow suddenly faded, I saw that the Discord puppet had quite literally become a stone statue. And the pose… Looks like Discord was trying to spite his opponents to the very end. The pose seemed to show him leaning forward with his tongue sticking out quite far while using a finger to pull one lower eyelid down to reveal the flesh inside. A typical obnoxious facial expression used to annoy or taunt others. Once that fancy lightshow completely faded, Pinkie tugged on the strings again, causing wings and horns to emerge from the puppet forms of Twilight, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity. "And that's how Equestria was ma… I mean was saved!"

After eyeing the petrified Discord puppet for a few seconds, I looked at Twilight. "So… If this reenactment is accurate, Discord is now stuck in this pose right now back in Canterlot?"

"He most certainly is. I guess it's true what they say. If you make weird faces often enough, it'll freeze like that!" She replied in an attempt to be funny. And my friends did get a laugh out of it. If nothing else, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief knowing that the outcome of that ordeal was not what my dream made it out to be.

Once the puppets had been put away in…lord knows where, Rarity turned to me with a smile. "See, darling? We triumphed in the end and everypony is no worse for the wear. And you were certainly a big help too. Did that put your doubts in their place?"

I would be lying if I said my doubts were entirely gone. With how vivid and real that dream felt… But even so, after seeing Pinkie Pie go to such lengths to show me what truly happening, I knew there was no way they were lying to me over the true outcome of that day. Rainbow Dash then stepped forward with a smile. "Hey, just forget about that dream, all right? Pinkie Pie might've been a bit over-the-top with some of that performance, but it was all true! Discord's still stuck in stone back in Canterlot and we're all still the best of friends! No worries, OK?"

A slight smile slowly creeped across my lips. It felt reassuring knowing that all was well in spit of what my memory was telling me. My hands were not stained with blood and those who are most dear to me remain in my life. "Yeah… I just need to keep telling myself what I remember isn't real. I'm glad you girls are still with me…"

Pinkie Pie then trotted up to me and showed me that optimistic smile of hers before resting a hoof on my shoulder. "Hey, no frowns, OK? Besides, we've got some happy days coming up! Did you forget what's happening in ten days?"

Considering how little I remember since the day Discord was recaptured, I was not surprised something had slipped my mind. "Uh… Remind me again? I'm having trouble remembering a lot of things right now."

Fluttershy giggled lightly before she reached out and kissed my cheek. "It's our wedding day, honey. We've been planning it out for a while."

That got my heart pumping and my temperature rising. Marriage? Us? "Wait, seriously? In ten days?"

My friends got a good laugh out of my shock, but Fluttershy never once even snickered. She looked at me with that smile and gaze of adoration, showing she was being quite serious while being very happy at the thought. Applejack then spoke, "What's wrong, pardner? Y'all ain't gettin' cold feet now, are ya? You've been engaged for the past few months!"

"No, I'm not! It's just… Well, with how little I remember, it just seems…sudden. Maybe I just need to get used to the idea all over again." I replied while still feeling nervous and excited. Fluttershy and I were set to get married in less than two weeks. "Um… Just a reminder, but is there anything else important I might be forgetting?"

Pretty much right when I said that, I heard a familiar buzzing sound that got our attention. It seemed to be coming from the north. Twilight looked at me and smiled excitedly. "This should answer your question."

It was no secret on what was making that sound as it got closer. It was clearly the sound of Scootaloo riding her scooter. And sure enough, there she was. Scootaloo burst over the top of a hill on her scooter and came rolling down the slope towards the pond. Only… Were her wings a bit bigger than I recall? And was she just a smidge bigger herself? And… Who was that riding the scooter behind her? There was the sound of a young filly squealing in excitement coming from somewhere behind her.

Scootaloo made a beeline right for us. I was initially worried about her going right into the pond, but she instead skimmed right across the surface with only the scooter's wheels being dragged through the water. She came to a stop right in front of us and swiftly removed her helmet. She definitely seemed like she had aged slightly since I last saw her, but she still had that energetic smile and gleam in her eyes that I had come to adore. Rainbow Dash was quick to praise her. "Smooth moves, squirt! Your wings just keep getting stronger every year, huh?"

"You bet they do, Rainbow Dash! And somepony wanted to take a ride today." Scootaloo replied with enthusiasm while her passenger hopped off the scooter's board with an unsteady but giddy stance. But who was this child? Her legs seemed unusually long… Almost fawnlike. I am pretty sure Fluttershy had an identical body during her childhood if my memories of her old photos serve me well. Her coat was similar to Fluttershy's as well, but was slightly tanner. And her mane and tail… They were the same shade of pink as Fluttershy's, but were also dark brown. It strangely brought to mind Neapolitan ice cream… The style was somewhat similar to Fluttershy's, although not as long and the tail was somewhat wavier, if that makes sense. And the eyes… The same as mine.

Before I could even ask who this little filly was, she trotted right over to me and nuzzled her head against my chest. "Hi, Daddy!"

What… She… At first, my mind could not process those words. The filly had just referred to me as her father. I turned my gaze to Fluttershy, who seemed to understand that I was sincerely confused. In return, she smiled lovingly at me and spoke softly. "She's ours, James. Her name is Gladesong."

Gladesong… Such a sweet name. And such an adorable filly. And… We made her together? I was a father? As much of a shock it was to me, I could not help finding the child to be utterly adorable. I tenderly rested my hand on the back of her head, stroking her mane tenderly. Eventually, I asked the big question. "So… I'm a dad?"

"For the last few years, darling. She's almost three years old by now." Rarity replied with an endearing smile.

Even though the role of fatherhood had rather literally been shoved into my chest, I felt surprisingly content with it. Even if I was starting to sweat in a bit of anxiety. But if I had been looking out for our child for close to three years… Perhaps I really was cut out for the role.

Things quickly returned to normal. I tended to taking Scootaloo to school and Gladesong to preschool in the mornings before heading to work. And Fluttershy would often join me for lunch. I found that a new room had been added on at home just beyond the stairs in the living room for little Gladesong. And while the doubt from that awful nightmare still lingered, the daily repetition of interacting with those most dear to me slowly caused it to ebb away. Hopefully it would disappear entirely someday soon. But as things were, life was good. No crazy crisis to tend to with my friends. Just the simple life in Ponyville I had come to adore.

However, five days later, I got an unexpected surprise while working at Sugarcube Corner. It was getting close to noon while Pinkie Pie and I were baking a few batches of cupcakes. Nothing out of the ordinary. At least until Mrs. Cake came into the kitchen from the storefront. She showed us that motherly smile she always has before directing her gaze to me. "Oh, James? Somepony wishes to see you out front. I'll cover for you back here."

"Me? OK then." I replied briefly before pushing my way through the twin swinging doors that led out to the storefront. When I emerged, it immediately became clear to me why I had been requested out front. Standing beyond the counter were two of the dearest friends I had in the entire world. Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon. Happy to see my friends and eager to make them happy, I promptly offered them my services. "Oh, hey! Luna, Nightmare Moon! Can I get you anything?"

Nightmare Moon was the one to answer me, smiling calmly beside her sister. "Oh… Not really. The only thing you can truly give us at the moment is a dear embrace, if that is not too much to ask."

"That's it? OK then." I said in return before approaching them from behind the counter. It certainly felt like it had been quite some time since I last saw them or held them in my arms. I could never refuse those wonderful mares. I stood before them and threw an arm around their necks while I felt them each drape a wing over me in the process.

"It's so good to see you well, my friend…" I heard Luna speak with an oddly subdued voice. I could also feel something with Nightmare Moon by merely touching her. They felt… I am unsure of what it was, but it concerned me. Restrained emotions?

"Are you OK?" I asked while my two gorgeous friends held me in their wings. However, we did not have time to really discuss anything as I saw the front door opening behind them. But as much as I should have been tending to the immediate customer, I was in no hurry to release my two friends from our embrace.

I was pleasantly surprised to see who the customer was. Luna and Nightmare Moon also turned their heads to get a look at who was right behind them. I saw my fiancée's face peek out from behind the door. She seemed like she was about to speak up before pausing upon seeing the two royal alicorns before her. "Oh, I'm sorry… Am I interrupting anything, your highnesses?"

I decided to not keep myself from her any longer and released my grasp on my two friends. "Oh, not at all. What's up, honey?"

Nightmare Moon followed with a greeting of her own. "I hope we are not intruding. My sister and I were merely visiting our friend."

Fluttershy responded with that meek little smile of hers, but then seemed to turn her attention to something that was just behind her. Or maybe even below her. Gladesong was probably right beside her, seeing as how she is likely with Fluttershy when Rarity is not foalsitting her. She then turned her gaze back to the two princesses and gave a proper retort. "Oh, I see. But…um… Right now, there's somepony I'd love you to meet."

"Truly?" Luna asked in return while I felt a slightly excited grin spread across my face. I knew who was right behind that door.

My lover turned to her company and began to speak softly to coax it out. "Come on now… It's all right. They won't hurt you."

I had discovered that Gladesong certainly did inherit some of her mother's shyness over the last few days, so it was no surprise to me that she was a bit apprehensive over meeting someone new. Eventually, Gladesong did step into few. I found the expressions on Luna and Nightmare Moon's faces to be rather amusing. It was as if they could not comprehend what they were seeing. Why? Was it really their first time seeing Gladesong in person? Kind of hard to believe since she has been around for a few years. Well, I was not going to question it. Soon, little Gladesong turned to her mother and asked, "Mama…? Who are they?"

Fluttershy responded with such a sweet smile before nuzzling our daughter's cheek. "That's Princess Luna and Princess Nightmare Moon. They're the ones who make the moon come out every night and make sure you always have the sweetest dreams."

"She called you 'Mama'… Do not tell me she…" Luna stammered a bit, her confusion on full display.

I decided to go ahead and break the news to the two royal sisters. "Luna. Nightmare Moon. This is Gladesong. She's our daughter."

Both Nightmare Moon and Luna were showing looks of utter bewilderment. But then Fluttershy followed my words with a cute giggle. "Also… We'll be getting married in a few days. I hope you can both come."

Gladesong then took one step forward and bowed in an incredibly cute manner while not looking directly at the two sisters. "Um… It's an honor to meet you, your…tallness?"

My daughter's fumbling with her words caused the awkward tension in the air to fade quickly as both Luna and Nightmare Moon chuckled heartily. It would be really hard to not find that moment cute. Nightmare Moon then spoke to my daughter with a smile. "The correct term is 'highness', child. But please, there is no need to bow. Your father is a good friend of ours. And you are Gladesong?"

"Ye… Yes. My name is Gladesong. And you're both…Papa's friends?" Gladesong replied with a nervous stammer. She clearly had not entirely relaxed in the presence of royalty.

In an endearing attempt to help Gladesong relax, Luna extended her left wing and gently held her wingtip to her chin. "There is no need to be so timid, child. Please do relax. As friends of your father, we are your friends as well."

This seemed to help Gladesong relax greatly since she instantly looked up with a smile and an excited gleam in her eyes. "Really?! Uh… OK!"

"Now that the thought comes to me, just exactly how old is she?" Nightmare Moon asked while she glanced at us. Were they truly not aware of how old Gladesong is?

Regardless of how odd it was that they had not met Gladesong until that moment, I decided to go ahead and answer the question. "She's almost three."

That look of mild shock on their faces definitely seemed to show that they were not expecting such an answer. What, were they thinking that she should still be in diapers? I am actually quite glad I do not recall the diaper phase of her life.

For whatever reason, Nightmare Moon began to make her way towards the door. She then spoke in a barely disguised uneasy voice, "Well… I just now remembered that we are meant to be at the town hall very shortly. But it was good seeing all of you. And it was especially a pleasure to meet you, Gladesong. Be good for your mother and father, all right?"

Gladesong smiled and hopped in place in similar fashion to what I would expect from Pinkie Pie. "OK! I'll be good for Mama and Papa!"

"Good to hear. Now then, please do excuse us. Let us meet again very soon." Luna replied while she too began to make her way out of Sugarcube Corner. We all waved goodbye before the door closed behind my two royal friends.

"They seemed very surprised to see Gladesong. Do you think they just forgot about her?" Fluttershy asked while she looked back to me. Gladesong seemed to be distracted by all the delicious treats that were on display inside the front counter.

"I guess it must be hard to remember every single person you've met. I know I've had that problem before." I said in return while glancing at the door before turning my attention back to my beautiful and sweet lover. "But now that you're here, what can I help you with?"

Fluttershy smiled meekly before looking over at our daughter. "Well… I know you usually take your lunch break soon. So I was wondering if we could stop by early to maybe chat for a bit. And Gladesong really wanted to have some chocolate drops."

Of course. Chocolate drops certainly are popular, but they are especially popular with the kids. "Oh, sure! Just let me go get some. Pinkie and I just finished some. You and Gladesong just pull up a seat and I'll be right out."

I went back into the kitchen to fetch four chocolate drops. Two for Gladesong and the other two for me and Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie had apparently overheard our chat and had already used some icing to adorn two of the chocolate drops with white daisy designs. Something I discovered is that Gladesong has quite a penchant for flowers. And sure enough, when I brought out that tray of treats, she grinned so brightly and giggled while I set out the two drops in front of her. "Daisies!"

"Very good, Gladesong. And what are those?" Fluttershy asked with a smile. I went ahead and used red, white, and green icing to put more flower designs on the other two just so she could see more flowers.

"Roses!" Gladesong said cheerfully while I pulled up a stool to the table in the corner. When I glanced back at the counter, I saw that Mr. Cake was standing there while flashing me a smile. Since he is a father too, I suppose he understand it was important to spend some time with your sweetheart and child.

"Yup. Red and white roses." I replied while tenderly stroking my fingers through her mane while Fluttershy looked on with a smile.

"Have things been OK at work, honey?" Fluttershy asked while she started to snack on her chocolate drop. Hers was the one with a white rose design on top.

"Yeah, things are always pretty good. Especially when Pinkie Pie is there. She really knows how to handle herself in the kitchen." I replied while also enjoying mine.

I am unsure if I should really go into detail over what we discussed. While it was a pleasant and fulfilling conversation between lovers, I strongly doubt it would be of much interest to anyone on the outside looking in. However, there was one little moment with Gladesong I would be happy to share.

Midway into our conversation, I paused when I heard some grunting from Gladesong. When I turned my gaze towards her, I had to stop myself from snickering at the sight of her trying to grab and pick up a chocolate drop with her wing. As anypony would know, pegasus wings are both strong and flexible enough to mimic a hand. I suppose she was trying to mimic her mother's use of her wings. Only problem was that her wings at the time were so itty-bitty and could not really grasp anything. Finally, she gave up and held the thing between her hooves before taking a bite. I smiled before reaching out and lightly scratching her ear. "Don't rush it, sweetheart. You'll earn your wings eventually."

Once we had finished our chat and the tray of treats, I decided to take my lunch break and headed out with Fluttershy and Gladesong. The adorable little filly stayed right between Fluttershy and me, trotting along with a song in her heart. No, really. She just started singing out of nowhere. I think it was a little song she came up with about flowers. I can see where the 'song' in her name comes from, although I cannot remember the lyrics for the life of me.

The café was our destination, as it was many times before. Upon arrival, the waiter fetched us a booster stool for little Gladesong. It looked much like a booster seat I would see in restaurants back on Earth, albeit the legs looked more like a stool's. "Can't remember the last time I saw anyone use one of these. Then again, you don't see baby ponies too often in general." I said aloud without thinking too much on it.

Fluttershy showed me a calm smile while she watched me help Gladesong into her seat. "Well, we ponies don't breed that often. We normally only go into season a few times a year and it takes eleven months for the foal to develop."

"Oh, right. Forgot that. Human females are able to breed roughly once a month and the gestation period lasts only nine months, so there's lots of kids being born each year." I replied while remembering the comparison. I pulled up the stool the waiter always provided for me while Fluttershy also pulled up a stool. The waiter then soon returned with menus and glasses of water. Although with Gladesong, he provided her a little apple juice box complete with a bendy straw. However, just as we started to look through our menus, I felt a familiar presence drawing near.

Soon, a familiar voice carrying the accent of nobility spoke up. "Good afternoon, darlings! May I join you?"

Before either of us could even look in the direction of who was addressing us, Gladesong spoke up in a cheery tone. "Hi, Aunty Rarity!"

Indeed, the voice belonged to Rarity. She was standing right behind Fluttershy and I, so it was no wonder Gladesong saw her first. "Hello, Gladesong dearest! Oh, you're just the filly I was hoping to see! I have a little surprise for you!"

"A surprise?! Show me, show me!" Gladesong squealed while wiggling in her seat. Knowing Rarity, she must have put together a little dress for our daughter. Fluttershy giggling quietly while watching our daughter dance for Rarity and I too found the moment to be quite cute.

"Oh, aren't you excited! Now, close your eyes and I'll show you." Rarity commanded, which Gladesong immediate complied. The little filly closed her eyes and even held her hooves over them. But after taking a few steps, Rarity smirked at Gladesong when she lifted one hoof and opened her eye. "No peeking!"

Gladesong quickly closed and covered her eye upon being barked at while her mother and I watched with smiles. Rarity had a pair of saddlebags at her sides, the clasps bearing one of the diamonds that make up her cutie mark. Once she was right behind Gladesong, she used the levitation spell to open the one that hung off her right side. What rose up out of the bag was just about what I expected. A minty green hat with a domed top and a wide brim. A white sash of sorts was wrapped around the base, which had numerous flowers neatly tucked into it. She then levitated a small hand mirror from the other bag and held it before Gladesong's face. "You may look now."

The instant Gladesong opened her eyes and saw her reflection, one word escaped her lips. "Flowers!"

"Just as you like them! Roses, daises, and pansies. You like it?" Rarity replied while looking exceptionally proud of her work.

Gladesong turned her head every which way to get a good look at her new hat, looking absolutely delighted with it. "It's so pretty! Thank you, Aunt Rarity!"

Rarity beamed in delight before reaching out and placing a sweet little kiss on Gladesong's cheek. "You're quite welcome, darling."

Rarity and Gladesong's very clear bond caught my eye. She was especially doting to my daughter. "You and Gladesong get along pretty well, huh?"

Rarity pulled up another stool and gave both me and Fluttershy a broad smile while Gladesong kept holding the little mirror in her hands to admire the flowers in her hat. "Oh, but of course we are! I did receive the honor of becoming dear little Gladesong's godmother, of course."

"You are?" I asked while feeling rather surprised. How could I forget something like that?

Fluttershy seemed a bit amused by my obliviousness to this little fact. "Yes, she is. She even suggested the name 'Gladesong' before she was born."

So… Rarity herself devised our daughter's name in the end. Well, it certainly fit in the end. Gladesong certainly was not bad at singing for a toddler. And she has always loved flowers. Whenever I find her out of the house at home, she is prancing and hopping through flowerbeds or even just basking in them. However, Rarity then added, "It was such a delight that you used the name I suggested, darlings. Just as much of a delight knowing that I will be the best mare at your wedding!"

It was then that the waiter came over with our menus. Even then, Gladesong was so enraptured with her hat that she could not stop looking at her reflection. But I decided to continue the conversation while we started to browse the menus. "Best mare? Don't you mean 'best man'? I thought the best man is supposed to escort the groom down the aisle."

Fluttershy smiled at me, apparently having had some experience with weddings before. "That sounds more like the 'best stallion' to me. It doesn't matter what gender you want the special guest to be. If the pony for the role is a mare, she is called the 'best mare'. But the one who escorts the bride is always called the 'mare of honor' no matter what."

"I see. And who's the lucky girl who's getting that role?" I asked, wondering who Fluttershy had asked.

Rarity chuckled at the thought, clearly knowing the answer. "Rainbow Dash, if you can believe that. She and Fluttershy go quite a ways back, so she's ideal for it."

Rainbow Dash is the last mare I know who could possibly tolerate dressing up all fancy, even for a wedding. Her dress for the Grand Galloping Gala certainly looks impressive, but it certainly is not terribly fancy. In fact, thinking of the attire got me feeling rather apprehensive. I too am not a big fan of fancy attire, largely due to how stuffy and uncomfortable it can feel. "Uh… Rarity? Are you the one who's deciding what I'll wear?"

My gorgeous friend smiled at me while she set her menu aside, having likely decided what she wanted to order. "Oh, that special ensemble was finished quite some time ago. I say your attire for the Grand Galloping Gala will suffice. It does strongly bring to mind a white tuxedo, now that I think about it!"

My attire for the Grand Galloping Gala? Last I checked, it was a robe and not a tuxedo. What had happened before I took that nap a while ago? Everything before that is still a blur. Either way, I decided to take Rarity's word for it and wait until the big day to see what she was talking about. Since I never saw any clothing at my house that I did not recognize, chances are she was keeping it safe and sound at the Carousel Boutique.

Fluttershy then turned to Rarity and asked, "Is my dress almost done too, Rarity?"

"Oh, absolutely! I've been working on it here and there between all my other orders. It should be done no later than tomorrow." Rarity replied with quite an excited and proud look on her face.

"I hope it looks wonderful. But knowing you, it'll be perfect." Fluttershy said with a hopeful smile. Seeing as how those two have been best friends for some time now, I could not imagine Rarity letting her down.

The rest of the meal went by without much of a hitch or much to mention. Gladesong just could not get enough of looking at her new hat and could only be distracted by the presence of delicious food. It is good to see that she is not a picky eater, but seeing as how ponies will even eat uncooked flowers and grass, I cannot imagine anypony being picky.

That evening after work, I decided to take a little walk through the park to just enjoy the late summer sunset. Fluttershy's little animal friends always do a fine job of looking after and tending to Gladesong. Really makes it easier on both of us.

Once more, I found myself at the pond. I always wind up there whenever I visit the park. As usual, I found the place deserted aside from that sack of fish food that Fluttershy keeps out on that little peninsula that sticks out into it. It felt like it had been quite some time since I last visited it.

I sat myself down right by the sack and pulled the flap open. I then took a handful of the stuff inside and tossed it towards the water. Like many times before, some of the fish in the pond leaped from the water to catch some of it before feasting on the rest that floated on the water's surface. Feeding the fish is just such a simple pleasure.

The hissing and whimpering of cicadas filled the air while a warm breeze blew through my hair. I just felt so at peace right there... God, I love Equestria. It feels like it has been so long since I found myself on Ponyville's outskirts for the first time. Best thing to ever happen to me.

My reminiscing was interrupted when I happened to glance to my right. At the very end of the peninsula was something that I could swear had not been there before. A tiny flower patch seemed to be growing there. Not paying much mind to it, I reached back into the sack ext to me and tossed another handful of food to the fish. But then I looked back over at the flowers again to find that they had somehow drawn closer.

I initially suspected that it was Pinkie Pie wearing another disguise to sneak up on me. But that patch of flowers was much too small to hide a full-grown earth pony mare. Even so, it was clear to me that somepony was inside it. Deciding to humor my mysterious stalker, I turned my gaze away from the flowers while making sure it was still viewable out of the corner of my eye. Sure enough, it started to inch closer to me. Whoever was in there was doing an admirable job of not letting the disguise make much noise since I barely heard a thing. Eventually, it stopped right next to me. And it was then that I heard a voice come from it. "Rawr!"

It was then that I gave the little flower patch my undivided attention. I gazed right down at it and asked, "Can I help you?"

The flower patch spoke to me again with a little girl's voice. "I am the flower fiend! And I will eat you up!"

Tempted to snicker, I then asked with a straight face, "How? You have no mouth."

"Oh, yes I do! Right here!" Just then, a filly burst from the flowers and clamped her tiny jaws onto my arm as she growled cutely. Sure enough, it was little Gladesong.

"Looks like you got me good, sweetheart. I never would've guessed it was you." I said with a smile. The thing with kids is that you should humor them when they are very young. They will have more fun that way.

Gladesong let out a giggle before she let go of my arm and began to nuzzle her head against my chest. I responded in kind by caressing her head with my hand. She then looked up at me with those big chocolate eyes and asked, "Whatcha doing, Papa?"

"Me? I was just taking a walk to enjoy myself and relax. Maybe even feed the fish." I replied while pointing at the water. Some of the fish were still waiting just under the surface for their next snack.

"Ooh! My turn!" Gladesong exclaimed before she went to the sack and reached down in it before lifting her head back out with a mouthful of pellets in her jaws. But as soon as she did, she gagged and coughed while dropping the food right back in the sack. "Yuck! Why do fish like this stuff?! It's nasty!"

Ponies tend to use their mouths to hold and carry just about everything, so I was not surprised that she tried it like that. I even got a good laugh out of her reaction. "I dunno why. I guess fish just don't have the same taste as us. But come here for a second. I'll show you how your mom does it."

"OK, Papa." Gladesong said after brushing some of the crumbs and bits of the fish food off of her tongue with her hoof. I then stuck out my index and middle finger on my right hand while keeping them joined together.

"Imagine that the tips of my fingers is your nose." I explained while Gladesong nodded readily. I then stuck them into the bag on an angle. "You stick the tip of your nose in here like this so that the food is over it. Ad then you fling it out!" With a sudden flick of my fingers, I flung a small amount of the fish food towards the pond. And sure enough, a fish jumped and caught it.

"Ooh! That's easy! My turn!" Gladesong exclaimed before sticking her nose into the bag. A second later, she suddenly lifted her head, flinging a flurry of bits of fish food towards the pond. And sure enough, a few fish jumped and caught some of it before it fell into the water.

"Eee, this is fun! Some for you, now for you, and here's some more!" Gladesong started to chant while she flung more and more of the fish food into the pond. As cute as it was to watch, I had to step in after a moment since she was clearly getting carried away.

"OK, Gladesong. I think that's enough." I said after she had flung food into the pond a couple dozen times. But when I started to gently push her away she started to whine ad moan as if she was on the verge of crying.

"Noooo, I wanna keep doing it!" Gladesong whined while she started to stomp her little hooves.

Not wanting to have to deal with a toddler's tantrum, I had to think fast to calm her down. "But sweetheart, you're gonna hurt the fish if you keep feeding them like that. Feed them too much and they'll get all fat."

"Get fat?" My daughter asked while calming down pretty quickly.

I felt a sense of relief come over me. I still do not have much experience in parenting. "Yeah. It's not good for anyone to be fat. Not even fish. So that's enough for now, all right? Don't want to do anything to our little fishy friends that'll hurt them."

Gladesong seemed to get the picture since she then nodded with a smile before trotting over to the edge of the pond. "Sorry, fishies! That's all! Don't want you to get fat!"

Way too cute. She then closed the sack and trotted back over to me. "I won't feed them anymore today. I don't want the fishies to be mad at me for making them fat."

"Atta girl. We can feed them again later." I said with a smile before petting her little head. Gladesong smiled rightly while leaning into my hand. But a moment later, she hopped forward and leaned against me with her head resting against my chest. "Sweetheart?"

"I love you, Papa." I heard her coo. I was still getting accustomed to be referred to by that name, but whenever I did hear it from Gladesong, it always tickled me. I just had to get used to the fact that I am a father now with such an adorable little filly.

"Love you too, sweetheart." I replied softly while my hands tenderly held her to my body. Little Gladesong... I still cannot wrap my head around how a man and a mare can successfully conceive a child together. And I certainly do not remember it happening. Such a bust that I missed Fluttershy's pregnancy. But then again, Fluttershy has been showing some interest in possibly having another child someday... Maybe we will get the chance to experience it all over again.

Days passed without much fanfare. I enjoyed my work and caught up on lost time with my dearest friends. It was really all I could ever ask for. But then the big day came. I had almost forgotten about the wedding until I got called to the town square with Fluttershy. Without wanting to bore you with all the details of how it works, I essentially had to undergo a rehearsal so I knew exactly what I was doing. And it delighted me to know that the three royal sisters would be presiding over the wedding.

Once the rehearsal was out of the way, I decided to head over to Rarity's home to see if my attire for the event was ready. Along the way, I noticed that there seemed to be a fairly large number of royal guards on patrol. That certainly was odd. Since when does a wedding require security?

I reached the Carousel Boutique without interruption. Upon stepping inside, I found Rarity watching over Mitta. The crimson-maned earth pony seemed to be modeling in a flowing red dress while Rarity was closely observing her. But at the sound of the bell over the front door going off, Rarity promptly turned around to face me. "Welcome to... Ah, if it isn't the groom-to-be himself!"

Mitta also flashed me a smile while seeming noticeably nervous from being caught in that dress. The design was flowing and elegant, but was almost entirely red. Very eye-catching. "Oh, right! The wedding's today, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Just got dragged through a rehearsal. I just came by to check on my attire for the event. You said it's been ready for a while?" I replied while glancing back and forth at both Rarity and Mitta. Man, she certainly looked fine in that dress. Acting as a model to test out Rarity's designs was probably helping boost her confidence.

"Oh, absolutely! It's upstairs in my room. Mitta, if you'll excuse us for a bit?" Rarity said while turning to Mitta before motioning for me to follow her. Mitta nodded and began to make her way to a mannequin to remove her dress. I then proceeded to follow Rarity up the stairs at the back.

I initially did not say anything while I climbed the stairwell. However... Roughly halfway up, I felt something strange. I felt my equilibrium suddenly become distorted. It felt as it the world quivered. My ears felt a dull noise in it as if I had a low-pitched ringing in my ears for a brief moment. But the strangest feeling of all was that it almost felt as if gravity had changed. I felt like I was being pulled back, vaguely feeling something large resting behind my body.

"Darling, no!" I heard Rarity shriek before I found myself practically floating, my body surrounded by her magic aura. "What's wrong? You almost took a tumble down the stairs! Are you feeling all right?"

I felt things quickly return to normal. My balance became steady, the world was still, and gravity was normal. I heard no anomalies in my ears. But it was not the first time it had happened. All day, I had felt strange...things every once in a while. But that was the first time such a phenomenon hit me so hard. If Rarity had not been there when it happened... Best not to think about it.

I really had no idea what to say to her regarding what had just happened. If anything, maybe I was just starting to feel the stress of the situation, strange as that may sound. Being married to Fluttershy sounds like a great idea and would surely make for a great life further down the round, and yet I was stressed to the point of having my body flip out. Strange how marriage affects you like that.

"Uh... I feel OK now. Maybe my nerves are just shot regarding what's going on today?" I said while twisting my head to loosen up my neck. I really had no other explanation for what just happened.

"Your nerves? Well, I'm sorry to say I cannot relate to such a thing." Rarity replied before she started to climb the stairs again with me in tow. "If I was to be married today, I would be on top of the world! No nervousness, no doubts, just pure utter excitement and joy!"

"I guess it affects men differently from women. Maybe it's grounded mostly in a type of fear involving loss of personal freedom." I spoke while I followed her. I know it sounds silly, but if there is one thing I am sure many men fear losing from marriage, it is that.

By that point, we had reached the top of the stairs. Rarity then looked over her shoulder at me while we continued down the hall. "Oh, darling, do not think such things. While you and Fluttershy will be a couple by the time the sun sets, don't think that anything is going to change. You'll still have your friends, you'll still be living here in cozy little Ponyville, and everything will be just the way things are now."

"Yeah, I know. I guess it's just a natural instinct or something. It'll pass soon, I'm sure." I retorted briefly while trying to brush off my insecurities. I was just getting worked up over nothing.

Once we stepped into Rarity private chambers, I saw that there were curtains drawn over two spots in the room. She normally uses those curtain frames on wheels to hide incomplete projects or completed works that she wants to keep a surprise. "Just a moment, please. I need to make certain which is which."

Rarity then trotted over to the one closest to her bed and peeked behind the curtains. "Ah, yes, this is the one! Ready to be dazzled, darling?"

"About as ready as I'll ever be." I replied while crossing my arms. With that, Rarity used her magic to part the curtains to reveal what was behind it. What I saw was indeed quite a feast for the eyes. Resting upon a mannequin shaped like a human was a full suit. The upper body was covered by a rather fancy white jacket complete with brass cufflinks and two long tails that reached down to the knees. A pair of equally white slacks covered the lower body while a pair of shiny black shoes with brass buckles covered the feet.

"I know you truly hate suits and tuxedos and the like, so I thought a light jacket would suit you best. I would even dare say that this much better represents you than that robe I wove for you a while back. The visage of the whitest dove. Don't you find it just enrapturing, darling?" Rarity went on while seeming quite proud of her work. And I certainly did not blame her.

A moment later, I stepped behind some curtains to swap out of my current clothing. I found the clothes Rarity had crafted to be quite comfortable in spite of how fancy they were. Formal attire tends to sacrifice comfort for appearance. I then stepped out from behind the curtains and took one long good look at myself in a tall mirror Rarity had nearby. That sleek white look was quite strapping on me, if I do say so myself. I especially liked how the twin tails on my jacket brought to mind swallows. I seem to have quite a connection to birds, it would seem. "Looks nice, Rarity. And yeah, I do get the feeling it better suits me than that robe."

"It most certainly does! And my, you certainly are quite strapping in it. I can just imagine what Fluttershy will say when she sees you in it!" Rarity exclaimed while circling me. She was definitely looking quite pleased. And I could not blame her.

It was when she mentioned Fluttershy that I got to wondering what was behind the other curtain in the room. "Hey, Rarity... That other curtain. Fluttershy's wedding dress wouldn't happen to be behind it, would it?"

Rarity immediately grinned with a chuckle. "I suppose I could show you right now. But wouldn't you prefer to first see it on your beloved instead?"

"Touché. OK, I'll wait until she's wearing it." I said with a slight smile. I know Rarity was just trying to surprise me. It would be more impressive to see it on the woman it was meant for. But while I glanced at the curtains, an unpleasant thought came to my mind. "Rarity... Are you sure you're OK with this?"

She knew what I was referring to. Her feelings towards me were still unchanged from the day she first confessed. And she knew it. Rarity cast her gaze towards the floor for a moment while she spoke in a quieter voice than before. "I confess I have been trying to not think about it... Although please do not feel any guilt over this, James. You and Fluttershy have Gladesong now. I would say it's far too late to turn back now."

Of course... It would be difficult to back out of a relationship with someone when the two of you have already had a child together. However, Rarity then cast a warm smile towards me. "And speaking of that little darling... Gladesong has been such a blessing. I truly am honored to be her godmother and it's always a pleasure to have her over whenever you need somepony to foalsit her. At least whenever my schedule allows it."

"You and Gladesong get along pretty well, huh?" I asked in return, taking note of how Rarity would always seem to be so doting towards my daughter whenever they crossed paths. Gladesong consistently gets excited and happy whenever she sees Rarity as well. There must be a special bond between them indeed.

Rarity sighed quite happily while looking over at a rather small equine mannequin. It seemed to be clad in a flower tiara consisting of white and red roses and a mostly white embroidered dress that would be held in place by a brooch worn at the base of the neck with a blue rose attached. I immediately assumed that it was meant for Gladesong. "That darling little filly is like the daughter I never had. She is always such a pleasure to have over. I adore her and I know she loves me." Rarity then turned her gaze to me as I saw a single tear flow down her cheek. But she did not frown at all. All I could see on her face was a smile. "You have given me a treasure I could never replace, my love. Thank you."

It was at that moment that I came to a realization. Rarity was not just a dear friend to me and Fluttershy. She had become extended family. Almost like a second mother to our child. Feeling rather emotional myself, I lowered myself to one knee and held my dear friend in a tender embrace that she immediately mirrored. "Let's not let anything change between us. All right?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, darling..." I heard Rarity whisper into my ear.

Not a minute later, Rarity gently ended our embrace and smiled brightly at me. "Well, I do believe I have taken up enough of your time. You had best return to the town hall. As the groom-to-be, you have guests to welcome!"

I was rather nervous about that, having always been a bit of a timid shy sort. But since many of the guests would likely be people I know, I probably would have every right to be more relaxed when I got there. Even so, I was sure Rarity was still busy and had a few things to tend to before the wedding could start. "I guess I do... Well, thanks for making this for me, Rarity. I'll see you there." After saying my goodbyes to Rarity and Mitta, I let the Carousel Boutique and made my way back towards Ponyville proper.

I did not have all that far to travel to get back to the town hall. Once it came into view though, I could see quite a few visitors having already gathered around on the perimeter. And three of them stood out quite easily. The three royal sisters. Feeling quite elated to see the three gorgeous alicorns, I hastened my pace.

The first of the three royal sisters to glance in my direction was Celestia herself. Those large purple eyes opened wide for just and instant before she smiled brightly and turned my way. "Don't look now, ladies. The groom is here."

Luna was the next to speak, grinning brightly as I came closer. "Spectacular attire, James! Somepony looks ready for today."

I was uncertain of what to say in return, so I waved at them while I drew near. Nightmare Moon then stepped forward and extended her wing to me. But just as I was about to step into her embrace, I felt it again. The world quivered, my legs buckled, the sky flickered in contrasting colors, going from blue to a dark yellow and back. Fortunately, my friend was quick to catch me and held me up in her wing. "Oh dear... I understand that weddings can be stressful, but are you all right?!"

I doubt they would ever understand what it was I had just felt. Was I hallucinating? What was wrong with me? Regardless, I brought myself back to a standing position while turning my gaze to Nightmare Moon. I was quite impressed that her wings could support my entire weight. "Uh... Yeah... I'm good. I guess I just need to sit down and relax for a bit. Good catch, by the way."

The Princess of Dreams smiled warmly at me before properly embracing me in her sable wing. "You scared me for a moment. This is supposed to be a day of celebration. Not a day to be remembered for having the groom being rushed to the hospital!"

Just before we could do anything else, somepony approached us from nearby. A quick glance revealed a black unicorn stallion clad in the royal guard's trademark gilded armor. Estoc. He promptly saluted the three royal sisters before speaking. "Your highnesses, my men have all reported nothing out of the ordinary and are maintaining their patrol routes."

"Excellent, Estoc. Carry on." Luna replied with a nod. Her expression seemed to have become much sterner at Estoc's words.

Estoc bowed in reply. But before he could turn to leave, he lifted his gaze to me and smiled. "Before I forget, congratulations, Sir James. Wish I could stick around and attend, but I had best return to my duties. Give my best to the captain." And with that, he was off.

It was then that I had been reminded of an unusual sight. When I passed through Ponyville, I noticed that a fair number of royal guards seemed to be standing watch here and there. I then turned to Celestia and asked, "Um... Is it really necessary to have the royal guard stationed here for this event?"

The Princess of the Dawn turned towards me and nodded. "It's just a precaution. This may not be any royal wedding, but I do have to say that this is a high risk event."

That sounded absolutely preposterous. It was a wedding, plain and simple. Nightmare Moon was quick to see my puzzlement and gazed at me with a rather serious scowl. "You must understand, James. You and Fluttershy are more than just heroes of Equestria. You are also the bearers of the Elements of Kindness and Humanity. If there is someone out there that would seek to sabotage Equestria, this would be a fine time to do just that."

"You make it sound like it's happened before." I replied dryly, finding it hard to believe that someone would crash my own wedding just to take a shot at me. While it is true that Fluttershy and I have been involved with some pretty heavy events regarding this world's well-being, it is not a fact that we flaunt. I am certain that hardly anyone even knows of our connections to the Elements of Harmony.

"Perhaps they could enlighten you more." Luna said while turning her gaze to her right. I looked as well. As turns out, among the guests who were starting to gather, I saw a pair of familiar faces. Cadence and Shining Armor were making their way through the crowd while greeting any who approached them.

Recognizing them as friends, I promptly approached the happy couple. While Cadence was clad in her usual golden attire, Armor seemed to have swapped out his guard armor for a red jacket with a golden collar and cuffs. A brooch shaped like an upside-down spade bearing the star symbol on his cutie mark rested prominently upon his chest while it seemed to be held in place by four straps that looped around the back of his neck and somewhere around the underside. Had I seen that jacket somewhere before?

Shining Armor was the first to notice me coming his way. The captain of the guard promptly looked my way with a bright smile spread across his lips. "Hey, James! Congrats! You all set for the big day?"

I was about to reply while reaching out my hand, but I suddenly staggered as I felt that infernal disorientation come over me again. It was weaker than before, but I did have to come to a stop to avoid risking my balance. "Uh... I guess so. I think the stress has been getting to me though..."

Armor seemed genuinely concerned for me as he trotted right over to me with Cadence close behind him. "You sure you're OK? You really don't look so good. Sit down for a minute."

I did as I was told and took a seat on a bench that was set up on the patio that encircled the town hall. Armor ad Cadence followed suit and sat beside me with Shining Armor sitting between me and her. Cadence was quick to look past her husband at me. She showed me a caring smile and spoke softly, "I hope things have been all right between you and your sweetheart. And is little Gladesong handling it well?"

Feeling my senses stabilize, I looked back at her and nodded. "Yeah. She's actually been pretty excited all week. She's really been practicing her flower girl role. You know she's nuts about flowers, right?"

Cadence let a cute giggle at the thought of that. Seeing as how Gladesong was a couple of years old at that moment, we surely must have shown her to Shining Armor and Cadence at some point. "Oh, I could never forget that. Do you remember the time she came with us to dinner while wear a dress made of flowers stitched together?"

Armor cracked a smirk while he let out a snicker. "Oh, yeah. How does Rarity do that with flowers? The mare's a wizard with the thread and needle, I tell you." But he then turned his gaze towards he and asked, "But how've things been between you and Fluttershy? You guys don't fight much, do you?"

"Of course not! I can't remember the last time we ever raised our voices at each other. Things are always peachy with us." I replied with a bright smile of my own. I certainly did not want either of them to think that anything had gone wrong with our relationship. Fluttershy is just always such a sweetheart and is just a wonderful combination of cuteness and serene beauty. I have never met a mare like her and probably never will again.

It was then that Armor gave me a bit of a sly smirk. I guess a cheeky side of him was starting to come out in a friendly conversation between two men. "Glad to hear. She always seemed like a really loving girl... How is she in the bedroom?"

"Armor..." Cadence grumbled while looking rather unamused with the question.

Shining Armor flashed her a rather uneasy grin. "What?! That's one of the perks of being in a relationship, dear! I just asking to make sure they're getting along fine in every possible way."

I strongly suspect Armor was just trying to throw some humor in just to lighten me up. Considering that the guy is a married stallion himself, I am sure even he must have been getting butterflies in the stomach at times while the clock wound down to his wedding day. Even so, I could tell Cadence was not pleased by the question, so I decided to turn the tables to mess with him. "I'll tell you if you tell me."

Cadence seemed to jump at this opportunity since she suddenly gave her husband an amorous smirk before looking back over at me. "Oh, things are always fun in the bedroom. He especially likes it when I wear the saddle and reigns."

That little confession caused Armor's snow-white face to rapidly turn a shade of red while he seemed to be sweating profusely. Even so, I could hardly imagine why he would have a fetish for saddles and reigns on his wife. "Uh... What's so hot about a saddle and..."

Armor spoke up rather loudly to interrupt me. "Oooookay, forget I asked that question! Let's change the subject!" I got a good laugh out of that reaction, but Cadence was just absolutely howling. What a way to make him regret saying that.

However, while Cadence was laughing herself silly, I felt it once more. The world shook as my eyes displayed colors that could not be natural. My ears were filled with what I could only guess was the sound of my own heart beating while my balance gave way entirely as I slumped to my left and right onto Shining Armor. This seemed to alarm him as he quickly spoke up right away. "Wha... Hey, James? You all right?"

While he helped me back up to a proper sitting position, my senses returned to normal. This strange anomaly was actually starting to become rather irritating. I held a hand to the side of my head. "I don't know... My nerves must be shot or something. If I'm still feeling this stuff happening to me by tomorrow, I just might go in to see the doctor about it."

"Maybe you just need to stand up and walk around for a bit. Go ahead. Take a walk and go say hello to more of your guests. You just might see somepony you recognize out there." Cadence said with a reassuring smile. Perhaps she was right. A walk just might clear my head.

"OK then. I'll just leave you two be for a while. Just no saddles until you get home, all right?" I replied while climbing to my feet. That got a rather loud giggle out of Cadence while Armor held his hoof to his face in embarrassment. I suppose the use of regular saddles during marital bedroom activates is something a lot of ponies in the world would likely find bizarre.

I stepped off of the town hall's patio and started to circle the building. I felt fine at the time, but these strange feelings and hallucinations were weighing my mind down. I was not developing a brain tumor, was I? That would be bad news. However, halfway around the hall, a voice I vaguely recognized spoke up from the direction of the train station. "Ah, Master James! I trust I am not too late to partake in the festivities."

A quick glance to the northeast revealed a rather prim and proper unicorn stallion trotting my way while clad in a black tuxedo. A smile crept across my face, although I was also rather surprised. "Fancy Pants? You're probably the last guest I was expecting to see here. What brings you to Ponyville?"

"Why, what else, my good sir? I would have to be daft to miss your own wedding! I am not too late, am I?" He replied with that calm yet warm smile he frequently shows.

I believe I replied. I just... The memory of what happened shortly afterward is a bit hazy. I remember seeing Spitfire with her Wonderbolt companions Soarin and Fleetfoot. I saw Zecora in the crowd. I recall meeting up with Eleina and Button Mash. I recall feeling quite surprised yet delighted to find Trixie attending. But... So much of it is a blur. Was it a result of my mind tripping out?

The next part I remember was when I stepped into the town hall itself. I do not know why, but... I cannot remember the words that were spoken. It was like everything was becoming increasingly... I do not even know. But the anomalies I had experienced before... While the world did not seem to change in color, I could constantly hear and feel the world quivering and distorting. Or was it? The only good thing I could say about it is that the sensations were much weaker than before. But they did not subside.

I remember seeing tables and heated tins of various foods set up in the town hall's central chamber like a grand banqueting hall. It was likely being used for providing refreshments to the guests once the wedding had concluded. I remember seeing Fluttershy and Gladesong come into the place with Rarity pushing along a cylindrical curtain frame that likely hid the dresses of my child and beloved. Gladesong would not stop hopping around looking excited as a toddler in a candy store. I wish I could remember what she was saying or singing.

The moment was drawing near. I remember feeling more nervous than I had been in a while. But it would all pass soon. In a short while, I would be wondering why I was so nervous in the first place. The best mare and mare of honor were standing ready, as were my three other dearest friends as bridesmaids. All their dresses were noticeably different with some even being reminiscent of the dresses they wore to the Grand Galloping Gala. But they were all wearing the exact same light blue flower crowns. I remember liking how Pinkie Pie had her normally poofy mane packed down into what seemed to be a large bun, which is quite a feat considering how her mane usually just does not want to be anything but its natural form most of the time, and how Rainbow Dash had her mane tied into a ponytail with golden thread. They all looked amazing and delighted. But of course, there was still Fluttershy. She seemed to be in the back somewhere trying on her dress. Why can I not remember what was said... Was it the ever growing din in my ears? I could not even hear the band outside rehearsing for the procession. Or did I and I am just unable to remember?

Gladesong was so ready for everything. I could tell by how she looked and pranced all around waiting for the doors to open while clad in her new dress. And then... Fluttershy. She stepped out from behind one of the hall's support pillars. And her dress... It suited her to a T. From a glance, one could be forgiven for thinking it was just her dress for the Grand Galloping Gala colored shades of white. But you would have to take a closer look. Her mane had been styled in the same way as if she was attending the Gala along with the teal and white flower pins clipped onto her mane along with her shoes being the same with the ivy designs wound around her forelimbs being colored white, but that was pretty much where the similarities ended. A large white butterfly earring was clipped onto her ear while a pearl necklace was hanging around the base of her neck. A large white butterfly brooch hung over base of her neck while being adorned with what I think was a diamond-shaped peridot gemstone. Where the length of her Grand Galloping Gala dress looked like very long narrow leaves, her wedding dress consisted of around four layers ending with the end strongly resembling a layer of clouds. It was so simple and quaint, yet lovely. Just like her.

I do not think I said much. But I could tell she did not either. We were both excited, yet extraordinarily nervous. Even so, we were also happy. I did not feel any regret having Fluttershy as my bride and I knew by that almost tearful nervous smile that she was honored to have me as her groom. It was then that Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie trotted outside while Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Gladesong stood by Fluttershy and I. Everything was going according to plan. And yet... The noise in my head and the sensation that was running along my nerves was not stopping. I could literally feel the world quivering before pulsing every now and then. Not enough to knock me off my feet, but it was very distracting. And with every passing minute, it intensified. My friends and lover would never understand, so I assumed it would pass soon. At least I hoped it would.

The muffled sound of classical music began to play. I have never known the sound of that song, but it was fitting for the occasion. At least I think it was. As the doors opened, the sound became slightly louder. But it... It was distant. And while this may sound bizarre, it was also...distorted. Twisted. The din in my ears was not fading. The music almost sounded like something out of some sort of nightmare. Almost. I tried to pay it no mind and just focus on the grand event that was unfolding around me.

For as long as I have known, Ponyville has never had any sort of cathedral. So it was fairly clear why we all opted for an outdoor wedding. A red carpet had been spread out from the doors of the town hall to where Princess Celestia was standing up ahead while dozens of guests and well-wishers had gathered on either side. Luna and Nightmare Moon were standing at her sides as well, presiding over the wedding. The first out the door was little Gladesong. Hopping and prancing, she made her way down the carpet while swinging a basket in her mouth to and fro. With every swing, pink rose petals would be scattered and cover the carpet ahead of us. She looked absolutely delighted to be interacting with flowers in some way.

Once Gladesong had reached the end of the carpet and stood by the row of our three dear friends, it was my turn to advance. With Rarity by my side, I slowly marched down the carpet while feeling like the weigh of the world was on my shoulders. She looked up at me and said something, but... I just could not hear her. The world was groaning. The music was becoming increasingly haunting. It was an ordeal to keep my gait from becoming unsteady. What in the world was wrong with me?

When I finally stood before three royal sisters, I stood to Celestia's left while Rarity also stayed on my left. It was then that we turned and watched. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy began to make their way down the carpet. Rainbow was putting on her best smile while constantly staying by Fluttershy's side. And Fluttershy... Oh, that face. So nervous, yet so happy and excited. Her gait was stiff and rigid, but her eyes said the rest. But while I stood and watched, the world around me shuddered once more. And the sky's colors... It happened again, but I tried to stay steady. Only this time, this severe planetary spasm did not truly end.

The sky returned to blue before darkening to a different hideous yellow once more and back. And when I focused on Fluttershy again... Did a piece of her hair just disconnect and fall to the ground like a thick glob of pink fluid?

At first, I was bewildered and annoyed by what I had just seen and what I was feeling. But that quickly began to dissolve into a complex fusion of confusion and even abject horror as I saw what was happening to my beloved. With every step she took, she...melted. The vibrant colors of her body seemed to be liquefying before my eyes like molten plastic or taffy. Her face never lost that nervous smile, as if she was completely unaware of the changes.

The world groaned in my ears as I tried to keep control over my balance. What was happening? What was wrong with Fluttershy? In the end, she melted right to the floor in a puddle of yellows, pink, and white with spots of a few other colors.

I had no idea what to say or think. Was she still alive? Who was responsible? Despite this, Rainbow Dash continued on as if Fluttershy was still beside her. At least she did until she too began to melt before my eyes. Before my brash and loyal friend could even reach me, that brazen pegasus mare was reduced to a puddle of whites, blues, and rainbow hues. Even her eyes became pools of thick colorful fluid. All the while, the haunting hymn of the band continued to play in an almost mocking fashion.

The world twitched. It almost felt as if the world was falling apart. Suddenly, I noticed it ahead of me. Even the town hall was beginning to melt before me like a plastic play set that was being put through a running microwave oven. And nopony seemed to even notice. I turned to Celestia, who seemed to be speaking to me as if Fluttershy had reached the end of the red carpet. And then... While she was still clearly talking, she too began to melt before me. Luna... Nightmare Moon... Everypony around me was beginning to melt en masse. And the town of Ponyville with them.

I heard a piano roar as if several keys had been struck at the same time. I heard a cello screech and moan. The ground was melting... The buildings were melting... The people were melting... Even the sky seemed to be melting as the world quivered and growled. I did not even know what to think as my senses went all but haywire. Everything was just fine! My life had never been better, but then... My world was literally being reduced to a sea of bright vibrant colors. I soon found myself standing alone in that sea. And then... That sinking feeling.

I had almost no control over my limbs. My knees buckled. I could feel things that I could not see. My right arm throbbed in a dull pain. I could feel something soft yet firm pressed against the entire backside of my body. All the while, the sea of lifeless colors devoured me like a sea of thick viscous honey. But when I was finally up to my neck in the sea of countless colors that used to be Equestria... The feeling of liquid became thinner and I sank like a stone.

I was below the surface. I could feel liquid all around me. But to my lips and eyes, it felt like air. The fear of drowning quickly passed as I slowly drifted down into some sort of abyss. I dared not look down. I did not want to look into the dark depths like was likely below me. I still had no control over my body as I still felt the world around me pulse and ripple while unseen objects touched me.

I felt myself slowly leaning back, allowing my gaze to look up. An unnatural ominous light was shining down through the surface. Dark, yet bright... I am uncertain of how to describe it. It was all so surreal. But then... Etched out upon the surface of the ocean above me... Words were formed. The letters quivered erratically and were jagged, but I could read them. It was a phrase I had seen before some time ago. And as I read it, I was all but certain it was being both ironic and mocking at the same time. Almost as if something...or someone was laughing at what was happening. Those infernal words that implanted a sudden nameless dread into my heart...

"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"

It was at that moment that the ocean I was floating in suddenly vanished and was replaced by an empty void of nothing but air. My gut clenched as I felt the horrid sensation of falling. But strangely, a trail of the liquid surface was still connected to me while extending to the surface. And it was rapidly thinning and darkening. Turning a shade of gray. It was connected to my neck. With no control over my own limbs, a sense of horror filled my mind as I began to hear jeering laughter from somewhere up above even though I could hear nothing but that same groaning din. Four voices... Maybe five? Six? It seemed to be coming from the source of the chain that was link to the ever tightening grasp around my neck...

I do not know how far I fell. But out of nowhere, the chain that was connected to the noose around my neck suddenly became taut. A sickening crack rang through my entire head. The noise in my ears ended instantly and I became briefly numb. The only thing I did feel was myself suddenly bouncing back up while a significant chunk of weight dropped from my just below my neck. My mind was a haze... Feeling began to return to me. The darkness that blanketed my vision began to regain light. The world was still and the rumbling in my ears was gone. I could not move. Felt so weak. But the memories... Where was I? Why was I not with my lover? Where was Gladesong? Where was my daughter? Where were my friends?

The only sound that reached my ears was a steady beeping noise. It sounded like a...heart monitor? My eyes regained their focus. A green ceiling was spread out above me. I could feel a thin sheet of sorts over me. And that familiar feeling of something against my backside... I was lying in a bed. Something was coating my right arm, but I felt compelled to not move it at all. I could feel small...things touching my chest. Something had been inserted into my arm near the elbow that was attached to a tube that was connected to a bag of clear fluid that was hanging from a narrow metal frame near me. Something was resting over my mouth and nose. My ears picked up the faint hiss of a respirator. As my senses began to stabilize, I began to make sense of where I was. A hospital. Namely Ponyville's hospital.

But what of everything I saw and felt? That nightmare just before I awoke in Fluttershy's cottage... Was that...what really happened? Why was I not at my wedding? That dull pain in my right arm... Where I was burned by my own... My left hand weakly felt along my left side. Bandages coated my body just between the ribs and waist. The spot where I was... I felt tears form in my eyes. It was not a dream at all. And all that I thought I had... That wonderful life in Ponyville I was just experiencing... It... Just an illusion. Why did I have to wake up?

I heard the sound of movement and hooves faintly clopping nearby. Very slowly, my eyes dratted about before I turned my head to the right. I was very near a window. The blinds were lowered, but there was not much light peeking through despite giving me the impression that it was around midday. The air pressure... Rain would be coming today. Just to the left of the window were numerous medical devices that were likely hooked up to my body.

It was then that I slowly turned my head to the left. There was indeed somepony in the room. One of the nurses seemed to be making her rounds while looking over a clipboard. Pink coat with white freckles and a white and purple mane tied in a bun while a nurse's headpiece rested atop her head. I recognized her. And felt nothing but a bitter rage fill me.

Seconds later, she glanced my way. I seemed to startle her judging by how she gasped and jumped back. "Oh my goodness, you startled me! Wait... You're awake? Oh my, that was a very short coma. You're very lucky, you poor dear. They weren't even sure if you were going to pull through at first back in Canterlot."

I said nothing. All I felt towards the nurse was anger, but I was took weak and drained to even bring myself to speak. My mind was still clouded with emotional and physical fatigue. Why did she sustain me? Why did she not let me sleep forever or at least allow me to die? Either of those would be better fates than what I just went through...

She could clearly see my contempt in the glare I was giving her. I wanted to yell at her. Demand why she saved me. But the words would not come. Her ears drooped while she took a step back. "Are you... Is something wrong? There's nothing wrong with you now. I swear you're recovering nicely. I'll just... Hm?"

Before she could finish speaking, a bit of radio static came from the wall to my left. There was an intercom device on the wall, though I could not reach for it. Seconds later, a familiar voice spoke through the intercom while laced with a touch of static that anyone who has listened to a radio would recognize. "Hello? Nurse Sweetheart? We have a guest who wants to visit room G5. Are you about finished in there?"

Nurse Sweetheart promptly trotted over to the intercom while placing her clipboard on the tiny cupboard next to my bed. There seemed to be a vase of flowers there as well. She then placed her hoof on a button just below the speaker and spoke into it. All the while, I never took my eyes off her. "Actually, I was just about to call you myself, Redheart. Our patient… He's looking right at me. It seems James has just regained consciousness."

There was a brief delay in a reply after Sweetheart removed her hoof from the device. I soon heard the static again that signaled that the intercom had been activated from the other end. But instead of the sound of Nurse Redheart's voice, I instead heard a loud and panicked voice calling out. Specifically, calling out to me. "Is he OK?! Is he talking?! James, are you there?!"

A cold sense of indifference filled me as I heard that voice. Twilight Sparkle. My eyes gazed at the device out of the corner of my vision. I then heard Nurse Redheart speak up promptly, "Miss Sparkle, please!"

For several seconds, all I heard was the static of the intercom system. Nurse Sweetheart seemed slightly alarmed from the sound of that outburst, but did not take any more than two steps back. Soon, Redheart spoke to her colleague again. "I'm so sorry about that, Sweetheart. But how is he? Are his vital signs stable? Is he showing complete awareness of his surroundings?"

Nurse Sweetheart turned her gaze back to me. My glare had not left my face. I wanted her to know how disgusted I was at her for ending that perfect life I was living mere minutes ago. She was very much aware of my anger towards her. After a moment of meeting my gaze, she stepped forward and pressed her hoof against the intercom's button again to activate the microphone. "I think so. I've tried talking to him since he woke up just a minute or two ago. But he hasn't said anything to me at all. All he's been doing is…..glaring at me."

Once she removed her hoof from the button, Sweetheart took a few steps away from me. She likely thought I was dangerous, although that was far from the truth. My body felt too heavy and sapped of strength to even move. I could not hope to strangle her even if I tried. But after a moment of uneasy silence, my eyes glanced at the intercom again as that familiar static shattered the silence. And then, her voice again. "James... This is Twilight Sparkle. Can you hear me?"

I gave no reply. The real Twilight Sparkle disappeared forever...however long ago I suffered these injuries. Her words meant nothing to me. I turned my head away, facing the window to my right. Apparently taking note of my silence, she spoke again. "Nurse Sweetheart... Do you think he can hear me?"

The radio static ended, signaling that whoever was on the other end had turned off the microphone. I heard the sound of Sweetheart's hooves before hearing the radio static return. "Um… He just turned away from me. I think he can hear you just fine, Miss Sparkle. Go ahead and keep talking."

I certainly did not share the sentiment. I was hoping that whoever was there would just leave me alone. I wanted no company. I just wanted to return to what I had awoken from. But the voice did indeed speak again. It was deceptively soft and mournful. "James… I don't know what you remember, but… You've been in a coma for about ten days now… I honestly didn't think you were going to wake up this soon. Things… Well… Things have not been easy for us. And not for me either… I've missed you… I'm here in the lobby and…I want to see you. May I please come down to the room you're in?"

I said nothing. Did not move. I was hoping Sweetheart would get the hint and tell whoever had been speaking to me that I was not excepting visitors. Unfortunately, that did not happen. I heard the radio static start up again before the nurse spoke into the microphone. "Well… He isn't refusing you. I think it'll be OK for you to come visit him. Just give me a few more minutes to finish up in here and you can have all the time you want with him, Miss Sparkle."

I heard the radio static end briefly before hearing that voice again. "Thank you... I'll be there soon, James. Please... Just wait for me." The intercom then fell silent once more.

Nurse Sweetheart then spoke from behind me in a soft voice while I heard her going about the room doing...whatever it was she was doing. I did not care to look. "There we go... I'll just leave you to your friend now."

I heard the door to the room open and close. It was only then that a weak whisper hissed from my lips. "What friend...?"

I felt like I was awaiting a lethal injection. A part of me was filled with a silent dread while another was filled with just emptiness. Twilight was gone. Just like the others. Who would it be coming through that door next? All the while, my thoughts kept drifting back to that wonderful dream... A dream that felt so real... Was I just dreaming now? If I was, why could I not wake up?

A few minutes later, I felt myself tense up. The door was opening. And it was then that I noticed something resting on the windowsill. A small mirror. From the angle I was at, I could see the door and the wide window next to it. The blinds were completely open. The door closed. And I felt my heart chill. A purple unicorn mare with a mane of pink, dark purple, and deep blue. Twilight Sparkle. Or whoever she was instead.

I did not move. Perhaps if she thought I was asleep, she would leave. Very slowly, she drew closer. I could see her face. A very pained yet hopeful expression. Her pace was remarkably slow. As if she was filled with a horrid fear. And then she stood just behind me. I heard that voice again. It sounded deceptively sweet. I knew to not trust it. "James... Are you awake?"

I said nothing and did not move. I was hoping she would not come around to the other side, even though there was not a whole lot of room to maneuver through. Finally, she rested hoof on my raised shoulder. "James... Please, if you're awake..."

She paused momentarily. Her gaze was directed to something ahead of her. The mirror. I suspect she could see my face from the angle it was displaying. She gently rested her hoof on my shoulder. Believing that my ruse had failed, I turned my head even further so I could not see her. It was then that she shook me slightly while calling out in a truly desperate shout. "Please don't shut me out! I need to talk to you!"

As much as my mind was telling me to turn a deaf ear to her pleas, my heart ached. A part of me wanted to believe that the Twilight Sparkle I knew and loved was still there. After a moment of silently debating with myself, I lowered my guard just slightly and turned my head so that I was looking at her right out of the corner of my eye. A deep emotionally deprived monotone that I almost never speak with anymore came from my lips. "What do you want?"

Her gaze... In mere seconds I could see the tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. A gasp escaped her lips while she squinted her eyes shut. She then practically collapsed onto me, embracing me as tightly and delicately as she could. "I want you back...!"

I was unsure of how to respond. I could feel her quivering against me, pathetic little whimpers squeaking out of her. Her tears felt warm... A part of me wanted to discard my worries and hold her to my chest, but my doubt would not let go. I whispered to her, "Weren't you... Back in the maze..."

"No..." She spoke with a gasp. Twilight pulled her face away from me, gazing down at me with such a pained expression painted all over her purple face. "I know what happened... What Discord put you through... But he never got me. I never stopped being me. I never forgot what you are to me..."

I did not say anything. It felt as if there was still so much for her to say. She slowly lowered herself to me, holding onto me in an embrace while being mindful of my body and whatever was attached to it. "I never should've left you... I should've stayed with you when I found you... It was starting to feel like you were never going to wake up..."

I remembered that wonderful dream I was experiencing. One so real that it did not feel like a dream at all. But at the same time... "How long was I out?"

"Ten days..." Twilight whispered near my ear. The same number of days that the dream lasted... Was it merely coincidence?

I could feel the sheer emotion flowing through the unicorn mare as she held me and wept. It felt familiar... Something I cherished. Finally, with my emotional defenses all but lowered, I asked one last question. "Tell me something. Who are you?"

She pulled away from me, those tearful purple eyes showing confusion. But they soon showed a somber understanding as well. She knew what it was I meant. And she answered sincerely. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, James. Your friend..."

It was then that a glimmer of my fears faded. Twilight was still with me after all. I tried to reach up to her with my arms, being mindful of the needle in my left elbow. But I cringed as a dull pain radiated throughout my right forearm. She noticed right away and tenderly placed her hoof on the sheets upon my chest before gently pushing me back down to the mattress and pillow. "No, don't try to move... Let me."

I felt my upper body become weightless as something lifted me from the mattress. A pink billowing aura seemed to be surrounding me. Twilight was using magic to lift me to the point where I could reach her. She threw her arms around me, resting her head on my shoulder. I responded in kind, carefully moving my left until I had it draped across her torso with my hand resting on the base of her neck. I heard her once more whisper in a choking voice. "I was so scared... Afraid that you wouldn't be you anymore when you woke up... If you woke up..."

I must have been in a coma after all that happened... Just what kind of injuries had I endured? My body still seemed to be in one piece. Although I was still concerned for my right arm. Just trying to move it at all, even just my fingers, induced pain. But it hardly mattered for the moment. Someone I feared I had lost was holding me in her arms. "Thanks for never leaving me, Twilight..."

"I could never leave you... I love you..." She whispered in kind, sounding somewhat more relaxed. Those words... They felt...good to hear.

After a moment more, Twilight tenderly lowered me back down to the bed and made certain my sheets still covered me. I felt the need to speak to her, so I attempted to break the tension however I could. "Is this... Are we in Ponyville?"

She nodded while resting her left arm on the bed next to my own left arm. "It is... Once your condition had stabilized, they moved to a place closer to home hoping it might help you in some way. It also made it easier for your loved ones and friends to visit you... Even if you would never know they were there."

Again... Thinking back to the dream. I remembered seeing so many friends I had all but forgotten about in my despair. And even then, I tried to think of them. But in the end, the memories kept coming back to the six who mattered the most. I felt that bitterness fill me again. "Twilight... You know you and Rainbow Dash are the only ones I have left..."

That agonized expression again... She felt along the sheet until her hoof was resting atop my hand. "No... James, they're all back to normal... What Discord did to them was reversible. And when he...died...all of his influence faded away. I swear, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity are the same ponies you remember again..." Once more, the tears flow as she looked even more remorseful. "I wish I told you... Maybe if you knew..."

My memories of that false chat I had in that dream resurfaced briefly. How there was a spell that could undo Discord's corruption on those he had twisted. "Was there a way to undo the changes without killing him?"

Twilight somberly nodded. "There is... I wet through the exact same thing you went through the first tie Discord got loose. And... All I had to do was remind my friends of everything we had been through. Everything that made our friendship worthwhile. Essentially... A spell that jogs your memory. And it worked."

"Then...why did you not tell me about it?" I asked further, not feeling angry at all. I was feeling too...drained to feel much of anything.

My friend bowed her. She truly was being burdened by a great deal of guilt. "I knew how important we had become to you... I didn't want you to worry. And I wasn't entirely sure if Discord would use the same tricks as the last time. But more importantly... We all promised ourselves that we would not let Discord mess with our minds again. Not just for ourselves, but for you... And it wasn't just a promise, but a Pinkie Promise. And nopony had ever broken one of those before. But... Discord was just too powerful. We overestimated ourselves... If I had had known that he would go so far as to corrupt us by force to basically make us lose..."

So... They truly did try to keep me safe from Discord. Even though I could still feel the bitterness of what I was forced through, not to mention the pain of the memories of my friends betraying me right in front of my eyes, I still felt...honored that they would be so deeply concerned for me in the face of a potentially omnipotent threat. I let out a long sigh, unsure of what to feel. "What about the others...? How have they been?"

Twilight shook her head slowly. "Horrible... They know what they did. They remembered everything they said and did before the corruption left them. James, I'm ot kidding. We've all been going through the pain of the fact that we failed in protecting you, but... They... Applejack is in a slump, Rarity's been struggling with her business from how a mess her nerves have been, Pinkie Pie has been on the verge of a psychotic breakdown for a few days, and... Fluttershy..."

She just stopped right there while averting her eyes. Fluttershy... The mare I love and the one who hurt me most. "What about her?"

After a moment of silence, Twilight looked directly at me again while her ears drooped. "Rarity told me something recently... Right after you were admitted to the ER in Canterlot Royal Hospital, Fluttershy stayed behind for a bit longer while the rest of us were being led away by the princesses. Rarity was the only one to notice. And when approached, Fluttershy claimed that... She was in tears, by the way... She claimed that if anything happened to you, she would never be able to forgive herself... She's been haunted by her actions ever since, James... She hates herself for what she did to you."

I so desperately wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that things could indeed go back to the way they were before. But the trauma... The memories weighed me down with doubt. I knew Twilight was not lying to me, but... That was them at the time, not a quartet of imposters. Discord was not directly manipulating them. I wanted to believe that the ones who hurt me were not... But they were physically there. They harmed me through their own actions and will. They knew who I was. Twilight could clearly see the turmoil in my eyes. "James... Is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all?"

I wanted to see someone I cared about. Someone who cherishes me as much as I adore them. I turned to Twilight and asked, "Could you please bring Rainbow Dash here?"

That instantly brought a somber smile to her lips. "Sure... I'll be right back. Just... Please be patient, OK?" Twilight then reached out an placed a soft kiss on my cheek. I felt a tear flow from my eye as I felt that... Felt so...reassuring that things were going to get better. And with that, she trotted out of the room. All I could do was wait. Rainbow Dash... The only one I knew for certain who was spared from Discord's machinations.

Things are looking up... Thank goodness that James was still himself when he woke up. Just when it seemed like it would take months or even years to awaken, James awoke from his coma after a mercifully short ten days. He is still scarred, but... I think he will heal in the long run. But for now, there is somepony he wants to see. I just visited him and was requested to bring Rainbow Dash to him.

I asked around from pony to pony if they had seen Rainbow Dash anywhere. Being one of the most recognizable ponies around, I did get a few leads. Fortunately for me, Rainbow Dash has been rather...lacking in energy for the last ten days. And for good reason. I found her sulking on a low cloud not too far from the town square. Rather than call out for her, I used my magic to pull the cloud the cloud she was lying on right down to the ground.

She seemed to notice something was up since she started glancing around after lifting her head. "Huh?! What the... What's going on?!"

"It's OK, Rainbow. It's just me." I said once she was almost down to ground level. That calmed her down right away.

"Oh... Hey, Twilight. What's going on?" She asked while still giving me a pretty melancholy stare. She just has not been herself lately.

I managed to crack a smile. I did have good tidings, after all. "Well, I have some good news. James just regained consciousness."

Her eyes opened wider than I had seen in quite a while. "He... What?! Already?!"

"Yes... I know. It's amazing he would wake up just ten days after all that drama. And... Well, he requested that I go find you." I explained to her while feeling much more relaxed than I had been in a while. Finally, things were starting to look up.

My words seemed to hit a soft spot in Rainbow Dash. She brought a hoof to her chest and asked with a very vulnerable look on her face that I am sure she would hate to be seen with by anypony else. "He wants to see...me?"

I nodded, being completely honest. "I was there when they announced that he had awaken. You'll be the second pony to see him since he woke up."

"Well, what're we waiting for?!" She suddenly spoke up as a glimmer of her usual brazen flair returned. She then suddenly went airborne and delivered a kick to the cloud she was on, dissipating it in the process before turning to me. "I'll head over right now!"

"Hold on there, Rainbow. We'll go together." I spoke up before she could fly away. With a few seconds of focus, I used the teleportation spell to take us right to the hospital's front doors.

Before Rainbow Dash could get her bearings, I decided to explain things briefly. "OK, before you go rushing in there yelling in joy or whatever, keep a few things in mind. He's still recovering and is quite exhausted. Be gentle with him, all right?"

Rainbow Dash nodded with showing me a sincere smile. "No worries, Twilight. If there's one thing I've learned from him since he first showed up, it's how to be gentle."

I know she is putting on a confident face and seems much more sure of herself than I have seen her in days, but I can tell Rainbow Dash is still feeling very insecure and anxious about James. I just felt the need to write this all down, even if it was short. I just hope things go well with her and James when they meet for the first time in ten days.

The room was eerily silent aside from the constant beeping of that heart monitor and the hiss of my respirator. I was tempted to remove its mask from my face, but decided against it. It did bring a certain level of comfort to me. Almost like a barrier making me feel more contained and cozy.

The beeping and the hissing were almost calming. I was tempted to just go back to sleep. I had no idea when Twilight would return with Rainbow Dash. At least I hoped she would return. I wanted to see Rainbow Dash, but I still wanted to see Twilight. I turned my head to the right, the direction I tend to let it turn when I sleep, and began to close my eyes.

Before I had the chance to drift off, I heard the door to the room creak open once again. Without moving, I glanced up at the mirror. A familiar pegasus mare was slowly approaching me. Rainbow Dash.

I felt a twinge of excitement fill my embittered heart. Was she still the same mare I knew when the world became silent and my body became numb? I turned my head to look at her without a word. When I did, she instantly stopped in her tracks. Her somber expression seemed to change to one of some sort of...mental and emotional overload. She almost seemed to be in shock as her wings spread, but then drooped along with her ears. It was the single most pathetic and vulnerable expression I had ever seen on her face.

"Rainbow...?" I quietly asked, still too weak to push myself to a sitting position. But I did not have to move after all. Rainbow Dash swayed slightly, a bit of a choking or gagging sound coming from her as tears began to simply cascade down her face. It was almost as if...she had just witnessed someone she treasured come back from the grave. Seconds later, she sprinted towards me with alarming speed and all but leaped at me. Her arms were spread across my torso and up my shoulder while she buried her face in my chest and just wailed and cried with absolute abandon the likes of which I had never seen before.

It hurt... Rainbow was one of the few people in my life at that moment that I had nearly unconditional faith in. To see her in such pain... Or was it mind numbing relief? Either way, I pulled my left arm out from under the bed sheet and gently stroked her head and mane. It felt as if she was trying to push her face right into my chest. After a minute or so, she began to pull herself up to my torso before wrapping her arms around me surprisingly tenderly while still sniffling and choking on her tears. She would have hated to be seen like that.

"I...missed you..." I heard her finally gasp out with her head resting next to mine. I responded by draping my arm over her with my lightweight friend practically lying upon me. She was still with me. Unchanged, still loyal. Just as she was when I thought I breathed my last breath.

"Hey... Are you OK?" I finally brought myself to ask while I gently leaned my head against hers. I was both relieved to see her again, yet also concerned for her remarkable show of weakness.

She pulled her head away from me, those eyes still pouring tears. Her voice was wracked with emotions that were just overflowing. "I... I dunno... It just feels... I feel like I just woke up from a nightmare..." She then suddenly pressed her head against my chest while trying to not yell as she cried. "I thought you were dead back there! When you stopped talking and went limp... Oh my god, I thought I lost you...! And these past ten days... Nothing I ever said or did got to you... You were there, but it still felt like you were far away... You don't know what it's like!"

I was unsure of what to say. I did not know if I even could say anything. It must have been emotional torture for her since that day. She soon looked at me again. And gently, she brought her hoof to my respirator's mask and slid it off me. I felt no difficulty breathing on my own, but I knew that was beside the point. I knew what it was she wanted to do and say. "I love you... You know that, right?"

I could only nod and gently placed my hand on the back of her head. She closed her eyes and... That kiss... The feel of her lips against mine greatly reinforced any faith I still had in her. She was truly the same mare I had known all along.

Rainbow Dash instantly ended the kiss she heard the door opening and promptly placed my mask back over my nose and mouth. But it was nopony we did not know. The visitor was Twilight Sparkle. She smiled somberly as she approached us while the door swung shut. "How are you two doing? Catching up on lost time?"

"Ye... Yeah..." Rainbow said before once again resting upon me while my hand stroked her neck and mane. She was like a tired child just resting upon me and trying to take a nap.

Twilight merely stood at the side of my bed and looked on in silence. I did not know what to say. Just... So many memories and emotions flowing through me while my body just did not want to move. Eventually, I spoke to Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow... How are the other four girls..."

She shook her head and let out a sigh without even moving from me. "You have no idea... They're really shaken up over what they did. They've been visiting you while you were out and... They just... You have no idea how sorry they are."

I glanced at Twilight, who nodded with a frown. It was that I looked down at my heavily bandaged right arm. "You... You girls saw everything, huh?"

Neither of them seemed pleased to be reminded. Twilight's ears drooped while Rainbow Dash shuddered while burying her head even harder into my chest. "Most of it... I couldn't watch the end... Just... What did Discord do to you?! You even ate parts of him! That couldn't have been you... I don't wanna believe it..."

I was unsure of what to say or feel about those memories. I could still remember what I felt. The laughter. The excitement. The satisfaction of driving the source of my despair into a corner he could not escape from. But all the while... The pain. It never went away. It was constantly trying to resurface past the laughter... Past the smile... I was doing all I could to drown it. To numb myself to it. I threw my inhibitions away to seek what I would want, but not attempt to gain. Even now... I am not entirely sure why I did what I did. I knew the reasons behind it, but... The memory is just a maelstrom of rage, despair, desire, hatred, and pain.

Twilight Sparkle seemed to understand what I was feeling and wanting to say just by looking at me. She reached out and placed her hoof upon Rainbow's shoulder. "I know why it happened, Rainbow... And... Just don't fault him too much. All that matters is that the real James is still here and Discord is gone forever. For me... That's enough."

Rainbow Dash was silent for a moment, maybe trying to think of a means to process what Twilight meant. "I... I think what you mean... It was all just...one big nightmare Discord put us all through. And we're starting to wake up now. Only Discord's gone with the nightmare, right?"

"I guess that's one way to put it..." I muttered, though the memory of what I did to Discord still floated through my mind. All that I did... It... Everything I did to him went against everything I had ever stood for. All that red... Those screams and pleas. Just... How could I have done that to anyone? Even if it was in response to what he put me through... For a time, I was worse than he had ever been.

After a moment of silence further, Rainbow Dash looked right at me. "Hey, James...? Do you... Um... Are you ready to see the rest of the girls?"

I knew what they meant. The ones who... "Are you sure they're back to normal?"

"Yes, I swear they are." Twilight replied while she placed her hoof on my arm. "They've been desperately wanting to see you and talk to you. They miss you, James... Would you like us to bring them here?"

Once again, the memories flickered through my head. But still... It was Discord who made them that way. I wanted to believe that. To believe that everything they did and said was not by their own will, but... The doubt still lingered. And yet... I wanted them back. All four of them. "Sure... Bring them here."

Both Rainbow Dash and Twilight smiled a bit more brightly than before at those words. Rainbow then flapped her wings to propel herself off of me and landed beside Twilight. "You got it, big guy. Twilight, I'll go round up Fluttershy and Applejack. You go get Pinkie Pie and Rarity, all right?"

"Sounds good to me. We'll be back as soon as we can, James. Just... Don't lose hope, OK? I swear they really want to see you." Twilight said with a nod before turning to me.

"OK..." I said quietly while only nodding. The two mares then trotted out the door. But before Twilight could leave, she looked back at me over her shoulder with a sympathetic smile.

I looked right at her. She seemed like she did not want to leave. "James... Just relax, all right? The worst is over now. Everything's going to be just fine." All I could do was nod while she left. Alone once more, I tried to go back to sleep to pass the time.

Oh man... Oh man... I still can't believe he's already awake. Even though it was ten days, it felt more like ten weeks. But everything's gonna get better fast now! Twilight had already run off to get Pinkie Pie and Rarity, so I was swooping over Ponyville to get to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was probably staying home today. Since things looked like they were gonna rain, the market hadn't been open today.

Sweet Apple Acres was pretty quiet. I didn't see anypony out and about anywhere, so I flew over to the farmhouse and gave a knock on the door. "Hey, Applejack! Get out here, I've got something important to say!"

That didn't take long to get a response. She opened the top half of the door in just a few seconds. "I heard ya the first five times! Anyway, what brings ya 'round these parts, Rainbow?"

I didn't waste any time telling her what was up. "He's awake! James came outta his coma today!"

"That's nice and all... Wait... Yer serious?! He woke up already?! The docs told us he might never wake up, and he's up and at 'em in less than two weeks?!" Yeah, that was just about the kinda reaction I was expecting.

"Yeah... Lucky break, huh? Anyway, he wants to see you... Wait, not just you. He wants to see all of us." I replied, feeling way too lucky that this whole mess started clearing up pretty fast. Man.. Just ten days. How lucky is that?

Applejack didn't seem too sure about what I said though. "Uh... Ya sure he wants ta see me? Especially after what happened back there...?"

I nodded and tried to give her a smile. "Yeah... Don't worry about him. Twilight and I already had a chat with him. He's still the James we all know. And he misses you."

She bowed her head while looking away for a minute. Was she about to start crying? "Well... If he really wants ta see me... Oh, who am I kiddin' here? You bet I'll go. I've still gotta bury the hatchet before things get back ta normal."

Great. Now all that was left was to get over to Fluttershy's place. I was really tempted to fly over there by myself, but I decided to gallop the whole way with Applejack. I think the more friends I had along for the ride, the better. It really did feel like it would start raining at any time. Almost like it was a bad sign. I would've cleared up the sky with the rest of the weather patrol, but we were told to leave the clouds alone since things had been a little dry lately and that a little excess rain wouldn't be a bad idea.

When we got to Fluttershy's place, things already didn't feel all that right. The place was pretty quiet. We barely saw any of the little animals that usually run around nearby. It actually felt really gloomy. But considering how Fluttershy has been doing the last ten days...

"Well... Let's head on up." Applejack said while we walked up to Fluttershy's front door. She then knocked on the door while I just waited for somepony to answer.

After a couple more knocks, a really sweet and quiet voice spoke up from behind the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy. Open up, we've got some big news to share!" I replied while getting pretty antsy. I just wanted to get her out there and back to the hospital right away.

The door creaked open a crack and I saw Fluttershy peeking out from behind it. A second later, she pulled it all the way open. She was still looking pretty rough. I almost never see her looking that down. "Hello... Sorry I haven't been getting out very often lately... Don't feel very motivated."

Applejack showed a really sympathetic smile while patting her on the shoulder. "It's all right, sugar cube. We've all been feelin' a bit outta sorts lately. But that's all changin' today. James is doin' just fine, Fluttershy. He's awake now and wants ta see us."

That perked her up right away. Her eyes opened wide as her ears flicked like they didn't catch what Applejack said the first time. "He's... He's awake? And... He wants to see...me?"

I decided to say my part then. "He is, Fluttershy. I saw him and talked to him myself. He's still looking pretty weak and tired and he's probably got another week in the hospital to go, but he missed us. Everything you saw happen... Just forget about it, OK? He's still the same guy. And he wants to see if you're still the same pony before this whole mess happened. Twilight's already gone to get Rarity and Pinkie Pie. We're all gonna be there."

She actually took a moment to say something. It looked like she was debating whether or not she was worthy of being around him after what happened between them. But she finally looked at us with one of the most hopeful stares I had seen from her in a while. "Ye... Yes... I'll go... I want to see him again. Just... Let me tell Angel and Angela to watch the place while I'm gone."

Fluttershy ducked back into the house for about thirty seconds before she came back and stepped outside before closing the door behind her. "OK... Let's go."

"Atta girl, Fluttershy. Things are gonna be all right pretty soon. You just wait." Applejack said while we all ran down the path and on our way to Ponyville. I really just wanted to take off at max speed to get there ASAP, but I didn't wanna leave Fluttershy alone then. She really needed some support.

We didn't stop for anything. We went straight to the hospital. And wouldn't you know? Twilight beat me to it. Pinkie Pie and Rarity were standing by her and waved in our direction. "Yoo hoo! Over here darlings!" Rarity called out while we got close.

"Howdy, girls! Y'all here ta say howdy too?" Applejack asked once we came to a stop. That was the first time we had all gotten together since we came back from Canterlot. Felt good... But there was still one person missing.

Pinkie Pie was hopping up and down like she usually does when she's psyched for something. "You know it! I still gotta say I'm sorry for everything I did! Wait... I shouldn't be sounding this happy about it..." That got her to stop.

"I know... But... Things are finally going to go back to normal, right? If he's willing to forgive us..." Fluttershy muttered while she looked away.

Rarity stepped forward and touched Fluttershy shoulder. "Of course he will, darling... That was not us who turned on him. He will understand. Now, shall we go see our dear friend?"

"Yeah, we should. We're all here now. Just remember though. Let Rainbow Dash and I go in first. We'll let you know when to enter." Twilight replied before she started to head inside with us behind her. Man, we're so close to being out of this mess. Almost home free...

I lost track of how much time passed since they departed. Ponyville does cover a fair amount of space, so it would likely take some time of running here and there to round up the others. Especially when you are not entirely certain of their exact location. However, any attempt to fall asleep was sabotaged by the anxiety of knowing that those who hurt me would soon be arriving. Even though I could still remember the tension when they spoke to me... The pain of being struck... I still had to take into account that they were not truly themselves. Merely what Discord wanted them to be.

Despite that knowledge... It is difficult to accept that. While it was not them in spirit, it was still them in body. Perhaps only by seeing them and hearing them and feeling them would I be able to let go of my doubts and regain my trust in them. I wanted to believe Twilight and Rainbow... I truly did.

Eventually, I heard a knock on the door. It opened seconds later. My anxiety mostly faded in an instant when I saw that the visitors were just Rainbow Dash and Twilight again. There was no sign of anyone else.

"All right, James. Everypony's just outside the door. You ready to see them?" Twilight asked while she came closer. Rainbow Dash seemed to be staying by the door to let the others know when to enter.

A part of me was feeling wary of my dear friends. Telling me that allowing them in would be a bad idea. But after all that I had been told, I was feeling very hopeful. I wanted to see the friends I feared I had lost forever. "Sure... Bring them in."

Rainbow then opened the door a crack and stuck her head past it. Though a bit muffled, I could hear her clearly. "All right, girls. Come on in."

Seconds later, the door swung open. But... The instant I laid eyes on the four faces that came through the doorway... What came over me? I felt a searing pain explode in my head. The memories... Flashing across my vision as if I was witnessing them in person all over again. The voices in my ears... Mixed with disorienting noise. Between the visions, I could see and barely hear them. Looks of bewilderment and great concern. Was I moving? The pain was too severe for me to remember feeling much of anything else. Did I say anything? What did they say to me? It was just...sheer chaos in my head. Just before everything went black, I remember grasping something and hurling it towards them...

I am uncertain how long I was out. But when I came to, my mind was instantly assaulted by the memories. The sights and the sounds... I could still see and feel them, though of less severity. But it was still painful. And no matter what I tried to do, I could not stop thinking about them. I heard a rumble to my right. When I turned my head, I could barely see through the blinds. A thunderstorm had descended upon Ponyville.

"No. I'm sorry, but you cannot visit him at this moment. We're still trying to diagnosis what has happened to him. He must not be disturbed for now." I heard a voice coming from the door. A turn to the left revealed that it was just slightly ajar, having miraculously not closed on its own. I could barely make out the face of Nurse Redheart just past the left edge of the window to the door's right. And just ahead of her...

I had to instantly look away. All six of them were right there. And just looking at them triggered more agony within my mind as the memories surged in vividness. It subsided quickly once they were out of my field of vision though. The small mirror resting on the windowsill... I could still see them with it where I lay. And strangely enough, looking at them through it did no harm to me.

All six of them were clearly distraught. I could hear the muffled voice of Pinkie Pie speak up while she seemed to lift one leg to take a step forward, but did not. "But... What happened to them in there?! He looked like he was having a seizure!"

"Yeah, what gives?! Y'all said he was completely outta the woods by now! What's wrong with 'im this time?!" Applejack added, sounding both alarmed and irritated from some sort of new development. Their voices... They hurt to hear. But with them being so muffled by the window and door, the pain was fairly dull.

Redheart seemed displeased as well by whatever had occurred and seemed to show an unhappy from. "I know, I know... And his vital signs truly were stable at the time he regained consciousness. But... I really wish I could explain it..."

What was wrong with me? I was both curious, yet fearful. I was feeling...even more drained than I was when I woke up the first time. Twilight then asked, "Explain what? What did you find during your secondary diagnosis?"

The nurse hesitated before she began to speak. "It's strange... We found no signs of infection or disease. His immune system seems to be functioning fine. His white blood cell count is normal. At least it seems normal when compared to a pony's. But... I wish I could explain it. Heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar... So many of his vital signs have noticeably dropped below normal levels. And when we tested him again not even an hour ago... They had dipped slightly further..."

"Redheart... What are you saying?" I heard Fluttershy ask while she looked noticeably shaken.

There was a pause in the air as a new tension filled the space between us. And when Redheart spoke again, her words were brief and chilling. "He's dying."

I did not know what to think. Even among the memories that constantly swam through my mind, tormenting me, I felt such conflicting emotions. Was I truly dying? Was my body slowly failing? The looks on their faces said it all. Silent horror and shock. Just when it seemed things were going back to normal...

"Nurse... Are you certain there is nothing you can do to save him?" Rarity asked, her voice becoming shaky.

Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, was far less composed and almost sounded panicked as she suddenly drew closer to the nurse. "You better find a way! He's already been through hell! He doesn't need more of this!"

Redheart still maintained the grim seriousness she was displaying regarding the entire incident, but she still managed to speak to the six mares with a tone of professionalism to likely calm their nerves. "It's far too soon to say. Rest assured, we will do all we can to accurately diagnosis what his current ailment is. It's certainly possible that some sort of complication involving his injuries sustained ten days ago may have only just now surfaced. Like before, you will all be the first ones to know if anything new comes up. But... I'm sorry, but I really cannot let him be disturbed right now. Until tomorrow, he must be left alone." She then turned around and disappeared from sight. However, she sounded like she paused right in front of the door. And then, the door completely close, muting any other voices that were coming from the other side.

Even though I could not hear them, I could still see them in their reflection. The six mares looked and spoke to each other while looking noticeably shaken. Some of them hugged each other. Pinkie Pie cried. And then... Fluttershy. She suddenly turned to the window and rose up before placing one hoof on the window while a truly desperate gaze was directed right at me. There was a profound fear in those eyes... She was not just leaning against the window. She was reaching out to me. But for me... I felt afraid of her somewhere in my heart, even though I was tempted to reach out to her too. Soon, she bowed her head as tears began to flow. She seemed to be holding in some sort of sorrow. This time, Rainbow Dash was the one to approach her to provide support.

Fluttershy turned and tightly embraced the brazen pegasus mare. And even with the door closed shut, I could still hear it. Whenever Fluttershy has cried around me, it has always been quiet sobs. But this time, I could hear it. Anguished wails. I could see her in the mirror's display. Crying harder than I had ever seen before. And soon, she was led away. And I was alone once more.

With the chorus of the heart monitor and respirator being serenaded by the sound of rain splattering against the window behind the blinds and the occasional thunderclap, I lied in bed while barely moving. The memories would not subside. And the sounds that accompanied them echoed in my head as well. Such hurtful words... Painful blows... Even though a part of me fears my approaching demise, another part of me strangely welcomes it.

It was when I just happened to turn my head a little further to the left that I noticed something I had overlooked before. In a small cardboard box between my bed and the cabinet next to it was a stack of blank paper and a few pens. It was all too clear to me what they were. Somepony, probably Twilight, must have dropped them off to be used for journals. And so, here I am writing all this to help pass the time and distract me from the horrid memories that simply will not leave my head.

What is happening to me now? Am I truly going to die soon? And why will these memories simply not stop repeating in my mind? Even attempting to simply not think about them does nothing... And yet... I honestly think I want to die more than I want to live... A hideous concept, I know. But...

I just cannot take the pain anymore. Hopefully that beautiful dream world awaits me when I fall asleep soon. Anything to subdue the pain...


	35. The Countdown Begins

The dream... I still remember it after awakening. It was the same as before. When it began, I found myself wearing a gold bracelet. And on Fluttershy's hoof was a matching silver one. It made sense since a gold one would be harder to spot against her pale golden coat. We were a couple. And yet, she had no recollection of what occurred during the wedding. Somehow... I knew this world was false. That I was doomed to awaken. Even so, I went on about my day, praying that this dream would not end. I truly wish I could write more of what occurred in that dream, but just trying to remember it leaves me feeling too miserably emotionally drained to even bring pen to paper.

The day was simple. I found myself working at the spa, offering massages to the likes of Twilight Sparkle, Fleetfoot of the Wonderbolt, and even Mrs. Cake for once. I joined my girlfriend... No, my wife. I joined her for lunch at the café. We were joined by Rarity, who spoke fondly of Gladesong once more. Everything felt so routine. So...perfect. A life I would not trade for anything.

And yet, it did. As I was on my way over to the schoolhouse that afternoon, I could feel something touch my cheek. I could feel it, but not see it. Was it...feathers? And soon... Words seemed to echo in my ears. Distant, yet familiar... And the voice... I believe they were... "Crestfallen soul... Rest for this night. Love is here, right here under my wings..."

It was the chorus of a song I know too well. A personal favorite. But who... Who was calling me? Who do I know that also knows that song? I could not remain asleep. The world around me faded and my vision soon faced a familiar window. The instant my eyes began to focus, it happened once more. The memories... They assaulted my mind without any provocation. Without me even trying to remember them. I felt weak. And angry. Who would dare awaken me from that wonderful dream?

I turned my head, my mind still in agony. But when I did, I saw someone gazing right down at me. For that instant, the memories all but faded as other memories rose to push them aside. The pain receded, even if just momentarily. I knew this mare. Someone dearly precious to me that I had somehow forgotten about, yet remembered the instant I saw her. The Princess of Dreams. Nightmare Moon.

My vision instantly became blurred as I beheld the majesty of her beauty for the first time since that wretched day. I needed her... Wanted to hold her. Finding strength I thought I no longer had, I forced myself up despite the pain that radiated through my right arm. Although I noticed it was duller than it was the day before. I lifted my left arm to her, and she responded in kind. She held me close with a foreleg wrapped around me while my head leaned against her. I struggled to silence myself even as the tears flowed.

She could feel my relief and my sorrow. I know she could. I heard her whisper into my ear. "Shhh... All is well, my dear... I am here now..."

God... I could not believe how relieved I was to see her. Almost as if I had forgotten how precious she is to me. But just as I was almost beginning to feel happy, the memories forced themselves to the forefront of my mind once more. The memories of being harmed... The turmoil I faced... I cringed, my grasp on her loosening.

Nightmare Moon was quick to notice something was not right. She tenderly lowered me back to my bed, her hoof softly resting upon my chest after she pulled my sheets back over me. She then spoke softly to me while those gorgeous exotic eyes never once looked away. She was both happy...yet fearful. "My friend... There are no words to express my relief that you have survived this ordeal. However... I can clearly see that a new crisis has begun."

"That obvious...?" I spoke weakly, feeling more drained than before due to the mental duress. I so desperately wanted to think of something else. To push those memories away. Perhaps think of a scene from a video game I played. Maybe even a song I would like to hum to myself. Or even just a special time I had with any of my friends. But no matter what I tried to think of, those memories were smothered by the presence of the memories I desperately wanted to forget.

My royal friend lifted her hoof out of her polished blue metal greave and tenderly caressed my head with such unexpected tenderness. Almost like a mother comforting her young. "You do not have to say anything to me, James. Since shortly after you fell into a deep slumber, Luna and I have been watching you time and again from within the dream realm. And what we saw...and felt...unnerved us."

"You... Both of you were there?" I asked, finding it hard to believe I could not detect a difference between them and the dream world. But at what point did I encounter them? During the wedding? Or some other time?"

Nightmare Moon nodded, noticing my puzzlement. "Yes. We were. But the only time we actually stood before you was at Sugarcube Corner when you introduced us to your daughter. Gladesong, was it?"

Gladesong... That adorable filly. I actually found myself missing her, even if she was just a dream. "Yeah..."

My friend seemed to notice how glum I felt as I barely managed to clearly think of her through the memories that constantly assaulted me. "She was a fine child... If you and Fluttershy are blessed with a filly somewhere in the future, I hope she will be just like her. But aside from that, Luna and I were doing more than just visiting. We were investigating."

Investigating... Leave it to the Princess of Dreams herself to find something not quite right in a dream. "Well... What was off about it?"

"Several aspects." She replied bluntly, although she then sat beside my bed and once more caressed my cheek. Not with her hoof, but with her beautiful billowing mane. "Just reaching your dreaming mind was a challenge. Something...or someone was attempting to keep me out. And when I attempted to force my way in, I... I was torn asunder, my entire body coming apart at the seams. That is all I remember before I awoke."

That description was nothing short of haunting. In other words...something killed her within the dream world to force Nightmare Moon to awaken. I remained silent, unsure of what I could say to that claim. Nightmare Moon then continued, "It required the combined might of both me and Luna to actually reach your dreaming mind. And even then, it was not without resistance. The first time, I am all but certain one of my wings was severed from my body and my left eye was destroyed. Of course, once we reached the other side, we could easily undo such harm to our bodies in the dream realm. But even so, we had to endure such maiming with each excursion into your dream."

"Why would you put up with that? Couldn't you just wait for me to wake up?" I asked in return, feeling bad that both she and Luna would put themselves through such pain just to see me.

My friend displayed a solemn smile before she spoke softly to me. "Because you are dear to us, my friend. We know what you went through and we so desperately wanted to be there for you in your time of need. And while being trapped in a coma prevented us from speaking to you in person, Luna and I can enter any dream in the world. Even in the comatose. It was the only way we could see you. But..."

She paused for a moment. Something was clearly troubling her. "When we did arrive for the first time and mended our wounds, we immediately noticed something...strange about the world. It felt too...real. It felt more like we were standing in the real Ponyville than a mere illusion of it."

I was puzzled by how anyone could tell the difference between the real world and an abnormally real dream world, but I suppose the Princess of Dreams herself could easily detect such a difference. I stayed silent to allow her to continue. Her story was providing me with something interesting to focus on in order to keep my most painful memories subdued. "Furthermore... In most dreams, the world revolves around the dreamer as only the dreamer is truly seeing it. Yet, no matter how far Luna and I strayed from you, the world remained active and alive. It was not being sustained by just your dreaming mind. It was as if it was a perfectly simulated living world."

Interesting. But then a thought occurred to me. "Well... Were you both there at the end when...THAT happened?"

Nightmare Moon bowed her head. She knew what I was referring to. "Luna was tending to some of her duties at the time, so she could not be there with me. But yes. I was there. The apparition that tried to keep us out was all but gone when I attempted to dive into your dream yesterday, so I was met with minimal resistance."

"And...did you feel the world quiver? The sky change and stuff?" I asked in return, wondering if all those strange phenomenon were something only I experienced.

She nodded with a frown. "I did. That was merely your body trying to wake up. But... The way the world melted... How it just fell apart... It was truly one of the most unsettling sights I have ever witnessed, dream or otherwise. Something truly vile must have been at work there. And I intend to find out what it was."

Something vile... I could still remember that overwhelming mental pain I felt yesterday when I saw the four mares who betrayed me... And how my memories simply will not stop tormenting me... I suppose she was right. That is not how the mind functions. Perhaps those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may suffer similar symptoms, but... Surely, what I went through alone would not be enough for me to come down with that. Would it?

Strangely enough, I was feeling somewhat better while speaking to her and listening. I felt like I had slightly more energy than before. I was not feeling as mentally drained. And even though those memories were still present, they were somewhat ignorable. The pain was still there, but more diluted.

Even so, that did not stop her from speaking the grim truth. "And to that effect, I must address what is happening as of now. I have spoken to the nurses in the hospital who are charged with your care. Your body is...sadly...slowly deteriorating. And judging by the symptoms...the cause cannot possibly be natural."

I could not help thinking back to Discord. Out of anyone who may have had something to do with what was wrong with me, he was the only one who made sense. The rules I forced onto him. How he locked away every last spell that I could not use or had not mastered at the time. Is it possible he kept just one little spell up his sleeve to screw me over if I won? Considering all he did... I would not be surprised. "You think this has anything to do with Discord?"

Nightmare Moon sighed while looking noticeably displeased. I suspect the very thought of him made her slightly angry. "I would not be surprised by this point. Knowing that scoundrel, he would likely keep at least one ace in the hole ready incase things were not going his way. But even so... These circumstances seem far too grim for his tastes... I doubt he would want to drag anyone to the grave with him. He had never been any sort of a nihilist..."

She then turned her attention back to me after looking away briefly. "But that is beside the point. I have ordered the staff who are watching over you to provide my sisters and I with updates on your physical condition and activity every eight hours. I know something is wrong here. And I will be performing research in the royal archives to try to find a solution. We've come too far to lose you now, my friend."

Somewhere in my heart, I felt genuinely touched. I have always adored Nightmare Moon. I saved her back in the Everfree Forest. And now it was her turn to save me. Even so... I still had to ask. "Do you really think I'm worth keeping alive... Even after what I did?"

Nightmare Moon sighed with a truly solemn frown. Once more, her mane reached out and caressed my cheek. "My friend... That was not you. I know you well and the man who brought Discord down was not truly you. You are, as of this moment, still the friend I adore and the man your friends remember. Not the monster who ended Discord. So... Yes. You are indeed worthy of saving."

I felt a twinge of uneasiness as Nightmare Moon began to rise to a standing position once more. "Please... I know you are in a great deal of pain right now. But please, try to endure it for as long as you can. We will triumph over this obstacle, James. But you must stay alive long enough for that to happen. When I find out what it is that is plaguing you, I will return with the cure. Until then... Rest. You have earned it."

She turned to leave and began to approach the door. But as she did, I felt a tiny spark of desperation fill me. I did not want her to leave. "Wait... Are you leaving now?"

Nightmare Moon turned to gaze at me over her shoulder. She looked unhappy as well. "I must, James. I need to return to Canterlot and begin my research. The sooner I find the cure, the better."

"I know and I appreciate that. But..." I felt so embarrassed, feeling so desperate for her company. I knew I was going to sound like a pathetic child, but I did not want to wait and regret not telling her. "Could you... Would you please stay a while longer?"

Her expression brightened slightly, although it was mostly a show of shock. She clearly did not expect those words. But that rather surprised expression soon turned into a calm and relieved smile. "I would be honored, my friend."

And so she returned to my side. And there she stayed. She never once complained. Never asked if she could be excused. Even though I was bedridden, I never once truly felt bored. Nightmare Moon was always within reach. If I was not holding her, she was holding me.

The memories became less vivid. The pain receded. I could remember better times. The moment we first met. The time we were reunited in the castle ruins within the Everfree Forest. The relief upon seeing the crisis resolved with her set to return to the throne. And so many other times afterward. How could I have forgotten all that we had been through?

I am unsure how much time passed. Knowing I may have received a death sentence with an undecided due date and being confined to a hospital room causes time to be largely irrelevant to me. However, our time together was eventually interrupted by the arrival of one of the nurses with a wheeled cart carrying a tray of...hospital food.

"Breakfast time, Mr. Ja... Uh... Your highness?" A rather gruff woman's voice spoke from the doorway. The nurse I had come to recognize as Snowheart seemed genuinely surprised to find one of the princesses of Equestria sitting beside me. With a yellow coat similar to Apple Bloom's, green eyes, and a curled mane and tail of grayish blues, she always sounded either tired or annoyed and jaded. She is probably someone who is not entirely fond of her job, or just takes her job very seriously with almost no room for goofing around, something that I can certainly relate to.

Nightmare Moon was quick to glance in her direction, but then seemed to scowl as she gazed at the tray of food that was on the cart. "Nurse... You don't truly expect him to eat that slop, do you?"

I suspect seeing that food brought back some unpleasant memories of when Nightmare Moon was briefly hospitalized once she was brought back from the Everfree Forest. She really did not sound like she enjoyed their cooking... Snowheart glanced down at the food, apparently not being used to having patients, or anyone else for that matter, complain about the food. "Well...uh... You know we have to put nutrition before everything else, your highness. And... Have visiting hours started already?"

"If they have not, I hereby command you as Princess of Dreams to allow me to stay by his side regardless. And please, do try to add a bit more flair to his meals from now on." Nightmare Moon replied with a stern gaze. She certainly is not afraid to exert her authority when necessary.

"Well... All right then, your highness. I'll just leave this here with you." Snowheart said before pushing the cart to my bedside and making her way out of the room. The food definitely did not seem very appetizing at all. It seemed to consist of a pile of mashed green vegetables and a cube of cherry gelatin or something for dessert. Although I was liking the look of that red fruit punch.

Being someone who is right-handed, I had some difficulty manipulating the fork that was provided with my left hand due to my right hand being tightly bandaged. That, and it was likely still heavily burned to the point of being too painful to move. Fortunately, Nightmare Moon as all too willing to help guide my hand with the levitation spell. Drinking with my left hand has never been a problem though. Huh... I notice I am actually feeling rather happy by looking at my style of writing while I remember what happened with her...

The food was rather bland overall. Nothing to write home about. I somehow managed to finish it all despite feeling barely hungry at all. Nightmare Moon seemed quick to notice my lack of enjoyment while I ate. "Nothing special, am I right?"

"You can say that... I'm not that hungry to begin with." I replied quietly. For whatever reason, the memories were beginning to resurface at a snail's pace. And my enthusiasm and smile began to diminish with their return.

Nightmare Moon could clearly see that something was wrong, even though I sure I could be seen as being merely tired. She seemed reluctant to speak, but did so anyway. "My friend... I can see that whatever is plaguing you still has you in its grasp. I have no desire to leave you, but... I must return to Canterlot and begin my research. I will return whenever I can, but..."

I did not wish to see her go, but I understood why she had to. She wanted to insure that I stay alive. And while a part of me was welcoming my eventual doom, another part of me wanted to survive. She then stepped forward and placed a kiss upon my forehead, one that filled me with a tingling warmth. "Please stay alive. You...are my guiding light. For without you... I would be lost."

I could see and hear in her voice that she was trying to stay optimistic. She knew that there may be a way for me to be saved and that she was certain that she could find it. But at the same time, she was facing the certainty of the loss of someone important to her. That I would likely be dead before long if something was not done. Even so, I placed my hand on her shoulder. I wanted her to know I appreciate her efforts. "Thank you..."

Just as she was beginning to turn to leave, we froze at the sound of the door to the room beginning to open. And standing in the doorway was another familiar face that I was truly happy to see. "Huh? Nightmare Moon? I'm sorry, am I interrupting anything?"

Nightmare Moon turned to face the visitor and cast a somber smile towards her. "Not at all, Twilight Sparkle. I was just about to return to Canterlot. In fact... I have a favor to ask."

Twilight nodded and stood her ground while Nightmare Moon began to draw near. Once they were standing before each other, Nightmare Moon spoke calmly. "As you know, our friend is..." She then cast a solemn gaze back at me while I watched in silence. "He needs somepony near him. Somepony dear to him that he trusts. May I ask you to keep watch over him for as long as possible?"

I was unsure at first of just what it was she was requesting, especially with my thoughts being clouded of such wretched memories. But Twilight soon spoke the words I was trying to think of. "You mean... His caretaker?"

"That is precisely what I am asking. Do you feel you are up to it?" Nightmare Moon asked in return with her expression still seeming quite somber.

There was a moment of silence between the two mares. Twilight looked past the Princess of Dreams towards me, but then soon showed a somber smile. "I would be honored... I'll make sure he gets what he needs."

"Thank you, Twilight. Now, I must return to Canterlot. Time is of the essence." Nightmare Moon said with a satisfied smile before turning her gaze back towards me. "I shall return, my friend... Please, be safe." I silently waved at her while she made her way out the door, leaving me alone with Twilight.

My friend trotted over to me, trying to seem happy despite the gloom that was hanging over us. "Well... Looks like we're going to be seeing each other a lot more often for a while. How're you feeling today, James? Any better?"

I really wanted to say yes, but I was feeling far from fine. The memories were still filling my mind with every waking moment. It hurt... It sapped me of virtually any and all drive and enthusiasm. It faded momentarily when I first laid eyes on her, but it soon resurfaced. Almost... Almost as if the initial pleasant feelings that comes from seeing someone you deeply care about forced it back for a moment. "No... Not really."

Twilight reached out and caressed my lips with a piece of tissue paper. I suppose I still had a bit of something still on me from my breakfast. "I wish I knew what was wrong... The doctors and nurses are doing everything they can to find out what's happening. I'm sure they'll find the solution soon."

"Twi..." I spoke softly while she placed my food tray and its utensils back on the cart at the end of my bed. "I heard what Nurse Redheart told you and the others yesterday. I know I don't have long..."

Those words caused her to lose her magic grip on the piece of soft paper, dropping it to the floor. That look on her face... I could see that she was probably hoping that I did not know about my approaching fate. "You know...? I'm sorry... You weren't supposed to hear that..."

I was unsure of what to say. I felt that bitterness rising in me again. However, Twilight then reached out and placed her hoof upon my arm again. It was then that I felt the need to ask. "Twilight... What happened to me yesterday? Before I passed out..."

She sighed deeply. I was not expecting her to have the answer. Surprisingly, she did. "You are currently being monitored by the hospital's mainframe. Your vital signs are being constantly relayed to the nurses. According to them... At roughly the same time that all six of us came into the room... Your heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline levels... Everything was skyrocketing in what seemed to be a response to extreme pain even though there was no actual damage being inflicted on you."

Through the memories that still haunted me, I remember that moment from the previous day. I felt fine when I saw Twilight. And I still felt at ease when I saw Rainbow Dash. But when I saw them... The four mares who betrayed me... "Yeah... That's pretty much all I felt... It's like... When I saw them, the memories... They just exploded in my head. I could feel my skin crawl... I felt something strike my head and chest... I heard voices yelling at me... Screaming and... It was just a vortex of negativity and pain... I couldn't hear anything aside from whatever was roaring in my head..."

Twilight seemed unnerved by what I told her. And at the same time, she seemed confused. I felt the need to ask. I had to know what happened from the view of someone else's eyes. "Twi... What did I do when they came in to see me? Everything is just a blur to me..."

She was clearly bothered by the memory since she hesitated momentarily. Her ears drooped while her eyes glanced elsewhere "I don't know what went wrong. Everything was fine when you were with me and Rainbow. But when they came in... You started quivering... You reached for your head. You didn't respond to anything that was said to you. I honestly thought that you were having a seizure by the point when you started foaming at the mouth. You threw a drink cup at them just before you collapsed. The sounds you were making... I honestly thought you were dying. The nurses rushed in right after that and made us leave while they tried to revive you. I think you just passed out from an adrenaline overdose or something, but it was still terrifying to watch... But you looked like you were in such terribly pain..."

I could not remember anything of what Twilight said. Anything I did remember was a blur. I turned my head, letting out a sigh while turning my gaze to the ceiling. "Twi... Be honest with me. How long do I have?"

Even though I was not looking at her, I still glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She turned her gaze towards the floor. "They said... Two weeks if you're lucky."

Why did I feel a slight twinge of excitement at that somewhere in my heart? Also as if I was looking forward to it... Even so... I just did not know what to feel. I felt so drained. So emotionally sapped that I hardly felt fazed by the grim news that had just been relayed to me. I was without words. However, I then turned to my left, my gaze falling upon the bouquet of flowers set in a vase. That reddish pink... I believe they were azaleas. While I had noticed it before, I had taken no interest in it. But I was feeling curious as to what was written in the tag that was attached to it. I tried reaching for it, but Twilight was quick to use the levitation spell to bring it to my hand. "There you go."

"Thanks..." I muttered quietly before fiddling with the tag to open it. Due to the size, I was not expecting much to be written in there at all. And I was right. But I still was caught by surprise by the contents. The writing was dainty neat. I recognized it after a moment. The card read 'We miss you, fellow Crusader. Best wishes from all of us. The CMC'. The tag was running out of room at the bottom, so I could see why the person who wrote it had to shorten the signature. Even so, I knew who wrote it out. The writing was Sweetie Belle's. And the flowers... Was there some symbolism behind them? Perhaps they remembered the information I bestowed on them about the language of flowers. Regardless, reading those words... I was reminded of those three darling fillies. And I could feel a tear building in my eye as I read the tag over again.

"James...? Are you OK?" Twilight asked, apparently having noticed that lone tear starting to flow down my cheek.

I am unsure of even where that tear came from. Through the storm of wretched memories came glimmers of happier ones. I truly missed those three fillies. "Twi... Have the Cutie Mark Crusaders stopped by while I was out?"

She looked like she was trying to smile. "I think so. They're the ones who gathered up those flowers, after all. From what I've heard, they really want to see you again, even if they didn't fully understand what a coma is. I know Scootaloo's been eager to visit you while you were still unconscious. Fluttershy's probably already told her that you're awake, so they'll probably stop by after school."

"I hope so..." I said quietly while placing the tag back on the cabinet by the vase. I could not believe how much I wanted to see the kids at that time. But that enthusiasm was soon drowned out by the memories once more. Almost as if they were...alive.

Twilight glanced away from me for a second before using her magic to open the blinds to the window right next to me. The sky was cloudy and dull, though not quite like there was a thunderstorm coming. It was just a gloomy day. And with autumn being not far off, my least favorite time of the year, the atmosphere was far uplifting. Strangely, it was what I preferred at that moment. A moment later, Twilight went about the room, seemingly tidying up whatever seemed out of place or crooked. It was then that she seemed to notice the journal entry sitting in the cardboard box next to my bed. Next to the stack of blank paper was my journal entry being held together by a paper clip. "You've been writing?"

"What else can I do while I'm stuck here...?" I replied dryly, the bitterness in my heart beginning to resurface at the thought of what I felt and saw the previous day. I truly did not want to drive Twilight away with my negativity, but... My mood and feelings were fluctuating so easily... Just what was wrong with me... I know the memories hurt, but... It is just so hard to not let them get to me, even when I am focusing on someone right in front of me.

She seemed to draw closer. Her hoof reached for the box, but stopped. I could see what she wanted to do. Twilight was likely curious of what my most recent journal contained. Possibly in the hopes of finding closure in my writings. I looked right at her, her face soon looking at me. "May I?"

I had nothing to hide. I saw no reason to keep her away from my recordings. "Sure."

Delicately, Twilight used her magic to lift the stack of paper from the box. I had turned it upside-down to keep anyone from casually glancing at the writing on the first page. The paper floated before Twilight while coated in her pink magic aura. She sat there at my bedside, reading them silently while occasionally flipping them behind the back of the final page to move to the next part. I said nothing to allow her to read in peace, knowing how much she loves her books and stories. I saw her constantly frown, but she would also smile warmly while lifting a hoof to her mouth as if she had just read an exceptionally warm and tender scene. At one point, she even let out a quiet snicker or chuckle. What did she read that made her laugh? Eventually, she did offer a little feedback. "This was such a nice dream you had..."

All I did was nod while she read on with a rather neutral expression. I suppose that is how everyone looks when they get really into a good story. Eventually, her expression began to darken. It became a rather sad frown. Her eyes began to quiver. I heard a sniffle come from Twilight. Tears had begun to stream down her face. She never once looked at me though. What part of my journal was she reading? Eventually, she lost her grip on the papers and let it fall to the floor. The tears were just cascading down her face while she turned to face me. She then asked as her voice began to break, "Is that what we really are to you...?"

It was then that I knew what she had read. And my response was a solemn nod. Twilight staggered to her feet before suddenly climbing partially onto my bed and tearfully holding me in a tender embrace. Her voice squeaked and quavered while she whispered right into my ear. "I'm so sorry... Please... Don't ever go away or change... I'm honored to be a part of your life... And you're a part of ours..."

I could feel her warm salty tears flowing down my bare shoulder. It was the single greatest show of weakness I had ever seen out of Twilight. What she just read... It must have touched her on a truly deep level. The scouring memories that hounded my mind regressed briefly at her touch. And for a moment, I felt at peace. I wrapped my left arm around her body, holding my dear friend close as I felt a tear or two building at the edges of my vision as well. I wanted to speak, but no words came. Although I did hear her speak once more. "I don't want to lose you... Not now... Please, don't go..."

She shuddered and gasped in sorrow. She was afraid. And so was I. As much as I wanted to tell her that I would not be going anywhere, I was not sure if I should. I was dying at the time, after all. Even so, I still did not want to let her go. My grip was tender, yet firm. I was glad that she was there.

Twilight did eventually release her grip on me, her tears having ceased for the moment. She pushed off my bed so that her hooves were back on the floor. She continued to speak to me while she used her magic to gather up my journal entry and straighten the papers out. "That dream you were having... It honestly sounded so real and beautiful. Simple, yet lovely. Did it really feel that real to you?"

"Yeah... I couldn't even have guessed that it was a dream. If you want, you can read a little further. Pinkie did something pretty funny right after that scene." I retorted quietly while motioning my hand towards the stack of papers being held together.

That seemed to pique her curiosity. Twilight then sat down and flipped through the pages until she had left off. A little bit later, she suddenly snickered while showing a slight grin. "Wooden puppets? Oh, wow... You know, I actually could see Pinkie Pie doing something like that."

It was a good thing I wrote that all down yesterday. It helped reinforce my memory. Twilight continued to read and laughed quietly again before muttering, "Oh, Pinkie... Rarity would hate to read this part."

Twilight was quiet for a while longer, but she soon started snickering again. "Oh, wow... That's one way to get the Elements out of him." A moment later, Twilight lowered the pages she had already flipped through back over the others. "If only things did turn out that simple..."

It was then that I felt the urge to ask. I could still remember everything I did to Discord. And they saw it all. "Twilight... Are you afraid of me?"

My friend sighed while lowering the journal pages back into the box beside the bed. "I won't lie... I kind of was. I think we all were. But at the same time... I guess I kind of knew that it wasn't really you who took Discord down. I wasn't going to let myself judge you until I could speak to you in person... And I'm so glad that you're still you."

I let out a sigh, unsure of what to say. The memories had returned to the forefront of my mind. It is just...so tiring. Although Twilight did continue to speak while she walked by me. "I'll be honest... I would've never wished what you did upon Discord, as much as I couldn't stand him... But when all is said and done... It's probably for the best. Discord's gone for good, James. We'll never have to worry about him again."

Despite hearing what was clearly praise, I did not feel happy with myself at all. How could I? Even if my rage towards him was justified... For that brief time, I was worse than he had ever been. Who was the true villain at that time?

After a moment more, Twilight seemed to take a look around the room. She did not seem to be looking at anything in particular. But she did soon turn to face me with a slight smile. "Hey... Would it be all right if I went to get something from my place? I think I have something that'll spice the room up, seeing as how you might be here for a while..."

I could see what she meant. She wanted to make me feel at home. To make my surroundings more homelike. I saw no harm with that and nodded. "Sure... I don't mind what you decide to bring."

"All right. I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't push yourself." Twilight said with a somber smile before trotting out the door. I was alone again.

Several minutes passed while I just stared out the window. A gloomy day... Strangely fitting for what was happening. However, I soon thought I heard heavy and swift footsteps. When I turned to my left to look at the door, I saw the window. Nurse Sweetheart and Snowheart pushing along a stretcher at almost running speed. And lying upon it with a respirator's mask over her mouth was...

I cringed at the sight, my head once more filled with a sharp pain. But with how briefly I caught sight of her, it did not last long. But I was still left baffled and concerned by what I had seen. "Fluttershy...?"

Why in the world was she, of all people, being admitted to the hospital? I did not have to wait long for someone else to walk by the window. Rainbow Dash stepped into view, coming to a stop in front of my window while looking noticeably worried. It seemed she wanted to follow the nurses, but knew there was nothing else she could do by that point.

My curiosity got the better of me. I tried weakly waving at her with my left hand. And it worked. Rainbow glanced in my direction before looking directly at me. She then promptly opened the door and stepped inside while looking a bit happier than before as she trotted towards me. "Hey there, big guy... How're you holding up?"

I responded with a question of my own. "Why was Fluttershy on that stretcher just now? What happened to her?"

That was a clear blow to her mood. Her ears drooped while she looked noticeably jarred by something. Rainbow Dash looked away from me for a second, almost as if she was unsure if she should tell me something. But she did. "She tried to drown herself in the pond at the park... If I hadn't been flying by when she went under..."

"She... You're serious?" I asked with a sense of alarm coming over me, the memories that haunted me once more regressing. While still fearful of Fluttershy, I could not help being worried about her. "Are you sure she didn't just have some trouble swimming?"

Rainbow was still just as distraught as before, looking at me with uneasy eyes. "She had a big rock tied to her hoof, James. She tried to kill herself. It's still sitting at the bottom of the pond right now. She was still conscious when I got her out, but I called the hospital anyway just to be safe."

"But...why?" As emotionally fragile as Fluttershy has always been, she also has a fairly strong will. Suicide sounds like something she would never be able to bring herself to do. Was there a motive? "Did she say anything to you?"

"Why...?" Rainbow Dash said softly before falling momentarily silent. She seemed to be going through some inner debate. Almost like there was something she knew that she was unsure she should tell me.

"Rainbow... You can tell me." I said weakly, still feeling quite drained. The moment had become tense. Very tense. I could almost feel my skin crawl with anticipation.

"I know I can. But..." Rainbow said with a sigh before looking right at me with her ears still drooping. She looked very distraught indeed. "James... I really shouldn't be the one telling you this. But seeing as how it looks like Fluttershy can't get anywhere near you without you having a seizure..."

She looked around briefly while apparently checking to make certain no one was within earshot. Rainbow Dash then let out a sigh before speaking something to me that I never expected to hear. "James... You're gonna be a dad."

At first, I had no idea how to comprehend what it was that I had just heard. Eventually, I asked, "I'm... What?"

This time, he was a bit more direct. "I mean... Fluttershy's pregnant. She told me when I got her outta the pond. And before you ask who the father is..." She then rested her hoof on my arm without looking away from me. "It's yours."

My mind was filled with a haze. Even as the memories began to rise up again, I was left utterly stunned. No words came. I laid my head back down on my pillow with my gaze directed at the ceiling. Fluttershy is with child? And it is mine? She did go into heat a few days before that mess with Discord happened. But... Are we truly compatible? Although I did feel the need to ask. "That's why she... What about the foal?"

Rainbow Dash let out a sigh. "She said because she couldn't live with herself knowing that the daddy of her kid was going to die because of her. But I managed to talk her out of it by reminding her that you're not dead yet. And that... She shouldn't take her baby down with her. I don't think she's gonna be in the hospital overnight though. I got her outta the pond pretty fast."

"All right..." I said quietly while just trying to think. Fluttershy...carrying my child? Was I ready to be a father? Would I even live long enough to see our child's birth? What would our child even look... My thoughts went back to that wonderful dream I was experiencing. Gladesong? Would our child look just like her? "Rainbow... How long until it comes?"

She did not seem too surprised that I would ask such a question. "It's gonna be a while. We mares take about eleven months to give birth. Plenty of time to think things over, huh?"

Eleven months... Almost a year. But even so... I replied while still keeping my gaze directed at the ceiling. "Assuming I live that long..."

I know those words were bitter. And it was painful for Rainbow to hear them. Even so, I noticed her come a little closer out of the corner of my eye. "James... Do you still love her?"

Those words circulated in my head a few times. And I decided to answer as honestly as I could. "I... I really just don't know, Rainbow..."

She let out a long sigh before idly rubbing her hoof along the length of my arm. "James... I'll be honest. If Fluttershy loses you now, it's gonna kill her. I've known her a lot longer than anypony else has. She's always been shy, but pretty lonely too. She's always been hoping to find a sweet guy who would always love her no matter what and... I'll admit it. She needs you more than I do. So... You'll stay with her once everything gets better, right?"

I was unsure of what to think. Even though I had not heard that before, it was far from surprising. "You do know that this isn't the first time a woman has betrayed me, right?"

"I... Well, I think Rarity told me something like that once. Her name was Christina, right?" Rainbow Dash replied, apparently having been told by Rarity of what I had told her about my first girlfriend, although I cannot recall when I ever revealed her name.

Even so, I still had not told her the full story. With my voice stuck in a dull monotone, I began to speak while directing my gaze at nothing in particular. "Well, I guess you know about how that relationship ended. But it's what I found later that hurt me most. I found out that I had essentially been used. From what I discovered, she had been cheating on me with two other guys for close to a year before the breakup occurred, one of which was a friend of mine at one time."

Rainbow's expression instantly darkened to one of concern and also noticeable disgust. "So... A typical psycho slut, huh?"

"That about sums it up... She was emotionally unstable. I lost count of how many times she acted suicidal whenever we spoke. We at times let each other borrow some things to enjoy. But after the breakup, she never returned what I let her borrow. I was basically robbed." I continued on while not feeling much of anything.

My friend merely nodded at me to show that she understood what I was saying. I then continued to speak. "And finally, when I wrote something out for closure to express my frustration with her actions, she went so far as to spread lies about me, such as that I stalked her mother, who is a woman twice my age. And worst of all, she claimed I raped her to send idiotic vigilantes of sorts with no common sense after me to ruin my reputation, even going so far to hack my e-mails and send messages to my own family claiming that I am homosexual. At one point, they even used it to insult my newborn nephew. The only good thing is that my family knew me better than they took them for. The constant harassment did not end until four months later. And she probably still denies any wrongdoing to this day."

Rainbow Dash's expression showed a silent rage building in those vibrant rose-colored eyes. "I don't really get the whole hacking e-mails thing, but... Well, she's lucky I can't get to her world. If I ever meet this whore, I'll pile drive her into the pavement. I mean, seriously. Rape? Did they ever check her body to see if you had really boned her once? I mean this Christina whore sounds like a total scumbag, but the guys who actually believed her without checking the facts first? Brainless, plain and simple. And her... No honor at all. I bet she doesn't even have a heart or care about her friends at all. And that's assuming anyone's dumb enough to get close to her."

I said nothing, though I felt somewhat relieved to know Rainbow Dash had my back. She then stepped forward and then draped her wing over my arm while being mindful of the IV tube. "You deserve better than that, James... I've known you for a while now, and I know you're not the kinda guy who would do that to a girl. You actually care about your partner and you respect women. You're too sweet a guy to ever hurt a girl like that... You just don't have it in you."

"At least somepony understands me..." I replied quietly. "In the end though, I felt glad to be rid of her. She's just...a total sociopath. It's a relationship I can look back on and laugh at in hindsight. I might've lost some things, but I became wiser in the process and knew I am a better person than she is. But... With Fluttershy..."

Rainbow Dash's sweet compassionate expression darkened into a more somber one. "Right... You'll give her another chance, right?"

I tilted my head back somewhat. The memories were still strong. I could remember her actions. Her words... "Rainbow... She dumped me on the spot because I am not someone who enjoys pain. Even if that wasn't really her... It was still her in person... And after being betrayed once by someone who I genuinely loved... Someone who tried to ruin me while playing the victim... I don't know if I can risk that again..."

My friend's ears drooped once more while her eyes lowered. "I... I get it... I think the saying goes like your heart says yes, but your mind says no. I mean, you've already been hurt the same way once. So a second time would... I understand, James... I don't think I'd be able to trust somepony the same way if I was put through the same thing too..."

I merely nodded. Somewhere inside me, I truly wanted to get back together with Fluttershy and forget this all ever happened. At the same time though... She dumped me and kicked me squarely in the head. She demanded that I slit my neck with my own sword. She wanted to see me in pain. She wanted to see me bleed. As much as I want to forget, I simply cannot. I am going to keep my distance...

Rainbow Dash began to climb onto my bed and effectively straddled me with her head resting on my chest. Her eyes were looking right at me. "Well... James... I don't want to see you and Fluttershy drift apart. I really mean that. But if... And this is just one big if, all right? If that does happen... I'll always be there for you."

Her hoof tenderly stroked my face as a single tear flowed down her cheek. "I love you, big guy... And I always will. If thing's don't work out in the end, you'll still have me. I'll be your mare and I'll never leave you. All right?"

Despite our differences, a part of me liked the sound of that. Rainbow Dash and I have very little in common. She is brash, loud, and confident while I am largely the opposite. And yet, I do adore her. And I could never forget what happened this year on Hearts and Hooves Day. Having her as a lover... It would likely be very fulfilling. Even so, my heart was feeling too heavy for me to fully comprehend the weight of her words. She meant every single word of what she said, but I was too emotionally drained to fully care at that time. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good... But only if things with you and Fluttershy don't work out. Just... Don't give up yet, all right? Just because she can't get anywhere near you doesn't mean she's given up." Rainbow Dash added while she tried to smile at me. But at that moment, I heard the door to the room open. And standing in the doorway was Twilight Sparkle.

"Huh? Oh... Am I interrupting anything, you two?" Our friend asked while there seemed to be something behind her.

Rainbow Dash seemed to instantly blush as she found herself in a rather compromising position while resting atop me. She flapped her wings to propel herself off me while I tried to not crack a smile at her reaction. "Uh... Nope! What's up, Twilight?"

"I was just bringing something over to help give the place a splash of color. I mean... James might be here for a while, so it'd be nice to make him feel more at home, you know?" Twilight explained while she walked in. Floating behind her while it and her horn were coated by wavering pink magic auras was a potted planted. It seemed to consist of light blue flowers of similar appearance to a daisy. Definitely a type of aster flower. It seemed a bit familiar too.

Twilight levitated the potted flowers over me and set them in the corner just to my right. Being that close to the window meant it would receive a decent amount of sunlight. "There we go. That's just the right amount of sun exposure over there. And you'll be able to smell it more easily too."

"Thanks, Twi..." I muttered quietly while looking at the flowers beside me. It was a nice little touch to the room.

Rainbow Dash seemed to take note of Twilight's little housewarming gift. She seemed to be looking at the flower while rubbing the top of her head with her hoof. Suddenly, she smiled brightly. "Ooh! I know what I can add! I'll be right back!" She then rushed out the door and was gone.

"You think she's gonna bring something from her house?" I asked, having no real idea of where Rainbow Dash even lives.

Twilight just shrugged her shoulders at me. "I honestly have no idea what she would even bring. I've never even set foot inside her place."

We barely had time to converse at all before Rainbow Dash came trotting back into the room. Only it seemed she brought a passenger of sorts along for the ride. A cloud that was roughly her size was being pushed in with her head. "OK, just give me a minute to get this bad boy straightened out."

Twilight and I watched while she pulled and stretched and bent the cloud, thinning it out. How strange it must have been to have a cloud indoors that was not a veil of mist. Eventually, it started to take on a shape that I recognized. Twilight made the first guess. "The frame of a wheel?"

"Nope!" Rainbow barked before lifting the cloud to the ceiling and just leaving it there. It had become a very narrow cylinder that led down to a disc that had four long and broad extensions reaching out to the sides. Once it was in place, Rainbow Dash gave one of the flat parts a light smack that sent the disc and everything attached to it into a spin. It seemed that she had just installed a ceiling fan. All made out of clouds. Despite having no physical mass, I did feel a gentle breeze blowing upon me. "That's my little contribution. Pretty nice, right?"

That actually got a smile out of me. Not much of a smile, but a smile nonetheless. "Yeah... It is. Thanks."

Rainbow Dash seemed pretty proud of her work judging by how she hovered up there with her arms crossed. I suppose the lack of mass was what was keeping the fan from slowing down. And the fact that it was made out of clouds did bring her to mind. However, Twilight then asked, "Why didn't you bring something from your own home?"

Our bold and brazen friend looked down at Twilight and rolled her eyes with a smirk spread across her face. "Because my whole house is made outta clouds. What's the difference?" That actually got a bit of a chuckle out of me.

Twilight seemed to take note of my reaction to Rainbow's words. "You sound like you've perked up, James. Are you already feeling better?"

It was strange. Despite the scarring memories still constantly replaying themselves in my mind, I felt at ease around the two mares. I even smiled a little. "I guess... Maybe you girls are helping me heal just by being here."

Rainbow Dash lowered herself back to the floor and folded her wings while giving me a subdued smile. "I guess that's the magic of friendship, huh? Maybe it's hard to stay depressed whenever you're with good friends... Huh?"

Just then, the door to the room opened again. And in walked in one of the doctors. A unicorn stallion with a pair of spectacles on his snout and a caramel-colored coat and light brown mane, I never did get his name. But he seemed to recognize my friends. "Oh, good morning, Miss Sparkle and Miss Dash. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Nah, it's cool. What's up, doc?" Rainbow replied while letting the doctor pass.

"I was just going to replace his bandages. We're trying to get that burn healed up as quickly as possible." The doctor explained while moving around to the right side of my bed. My right arm from the elbow down was still tightly wrapped to the point of almost being in a cast. "How're you feeling today, James? Does it hurt when you try to move your arm?"

"Yeah, but it's just a dull pain right now." I replied while testing my fingers. The pain seemed to spring up whenever my skin bended or shifted in any way.

The doctor then used his levitation magic to bring a pair of medical scissor up and began to snip off my bandages. "That's completely normal. Your burns were second degree, but came very close to being third degree. It would've gotten more complicated if it crossed that threshold."

Having a small amount of knowledge of burn damage, I expected my arm to be covered in broken or intact blisters. Either way, I was unsure I wanted to see what my arm looked like, so I turned my head to the left and gazed at my two friends. They too seemed rather uneasy about the burn. Twilight then asked, "Well... How is he looking, doctor?"

Once I felt my skin being exposed to the faint breeze of the makeshift ceiling fan in the room, I assumed that the bandages were entirely off. The doctor sounded pleased with what he was seeing. "I have to say he's looking very good. The new skin is growing in under the damaged skin quite nicely. I'd say that it'll be ready to peel off in just a couple more days."

I then felt a cool wet feeling beginning to cover my arm. It seemed that the doctor was wrapping it in new bandages that had been wetted down with some type of ointment. He even made sure that the spaces between my fingers were coming in contact with it. Even so, I was baffled that a burn, which are infamous for taking extensive amounts of time to heal, could be getting this close to being healed in less than a month. "Are you sure it'll be all healed that soon?"

The doctor did not sound surprised by my puzzlement. He then answered me while continuing to make certain my new bandages were being properly applied. "Why, yes. There have been some recent advances in treating burns. The trick was to develop a means to speed up the development of new skin to replace the damaged and destroyed tissue. When this is all over, your old burned skin will just peel off like a giant sleeve of dead skin. Basically just one giant blister."

As disgusting as that sounded, I had an idea of what he meant. I at one timed overworked my hands to the point of developing a layer of tiny blisters along my entire palm and undersides of my fingers. But after just two weeks, my old skin peeled away and left my palms covered in perfectly soft and supple new skin. If anything, my arm is going to look better than ever when all is said and done.

"There we go. Just try to not move it and just let the ointment be absorbed into your skin." The doctor explained as I felt him finish tightening the bandages around my arm. The ointment felt rather soothing against my sensitive skin. But then the doctor came over to my left side. I felt rather uneasy when he seemed to be eyeing the IV tube that was connected to the vein near my elbow joint. "I think we can go ahead and remove this now. Since you are conscious and consuming nutrients now, I see no need to keep this in you."

Twilight and Rainbow turned away from me as the doctor grasped the needle that lay under my skin. I sighed and just looked away, not wanting to see it. A sudden sharp made me grunt, though I then felt a soft wad of cotton being applied to the spot followed by a band aid or some other tiny bandage holding it in place. As someone who has long hated needles, I was not happy with the fact that they had to use some on me, but I did understand that it was necessary.

While the doctor began to roll the IV drip stand towards the door, Rainbow Dash then stepped forward to make him stop. "Hey, doc... You have any updates on Fluttershy?"

This seemed to catch Twilight by surprise, if that startled expression served as any indication. However, the doctor spoke before she could. "From what I understand, she seems to be fine. She suffered no oxygen deprivation and seems perfectly healthy. She'll likely be released in a couple of hours."

Twilight then spoke up while taking a step forward. "Wait a minute... Fluttershy? What's she doing here? She was just fine yesterday."

The doctor seemed like he was ready to explain something to her, but Rainbow Dash quickly motioned for him to leave instead. He seemed to understand and left with the IV stand behind him. Rainbow then seemed to whisper something into her ear, prompting a look of horror on Twilight's face. "What?! Why?!"

Rainbow then whispered something else to her, causing Twilight's look of horror to become one of silent shock. She glanced over at me, a clear sign that she had likely been told about Fluttershy's unexpected pregnancy. I still can hardly believe it myself. She then asked, "Well... Which room is she in?"

A second later Rainbow Dash whispered the answer t her, Twilight used her magic to open the room's door while looking at me. "I... I need to go see Fluttershy right now. James, Rainbow Dash will stay here with you. I'll be right back." With that, she left the room and galloped past the window to the right.

With no one else there to speak to, Rainbow Dash slowly walked over to me. "I still can't believe it either... How're the other girls gonna handle the news?"

I did not say anything. What could I say? All I did was look away and out the window. Besides, at the rate things were going... Would I even live long enough to see the birth of our child? Would it be a cute little colt? Or a...

My thoughts went back to Gladesong. Such a darling filly... But my thoughts did not last long. The memories in my mind were still festering. But suddenly... As I was trying to focus on the memory of little Gladesong... The face. And those words. They suddenly screamed out in my head much louder than before. "I'm said I'm done with you, idiot!"

I felt my head throb. And the memory of Gladesong instantly sank into the depths of my memory. Almost as if that wretched memory was bullying me into not thinking of something more pleasant, if that is even possible. Rainbow Dash seemed to notice my discomfort and came closer. "Hey... You OK, big guy?"

With the fact that I had been bedridden for some time, I was still lacking in energy. And with those memories constantly tormenting me... I was desperate for some relief. Even if they would only come in the form of a brief escape into the dream realm. "Uh... Rainbow, would you mind leaving me alone for a while? I'm gonna try to take a nap for a little while."

She seemed to have no problem with that. Rainbow Dash nodded with a small smile. "OK... I'll let Twilight know to leave you alone for a few hours. Sweet dreams, big guy. And have some fun in there."

Rainbow proceeded to trot out of the room. Although when she passed by the window to the right, she looked in my direction with a sad, yet hopeful smile. I waved at her just before she left my sight. Hoping to sleep off the memories, I closed my eyes and pulled some of the sheets up to the side of my head to discourage the likelihood of it tilting to the right and to help me feel more covered and secure. With only the sound of my heart monitor breaking the silence, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

I am unsure how long I was asleep. It must have been for a few hours at least. I am not even sure what I dreamed of. But I did start to awaken to the sound of children chatting. The voices sounded familiar, but I could not quite put my finger on it. Finally, I opened my eyes. My gaze was turned towards the ceiling and I was still feeling quite groggy. I would have liked to go back to sleep, but the presence of someone being in the room with me made it impossible. When I turned my head to the left, I saw three very familiar fillies lying on the floor in a circle with notebooks and pencils in front of them along with a textbook or two. Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo. It seemed that they were doing homework.

They were all quite engrossed with whatever they were doing since they barely said anything. However, with Sweetie Belle being the only one actually facing me, it did not take long before her big green eyes glanced upward. And immediately after that, she lifted her head to look right at me in a look of surprise. But that gaze of shock became an excited smile before she glanced back and forth at her fellow Crusaders. "Scoot! Apple Bloom! He's awake!"

The two other fillies instantly looked in my direction, excited and relieved smiles quickly adorning their faces. "Finally!" Scootaloo called out while the three of them stood up and trotted to my bedside.

I was feeling quite happy to be seeing those girls again. I have always been fond of them, even though their antics in searching for their talents does land them in a bit of trouble now and then. Due to the top of my mattress being aligned with an adult pony's shoulders, the three Crusaders had to prop themselves up on their hind legs while resting their forelegs on the bed to bring their faces to my elevation. Not that they minded. Apple Bloom then smiled at me, but also looked somewhat worried. "We heard ya might never wake up. Y'all feelin' all right? Applejack was lookin' really down last night and she wouldn't say why."

So, Applejack could not bring herself to say the truth to her own sister. And in all fairness, I could not either. What was I going to say to them? That I have only two weeks to live at most if the doctors could not find out what was gradually weakening my vital signs? Even so, I could not help smiling at the innocent little faces of my youngest friends and little adopted sister. "Hey, girls. What's been happening?"

Scootaloo then scooted a little to her right and reached out to nuzzle my face. "Well, we've been pretty worried. It was kinda creepy whenever we visited since you wouldn't wake up no matter what we did or said. What kind of sleeping disease is a coma anyway?"

I was not surprised at all that they could not comprehend exactly what a coma even is. But then again, how does one explain what a coma exactly is? I reached out with my left hand and gently rubbed Scootaloo's head while managing to smile a little. "It's not a disease, Scoot. It's... Well... I'm not sure how to describe it. But it's not caused by any viral strains or the like."

"Phew! So that means we can't catch it? That's good... Just imagine all the homework we'd be stuck with if we fell asleep for two weeks!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, prompting a chuckle from her friends. But then the little unicorn filly hopped up onto my bed and then nuzzled her head against my chest. "We really missed you... It was...kind of scary when you wouldn't wake up..."

I felt genuinely touched that these kids were so deeply concerned for me. Even though I have not been terribly active in their activities to acquire their cutie marks, I still always adored them. My finger gently traced the edges of Sweetie Belle's ear. "Sorry that I worried you... I missed you girls too."

Sweetie Belle quietly giggled at my touch, almost like she was trying to take a nap on me. Meanwhile, Scootaloo glanced at Apple Bloom. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Sure am!" Apple Bloom replied cheerfully before she and my sister bounded up onto the bed with Apple Bloom on my left and Scootaloo on my right. Sweetie Belle seemed to know what was going on too since she quickly stood up on my chest. "Group hug, girls!"

The three fillies then basically charged me and threw their arms around my neck from different angles. It was sickeningly cute, especially the way they giggled in excitement. And I... I do not know where it came from, but I felt myself shudder as tears built in my eyes. I did all I could to hold them back. The girls had already worried about me enough. They did not need something else to trouble them. In response to their group embrace, I draped my left arm across their shoulders.

For the moment, they did not say anything. The three fillies just cuddled and nuzzled their heads against me. Although after a little while, the sound of the door creaking open got our attention. And of all ponies... It was the only other member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Huh? Oh, hi. Are you girls keeping James company?"

It was Mitta. Another friend I had all but forgotten. The three fillies all looked to their right and smiled at the gray and crimson mare as she walked towards us. Apple Bloom then waved at our friend cheerfully. "Howdy, Mitta! James just woke up and he's all right!"

All right, huh? Well... To be fair, I was feeling slightly better at that moment. Although whether or not I would still be all right in a few days was a question we could not answer. Scootaloo then spoke up while glancing at all of us, "Wow, when was the last time all of the Cutie Mark Crusaders were together like this?"

"Yeah, sorry... I'm not a kid, so I have other things to deal with besides just hanging out with you girls." I replied, knowing that I just do not visit the clubhouse all that often. Perhaps I should just stop by in the evening sometime after I get out of the hospital. Or rather...IF I ever get out.

Sweetie Belle did not seem to mind at all, even going so far as to smile and nuzzle my cheek while speaking in her sweet high-pitched voice. "It's OK. We know grownups have lots of other stuff to do besides playing. And you already have your cutie mark, right?"

"Yep! And it's right there!" Scootaloo added while pointing to my upper arm. Since I was entirely topless, my arms were exposed. And right there below the shoulders were my cutie marks. The same artistic twin white dove forms creating the shape of a heart between them with wings spread. I had all but forgotten that they were even there. Although I was beginning to wonder if they were accurate considering what I had done...

Mitta then stepped closer, her crimson eyes gazing right at me while a rather solemn expression spread across her face. Did she know? "How are you feeling, James? How long has it been? Ten days? Maybe more?"

"I only just woke up yesterday, Mitta. So... Yeah. Eleven days." I replied while still feeling rather drained. I wanted to reach out and embrace her, but... Just... Why? Why were the memories resurfacing? Why could they just not leave me alone?

Finally, Apple Bloom brought up the one question I was hoping would not be asked. At least not by them. "Hey, uh... Come ta think of it... What happened that got ya stuck in a coma anyway? Applejack said y'all had ta go to Canterlot, but... What happened?"

All eyes fell upon me. And yet, I knew better than to tell them. They are simply too young and innocent to know what happened that day. In fact, I would say that no one in Equestria should ever know what happened that day. And so I tried to dismiss the question the best I could. "I... I really don't want to talk about it."

If I was in better shape, I would not be surprised if the girls would try to pester me into telling them something. But not this time. Considering my condition, they could likely tell that I really was in no shape to be stressing myself over anything. Their ears drooped while they all frowned at each other. Scootaloo then nodded at me and said, "That's OK... It must've been real bad, but... I guess I kinda get why you don't wanna think about it."

"Thanks, girls." I muttered briefly, relieved I would not have to think any harder about that day than I already was being forced to.

However, Scootaloo then brought up a question I was not expecting. "But... When are you coming home? It's lonely when you're not there at night. Angela's really missing you too."

This time, I was forced to lie. They needed to know the truth, and yet... I could not tell them. "I'm not sure. Maybe in a week? The doctor said it's pretty unclear right now..."

I tried to change the subject, my eyes glancing around the room for something to draw attention to. And I found it. The vase of flowers that they had placed on the cabinet next to my bed. Although... After looking at it just now, I think its design is actually closer to a wooden nightstand complete with a couple of drawers. Regardless, I pointed at the vase. "Did you girls get these?"

That got them to smile. Apple Bloom nodded and extended her hoof towards it. "Sure did! We wanted ta get ya somethin' to wish ya well, so we started lookin' up the meanin' of all sorts of flowers. Ya know, that stuff ya taught us a lil' while ago? And we thought azaleas would be just right."

Sweetie Belle then explained, "They mean... Uh... What did that book say...? Um... Oh, right. One of their meanings is to wish somepony well...I think."

Scootaloo then spoke up while looking a bit nervous judging by that awkward grin. "Just don't go trying to have them as a snack. Trust me, those things are really poisonous. But everypony knows that pretty much."

"Wouldn't even dream of it." I replied dryly, knowing better than to take a bite out of a plant I know next to nothing about.

At that point, Mitta stepped forward while the Cute Mark Crusaders stepped back. I suspect they knew she wanted some time with me since they then went back to doing their homework. Mitta smiled solemnly at me and whispered, "I was worried about you when Rarity came home yesterday. She couldn't stop crying... How do you feel?"

I sighed while setting my head back down on the pillow under me. "Lousy... Actually... I don't even know what I feel right now... My mind is just a mess."

Mitta then reached out and tried to embrace me, a gesture of affection I was all too willing to receive. "I heard about what happened... Just... Why? I never even heard of Discord, but... How could he do that to you? I can't even imagine you doing what you did." She was careful to keep her voice as a mere whisper so as to not draw the attention of the children sitting in the corner of the room.

I could barely even focus enough to remember everything through the miasma that clouded my every thought. "I don't know... I just... Calling it a mess would be an understatement..."

Mitta stayed with me for a good while and the Cutie Mark Crusaders did not budge from their spot in the room. Our conversations did not cover a whole lot of interesting topics, but I relished being able to partially distract myself with the presence of a good friend. It almost started to feel like they were trying to stall for time so they could stay with me as long as they could before they had to go home. I pray Scootaloo does not ever find out about Fluttershy's suicide attempt. After a while, Mitta did have to depart to run some errands for Rarity. I was even beginning to wonder what was keeping Twilight. Surely she would be back soon.

Sometime into the afternoon, I heard a knock at the door. It also seemed to get the attention of my three little friends since they all looked away from their books. However, no one came in. Instead, a small piece of paper was slid under the door. And right after that... With how close the door was to the window... That brief flash of pink hair... Was that Fluttershy?

"Mail call!" Sweetie Belle said while she trotted over to the paper and pick it up in her mouth. I suppose she was just trying to stay cheerful to try to keep my mood up. She certainly was cute with how she carried it over to me. "I think it's for you, James."

I managed to give her a tired smile while I gently petted her on the head before taking the paper in hand. It seemed to be a type of 'get well' card. "Thanks, Sweetie."

While Sweetie Belle went back over to her friends, I propped myself up to a bit more of a sitting position. A part of me was dreading that it was indeed from Fluttershy. As fearful as I was of her after what she did, another part of me wanted closure. And it is generally much easier and more effective to get your thoughts and feelings out by writing them down. With some hesitation, I flipped the card open to read its contents.

"Dear James... I am..." I muttered to myself as I began to read the first line. However, that was as far as I got. I felt my head throb as the ink... It began to ooze down the paper. At the bottom of each line of text, it became a line of rippling black fluid. But soon, that fluid became red. The red ink then began to creep back up to reapply itself, essentially rewriting the message. But instead of a thought out sentence, each line began to repeat the exact same word over and over in capital letters.

DIE

One after the other. The same word over and over in crimson ink. At the same time, my ears began to be filled with noise. Just an incomprehensible racket that partially drowned out everything around me. But I could hear one thing clearly. The heart monitor that was hooked up to me began to beep rapidly while also letting out extended prolonged beeps that shifted in pitch as if it was malfunctioning. This clearly got the attention of the Cutie Mark Crusaders since they suddenly ran to my side as I could see out of the corner of my vision.

Why... What twisted sorcery was this, if sorcery at all? As that one haunting command was written over and over, line after line, I felt a new agonizing pain fill me. One by one, several of the letters extended out of the paper and pushed right into my torso. But it did not feel like I was being prodded with blunt poles. The tips of these strange extensions felt as if they had been sharpened to a razor's edge. They pierced me, the feeling of a fluid thicker than water oozing down my skin as searing pain filled me. And yet, I could not make a sound. I could not let go of the note in front of me. And I could not look away. But most strangely of all, the three fillies beside me, while clearly distraught and shaking me, did not seem to be showing the proper reaction to seeing a friend of theirs being skewered. They were clearly worried, but not as horrified as they should have been.

The list of crimson words reached all the way to the bottom of the paper. I could even hear her voice in my head. Commanding my life to end. Filled with such spite and malice, just as I remembered. However, I soon felt the many crimson spears withdraw from me and back into the paper, though my wounds continued to spill my blood. My body continued to betray me, unable to move or look away. A sense of relief began to fill me as I began to think I would soon be freed of this nightmarish torment. The crimson letters once more melted down the length of the paper, leaving it blank while it pooled at the bottom without dripping off.

However, mere seconds later, the ink suddenly and alarmingly quickly rose back up over the paper, spelling out a single word that spanned its entire length. DIE.

That was the last thing I recall seeing before everything went black. I am unsure when I awoke, but the room was darker than before. And most puzzling was the fact that the puncture wounds I had suffered were nowhere to be seen. Just... What in the world happened? Had I been poisoned with some sort of hallucinogenic drug? Those wounds felt so real... I could feel my blood spilling. I felt the pain... My god, the pain...

It took me a moment, but I soon noticed the faint touch of a light breeze upon my cheek. A moment of focusing my eyes revealed to me that the ceiling fan made out of clouds was still in the center of the room on the ceiling where Rainbow Dash had left it. And a bit more gazing around the room revealed that it was being softly illuminated by a lamp on the nightstand next to me. "That wasn't there before..."

My voice got the attention of someone in the room. And it was pretty much just the person I was hoping to see. She trotted my way from a stool in the far corner of the room. "Oh, thank goodness... Are you OK, James?"

Twilight Sparkle. I wonder how long she had been waiting there for me to wake up. I was about to reply to her, but I then noticed something being held in her magical grasp. A flat rectangular slip of paper folded in half down the middle. And those flowery patterns on one side...

I knew what was in that card. And I was terrified of having to go through that experience again. I tried to push myself further away from that side of the bed, but could not get far with my bandaged arm. "Twilight... No, I don't want to see that card. Please..."

She could clearly see how fearful I was and stopped in her tracks. "James, what's wrong? I normally don't see you get this antsy unless there's a wasp in the room..." She then happened to glance at the card that was floating next to her head. She then gave me a small smile and added, "Wait... This? I hope you don't mind that I read it. Fluttershy sent this, right? It's very sweet. I think you'll like to..."

"No, please! Keep it away from me!" I practically yelled as I saw it starting to open while facing my direction. I held up my hand to block my view of its contents. One time through that experience was enough for me.

Twilight stopped in her tracks and pulled the card back. It seemed like she wanted to ask me something, but seemed to choose not to as I kept my hand partially raised. With myself relaxing just a bit, I decided to try to break the ice and get my mind off of the contents of that horrible piece of stationery. "Twi... What happened? Did you see anything?"

She seemed to hesitate before speaking while placing the card in the top drawer of the nightstand to my left before closing it. "I had only just come back to the hospital when I saw a couple of nurses rushing down the hall. I followed them and... The girls were panicking. Scootaloo was in tears and... You looked like you had passed out. And that card was in your hand. The nurses made us leave the room, but they came out a few minutes later. It looked like you had merely fainted from something, but they couldn't find a real cause. They said that your vital signs were showing extreme stress levels at the time you likely fainted. But... Well, you're at least no worse than you were last night."

Starting to feel somewhat paranoid, I glanced at my chest. Still no signs of any wounds. Not even a scar. "Twi... Did they happen to check my blood for any poison?"

"Poison? Why would... Well, yes... They did draw some blood while you were unconscious. They didn't find anything foreign in you. No poisons or anything like that. Why?" She replied while sounding and looking slightly alarmed.

"Just worried..." I said softly while trying to relax. I did not want to make her worry any more than she was already. I then tried to draw attention to the lamp that was beside me. It looked familiar, being made of porcelain with a white and gold finished with a domed shade. Shimmering diamonds or crystals hung from the bottom edges as tassels, causing the light to cast some entertaining shadows around the room. "Hey... Where'd this come from? I think I've seen it somewhere before."

The mention of the lamp seemed to calm Twilight down a bit. "Well, it should. It's from Rarity's house. I stopped by to check on her today and brought up that Rainbow and I added some things from our places to add some color and flair to your room here to make your stay more...pleasant. So she decided to donate that lamp. You like it?"

It certainly was generous of her to let me borrow such a nice lamp. I reached up into the shade and flipped the lamp off for a second with a tiny brass flip switch before turning it back on. The sudden change in lighting left me seeing spots for a few seconds. "I do. Thank you."

Twilight smiled with a sigh. However, I then felt the need to ask. I turned to her and spoke, "Hey... About Scootaloo. Do you think she knows about... You know. The foal?"

Her ears drooped instantly. "No... Fluttershy requested that Rainbow Dash and I keep her pregnancy a secret for now. We don't need the situation complicated further... But... What about you? I mean... You're the father, after all..."

I turned my head back and looked at the ceiling. With all the chaos going on in my own head, I have not been able to consciously think about that subject much at all today. "I just don't know, Twilight... I can barely even think about that. Besides... It's not like I'm going to live to see it at this rate."

She came closer to me and gently rested her hoof upon my arm. "Don't say that... You're not dead yet. The nurses are still doing everything they can. They'll find a way."

"Well... How are the readings today? Any improvements?" I asked in return, wondering if my physical condition had started to improve.

Twilight paused for a moment before solemnly shaking her head. "No... If anything, your signs have become marginally weaker over the course of today. And there's still no sign of a cause. It doesn't even match any known illness they know of. It's...frustrating."

"OK..." I muttered disinterestedly, my head turning away. I was not really expecting a pleasant answer.

"James... Just... Don't give up, all right? Because we haven't. I don't want to lose you... Not now..." I heard Twilight whisper to me. And then... The feel of her lips upon my cheek. "I love you... Don't ever forget that, all right?"

I managed to crack a smile. It felt good knowing I still had her. Slowly, I lifted my hand to her cheek and tenderly caressed her face, prompting an almost tearful smile from her. "I won't... Thanks for being here, Twilight."

"Its always a pleasure..." She whispered in return. However, she then glanced at what seemed to be a clock on the far wall. 8:30 PM. "Well... I don't want to be the bearer of any bad news, but I need to be going. I'll be back in the morning, all right?"

"Really? You can't stay?" I asked, feeling disappointed that Twilight already had to leave so soon after I had awakened. After what I just went through... I was feeling more than a little uneasy knowing that a letter that may have been cursed by the devil himself for all I know was in a wooden drawer right next to me. I was really craving a bit of company from someone I trust.

Twilight did not seem happy about it either. "I'm sorry... Visiting hours end at 8 PM and overnight stays aren't permitted. I was lucky they allowed me to stay this late just to check on you if you woke up..." However, she then smiled a little. "But don't worry. I was informed to tell you that until you're finally better, Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon will be visiting you every night in your dreams. So all you have to do is go to sleep and they'll be arriving shortly."

That definitely calmed my nerves a bit. The two royal sisters of the night have always been dear to me and I could never turn them away. "Cool... I better get to sleep then..."

However, Twilight then seemed to glance at the window before looking back at me. "Oh, and one last thing. I sent a message to Princess Celestia today. I think I know somepony who might be able to help you. They should be stopping by tomorrow. I think around noon?"

"They?" I asked, completely at a loss of who could possibly help me when my symptoms are so unclear. A team of doctors from Canterlot?

She nodded again. "Mmhm. And you know them both. But for right now, I had better get going. I don't want to get in trouble with security. Just..." She then leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. "Just take it easy, James... Sweet dreams."

"You too, Twi... Good night." I said softly in reply while running my fingers through her mane. Reluctantly, my dear friend turned and left the room. But not before pausing to look at me over her shoulder one last time.

As of this moment, I am writing this entry with more of the paper Twilight Sparkle provided me with only Rarity's lamp lighting up the immediate area. It does a good job of adding a punch of sophistication to the place. The only sound that breaks the nightly silence is the scratching of the pen against the paper and the beeping of my heart monitor. The rhythm of the beeping is slightly slower than it was when I woke up. Barely noticeable, but it is there. My respirator was removed earlier today since I seem to not need it right now.

The memories still linger. Maybe I am becoming more tolerant of them. Or perhaps I am just becoming numb to the pain. I am so tired... More mentally and emotionally than physically. But soon I will be asleep and... Wait. Something seems different. Did something happen to that flower vase?

I just now noticed it. I mean, it is right on the other side of the lamp, so it is hard to miss. I seem to recall the flowers being inside a porcelain vase with a green finish. Maybe even seafoam. But right now... The polish... It is black.

Why... No one could have snuck in and swapped the vases without my knowledge. It was not black at the time Twilight departed for home. So...

There is something...unsettling about what I am seeing. Those azaleas... Beautiful, yet poisonous...in a black vase... Now, I am no expert of the language of flowers, but... There is just something about that combination that makes me feel as if I have just now received a death sentence.

What is wrong with me... I keep seeing and hearing things that are not there, seeing colors that are false, feeling pain when I am not harmed... I just... I will sleep with my head turned to the right tonight. Looking at those flowers and that vase... I feel as if I am being watched.

I am unsure what to think. With these memories haunting me... Yet, with those that do care for me... I want it to end, yet I want to see things get better. Why am I so torn on this? I want to live, yet I want to die. And unless they find a cure... My days are numbered.

But even moreso... Who did Twilight request to visit us? And what can they do for me? Maybe tomorrow holds the way out of this dilemma. But for now, I better get to sleep. Luna and Nightmare Moon are waiting for me.


	36. Toxic Love

I cannot recall the moment when I slipped into a dreaming state. Such is the nature of dreaming. But when my mind finally did focus to the point where I could process what I was seeing... Where was this? I could not recall the last time I had witnessed a land so...blighted in my life.

Was it a result of the memories I had been plagued by the last two days? No, I strongly doubtful of that. The world... A blasted wasteland the likes of which I had never seen. Any trees I saw were charred black and were just completely spindly without a single leaf hanging from what few branches they still retained. The air carried with it a faint odor and the hot summer sun was beating down on me. Dry. Very dry. And in the distance... Charred ruined houses. Only the designs were not like any I had ever seen in Equestria. It felt more like something I would find back on... Oh no...

Under any other circumstances, I would have been a bit more curious than wary. But considering who was on the verge of meeting up with me... And there they were. Soaring overhead like a pair of shadows against the sun were a pair of winged equines. And they quickly descended towards me. The smaller of the two smiled instantly upon landing before me and rushed to my side. "Oh, there you are! Have you been well, my friend?"

Luna. Princess of the Night. I had all but forgotten her recently. She rose up to me and threw her arms around me while I did the same. "I've heard grave news from my sisters... Thank the stars that you are safe in the realm of dreams."

"Thanks for being here, Luna... I missed you." I replied softly, briefly forgetting the horrors that were likely just lingering nearby. Luna... How could I have forgotten her?

Nightmare Moon then began to draw near and draped her wing over me, shielding me from the harsh rays of the sun. "I must say, you've chosen quite a...locale for us to explore today. We've already passed over a ruined concrete bridge where several humans clad in laughable excuses of armor... What were they doing? I heard distant loud pops and rattles, but I did not see anything being launched at us."

Those words quickly reminded me of where we were. And how desperately I wanted to get my friends away from there. I glanced around me, extremely relieved that there was nothing alive nearby. "Thanks for reminding me... We need to get out of this world. Now. Please."

My friends took a step back from me and cast me some rather perplexed gazes. Luna then asked, "I beg your pardon? But we've only just now arrived. Granted, this world does seem...rather rugged, but..."

I then motioned my arm towards the craggy ruined wasteland that very clearly used to be the world I once called home. "You don't know what this world is, but I do. And I'm going to tell you right now that this is a kind of world you and your people should never be exposed to."

Nightmare Moon seemed suspicious of what I was talking about. I suppose I should not have been surprised. Equestria has never had the chance to encounter a post apocalyptic world. "Whatever do you mean? Those humans back there were..."

"They were trying to kill you for fun." I replied bluntly, knowing that fictional world more than they ever did.

The mere concept of committing murder for entertainment was clearly a concept that was completely alien to the two royal sisters. Even Nightmare Moon, despite her rather dubious origins and background, seemed truly unnerved by those words. "They were attempting to murder us?"

Luna then stepped forward and asked, "James... What is this world?"

I decided to be entirely honest with them. "This is quite possibly what Earth will become a century from now."

The Princess of the Night's eyes opened wide in shock while she silently surveyed our blighted surroundings. "This...is Earth?!"

"Well... A fictional portrayal of its future. But even then, a fictional portrayal that could become fact someday. All created by human sin." I explained before pacing around a bit as I drank in the ugly scenery. "A world ruined by atomic fire. It shouldn't have happened and did not need to happen, but it will likely happen someday. But I really don't want to have to discuss this topic..."

I then turned back to my friends, feeling even more anxious that some wasteland horror might stumble upon us at any time. "And that is a world your kind should never have to see. I don't want you to know what this world is like... So... Can we please have a change of scener... Wait, what's that?"

Somewhere behind my friends, something rather large wandered into view from behind a craggy rock formation. The two alicorns turned promptly to face it. Luna spoke first, sounding more intrigued than frightened. "Oh my, a scorpion! And a rather sizeable one at that. And... Is that an albino?"

Indeed, it was a scorpion that was much larger than either of us. And its white and pinkish colorations definitely pointed to it being an albino. But the instant it turned to face us, it raised and curled its massive venomous tail and began to scurry towards us with alarming speed.

Before I could even say anything, Nightmare Moon stepped forward. "Hostile, hm? I would hate to do this to such a rare specimen, but..."

Just as the giant scorpion lifted its tail to strike, sparks flew from Nightmare Moon's horn before a massive stream of magic lightning burst forth with more than enough force to send the scorpion sprawling backwards. Even more to my shock, the beast began to dissolve into dust until it was scattered along the ground before us! A moment later, the piles of dust were blown away on a hot summer breeze.

"Uh... Wow. Never seen anyone drop one of those suckers that fast..." I said while feeling both relieved and amazed at the same time. Lightning magic... Dream or not, that was an impressive show of power.

Nightmare Moon then turned to face us and said, "Still, it's unnatural for a bug to get that massive. I take it that is also a result of humanity's follies?"

"Yeah, pretty much. They're..." I started to speak, but then paused as I heard the distant squeaking of wheels. It was coming from behind the same rock formation that the scorpion had emerged from behind. Had the source of the sound been lured over to us by the scorpion's movements?

"Who goes there?!" Luna called out while she flapped her wings to propel herself past her sister. What rolled into view was definitely not something I wanted to tangle with. The source of the sound was very clearly a machine that was roughly my height. Bulky and painted over with an olive drab finish, its paintjob bore a white star on the closest thing to a chest it had. It rolled around on a tripod set of legs that ended in rugged wheels. On its right arm was clearly a minigun and a tube for launching rockets was on the left. Despite it showing a fair amount of rust on its metallic body due to likely decades of exposure to the elements and lack of maintenance, it was still fully functional and raised its right arm to aim its weapon at us. Or rather at Luna since she was closest. It spoke in a deep robotic voice, signaling that it viewed us as enemies.

"Stay back!" Luna called back to us while she used her magic to project a blue magic barrier around herself. The combat robot opened fire, dumping a hail of tiny bullets at Luna. The machine cannon was loud and noisy, but our distance made the racket somewhat more bearable. However, they all bounced off the barrier while creating countless little ripple waves at the points of impact. Luna did not even seem to be trying to keep the barrier up. In fact, she seemed bewildered that it was not more dangerous to her. "Um... Is this truly the pinnacle of this world's unmanned combat machines?"

"To be honest... Yeah." I replied as the hail of bullets continued to bombard my friend. The situation went from being tense to rather relaxed as the robot focused exclusively on her. Anyone with any brains would have tried to strafe around her by that point and start shooting at Nightmare Moon and me, but its programming likely hindered its priorities. However, after a moment of continuous fire, the robot ceased firing and seemed to flex its two arms. It had likely exhausted its immediate ammunition supply and was swapping weapons to reload. It soon raised its left arm.

"It's cycling weapons! Incoming missile!" I called out, recognizing the physical movements that signaled it was swapping to its other weapon system.

"Missile?!" Luna asked while briefly glancing back at us. When she turned back, the robot did indeed fire a red-tipped missile from the launcher in its left arm. However, before it could even impact Luna's barrier, it stopped in place despite its thrusters still being active. It was coated by a dark blue magic aura that I recognized right away.

"I think you dropped this!" Nightmare Moon called out while she hovered above us to get a better view of the area. Before the robot could even properly react to the sight of its own projectile being restrained, the missile was flipped around and released from Nightmare Moon's magic grasp, sending it flying right back at it and striking the chest before exploding in a loud flash of fire.

I was almost expecting the thing to have been bowled over by the force of the explosion that engulfed the robot. However, it was still standing with a noticeable dent in its torso. However, that was not enough to stop it. It flexed its arms again before raising its right arm at Luna once more. But just as the six barrels started to rotate, the entire arm was coated by Luna's magic aura and tilted upwards, forcing the machine to miss her entirely as that hail of bullets were fired over the horizon behind us. Luna was even starting to sound mildly entertained. "Oh, please. Is this your best?"

Apparently having seen enough, Luna dispelled her barrier and then launched a burst of magic lightning forward. Her aim was rather impressive. She sent that volley of arcing electricity directing into the robot's left arm as it continued to fire and struggle to move with its wheels spinning in place. Seconds later, the warheads of the missiles that were still inside the arm detonated. The robot's entire arm exploded in a flash of fire and scrap metal. The blast even seemed to damage one of its legs since it began to heavily tilt to its left. The concussion from the blast likely did even more than that as the robot's minigun stooped firing while the spinning barrels slowed to a stop. The arm then went limp and hung by its side. Having fallen silent, the machine seemed to have shut down from critical internal damage.

Nightmare Moon landed beside me and chuckled lightly. "Tell me, James. Is this sort of technology currently present in your world?"

"You mean right now? Not when I last checked, no. The field of robotics hasn't gotten quite that sophisticated to use battlefield robots just yet." I replied, knowing too well that the world in that dream was still just fictional, even if still possible in the future.

"Well, if that is what the future of combat is like for Earth... I see they still have a long way to go." Luna chuckled as well while clearly feeling pretty good for having completely humiliated a state-of-the-art war machine using nothing more than magic. I suppose military technology is not everything it is cracked up to be, which is quite relieving for someone who has never been fond of anything involving the military. Kind of hard to kill something when your bullets cannot even hit the target and your explosive rounds can be tossed right back at you. However, Luna then did look at me with a small frown. "But I do see why you mean, James. If that was just a glimmer of what this world has to offer...then I do not wish to remain here. This world, as it is now, is a disgrace and goes against everything Equestria has ever stood for. It is something our people should never have to witness."

Nightmare Moon then smiled as her horn became coated by her own deep blue magic aura. "I have an idea of where we may go. Someplace familiar."

At those words, the landscape started to fade. Becoming a vast blank white canvas. The heat of the unnatural summer became replaced with the relatively cool feel of mid spring. The air lost its faint odor and became filled with the fresh scent of clean air carrying the refreshing scent of pine trees. The landscape became covered in pine and grass green, bark and soil brown, fresh water blue, and stone and rock grays and whites. The sun shone high above, though the air still remained fairly cool.

I recognized the area right away. We were standing on a cobblestone path. A relatively small waterfall to one side that led into the shallows of a river that was being fed by a lake to the west with towering pines and firs to the north while a rugged cliff stood at our other side that led up to the rest of the path that curled around a bend behind us. Luna inhaled deeply, basking in the natural beauty around us. "Ah, I love that smell. You picked a fine place to visit, Nightmare Moon. But haven't we been here before?"

"We have, Luna. More than once. This is Skyrim. To be precise, we're in the Whiterun province, although we are very close to Falkreath as well. Remember that time when you and I flew to that island blanketed in ash? The time where you met that netch?" I replied, glad that she remembered the place we had been to.

"Oh, of course! That big cuddly creature of many tentacles. How could I forget?" Luna said happily, likely fondly recalling our encounter with the gentle floating giant on Solstheim. In fact, I was feeling rather good myself. Refreshed. The grandeur of the natural beauty of the border between the Whiterun and Falkreath holds is truly my favorite place in the entire region. Luna seemed to notice as well and asked, "My friend... You seem to be in better spirits. Are you well?"

She was right. The memories that plagued me when awake were completely absent while I slept. It was as if it was the only time I found respite from the mental duress I suffered while awake. And being with two of my dearest friends in the world... I had forgotten how enjoyable our shared dreams are. "Yeah... I am feeling pretty nice. I mean I was kinda expecting to go back to the dream where Gladesong is, but this is nice too."

"It is always refreshing to have a change of scenery every once in a while. But...uh... Are you certain you are fine like that? It is rather nippy out here." Nightmare Moon retorted before she seemed to take note of my body. A quick glance at myself revealed that I was only clad in my boxers. Why, because that is all I was wearing while confined to Ponyville Hospital?

"Uh... I was wondering why I was feeling so cool..." I grumbled, feeling very nervous upon finding myself almost entirely exposed.

Nightmare Moon got a quick chuckle out of my predicament before her horn was once more coated by her magic aura. "I can fix that."

With a flash of her magic, I felt myself feeling slightly warmer and more covered. A quick glance at myself revealed that I was now clothed in some fairly fancy attire. A thick coat that seemed more like a robe or tunic of a dark nearly navy shade of blue with a matching undershirt and trousers were now covering my body along with a pair of sturdy brown boots. "Hey, this is some of my favorite Skyrim attire. How'd you know?"

"I just had a hunch. And that does look rather warm." Nightmare Moon replied while looking quite pleased at her handy work. I suppose when you are the Princess of Dreams, anything is possible within a dream world. "But now... Where should we go?"

I looked to the east and down the path that followed the edge of the river that flowed nearby. "Let's just take a stroll. One of my favorite places in Skyrim is nearby."

"Is that so? Well, do lead on." Luna said with a smile as we began to walk along the path to the east. This fictional world may be treacherous, but I knew where we could go without running into anything I would rather not have my friends see.

Before we got far, we reached a point I was all too familiar with. Up upon a small cliff that overlooked the path were a few gray wolves. I paused in my tracks, as did my companions while I pointed at them. "Wolves. They might turn hostile if we get close."

"Nonsense. If we stay on the path and continue on our way, they will have no reason to be cross with us." Nightmare Moon confidently explained while she resumed her pace. I decided to stay close to her while Luna did the same. Sure enough, once we came closer, the three wolves began to run down the length of the cliff and towards a nearby slope that led to the path.

I was tempted to run. But more than anything, I feared for my two friends. Destroying a mutated scorpion that is needlessly violent is certainly understandable, but slaying a pack of wolves? I did not wish to see the two royal alicorns spill the blood of such noble beasts, even if they were merely defend themselves. Fortunately, they did not have to. Luna, who was to my right and was the first thing the wolves would reach, turned to them and bellowed at them with... What do they call that powerful way of speaking? The Royal Canterlot Voice?

Regardless, her voice echoed and boomed towards the three approaching lupines. "BEGONE, CRETINS! THOU WOULDS'T NOT INCITE OUR WRATH UPON THEE!"

That sudden loud and powerful roar caused the wolfs to almost stumble right into each other before they turned and fled right back up the slope and past the trees that covered the hillside. Nightmare Moon laughed heartily at Luna's use of her mere voice to scare off our attackers, something I never once thought of using. Even so, I did have a retort for that rather usual means of defense. "Wow, Luna. I didn't know you were so well versed in the way of the Voice."

I doubt she knew exactly what I was speaking of, but she took the compliment with grace while she turned to me. "Well, that was the normal means of addressing our subjects once upon a time. It's difficult to forget how to do it when you've been speaking in such a way for centuries." I suppose that is true, although I could never imagine Celestia speaking like that.

We continued on without further interruption. And soon, it came into view. Standing over the path ahead was a gateway of stone walls topped with a wooden walkway covered by a sloped thatched roof. And just to the right of the path seemed to be a few bedrolls and a cook pot set up over an open fire. It seemed to be containing a type of stew. But either way, it felt refreshing to for the first time in a long while finally be drawing close to a location I have always had a fondness for. "There it is, ladies. Riverwood."

Nightmare Moon and Luna were silent as we passed under the archway that led into the village. They seemed to be taking in their surroundings, as if deeply interested in this humble village. In fact, they came to a stop. I had to pause and look back at them. The sound of wind rustled the trees and the thatched roofs nearby, the sound of a knife tanning leather reached my ears from my left, the laughter of two children running around carried over to us on the wind, and the sound of a hammer striking metal could be heard coming from the nearby blacksmith. The sound of the simplistic lifestyle of the humble village filled we with a type of peace that I had not felt in quite some time.

Eventually, Luna was the first to speak as she turned her gaze back towards me. "This village... It feels as if I have taken a step back in time."

"You... Back in time? You mean deja vu?" I asked as I saw that they were clearly somewhat in awe of their surroundings.

Nightmare Moon then nodded while she too finished her surveying of the village from its western entrance. "Indeed... The humans of Equestria lived very similarly to how this village appears. I have not seen a human village like this in... How long has it been?"

It must have been humbling to be reminded of better days from so long ago by a mere dream of a world that has never existed. "Would you prefer if we went elsewhere? I'm sorry if this is bringing back bad memories."

"No, it's quite the opposite, James. They are indeed happy memories that we are experiencing. Please, let us stay a while. Unless you would rather us go somewhere else. We are here to help you, after all." Luna replied, reminding me of why they were both with me.

Of course, being so fond of Riverwood, I was in no hurry to leave either. So I smiled and nodded at them. "I would like to stick around a while too."

My friends and I began to slowly head into the village, taking in the sights. However, Luna soon stopped, as did Nightmare Moon, when one of the locals pass us. He was clad in a light green shirt that was covered by a brown vest with his white hair tied into a short ponytail. Slung over his back was a wooden bow and a quiver filled with arrows. He then turned and crossed over a small wooden bridge towards a lumber mill on an island that stood out in the shallow river.

Luna turned to me and asked, "Um... James? What was wrong with him? He's clearly human, but his eyes are just...unnaturally dark and his ears are pointed. Is he some sort of demon?"

I glanced over at the archer who had just passed us. "Huh? You mean Faendal? He's an elf. Specifically a Wood Elf, although the traditional term is Bosmer."

Nightmare Moon turned to look at the elf as he walked away, having clearly not heard us. "Bosmer? I see, but... What exactly is an elf?"

I was about to offer a response, but... I suddenly found myself without words. What is an elf? Well, if that is not the million bit question, I do not know what is. "Uh... An elf is... Well.. They... Actually, I have no idea. They've long been a popular theme of fantasy and fiction where I come from, so I have no idea where the term originates."

"Ah, yes... And this world is fictional... Well, elves can be identified by those pointed ears, right?" Luna asked, apparently finding some humor in my own puzzlement judging by that crooked smile.

"Well... Generally, yes. Elves are known for having more pointed ears than humans. Their eyes tend to look different too. But in case you're wondering, he's the only elf here. Anyway..." Explained before turning and continuing on. My two friends immediately trotted along to catch up to me. The first spot we came to was the blacksmith's forge. It was safely tucked away under a roof that shielded it from the elements while allowing the smoke and heat from the forge to safely dissipate. Of course, being a man who has long held a fascination with swords and other weapons of ancient times, I found myself being instantly drawn towards it. Luna and Nightmare Moon followed as well, apparently placing their faith in my knowledge of the village.

Before I could actually get under the roof, I felt something land on my head. I held out my hand reflexively. And sure enough, I felt it. A raindrop. Luna then asked, "Wait... Is it starting to rain?"

"Rain is pretty common in this section of Skyrim." I replied while ducking under the forge's roof with my friends in tow. Moments later, a steady downpour began to blanket the entire village. Anyone who was caught outdoors instantly began running for cover, either by ducking inside the tiny number of cottages or by standing under the outlying roofs or awnings. Right across from the blacksmith's forge was one of the local guards standing just outside the door of the local trader. Even though he was likely accustomed to the weather patterns of this province and would leave his safe spot of someone was in danger, he clearly was not in favor of allowing himself to get caught in the rain, especially when the weather was already a bit cool.

The rain brought with it a very relaxing atmosphere that I absolutely adore. My two companions also seemed pleased by it, neither of them showing a frown while watching the rain come down. Eventually, I turned my eyes to the blacksmith hammering away on a sword he seemed to be crafting upon a stone table against the outside wall of his house. Clad in a dull red shirt and pale trousers while covered in a filthy dark apron, his dirty blond hair and beard seemed to have accumulated a bit of soot from his forge nearby. Judging by the sword's short hilt, upswept guard, and somewhat triangular blade, it seemed to be an arming sword.

While Luna and Nightmare Moon seemed to turn their attention to the waterwheel at the side of the lumber mill, I turned my attention to a table set up to their right that seemed to hold several recent creations that the blacksmith had put together. My eyes fell upon a flanged mace with four sturdy shiny steel blade making up the head with a pointed tip at the top. Having never actually held a mace before, I tried picking it up and performed a couple of light swings. I found the mace's point of balance to be much further away from the point I was grasping it than I would find on a sword I had experience using, causing myself to lightly stagger as I tried to bring it to a stop. Truly a heavy smashing weapon, meant to crush more than cut.

"Aye, the mace is rather heavy to most. I think you have more of a taste for the sword." I heard a man's voice with a thick accent of what I assumed to be Scandinavian before turning to face the blacksmith. Indeed, he was looking at me with his hammer still in hand. Warm and strong, he seemed all too willing to help me if I sought to make a purchase.

"Yeah, I would assume using maces is quite different from swinging a sword around. I wasn't going to make off with any of your wares though, Alvor. I swear." I replied while setting the mace back down, already knowing the blacksmith's name by heart.

Alvor let out a chuckle before speaking, "I did not even take you for the thieving type anyway. Although... Those two steeds right there. They yours? I'm surprised they were able to fit under my roof. Where did you buy them? Rather scrawny for workhorses."

Before I even had the chance to explain anything to Alvor, Nightmare Moon turned and scowled right at him after apparently overheard him. "I beg your pardon?"

His reaction was about what I expected. Alvor took a step back in surprise. "By Ysmir, they can... Agh!" He suddenly yelped and hopped and shook his right foot, having apparently dropped his hammer on it. Good thing he seemed to be wearing thick boots. Even so, his rather shocked expression got some hearty laughter out of my two companions while I merely cringed and snickered at the same time, both concerned and amused for the blacksmith.

I could not help myself and asked, "What? You see Khajiit and Argonians pass through now and then, but a talking pony surprises you?"

Luna managed to cease her laughter first and offer a retort. "Calm yourself, humble blacksmith! We mean no harm. All you need to know is that we are mere visitors in your cozy village."

Alvor shook his foot, his thick boot having likely endured the brunt of the impact while he snatched up his hammer. "Ah... Well... I can't say I've ever had the chance to actually see a horse talk. Let alone a unicorn! I heard they went extinct during the Oblivion Crisis... Although I must say you mares look like nothing less than the personal pets of the High King himself!"

He was clearly awestruck by my friends' physical appearances and the flowing natures of their beautiful manes and tails. Luna chuckled while she began to survey the blacksmith's wares on the table where I had found the mace. "Well, for a man to carry the title of High King, he must be an extraordinary king indeed... And you have quite a selection here."

"Only the finest weapons and armor. Do you wish to make a purchase?" Alvor replied while going back to the stone workbench to finish tempering the sword he had been working on.

Nightmare Moon also stepped forward while turning her gaze towards the wooden table lined with weapons. "Well, we have no need for weapons, although... Oh lord, what is his abominable excuse of a sword here?" Her eyes seemed to be focusing on a single-edged sword with an odd greenish coloration. The edge was uneven and jagged and looked incredibly crude in design, almost as if it was made out of rock instead of metal. Even if functional, it was not a sword I could ever see myself using.

Alvor seemed mildly amused by her disgust in the sword's design. "Ah, yes... Orc weapons tend to get a lot of funny looks. Do not ask me why they always prefer to have their weapons look like a something only the most primitive of warriors would craft, but they are much more functional than they appear."

"I suppose we shall take your word for it..." Luna replied while she also surveyed the list of weapons. However, she soon seemed to focus on a large two-handed sword that had an exceptionally broad blade and seemed to be made of something between brass and gold with some intricate symbols in the guard. "Ooh, this looks exotic. Almost appears to be made of gold, yet I'm sure it's not nearly that soft of a metal."

"You'd be quite right, lass. You can never go wrong with Dwarven weapons. Never rusts and never dulls. Not the mightiest weapons to choose from, but there are few more reliable." Alvor replied while examining the blade of his newest sword. It seemed to have been tempered to perfection.

However, Nightmare Moon did not seem entirely convinced of the sword's functionality. "I'm not so sure... It looks incredibly heavy and too hefty for such a sword design to be effective..." She then turned to me and asked, "What say you, my friend? Is this a sword you would like? You've always been quite proficient with the sword and shield, but..."

I, on the other hand, felt rather excited to actually wield such a sword. "You bet I'd like to try it. I've always had a soft spot for Dwemer weapons. And I've also always had a penchant for two-handed swords. I guess it's in my blood."

"Spoken like a true Nord! All right then, lad. I would say that would fetch around... Oh, say 326 Septims?" Alvor said with a grin at my subdued enthusiasm. However, he then reminded me that I had no means to pay for it.

"Uh... Septims? Who or what is a Septim?" Nightmare Moon asked, she and Luna looking noticeably confused. Wow, I just now see how odd the word 'Septim' looks.

"You don't know? Truly? Where are you even from? Atmora? The Septim is Tamriel's only form of currency." Alvor explained while pulling a gold coin out of his pocket. It showed a relief of a bearded man's head viewed from the side, not unlike the coins used in the world I come from.

Luna cocked her head to one side. "Hmm... Seems needlessly ornate for a mere coin. I take it bits will not suffice with you?"

As expected, Alvor had no idea what she was even speaking of. "Bits? Bits of what? Gold? Copper? Iron? I'll only take Septims, lass. Unless you're willing to barter something of equal or greater value, I'm afraid that's all I can accept."

The Princess of the Night glanced up at the top of her head while I looked on. It was rather amusing to see the three of them banter. "Well... I suppose my crown would suffice. That surely must be of some value."

However, Nightmare Moon shook her head and took one long look at the coin in Alvor's hand. Almost as if she was studying the design. "No, sister. Allow me. If it's Septims he wants, it is what he shall receive."

Seconds later, she lifted her head as her horn was engulfed in her deep blue magic aura. After a moment of focus, a large cluster of identical coins appeared out of thin air between them and hit the floor with a noisy clatter, startling the blacksmith into staggering back. Luna then even barked, "That many?! How could anyone even carry around that much without being dragged to the floor?!"

Alvor seemed genuinely shocked by how his payment had just materialized out of nowhere. "Was that magic?! I had no idea unicorn magic worked like that... No wonder they were always seen as heralds of good fortune..." He then snatched up one of the coins in one hand before glancing back and forth at the one he had shown us. Probably just examining it to make sure they were authentic. "Well, I'd say that covers it. The sword is yours, lad. Take good care of her and she'll take good care of you."

"Thanks, Alvor." I replied briefly while he started pushing the pile of coins up against the wall of his house, apparently unsure of what to do with such a massive pile of coins at the time. Considering that gold is quite heavy, it is unlikely he could carry them all away to begin with. However, when I grasped the hilt, I was surprised by just how heavy it felt. "Whoa... Heavier than I expected."

"I concur. It does look rather overbuilt. Are you sure you don't need some help?" Nightmare Moon asked in return while backing away from me with Luna. I suppose they were giving me some space until I was sure I knew what was doing with such a large weapon. Even if the world we were in was nothing but a dream, it is still a natural urge to want to stay out of harm's way.

"Nah, I got." I grunted while grasping the sword with both hands and finding my balance. It was certainly heavy and large, but I could still move it around with one hand if I was careful. I then lowered the sword over my back to set it in place and released my grasp on it while facing my friends. "OK, let's head ov..."

I was suddenly startled at the sound of a loud clatter right behind me. The sword I had just placed on my back had dropped to the floor and fallen in the direction of the table to my side, getting the guard hooked on the handles and hilts of several weapons and pulling them to the floor. I stood frozen in place with my teeth gritted for a good five seconds before turning and gazing at the mess I had just made. Alvor then asked while looking on, "Lad... What are you doing?"

Even the too royal sisters beside me seemed baffled by my actions. Nightmare Moon then asked, "My thoughts exactly. Why did you do that, James? Were you expecting the blade to just stick to you until you grasped the hilt again?"

I could not speak right away. I bent over while laughing myself silly. Curse video game physics! But I soon calmed myself and turned to Alvor. "Hey... Alvor, does this thing come with a matching scabbard?"

"Afraid not, lad." Alvor replied promptly, almost like he was surprised that the sword just fell from my like that.

Luna then added, "Why would you even want a scabbard for it? With a blade that massive, you wouldn't even be able to draw it from your back unless your arms could stretch several feet!"

She had a very good point there. Before I could do anything else, I quickly cleaned up the scattered weapons and placed them back on the table before lugging my new sword out of the blacksmith's workplace and to the road before us. The rain was starting to let up, so activity in the streets was returning to normal. The town guard that had been staying out of the rain had resumed his patrol and was passing near me before stopping near me and speaking up with a deep voice filled with an accent even thick than Alvor's. "That sword seems like it's too much for you. Perhaps you should stick with the sword and shield."

"Well, I just bought this, so I'm not in a hurry to return it... If I can just hoist it to my shoulder..." I grumbled while trying to keep a steady stance. The guard was clad in a sleeveless suit of brown scaled armor with what seemed to be an underlying suit of chainmail that I could see peeking out around his shoulder. Below his leather slacks were primitive boots consisting of leather lined with fur. He wore nothing over his reasonably toned arms, although his left hand clutched a round wooden shield bearing an etching of a horse's head against a yellow background. The symbol of Whiterun. A long yellow cloth was wrapped around his neck and settled over much of his front and below the waist while being secured by a few belts. His face was obscured by a type of closed helmet, with much of the front bearing a mask like iron frame with a pair of eye holes. Much of the crown and backside seemed to be composed of possible wood or reinforced leather with a brown finish, a small metal spike set onto the top. I felt no fear of the man, knowing that most of the hold guards in Skyrim are generally righteous men. Expect maybe for the ones of The Reach and The Rift, but that is another story.

The guard spoke up while moving to my right. "Easy there, lad. Slowly now." He firmly grasped the guard of my sword and helped my lift it until it was resting across my shoulder. That is actually the proper means to carry such a sword.

"Phew... Thanks. I'll be OK now." I said in gratitude for the guard's assistance. It was still fairly heavy, but my center of balance was much better with it upon my shoulders.

"Anytime, lad. Carry on." The guard replied before continuing along the street towards the western gate.

My two royal companions trotted out from under the blacksmith's roof while turning their gazes to the guard as he walked off. I then felt the need to ask. "Hey... Did some of the more ancient human villages have guards too?"

Nightmare Moon nodded with a rather nostalgic smile while Luna looked on too. "Of course they did. Law enforcement has been around for ages. Just because Equestria has always been a peaceful land does not mean we occasionally get a few bad apples that fall into the barrel. Much like the royal guard today, every settlement had armed and armored guards on patrol to uphold the peace and to protect their people from wild beasts. The wild creatures you see were not quite as cordial towards our people as they are today once upon a time."

Without much ado, I led my friends across the near wooden bridge and passed the lumber mill before coming to another stretch of land that was bordered on all sides by the shallows of the river that flowed past it. I could probably even wade through it to the other side. Even so, I was drawn to that spot due to it being a wide and open location to try out a few swings.

"Going to demonstrate your knowledge of the greater blade?" Luna asked while she and her sister took a seat on a tree stump near the water's edge.

"Yeah. At least... I hope I can use this thing right. I don't think sword's of this length should be this heavy." I replied while taking the sword in both hands. I then widened my stance before taking a wide swing while being mindful of Estoc's advice from much earlier. I must never overswing. Especially when I am not carrying a shield to compensate for a missed strike. However, even though I was trying mind my exertion, I still found myself staggering as I rather slowly swung the mighty broad blade of my sword. "This is...impossible! Why is it so heavy?!"

My two friends seemed baffled as well while I tried to figure out how to properly apply the blades weight. I tried taking a step to the left while I swung to increase momentum while not swinging too hard, but that only caused me to very nearly fall to my knees. Finally, Nightmare Moon stood up and trotted over to me. "I have to agree with you there. I've seen swords even longer than this that did not even weigh ten pounds."

Luna flapped her wings to bring herself closer to us in one motion. "I think I see the problem. The blade is simply too broad. There's too much material in this weapon, giving it too much weight." She then looked up at me with a rather perplexed expression. "Is this the norm for swords in this world? Are the warriors of this realm built like bronze statues with arms as thick as trees?"

I finally grew tired of lugging that monster of a blade around and plunged the tip into the ground so it would stand up without me having to hold it. "Now that you mention it... Yeah. The swords in Skyrim seem to be improperly designed. Just...don't ask too many questions about it. The world here is fictional."

Nightmare Moon let out a rather loud equine snort at those words. "Fictional indeed. But at least it's a rather beautiful world, if nothing else."

A moment later, I happened to notice movement coming towards us. A young girl with dirty blond hair and a maroon shirt with long dull white skirt was running towards us. Luna happened to notice as well and smiled. "It's been quite some time since I last saw a human child. They can be quite charming."

Sure enough, she came right over to us while looking rather excited. I decided to greet her first. "Hello. Can I help you, Dorthe?"

The child seemed unsure of how to address me at first. I suppose I can see why since my attire was closer to what one would see on a nobleman. "Hello, sir. I... I saw your horses and... They're very pretty."

Nightmare Moon chuckled and stepped towards her. "The compliment is appreciated, child. And your name is Dorthe?"

Dorthe stepped back, seeming both amazed and surprised that the two mares before her could speak. "They can talk too?! Wow, talking horses! Wait... I mean...unicorns! You have unicorns?!"

I smiled, finding amusement in her innocent observations of my friends. "They don't belong to me, Dorthe. They're my friends. And they're actually ponies, not horses. Horses tend to be much bigger and stockier."

Luna then stepped forward and extended her wing to her admirer. "Either way, it's a pleasure to meet you, Dorthe. I am Luna and my sister here is Nightmare Moon."

Once more, Dorthe was caught by surprise before her hands started to run over Luna's lovely wing. "You have wings too?! But... What do you call a unicorn with wings? Are you... Maybe you're also a dragon?"

That prompted a laugh from the two sisters before Nightmare Moon could explain. "Not quite, child... The correct term is alicorn."

Dorthe was in awe of my two friends. She held onto Luna's wavering mane and rubbed her face along it while having a truly dreamy expression on it. "Your mane is so pretty, Luna. And it's really soft too."

"Would you care to compare?" Nightmare Moon then asked while making her own mane extend towards the child.

The little girl was all too quick to partake in Nightmare Moon's offer, reaching out and caressing the almost ethereal mane in her hands before again rubbing her face in it. "Wow... Your mane is even softer."

I said nothing while watching the child indulged in Nightmare Moon's beauty. It was endearing to see the Princess of Dreams being appreciated for the first time by a human other than myself. Even if that human was just an illusion. Eventually, Dorthe looked up at Nightmare Moon and asked a most obvious question. "Miss Moon? Is it all right if I ride you?"

That question seemed to catch both of the princesses by surprise. They looked at each other before Luna looked at Dorthe with a very bewildered gaze. "Uh... Well... That wouldn't be proper... I mean, I do think my sister could carry you, but..."

However, Nightmare Moon then cracked a smirk. "Oh, I don't see why not. Just make certain you hold on tightly."

"Really?! Wow, thank you!" Dorthe replied with typical childish enthusiasm while following Nightmare Moon over to the nearby tree stump and used it for some extra height so she could climb onto her. Despite the fact that she is significantly smaller than a horse with a much more slender body, the child easily centered herself on Nightmare Moon's back while being mindful of the location of her wings. While definitely not large enough to carry an adult human, Nightmare Moon is certainly able to carry a human child.

"I hope she's not too heavy for you, sister." Luna remarked while apparently finding it somewhat amusing to see the Princess of Dreams allowing herself to have a rider.

Nightmare Moon merely smirked before replying, "Well, this may be the only time she ever meets us, so why not? Now then, I'll be back shortly."

"Just don't go too far. You're not familiar with the area outside the walls." I added before Nightmare Moon trotted off with a delighted Dorthe holding on tight. While she trotted on down the southern rod, I turned to Luna. "Been a while since you last saw a human child, huh?"

"First time since their exodus from our world, to be honest." She replied with a calm smile. "Children do not differ much by species. Energetic and curious are the norm. I'm certain even a calm and gentle man like you was quite rambunctious as a youngster."

"Sure was... Funny how what you are as an adult can be entirely different to how you were as a kid." I said with a slight chuckle.

After a moment, Luna seemed to turn her gaze to the great blade that was sticking out of the ground nearby. She then spoke with a subdued tone, "James... About that previous world we were in..."

I did not like the sound of that at all, but I went along with it. "What about it? I swear that was Earth. And..."

"No, that's not what I mean. I know you were being serious. And I believe every word you said about your world potentially becoming like that someday." Luna said calmly while turning to face me. "What I meant was... Why be so concerned about what me and my sister are exposed to?"

Truly not an easy question to answer. But I decided to answer the best I could. With a sigh, I took a seat on the nearby tree stump and propped myself up with my right hand on my knee. "Well... I guess... I just don't want the innocent to witness things they should never have to see."

Luna remained silent for a moment before she walked up to me and placed her hoof on my other knee. "That is a rare value you possess, my friend. One who cherishes innocence is not something I have often seen in humans."

"Thanks... It's just... After living in Equestria for so long... I am just amazed and touched by just how pure and innocent the world's people feel compared to the world I come from. And I just don't want to see that innocence be lost." I explained sincerely with my head bowed. My eyes focused on the bits of grass and trail of ants that scurried between my shoes and the stump.

My royal friend gave me a very warm smile. "It warms my heart that you care so deeply for our way of life. Thank you, my friend. Although... You can ease up around me and my sisters. We have seen dark times before."

"Oh... I guess you're bound to see some dark things when you've been around for a few millennia." I replied while feeling slightly embarrassed that I had misjudged my two royal friends. "But... You still seem very pure and wise. Are you sure you... Well, for lack of a better term...retained your innocence?"

Luna sighed while closing her eyes briefly. "I suppose I have, to a certain degree. My sisters and I simply know better than to let what we have seen affect us in such a way. It is not in our nature to be vicious or cruel. And we wish to guide our people with that example always. To watch over and nurture our people, both socially and mentally... That has been our solemn duty since the day we took up the crown."

"And it looks like you and Celestia have done a virtually perfect job of that so far." I said with a smile, feeling very confident in my friends' leadership skills. "And judging by how you and Nightmare Moon handled yourselves a little while ago... I guess you have also seen battle?"

"Unfortunately, yes. We have engaged in battle in rare instances in the past. We must be prepared to fight to protect our world and our people from those that would seek to do them harm. And thankfully, we have the power to combat virtually any threat." The Princess of the Night said while showing a more serious expression. I suppose the knowledge she possessed is something she is not entirely proud of.

"Well, I'd say your looks are clearly deceiving. I think the rule of thumb in Equestria is the more beautiful a pony is, the more power that pony possesses. You'd think the craggiest and burliest ponies would be the ones to look out for, but nope! It's the drop dead gorgeous ones that'll blast you apart with lightning!" I could not help saying while Luna burst into laughter at my praise. I too could not help chuckling at my own wit for once.

During a lull in the conversation, I turned to the south and saw Nightmare Moon walking along the very apex of the slanted thatched roof of the inn with Dorthe still riding on her back. Her mother seemed to be in a bit of a panic on the ground while waving her arms at her daughter, but Dorthe seemed to be having a blast.

"I think I shall go explore the town a bit myself. Do not go too far, all right?" Luna asked before she began to trot towards the simple wooden bridge that spanned the river's shallows.

I saw no harm in letting Luna explore a bit. She was a guest in my dream, after all. "Sure thing. I'll be over here if you're looking for me." I retorted while seeing her off. I glanced over at the mighty sword I had left implanted in the ground, but I decided to just leave it be. I would never be able to effectively wield such a preposterous blade effectively.

I wandered along the stretch of land that was bordered on both sides by the river. I stood out on a walkway that was covered by its own thatched roof while standing out over the shallows. It was likely used as a fishing spot. While leaning against one of its support beams at the edge, I took a moment to just relax and gather my thoughts. I could not believe how much better I was feeling. I could barely even remember the memories that constantly plagued me while I am awake. This dream... It was proving to be an escape. A part of me was even hoping I would never wake up.

After several minutes, my gaze turned west. Was that Nightmare Moon? And...was she carrying a boy with her levitation spell? He seemed to be wearing a read shirt with black pants and had blond hair while also not seeming happy at all while flailing his arms and legs. Knowing who the only boy in the village was, I was hardly surprised and ran in her direction. "Oh, I can't wait to hear this..."

"Lemme go, you stupid horse!" I heard the boy yell as I drew near. Luna seemed to have the same idea as I did and was galloping across the nearest bridge to reach her sister.

"Sister! I know that this little whelp was crass, but... Surely, this isn't necessary!" Luna called out once she drew closer.

Nightmare Moon, on the other hand, looked rather frustrated and displeased. I can only imagine what that brat did to her. She merely dismissed her sister's pleas and began to approach the edge of the landmass that bordered the river. Was she going to toss the boy in? "Oh, believe me, Luna. I wouldn't be doing this if this little whelp didn't ask for it."

The boy then yelled out again, "I said lemme go! It's your fault you didn't duck when I threw that egg!"

I felt myself smirk, knowing that this particular child deserved the punishment that was coming his way. "So, what's his judgment? You're not gonna hurt the kid, are you?"

Nightmare Moon merely smirked at us. "Of course not. I'm just going to run him ragged." And with that, she used her magic to hurl the boy through the air and into the river. While definitely a shallow spot of the river, it was not too shallow and allowed the boy to resurface unharmed as he was carried back down the river to the plot of land we were standing on. All the while, I could not help but laugh.

Unfortunately, the guard who had helped me out earlier did not seem to find Nightmare Moon's creative punishment as entertaining to watch. He suddenly drew his sword, a relatively broad blade with a sharp tip and ran across the bridge towards us. "In the name of the jarl, stop right there!"

"Oh joy, what is it now?" Nightmare Moon said dryly while we turned to face him. As much as the kid deserved it, it sadly was viewed as a form of assault by the law.

The guard stood before her with sword drawn and shield ready, but did not strike. "You have committed crimes against Skyrim and her people. What say you in your defense?"

"What say I?" Nightmare Moon said with an irritated scowl. "That whelp hurled an egg at my head when I rounded the corner! Just ask little Dorthe. She was my witness. He... You're not going anywhere unless I say you can go!" She suddenly glanced to her right and pinned the boy in place with the levitation spell again. The kid was clearly soaked to the bone and definitely humbled.

The guard seemed to have some idea of what Nightmare Moon had gone through, having likely been stationed in Riverwood long enough to learn the names of every person there. "That Frodnar lad, hm? I can't go one week without having to report that brat to his family. But what you're doing is still going too far. Now, are you coming quietly?"

The Princess of Dreams was clearly frustrated that the guard was attempting to arrest her and soon raised her voice. "Do you even know who you are addressing?! You stand before the Princess of Dreams herself! Now, be on your way! You have a village to keep watch over, do you not?"

"You could be one of the Divines for all I care! The only man I answer to is the jarl. Last chance. Are you going to come quietly or will you pay the fine?" The guard responded while looking like he was ready to lash out with his sword. While the moment was certain tense, largely due to the presence of a raised weapon, it was starting to get rather comical too. Then again, Nightmare Moon could easily handle him if push came to shove.

Luna, clearly not willing to turn our little vacation into a brawl, spoke up. "Sister, just pay him the fine and be done with it!"

"Ugh, fine... I'll pay the fee." Nightmare Moon said with a groan, clearly not in the mood to deal with the guard any longer.

"Smart lass. Now then, come with me. We'll take any stolen goods and you'll be free to go. After you've paid the fine, of course." The guard said while sounding noticeably calmer, although he did not sheathe his sword.

However, our friend did not sound pleased with part of that statement. "Stolen goo... Just look at me, you simpleton! How could I possibly be carrying anything of the sort?!"

I could not help laughing at that. "She has a point there, sir. There aren't any pockets on her to hide something in." Luna also seemed quite amused judging by the face she was biting her lower lip.

The guard seemed on the verge of relenting. "Hm... You don't look like you could be carrying anything... And it's a long walk to Whiterun... Very well. You can pay your fine here and be on your way. That'll be twenty-five Septims."

That rather small number seemed to surprise Nightmare Moon. "Wait... That's it?"

"Yes. Twenty-five Septims for one case of assault." The guard explained while seeming tempted to sheathe his sword.

There was something devious about that smirk. Nightmare Moon then glanced over at Frodnar, who was starting to look increasingly nervous. She then looked back at the guard and asked, "So, if I were to dunk him nine more times, I would have to pay 250 instead?"

"Well... Yes. Why?" The guard asked while sounding noticeably suspicious.

While looking quite smug, Nightmare Moon suddenly conjured up a large cluster of gold coins that hit the ground between her and the guard with a loud clatter. The guard jumped back, surprised. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch the magic! And what's all this for?"

"250 of your precious Septims. Consider it payment in advance. I'm not done with that whelp yet." Nightmare Moon explained while smirking at Frodnar, who looked all the more intimidated by her stare.

"Uh... That's... Oh, fine. But just nine more times. Anymore than that and we'll have to do this song and dance again." The guard replied with a huff while returning his sword to its scabbard. He then gazed down at the pile of coins. "Now then... How am I gonna move all this?"

While the guard pondered how to move the coins, Nightmare Moon resumed her punishment of Frodnar. Nine times, she hurled him into the river. And each time he returned to shore. Except for one notable time. I think on the eighth toss, he tried to stay submerged and swim past us in the shallows. But unfortunately for him, that red shirt made him stand out enough fro his punisher to pull him from the water.

After the final toss... I should mention I was tasked with keeping count, by the way... Frodnar coughed and spat while he staggered to his feet after washing up on the banks one last time. The Princess of Dreams smirked while her horn's glow faded. "That will be all. Now, you better keep your nose clean unless you'd like to go for another swim. You understand me?"

Frodnar weakly nodded and staggered past her while heading towards the bridge, having been exhausted into submission. "I'm not doing anymore pranks for a while..."

"Well, that was satisfying to watch. I can't tell you how many people have wanted to mess with that kid." I said while drawing closer to my friend. "Even so, I'm amazed your magic even worked on him."

Both of the royal sisters seemed somewhat baffled by my words, with Luna being the one to reply. "Why wouldn't it? This may be a dream, but the laws of physics still seem to apply here."

I let out a sigh and grumbled under my breath, "Tell that to Bethesda..."

"Still... You were rather rough with the boy, sister. I feared you were going to break him apart!" Luna exclaimed while looking back at the river. It was flowing rather smoothly, so there was little chance of anyone getting carried downstream. Good thing too as there are a few small waterfalls down there.

Nightmare Moon merely rolled her eyes. "Luna, you know me better than that. His actions did not physically harm me, so I did not harm him either. I merely ran him to the point of exhaustion."

"Sad thing with brats is that they only learn when consequences are involved. They think they're invincible until someone finally decides to do something about them. Adults may know better through their own morality, but brats will usually only refrain from being jerks out of fear of being punished for it, not because they know it's wrong." I added while knowing what kind of kid Frodnar is brought back some rather unpleasant memories of my first encounters with Diamond Tiara. At least she actually learned in the end.

"Well said, James. It is rather unfortunate." Nightmare Moon replied with a nod. She did not seem entirely pleased with herself, but she did seem to get some satisfaction out of putting that unruly kid in his place. Well, enough of that.

For a while, the three of us simply wandered around the small town, basking in its simple beauty. We followed Faendal out for a brief excursion into the trees that lined the path we had followed into town to watch him demonstrate his archery skills, his bow of brass launching arrows with great precision into the bark of a tree that he seemed to consistently use for training.

On our way back into town, Luna turned to me. "That bow he was using... It seemed to be made of the same material as that sword you acquired from the blacksmith."

She was right. It bore the same almost golden hue as that sword. "Yeah, it was. It's of Dwemer design too."

We spent the remainder of the visit looking through the local shop and even picking up a bite to eat at the inn while the local bard serenaded us on his lute. Granted, we would not actually gain anything from eating anything in the dream, but it was fun to try out the cuisine of this land. Who knew apple and cabbage soup could be so flavorful? And I had no idea rabbit meat was that tender. I hope Angel never reads this entry... My friends made due a pair of sweet rolls along with their soup.

Even though there was not much else to do around such a simple village for someone who was merely visiting, it was a very relaxing stay. And it was definitely something I needed. Eventually, we all met up on the opposite end of the river just east of the lumber mill once more. Both of my friends were looking quite satisfied and relaxed.

"This has been quite a relaxing time, wouldn't you say?" Luna asked while letting out a yawn.

I nodded while taking a seat on one of the two stumps nearby. "Yeah... Didn't you girls once live like this too? You did say you weren't always royalty, right?"

Nightmare Moon nodded while she groaned as her wings flexed to let her stretch. "Indeed. If memory serves, our ways of living were fairly similar to this at one time. So it is quite nostalgic to be back here after so long."

However, moments later, my ears detected a sound being carried on the wind. Something ominous. It sounded like nothing more than a distant howling wind. And while I was unsure what could trigger the sound, I knew what it was coming from. And this time, I was by no means prepared for it.

My eyes quickly scanned the skies as I stood up. Nightmare Moon seemed to notice that I was somewhat alarmed and asked, "Something wrong?"

My eyes soon gazed to the northeast, watching the skyline between the two mountains that stood at both sides of the river. "Hey... You girls have seen battle before, right?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Luna replied from behind me.

I then pointed to the sky as something soared through the sky. "Because we've got a big one coming!"

A loud roar came from the airborne behemoth as it flapped its mighty wings to remain aloft. Nearby, all of the villagers aside from Faendal began to scramble and run inside the closest buildings they could reach while the guards took their longbows in hand and brought arrows to the bowstrings. The one that was patrolling the streets even called out, "Dragon! Everyone, inside now!"

"A dragon?! Seems rather small for one..." Luna spoke while she watched the winged beast approaching. Even from the ground, I could make out a purplish coloration in its hide and a pair of pronounced thick curved horns on its head. Not good... The toughest kind of dragon around.

Being entirely unarmored and without a means to fight such a beast, I immediately felt myself filled with anxiety. Was it going to merely pass overhead or was it going to attack the village? I soon got my answer. Instead of merely circling the village from above before moving on, it swooped towards the rooftops and veered away, almost as if taunting its prey. The guards began to let loose with their arrows, letting them fly before drawing another.

"Whatever it is, that beast likely intends to make a meal of these people. And I doubt the guards can stop it alone." Nightmare Moon spoke rather boldly while the dragon seemed to have not detected us yet. Even though it was just a dream... The sense of danger in the air felt far too real to me. "Luna. Are you up for this?"

I could not believe what I had just heard. "Wait, you're serious?! This thing isn't like the dragons of Equestria! Sure, it's smaller, but it's probably more dangerous! And that one is the deadliest breed around!" I exclaimed, finding it hard to believe that the two royal sisters could hold their against such a mighty beast. I may have known everything there was to know about how dangerous such a creature is, but they clearly did not.

Despite my words of warning, Nightmare Moon merely smirked at me. "You underestimate us, my friend. And besides, this is our domain. And as the keepers of the night and dreams, we must defend our people. Have faith in us, my friend. We will be fine. Are you ready, Luna?"

The Princess of the Night also stepped forward, looking rather confident too. "I am. Let's be off." The two royal sisters then spread their wings and took to the air before flying off in opposite directions. As for me, I took shelter by the only tree nearby. If I had to, I would duck behind it to protect myself if the dragon happened to notice me. All I could do from that point on was watch.

The dragon circled overhead as the three guards let their arrows fly, two of them taking shelter under the roofs atop the eastern and western walls while the third stood in the streets. Faendal too took part in defending the village, having quickly found a vantage point on the balcony that hung above the local shop's door. The dragon swooped over the village again as it let out a shriek as a torrent of flames burst forth from its mouth, leaving a trail of fire wherever the dragon passed overhead. By some miracle, the guard in the middle of town managed to avoid being scorched as he called out, "Fall to me, dragon!"

Soon, the dragon descended and landed with a thud at the crossroads in the middle of town. The guards on the walls continued to fire arrows, more and more of the sticking out of the dragon's tough hide as the seconds went by. The guard out on the streets dropped his bow and took his sword and shield in hand before charging the dragon and landing a mighty overhead swing squarely on its face. The dragon let out a deep bestial grunt as the blade hit home, although I knew it would take more than a few strikes to drop this beast.

Rather than try to bite at the guard, the dragon then pulled off a move I never expected to see. It lunged out with its head, barging right into the guard and sending him sprawling backwards across the road towards the western gate. The dragon did not pursue, but I could see what it was about to do. And the guard knew it too. Once he came to a stop, he desperately threw up his shield while still down on the ground. But with it being not nearly large enough to cover his body and being made almost entirely out of wood, I knew that the shield would not save him.

A part of me was filled with panic. That guard was about to be roasted alive. Just as I heard the dragon inhale, I saw a bright flash right in front of the guard. And a second later, the dragon shrieked as it unleashed a stream of concentrated orange flames in the guard's direction. But through the flames, I could see it. A translucent blue spherical barrier that pushed the flames aside. And I could see who was standing behind it and before the guard. "Luna!"

The dragon ceased its fiery assault after roughly four seconds. A trail of fire covered the stone street, but the guard was not harmed. And Luna stood boldly between him and the dragon while not looking the slightest bit fazed from diverting the flames away. "You will spill no blood today, beast! Begone, or face our wrath!"

Clearly consumed by its desire for dominance, the mighty beast prepared to chomp the tiny alicorn. But as it parted its jaws to crush her, Luna's horn shot forth a beam of icy frost. A second later, the dragon staggered back. And what I saw in its maw caused me to burst into laughter. A mass of ice had filled up its mouth and had even encrusted itself over its jaws!

I could even hear the guard behind Luna bursting out into laughter as the dragon's mightiest weapons were rendered useless. The dragon failed its head as muffled groans of frustration rumbled in its throat, the creature swinging its head in a futile attempt to dislodge its icy gag. All the while, the two other guards and Faendal continued to pepper the beast with arrows. It's fairly smooth and slender form was starting to look rather prickly with all those arrows sticking out of it. While the dragon reeled from its handicap, Luna did not budge from her spot or continue her magical assault. Perhaps she was just trying to coax the dragon into departing by making it not as able to defend itself.

Unfortunately, the dragon found a way around its sudden handicap. I heard a guttural hum in its throat before it sounded like it was trying to yell with its mouth closed. Only it was not a yell. The dragon lifted its head to the sky as the ice that filled its maw started to glow with a fiery orange light shining through it. Seconds later, the ice was either shattered or melted as another powerful stream of fire exploded from its jaws.

"Is there nothing that will stop it?!" The guard yelled from behind Luna as he stepped back. Separated from his bow, he would have no choice but to draw in close to strike. And after that last attempt, he clearly was not willing to risk it. However, the dragon seemed to turn its glare towards Luna instead. I was unsure of what to think. Luna had handled herself spectacularly so far. But could she truly best this ancient beast?

Before the dragon could decide how to face the tiny pony before it, there was an explosion of crackling electrical energy as what seemed to be a lightning bolt slammed into the dragons back, forcing it to let out a roar. And swooping by overhead was none other than the Princess of Dreams herself. "You had best flee while you can, dragon! We are no strangers to mighty foes!"

Out of nowhere, the dragon let out a roar and actually began to speak in a thundering tone in words I could not hope to translate. Luna seemed surprised at this outburst and seemed to take a step back. "This beast can speak?!"

Apparently deciding that a ground assault would not serve it well, the dragon spread its great wings and propelled itself into the air before swooping east to gain some altitude before circling back to the village. Luna was quick to also take to the air, following after her sister as they prepared for what I was expecting to be one amazing dogfight between dragon and pony. Sure enough, the dragon swooped back and unleashed another roar of flames at the two sisters. But due to their swift speed and smaller size, they were far from easy targets. Combine that with the fact that they would erect magic barriers over themselves whenever the dragon came within striking distance. Although it did attempt to spice up its strategy by roaring out a few words of its native tongue to launch a type of purple shockwave from its mouth, this form of attack was far slower and all too easily evaded by swift aerial targets.

It was utterly amazing to see the dragon locked in aerial combat against the two royal sisters, the three soaring figures unleashing steams of fire, lightning bolts, and frigid cyclones and massive icicles back and forth. At one point, Nightmare Moon and the dragon got locked in a power struggle as its fiery breath and her lightning magic crossed, the two of them trying to overcome the other. Unfortunately for the dragon, it had to stop roaring at some point. Once it did have to stop to catch its breath, the stream of lighting magic slammed right into its face.

I lost count of how many times I laughed during that spectacle. It was awe-inspiring and even entertaining to see one of the deadliest creatures in Skyrim being completely outfoxed by two alicorns. Although it did pull a fast one at some point. During a swooping dive, the dragon actually smacked Nightmare Moon with its wing and sent her plummeting towards the very landmass I was standing on. I felt startled by her falling form, though she quickly righted herself and used the levitation spell to slow her fall. The dragon then seemed prepared to swoop overhead to unleash another gout of flames at her, but I busted out laughing when I saw Luna quite literally smack the soaring beast out of the air by smashing a massive ice pillar over its back! The dragon let out a startled shout as if it had no idea what had just hit it, slamming hard into the ground right in front of me. The tremor was so powerful that I nearly got knocked off my feet.

The towering beast was right in front of me, even as I hid behind the tree. And it was hell-bent of taking out Nightmare Moon once it regained its bearings. Even so, she stood her ground by erecting barriers whenever it seemed the dragon was going to try to bite her or unleash an inferno from its mouth. However, I soon saw her glance at the mighty sword we had left sticking out of the ground nearby. Once she had deflected another blow from the dragon, she unleashed a tiny blizzard into the dragon's face. The creature growled as it looked away, the frigid mist having stun its eyes. And during that brief distraction, Nightmare Moon used the levitation spell to pull the sword from the ground and...

What happened next both shocked and impressed me. The dragon did not see the gilded sword rising above it and prepared for another fiery assault. But just before it could do anything, Nightmare Moon plunged the blade right down into its head!

The dragon groaned loudly as its head was driven to the ground and pinned there. The sword sank deep, its long and sturdy blade having impaled and pinned the dragon's jaws together. It did not take much effort to pull the blade's tip from the ground, but the dragon's main means of attack were left disabled if it could not even get its mouth open. A deep crimson fluid oozed from the tip that stuck out of the dragon's lower jaw. Nightmare Moon had drawn first blood.

Apparently satisfied that the dragon could no longer pose a significant threat, Nightmare Moon merely stood before her humbled foe while Luna hovered overhead. A large cluster of ice spikes floated by her, ready to rain down on the dragon at the first sign of defiance. The Princess of Dreams glared the wounded dragon right in the eyes, even as it towered over her. "If you insist on bringing harm to this village, you do so at your own risk. I advise you flee now, dragon. You can no longer triumph against us."

As prideful as it was, the dragon seemed to grasp that it was no longer capable of holding its own against the two princesses with its mighty jaws and even mightier voice silenced. With a resentful grumble in its throat, the dragon spread its wings and took to the sky once more before silently flying northwest. And this time, it did not come back.

Seeing that the threat had passed, Luna descended to us while dismissing her ice magic. "Well, this certainly has become a dream to write home about. But was that truly a dragon? It only had two legs instead of four..."

It was then that I decided to emerge from my hiding spot. "Yeah, that was closer to what is called a wyvern. But all dragons in this world look like that, so it doesn't matter."

Nightmare Moon flexed her neck as the village slowly regained its air of activity as the townsfolk started to come back outdoors. They must have noticed that things had quieted down. "Well, it certainly was a tenacious foe. It should be glad that we did not have to finish it off. I was thinking that we would have to slam it into the cliff side there and impale it on ice pikes."

"Oh, he would've hated to be done in like that. Other dragons might even take offence to that. But still... Using that sword to keep his jaws shut like that?!" I exclaimed, still both impressed and slightly horrified to have witnessed such a brutal strike.

My friend snorted at me. "I had to shut it up somehow! And at least we actually did get some use out of that sword!" That prompted a laugh from us. Well, the dragon survived and would likely find a means to dislodge that sword from its jaws at some point. That crossguard could get hooked on something and be used to pull it out.

Not much later, Luna and Nightmare Moon were invited to the inn by one of the town guards for a feast as thanks for so thoroughly running off that dragon. However, since I knew I was incapable of doing anything to help, I stayed away from the inn and allowed my two friends to bask in their victory in peace.

I spent my time just taking a walk through the village, basking in the quiet sounds of nature without ever passing through the gates. I eventually found myself ducking inside the local shop and pulling up a seat by the fireplace to warm myself. While not quite cold out, the air was fairly cool.

The crackling and popping of the burning logs in the fireplace was largely the only sound I was hearing aside from the shopkeeper sorting his wares from behind the counter to my right. Although he did eventually speak up to me with a rather hoarse voice. "Can I help you with anything, sir?"

I looked over at him and shook my head. "No, I'm good. Just coming in out of the cold for a bit. I hope you don't mind."

"Well, I suppose you can stay there by the fire if that's all you need. Just let me know if you do need anything." He replied before going back to checking on his goods.

Several minutes went by as I just watched the glowing surfaces of the logs among the ember and wavering flames. It felt good for once to be enjoying a bit of solitude for once. Not that I mind the presence of my friends, but there are times when I do prefer to be alone and just let my mind wander. Although that did not last much longer. I soon heard the door open behind me. But instead of hearing footsteps, I heard the clopping of hooves against the stone floor.

"There you are, James. Why are you not attending the celebration at the inn?" I heard Luna's voice ask from behind me. Sure enough, there she stood. And it seemed that she had a bottle of some strong drink being held in her magical grasp. It seemed that the label was displaying the etching of a traditional beehive. Since it clearly was related to honey, I identified the beverage was mead. Even the bottle seemed to be made of solidified honey judging by that orange coloration.

I suppose I should not be surprised that she and Nightmare Moon eventually noticed that I was not present. Even so, I replied honestly. "That celebration was being held in your honor, not mine. I didn't do anything to help drive off that dragon."

Luna sighed while showing a small frown. "It does not matter whether you mauled that beast to death with your bare hands or fled to the outskirts of the village. You are our friend and you are always welcome to any celebration we attend. Perhaps you just wished to be away from all the noise?"

"I guess so. I just prefer to do things at my own pace, even at rowdy parties." I explained briefly while noticing that the bottle of mead that floating rather close to me. "For me?"

My royal friend nodded with a smile. "When I noticed you were absent, I asked the innkeeper if he had any sweet drinks to share. He recommended this Honningbrew brand of mead. I know you have a preference for sweeter drinks and simply cannot stomach the bitter kinds."

I took the bottle in hand, finding it to be cool to the touch. "That sounds like me, all right. What did you end up having?"

Those words seemed to prompt my friend to display an awkward grimace. "I tried some of that highly recommended Nordic mead. Not bad, but... Ugh, I feel so queasy..."

"Yeah, I can see why some call it 'gut rot' in some parts." I retorted with a snicker. I then popped the bottle's cork off and lightly sniff it. It certainly had the rather distinctive strong scent of wine rather than other types of strong drink. I then brought the bottle to my lips and took a swig. I did quiver for a second due to the presence of fairly strong alcohol, but it did indeed taste like a very sweet type of wine. I also easily detected the lingering taste of honey, unusual for a strong drink. But as someone who had never tasted mead until that point, it was a new experience for me. "Pretty good stuff."

Luna stayed by my side while I enjoyed my drink. It was such a cozy feeling, relaxing in front of the fire with such a dear friend. I was feeling better than I had been feeling for a while. But once my bottle was empty, Luna turned to me. "Shall we head back over to the inn? Nightmare Moon is likely waiting for you."

"OK. I wouldn't mind some more food myself." I replied while I stood up. The two of us then departed out the door. But upon walking up the road again, I thought I noticed something odd about the distant skyline. It seemed to be turning sheer white. "Hey... What's up with that?"

The Princess of the Night paused while she seemed to squint her eyes to focus. "That's rather... Oh... I see.. Your body is beginning to awaken."

I felt uneasy about hearing those words. My dreams tend to become more lucid whenever either of the two sisters of the moon visit me. So I did remember seeing some of my dreams end in such a fashion. And knowing what likely awaited me when I awoke...

Nightmare Moon quickly emerged from the doorway and spread her wings to swoop over to us. "There you are... I sensed the dream world on the verge of collapse. Is it almost time?"

"I think so... But... Do I have to wake up?" I asked in return, feeling apprehensive of waking up to the real world and the likely anguish I would be subjected to again.

Both of the twin sisters looked at each other with unhappy stares. They too knew what I had been going through prior to falling asleep. This dream had been nothing short of a welcome escape from the mental and emotional torment that constantly flooded my mind. In fact, I was having some difficulty even recalling the painful memories in question. But I could still remember the pain as I lay in my hospital bed where I would likely awaken.

Finally, Nightmare Moon faced me with a melancholy frown. "We cannot keep you in slumber forever, my friend... You will have to awaken soon. And I will resume my efforts to find a cure to whatever it is that ails you."

However, Luna then smiled to me even as that wall of white engulfed the entire world around us while drawing closer. "Even so, fear not. When you slumber again, the two of us will be there for you."

The walls were closing in noticeably quicker than normal, almost as if something was hastening my awakening. The mountains, the trees, the river, the houses... Everything just disappeared into the white. Before it could reach me, my two friends drew close and held me in a feathery embrace with their wings. I held onto them. I did not want to wake up.

The white reached me and my vision became a haze. I felt something against my back. My vision became dark and filled with spots as I felt my eyes open. The sound of a heart monitor once again reached my ears. And then, much like the steadily rising pain of a burn suffered by a child touching a hot pan on a stovetop, the memories crawled to the forefront of my mind. And with them, the pain returned. I so desperately tried to calm myself and go back to sleep, hoping to escape the pain again and be with two of my dearest friends once more. But my body would not allow itself to sleep. Until nightfall, I would be stuck with the memories and all the mental agony they carried with them. Although I do know that while I did spend quite a bit of time writing about that dream, I cannot help it. It helps take my mind off of these thoughts in my head.

Any energy and drive I had to do anything was quickly drained from me mere moments after I awoke. The memories simply will not leave my head. I cannot even remember which day of the week it is. The first hour of the morning was spent in silence with an occasional visit from one of the nurses to check on me and provide me with breakfast. I almost had to force myself to eat. And due to my right hand being restrained, it was still rather clumsy of me to feed myself.

Once I had finished breakfast and placed the empty food tray back on its cart, I allowed my eyes to lazily wander around the room. The blinds that cover the window between my room and the hall were opened now that morning had come. The pot of flowers that Twilight is letting me borrow is still to my right. The ceiling fan Rainbow Dash made is still spinning above me. And that lovely porcelain lamp from Rarity is still to my left. And... That vase of azaleas in a black vase...

I think it was around 9 AM that I heard a knock at the door. Visiting hours must have begun. The doctors and nurses do not bother knocking when they come in, so it had to be someone from outside the hospital. Not really being excited at the thought of visitors other than those who are dear to me, I turned to face the door. Once again, the one who entered was somepony I had all but forgotten about.

She closed the door behind her and slowly approached me with a basket of freshly baked blueberry muffins hanging from her mouth. She stopped for a mere moment while we exchanged a gaze with each other. "Hi, James... I heard you've been in a coma until a couple days ago, so... I baked you something that you like."

Seeing her there before me melted my heart, the memories once again being briefly subdued as I remembered her. I managed to slightly smile. "Thanks, Derpy... You're a sweetheart."

Derpy smiled through the basket handle in her mouth, her misaligned eyes looking in my general direction. She lifted her head and set the basket on the food cart at my bedside, leaving it within arms reach. I immediately reached out and took one in hand after forcing myself to sit up. Even though I was not feeling happy enough to be hungry, going without a real meal for the last few days left me feeling a little desperate for some home cooking. And that first bite was simply delicious. I had almost forgotten how blueberry muffins even taste. "Man, that's good... I really needed this, Derpy. Thanks."

The local mailmare smiled solemnly at me. Although that smile turned into a deeply worried frown. "I heard... I heard that...you might not be around for much longer... Is that true?"

I lowered my half-eaten muffin upon hearing those words. I could not even look at her. Those words carried such grim weight with them. I had almost forgotten about my eventually fatal condition. "That's... It's not a joke... According to the nurses, my body is...failing. Unless they find out what's wrong with me... I have less than two weeks left..."

At first, Derpy did not offer a reply. She merely stared at me with those goofy eyes of hers. Although she did soon start to mutter quietly while her ears began to droop. "But... But that's... I don't..."

I did not say anything so as to not interrupt her. She looked away while seemingly trying to find the right words. Soon, she looked at me. Tears had begun to flow from her eyes. I do not know what it was about her, but seeing her cry with her eyes being...well...derped only made her look all the more depressingly sorrowful. Her following words sank deep into my heart. "I don't want you to die..."

I did not know what to say. Those tears were genuine. She continued to speak in tears while pushing the cart aside so she could get to me. "I never forgot about the day we spent together... You've always been one of my best friends ever since, even if we don't spend that much time together. You're one of the few real friends I have... I don't want to lose any of my friends..."

All I could do was set aside my muffin and hold out my arm to embrace her. An offer she all too readily accepted. She practically leaped into my grasp, resting her head against my chest. I said nothing. There was nothing I could say that could calm her. What was I going to tell her? That I was going to be just fine in the end? I did not want to lie to her. Derpy sniffled and choked, her tears dripping onto my bare chest. "I wish the Doctor was here... He might know what to do."

I had all but forgotten about that strange stallion. Would he know what is wrong with me? "Where is he anyway?"

"He had to go away for something important. I don't know when he'll be back... Even he's never sure how long he'll be gone..." She replied quietly, just leaning against me.

We did not talk too much after that. Although Derpy did reveal to me that she would not be able to stay long at all. She would have to report to the post office before long to go to work and I did not want to keep her. She kept glancing at the clock on the wall to keep track of time so she would not be late. Even so, I could tell that she did not want to go.

Before long, we both looked towards the door at the sound of another knock. And in came another familiar face. She paused in the doorway upon finding Derpy standing by my bedside. "Oh? Hello, Derpy. Are you visiting too?"

Derpy managed to show a bit of a smile while she turned to our guest. "Uh huh. I brought him some fresh muffins too. Would you like one, Twilight?"

My dear wise friend stepped forward, but I noticed that her horn was covered by her billowing pink magic aura. It seemed that she had brought something along with her. "I'd love to, Derpy. I'm glad I got here before you have to leave."

At the mention of those words, Derpy glanced towards the clock. "Oh boy... I really do need to leave. I'll be late if I don't get over to the post office." She then reached out to me and gave my cheek a gentle nuzzle. "I hope you get better, James... Please, don't die..."

I did not offer a reply, although I did nod. I could not bring myself to tell her that I would be fine, because I would be lying if I said I would. Derpy then turned and trotted out the door, but not before pushing the food cart along with her and leaving it outside my room. The muffin basket was left by my bedside.

"That was nice of Derpy to visit you first thing in the morning, James. She's always been such a sweet mare." Twilight said with a smile while she walked in. However, right behind her floated what seemed to be a phonograph on a small round table. There even seemed to be a box of vinyl records floating next to it. "I hope you don't mind if I brought something else to liven up your surroundings."

It was likely another temporary donation. After Twilight set it down to the left of the heart monitor and in the corner, I gazed at it for a moment to try to recognize it. "If I had to guess... That's from Applejack?"

"Good guess, but not quite. Pinkie Pie let me borrow it and her entire music collection when I stopped by Sugarcube Corner for breakfast when I was on my way over here. Are you in the mood for anything?" Twilight replied while she seemed to look through the paper folders that held the records. "Huh... She sure has a lot of peppy songs here. Especially ragtime and the like..."

I certainly was not in the mood for anything peppy. "Is there any classical music in there? Especially something soft?"

"Umm... Yeah, it looks like there's a few in here. Any particular bands or artists you prefer?" She asked in return while levitating a few from the box.

"I don't know a thing about the field of music in Equestria, Twilight. Go ahead and surprise me." I said quietly while finishing off my current muffin. Twilight nodded before levitating one record out of its sleeve and setting it upon the player in the corner. Without even going over to it, she got it working. Seconds later, I heard the familiar scratching sound of the needle on the disc before the sound of pianos and violin began to fill the air. I have no idea which song it was, so you will have to use your imagination.

The music added some much needed atmosphere to the room, even if my overall mood was still quite gloomy. Twilight pulled up a stool and took a seat by my bedside. "Did Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna meet up with you when you went to sleep?"

"Yeah... It was a good time." I replied quietly as I managed to remember the events that transpired in my dreaming mind. I already miss them...

"I'm glad they helped you feel better, even for just a little while..." She said rather solemnly. I could tell that when she first entered the room, Twilight was feeling hopeful that things had improved overnight. But now that she was with me, that hope had been snuffed out.

Eventually, she did help herself to one of Derpy's muffins. "Mmm... Derpy sure knows her muffins. I think they even rival the ones you get from Sugarcube Corner."

I merely grunted in a bit of a laugh. But my eyes soon fell upon the vase of azaleas to my left. That black vase... "Hey, Twi... Was that vase black when it was first brought in?"

She turned to look where I was pointing. And her response was not at all what I expected. "Huh? Black? James, that vase is a bit on the green side. What makes you think it's black?"

What was she seeing that I was not? That vase was most certainly black and it still is even as I write this. I tried rubbing my eyes to see if that would clear up my vision. But when I looked at the vase again, it was still that shade of polished obsidian. "Uh... I guess my eyes just aren't working right."

"Well, the nurses didn't mention anything about deterioration of the eyes... Maybe you just need to rest them for a while." Twilight said in return while closely examining the vase. Why was she seeing a completely different color than I was? However, she soon frowned at me. "So... How are you feeling today? Do you think you might want to try talking to one of yours friends again? I know Fluttershy really misses you."

The mention of that name brought forth the most scouring memories in my mind. Of all the memories of that day, the ones involving her hurt the most. I still cringed at the thought of seeing her again. I finally felt the need to ask as my faith dwindled. "Twi... About Fluttershy... Are you sure the kid is mine? After what happened, do you think she... With someone else?"

I could tell that those words were not at all what Twilight was expecting. And that wounded expression showed they were words she did not want to hear. I felt a sinking feeling in my gut as my skin crawled, knowing I likely said something I should not have. "James... I can't believe you would even suspect something like that of her. She's been suffering ever since that day and she goes through each day fearing that she won't be able to even say she is sorry before you...go. I know you are doubtful of her now and... Well, to be honest, I don't entirely blame you. But I promise, the baby is yours."

"OK, I get it... Just... I can't help wondering. These memories, they... They just won't go away..." I said with a deep monotone while turning my gaze towards the ceiling. It honestly hurt to know I even said such a thing, even though... Why can I not forget?

Twilight could clearly see the guilt in my eyes and gently rubbed her hoof over my upper arm. "I know, I know... I just hope they get here ahead of schedule."

"They? Who are... Oh, them." I asked before remembering what she told me just before leaving last night. Someone she knows who might know how to help me. And someone I know, apparently. "Are you sure they might be able to help?"

My friend nodded with a slightly more confident smile. "Mmhm. Judging by how you've been acting lately, I'm sure they can help. And trust me, I know them well since I've known them almost all my life. If things go well, you'll probably be much better off after today. And they did say they will be here around noon."

"I'll take your word for it." I grumbled in reply, wondering who these people are. Someone I know and someone she has known most of her life. Was she just trying to surprise me?

Before much time passed, the same doctor who changed the bandages on my right arm stepped in. "Oh, good morning, Miss Sparkle. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"It's OK. I was just keeping an eye on James. I'm acting as his caretaker while he's hospitalized." Twilight explained while glancing over at the doctor as he approached us. "Is something wrong?"

The doctor seemed to be keeping a neutral expression overall. "Well... The rate of deterioration seems unchanged. We've seen no improvements and only a gradual decline since yesterday. We're still doing all we can to find the cause though." He explained while coming over to the right side of my bed. He seemed to glance at the phonograph in the process, more than likely having not expected it to be there even as it played music.

I could tell that the doctor was coming over to inspect my arm. "How much longer until it's better, doc?"

He replied while beginning to undo the bandages, "Well, my original estimate was a few more days. But you were healing so nicely that I decided to check back early."

Bit by bit, the bandages were removed. I soon felt the faint breeze of Rainbow Dash's ceiling fan against my arm. And while rather ugly to look at, I have to say I was feeling rather hopeful at the sight of it. The doctor seemed pleased too. "Well, I'd say it's about done! All the dead skin has separated and can probably be peeled off no."

My entire hand and forearm just below the elbow was covered in on giant blister with the flesh below the elbow having started to peel. Using that as a starting point, I started to tug and pull at the flesh like adjusting the edge of a glove. "At least it doesn't hurt anymore."

More and more, I started to pull the scorched and dried skin down the length of my arm like a glove. The new skin that was revealed had a noticeable pinkish hue to it, almost like a baby's flesh. Well, a human baby, at least. Eventually, I managed to pull the entire thing off, my old burned flesh hanging by my thumb and finger like some disgusting glove. There were a few tears, but it was largely intact. Although Twilight did not like to look at it much. "That's...just creepy."

"Yeah... You don't see this very often... Doc, would you mind saving this? It's rare to see something like this come off you." I added before turning to the doctor. Even though it was rather gross, I found myself slightly enthralled with the bizarre glove of skin that came off my own body.

"If you insist. As for now, just try to keep your arm out of direct sunlight for a few days. I'll go bag this up for you." And with that, the doctor trotted out of the room. I flexed my fingers and lifted my right arm. It felt just fine.

"Well... I guess that's at least some good news." Twilight said while she seemed to observe the movements of my hand and arm. She then began to make her way to the right side of the bed. "Hey... Um... May I feel that?"

I suppose she was curious of how my new skin would feel. When I ran my own fingers along it, it felt exceptionally smooth and supple. "OK, Twi."

I reached out to her and tenderly caressed her jaw with my fingers and palm. She soon let out a sigh and leaned into my hand while her eyes closed. "You always had such a gentle touch. But...this is just so much softer..."

She just stood there, her head constantly rubbing against my hand. I adjusted the spot where I was touching now and then. Eventually, she opened her big purple eyes and began to constantly gaze at me without ever looking away. I would frequently return her gaze as well, though I almost felt nervous returning her stare.

Eventually, Twilight pulled her head away from my hand and lifted her hoof in a manner that seemed like she was tying to reach up and push my hand down. Instead, she made my hand rest upon her wrist. And then... She began to tenderly kiss my hand's new soft flesh.

I was unsure of what to do or say. But... I did feel rather calm. The memories that were constantly echoing in my head became far more quiet for the moment. Twilight soon tenderly lowered my arm back to my side, but continued to kiss and caress it. She was being just so...tender and sweet. Eventually, she rested the side of her head upon my arm and gazed up at me with a rather somber gaze. "I love you..."

Those words again. Even with my heart tightly closed from the sting that I still felt, I felt honored to hear those words. I nodded and managed to crack a smile. "Thank you, Twi..."

She clearly was disappointed I did not say more, but smiled nonetheless while she lifted her head from my arm before walking back around to the left side of my bed. "I'm glad I'm getting to spend so much time with you. If you want, we could do something to help pass the time."

I watched as Twilight seemed to levitate a small box from one of the saddlebags that she was wearing when she arrived. It seemed to be a type of board game. As she lifted its contents out of the box, I saw that it seemed to consist of a folding frame consisting of lines of tiny holes set in some sort of grid with each side being separated by a wall of sorts. The whole setup looked like an upside-down T. It looked quite familiar too. "You brought in a game of Battleship?"

Not surprisingly, Twilight seemed baffled by my words. "Battleship? Uh... No. This is Weather Patrol. Rainbow Dash loves this game, so I thought maybe you'd like it too. You game?"

"I guess. Let's see the game pieces." I replied while Twilight started to pass around a bunch of little red and blue plastic pieces that go into the... Oh, who am I kidding? If you live in Equestria and this board game is that popular, you likely already know how to play it. No need to explain it.

The games went back and forth for a while. I actually lost track of time. With the game relying entirely on luck, I ended up losing a bit more often than I won. It was still entertaining and I got a sense of accomplishment with the thrill of knowing that I had hit one of Twilight's targets. It did a good job of bolstering my mind's focus. Although those memories did begin to resurface after a while. Even so, I continued to play in the hopes of just distracting myself from them.

After a while, there was a knock at the door. Twilight instantly looked at the clock. It was very close to noon. "Oh, great! They're here! Just let me clean this up and I'll bring them in." Twilight said with a hint of excitement while using her magic to gather up the game board and the playing pieces and stuffing them back in it box. As she did so, I thought I noticed someone peeking through the window for an instant before ducking out of sight. It definitely was not one of the hospital's staff.

Once our game had been boxed up, Twilight trotted over to the door and opened it a crack before sticking her head past it. She must have been speaking quite softly with whoever was there because I did not hear them at all. Soon, she took a step back and looked at me. "James, there's somepony here who wants to see you."

I nodded and waited before someone stepped into the room. And it truly was not anyone I was expecting. But like Twilight claimed, I did know who it was. He smiled somberly at me while walking over to my bedside. "Hey there, James... How're you holding up?"

There was only one word I could say to him. "Captain?"

"You know you don't have to call me that. We're friends, right?" Shining Armor said while he came to a stop beside me. It was the first time I had ever seen him out of uniform. One would never guess he had any connecting to the royal guard without it. He just looks like such a nice ordinary guy.

I let out a sigh at his words. We had always been on good terms with each other but... I was unsure if we had ever actually been friends. He soon looked up and down at me before he frowned. "I heard about Discord... Even saw the aftermath in the courtyard. Just wow... You surprised me, James. Taking that guy down... Well done. Very well done. But... I'm sorry you're having to go through this."

His words reminded me immediately of everything that happened back there. All I went through. All I did to Discord... It hurt. I turned away, looking at the mirror that rested on the windowsill. "I take it you're the one Twilight called to help?"

To my surprise, he just let out a chuckle and shook his head. "Nah. I'm just along for the ride. The real love doctor will be with you shortly."

"The...what?" I asked in return, prompting a slight giggle from Twilight next to the door. Whatever they had set up, they were clearly confident that it would be effective. Twilight then opened the door a bit to call in whoever else was outside. And when the door opened, I was genuinely surprised of who I saw in the mirror's reflection. I turned and looked at her instantly. "Cadence?"

The door closed behind her, leaving me contained in my room with Twilight, her brother, and her sister-in-law. If there was one person in all of Equestria I was not expecting to see, it was Cadence. She gracefully approached me while trying to cast a calming smile at me. "It's been a while, James... I've heard about what happened. You poor dear, I'm so sorry..."

"Thanks..." I muttered in return. I then glanced over at Twilight while she began to draw near. "So... You think they can help me?"

Cadence nodded promptly. "I'm sure I can. My aunt's have been relaying the information regarding your well-being to me and... Well, judging from what Twilight has said, I think I may be able to pinpoint what's wrong."

"Your physical well-being clearly isn't the problem, James. It's definitely something that falls into your spiritual state." Twilight added while the three of them gathered around me.

"OK... But what can Cadence do about it?" I asked while not feeling very convinced. I must confess that I know extremely little about Cadence aside from her being married to Shining Armor and her apparent connections to the royal family.

Shining Armor rolled his eyes while smirking. "Well, not to brag, but nopony spreads love everywhere they go like Cadence can."

The lovely alicorn then stepped forward as her horn became coated by a beautiful light blue magic aura similar to the heart-shaped gemstone in her cutie mark. She then began to lower her horn to my head. "Be still, James. I just need to get a feel for you first before I can decide what I can do."

She closed her eyes while I turned my gaze to Shining Armor. "What exactly can she do to help me? You guys know her a lot better than I do."

Twilight was the one to answer. "Basically, Cadence is able to use a unique type of magic that nopony else I've ever heard of can use. Sure, it's not anything like Princess Celestia can use, but it's a very beneficial type of magic."

Armor then added while cracking a rather awkward smile. "This is gonna sound cheesy, but... It's basically love magic."

He was right. It sounded incredibly silly. Like something that you would hear of in a little girl's storybook. But knowing that Twilight had called Cadence in to help meant that it was likely it could help me. And I was not going to turn down any attempts by this point. All I wanted was to be free of the memories that haunt me at every turn.

After a moment longer, Cadence began to speak with a solemn frown. "It's worse than I thought... Just like before, your heart is still absolutely bursting with love, James. But... It's being constrained. There is a powerful overwhelming layer of fear that is keeping it chained. You want to love, but the pain and fear of more pain is keeping you from doing so. And that love just begging to get out... It hurts. Almost like it's poisoning you due to an excessive buildup."

Those words brought a sorrowful frown to Twilight's face as her ears drooped. "That's...about what I thought was the problem..."

In some strange way, I was not entirely surprised by her words. She was right. I wanted to let myself open up, but the memories... The pain I can still vividly remember... They keep reminding me of what happened the last time I opened my heart to those who meant the world to me. "I see.. So, what's the cure?"

Armor smiled reassuringly at me. "Well, if the problem is that the love in your heart is being restrained, it just needs something to bring it to the surface... Man, I can't believe how corny that sounds..." Cadence and Twilight snickered at his disdain for the use of such words. I know that he is a man and I could certainly see why he would be bothered about saying something like that, but with how the situation was no laughing matter, I knew we were all taking it with a grain of salt.

"Um... And you can do that, Cadence?" I asked while looking up at the alicorn above me.

She nodded with a smile. "I can. There's a little spell I have that does just that. It brings the feelings of love one already has to the surface, making it the most prominent feeling in the person's mind."

"Mind... Are you sure that's not a type of mind control?" I asked while starting to feel somewhat unsure about this method.

Cadence let out an amused giggle at my accusation. "Trust me, I get that a lot more often than I'd like to admit. Maybe a demonstration will clear things up."

She turned her gaze to Shining Armor and Twilight, who did not seem the least bit bothered by it. Her horn was once more covered by that lovely light bleu aura and... Well, this may sound odd, but a red heart shape began to form at her horn's tip whiel several much smaller ones gravitated around it. I understand that it was just a magical conjuration, but it almost looked solid. It then left her horn and drifted towards the two unicorns before cracking and splitting down the middle. The orbiting smaller hearts faded from sight while the two halves looped around the two siblings and joined together to become whole again in the space between them, a dull flash of light emanating from it before it faded from sight entirely.

At first, they did not show much of a reaction. But they soon glanced at each other. The two of them smiled warmly before Shining Armor held out his arm to his sister. "Aww... Come here, Twily."

Twilight giggled happily before trotting forward and into her brother's embrace while giving him one in return. It was actually quite cute to behold. Cadence then smiled at me. "All it does is bolster the love the person already has. Reminds them of why they love in the first place."

A simple, yet beautiful type of magic. However, I still frowned and let out a sigh. "You know it's not that simple for me, right?"

Cadence sighed and shook her head. "I know what happened. Twilight told me everything to make sure I understood the situation. But... You still love them, don't you? Don't you want to love them like you used to?"

I knew who she was referring to. For a moment, I tried to focus. To think through the miasma of negativity that was constantly clouding my mind. I tried to remember at least one good thing I experienced with each of them.

I remembered the moment when I found Applejack selling her wares during the Grand Galloping Gala. I remembered the time when I first met Rarity as she tenderly bandaged my head. The sincere care she put into not only healing me but even making me look good when she used markers to color the bandages. I remembered... Oh, there were just too many good moments to remember with Pinkie Pie. Her smile. Her laughter. Her constant adoration of her friends... And... I remember meeting up with Fluttershy and helping her gather up all those baby rabbits...

At any other time, those memories would have been rather unimpressive. But when viewed through that scarring veil... They were so...beautiful. They made me long for better days, even though the friends I once had no longer exist. Or at least...that is what it feels like with these memories constantly hounding me at every moment. "I...want things to go back to how they used to be. Cadence. Do what you have to do."

She nodded with a warm smile as Twilight and Shining Armor turned their attention to me. "I shall. Now, be still. I'm just going to bring your love to the surface and past whatever fears and pain are still there."

I laid still before her while she began to cast her spell once again. Unlike before, where it was used on two individuals, this time it seemed to conjure up a swirling mass of tiny hearts and began to whirl around my head. I closed my eyes. I could feel myself becoming at ease. The painful memories began to regress. The memories that I could not remember with the most painful memories in the way began to come to the forefront of my mind. The fear was fading. I no longer felt afraid of them. I felt warm tingles spread through my face. At last, I could remember what I needed to remember.

At least that is how it went for the first seven seconds or so. I felt great. But out of nowhere... Just... My god... This is difficult for me to write, but... Out of nowhere... The memories... They burst forth from behind the wonderful memories I was finally able to remember. The sounds. The pain. It filled my head to near bursting. Swelling... Filling...

I flailed as my hands reached for my head. I was shrieking in agony! I felt as if my head was on the verge of rupturing! I could not speak. My could barely control my body as I flailed in my bed. I could barely hear the sound of my own heart monitor. It sounded as if it was going haywire. Finally, I heard Shining Armor shout. "Cadence, stop! He's bleeding!"

At that point, the agony began to subside to the more manageable dull pain I had been feeling for the last few days. I moaned and groaned, my senses slowly coming back to me as the adrenaline began to filter out of my body. That pain... It was worse than any other physical pain I had ever felt in my life. I thought I was dying... But I could feel it. Something oozing down my lips from my nose. Warm... Blood. That spell had actually...

Once my eyes had adjusted, I turned my gaze to Cadence. She looked incredibly distraught and uneasy. "Oh my goodness... James, are you all right?"

I saw her horn being engulfed by her blue magic aura again. I instantly became afraid. Was she going to use the same spell on me again? A sense of panic coming over me, I reached out and grabbed her face before I pushed her away as hard as I could. "No! Please, don't!"

Cadence staggered backwards, but managed to stop herself from falling. Shining Armor sounded alarmed and spoke up, "Whoa, James. Easy... She was just trying to help. What happened?"

Once more, Cadence began to approach me while looking and even sounding upset. "James, please... Just let me..."

My eyes were fixated on her horn much like a child having known the pain of an injection seeing the doctor drawing near to administer a shot. The instant I saw that aura cover her horn again, I panicked. That spell was going to kill me!

I pushed myself away from her, very nearly falling out of the bed. I could feel tears flowing down my face. I cannot recall the last time I had been so mortally afraid that I actually cried. I called out in desperation, "Twilight, get her away from me! Don't let her use it!"

Twilight briefly hesitated before she stepped forward and placed her hoof on Cadence's shoulder. Right at that moment, the door to the room opened as the same doctor as before entered with a pair of nurses at his side. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Our patient's vital signs just went critical."

It was likely a response to my physical readings when that spell was used on me. It is easy to forget that my bed is tied into some sort of mainframe up in the wall behind me. Without a word, Twilight led Cadence and Shining Armor out of the room. For the moment, I felt safe even as the memories once again assaulted my mind. The doctors used various devices on my body, testing my vital signs, checking my blood pressure, and so forth. I refused any and all advances that required to use of needles though. I was in enough pain already.

A few minutes later, the medics departed after finding that my physical condition had more or less stabilized. I turned my head to the window, once more eyeing the mirror there. To my surprise, I could see the three of them outside the window that faced the hall. Shining Armor and Twilight were facing Cadence, who looked like she was in tears.

The door just happened to be open a crack, allowing me to hear them fairly clearly. Shining Armor then asked, "Cadence, what did you do to him? The guy was bleeding. Are you sure that was the right spell?"

She replied with a voice that was almost agonizing to hear. It was that distraught. "I didn't mean to hurt him! That was the same spell I've used many times before! It shouldn't have done that!"

I could hear a loud sniffle come from Cadence. As afraid as I was of her at that moment, I could understand how upset with herself she must have been. To try to genuinely help someone only to end up almost killing them is not an experience that can be taken lightly.

Twilight then added, "I know... You'd never do anything that would hurt anypony. But... I've never heard him scream like that. He was in a huge amount of pain. Has anything like that happened in response to you using that spell on anypony?"

"No, never! Love magic isn't supposed to hurt the person it's used on!" Cadence replied loudly while wiping her tears with her hoof.

Her husband stepped forward and held her in his arm in a clear attempt to comfort her. "Yeah, I guess that was a silly question. It doesn't make sense that magic like that would hurt anypony..."

For a moment, they fell silent. Either that, or they were speaking too quietly for me to hear. Thinking they were on the verge of departing, I allowed myself to just lay my head down and relax. However, I soon heard the door open again followed by the sound of hooves. Just one pony. I was expecting it to be Twilight. But when I turned my gaze up to the mirror, I felt my skin crawl with anxiety. Cadence was walking towards me.

"James... Please, look at me..." I heard her say softly while drawing close to me. I felt the fear of pain fill me as I saw her drawing increasingly closer. And since things shown in mirrors are closer than they seem to appear...

I immediately rolled to my left to face her, praying that she would leave. "Please... Just go away."

She clearly was not happy to hear those words. If anything, she seemed hurt by them as she stopped dead in her tracks. Her ears drooped, but I was still wary. My eyes were constantly focusing on her horn, gravely fearful of her using that spell on me again. She seemed to understand this and spoke while sniffling, "I'm sorry... I really didn't think that... I won't use that spell again. I promise. Just... Please, let me come closer."

Wary as I was, the one thing I feared most was having that spell used on me. As long as she would make certain to not do that, I could probably tolerate her presence. "OK... Just... No magic."

She smiled just slightly before she continued her approach. But she seemed to eye me with a concerned frown. "You're still bleeding... Hold on."

I suppose she was right. The flow had slowed and the medics had already cleaned up the blood that had already oozed from my nostrils, but more was still oozing from it. But I felt my blood chill in terror as I saw that light blue magic aura coat her horn again. "Hey... No, I said no magic!"

Clearly alarmed, Cadence looked at me as a piece of tissue paper was pulled from its box on the nightstand beside me. "It's just the levitation spell. It's not going to hurt you. Please, I only want to..."

I was not going to have any part of it though. The last time that horn was pointed at me with her magic being active, I felt more pain than any time I could remember. I backed away from her with my arm outstretched to keep her away from me. "No! No magic!"

Cadence was not used to this level of emotional duress as she kept pressing forward. She was trying to not cry. Overwhelmed with terror and knowing she could use that magic on me at any time even with my arm outstretched, I resorts to covering my face with my arms. I silently pleaded that she would go away and leave me in peace.

What I felt next was not what I was expecting. I felt something sheer and soft rubbing my upper lip. It was not being rough in any way. Puzzled yet still wary, I lowered my arms to see. A square of tissue paper that had been folded a few times was being used to mop up my blood while covered in a familiar light blue aura. I turned my head and saw Cadence looking at me with a profound frown on her face. "I promise I won't hurt you again."

I still felt uneasy at the sight of her horn still channeling that magic energy through it, but I was beginning to feel myself relax at a snail's pace. Once the entire piece of paper had been dyed crimson, Cadence discarded it into a nearby wastebasket before pulling another from the box next to that vase of flowers and bringing it to my nose again. "Sit up and lean forward. That should help make the bleeding stop."

I did as I was told, knowing about that little bit of information myself. For the next minute or so, Cadence continued to tend to my still bleeding nose. I glanced over at the window ahead of me. Shining Armor and Twilight were watching in silence. I said nothing while Cadence kept wiping my face of blood as quickly as it could spill.

Eventually, after maybe a few minutes, my bleeding came to a stop. I felt myself relax further as I saw that magic aura vanish from her horn. "There... Feel better, James?"

Still somewhat wary of her, I turned my head away. "I don't know..."

I suddenly felt something soft caress my cheek. I recognized that feeling. Feathers. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cadence reaching out with her wing while tenderly touching my cheek. "You poor dear... What in the world happened to you? It's almost like there's some dark forces at work... You deserve better than this..."

"At this point, I wouldn't be surprised." I muttered quietly, not certain if she heard me or not. Soon, I felt her hoof tenderly caress my cheek.

I turned my gaze to Cadence, finding her looking at me with a worried stare. Tears marred her face. "I'm sorry there's nothing I can do for you. But please... Try to hold on. Twilight would be devastated if she lost you."

"I'll try..." I said softly in reply. Feeling more at ease than before, I started to reach out with my arm. Cadence did so as well at roughly the same time and we soon found ourselves holding each other in a tender embrace. As uncertain as I was on how to feel about her, I could feel it in that embrace and her tending to me. Twilight was right. Cadence really is full of love.

After that, Cadence finally bid me farewell and left the room. Twilight then entered the room while I tried to make myself comfortable on my bed again. "Did things go well with you and Cadence?"

"I guess..." I spoke quietly. The memories were still plaguing me, but now I had a new memory of searing pain burned into my mind.

"James... I swear that Cadence wasn't trying to hurt you." Twilight explained while she hurried over to me and caressed my head with her hoof. "I've known her almost my entire life, and she has never been anypony who would hurt someone. I thought for sure that she could've helped you... I just wish I knew what went wrong. That was terrifying, the way you screamed out like that..."

"It felt like she was trying to kill me..." I wheezed, my head still throbbing from a massive headache as a result of that shockwave of agony. Even though the memories still gave me a strange desire for death, the last way I would ever want to die is in agony.

Twilight seemed bothered by those words and shook her head. "I promise you she's not like that at all. Cadence has always been a big sweetheart."

"I believe you... I just... I wish I knew why that hurt like that when it didn't hurt you or your brother... Are they still here?" I retorted, my trust in Cadence still somewhat shaky.

"No. I think they're going to get some lunch before they get on the next train back to Canterlot. I'm just sorry calling them here was a waste of time. I was so sure Cadence's magic would work..." Twilight said with a sigh while looking so disappointed. She must know Cadence well.

I did not say anything for a moment. However, Twilight soon glanced at the stack of papers in the box next to my bed. "Say... Would it be all right if I sent your journal entries to Princess Celestia? I was thinking... You document everything that comes up in a day when you write those journals, right?"

It was rather unexpected for Twilight to take an interest in my journals. I looked at her and asked, "Everything that I feel is worth mentioning, yeah. Why?"

Twilight surprised me with a somewhat hopeful smile. "Well... You know everything that's been happening with you. I was thinking that maybe Nightmare Moon could analyze your writings to maybe get some clues about what might be wrong with you. She did say she was going to try to figure out what's been happening, right?"

That suggestion was nothing short of brilliant. There are things that only the person who has written the journal know and feel that outsiders cannot see or comprehend. "That sounds...like a good idea. You want to gather up and send my entries from the last two days?"

She nodded before using her levitation magic to lift the two separate stacks of paper from the box. "You got it. I'll head home right now and have Spike send them over. Would you like me to get you some lunch on my way back?"

"Thanks, but I'll pass. I'm really not feeling hungry right now..." I said quietly, still feeling too...unhappy to even consider eating anything.

Twilight seemed concerned, but respected my decision and departed with my previous two entries with her. Alone again, though the phonograph in the corner provided me with some pleasant music to help pass the time. I began to wonder if anyone would visit me while Twilight was gone.

Not even twenty minutes later, I got my answer. There was a knock at the door. A second later, in trotted a very familiar pegasus who brought a smile to my face. "Hey there, big guy. Twilight's not here?"

It was Rainbow Dash. It seems like I can always count on her to be there for me when things get bad. "Not right now. She had to head home for a bit."

The brazen pegasus trotted over to me while glancing up at the ceiling fan she put together. "How's my little contribution doing? Keeping a nice little bre... Hey, wait a second. Where's that music coming from?"

I pointed over in the corner with my right hand to reveal the phonograph to her But rather than pay much attention to the source of the music, she instead turned her eyes to my arm. "Hey, your arm's all better!"

She swooped over to the other side and immediately took my arm between her hooves before rubbing her hooves along it. "Man, your skin feels extra soft now. I could just sleep on it." I could not help smiling at her words. And it did feel could to have use of my arm again.

Before much longer, the door opened again to reveal Twilight again. This time, she had a wooden stool with a green finish floating behind her. "Huh? Oh, you always sneak in when I'm not around, don't you? But thanks for keeping James company while I was gone, Rainbow."

"Hey, somepony's gotta keep his spirits up. The poor guy just isn't doing well... And where'd ya get that?" Rainbow Dash replied while pointing at the stool in Twilight's magical grasp.

Our friend brought it forward and set down by my bedside. "This? Applejack let me borrow it so I could have something from her place here. She was originally planning on loaning us that rocking chair she has, but Granny Smith wasn't too happy with that idea. She uses it for her naps."

"Those geezers and their rockers... Well, at least it adds a little 'Applejack' to the place. Right, James?" Rainbow Dash said with a smug smirk while nudging me with her elbow.

That shade of green did bring to mind Applejack's home. Now all we needed was something from Fluttershy' house to complete the set. Assuming she will actually loan anything. I was liking how the various bits of furniture were adding some personal touches to the overall look of the room. But at the same time, remembering her got me curious. "Hey... How are the girls doing?"

Both of the two mares did not seem happy to think of an answer to that. They both frowned while Twilight spoke up in reply. "Well... Pretty much nothing has changed. Although I don't think Fluttershy has been suicidal since the last time."

Rainbow Dash then took a seat on the stool. "Yeah... Same old same old. Right now, it's just one big waiting game. I mean... We're all trying hard to not think about... You know..."

I merely looked at her and nodded before Rainbow Dash leaned forward and rested her chin and hoof on my arm while looking absolutely miserable. "We... We just don't wanna say goodbye..."

"Me neither..." I said softly while pulling my arm away and caressing her head.

The two mares did not leave my side once for the next few hours, although they did leave the room at least once to use the restroom or grab a snack. Being confined to a bed and feeling increasingly weak with every passing day, I had been reserved to using a bedpan. I would rather not go into detail about that.

After a while, Rainbow Dash seemed to start looking around the room out of boredom. Eventually, she started rummaging through the drawers in the nightstand to my left. And soon, she pulled out a folded piece of paper that awakened a familiar sense of fear in me. "Huh? Hey, what's this?"

Twilight glanced over at her and explained, "That's a card Fluttershy dropped off yesterday. But...uh..."

Rainbow then flipped it open to check its contents. "Aww... Yeah, that's Fluttershy's style. Really sweet and sappy. Kinda sad too... Man, she's worried." But just when I thought she was going to put it back in the drawer, she turned it to me. "Here ya go, big guy. It's for you, after all."

The instant I saw the ink starting to melt off the paper again, I shield my eyes. I was not going to let myself suffer that pain again. "No, get it away from me!"

Even though I could not see what was happening, Rainbow Dash sounded bothered. "What's your problem?! It's just a 'get well' card she put together!"

Before Rainbow could comment further, I heard Twilight speak up. "Rainbow.. Put it back. If he's that scared of it, we shouldn't stress him over it."

"OK, OK... Sorry about that, James." I heard Rainbow say with a sigh before hearing the sound of a drawer opening. When I lowered my arms, I saw her pushing the drawer shut again. Close call.

For a moment, the room was quiet. But then Twilight glanced at the door before looking back at me. "Actually... I'll be right back. I just had an idea." She then hurried out of the room, leaving me with Rainbow Dash.

"An idea...?" I muttered softly while I watched Twilight trot by the window to the door's right. She was not leaving the hospital, so where was she going?

"Yeah, she's up to something." Rainbow added with an eyebrow raised. But she then shrugged her shoulders before looking at Twilight's saddlebags. Clearly spurred by boredom, she started rummaging through it before pulling out the same board game as before. "Aw, sweet! Twilight brought Weather Patrol! You up for a few games? I never lose, just so you know."

That little boast caught my attention. Especially the 'never' part. "Let me guess. You always won because you cheated?"

That seemed to get under her skin, but it also seemed to make her a bit nervous while she set the box down at my side. "What?! Cheat?! Me?! Never!"

"Rainbow..." I grumbled while I glared at her. Knowing her ego as well as I think I do, it would not surprise me at all if she was lying.

She maintained that look of defiance while I looked at her without blinking. Soon, her facade faded and she averted her eyes while her ears cutely drooped. "Man... I can't lie to you. OK, yes. I usually won because I cheated. A lot."

"You got some weird victory addiction? Why don't you check yourself into rehab while you're here?" I replied, both not pleased or surprised by her revelation.

"Hey, you know me! I love winning and hate losing." She spoke while apparently trying to make herself look better.

While I started to set up the game board, I decided to shoot down her bloated ego. "Rainbow. No one likes to lose. But you win some and lose some. That's a fact of life. Better to lose with grace than win my foul means. People will start to hate you if you don't. Although I do think you've been getting a bit more humble since the day I first met you last year."

A moment of silence later, Rainbow Dash stepped forward and pushed the board as before reaching out and planting a kiss on my lips. Not a deep and romantic one that she really enjoys, but a quick and sincere one. She then looked me directly in the eye with a rather calm and serious gaze. "That 's what I love about you, James. You're a good influence on me."

I somehow found myself smiling at those words. "Well, someone's got to keep that ego of yours in line." That got a chuckle out of her.

After warning her to not cheat, we got our pieces set in place and started playing. Much like with Twilight, the game was entirely up to luck. I could tell Rainbow was tempted to cheat since she keep glancing over the board's dividing wall at me, but never once lifted her eyes high enough to actually see my own game pieces.

After less than twenty minutes, the door to the room opened again. But instead of it being just Twilight, the doctor who had been watching over me was there too. "Sorry if I was gone long. The doctor wants to see you."

Rainbow stepped aside while carrying the game board away. The doctor then approached me with his eyes focused on me. "Miss Sparkle has brought to my attention the erratic emotional episodes you have been experiencing in response to various stimuli. And I think she may be onto something. So, I was thinking we should conduct an MRI scan to make certain your brain is functioning normally."

That left me feeling rather anxious. "But... I thought I was already treated for a cranial wound..."

Rainbow Dash was quick to jump in too. "Yeah, they said that his concussion was treated properly back in Canterlot and that his brain was fine!"

"Yes, I am aware of that. However, we just wish to do so as a precaution. I assure you that the MRI procedure is entirely painless. We just want to make certain that nothing was missed." The doctor explained as Nurse Redheart entered the room while pushing a gurney in front of her.

Already knowing how a MRI machine works, I did not feel bothered at all and was actually hoping getting out of the room for a bit would help my mood. "All right. Let's get it over with."

They had to detach the heart monitor's sensors from me before I could be placed on the gurney, which was not very comfortable since they have to stick to you. Twilight and Rainbow Dash stayed close to me the entire time, even while I was moved through the large white tube. There is nothing worth mentioning about the whole procedure. I did not say anything and merely did as I was told. Once that was all over, I was back in my room with Twilight and Rainbow at my side.

"So... When do you think we'll be getting the results back?" I asked while not feeling particularly worried. Or perhaps I was just feeling too drained to care.

"Hopefully by this evening." Twilight replied while Rainbow Dash started moving the game board back to my bedside.

Rainbow Dash seemed to be going to great lengths to not look directly at my side of the board. Or was that her side that was facing me when she set it down? "Anyway... Whose move was it?"

That game went on for a while as Twilight looked on and read over some books and scrolls she brought along. But not much later, we got another knock at the door. And before either of us could answer it, the door opened. Rainbow Dash was the one who greeted our visitors. "Hey there, squirts!"

The Cutie Mark Crusaders. I suppose they had just gotten out of school. They immediately hurried while the door closed behind them. Scootaloo was the first to reach me, bounding up onto the bed and nearly knocking the game of Weather Patrol over. She seemed quite happy to see me, but also rather worried. "Hi, James! You OK? Are you feeling all right?"

"Well... I guess so..." I replied weakly. Although I was feeling a glimmer of positive feelings in my mind among the mass of negativity.

"Y'all gave us a scare! What was in that letter anyway?" Apple Bloom asked, apparently remembering... That is right. They were the ones who brought that card to me when it was slid under the door.

"Wasn't it from Fluttershy? Why would something she wrote make you freak out like that?" Sweetie Belle then asked while looking rather uneasy about what she had witnessed. I could only remember what I had seen and experienced. I had no way of knowing what they saw.

Fortunately, Twilight was able to distract them from anything too grim by speaking up and reminding them about their homework. For whatever reason, having so many more people in the room only served to tire me out further. Scootaloo enjoyed a few games of Weather Patrol with me and Rainbow Dash. At one point, Rainbow Dash even flew home and returned with one of her Daring Do novels to read to us to help pass the time. I am not sure which one it is, but I think it was the first in the series. The one about something made of sapphire?

After a few hours, the fillies had to head home, leaving me with Twilight and Rainbow Dash once more. However, Rainbow was finally starting to get bored despite not wanting to leave my side. Not only that, but she had to get out to the weather patrol to help set an evening storm.

"Just us again, huh?" Twilight asked while she set up another game of Weather Patrol for us. Even though I was bored, my mind was took much of a mess to really feel bored as much as I was lethargic.

"Yeah..." I muttered while setting out my pieces on the grid. That was how things were for the next two hours. Just us talking and playing board games. It all came to an end when the same doctor as before entered the room with a clipboard being held in his magic grasp.

"Time to head home, Miss Sparkle. Visiting hours are over." He explained while coming closer with that clipboard in front of him. "I also have the results regarding your friend's MRI scan."

I was unsure of what to think. Did he find something that may be triggering the constant pain in my mind and the horrific hallucinations I have been seeing. Twilight stood up from her stool and faced the doctor. "Well... Was there any brain damage the doctors in Canterlot might've overlooked?"

He sighed while looking at the clipboard and whatever was being pinned to it. "It is rather perplexing. The scans revealed nothing out of the ordinary. His brain is perfectly fine, at least physically."

"I was worried about that..." Twilight replied with a frown. It really was starting to feel like the situation may be hopeless. Not that I minded much. Cadence's love magic could not heal me, modern medical machinery could not find the cause, and the symptoms are definitely too extreme for anything like PTSD. We were clearly running out of options.

Despite the lack of progress, the doctor tried to at least smile slightly. "I am also sorry to say that your friend's condition's progress remains the same. Heart rate and blood pressure have dipped since last night. Although rest assured, we are doing everything we can to determine the cause of his physical entropy and a possible cure. You will be the first to know if we find it."

"Thank you... I'll go ahead and start to pack up." Twilight retorted before the doctor departed. She silently began to gather up the board game and its game pieces and her books and scrolls.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" I asked, feeling unhappy about knowing that she would soon leave.

Twilight nodded at me while showing a rather sad smile. "Of course... I'll stay with you as long as I can. Even if it means being there when you..." A tear fell from her eye as she paused. I knew what she meant. And somewhere in my mind, I felt honored that she would stay by my side so loyally.

Once her saddlebags were draped along her sides, Twilight drew near one last time and gently rested her hoof on my hand. "Sweet dreams, James. I'll be back as soon as I can in the morning."

I reached out with my hand and tenderly caressed her face. "Thanks, Twi... Say hi to Spike for me."

And know I lay here alone, passing the time by writing this journal as the landscape outside the window gets dark. The light peeking through the blinds is becoming increasingly dim. I find it rather odd that the segment documenting the dream I had last night is taking up more space than what happened today. But I hardly care. It was an enjoyable dream that allowed me to escape my constant mental torment and writing it helped me remember it to take my mind off of these awful memories that just will not leave me alone. I can hardly wait to see where my dreams will take me tonight with Luna and Nightmare Moon.

Time for bed. I wonder where will I will find myself this time...

* * *

><p>-ENTRY NOT FOUND-<p>

Well, that is where I originally intended to end the journal for the day. However, something just occurred that I feel is worth documenting.

I had just placed the journal I had written in the box by my bed and had set my head down to sleep. I think it was fairly close to midnight with how dark and quiet things were. The blinds over the window that faced the hall were closed, barely any moonlight was getting in through the blinds to the window to my right. Only the sound of my heart monitor broke the maddening silence. However, another sound soon reached my ears too.

Just as I felt like I was going to fall asleep, my attention was drawn to the left side of the room. The door was opening. The hallway seemed just slightly better illuminated than my room, so I was able to see the overall shape of the person before me. It seemed to be one of the security personnel that patrol the hospital during the night shift. I suppose they are there more for making sure the mental patients do not wander around than to keep out thieves. This hospital does also function as a psychiatric ward, after all.

The night watch likely could not see me in the dark and he likely knew that, so I stayed silent once the door closed. It was rather odd that he had come into a patient's room, and even more so without a flashlight on his person. But there was a sudden anomaly that actually startled me. Out of nowhere, a pillar of what I can only describe as green flames surged up from the floor and engulfed the briefly exposed silhouette of the night watch. I did feel a strange surge of heat, but strangely did not detect the smell of anything having been burned. Despite this, I did mutter to myself as I looked on while the green flames cast a making green glow over the room. "Green fire...?"

When the flames died down in only a couple of seconds and faded, I barely caught site of a new shape against the flames behind where the night watch had once been standing. Something tall, maybe my height. And then, with the room silent again aside from the sound of my heart monitor, a new sound reached my ears. The sound of hooves slowly drawing near.

I could not even see who was there. Nothing but blackness. And knowing that there was someone there I could not see, but was clearly coming right for me, I was filled with a new fear even as the dreadful memories clouded my thoughts. Was I in danger? What was this mysterious being going to do to me? Having no knowledge of what to expect, I decided to reach for the porcelain lamp to my left. However, as I reached for it, my arm froze. I could not move it. Covering its entire length was a billowing green magic aura, likely the levitation spell being used to restrain my movements. And in the darkness to my left was a matching aura higher up. Each of them were giving off just a slight glow, allowing me to actually see my arm.

Furthermore, I could see the horn of the person who was using the spell. It was indeed a horn, but... It was...unsettlingly crooked. Some sort of mutated unicorn? Or perhaps even some sort of demon? Regardless, I then heard a voice that I barely recognized speak to me. "Don't."

That voice... I knew I had heard it before. It was indeed that of a woman's. But had the night watch, who clearly had a stallion's form, just turned into a mare? But even though the voice was clearly feminine in both pitch and tone, it carried with it a bizarre distortion and even a strangely powerful allure. "I've heard your voice before..."

"That you have." She spoke again while the billowing aura that covered my arm faded. Knowing that my mysterious visitor would likely restrain my again if I tried to reach for the lamp, I decided to not put up any resistance. She had not tried to harm me, at least. And she clearly knew where I was even in the dark.

The aura around her horn did not fade. And once she was likely standing beside me and lowered her horn closer to me, I could barely make out her face in the glow it cast. Her eyes seemed abnormally round for a pony, with vibrant green oval irises with gradient hues and unnaturally narrow pupils. Her face was indeed that of a pony. Although her height would have me suspect she was an alicorn, her muzzle structure was noticeably shorter than that of the royal sisters and seemed closer to that of the average mare. Her coat was dark, though not quite black. It seemed to be a very dark gray. I could even make out some dark emerald green eyeliner on her eyelids, although there may have been a hint of blue to it. And while difficult to notice in the dark, her sclera were not quite white either, having a slight greenish tint to them. A long lock of hair hung between her eyes and to the left of her horn, appearing to be a dark shade of...some shade of blue. It brought to mind the color teal, although its appearance seemed noticeably different from the average pony. Her horn also did not seem to emerge directly out of the middle of her forehead, instead extending slightly from the right before curving up and then extending straight with a few harsh curves in its length. It was not even in the shape of a cone, being much broader and narrower than a unicorn's horn. It also seemed abnormally long for an alicorn's horn as well, all thing's considered. I got the impression that it could be used as an effective battering tool. All the while, those strange eyes gazed at me with a most serious stare.

Her voice... It was definitely the same one I had heard in the Everfree Forest on more than one occasion. But more than anything, I was left baffled as to what the rest of her looked like. I could only barely see her horn and face. "Who are you?"

She did not reply. Instead, she lowered her crooked horn to my head as her magic continued to engulf it. Seeing I was not going to get an answer out of her, I instead asked a different question while remaining still. She clearly was not a threat to me. "What are you doing?"

Her response was brief and direct. "I am trying to save you."

Was she aware of what had happened to me? She did seem very focused, as if she was using her magic to peer into my mind. But even so, her voice... And her very presence... There was something...grim about them. As she spoke, I could even see a pair of fangs at the front of her jaws. Almost...evil. What was this creature? Why was she trying to help me? Whatever the reason, judging by her lack of a pleasant introduction, I had a strong hunch she was not doing such a thing out of the kindness of her heart.

She would grunt and growl at times, as if under some form of duress. "Blast... How do I..." She continued to apply her magic to me as if searching through my head. Or...was she trying to extract something from me? In the end, she suddenly lifted her head with a grunt and quickly brought her hoof to her head. Something must have given her some rather rough feedback. But when she did bring her hoof to her head... Her foreleg was...full of holes. I did not even see the underlying bone. What was she?!

"What's wrong? Are you OK?" I asked out of some concern. No matter how vile she may have made herself look or seem, I had no reason to feel any hostility towards me. She had gone out of her way to try to help me regardless of motive.

The strange mare before me lowered her hoof before shaking her head. "I'm fine... As for you... There is nothing I can do for you. It's...too strong."

"Well... Thank for trying, at least." I replied while not feeling surprised at all. If even Cadence could not put a dent in whatever was ailing me, I was doubtful she could. At least it did not hurt me this time.

The mysterious mare began to back away from me while her eyes constantly glared at me. Her voice did not contain any sympathy or concern. It was more like she was warning or commanding me. "You have indeed fallen under a mighty curse. But there may be hope for you yet. Do not allow yourself to die here. Stay alive. Do you understand me?"

Once she finished speaking, a pillar of green fire erupted around her again. And when it died down and faded, she was gone.

Even as I write this, I have no idea what or who I just saw. But right now, I am too tired to keep writing. Just something I wanted to write down and look back over someday. At least, that is assuming I live long enough to do it.

Even so... The way she almost demanded that I stay alive... There was no concern or genuine care in her voice. So then... Why be so concerned for my well-being? What did she want with me?

Whatever, these memories are sapping me bad now. I need to sleep. I hope both Nightmare Moon and Luna will be there tonight.


	37. See No Evil

Falling asleep was not a struggle for me. The memories had left me mentally exhausted. This time, however... I remember waking up to find myself in Ponyville again. Or rather somewhere near it. I noticed the feel of someone next to me. Touching me. I was still clearly in bed, but not my hospital bed. The person beside me... Fluttershy. I was back in my own home. Although it seemed like I had woken up at the crack of dawn. The sun was only just starting to rise.

I looked down at her. She looked so serene in her slumber. So...real. But as I gazed at her, I felt no happiness. By that point, I knew that this realm is nothing more than a vision of what would never be. While I was initially enthralled with it the first few times, knowing the grim truth made this dream uncomfortable.

Without a word, I climbed out of bed and dressed myself in jeans and a red polo shirt. I did not want to stay around the illusion of the woman I once loved. It almost felt like the mere sight of her was taunting my emotions. Even though the memories were no longer constantly forcing themselves into the forefront of my mind, I could still recall them. That dream has died.

I quietly made my way downstairs and into the living room. Scootaloo was nearby, but... I felt uneasy approaching her as she slept in bed. Why? Was it because I knew I was going to lose her soon? And in the new room to the back of the house... I remember. It was a new addition. And inside in a little bed was... Gladesong.

That darling filly... I wanted to approach her, yet I wanted to stay away from her. The ultimate achievement of my relationship with Fluttershy, and also the greatest slap in the face I had likely ever received. As if her mere existence was taunting me and my memories. The joy of living an ideal life with those I once held close to my heart was gone, replaced by a feeling of emptiness. A life I will never have...

I left that house with a heavy heart. That is a life that is gone. And I did not want to be reminded of it. The landscape around the cottage was quiet without a sign of life or movement. I wanted to get away from there. To get away from that lie of a life.

I headed south, staying on the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres. Knowing the Apple family, at least one of them was likely waking up to begin harvesting apples. And I did not want to have to come across Applejack. My destination was further south. My favorite location for just being alone to think.

The pond at the park. A fairly isolated location. And exactly where I wanted to be. I sat myself down on the peninsula that jutted out into the body of water. There was still a sack of fish food just sitting there, but I did not feel the need or desire to toss any to the fish that were likely just under the surface. I just felt so... I do not even know the right words for it. My mind just felt...devoid of any happiness or drive.

After a few minutes, I leaned back and allowed myself to just lie on my back and look up into the steadily brightening sky. The air was somewhat cool, but it was beginning to warm into what one would expect for a late summer day. But soon, I heard the faint sound of grass rustling under someone's feet. Someone was approaching. Not in the mood for company from an illusion of someone I care about, I was prepared to just ask them to leave me be. Instead, I found a pair of familiar faces who I knew for sure were not mere illusions soon looking down at me. The twin princesses of the moon.

Feeling somewhat elated to see a pair of faces I hold dear to me, I promptly sat up and looked at them. Luna was the first to speak with a somewhat worrisome expression. "My friend, are you well? It's strange to find you this far out here at the breaking of dawn."

"It's not like I decided when I would wake up. I'm never up thiis early in the real world." I replied while resting a hand on my bent knee.

"Even so..." Nightmare Moon began while pausing briefly to turn to the north. "Why are you not back home at this time? We were expecting to be visiting you while you were having breakfast."

I was actually mildly surprised by that claim. Could they really not guess why I was not at home with Fluttershy at the time? I let out a sigh before turning away from them. "There's nothing there for me anymore. Just a mirage."

"But surely... Doesn't this dream bring you joy? This is where you... Just look at your wrist. It still bears a band of gold." Luna retorted while pointing at my hand. Indeed, that marriage band that I saw during that wedding before the world began to melt away was on my wrist. As if that bizarre anomaly never happened.

I gazed at the bracelet in silence momentarily. With a sigh, I slid it off and dropped it to the ground beside me. "It's not real. You both know that."

Nightmare Moon looked on in a show of mild shock. She knows me well and likely knows that I would normally never consider doing such a thing. "But...the Fluttershy of this realm still..."

I felt a tinge of bitterness swell in my heart before I scowled at my two royal friends. "What is the point of coming back to this dream if it's just going to end and place me right back where I am in the real world? I'm tired of being taunted with this illusion of the life I once had knowing that I'm never getting it back..."

They fell silent. And for the next few moments, they said nothing. But I could see that they understood what I was saying. I turned my gaze back to the pond. But soon, I heard the two alicorns draw close. And I then felt a wing from each of them drape across my front and back. Luna then spoke softly from my right, "We understand, James... And we will do what we can to try to make this dream one of happiness."

With a sigh, I lifted my hands and gently dragged my fingers against the feathers that lined them. I felt secure and at ease in their embrace, a feeling that has become a rarity recently. Eventually, I heard Luna gasp lightly before she seemed to lean towards Nightmare Moon. "Sister, I just had an idea."

Whatever she said next into her sister's ear was too silent for me to make out, but it prompted a rather excited smirk from her. "Why didn't I think of that?"

The two sisters then retracted their wings and stood up beside me. I remained seated, though they both smiled while Nightmare Moon began to speak. "Well... Seeing as how you would rather not be here, perhaps you would prefer it if we went somewhere else for the duration of this dream?"

They seemed to be up to something, but I had no reason to doubt them. I nodded and started to climb to my feet. "Yeah. Anywhere as long as it's not Ponyville."

"Then I can assure you that you will not be disappointed." Luna said with a smirk while her horn was engulfed by her blue magic aura. A second later, there was a flash from it before the aura faded. It was then that I found myself with them not by the pond, but at the very edge of the Everfree Forest and the path that leads into it. "Shall we be on our way?"

"Wait... The Everfree Forest? Why here?" I asked while feeling puzzled as to why two of the ruling princesses of Equestria would even want to set foot inside it.

Nightmare Moon cast me a caasual smile while she turned to me. "Well, it's certainly heavily isolated from Ponyville. So, why not just a rommp through the forest?"

I certainly was not entirely convinced and crossed my arms. "Where... Hang on. Are you suggesting that we pay a visit to the castle ruins at the far end of the forest?"

Luna and Nightmare Moon snickered and chuckled heartily before the Princess of the Night grinned at me. "How did you ever guess?"

Having been to that place only twice in my life, I suppose it would make for an interesting visit if we returned to those ruins. With a shrug of my shoulders, I nodded at them. "Well... I don't see why not. Lead... Wait... How long will it take to get there? It took me close to a full day to get there the first time."

"Well, if our memory serves, we still have a general idea of the most direct path through the forest. We used to live out here once, after all." Luna explained while she began to head into the trees. Trusting her as my guide, I hurried along after the Princess of the Night with Nightmare Moon close behind me.

Even though I had been in the Everfree Forest at least once over the last few weeks, it still never feels all that routine whenever I walk along that path. It felt so...authentic. Like I was not dreaming at all. I suppose when either of the princesses of the moon are with you, they blur the line between illusion and reality.

They did not seem to have any difficulty navigating. Neither Luna nor Nightmare Moon stopped to get their bearings. Even when we finally went off the path, they just constantly walked along with me between them. "Hey... Uh... I know this is all a dream, but... You two seem like you're very familiar with this place."

"Does it surprise you? We used to live here, so we were familiar with the path that led in and out of the forest." Luna explained while glancing back at me over her shoulder.

Nightmare Moon then added, "The forest used to not be quite this...wild while we still resided in our castle. The Everfree Forest only really became an untamed spread of nature at its purest once Celestia forsook it after.. Well...you know."

"Indeed. I was quite surprised to find that she had relocated it to the top of the nearest mountain during my absence. Canterlot did not even exist back then." Luna continued while she led me along. I looked around at my surroundings while we walked. To imagine that this forest was at one time much more orderly. One would never know by looking at it today.

We eventually came to a cliffside that I had never passed before. There seemed to be a familiar path below that seemed familiar to me. While the drop was not that great, probably not reaching more than fifty feet, it certainly would not be easy to traverse downward. There even seemed to be a steep earthy slope by the cliff, almost as if a landslide had taken some of the path away. "Uh... Are you sure this is the right way? I don't remember passing a cliff in the forest."

Nightmare Moon actually seemed rather nervous at the sight of the cliff. Although it did not seem to be due to a fear of heights. "Oh dear... Uh..."

Luna seemed puzzled by her sister's unease and asked, "What is it, sister? You never seemed to be one who is prone to vertigo."

With a rather shameful look on her face, Nightmare Moon let out a sigh. "I'm the one who triggered the landslide here that took away a chunk of the path. It was to keep the bearers of the Elements from reaching where the Elements of Harmony were being kept. I'm glad that they escaped harm from the fall."

That certainly caught me by surprise. I looked over the cliff, seeing that it was a fairly long drop at the bottom of the slope. "Well, that explains why we all took the low road when we came out here to find you. It was the path they remembered... Wait, you tried to..."

"You must remember, James. I was not the mare I am now. But fear not. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy insured that they all made it to the bottom safely." Nightmare Moon explained while still seeming not proud of her actions.

"Although..." Luna muttered while she came closer to the edge while surveying the path at the bottom of the cliff. "We will eventually have to descend to that path below. It will likely save us some time if we descend here now." She then spread her beautiful blue wings and took to the air before swooping down to the path below.

"Well, we shouldn't let her get too far ahead." The Princess of Dreams said with a smile while her horn was coated by a deep blue aura. A second later, I found myself standing beside Luna with Nightmare Moon behind me. Obviously the use of the teleportation spell. "Shall we?"

We continued on without a hitch, although we eventually came to a river that seemed all too familiar. While I could not see through the water clearly due to the poor lighting of the night the previous time around, I could see that we were at the shallows. We could very likely walk across. Even so, I did not want my socks to get wet.

My two royal friends seemed to have the same idea. A few seconds later, I found myself on the opposite sside of tthe river in a flash. Luna then looked at me and smirked. "Let me guess. You thought we were just going to wade across?"

That line actually got a laugh out of me. However, I then looked back at the river behind us. "Makes me wonder why Twilight didn't just flash us across the river in the first place."

"Well, there was a bridge here at one time. Although considering that it has been at least a millennium since that fateful night, it has likely just rotted away." Nightmare Moon added while we continued on into the trees. Considering the constant exposure to moisture from the river, I doubt that bridge lasted longer than ten years without maintenance.

Before much more time had passed, we finally emerged from the trees and stopped at the sight before us. The castle ruins that once served as Nightmare Moon's prison. And thankfully, the rope bridge was still there. "I'm actually surprised this bridge is still here. You'd think a thousand years would be harsher on it."

"Yes, we took that in consideration during its assembly. The rope and the wood planks were enchanted to render it immune to the debilitating effects of the elements. That bridge over the river would not have been that big of a problem if it broke since it was built over the shallows. This, however..." Luna explained before stepping closer to the edge of the cliff that the bridge extended from. The fog that filled the ravine was gone, allowing us to see what a rocky drop it would have been. They simply could not afford the bridge to break while someone was crossing it.

"Point taken... Anyway, since we're here..." I muttered in reply before we began to carefully cross. We soon found ourselves standing before the great wooden doors that led into the opening chamber, although I think the proper term is foyer. Perhaps all wooden doors that led outside were enchanted to prevent deterioration.

"Well... Here we are. Home sweet home." Luna spoke rather somberly while she pushed the door open and stepped into the foyer. Once again, I found myself standing in the room that holds that odd stone pedestal with stone arms and plates reaching out. "I cannot believe how little of it remains... The elements have not been kind the last thousand years."

"Aside from the throne chambers over yonder, yes... To think that this is all that remains of our home..." Nightmare Moon also solemnly spoke. I decided to say nothing. They were clearly experiencing quite a nostalgia trip. These ruins likely held many memories for them. However, she suddenly gasped and promptly approached her sister while smirking whimsically. "Luna. If you have a moment..."

"Hm?" Luna mumbled before Nightmare Moon began to whisper into her ear. As she spoke, Luna's expression rapidly brightened. "A brilliant idea, sister. James, would you mind following us outside?"

"Uh... OK?" I replied while doing as I was told. Once we were back outside, I glanced back at the castle ruins before looking at my two friends again. "Are we leaving already?"

"Not quite." Luna said with a smirk while her horn was engulfed by that cobalt hue of hers.

Nightmare Moon then spoke while her own deep blue aura covered her sleek black horn. "We would just like to take a stroll down memory lane."

At those words, I felt the ground rumble. I turned around and rapidly stepped backwards. The crumbled walls of the foyer seemed to be regaining structure. The roof was returning! And beyond the foyer... A castle was rising out of the ground brick by brick. And it did not just stop there. Out to the sides, more and more of a grand castle was being restored from nothing. Iit... I have no way to describe it. I suppose anything is possible in the realm of dreams.

Moments later, truly a spectacle of a castle stood before us. It did not have the regal majesty of the palace in Canterlot, but it still stood out as a mighty structure symbolizing power much like the stone castlles in Earth's history. It was a lot to take in on short notice, so I cannot recall all of the details. Even so, I was quite impressed. It seemed even larger than Canterlot Castle itself.

"There we go. Much better, wouldn't you say?" Nightmare Moon said proudly while she began to approach the mighty twin doors.

"Uh... Yeah. I mean... You basically just rewound the clock so that the castle was still standing. Nothing's impossible in the dream realm, huh?" I replied while still being thoroughly impressed by such a show of magical might.

"Indeed. When your mind powers your dreams, anything is possible." Luna spoke with a smile while using her magic to hold the door open for us. "Welcome to our home."

It seemed that the foyer's overall design differed noticeably between how it looks in the modern day and how it looked back in its prime. Instead of large arced windows that almost reach the floor, it instead had arced gaps in the wall that led to doors into other parts of the castle. Lit torches were suspended above the doors. An arched ceiling lined with blue tiles extended across the room above us. And at the far end of the chamber were a pair of thrones. While physically identical, their colors differed while they had banners hanging above them. The one on the right, which was colored a golden yellow, had an equally golden banner above it depicting clouds, mountains, and wind. The one on the left, which was a dark shade of blue with maybe some green mixed in, had a blue banner above it depicting the same clouds as the orange one, as well as planets and stars. It seemed that the contrast between night and day was a running theme in the chamber's design, such as the crescent moons and suns on the bases of the pillars in the room's corners and even a design on the wide red stretch of the floor that depicted a crescent moon cradling a sun in its 'mouth'. The thrones seemed to be held upon a raised platform while a flight of steps went up to them with a gap leading behind and under them into another darker chamber. Between the two thrones was what seemed to be a type of balcony from which one of the princesses would address their subjects. "Nice place you got here."

"Its certainly not up to the standards of our current home today. But back during more primitive times, this was the epitome of luxury." Nightmare Moon explained while she walked down the hall. She seemed to be drinking in the scenery, remembering days long past.

However, while looking around the room, I noticed something was missing. The strange stone display that had been just beyond the door was missing entirely. "Hey. Uh... Where'd that...thing go?"

Luna glanced at where I was pointing. "What thing? You... Oh, that. Where the Elements of Harmony once were?" She then began to carefully pick along the middle of the floor with her hooves before stopping. She then tapped her hoof against the floor where she stood. It had a noticeably hollow sound to it. "Ah, here it is. That device is just below here. A hidden vault, if you will."

Considering the sheer importance of those things, it was understandable that they would be kept hidden. But at that minute, I just wanted to explore. To see what these former ruins had to show me. "So... Am I free to go where I please?"

"Of course, my friend. Our home is your home. Explore to your heart's content. Although..." Luna replied before pausing as she held a hoof to her chin. She then suddenly lifted it into the air as if signaling that she just had an idea. "I do believe that somepony else can join us!"

Nightmare Moon glanced over at her sister and seemed to understand what she meant right away. "Allow me."

The Princess of Dreams closed her eyes while her magic aura surged around her horn. "Let's see here... No, not that one... There she is!"

With that, some sort of rift opened up in front of her before she partially stepped through it. "Come along! There's something I want you to see!" She then stepped backwards while dragging someone through the portal. Whoever it was did not seem very pleased as I heard a bit of a yelp. Needless to say, I was not entirely surprised to see who it was. None other than Celestia herself.

"Nightmare Moon, not now! I was enjoying a pastry-tasting event!" The Princess of the Dawn shouted while somewhat flailing her legs. In her magical grasp was indeed some sort of pastry. Probably a crepe.

"Uh... She doesn't have to stay if she doesn't want to." I spoke up, knowing that the two sisters were likely just trying to bring in as many friendly faces as possible to keep me happy. Although it did not seem like Celestia had heard me.

Once Celestia was set upon her feet, she took a moment to survey her surroundings. "Now, why would you barge into my dre... Wait... This place is..."

"Welcome home, sister. It's been quite some time since you last stood in these halls, hasn't it?" Luna spoke up while drawing near.

Celestia took a few steps towards the thrones once the portal to her own dream closed. She seemed awestruck with how silent she was at first. "It's exactly as I remember it... The thrones. The ceiling. Even the smell is the same." She then turned to face us. "But why bring me to..."

She froze as her eyes fell upon me. That puzzled gaze became one of... I think it was a displlay of immense guilt. "Oh my... I was not expecting to see you..."

I did not say anything and merely waved at her in greeting. However, Celestia then trotted over to me while still looking noticeably alarmed. "Are you well? It's been... How many days?"

I suppose she had a point. It was the first time I had laid eyes on her since the day we arrived in Canterlot to...deal with Discord. Celestia raised her hoof, almost as if she was going to touch my face, but she ultimately did not lift it higher than my chest. She looked troubled. It was an expression I was not used to seeing on her face. "Yeah, I think it has been a while..."

It seemed like there was more she wanted to say. However, those words did not come. She almost seemed that she wanted to get away from me. As for why, I could not guess. Her sisters seemed to be noticing this behavior too. At least I assume they did if those frowns meant anything. Soon, Celestia turned away from me and faced her sisters. "Um... I'm going to take a look around. Try to see if everything is as I remember."

"Very well then. We'll be around." Nightmare Moon replied before Celestia rushed through one of the nearby side doors. I have no idea where it led. However, Nightmare Moon then faced Luna and I. "I do believe I would like to explore on my own for a while. Let's meet up again soon."

"OK. I'll stick with Luna." I retorted while Luna nodded. Nightmare Moon then paused while glancing back and forth at the other side doors before going through one and out of sight.

"Well, I suppose it's just you and I, my friend. Lead on. I shall follow." Luna said to me with a smile.

"OK. So, uh... I guess this way?" I said while making my way to another one of the side doors.

Try as I might, I cannot recall all of the details of my surroundings from the dream. My memories are strongest of areas I tended to linger in for extended periods of time. Although I do recall passing through an expansive library packed with towering bookcases. Hard to forget something like that. However, since we had more interesting things to do than sit around reading, Luna and I continued on.

The first place we stopped by was a rather cozy chamber that Luna described as a reading lounge. It certainly looked the part. There was a single bookcase to the left of the windows, which were two tall and steeply arched stained-glass windows that depicted a golden orange sun and a light blue moon and stars. The sun and moon thing certainly was becoming a recurring theme in the castle's aesthetics. There were a few fancy square pillows by the window and a couple of smaller pillows resting upon... Well, I can only describe it as a combination of a chhair and bench. It had some gentle curves in the design, likely for comfort when lying upon it. A wooden pedestal was in the center of the room and held a single book while a small round table was against the wall across the room from the bookcase.

"Ah, I recall this place. The perfect chamber for some peace and quiet when you were in the mood for a good book." Luna said with a smile while heading right to the bookcase to our left.

"I guess back then there wasn't much to do for entertainment aside from reading, huh?" I asked while making myself comfortable on the strange chair across the room.

Luna soon rested upon the pillows by the window while flipping open the book she had picked out. "I suppose so. Our castle was rather isolated, so there was... Um..."

While waiting for her to continue speaking, I noticed that Luna's expression was slowly becoming a rather perplexed and twisted grimace. "Whoa... Luna, what's with that look?"

The Princess of the Night looked up from her book at me without losing that bizarre stare. "James... Have you ever heard of that urban legend that says it is impossible to read while dreaming?"

"Yeah. What about it?" I replied while wondering what she was getting at.

She then promptly turned the book around to show me the pages and said dryly, "They were right."

What a bizarre sight. The letters in the pages were just absurdly spread out jumbles of gibberish. I could not read anything and could not help laughing at the sight of it. "I guess you know you're dreaming when all you can read is binary code!"

Luna seemed absolutely baffled by my words, but laughed anyway. But once that was over, she began to flip through the book again. Perhaps she was just looking for illustrations if nothing else. However, while I lounged around on the sofa of sorts, I caught a glimpse of someone taking a peek into the room. It was Celestia, but she promptly ducked out of sight after quickly glancing at me.

It was no secret that Celestia seemed distraught about something. What had happened since the day I lapsed into that coma? Seeing that Luna was unaware that her sister had just peeked in on us, likely while expecting the room to have been deserted, I decided to bring up the question. "Hey, Luna? How has Celestia been lately?"

My royal friend lifted her gaze from the book upon hearing my words. Her expression immediately darkened as a melancholy frown spread across her lips. "Celestia has... My sister has not been well. She has been struggling to cope with clashing emotions that have befallen her since that dark day."

Her answer surprised me. Celestia, despite her beauty, grace, and very friendly demeanor, always seemed like someone with a strong will. I was surprised that she was still being so deeply effected by this past crisis. As of now, it has been roughly two weeks since that day. "It doesn't sound like her to show that level of weakness. She always seemed like a very strong woman to me."

"She still has her limits, James. Her heart has been heavy for days." Luna replied with a sigh. "She's been dealing with a great deal of guilt and the lingering pain of loss. I doubt she has had to deal with such a blow to her soul since the day she had to seal me within the moon."

"Loss? Of what?" I asked while feeling rather bewildered. What had she lost recently? I certainly was not aware of anything of the sort.

Luna seemed to be distracted by some personal thoughts before she offered a brief explanation. And her words caught me by surprise. "I'm not surprised you are unaware that Discord was at one time a dear friend to the two of us."

Friends? With him? "Seriously? You were friends with... Oh... Oh my god..."

I instantly felt my skin crawl with sweat and anxiety. Had I... Had I robbed the royal sisters of an old friend? Luna quickly set her book down and rushed to my side before placing her hoof on my arm. "James, no. You must not blame yourself. When all is said and done, Discord's demise was for the best. There was no hope for that fool."

The unbearable heat that filled me was not quick to fade. I looked at her with my hand holding my face. "You sure? I mean... Does Celestia hate me?"

"Not in the slightest, my friend. More than anything, she blames herself for what has occurred. He may have been my friend at one time, but that is an era that has long since passed. The friend we once had ceased to exist eons ago." Luna said while shaking her head. She seemed bothered by the memories, but at least she seemed to have long since come to terms with them. But it seemed that her sister had not.

I felt only slightly more at ease after hearing those words, though Luna did not leave my side. "OK... Well... What is her take on me?"

Luna did not seem entirely certain of how to answer that question. She hesitated before asking, "Whatever do you mean? Is something wrong? You do not think ill of her, do you?"

"No, of course not..." I replied quietly while feeling myself scratching my skin as the anxiety subsided. "It's just... I'm not sure of what she feels about me. Whenever we've interacted, it's usually been... I guess strictly business. I mean we have spent time together like that day a few weeks back. But more often than not, everything we've done together has revolved around rather serious topics. I'm not sure she even views me as a real friend."

There was a moment of silence between us before Luna spoke up softly. "James... What is she to you?"

Not an easy question to answer. I had to stop and think before I could offer a reply. "I... Well... I don't know. Compared to you and Nightmare Moon, she's always been a bit more distant and more professional. But... Well, I'll be honest. She's someone who is very difficult not to like."

"Is that why you purchased that ring for her?" Luna asked quietly without ever looking away.

I knew which ring she was speaking of. The golden ring that I always see resting at the base of her horn with an amethyst embedded on the front. "Well... I didn't want her to feel left out when I got you and Nightmare Moon those matching rings. I... Well... I like her and I wanted to make her happy. Do you think I did?"

Luna smiled very warmly. "She always wears that ring, James. You did indeed make her happy." She paused momentarily before asking, "Is she your friend?"

"Good question... I really don't know." I replied quietly while setting my head down. "I don't think she's ever shown that much of an interest in me aside from checking on how I've been adapting to life in Equestria and inquiring into my bond with you and Nightmare Moon. I mean I know why she brought me to Equestria. But... I don't know where we stand with each other."

My friend seemed to glance around for a few seconds before speaking to me in almost a whisper. "Allow me to let you in on a little secret. During these dark days, I have found that she is lamenting her lack of interaction with you. If given the chance, I'm certain the two of you would be very dear friends."

"Seriously? Me and Celestia? And she has?" I asked in slight surprise. Perhaps it is because I do not know her terribly well, but that was a claim I was not expecting.

Luna seemed quite certain of her claim as she nodded promptly. "I do. I can see quite a bit of her in you, James. You probably have more in common with Celestia than you do with Nightmare Moon and I. Trust me, I think you two would mesh nicely."

Feeling slightly more at ease, I decided to stand up. "Well, if you say so. Uh... I'm gonna take a look around some more. See what this place has to offer. Let's meet up again in a while."

"All right then. Try not to get lost." Luna replied while I made my way out the door.

I wandered all over the castle without any sense of direction or destination. A hallway here, a spiraling stairwell there. I had no idea just how massive those older castle designs could get. Eventually, I found myself outside the castle atop a long stone walkway that spanned to the left side of the castle. It seemed to lead to one of two wings. And the view was spectacular. I could even see a rather impressive stone dragon statue perched upon the central structure's side. The walkway was very high off the ground and did not have a whole lot preventing me from falling over the side, so I almost felt as if the ground below me was swaying just slightly.

The section of the castle ahead of me seemed to be the area where the old throne room used to be. The place where I took shelter in when I hid out in the Everfree Forest last year. Although it did puzzle me. I clearly saw where the real thrones were in the middle of the castle on the ground floor. Why would another throne be placed elsewhere?

I did not have much time to think of it. I saw a patch of white with bits of gold standing at the far end of the walkway along with a wavering flag of bright pastel colors. It was Celestia. Knowing she likely did not want to be bothered, I turned to my left and just leaned on the ramparts while gazing out over the impressive view of the castle and courtyard. There appeared to be smaller sections of the castle below that seemed separate from the main structure. Possibly servant quarters. At the edge of the courtyard stood a vast wall with an opening that led to the bridge that spanned the chasm that we had only just recently crossed over. It did not seem tall enough to really protect the castle from an invading army and there did not seem to be a gate at the entrance. Perhaps it was due to them just not being necessary.

A minute later, I heard Celestia's hooves clopping past from behind me. She said nothing to me as a silent tension built in the air. It was almost as if I was expecting her to shove me over the side. The sound of her hooves fell silent momentarily before they continued on to my left again. But just as I thought she was about to reenter the castle, I heard her footsteps once more coming towards me. They came to a stop when I felt she was right beside me. And this time, she did not depart. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her gazing out at the horizon with me. When I turned to gaze at her, she spoke without even looking at me. "Magnificent view, isn't it?"

Her expression was mostly neutral. Although I did offer a reply. "Yeah... Almost as good as the view from Canterlot."

Celestia's expression became uneasy when she saw that I was looking at her. Her eye glanced at me before she turned to me and began to almost nervously back away. "I'm sorry... I just wanted to see the... I'll be going now."

It was almost as if she was unsure if she should even be around me. Very unusual behavior. Finally, before she could leave, I pushed myself back from the ramparts and faced her. "Are you OK? It's not like you to be this...well...nervous."

Her ears drooped. And it was then that she finally explained herself. "I feel as if I should not even be in your presence... You are at death's door and the blame is mine..."

I had all but forgotten about my body's condition in the real world. She was right. I was and currently am dying. But surely it was not her fault. "Hey, don't say that. I've got nothing against you."

"That is only because you do not know..." She spoke softly while looking and sounding like she was on the verge of tears. I had never seen Celestia look and sound so vulnerable. She seemed like shee was prepared to turn and flee. However, I held out an arm to her. I felt no ill will towards her, regardless of whatever reason she felt I would have. She glanced at my hand, seemingly debating on whether or not she should stay or leave. And a moment later, she made her decision.

Celestia trotted forward into my embrace and rested her head upon my shoulder. I felt her tears flow. Tears of what I was sure was pent-up guilt. She whimpered and sobbed while her wing wrapped around me. "Forgive me... Forgive me for what I forced you through..."

I was at a complete loss of what it was she was even implying. Should I have been upset with her? I suppose I could have asked her, but I was compelled to remain silent. She was clearly under quite a bit of emotional duress and I did not want to bring up any further bad memories with unwanted questions. So I just stood there while holding her in my arm.

A minute passed before Celestia's quiet weeping seemed to stop. I did not speak. All I did was hold her in my arm. Although she soon lifted her head and looked at me with a forlorn expression. "I'm sorry... I must seem so pathetic weeping like this..."

I shook my head and replied as straightforwardly as I could. "You're not. There's nothing wrong with being honest with your emotions."

She did not speak, but I could see that Celestia was rather surprised by my honesty. She soon lifted her hoof to her face and rubbed her eyes with her wrist to dry her tears. Even though her weeping had ceased, she still frowned with noticeable sorrow. Remembering how she seemed like she wanted to flee from me, I spoke up. "If you want to go somewhere else, I won't mind."

I turned my attention back to the view of the Everfree Forest that lied beyond the courtyard's walls. I could see the distant forms of rounded hills beyond the trees. It was just such a majestic view and gave me a sense of isolation while being surrounded by nature. I did not have much time to contemplate it though. I soon felt a large wing drape over my right shoulder. There was no need for alarm though. I knew that Celestia was standing just to my left.

The Princess of the Dawn was grimly silent. If that tearful breakdown was any indication, she was still under a great deal of duress. Hoping to ease the tension, I tried asking a few questions. "You know... This castle doesn't look like it has much in the way of defenses. That wall seems a bit low and I don't even see a gate."

My attempt to change the subject seemed to work. Celestia spoke without looking at me. "There was never much need for complex defenses. We only had as many guards stationed here as necessary. We never had any enemies and the worst we would ever have to fear were wild beasts that had the courage to cross the bridge that spans the crevasse dividing our castle from the rest of the forest. And it was a rare day that the guards would actually have to fend off such creatures." A quick glance out of the corner of my eye revealed a slightly amused smirk on her muzzle. "I even occasionally caught some of the guards complaining of how dull their duties were due to lack of threats to deal with."

While I know the ponies of Equestria have never been a violent sort, I could imagine how boring it must be to go day after day with the same patrols and standing watch for hours at a time without anything interesting happening. However, I then noticed Celestia place her hoof upon the rampart before us. After glancing at the solemn princess beside me, I hesitantly reached out and tenderly set my hand over her hoof. I just wanted to make her feel better knowing that I was there for her.

I was hesitant to look at Celestia. Mixed emotions and thoughts filled my mind. But I soon felt myself calm slightly when I noticed some weight shift against me. Celestia had begun to gently lean against me while her wing's grip tightened, pulling me against her. It was not uncomfortable at all. I felt secure in her grasp. Returning the favor, I instinctively reached around the back of her neck and gently grasped her left shoulder while my arm rested upon her back.

For a minute or two, we just stood there in each other's embrace. I tried to not think much of it, though I would be lying if I say I did not notice how borderline romantic the moment seems in hindsight. I was unsure if I was supposed to feel calm or nervous, though Celestia did not seem to mind at all. Eventually, I decided to ask a more serious question. "Um... Is there a reason why the throne room I saw in that section of the castle over there isn't the same as the ones we just saw?"

Celestia let out a sigh before she began to speak. "Well... If you must know... It all began after the birth of Nightmare Moon."

I said nothing to allow her to speak. The memories were likely unpleasant as her voice carried a noticeable monotone to it. "The castle received varying degrees of damage during her rebellion, though the throne room suffered the greatest degree of deterioration. But after sealing Nightmare Moon within the moon... I lost so much of my will. My sister was gone... Repairrs were minimal. And I could not bear to seat myself in my throne while seeing Luna's throne remaining empty beside me day after day."

There was a momentary pause before Celestia continued to speak. "To escape being reminded daily of what I had lost, I had the west wing's main chamber converted into a new throne room. For a time, it was enough to keep me distracted. But after a few shorts years, I could bear it no longer. I gathered the guards and servants and departed from here to leave behind the home where I had experienced my greatest failure. It was where Luna and I had reigned since Discord's defeat and I was not going to stay there if Luna was not with me anymore. A new castle was constructed upon the nearest mountain. And over the centuries, Canterlot slowly grew around it." She then let out a brief sigh. "I suppose that it was for the best. I had a much easier time staying in touch with my subjects without being in the middle of a forest. Although without the constant presence of us ponies, the forest essentially turned feral and became known as the Everfree Forest as it was free of any sort of control."

"I'm sorry if I brought up any painful memories..." I said softly, feeling guilty for asking such a question in the first place.

However, Celestia merely sighed with her head still leaning against mine. "Don't be. I lived with that regret for a thousand years, but Luna is once again with me. Not only that, but Nightmare Moon herself has become a dear sister to me as well. A thousand years of remorse that has given way to many more of happiness with my two sisters."

For a while, the two of us just stood there. Neither of us moved, nor did we release each other from our grasps. However, I did feel a slight quiver in the air. Was I on the verge of awakening?

Before I could allow myself to awaken, I felt the need to ask. "Celestia... Have the doctors been keeping you updated about my condition?"

I felt her cheek muscles droop in a frown. "They have... I last received an update at midnight."

After a moment of silence, I realized that Celestia was not going to speak further unless I asked her to. "And...my current condition?"

I was strangely unsurprised by her revelation as she sighed deeply while bowing her head. "Your vital signs grow weaker with every passing hour... The process is slow, but at it's current rate, the results will be...fatal."

"Nothing neew then..." I muttered, not surprised at all at by the grim news.

Seconds later, I felt Celestia lean slightly harder against me. "James... May I make one request?"

For whatever reason, I was getting a rather desperate vibe from her despite her melancholy tone of voice. "Sure..."

Her voice was quiet, but it sounded like a whispered plea. "Please... Survive."

Something was wrong as I heard those words. Even as I dreamed, the memories were beginning to flicker through my mind. That dull nagging pain nipped at my soul every several seconds. That familiar bitterness filled my heart, though I tried to ignore them. "Is it because of the reintroduction project...?"

"No..." I heard her whisper in return. Her answer to my question was not what I expected as she wrapped both wings around me in a tender embrace. "Survive... For them...and for me."

I was unsure of what to say. Although I did feel warm and calm upon hearing those words. I embraced the Princess of the Dawn under the cover of her wings, her head resting upon my shoulder. I could hear her long and deep breaths. I decided to remain there until I finally awakened. She truly cares. And I was feeling genuinely grateful for her support.

Even though I knew I was due to awaken soon, I was not concerned about finding Nightmare Moon and Luna. They were likely making their way towards us to make certain we would all be together during the final moments. However, out of nowhere, I noticed Celestia's body become coated by a billowing magic aura of a familiar beautiful light shade of blue. Celestia seemed to notice it too as she was suddenly pulled away from me towards the castle. "Wha... Who's there?! Release me!"

It was then that I heard a voice from behind her that I dreaded. Carrying the accent of a noble lady, yet laced with an insatiable greed. "Gladly. In exchange for the crown jewels, that is."

Rarity. Where had she come from? Before I even had time to comprehend anything, something swooped by me and snatched me off the ground. With that speed... It was Rainbow Dash for sure. Likely just trying to get me away from that horrible mare. I found myself being held aloft with her arms hooked under mine as I hung in the air. Rarity was indeed behind Celestia, her coat and mane still a heavily grayed hue of what I remembered. But what was wrong with Rainbow Dash's forelegs? They seemed strangely...dull?

What she said from just behind my head chilled my blood as I was filled with a sudden feeling of dread. "Time to earn your wings, big guy."

She released me. And down I went. As I began to fall, I saw Celestia glance at me and let out a shriek. Once I had fallen past the suspended walkway, I soon saw the Princess of the Dawn leap over the edge and dive towards me with arm outstretched. She looked panicked, desperate to reach me before I could hit the ground.

Despite the unbearable sensation of falling, I managed to focus enough to reach out to her as well. She was rapidly closing in on me. But just before my hand could make contact with her hoof... My head was heavy. My vision blurred as my eyes regained focus. I had awakened. And those wretched memories were there to greet me.

Why... Rainbow Dash had never turned on me. Why did she let me fall? It feels like it is impossible. Yet, those last words she said... She intentionally let me fall to my doom. And now, that memory is lingering among the maelstrom of scalding memories that swirl constantly in my head. Why did I have to wake up? If I have to endure this numbing pain every second I am awake, I would rather slumber forever.

The sun was only just rising at the time. Not much light was shining in through the window. I turned on the lamp to my left to add some light to the room. Aside from the beeping of my heart monitor, the room was deathly silent. Even the phonograph in the corner had ceased emitting music. The atmosphere was just so...gloomy.

One of the nurses stopped by with breakfast as usual, but I was not feeling the least bit hungry. Combining the memories that constantly assaulted my mind with that horrible awakening from that otherwise fine dream, I was feeling utterly emotionally drained. Just perfect misery.

The morning was quiet and uneventful. I just stared at the ceiling, my eyes focusing on the spinning blades of the ceiling fan Rainbow Dash had made out of clouds. Or was it just one cloud? Either way, I tried focusing on that, hoping that maybe the steady rotation of the blades would lull me into sleeping again.

Ultimately, it worked. I drifted back to sleep, though I cannot recall what it was I dreamed of. Just a short catnap. I was awakened by a familiar sound. A knock at the door. I think I may not have been out for more than a couple of hours. Although those memories quickly resurfaced in my mind, much to my irritation. Try as I might, I could not stop myself from thinking of them. But after I rubbed my eyes to help wake myself up, I felt a twinge of more pleasant emotions push the negative memories down momentarily when I looked towards the window that stood to the right of the door. The blinds were closed, but they soon opened when they were coated by a familiar billowing pink aura. And standing on the other side was Twilight Sparkle.

Seeing someone I trusted unconditionally, I motioned with my hand for her to approach me. And that is just what she did. She stepped out of sight and pushed the door open. Twilight then trotted in as the door swung shut behind her with her saddlebags at her side. But along with her seemed to be something else. It seemed to be a birdhouse with a slanted red roof and bottom. It was resting squarely on her back since it seemed to have a good center of balance. "Good morning, James. Sorry if I came a bit later than usual. I had to stop by somewhere in the opposite direction first."

I remembered seeing that birdhouse somewhere before. And there is only one place I know where birdhouses are used for interior decoration. "You got that at Fluttershy's?"

"Yes, it's pretty obvious, isn't it? I decided to stop by and ask if there was anything she would like to donate to decorate your hospital room with. She decided on a bird house. She said it was something unique to her home, so I went with it." Twilight explained before using the levitation spell to lift it from her back. She then began to glance around the room and said, "The only question is where can I put this. I don't see any ceiling tiles I could get the wire stuck between."

I was at a loss of where to have the birdhouse placed myself. There does not seem to be anything in the room it could hang from. However, Twilight then turned her gaze upward. "Hmm... That might work."

She seemed to be looking at the room's ceiling lamp. It seemed to consist of a short black metal pole with a round shallow glass bowel to create a glow instead of a shine below the light bulb. The bottom was held up by a round metal plate that was likely screwed in last to secure the bowl in place.

After examining the wire that was attached to the roof of the birdhouse and finding that it ended in a hook, Twilight began to lift it towards the lamp. I think she then looped the wire around the base of the pole and then secured it in place by snagging the hook on the wire. "There we go... Oops... Uh... I think it'll be OK."

The birdhouse was indeed hanging from the light. But due to its weight, it had the lamp tilted to one side on a lopsided angle. Fortunately, birdhouses tend to be very light, so it was unlikely that it would pull the thing out of the ceiling. She then turned to me and cracked a rather somber smile. "Well... They we go. You've got a little something from each of us here. How do they look?"

I took a moment to look around the room. Twilight's potted flowering plant at my bedside, Applejack's wooden stool, Rainbow Dash's ceiling fan, Pinkie Pie's phonograph, Rarity's porcelain lamp, and Fluttershy's birdhouse. However, I did not find myself feeling as...pleased as I think I should have been. Seeing the gifts from the four mares who betrayed me did not make the memories more painful but... All I could do was look at Twilight and speak briefly. "It's nice."

Twilight immediately frowned at my words. I think she was about to ask me if something was wrong, but that would have been a pointless question. There is plenty wrong with me right now. Even so, I still tried to at least offer some explanation behind my lethargy while I set my head back down. "Bad dream... Don't feel very peppy this morning... Or hungry."

"Bad dream... Right... Princess Celestia sent me something this morning that was meant for you. But...I couldn't help reading it. Knowing it was for you got me curious." Twilight replied glumly while using her magic to lift a scroll from her saddlebag after removing them.

A message from Celestia... That was right. She was looking right at me the instant before the dream ended. Tried to save me. I took the scroll in hand and opened it. If I recall correctly, it went as follows. "James. This is Celestia. Are you well? That was such a horrid way for you to awaken. I cannot even fathom how Rarity and Rainbow Dash were also able to get into your dream. Even so... Why would they do such things to you? Forgive me for not being able to reach you in time. I truly tried my hardest to reach you while in such a panic. Luna and Nightmare Moon came to me immediately after we all awoke. They were alarmed that the dream had ended so abruptly and so I sent this message to you. The sight of you plummeting to your doom still haunts me at this very moment. I shall send word to the Ponyville Hospital staff to try to stay alert for any other more subtle hints as to what may be happening to you. My prayers are with you, friend. With warmest wishes, Celestia."

The last person I was expecting to hear words of care from at all was Celestia herself. I sighed while rolling up the scroll. "That was nice of her."

However, Twilight still seemed a bit disturbed by the contents of the scroll. "I know... But...how did that happen? I thought Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna would be able to keep your dreams pleasant. But still, it's amazing you can share a dream with somepony like that. Maybe I could join you in your dream tonight?"

"I'll try to put in a good word with them." I replied quietly, although I still was not feeling very excited or happy at all. I then handed the scroll back to her. "Let Celestia know that I appreciate her concern."

"I will." Once Twilight had placed the scroll back in her saddlebag, she turned her gaze towards the cardboard box that was next to my bed. She was clearly curious of the contents of my most recent journal. I merely nodded at her to give her permission before she lifted it from the box and took a seat on Applejack's stool. However, she then turned her gaze towards the cart that held the food I had been given for breakfast. I barely even remember what it was. "Aren't you going to eat this?"

"Not hungry." I replied bluntly. I had no appetite whatsoever. Seeing that there was no reason to continue that discussion, Twilight started to read and flip through the papers that held my writing.

It did not take her long to provide some feedback. "Wow... I knew the princesses are powerful, but to have magic strong enough to turn something that big into dust?"

I said nothing while just trying to relax and distract myself from the thoughts that flooded my head. Twilight soon even started to giggle. "Wow... Completely outclassed. I can see why magic has a much stronger foothold in Equestria than technology does."

Although her expression became more calm and serene while likely focusing on the next segment of my dream. "Huh... So that's how humans once lived in Equestria..."

There was something about those words that caught my attention. I lifted myself up by propping myself on my elbow and looked at her. "You know?"

Twilight seemed surprised that I had heard her as she glanced over the papers in front of her. "Know about... Oh... That. Princess Celestia told me in private. Don't worry, I haven't told anypony else. It's a national secret, you know."

Not surprised that Celestia would find Twilight to be trustworthy enough to reveal that information to, I decided to leave it at that. While reading over my journal, Twilight would sigh, she would smile, and she would even laugh. But she then had some more verbal feedback to offer. "Wow... Taking on a dragon and winning without a scratch? No wonder the princesses have done so well at keeping Equestria safe for so long. They're the mightiest ponies in the world."

"Yeah, that was a sight to see..." I said softly while laying myself back down since my elbow was getting sore.

Before long, Twilight frowned sadly while bowing her head. "I can't understand why that happened when Cadence did that... She was only trying to help..."

I said nothing, though I could vividly remember the agony I felt when she used that spell on me yesterday. It hurt like nothing I had ever felt. It even caused me to bleed. Would that spell have killed me if she did not stop? Twilight did eventually reach the end of the journal, which took a couple of hours. But she then seemed to examine the journal itself. "Um... James? Did you tear something out of here?"

That caught my attention. I immediately turned to her. The last page seemed to have had the lower section ripped out. "Lemme see that..."

Twilight passed the papers to me. When I held them in my hands, I found that the last page seemed to have stopped at where I had originally planned to end my journal for the night before I picked it back up again. Everything below it had been removed while all the following pages were missing. "I know I wrote more after this..."

"Why would it be missing? Did something happen?" Twilight asked while seeming noticeably confused and even suspicious.

"I... I remember having a visitor last night. But I had almost fallen asleep and was extra groggy. That's why I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget..." I grumbled while not being able to clearly recall much from the previous night. Did the person who visited me come back and remove my writing to cover his or her tracks? I just have no idea.

"Hmm... Well, it looks like whoever it was didn't want to cause any trouble. There's no sign of breaking and entering. And they didn't hurt you. Maybe it's nothing to worry about. Could've been just one of the doctors stopping by to check on something." Twilight said aloud while looking around the room. True, nothing seemed out of place. Even so, I found it annoying that I could not remember more. I was not awake enough to write until after my mysterious visitor had departed. Still, it was inconsiderate to remove my writings.

"Anyway, I'll go ahead and send this journal to Princess Celestia right away. I'll also pass along your words to her. I'll be back in just a little while, all right?" Twilight added while she stuffed my journal into her saddlebags and placed them on her back and sides.

Seeing no reason to keep her, I nodded. "All right. Take your time." Twilight then approached me for a second before placing a brief kiss on my lips. A moment later, she said her goodbyes and was out the door and gone. It was then that I decided to at least start writing this journal to pass the time.

Roughly by the time I was finishing the above paragraph, I received a visit from someone else. There was a knock at the door before in trotted Rainbow Dash. "Hey, I was wondering if you were up. Morning, James." She then flapped her wings to propel herself across the roof in a long hop. "Everything OK this mor... OW!"

It seems she did not notice the new decoration hanging from the room's ceiling lamp and bonked her head on it before losing her balance and falling to the floor. That was so unexpected and funny that I could not help letting out a muffled snicker. Rainbow was not very pleased with it though and let out a groan while rubbing her head. "That hurt... What hit me?!"

I decided to point out what it was she collided with. "Twilight dropped something off from Fluttershy's house."

"Huh? Fluttershy?" My bold friend replied before looking up. It did not take long for her to notice the birdhouse hanging from the lopsided lamp. "A birdhouse? That's Fluttershy's, all right. Hey! That means..." She then took a look around the room while apparently eyeing the five other gifts I had received. "I guess this means you've got a little something from all of us! Pretty nice setup, right?"

As nice as it was, I did not feel enthusiastic at all. My response was quiet and subdued. "It's OK."

Rainbow immediately gave me a look of concern. "Hey, are you... Oh, who am I kidding? There's no way you're OK after all that happened. But...you're sounding even more out of it than you were yesterday."

I lifted my right hand and laid it upon my forehead while letting out a sigh. "I don't know anymore, Rainbow... I'm just so drained... The memories won't shut up and I can't stop seeing things in my head that I wish I could forget..."

However, Rainbow Dash then seemed to be fixated on something before her. Was she looking at my hand? "Hang on... Didn't you have a cast on that arm?"

"The cast was taken off yesterday, Rainbow. The burned skin peeled off and my new flesh has all grown in." I replied while rolling onto my side so she could see my full arm. The skin was still a bit pinker than the rest of me, but that would likely change before long.

"Whoa... It looks extra soft and cushy. How'd I not notice it yesterday? Uh... Hey, could I have a feel?" She asked in return while lifting a hoof towards my hand. I think she just wanted to make sure that it was fine.

While I was tempted to do as she asked, I retracted my hand as a recent memory flashed through my mind. I know it was just a dream, but... I could not forget. Rainbow Dash snatched me up in her arms and then let me fall to my doom. Would the real Rainbow Dash be willing to do the same? "I... I'm not sure."

"Oh, I get it. Extra sensitive right now? Gets really itchy when it touches hair?" She asked innocently without having the slightest idea of what I was thinking. How could she? I doubt she was even present in my dream.

I was unsure of how to word it at first. How was I supposed to tell her after all we had been through that I was not entirely sure if I could trust her? "No, it's not that... It's just... Well... Did you have any dreams lately where...you dropped me off a cliff?"

Her ears drooped instantly and her eyes immediately dilated upon hearing those words. I know those words hurt her, but with the memory that lingered in my head... She stepped forward, reached out, and held her hoof to my face. I was afraid she was going to slap me. But instead, she spoke softly to me with a desperate tone of voice. "James... I don't know what made you think that'd I ever do that to you, but don't ever go there. I said that you'll always have me and I meant it. Where'd you even get that idea anyway?"

"A dream... Dreamed you snatched me up from behind and dropped me off a castle. I knew it was you from your voice." I replied quietly while feeling a twinge of guilt fill my numbed heart. I did not want to worry her. I knew she is one of the few people I have left who I can unconditionally trust now. But that memory... She and Rarity came out of nowhere. Why would Rainbow Dash do that in my dream?

For a moment, Rainbow Dash said nothing. Her eyes wandered while her head turned here and there. Finally, she looked at me with a most worrisome expression. "James... I don't wanna sound superstitious, but... I'm honestly starting to think someone's out to get you. Putting these sick thoughts in your head... Do you think you've been poisoned lately?"

"I really don't think so... And it would have to be a pretty bizarre poison if it affects the mind and emotions this strongly..." I muttered in response, not really sure if anyone I know would be trying to kill me. Or rather by that point, I simply did not care...

A glimmer of determination filled my friend's rosy eyes. "Well, I'm gonna get to the bottom of this. I'll be right back. Gonna check around with the doctors and maybe anypony that talked to the night watch. Stay put." And with that, she hurried out the door and was gone. Although she also took the opportunity to remove my undesired food cart. Bless you, Rainbow Dash...

Once again, I was alone. Possibly as a result of Rainbow's energetic presence, I was feeling slightly more restless than before. I pushed myself up until I was sitting in bed. I had no drive to really do much, but I did not feel lazy enough to just lie in bed.

My eyes glanced around the room while I tried to ignore the sounds and sights that constantly filled my head. It was while I did this that my eyes fell upon the vase of flowers that were on the nightstand to my left. Still a polished black with pinkish azaleas sticking out of it. While that combination somehow instilled a feeling of unease in me by itself, I noticed something else on it that had not been present before.

Jagged text wrapped around the vase as if someone had carved them in. Only they were not. The text almost seemed to faintly glow and quiver in a way that made it all the easier to read. The text consisted of only two words written entirely in capital letters, but they repeated themselves all over and over around the sides of the vase. And for whatever reason, I felt a sense of gut-wrenching panic set into me as I read those two words over and over again.

IT'S ME

"It's you..." I muttered quietly as I felt as if the letters were burrowing into my mind and soul. "Who are you? Is it me? Or you?"

I felt as if I was on the verge of suffering a panic attack. This was not a form of mere symbolism such as azaleas in a black vase. Someone or something was trying to communicate with me. Although it felt more as if someone was taunting me with just these two words. Or was it just a hallucination? Was my constantly assaulted mind just exhausted to the point of seeing things that make no sense?

I had no way of knowing what in the world I was even witnessing. Feeling myself beginning to almost hyperventilate, I finally covered my face with my hand. I waited a minute or so before I parted two fingers enough to actually see past them. Much to my relief, the cryptic words that lined the vase were gone. It was still an unsettling shade of black, but at least I felt as if I was no longer being toyed with.

Perhaps I just did not get as much sleep as I wanted, what with me being forced to awaken by my apparent sudden 'death' in that dream. I tried to make myself comfortable and laid my head back down on the pillow and closed my eyes. But not before draping a piece of tissue paper over my eyelids. A strange instinct. My eyes had just provided me with an unhealthy dose of stress and I did not want to see anything else that would set my nerves on fire. With that, I tried to relax myself enough to actually sleep even as those memories hounded my thoughts at every turn. I could only hope Rainbow Dash would not mind finding me asleep when she returned.

* * *

><p>Another day at work, another day worrying about my friend... I mean... I just can't stop... Just when it looked like things were about to get better when he woke up, we had a really mean monkey wrench thrown into the works. He's... No, he can't die... I haven't even had the chance to say I'm sorry for breaking that Pinkie Promise...<p>

I can't even work. Mr. and Mrs. Cake have given me the last few days off because I'm just too depressed to do my job... All I'm doing is just lounging around on my bed, listening to these audio tapes I recorded. I can't get anywhere near him, so I have to make do with hearing his voice in these recorded memories...

"Hey, James! Did I ever tell you I have more than one best friend?"

"I think the whole point of having a best friend is that there is only one. That's what the 'best' in it stands for, right?" I heard him say in the recording.

"Well, not for me! Besides, everypony wants to be the best, so they'll just argue over who is the best of the best! That's why I think you can never have only one!"

I still remember that funny look he gave me. "OK then... Well, Twilight's one of your best friends, right?"

"Uh huh! Can you guess who the other one is?"

"I'm drawing blanks. Sorry." And he went right back to mixing that cake batter. That was just before I gave him a big hug from behind.

"You are, silly!"

I was crying. What happened to those days? Why can't things go back to the way they were? I don't want to say goodbye... "I wish there was something I could do, Gummy... I don't wanna see him go..."

Gummy was looking right at me and didn't say anything. But I could tell what he wanted to say. And it was brilliant. I felt my tears stop dripping as I gasped louder than I've gasped in a long time. "You're right! Why didn't I think of that?!"

I started running around the room gathering up all sorts of stuff. I realized I had an important duty to keep. I knew that my friend is dying. That he'll be gone in less than two weeks. But even so, I still have to do my part. If nothing else, I'll at least do everything I can to make sure his final days are the happiest days of his life.

"OK, let's see. Board games, fancy masks... Yeah, I think I've got everything! Thanks for the advice, Gummy! I'm off!" And off I went! I ran right down the stairs and outside before hurrying over to the hospital. Oh, why bother running? Why not just jump to the next panel to save time? Or better yet, just hop down a few paragraphs.

I was right outside his room. My heart was racing. I hadn't seen him for a few days. I took a peek in through the window to the left of the door. It looked like he was all alone and taking a nap. Perfect. I slipped inside the room without a peep. Aww... Sleeping like a baby. Good thing the big boys don't cry when they wake up!

I went looking through the records next to my phonograph that I let him borrow. It looked like he had been taking good care of it. But where is some peppy music... Ooh, my favorite ragtime songs! That'll perk up anypony!

I got that playing right away and put on my frilliest and most sparkly mask and reached into my saddlebags and pulled out some tambourines and started giving them some shakes. With all that music, it didn't take long for him to start wake up. "Hey there, James! I know things are looking pretty bleak, but we're gonna fix that! Good old Pinkie Pie is gonna make these coming days some of the best you've...OW!"

I don't know what hit me! One minute I'm dancing and shaking, and the next something hit me right in the noggin! It even knocked me right off my hooves! When I got my bearings, I saw that little square mirror on the floor by me that was on the windowsill. Did he...throw it at me?

"Get out...!" I heard him yell at me. James was sitting up with his hand gripping his head while it looked like he was trying to not look at me.

He looked hurt. Like he was in a lot of pain. But I had to help him! There was something I had to do to make him feel better during his final days! "James, it'll be OK. I just wanna..."

"No, go away!" He shrieked at me while trying to cover his eyes. What was I doing wrong? I just wanted to help, but it felt like I was only hurting him even though I wasn't doing anything.

My skin was burning... I was almost ready to cry. I didn't know what was going on, but it was scaring me. "I... James, please... I... I just wanna help... Let me..."

He yelled at me while peeking past his hand. His voice... He was in pain... Lots of pain. "Just hearing you and looking at you hurts! I don't wanna be reminded of you! Just get out!"

I don't remember much of anything else... I remember screaming and crying as I ran out of the room. I ran to the only place in town I knew where I could find somepony who would listen and understand. I... I can't stop crying... What did I do... Why can't I do anything?!

* * *

><p>I guess it would be OK if I wrote in this too. Pinkie Pie just came bursting into my house immediately after I had sent James' journal entry to Princess Celestia and was about to leave and go back to the hospital. She looked like she was all dressed up for some sort of party, but her sparkling mask was all lopsided and... She just looked and sounded like a wreck. In the last four years or so that I have known her, I have rarely seen Pinkie Pie have a breakdown like this. I know we have all been under quite a bit of stress lately, but... It was still such an extreme reaction.<p>

I gave Pinkie Pie some tea to help calm her and she just started writing in a stack of papers I had close by on a desk. Maybe it was to help relieve stress or maybe to leave a record of what happened, but I did not complain. I just wish I knew what happened. Once she had stopped crying and had finished that cup of tea, I finally decided to approach her and ask what was wrong. If Pinkie Pie was that torn up over anything, it must have been something pretty extreme. "Feeling better, Pinkie? If you wanna talk about what happened, I can listen."

She sniffled and hiccupped for a moment before she started to talk and face me. "I... I was just trying to help..."

"Pinkie, you know that the only ones who can help him now are the hospital staff. They're still trying to figure out what is wrong with him. They're doing all they can. All we can do now is be patient and wait..." I said while trying to be as gentle as possible with how I worded my sentences.

"It's not that, Twilight... I know I can't save him..." She said while wiping the tears from her eyes. "I knew that he's probably gonna die... So...I went there to try to make his last days in Equestria some of the happiest he's ever had... To make sure he would die smiling..."

That... Such a noble endeavor. "Pinkie... That's such a wonderful idea... You're such a good friend to him... But...what happened?"

She paused for a second while trying to catch herself to make sure she would not cry. "He... He yelled at me... Hit me with a mirror... Said that just looking at me ad hearing me hurts him... How can I help him if all I can do is hurt him, Twilight?!"

For Pinkie Pie, being unable to help a friend in great need is one of the worst things in the world. And it was tearing her apart on the inside. But while she started to cry again... Something hit me. The way she said that. "Hang on... You said that he is hurt whenever...he sees and hears you?"

"That's what he said..." She whimpered pathetically with her face buried in her arms. As for me, I felt a burst of hope and inspiration fill my heart. For the first time in a while, I smiled wholeheartedly.

"Pinkie. We just might have a way to get you close to him." I then trotted over to the kitchen and retrieved something that I was sure would help.

However, Pinkie Pie just gave me a tired and odd look. "Uh... Twilight? Is that a dish towel?"

That was exactly what it was. Black and longer than it is wide, it was pretty much just what I needed. "It certainly is. Now then, just leave your stuff here for now, Pinkie. We need to head on over to the hospital. If this works, you won't have to worry about anything hurting James when you want to see him."

"OK... Let's go." I think she did not have a whole lot of hope or just did not get what I had in mind. I was a little unsure of how it would play out, but it was the only idea I could think of. As for now, I am setting this journal aside. I need to hurry back over to check on James.

* * *

><p>What in the world was she even doing there? I fall asleep a few hours ago and I wake up to ragtime blaring in my room and the jingling of tambourines. And... Pinkie Pie. Why did she have to be there? Just looking at her and hearing her voice brought the memories of her wrath and screams to the forefront of my mind. It hurt... Thought a vein burst in my head. Even when she was gone, the ragtime continued to play from her phonograph. What a completely unfitting type of music to play during such tension. She even left a mess on the floor when she ran out of the room...<p>

If Rainbow Dash did not come back into the room right after Pinkie Pie left, I would have likely thrown something at the phonograph to turn it off. Not even a minute after Pinkie Pie's shrieking voice faded away, Rainbow Dash stepped back into the room. "Hey... Did Pinkie Pie stop by while I was out? She just ran right past me bawling her eyes out..."

I did not offer much of a reply. With my head now throbbing with a headache, I was not in the mood to talk. I merely set my head down on the pillow with a growl and set my right hand over my face to ease the strain on my eyes. Rainbow Dash then let out a sigh and sounded like she trotted over to the phonograph in the corner. "Ugh, she was playing ragtime? That's really not the first kinda music I'd think of listening to if I was laid up in the hospital."

Once the room fell silent, I heard Rainbow Dash trot over to my bedside on the left. I then felt her hoof rest upon my arm. "Hey... It's OK, James. I checked around and there hasn't been anything weird or suspicious going on. Nothing's been slipped to you. Although... Did Pinkie Pie really give you that much trouble? I'm amazed she even came by to visit after...you know."

"It hurt to see her, Rainbow... I've got a headache now, thanks to her..." I grumbled and moaned while rolling to my left. She was gathering up the stuff Pinkie Pie dropped and placed them on the wooden stool from Applejack's house before picking up the mirror I had tossed and placing it back on the windowsill to my right. She then looked at me with a frown before coming to my bedside. "How long was I out?"

"A few hours. I saw Twilight come back while you were out and she decided to stay at your bedside for a while. She left about an hour before you woke up. Said she forgot to do something at home." Rainbow replied while I started to caress her head with my right hand. It did not take long for her to start to push against my hand with a relaxed smile on her face. "Wow... I didn't think your skin would feel this soft after the burn healed... Almost as plush as a cloud cushion..."

I felt myself crack a tiny smile as I watched Rainbow Dash just lose herself in my touch. The soft feel of her coat was all the more noticeable upon my new soft flesh. Rainbow soon closed her eyes and set her head down on the side of the bed to allow my fingers to get dragged through her mane. Although before long, there was a knock at the door that drew my attention away from her.

A glance at the wall ahead of me revealed that the time was about half past 3 PM. "That late already? I must've been out for a while..."

"Maybe it's the girls again. I got it." Rainbow Dash said while flapped her wings to propel herself to the other side of the room. However, she ended up bopping her head on the birdhouse hanging from the ceiling lamp again. "Ow! Come on, isn't there a better place to hang that?!"

I got a good laugh out of that little accident. But then Rainbow Dash rubbed her head while tending to the door. She stuck her head out of the room to talk to whoever was there. But judging by how whoever was there did not come charging into the room, I had a hunch it was not the Cutie Mark Crusaders. And sure enough, Rainbow Dash took a step back ad smiled at me. "Hey, James. Your game buddy wants to say hi."

I did not have long to process what that meant. She stepped away from the door as it swung open, revealing a little colt wearing a propeller beanie on his head while a pair of saddlebags hung at his sides. I felt a small smile creep across my face as I immediately recognized him. "Button Mash..."

The little colt trotted into the room while smiling at me. "Hi, James! You feeling OK? That sleeping disease finally wore off, huh?"

"Button, a coma is not a disease. And I'm sure James must be very tired right now. Don't give him too much trouble." I heard a motherly voice say from the doorway. A gorgeous familiar earth pony mare stepped into the room with a saddlebag or two hanging from her sides. She then cast her warm loving smile towards me. "It's so good to see that you're awake, James. I was worried that you would've been out for much longer."

It seemed that both mother and son had decided to visit. "Thanks for being concerned, Eleina. And it's good to see you, Button." I said softly, feeling rather mentally drained even as the memories temporarily retreated in the presence of two faces I was happy to see.

Button Mash propped himself up on his hind legs and used his forelegs to pull himself up to the bed. Such a cute kid... "Are you OK? It's gotta be really boring being stuck here. Hang on." He then reached into his saddlebag and lifted something out in his teeth before placing it on my bed. "You wanna borrow my Joyboy for a while?"

It was a little handheld video game system that I had seen before. And although it seemed more designed for the use of hooves instead of hands, I think I could have operated it myself just fine. However, I calmly pushed it back to him. "I appreciate the offer, but no thanks. I don't have much drive for anything right now..."

This clearly shocked my little friend. "Huh?! But you're always up for a game of Equestrian Heroes when we're at the arcade! Why not?! I brought some extra games if you wanna try them!"

"Button, that's enough. I'm sure James isn't feeling very well. Remember the last time you had the flu? You couldn't even stay focused on your Joyboy." Eleina spoke up to quiet her son down before she came closer to me. She looked genuinely concerned for me. "I'm sorry if he seems a bit enthusiastic. Button has been pretty worried about you ever since he came home from the hospital after visiting you. You two were always such good friends."

"Thanks... He's a good kid." I replied weakly as I felt the memories starting to resurface. My hand reached out and removed Button's beanie before I began to scratch his scalp through his mane, prompting a delighted chuckle from the little colt.

Eleina then smiled a bit more and began to reach into her own saddlebag. "If you're feeling hungry, I whipped something up before we came over. A little home cooking that's good for the body and soul. I hope you like vegetables."

In her jaws was a thermos. I watched while she managed to remove the lid and set it down to double as a bowl. And when she poured its contents out, I was greeted by a delightful aroma and a plume of steam. It seemed to be vegetable soup filled with broccoli, green beans, tomatoes, corn, and kidney beans in a delicious looking broth. It was topped off by numerous little noodles shaped like letters. Alphabet soup. Rainbow Dash then trotted over to take a look. "Wow, looks like you've finally got some real food! Thanks, Eleina!"

Despite my memories, the presence of familiar faces and such a delightful aroma was enough to get my appetite going. "Nothing beats a mom's home cooking. Thank you, Eleina. I really need this."

Eleina giggled adorably before passing me a spoon while she set the thermos and the rest of its contents aside. "I was hoping you'd like it. Button loves my homemade alphabet soup. He insisted we bring some to you."

I made short work of the soup. As soon as the bowl was empty, I poured the rest and helped myself to it. Eleina really knows how to cook. "Man, that was good... Thank you again."

However, I noticed that my words did not seem to reach her. Eleina seemed to be locked in conversation with Rainbow Dash while Button was playing his Joyboy nearby. I decided to just listen to the two mares chat. However, Eleina then asked the question I do not think Rainbow Dash wanted to hear. "So... Do the doctors know what is wrong with him? It's been about two weeks since he was hospitalized, right?"

Rainbow frowned instantly upon hearing those words. I stayed silent. With my appetite slaked and with a lack of new distractions, I felt the memories starting to bear down on my mind again. "Well... They don't. They've been trying to figure out exactly what's eating away at him, but..." Rainbow Dash then bowed her head, clearly not wanting to admit or remind herself of what was stated days ago. "Unless they find out what the problem is...he doesn't even have two weeks left."

I heard a light clack. It looked like Button had put his Joyboy down before looking at his mother and then at me. I suppose he had overheard their conversation. Eleina looked jarred as well, judging by that gaze she was giving me over her shoulder. She then turned back to Rainbow Dash and asked, "You're serious? He really..."

"The docs said two weeks at most... It's already been a few days. And they've still got no leads..." Rainbow said forlornly with her head bowed. I know she was trying hard to not seem more upset, but it was likely a struggle for the brazen mare to keep her true feelings about the matter buried.

Button then tapped on his mom's leg and asked, "Mom? What does that all mean? What does James have too weeks left to do?"

Eleina looked back at me with a rather sad frown before facing her son. Button Mash is still very young. Only eight years old at this time of writing. Even younger than the Cutie Mark Crusaders by a year or two. It was no small surprise that he could not comprehend mortality. Eleina dropped to just her knees and spoke softly to her son, likely in the hopes of making him understand the concept of death. "I'm so sorry we would have to have this talk in this kind of situation, Button."

Bit by bit, his mother spoke while choosing her words carefully in such a way that a young child would understand. She spoke of things such as the local cemetery and even Button's grandfather, who he apparently did not know very well. But after a short while, Button looked over at me. "You mean... James is gonna...?"

The sweet mother mare nodded solemnly while I just lied back down on my mattress. Button then walked over to me and asked quietly, "James... Are you gonna...die?"

The air had become thick with tension. I had no way of knowing how well someone like Button would handle the news. But with my voice thick with a monotone, I spoke the honest truth. "Yeah..."

"But... But I..." Button stuttered briefly while his eyes quickly started to gather tears. He then jumped right at me and wailed, "But I don't want you to die!"

I was actually mildly startled from Button Mash's outburst. I supposed I should not have been surprised that someone so young would be more likely to become emotionally overwhelmed. I instinctively wrapped my arms around the crying child, holding him tenderly against my chest. The sound of Button crying... It is truly a pathetic sound to hear.

While Button whimpered in my grasp, his mother came over to my bedside. "I'm sorry about Button, James... You have always been a good friend to him and... I hope you pull through in the end. You've always been such a sweetheart..."

"Thanks..." I muttered in return while stroking Button's head. I wanted to tell Button that I was going to be fine. That he should not cry yet. But...I could not. I knew my days are numbered. And I would be lying if I said I was not partially looking forward to it. So all I did was hold him while stroking his mane. I had not yet placed his beanie back on his head.

Soon, Rainbow Dash came over to my bedside as well. "Hey, Button? Do you know if the girls are coming over today?"

I too was noticing that it seemed odd that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had not yet shown up. Although Button Mash soon dried his tears and spoke with a bit of a sniffle. "They... They said that they're gonna let James rest until the weekend gets here."

"I guess they just wanted to give you a break. They'll probably be showing up again in two days." Rainbow replied while glancing at the window for some reason.

There soon was the sound of something tapping on the window that was to the right of the door. When we all looked over, I was mildly surprised to see Twilight Sparkle peeking in out of the corner. She motioned for Rainbow Dash to approach her with her hoof. Rainbow responded with a nod and then looked at the three of us while she trotted to the door. "I got it. Just a second."

We all watched in silence while Rainbow began to pull the door open. But before it could open entirely, Twilight seemed to stop it from the outside, leaving the door open just enough for Rainbow to pass through. While standing halfway through the door, Rainbow Dash seemed to engage in a brief quiet conversation with Twilight before stepping back and allowing our wise unicorn friend to enter.

"Hello, Twilight. It's good to see you." Eleina said in greeting while trying to smile.

Twilight nodded with a somber smile of her own before glancing at Eleina and Button Mash. "I'm glad you two could stop by to visit. However... I really don't want to ask this of you, but is it possible you could leave us alone for a while? We really need to take care of something important in private right now."

"I understand, Twilight. We'll get out of your way right now." Eleina said with a nod before she gathered up the thermos and spoon she had allowed me to use and placed them back in her saddlebag. "Button? It's time to go."

"OK, Mom..." Button said halfheartedly. He then looked up at me briefly before giving me the best hug he could manage. "Don't die... Please... You've always been my best Player 2..."

Touching words... There was something genuinely sincere about such a childish way of saying that. I felt myself smile and possibly even shed a single tear while I gently placed his beanie back on his head. "Thanks, Button..."

Eleina gave me that warm motherly smile she always has on her face and gently patted my arm. "I really hope everything will turn out OK in the end. Take care, James."

With some reluctance, Button Mash followed his mother out of the room. However, Twilight then approached me while she used the levitation spell to lift what seemed to be a black rag from her saddlebag. "OK, James. I was doing a little brainstorming and had an idea. There may be a way to help you heal."

"Uh... Is that what that rag is for?" I replied while wondering what she was getting at with that thing beside her.

"Yes. After thinking back on your reactions to various stimuli, I think I know what the problem is. Or...part of the problem, at least. Hold still and sit up a bit." I did as I was told and lifted my head. Next thing I knew, Twilight tied the rag around my head like a blindfold. Its dark coloration kept out all light, rendering my sight blank.

"Why did you blindfold me?" I asked in some puzzlement.

"You'll understand in a minute. Hang on. I need to let somepony in." Twilight replied from my left.

However, while I heard Twilight's footsteps moving away from me, I heard Rainbow Dash speak up while she turned the phonograph back on with some gentle classical music playing. "Twilight... Are you sure this is a good idea? You saw what happened last time..."

"I know, Rainbow... But after analyzing some things, I'm sure this will work." I heard Twilight say before hearing the door creak open. "OK, he's ready. And remember. Not a peep."

I was very curious as to what was happening around me. But I soon heard the slow tempo of approaching hooves as the door closed. I started to reach for my blindfold to lift it, but I then heard Twilight speak up again. "No, James. I know it's tempting, but you must not remove that blindfold. Trust me."

I decided to take her seriously and just rested my head back down on my pillow. However, as the seconds went by, I realized that Twilight's voice had been coming from by the door. Whoever was approaching me was not her or even Rainbow Dash. "Twilight... Who did you let in?"

She spoke softly as the footsteps came to a stop beside me. "Somepony who misses you dearly..."

The temptation to remove my blindfold was strong, but I resisted that urge. Who was it? Soon, I felt a hoof rest tenderly upon my arm. I finally spoke up quietly, "Who are you?"

There was no answer. I turned to my side slightly and began to feel along the person's arm. It was definitely a pony. I then felt along the neck and then to the jaw. The muzzle structure was definitely that of a mare. I then slid my hand up and along her mane. I felt her lurch towards me, bringing her body close to my face as if this mysterious visitor was about to embrace me. The mane felt...frizzy. Poofy... And the scent... That smell in her coat. It was...vaguely sweet and got my sweet tooth excited. Like baked cakes and cookies. One name came to mind. "Pinkie Pie...?"

At first, I was filled with a sense of panic. The Pinkie Pie I knew was long gone. But at the mention of her name, I felt her wrap her arms around me tightly while quivering. I felt something warm and wet drip onto my shoulder. Tears... These actions were not like those of Pinkie Pie when I last saw her before I was hospitalized. I could not hear her voice. I could not see her body. I felt no pain. And among the maelstrom of painful memories, I saw them. The memories of better days with my peppy friend. The Pinkie Pie I thought no longer existed was holding me in her arms.

As this realization came over me, I instantly felt myself choke up. Tears began to cascade down my face and past my blindfold. She was there... Right there in my arms... I feared she was gone forever, but she was right there. I could not see or hear her, but I could feel her. Smell her. I knew she was there as I held her in my arms.

"Are you all right, James?" I heard Twilight ask from somewhere to my left.

"Ye... Yeah... This is Pinkie Pie, right?" I said through the tears while our grasps on each other remained tight.

I heard Twilight speak again. "It is... She came to me after she visited you today and mentioned how you told her that seeing and hearing her induced pain. And it looks like she was right." The sound of hooves approached me while she continued to speak. "This proves it. Your senses of sight and sound are what cause you to be hurt whenever they're around. But you can still feel through touch. And you can still smell."

She was right. I could still feel Pinkie Pie in my grasp and I could smell the scent of freshly baked sweets that had been absorbed into her mane and coat. And I am all but sure I could taste her if I wanted to. And strangely... The memories still remained in my head, constantly assaulting my mental vision. However... I soon noticed than some memories were no longer present in the storm. The ones of Pinkie Pie... They were gone. I actually had to consciously think of them in order to remember them.

I was tempted to lift my blindfold and see her. I wanted to see Pinkie Pie instead of just holding and smelling her. After I felt her lift her head from my shoulder, I whispered to her. "Hang on, Pinkie... I want to try something."

I brought my fingers to one side of my blindfold and began to lift it to uncover one eye. But the instant I opened it and saw that tearful pink face with blue eyes gazing at me... The memories... They exploded into my mind once more. I cringed and yelped, feeling as if my skull was beginning to crack. I instantly pulled the blindfold back down, the pain quickly receding. However, I then felt that tender firm embrace of my friend once more as she rested her head against mine.

"As I thought... James... I know it's tempting, but... Until they find out exactly what is wrong with you, you'll just have to settle for your three other senses. It's the best we can do right now..." Twilight said from nearby while I felt Pinkie Pie rub my head with her hoof.

I then heard Rainbow Dash speak up from just ahead of me. Likely while standing at the edge of my bed. "Sorry if that's all you can get right now... If you want, we can go get the rest of the girls."

As tempting as that was, I was feeling...incredibly relaxed for the first time in a while. While some of the memories continued to bombard my mind constantly, they had lost one fourth of their intensity. And for the first time in days, much more pleasant memories had begun to creep up past them to ease the pain. I decided to softly speak my answer. "No... Tomorrow. Right now... Pinkie is enough..."

There is not much else I can really document about what happened while I was blindfolded. I could not see or hear Pinkie Pie at all, so my interactions with her were extremely limited. How does one who is blind interact with someone who is mute? Either way, I could still feel her presence. It still had that familiar sense of cheer I had grown to love, but at the same time, it felt more...subdued. Somber, if that is even possible for her. But considering the deteriorating state of my body...and her constant adoration for her friends... I could understand why she was not as happy as she normally was.

At one point, Pinkie and I ended up playing a game of Weather Patrol with Twilight relaying Pinkie's guesses to me. But since I could not see where my own game pieces were, I had to rely on Twilight to actually set the extra 'hit' and 'miss' pegs down. Although I think Rainbow Dash sometimes messed with me by tricking me into making misses when she would sometimes take Twilight's role. I even laughed a few times. But I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for Pinkie to remain silent in the presence of laughter. For her to show such restraint for my sake... Bless you, Pinkie Pie.

Near the end of the day, Pinkie Pie had to depart for home. She stayed by my side all afternoon and well into the evening. But when she did finally have to leave, I felt her place an endearing kiss on my forehead. I almost never receive kisses from Pinkie Pie, so it must have been an exceptional show of adoration for a friend she sorely missed. We shared one last tender hug before I heard my friend leave the room. It was then that Rainbow Dash spoke up. "OK, James. You can look now."

I lifted the blindfold from my head and glanced around the room. The only people there were Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle. They were smiling brighter than I had seen them smile in recent memory. Twilight then asked, "So... How was it spending time with Pinkie Pie?"

I must admit... I was feeling slightly happier than usual. The memories in my head had lost some of their viciousness now that some of them were not present. I merely sat up in bed and yawned. "It was...nice."

"Yeah, you're looking a bit better now. Maybe pretty soon, you'll finally be on the road to getting better. I bet the rest of the girls can't wait to see you." Rainbow replied with a big grin. She was right. I did feel like I had slightly more energy than before. I even found myself eating dinner that night.

Before Rainbow Dash and Twilight could depart, we were paid one last visit by one of the hospital's doctors. The same one as always. "Ah, I was hoping I'd find you here."

"Hey there, doc. We were just about to head home. What's up?" Rainbow asked while she stood up from Applejack's stool.

The doctor seemed to have a clipboard floating near him with a slip of paper attached to it. He then lowered it to his face and began to look over it. "I just wanted to give you an update on your friend's condition. We still have not found any clues as to what the cause of his ailment is, but..."

"Yes? What's wrong?" Twilight asked while sounding somewhat worried. Although judging by the doctor's rather calm expression, the news could not be that grim.

After a moment more, the doctor began to speak. "Well... I have a tiny bit of good news. It seems that just this afternoon, his...deterioration, if you will, slowed somewhat. It was only barely noticeable, but the rate of decline has slightly decreased. I suppose that's a sign that we're making progress."

"Seriously?! It's finally getting better?! All right!" Rainbow Dash suddenly cheered before jumping into the air and raising her hoof high. Twilight also grinned brightly with some excitement while looking back at me.

"I'm afraid there's nothing else to report. But I will keep you updated if anything else comes up. Have a good evening, you two." The doctor said with a bit of a smile before departing.

"Wow... So, things are finally starting to get better?" Twilight asked while she turned to us. She was looking noticeably more hopeful than before.

"Well, it's about time! I'm sick of all this gloom and doom in the air!" Rainbow Dash said with a groan. It felt good to see her back to her usual rowdy self. She had been more subdued than usual in recent days.

Twilight seemed to glance at the clock before coming over to my bedside. "Well, visiting hours are just about over, so we should be heading home soon. But how do you feel, James? It looks like you might pull through after all. Isn't that great?"

To be honest... I was unsure of what to feel at the time. The allure of death was still there among the constant mental torment. But with the taste of relief I had just experienced... I was feeling more hopeful and positive than I had been since the day I awoke from my coma. "I...think so."

"Still feeling kinda out of it? That's cool. You just take it easy, James. We'll bring the whole gang by tomorrow. That cool with you?" Rainbow asked in reply while sounding much more cheerful than before. All I could do was nod. If things really can go back to how they used to be, then I was certainly willing to try.

Twilight placed a kiss on my cheek before smiling at me. "Don't worry, James. Things are going to get better starting tomorrow. Just make sure you hold onto that blindfold. You're gonna need it."

"Will do... See you tomorrow, girls." I said softly while waving goodbye. Once the two of them had left, I placed my makeshift blindfold in the bottom drawer in the nightstand to my left.

I cannot believe what happened today. Pinkie Pie... The real Pinkie Pie was there with me. And tomorrow... Rarity... Applejack... Fluttershy... Will they still be what I remember? Either way, I am eager to get to sleep and escape these irritating memories. I wonder where I will find myself this time when Nightmare Moon and Luna find me...


	38. Alone and Blind

Much like the previous night, I awoke in my dream inside Fluttershy's cottage. And like before, I dressed myself and snuck out of the house without being detected. I knew that the life I was supposed to be living in that dream was a complete and utter lie and did not want to be reminded of it. Besides, there were two friends I was expecting. I promptly made a beeline south, knowing where they would likely search for me.

The air felt somewhat cool as it was just at the start of the sunrise. Felt rather refreshing to be out and about in such crisp morning weather, although I still made certain to stay away from Sweet Apple Acres.

Being in slightly better spirits than before, I tossed some fish food to the fish that swam in the pond once I had arrived. Just like in the real world, they even jumped from the water to snatch up what they could before the food could hit the water. I suspect that they do so like a game. I could be wrong, but who knows how fish think?

I suspect my friends knew exactly where to find me since it did not take long for me to start hearing the sound of hooves drawing near from behind me. And when I turned to look, there they were. Nightmare Moon and Luna stood before me. The Princess of the Night smiiled as she spoke, "I suspected this is where we would find you."

A familiar warmth filled me as I beheld two dear friends I knew I could count on. "So... Where are we going this time?"

"That is entirely up to you, my friend. After all, we are merely here to insure you dream peacefully." Nightmare Moon replied while she drew near.

"Oh, right... Um... Let me think on that for a moment." I said while propping my arm up on my knee while holding my chin. Luna and Nightmare Moon soon took a seat beside me and alternated in tossing fish food to the fish that swam nearby.

I certainly did not want to remain in Ponyville. There was nothing for me in that mirage of a town. I tried to think. Anywhere else that I would want to be. But after a minute, a thought came to me. "Hey... Is it possible we could visit someone else's dream this time?"

Nightmare Moon was quick to respond with a smile. "Have you forgotten yesterday? If we could bring somepony into your dream, we could easily enter the dream of another, if you so desired."

"Cool! Well... I was thinking... Do you think we can check on Pinkie Pie?" I replied after a moment of thought.

This prompted a rather worrisome frown from Luna. "Are you certain? From what I understand, she is one of the..."

I spoke softly while trying to think back to the final hours of the evening before I fell asleep. "They made a bit of a breakthrough... I don't feel wary of Pinkie Pie anymore... I actually really miss her."

"Well, after what you've been going through lately, I would advise against it..." Nightmare Moon muttered while gazing at me with a concerned stare. However, she soon managed to crack a more sympathetic smile. "However... If you truly are that certain about her, we could always give it a chance. Should you wake up, we can merely try again once you fall back to sleep."

"Thanks... So, how do we get there?" I asked while we all started to stand up together.

Luna took several steps away from us while her horn was coated in her billowing blue magic aura. "Well, I need to find her dreaming mind first. I must admit that I've always been curious as to what the bearer of the Element of Laughter dreams about."

Nightmare Moon and I waited in silence while the Princess of the Night closed her eyes. "Hmm... No, that is the dream of one named Braeburn... That is little Silver Spoon... There she is!"

At those words, some sort of oval-shaped rift opened before her. While I could not see much past it aside from a kaleidoscope of ccolors constantly shifting like oils on water, I was sure Luna knew what she was doing. Nightmare Moon then nudged me forward. "After you, my friend."

"All right then..." I said quietly while I stepped forward. I then jumped through the portal and found myself standing on solid ground. The air smelled amazingly sweet... I then heard the sound of my friends' hooves landing just behind me while I surveyed my surroundings. I was both unsurprised, yet also amazed. "This is every diabetic's nightmare... Just what I'd expect, Pinkie."

The landscape was... How do I describe it? The road we were on seemed to be made of chocolate-coated sugar wafers, candy canes the size of lamp posts lining the road, trees that grew gumballs instead of leaves, ponds of liquid chocolate... There is just far too much to go over. The entire world was every little kid's dream. A world that was entirely edible and made exclusively out of things one would find in a candy store. It was an optical and olfactory overload. So many colors and so many smells... And I am getting a craving for something sweet just remembering it.

"Well... I have seen quite a few dreams... But this is...quite possibly the tastiest I have ever stepped into." Luna said while taking several steps past me.

"I concur!" Nightmare Moon added while she used her levitation magic to yank one of the chocolate bricks out of the road and chomped down on it. Her bite revealed the golden sugar wafers that lied within. "Mmmm... Delicious! All the flavor without the calories. I should visit dreams like this more often!"

"Hey, are you sure that's a good idea? Do you know who or what might've stepped on that?" I asked while finding the concept of eating the street to be rather unsettling. A lot of people tend to walk along such roads and you never know where those feet have been.

However, Luna merely gawked at my caution. "Take a look around you, James. If you stepped in something while in this world, it's liable that whatever it was is edible!"

We were soon laughing at this absurd yet amazing dreamscape. However, not even five minutes after we had arrived, Nightmare Moon soon pointed at me with a perplexed expression on her face. "Uh... James? Don't look now, but..."

"Huh? What? Something the... Uh... Hello?" I said while turning to look behind myself. When I did, I found myself staring into a big blue eye that seemed to be wedged into the end of aa telescope. There did not seem to be a lens there. It seemed that the eye was taking its place. After a moment of awkwardly staring at the eye, I gently pulled it down to peer over it. Instead of someone being just behind it, I found that the telescope was... Well, it was probably long enough to reach across Ponyville. It extended far over the colorful and tasty landscape to what seemed to be a hill coated in either powdered sugar or marshmallow fluff. Or maybe coconut, though I hoped it was not. Whoever was peering at me was quite a distance away. I then lifted the telescope back to its previous height and turned to face the two sisters of the moon. "Uh... One of the locals, I guess?"

However, I suddenly saw the telescope rapidly retract into the horizon and out of sight. I assumed that whoever had been staring at me had decided that it had stared long enough. But before I could look away... Well... There seemed to be an explosion of pink smoke on the top of the hill while...a pink streak bordered by two lighter pink streaks rapidly rose into the air while leaving a trail of shimmering sparkles in its wake. While I could not possibly make out what was at the tip of the ever lengthening pink trail, it seemed to be gradually curving towards us. I heard Luna ask, "Um... What do you suppose that is?"

Before long, the thing even started to descend. And it was then that I heard a familiar high-pitched girl's voice shrieking out to us while growing steadily louder, "THEEERRRREEEE YOOOOOUUUUU ARRRRREEEE!"

This kind of greeting was far more extreme than anything I was used to, so I began to back away and even turn to run. "Pinkiiiiiieee... Not so fast... I said... Get away from me!"

Next thing I know, there is a crash right behind me as a flurry of fireworks explodes all over. The shockwave of the crash knocked me right off my feet and sent me flipping through the air until I fell into something soft, bouncy, and even a bit sticky. It turned out that a taffy bush had broken my fall with me being stuck upside-down on it. But while I was starting to regain my bearings, I saw a familiar pink earth pony mare rocketing towards me with an ecstatic grin on her face.

"Wait a minute!" I shouted while extending my arms to keep her away. But that did not stop her. The crazy mare plunged right into me, wrapping her arms around me while the bush under us gave under her weight and speed before catapulting us both off like a trampoline. We ended up doing several back flips through the air before she landed on her hind hooves. And I was still upside-down with my face pressed against her belly.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you're here! We've got so much to catch up on... Uh... Hey, James? When did your head and legs swap places?" I heard the mare ask while hugging me tightly around my waist.

I spoke dryly to show I was not entirely amused with her antics. "I didn't. I'm down here."

"Oops!" She yelped before letting me go and causing me to flop onto my back. Gently landing on my head might have been more unpleasant if I did not have a bunch of chocolate-coated wafers under me. And right after that, she was looking at me with her head upside-down. "You OK?"

That face... It was only thenn while I got a good look at her that I realized who I was speaking to. And what I was and was not feeling while I did so. I reached up to her face with one hand and asked, "Pinkie Pie...?"

Pinkie seemed to understand what I was experiencing and gently curled her hoof over my wrist while my hand cupped her face. "Yeah... It's me. Can you see me? Can you hear me? You're not in pain, are you?"

My vision began to become blurred as I felt my eyes quiver. Before the tears could flow, I reached out and threw my arms around Pinkie Pie's neck. There were no words. I had felt her and smelled her the previous evening. And now I was seeing and hearing her for the first time in days without feeling any mind-numbing agony. I could still smell that sweet scent in her mane while it brushed against my nose. I soon felt Pinkie Pie embrace me as well before hearing her voice sounding as if she was trying to not cry. "It's OK... Everything's OK now... I'm here... You're here... We're all here..."

I knew it was all a dream. That once I woke up, I would likely be right back to where I was before. But for the time being, I felt no wariness towards Pinkie Pie. The memories that faded from my immediate memory the previous evening were still rather difficult to recall off of the top of my head. Everything was...back to normal.

"I trust that all is well over there?" I heard a familiar voice call out from nearby. It was then that Pinkie and I came back to our senses and glanced to our right. Hanging upside-down from what seemed to be a willow crossbred with licorice twists was Luna. One of the stretchy hanging branches had become wrapped firmly around one of her hind hooves and just had her hanging there with her arms crossed over her chest. She clearly was not amused.

"Oops! Did I send you two flying?! Hang on, I'll get you down!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed before she rushed over to the tree and completely forgetting about me for the moment. I too was finding myself cheering up at the rather humorous sight of Luna being stuck in a tree. But how was Pinkie Pie going to get her down?

It did not take long for Pinkie to show us what she had in mind. Once she was right by the trunk, I started hearing... Oh boy...

"Whoa, what are you doing under there?!" Luna called out while the tree shook. Due to the willow's low-hanging branches, Pinkie Pie was mostly obscured from our sight. But for what I could see... She seemed to be rapidly chomping away at the base of the tree like the world's most ravenously famished beaver.

I was left speechless with this most bizarre scene that was developing before me. What could I have said? Pinkie Pie was munching her way through the tree as if she were a chainsaw. Sure enough, the tree started to lurch to the side Luna was hanging from. "Oh no... No no no... Oh, forget it!" At those words, Luna vanished in a flash of light and suddenly appeared right next to me while back on her feet. I suppose she did not like the idea of a tree falling on her, even one made of licorice, and just teleported herself back to solid ground.

Of course, Pinkie Pie either did not notice Luna's absence from the tree or simply did not care. Very soon, the tree toppled and hit the ground with not a crash, but a flurry of thuds as the many strings of licorice hit the ground. Pinkie then hopped out from behind it and called out to us with a smile. "Plennty of licorice for everypony!"

"Um... Yes, we can see that... Wait a moment... Where is Nightmare Moon?" Luna retorted before glancing around. She did not get thrown very far at all when Pinkie had that crash landing, so where did the Princess of Dreams wind up?

I happened to glance to the other side of the road we were on and caught sight of a truly...bizarre creature coming our way. It was a walking quadruped mound of molten milk chocolate. I saw that it had an eye exposed. And judging by that beautiful yet unnatural teal eye with a narrow iris, it was Nightmare Moon. She then spoke out, "So... What'd I miss?"

"Uh... Wow. Where'd you end up after that blast?" I asked while I hurried over to her side. She was just reeking of a delicious sweet aroma.

Nightmare Moon extended her chocolaty wing and pointed the tip towards a pond of molten chocolate at the bottom of a shallow slope on the other side of the road. I suspect she may have struggled to climb out of it judging by how lethargic she was acting. Too tired to be angry or upset. "Right down there... Now, how do you recommend I get all of this off me?"

"Ooh, I know!" Pinkie Pie yelped while she hopped over to us. When she was about twenty paces away, she suddenly stopped and opened her mouth wide before her tongue suddenly extended and got stuck to Nightmare Moon's neck.

"Uh... What are you planning on... Wait... Wait, no! Nooooo!" Nightmare Moon yelled as she was suddenly pulled right into Pinkie Pie's waiting maw. Despite being significantly larger than Pinkie Pie herself, it seemed like Nightmare Moon had somehow shrunken down enough to fit inside by the time she had been devoured. I was unsure whether to find this bizarre occurrence to be scary or laughably silly, but considering that it was Pinkie Pie doing it, I felt I had little to worry about.

Luna looked on from behind Pinkie Pie with a rather flummoxed expression. Pinkie seemed to be chewing and licking whatever was inside her mouth with her cheeks bulging. Finally, that nutty mare swallowed hard and... Out from behind her, a large egg the size of her head seemed to emerge from...somewhere. It was white, but was coated in large pink spots. Luna, who clearly saw everything, had a rather unnerved expression on her face while her eyes displayed a type of horror that I had never seen in them before. I decided to call out and asked, "Uh... Do I wanna know what just happened there?!"

"You doon't! You really don't!" Luna shouted while nervously backing away from Pinkie Pie's posterior. I know Pinkie is a person who rarely makes sense, but this was a new level of absurdity. Did I want to know where that egg came from? Probably not.

Pinkie Pie then turned to the egg and tapped on it a bit. "Oh, Nightmare Mooooon! You can come out now!"

The egg started to wobble and crack before Nightmare Moon burst from it with a grunt before falling flat on the ground while looking rather exhausted. But at the very least, she was completely spotless. "How did you even fit me into that thing?! And... Well, at least that got all the chocolate off. Do you handle your own dry-cleaning?"

"Do we truly want to know anything about how this world works when her mind is what's creating it?!" Luna said fairly loudly while seeming rather terrified about discussing the topic. "There's a reason why I seldom dive into this particular mare's dreams, you know!"

Nightmare Moon promptly brought a hoof to her face while she shook her head. "Of course... While dreams do tend to get surreal, hers go the extra mile more often than not... I had forgotten entirely."

Pinkie Pie then merely hopped over to the Princess of Dreams. "Why'd you ever wanna leave?! Just look at this place! It's everything your sweet tooth could ever want!"

The two princesses took a moment to survey their surroundings. Luna then spoke, "Hmm... I suppose you have a point. This world, while certainly surreal, does seem rather tame compared to the few other dreams I've seen from you."

"What do you mean?! My dreams are perfectly normal! There's never anything weird in them! Well... They're normal for me, at least." Pinkie Pie exclaimed while sounding just slightly annoyed by that claim.

However, Nightmare Moon then glared at my friend and asked, "Is that so? Then would you kindly explain the dream where I found myself in a saccharine little village exclusively of mares with empty dead eyes?"

That caused Pinkie to shriek in terror and jump back. "Eek, you saw that?! Oh, no no no no no! Forget you ever saw that dream! Some things must never be known to Equestria or anypony else!"

I rolled my eyes at that. Pinkie Pie had not changed at all. Not that I was complaining. After all that had happened recently, it did my heart good to know Pinkie Pie was still herself. I then stepped forward and asked, "So... What is there to do here? This place called Candy Land or something?"

Pinkie Pie then looked up at me and smiled, apparently happy to have been reminded of where we were. "It sure is! Right now, we're in Licorice Grove. I can show you around, if you want..." However, her expression then darkened while she glanced back at the two royal sisters and then back at me. She then turned to Luna and Nightmare Moon before asking, "Um... Your highnesses? I know you've been sticking with James every night for a while, but... Would it be OK if it could just be me and him for tonight?"

This request prompted quitte a shocked look from both of the two princesses as they soon glanced at each other. Pinkie Pie then explained further, "It's just... I haven't been able to get anywhere near James since...you know... I wanna make up for lost time. That's OK, isn't it?"

After a moment longer, Luna simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled warmly. "Well, I don't see why not. But that's entirely up to him, isn't it?"

I looked down at Pinkie Pie while she looked back up at me. She was smiling rather pathetically, possibly in an attempt to goad me into agreeing. Although I must say that it was largely unnecessary. I greatly missed the Pinkie Pie I so fondly remembered and certainly wanted to make up for lost time with her. I looked at the two princesses before me and nodded. "Actually... That sounds like a good idea. Is that OK with you two?"

Nightmare Moon then smiled slightly and nodded as well. "It is our duty during these troubled times to insure that you sleep and dream peacefully. If what you wish is to spend your time in this dream with Pinkie Pie, we will not stop you."

Pinkie Pie smiled brightly, though not as brightly as she usually does when a conversation goes her way. But she quickly hid that slight showing of insecurity and jumped forward before her arms extended somehow and wrapped them around the necks of the two sisters several times before pulling them close for a grateful hug. "Oh, thank you! You won't regret this!"

"Uh... How are you doing this?" Nightmare Moon asked while giving Pinkie's arm a funny gaze, clearly unnerved by the bizarre sight.

However, Luna merely smirked while trying to not laugh. "You know that Pinkie Pie is somehow less affected by the laws of reality, sister. Combine that with the laws of the dream realm and you have an entity who makes no sense at all." The two royal sisters both laughed together while I snickered lightly under my breath as well.

Once Pinkie Pie released the two princesses from her stretchy grip, the two of them then spread their wings and took to the air before hovering above us. Luna then called out, "Well then... The two of you be sure to enjoy yourselves! Although, if I may ask... Do you have any recommendations on where we should explore first?"

Pinkie Pie then pointedd to... I think it was the east? "I definitely recommend checking out Rocky Candy Mountain! You can't miss it!"

"Rock candy, you say? Well, I can hardly wait! Let's be off, Luna." Nightmare Moon replied before she and her sister soared away and out of sight towards a large hill in the far distance.

However, while Pinkie Pie waved goodbye, she suddenly gasped. "Oops! Forgot to tell them about the chickens!"

"What about the chickens?" I asked with mild concern, knowing nothing about this strange and delicious world.

Pinkie Pie then turned to me and giggled with that delirious grin I had come to know her for. "Oh, nothing much. Just forgot to mention that the chickens there lay soft-boiled eggs."

Once that little conversation was over, I followed Pinkie Pie wherever she led me down the road. She must have been in a good mood since she was constantly hopping instead of walking. It really did feel like I was finally in the presence of the Pinkie Pie I know and adore.

"So... What is there to do in this place? Just eat the world?" I asked while surveying my surroundings. While I do have a sweet tooth, it is not particularly ravenous and I could not see myself getting the same level of enjoyment out of this world that Pinkie Pie does.

"Well... There's plenty to eat! And you don't have to worry about it all going to your gut since it's all a dream!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed before hopping off of the path and pulling a giant drinking straw out of nowhere and dunking it into another chocolate pond. She then closed her lips over the end and started sucking the whole thing up.

I was unsure whether or not to feel impressed or disgusted by the sight of Pinkie Pie gorging herself on liquid chocolate. She did not even pause to take a breath. It was one big inhale. After roughly a minute, she finally stopped and breathed a long sigh of satisfaction. "Yummmmmy! Huh? Ooh! Swedish fish!"

"Huh? What kinda fish?" I asked while I drew closer. When I reached the edge of the surprisingly emptied pond, I saw several dozen small multicolored gummy fish flopping around in the basin. Although they seemed to be alive... Best not think about it too hard. "Hey, those are some of my favorite candies!"

"I got it!" Pinkie said with a smile before pulling a straw basket out of nowhere and setting it by the edge. I stepped back while she jumped down into the emptied pond. A second later, a flurry of candy fish started getting flung into the air before landing right in the basket. "One fishy, two fishy, three fishy, four! A dozen would be nice, but you can always have more!"

A miinute later, Pinkie Pie hopped out of the pond and stood by the basket of gummy fish. It had been filled to near bursting. "All yours, James!"

"Many thanks, Pinkie. And... Man, that's a lot of fish." I said with a smile while noticing the faint scent of wine gum wafting from the pile of candy fish flopping around in the basket.

Before long, we were heading on down the chocolate wafer brick path while I constantly snacked on the candy fish in the basket that was hanging from my hand. Good stuff and I could not get enough. However, we soon came to a shallow hillside that brought to mind rock gardens. Only the gravel that usually covers them was replaced with jelly beans. The strange thing is each patch was divided by small graham crackers with two rows of identical colors being right next to each other. Each color was divided in half. Pinkie Pie seemed rather excited by the sight of them and hurried over. "Ooh, I was wanting to try these! Loopy jelly beans!"

"What makes them loopy exactly?" I asked while drawing near. I had reduced my fish supply to around half, but decided to stop since I was certain I would be snacking on beans soon instead.

Pinkie giggled excitedly at me and hopped to turn around. "These are loopy because they can be one of two flavors! Take a look."

It turned out that each divided row of matching jelly beans had a sign standing at the front. The text on it revealed their flavors, but did not say which side is which and the fact that the words were listed vertically did not help. "OK... Uh... Either tooty fruity or stinky sock... What?"

I heard my friend snickering madly behind me. "Go on! Read the rest!"

I soon found that these jelly beans are the kinds you would buy for your friends to prank them or to eat on a dare. "Popcorn or rotten egg...peach or vomit...juicy pear or mucous...lime or lawn clippings...blueberry or toothpaste...chocolate pudding or dog food...coconut or baby wipes... You really expect me to eat these?"

"I sure do! Because..." Pinkie said before pointing her hoof at my face. "I dare YOU to take this challenge with me!"

Considering that theree did not seem to be a whole lot to do in this tasty world aside from devouring the landscape and ecosystem, I decided to partake in this silly little game. "All right then. Ladies first."

"Oki doki loki! Let's see... Let's try...this one!" She said before going to the rows of yellowish green jelly beans. The flavor would either be pear or mucous. She then snatched up a bean from the right side and started munching it.

I waited with some anticipation, wondering if she would be tasting something that you would frequently taste while having a case of bronchitis. But she soon smiled and said, "Mmm, that's a pear! Kinda wish it was a bit crunchier though."

Assuming that the two rows divided up the flavors, it would be pointless to try the other side. So I headed over to the rows of blue jelly beans. "My turn. OK, blueberry or toothpaste..."

I decided to test if the tastier jelly beans were always on the right side and chose from the right. My hopes were dashed as I soon noticed the taste of fluoride in my mouth. Not a bad taste though, seeing as how toothpaste is supposed to go in your mouth. "That's toothpaste, but it's actually not bad. Pretty good."

"Ooh, a win-win flavor combo, huh?! Awesome! I'll try...lime or lawn clippings!" Pinkie exclaimed before hurrying over to the rows of green jelly beans. She chose one from the left side and soon looked like she was tasting something quite tasty.

"Got lime this time?" I asked while moving over to the white beans coated in multicolored specks.

To my surprise, Pinkie Pie did not give me the response I was expecting. "Nope! Lawn clippings! And it's pretty good!"

Seeing as how these flavors are either yummy or disgusting, I could see that lawn clippings would not taste good to anyone who is not an herbivore. "Well, of course it tastes good to you! I see you ponies eating grass all the time on your sandwiches!" That quip got a good laugh from Pinkie while I chose from the right side of the jelly beans before me. "OK... Dirty socks or tooty fruity..."

I started munching on the bean, but soon started to feel like I was smelling something odd. Only I was not smelling with my nose, but my tongue. "What's that... Am I smelling... Oh, good god... I got socks!"

To be fair, smelly socks do not smell that bad and might even smell a little good depending on who you ask, so I was not all that grossed out by the taste. Still would have preferred tooty fruity though. Once Pinkie Pie was done laughing at my reaction, she trotted over to the row of white jelly beans before choosing one from the left side. "Let's see... Coconut or baby wipes this time."

She soon started chewing, but then she started grimacing while shaking her head. I tried to hold in my laughter, but she soon said, "Wow... Ugh... So that's why Pumpkin Cake stopped chewing on those things when I was changing her diaper..."

I could not help laughing hard at the expression on her face. She soon coughed up the mangled remains of the bean and groaned in displeasure. Well, I suppose the thrill of not knowing what you will get is part of the fun. Although Pinkie Pie certainly would not agree. Once she was done gagging, she started rubbing a layer of chocolate dirt on her tongue to remove the taste. Anyway, it was my turn again.

"Let's see... Chocolate pudding or dog food." I muttered while standing before the rows of brown jelly beans. I chose the left side and started munching on one. "Hm... Huh... Dry dog food. Not bad, actually."

"Huh? Really? It's OK?" Pinkie asked while watching me.

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Yeah, it's not bad at all. I used to eat the stuff my grandfather kept around for his hunting hounds a long time ago. You'd be surprised."

This seemed to give Pinkie Pie an idea. "Well... I could see if Applejack could spare you some of Winona's food! She eats the dry kind too."

"Hey, just because I liked that stuff as a youngster doesn't mean I wanna snack on it now! My tastes have become a bit more refined since then! Anyway, it's your move." I replied with a slight smirk, finding that question to be rather silly.

"Oki doki loki! Let's see... I wanna try...popcorn or rotten egg!" Pinkie Pie said while she went to the rows of white jelly beans. I almost cringed at the thought of her tasting a rotten egg. The stuff smells bad enough by itself, so I could only imagine the taste of it.

Fortunately for Pinkie, it seemed she got the right one when she chose the left side. "Mmm! Now it just needs a little butter!"

"Guess it's my turn then. And it's... Oh no..." There was only one row of jelly beans left to try. They were an orange color associated with peaches. "Peach or vomit... What a way to end it."

"Hold on, James! How about we both do it? It'll be funnier that way!" Pinkie asked while she hopped over to me. I guess it would add to the thrill knowing one of us would get stuck with the wrong one and would come down to a flip of a coin.

"If you say so. Well... I guess...right for me." I said while feeling rather nervous. I took a bean in hand while Pinkie Pie took one from the other side. We then stepped away from the rows of loopy jelly beans. "Well...bon appetit, I guess."

Together, we popped our beans into our mouths and started chewing. Now, while peach has never been one of my favorite fruits or flavors, I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor I was tasting. "Mmm... That's good... Wait a minute..."

It was then that I realized what getting the right flavor meant for me. It meant... I rapidly backed away before Pinkie suddenly gagged and... All over the ground in front of me, she heaved great torrents of brown fluid that formed a great puddle. "What the... Pinkie! That's all the chocolate you drank from that pond!" To be fair, it actually smelled pretty good!

My friend panted and wheezed while more chocolate oozed from her open mouth. "Wow... So...that's what vomit tastes like... Funny that the stuff I just puked up tastes better than the jelly bean did!" However, she then eyed the puddle of chocolate before her and suddenly pulled out two giant drinking straws. "It still looks good! Want some?"

I could not help laughing at the absurdity of the question while still feeling rather appalled and threw up my hands. "What?! No, absolutely not! I don't care how it looks or smells! I'm not eating anything that's already been festering in someone's stomach!"

"Oh well. Your loss!" That nutjob of a mare said before sticking one straw into the puddle before sucking hard on the other end.

I cringed at the sight of my friend consuming the puddle of vomit in front of her. I do not care if it was nothing but chocolate, vomit is still vomit! "Ewwww! Pinkie, that's just wrong! Stop it!"

It did not take long for Pinkie Pie to finish ingesting the chocolate she had already eaten once. "Wow! Even better going down the second... Wait... That's... Uh oh..."

"Whaddya mean 'uh oh'? What is it this time?!" I practically yelled just seconds before Pinkie Pie suddenly heaved again, puking the contents of her stomach up a second time. That second time must have taken a lot out of her since she dropped to her knees while coughing hard. After a moment of incredibly awkward silence while staring at the puddle, I asked, "The bean was in that puddle?"

"Uh huh..." Pinkie wheezed before clumsily climbing to her feet. Feeling rather sorry for my friend experiencing such a powerful bout of vomiting, I handed her a cluster of my gummy fish. She gratefully took them into her mouth and started chewing. "Mmmm... Much better. Thanks."

Not much later, we found ourselves taking a walk through a forest that... Well, the trees were slender and looked like candy sticks. I was still munching on the basketful of gummy fish I had while Pinkie Pie was just hopping along. However, she soon came to a stop. "Ooh! Look!"

Just up ahead, something hopped out of a taffy bush. It seemed to be a small rabbit, but it was entirely a dark brown. "A chocolate bunny?"

"It sure is! And it's mine!" Pinkie shouted before she charged at the rabbit and leaped at it with jaws open wide. Fortunately, the rabbit had the presence of mind to not let itself end up in someone's mouth and ran away just before Pinkie Pie could faceplant right into the ground where the rabbit had been standing. I got a good laugh out of that, but that did not stop Pinkie. Once she had shaken her head to clear her vision and get the cocoa powder off her face, she dashed after that bunny like a hungry fox. "Wait! Come back! Let me taste you!"

I bowed my head while snickering under my breath. It was so good to have the real Pinkie Pie back. I then decided to stay where I was so she could easily find her way back to me. The candy stick forest was surprisingly dense. However, I soon heard the sound of hooves coming up from behind me. I suppose the rabbit had led her around in a loop to wind up behind me. I then turned around and asked, "Did that wascally wabbit outsmart you, Pinkie?"

Next thing I know, something smacks my basket out of my hand and spills my gummy fish all over the ground. "Ha ha. Very funny. You get a good laugh out of that?"

That voice was Pinkie Pie's, but it was so mean and spiteful. Even so, I was annoyed that she would do that to my snack and turned to face her after looking at where my snack had been scattered. "Hey, what's your deal? Was that really ne... Wait..."

Something was wrong. The Pinkie Pie before me was looking rather angry. And her coat and mane... It was...grayish. Dull. And familiar... The same way she looked when... "You're not Pinkie Pie..."

"Of course I'm Pinkie Pie! Guess Fluttershy must've done more than give you a headache back then." She cruelly said while bringing up unpleasant memories. But... Wait. How did she know Fluttershy kicked me in the head? She was not there to actually witness that... Was she?

Fortunately, she did not have that much time to yell at me. A familiar voice then called out from behind me, "Hey!"

The two of us then turned and saw the real Pinkie Pie trotting towards us while looking rather aggressive herself. At least I am sure that was the real Pinkie Pie. Her colors were bright and vibrant shades of pink. She then marched right up to the grayish version of herself and looked her dead in the eye. "You leave my friend alone! He's been through a lot of awful stuff lately and doesn't need some meanie jerk yelling at him!"

However, the grayish Pinkie Pie did not seem very fazed by the real Pinkie Pie getting right up in her face. "Oh, buzz off, you phony. He knows who the real Pinkie Pie is. He knows it."

"Yeah, you bet he knows. The real Pinkie Pie is one of his bestest friends in all of Equestria. ME!" Pinkie replied rather angrily while getting even closer to her grayish copy.

However, the rather mean version of Pinkie Pie was not going to back down easily. "No, I'm Pinkie Pie."

But then Pinkie Pie got right up in her face while holding her hoof to her chest and yelled, "I'M Pinkie Pie!"

"I'm Pinkie Pie!" The grayish Pinkie yelled back. They just started parroting the same line over and over while mimicking each other's poses. It was becoming so absurd that I was even finding it more laughable than stressful. I even took the opportunity to round up my dropped fish and placed them back in the basket while the two mares argued loudly.

Finally, the two of them just glared at each other while growling. It is rare to see Pinkie Pie angry, but she was clearly getting quite frustrated. Finally, she seemed to smirk and took a few steps back. "I'll prove that I'm Pinkie Pie."

She then brought her hoof to her jaw and pulled it away. However, I then noticed something missing. Her mouth was gone! It looked as if her coat had just grown over it! And resting atop her upturned hoof was...a disembodied smirk that soon turned into a moving mouth. "First, I'll do this!"

She then tossed her mouth into the air before sliding her eyes off of her face in the same manner and began to prance around while juggling them with her mouth like some eyeless and mouthless circus performer. While bizarre behavior from Pinkie Pie is pretty much routine, I have never seen her try something as impossible as that before. Even her grayish copy seemed a bit uneasy while watching this potentially haunting performance.

A moment later, Pinkie Pie somehow put her eyes and mouth back on her face. "Next, I'll do this!" Her torso then suddenly extended to my left and through the forest while her lower torso stood where it was. It was as if she jumped, but her lower body decided to stay behind. Once her upper body was out of sight, I then heard her voice speak to my right. "Hello!"

Pinkie Pie's upper body was extending from over the horizon. She had just tapped her mean gray copy on the shoulder, mildly startling her before suddenly retracting back over the horizon and back to her lower body in front of us in a matter of seconds. Just...try to not think too hard about that.

"And now, I'll do this!" Pinkie Pie said before she suddenly jumped up and...completely disappeared.

* * *

><p>And then the mean Pinkie Pie suddenly vomited up a pile of gumballs! And then she grew giant moose antlers! And finally, her hooves turned into heavy bricks!<p>

Pinkie, what the hell are you doing writing with this?! Get that pen away from my journal! Write your own! And why can I see and hear you just fine without getting hurt?

But James, this is funny! It'll make the readers laugh!

Pinkie Pie. Whose journal is this?

Oh...fine. I'll stop. But can I please write one more thing?

All right, but make it short.

All right! To all the readers out there, don't worry too much! No matter how bad things get, everything will turn out just fine!

And then the mean Pinkie Pie turned into a

OUT!

EEK! OK, bye!

* * *

><p>I have no idea how to describe what happened next. The grayish Pinkie Pie suddenly choked and gagged before vomiting violently. Only...the contents of her stomach seemed to be nothing but completely dry multicolored gumballs. Once a pile of them had formed between us, she yelped as a pair of large moose antlers suddenly sprouted from the sides of her head. Her hooves then suddenly extended and... I swear they looked like red bricks. And they seemed to be just about as heavy too. "What's happening to me?!"<p>

Right after that, Pinkie Pie seemed to drop back down from nowhere. I instantly asked, "What the hell did you just do?!"

Her response was brief and precise. "I just messed around with the script! And now I'll do this!"

Pinkie then placed her left hoof on her right and began to...rotate it. It sounded like she was winding up a music box or something. The pink coat over her wrist became increasingly twisted like a spring. Even her mean-spirited clone seemed baffled by this. After roughly a minute, Pinkie Pie stopped. It looked like a tightly coiled spring was tucked inside her wrist.

"And finally..." She said quietly while reaching back with her hoof. "I'll do this!"

A second later, she thrust her hoof forward only for the 'spring' in her wrist to launch her hoof forward at great speed, turning it quite literally into a spring-loaded punch. It hooked upward at the last second, slamming hard into the grayish Pinkie Pie's jaw and sending her hurtling skyward and over the horizon while letting out a long yell.

"And that's how you know I'm Pinkie Pie!" My friend said triumphantly while she trotted over to me while her uncoiled wrist returned to normal.

However, I could only snicker and shake my head while remembering her words. "Messed with the script... You're awesome, you know that?"

Once my friend was right next to me though, she frowned right away. "Hey... I wasn't gone too long, was I? She didn't do anything really mean, right?"

I shook my head while dusting off the powdered cocoa from some of my fish. "Fortunately, no. All she had the chance to do was knock my fish out of my hand. It's OK now though."

Pinkie Pie breathed a huge sigh of relief. "That's good... But just what was she doing here?! I haven't seen her in my dreams so far..."

"No idea... Should we just keep moving?" I asked in the hopes of just moving on and forgetting about that little disturbance.

"Uh... Sure! Say, you wanna go skiing?" Pinkie asked in return while seeming noticeably more excited than a moment ago.

"Skiing? I don't know how." I replied while imagining myself having trouble right away once I was on the slopes.

"Oh... What about snowboarding?" She then asked while still looking rather hopeful.

"While I would probably be better on a board than skis, I still don't know how to actually do that." I replied while still liking the idea of snowboarding.

Pinkie Pie then paused momentarily while holding a hoof to her chin. "Hmmm... Well... What about just sledding?"

"Sledding? Wow, I haven't done that in ages. Sounds fun! But... Where exactly did you plan on taking us?" I asked in return with a smile. Although it was funny that she mentioned skinning. It was far too warm out to possibly ski anywhere.

My answer seemed to perk my friend up quite a bit as she suddenly trotted on ahead. "It's right this way!"

Knowing that Pinkie Pie probably really knew her way around better than I did, I followed after her at a brisk pace. Before long, we emerged from the forest to find a rather unexpected sight. A ski lift stood before us that led up to a nearby mountain. Surprisingly, it was covered in white snow. Or was it? "Hey, Pinkie? Just to check... That mountain isn't really covered in snow, is it?"

"Nope! It's all powdered sugar!" Pinkie Pie said with a giggle before trotting over to what I assumed was the ticket booth. It was made entirely out of gingerbread, icing, and peppermint candies. She then held up two gumballs and said, "Two, please!"

It seemed that the ticket provider was a gingerbread man. Even though his face made of flat gingerbread, icing, and red candy bits did not change at all to speak, his short stubby arm bent forward and grabbed the gumballs. I could not help snickering under my breath, "My god, this world really is just like any candy land you could see in any little kid's film of your choice."

Pinkie Pie then trotted over to me with a smile on her face. "We're all set! Let's grab a seat and be on our way."

The benches that hung overhead were being suspended on thick wires that seemed to be made of sturdy licorice strips while the benches themselves were made of sugar wafers. I was actually rather hesitant to sit on one out of fear of it not being able to withstand our combined weight. Either way, I got myself close to the ground and sat down on the next one that came by while Pinkie Pie did the same. Next thing I knew, we were being carried lazily through the air towards the summit of the sugarcoated mountain before us.

The view on the way up was astounding. Nothing but an edible landscape as far as you could see. Although I noticed that Pinkie Pie was being abnormally quiet. If she was riding a ski lift over a landscape of candies and chocolate, I would expect her having a hard time staying quiet. She would likely be pointing at everything and anything that looked colorful and tasty. Not that I minded her being quiet. It felt good to just enjoy the lull in the excitement before arriving at the summit for the excitement of going back down the mountain.

After a few moments of silence, I felt the bench lurch slightly before feeling Pinkie Pie sidle up right next to me. I glanced to my left and saw her looking at me with an uncharacteristically somber frown. "Something wrong?"

She sighed for a second before gently leaning against me. "I just really missed you... And I felt so scared when I saw her there with you..."

I tenderly wrapped my arm around her with my hand resting upon her shoulder. "I missed you bad too... Almost forgot what it's like to hear you laugh."

Pinkie giggled just slightly at my words before nuzzling her head against my chest. "It felt...so nice to finally see and touch you again... Even if I couldn't say anything or let you see me..."

I thought back to the moment when I felt her near me when Twilight Sparkle temporarily took away my sight and hearing. I could not see her, nor could I hear her peppy voice. But I could feel her. And I could smell her. That faint scent of Sugarcube Corner's kitchen was still being carried in her mane as I inhaled through my nostrils, even among the scents of so many other sweet delicacies being carried on the wind. And now, I could see and hear her once more.

My arms wrapped around my dear friend and held her even closer to me while I sighed and bowed my head to rest it upon her mane. "I'm glad you haven't changed..."

For a good while, the two of us just sat there in each other's company while awaiting our arrival at the mountain's summit. It was just...a moment of reconnecting with someone I feared was gone forever. Eventually, we did arrive at the white top of the mountain and hopped off the ski lift. There seemed to be another gingerbread booth along with various types of skiing gear propped up against its walls.

Pinkie Pie wasted no time in perking up and hurrying over to the skiing equipment. A moment later, she wobbled over to me while carrying a large flat sled before plopping it down right at the edge of the slope that went down the side of the mountain. Only I noticed some odd design choices. It actually seemed to have a steering wheel of sorts, although it was more rectangular than round, and the forward half of the runners were separate from the back. They seemed designed to turn so the sled could move in more than a straight line. I was especially surprised to see that the sled was just my size. With the curved domed cover over the base of the wheel's rod and a low seat on it, it brought to mind a type a bobsled. True to the world we were in, it seemed to be made of graham crackers, hard candy, and solid chocolate. "Wow... Never seen a sled you could actually pilot. Looks like fun."

"And it's all yours!" Pinkie replied while she ran back over to the booth and staggered back over to me with a pair of skis under her hooves and some ski poles being clutched in her ankle joints. She was also wearing a set of big goggles over her eyes that had a very reflective lens. For once, it was not made of anything edible. "All ready?"

I must confess that I felt rather nervous about this whole thing while I looked down the slope. Sports have never been my thing, and while a bit of excitement is always good, I needed a bit of a push to actually get going. Something Pinkie Pie was all too willing to give.

"OK, I'll be coming along in a minute! Enjoy the ride!" I heard Pinkie say the instant I turned away. I felt the sled lurch forward as she gave me a push and the downward incline caused the sled to begin to speed up.

"Uh... OK, let's do this!" I said as a new rush hit me while my speed increased. Pretty soon, I was hurtling down the mountainside with the sweet smell of sugar all around me.

I found very quickly that I could indeed change the trajectory of the sled with turns of the wheel in my hands, though I dare not make a quick turn lest I tumble sideways. And sure enough, I heard Pinkie Pie cheering as she went airborne from a jump before landing beside me with her ski poles in her grasp. She looked my way with her eyes obstructed by her goggles. "Having fun?!"

"Yup!" I replied while trying to stay focused on the path ahead of me. I would occasionally have to weave around the odd candy tree, but the path was largely open. However, after only a couple of minutes, I was dealt an unexpected interruption. Right ahead of me, the ground suddenly popped open like a bunker hatch.

"What the...?!" I yelped while I helplessly slid right down the new path before the place went dark when the hatch closed right behind me. I heard Pinkie Pie call out, but there was not enough time for either of us to react.

I was sliding down a narrow tunnel that was lightly illuminated by what seemed to be some multicolored luminescent rock candy crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling while the air smelled strongly of cocoa powder. Perhaps it was due to their crystalline appearance, but I was given the impression that I was now on some sort of mine cart attraction. I whooped and yelled in excitement as I hit several turns and steep drops. It may not have been what Pinkie Pie had in mind, but I was having a blast.

The ride went on for a couple of minutes, which is actually quite long for amusement park standards. Finally, I felt the sled get launched into the air, sending me flying right out of my seat. I heard the sled crash somewhere below me, but I landed on something that felt pretty soft before I was catapulted into the air again while slowly turning in the air. I finally fell rather lightly on something that recoiled under my weight to minimize the impact. Once I felt myself come to a stop while upside-down, I let out a laugh. "Woo hoo hoo! What a ride!"

One thing I noticed right away was that I was strangely unable to move. Was I pinned to something? I was stuck upside-down and could not pull myself to the ground. I felt something pinning my wrists and ankles to whatever surface I was on. Worse, the chamber I was in was pitch black. There was not a single source of light anywhere.

"Uh... Pinkie Pie? Hello?" I called out, realizing that I was stuck. This surely must have been something that she planned. She was probably already nearby or on her way to me. However, I did not wait long before I heard and saw a match being lit.

"That you, Pinkie?" I asked while watching that tiny flame moving through the air. It was almost unbearably quiet and a strange tension was building. Soon, I saw another larger flame appear as the match seemed to ignite a candle. And standing within the glow of the flame was a familiar face. "Pinkie?"

Due to the orange glow of the flame, I could not make out the tone of the mare's coat. However, she was casting me a noticeable scowl. She then seemed to light a few more candles that were concealed in the darkness that cast a larger glow over the immediate area. They were all set upon a single table. And among the glow on the table seemed to be some...rather unsettling tools.

"So, you enjoyed that little detour?" Pinkie Pie said to me while she came to the side of the table that held the various tools. I was unsure whether or not to feel wary or annoyed by my restraints. But I could clearly see that the mare before me was the same imposter as before, only she somehow had managed to remove her antlers while her hooves were back to normal.

"Uh... Yeah, actually. What do you want?" I retorted while seeing the face I really did not want to see.

For whatever reason, her rather bitter expression turned into a cruel smirk. "You really wanna know?"

Out of nowhere, something moved from my left and clamped over the left side of my face. Some sort of facial brace? I felt my eye suddenly open exceptionally wide and soon found that I could not even blink. While I grunted from the discomfort, I saw the false Pinkie Pie reach for the table and pick up a pair of clasps in her ankle joint. She then sneered at me and hissed, "I want some toppings for my cupcakes."

"Toppings? What kinda..." I began to reply before freezing as she began to slowly approach me. The two tips of the clasps were constantly pointing at my face. Or rather...my eye. "Wait... No, you're not... You're not seriously going to..."

I began to fidget and squirm, struggling against my restraints while Pinkie Pie drew closer. Almost as if she was relishing my fear. "That's right. I want something soft and squishy to go with my Nightmare Night themed cupcakes. And those little peepers are perfect for it."

"Why're you doing this?! What do you have against me?!" I practically yelled as I dreaded the thought of what she was about to do to me. But no matter how much I struggled, I could not escape.

"Why?" She asked with her smirk turning into another scowl. "Because I hate you. I always hated..."

There was a loud crack as her head twitched while that angry expression became a more dazed one. She then collapsed in front of me while I noticed the broken end of a candy cane roll by her. It must have been at least as thick as my leg. And standing right behind her with the rest of that candy cane clutched in her arms was the real Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie...?" I said softly while my anxiety began to subside. Her expression seemed rather grim and focused while she held the broken stick of peppermint candy in her arms. I was especially impressed that she had clubbed her doppelganger over the head just to get her away from me. But when her eyes met mine, her face rapidly dissolved into one of immense relief.

Pinkie Pie silently dropped her makeshift club and hurried over to me. I felt whatever was on my face slide away, my eye blinking instantly afterward while my wrists were released before I also felt my ankles become free. I did all I could to ease my descent to the floor before I noticed Pinkie Pie quickly strap her unpleasant copy to the table I had been pinned to. Probably to insure she would not come after us again.

I sat on the floor while watching Pinkie shackle my incapacitated captor to where I had been a moment before. And soon, she turned to me and embraced me tightly before I could eve properly react. "Are you OK...? She didn't hurt you, did she?"

I felt myself relax in her grasp while I too held my friend in my arms. I was most fortunate that she found me as quickly as she did. "No... I'm glad you showed up when you did. Said something about using my peepers for cupcake toppings..."

Just hearing that made her cringe. She then whispered, "Let's get outta here... I don't wanna look at this stuff. Bad memories..."

"All right..." I said briefly before I stood up and began to follow her out of the chamber. But while we passed by the table that held the candles, I got a good look at the other tools. They seemed to consist of garden shears, a large knife, a hacksaw, a hammer, and...a motorized circular saw? "Pinkie... Why do you remember seeing stuff like this?"

By that point, Pinkie Pie's gait became unsteady while she walked. "It was a nightmare I had once... I wish I couldn't remember it... Some stupid sergeant guy covered in sprinkles brainwashed me into... I don't wanna say it..."

Pinkie Pie then suddenly sat down and buried her face in her hooves. She was crying. "That wasn't me... I'd never do that to Rainbow Dash... Stupid donuts and sprinkles before bed... Stupid sergeant with sprinkles... Stupid, stupid, stupid..."

What in the world did she dream that those tools reminded her of? Was the room we were in about to become a type of torture chamber if she had not intervened? Even so, it is rare to see Pinkie Pie cry over anything. She was clearly hurt. I kneeled behind her and wrapped my arms around her while whispering into her ear. "I know that wasn't you... Anyone who seriously thinks you could ever become like that is an astounding idiot who deserves to get pelted with every tomato in Ponyville."

Among her quiet sobs, I could hear a soft giggle in Pinkie Pie's voice. She soon lowered her hooves from her eyes and looked back at me while sniffling loudly. "Yeah... Then he'd be the sergeant of tomatoes instead... Thanks, James..."

Not wanting to stay in that creepy dungeon any longer, the two of us hurried down a narrow corridor and soon found ourselves at the base of the mountain we had just been sliding down. It seemed that wherever we had just been was a natural cave. I then asked, "So... Where to next?"

After Pinkie Pie dried her tears, she seemed to reach past me before pulling something behind me... I swear, it almost felt like she had just pulled a new backdrop behind me. And strangely... I do not know how she did it, but being in a dream world likely helped, I found myself standing on a wafer dock beside a... Well, I actually am not too sure what it was made out of, but a gondola was floating in a slowly flowing river of liquid chocolate. It seemed to be lined with giant gummy bears that were meant to be used as pillows. "Um... A boat ride?"

Pinkie then trotted up beside me and said, "I was thinking we could just spend a little time relaxing after everything."

Before I could answer, I felt a slight quiver in me. I recognized it right away. "Well, seeing as how I'll probably be waking up soon... Sure thing."

I then stepped into the boat and just lied down on the soft tasty cushions while Pinkie Pie hopped in before pushing the gondola away from the dock and just set us adrift. With the dream nearing its end, we had no destination. Just to spend our final minutes together before we would have to awaken. To make the ride even more comfortable, the stern had a canopy made of colorful paper.

For a moment, I just lied there while taking shelter under the canopy to keep the sun out of my eyes. However, I soon felt Pinkie Pie lying upon me while nestling her head against my chest. She did not say a word. I merely responded by draping my arm over her side. After what felt like several minutes, I heard Pinkie Pie speak up. "James...?"

When I tilted my head forward to look down at her, I saw that her eye was looking right at me. "May I come see you again today?"

As much as I wanted to see my friend in person and not just in a dream, I knew better than to just let her stroll into my hospital room without any precautions. "You might want to check with Twilight first. But if she thinks you can, then sure."

Pinkie Pie smiled in a rather sad way before closing her eyes and holding onto me. "I can't wait to be able to talk to you again... I still need to say I'm sorry..."

"Sorry? For... Oh... You can tell me here, right?" I replied while realizing what it was she was feeling guilty for. I had all but forgotten about it.

"No... I wanna say it to you for real... I didn't do all that in a dream, so I shouldn't say it to you here. I'll wait..." She said somberly while sounding noticeably less peppy than before.

I said nothing in objection. The two of us just floated on down the river in silence. Eventually, as I felt that odd sensation again, I felt the boat lurch forward a bit. When I looked towards the bow, I saw the reason for it. A pair of familiar alicorns had landed upon the deck.

"I trust you two had a good time?" Luna asked while peering into the canopy that shielded us from the sun.

Pinkie Pie lifted her head in surprise before nodding with a faint smile. "Uh huh... It was fun... Um... Do you think you can bring him by tomorrow night too?"

Nightmare Moon then asked, "Hmm... Well, that's up to him now, isn't it?"

I did not think long to come up with a reply. "I think I'd like that. Same time tomorrow?"

Pinkie did not offer a verbal reply. She merely held me in a tight embrace. However, it was then that my vision began to blur. Before my vision faded, I heard Luna speak out to me. "Take care, my friend. We will see you again tonight."

I felt a familiar cushion below me as my senses returned. A familiar beeping sound reached my ears. And then... The memories. As my eyes adjusted while I began to understand that I was once again back in the real world, the memories began to creep forward into the forefront of my mind. The pain... It sapped my will and drive. However, I was quick to notice some that had been present before had gone silent. The memories involving Pinkie Pie from that day did not flash through my mind once.

With the pain having been somewhat dulled, I did not feel quite as drained or lethargic as before. I even felt a bit of my appetite return when one of the nurses brought by some food for breakfast. Granted, hospital food is seldom very appetizing, but the memory of eating plenty of sweets left me in the mood for healthier eating.

I had barely finished eating breakfast when I heard a knock at the door. The nurse had opened the blinds that cover the window to the right of the door, so I soon saw Twilight Sparkle peek through it. I waved at her and soon saw her enter through the door. She greeted me promptly with a slightly happier smile than she had normally been seen with lately. "Good morning, James. Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, actually. Pinkie Pie picked an interesting world for us to spend time in." I replied with a small smile of my own spreading across my lips. The memories were still there, constantly harassing my mind. But at least they were not quite as loud as before and there was less to see.

Twilight seemed to notice my minimal discomfort while she came to my bedside and asked, "You do seem a bit more at ease today. And funny you mention that. When I stopped by Sugarcube Corner while I was heading over here, Pinkie Pie said that you visited her in her dreams with Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon."

She then started to muse over her thoughts, apparently finding the thought fascinating. "It must be amazing to visit the dreams of others while still being able to completely remember it. Lucid dreaming is always so fun. Maybe I could visit your dreams sometime..." It was then that Twilight suddenly froze and glanced at me over her shoulder, having turned away from me while lost in thought. "Uh... Sorry. Couldn't stop thinking about it. Anyway... I should mention that she's right outside the door."

"She's here? Pinkie Pie wants to visit?" I asked while feeling a twinge of excitement fill my heart. I know Pinkie Pie is still the same person I have known since I first arrived in Ponyville. I can always trust her. "Could you bring her in, please?"

Twilight was clearly in favor of that suggestion since she smiled brightly. "Sure! Just a moment though. I need to make sure you're ready."

"Ready?" I asked in slight puzzlement while Twilight used her magic to pull open the bottom drawer of the nightstand that was just to my left and used the levitation spell to lift from it a makeshift blindfold that I remembered using yesterday. "Wait... Why do we need this again?"

My question seemed to surprise my friend while she had the thing floating between us. "You forgot? You must've been having a very good dream with her... You can't be allowed to see or hear them. Remember?"

"Why not... Oh..." I muttered in reply. I could still remember the surge of mental anguish I felt when I peeked past the blindfold to look at Pinkie Pie yesterday. The way the memories flared up to the point of inducing physical pain. I felt a powerful sense of disappointment fill me while I glanced at the door. "I was hoping to be able to talk to her today..."

Twilight let out a long sigh. "I know... She said you talked quite a bit in the dream. But until the doctors find the cure for whatever is wrong with you, you'll just have to settle for this. All right?"

Seeing that I had no other option, I reached for the blindfold and made sure it was secured around my head before lying back down. "All right... Bring her in."

"OK. Just a moment." I heard Twilight reply while I saw nothing but black. It felt so...restrictive. I did not want to just touch her and smell her. I wanted to be able to look at her. To see that optimistic smile. To hear that peppy and cheerful voice. I then heard Twilight speak from across the room, "He's ready. Just remember though. Not a sound."

I sighed in disappointment. Sound was exactly what I wanted to hear. What I did hear though was the sound of hooves trotting over to me at a rather energetic pace. But when they came to a stop beside me, I felt nothing. So I tried to speak out to her while turning my head to my left. "Pinkie Pie?"

It was then that I felt contact. A hoof rested on my shoulder. And when I set my hand upon it, I felt something gently brush against my cheek. The muzzle of a mare. I reached out, trying to find her. Another hoof touched my hand and gently guided it through the blackness until I felt my palm cupping the curve of a mare's jaw. I rubbed it back and forth, realizing that I was caressing Pinkie's face. Her hoof draped over my wrist, almost as if she was holding my arm in place. I could only imagine her face. I soon pulled my hand away and grasped the hoof that had been holding me. I held it near my nose and lightly sniffed her wrist. It smelled sweet. Toasted sugar, to be precise. "You smell like you've been baking muffins."

At those words, I felt Pinkie Pie quiver. I heard no sounds of her voice, but I heard what sounded like a muffled rumble in her throat. A suppressed laugh? Regardless, Twilight then spoke up. "Funny you mention that. She brought one with her. Should I go ahead and give it to him, Pinkie?"

I was hoping to hear Pinkie's voice, but I heard nothing. I suspect she only nodded in response, although I am very certain she was desperate to engage in a conversation with me. I heard the telltale sound of Twilight's magical energy being channeled a few seconds later. "Just let me get the paper off for you."

I heard the sound of something light being discarded in the nearby wastebasket. I held out my hand, wondering if there really was a muffin there, and soon felt the familiar feel of soft cake in my grasp. "There you go."

I brought the cake to my lips, feeling delicately for the wide top of the muffin. It smelled so good. I could even detect the scent of the blueberries in it. I took a small bite at first, feeling the crunch of the toasted sugar on top. That first bite... It had been far too long since I last enjoyed any of Sugarcube Corner's products. "Man, that's good... Thank you, Pinkie."

The presence of someone I feared I had lost... The delicious home cooking... It helped counter the mental anguish that was sapping my will. I felt...almost happy. Once I finished that muffin, I felt someone grab onto me before nuzzling her face against my chest. My hand tenderly caressed her head, feeling a rather frizzy cluster of hair. It was definitely Pinkie Pie. But while I held her head in my hand, I heard the door open once again before a rather boisterous voice spoke. "Huh? Oh, hey there, Pinkie!"

Rainbow Dash. I was surprised that she was there that early, but I was still happy to hear her voice. Pinkie Pie responded in kind by suddenly leaving me while the sound of her hooves trotted over towards the door. She was likely going directly to Rainbow Dash to provide a hug, or to whisper a reply into her ear. I then heard her rush back over to me and hold me in her arms for a gentle cuddle.

"How're you doing, James? You're looking a bit better today." I heard Rainbow Dash ask from across the room somewhere. It was then that Pinkie Pie left me again and headed over to Rainbow Dash. "A muffin? I guess it's good that he's eating... Hey, you're not gonna keep going back and forth just to say something to me, right?"

That actually got a little chuckle out of me and Twilight, although I am sure Pinkie Pie was trying hard to suppress the sound of her voice then. Although...it also made me feel a bit sad too. I did not want Pinkie Pie to silence herself. I wanted to hear her laugh. Even giggle while saying nonsensical stuff that makes no sense to anyone but herself.

For the next several minutes, Rainbow Dash and Twilight engaged in conversation with me while anything Pinkie Pie said to them was so quiet that I did not hear her. I wanted to remove my blindfold and at least look at Rainbow and Twilight, but they kept insisting that I keep it on due to Pinkie Pie's presence. Eventually, I heard Twilight walk up beside me and ask, "Say... James? Do you think you're ready for the rest of your friends to visit?"

My other friends... The memories of those three mares continued to flash through my mind. It hurt... But my memories of Pinkie Pie had fallen silent. If they came to me while I had been rendered blind and deaf to them... Would the pain subside? I was wary of the three of them, but the return of the real Pinkie Pie to me had filled me with a new surge of hope. I nodded and said, "Yeah... I think I'm ready to see them."

"OK. I'll be right back. Just keep the blindfold on, just to be safe." Twilight replied before I heard her trotting away from me. "Rainbow? Pinkie? Would you like to go round up the rest of our friends?"

"You bet! Come on, Pinkie! You know what he needs." Rainbow Dash replied while she and likely Pinkie Pie headed out the door too. Seconds later, the room fell almost completely silent. I peeked out from under my blindfold just to be sure and found that the room had become deserted. But it was then I noticed that apparently Pinkie Pie had turned her phonograph on before she left. A melody of soft classical music was beginning to fill the room. With nopony to talk to and not being in the mood to write much of anything down for a journal at the time, I closed my eyes and tried to drift off to sleep for a nap.

Not much later, I was awakened from my stupor by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Having been using my blindfold as a makeshift eye mask to keep out the light, I was initially startled to find that all I could see was black before realizing that something was wrapped around my head. I then heard the door creak open before I heard Twilight Sparkle's voice. "Hey there, James. Are you awake?"

"Uh... I am now. What's up?" I asked in return while turning my head to face her direction. I was all but certain that she was not alone.

I heard her step into the room, but also heard another set of hooves lightly clopping against the floor before the door closed. Twilight then said, "There's somepony here who misses you. May she come closer?"

The memories in my head flared up at her words. Who could it be? The greedy unicorn who disowned me for a boulder? The earth pony who revealed that she had always hated me? Or the malicious pegasus who tried to coerce me into spilling my own blood? But even with the doubt in my mind tempting me to keep my guard up, I could not forget how I feared to have lost Pinkie Pie forever only for her true self to return to me and destroy my doubts of her. Maybe... Just maybe one of the three mares I thought I had lost was truly right there in front of me. With a long sigh, I turned my face to the ceiling. "Sure... She can come closer."

"All right. But just remember. Don't remove his blindfold. And don't make a sound. OK?" Twilight then said towards our guest. Whoever it was did not say a word. I then felt a new tension fill the room as someone began to draw near. And soon, the sound of hooves came to a stop right beside me. I was almost quivering in anxiety. But then, the feel of a hoof resting gently upon my hand.

"Who's there...?" I asked quietly, noticing the tenderness in the mare's touch. I reached out and began to drag my fingers along her wrist. I soon felt it. Something hard and metallic with numerous small nubs embedded into it. A bracelet. I then felt something upon my cheek. A kiss. I felt the bed lurch slightly as someone climbed onto my bed and practically fell upon me while holding me in a tender embrace. She shuddered, a brief voiceless gasp reaching my ears. Warm tears touched my chest. My hand slid up her shoulder to her mane, carefully styled into elegant curls. And the smell... She smelled faintly and sweetly of expensive perfumes... I knew who this mare was. "Rarity...?"

It was then that I felt something upon my lips. Then something reaching past my lips. Warm... Wet... I felt her. I smelled her. And now I was tasting her. That sweet...wonderful kiss... The scarring memories of my best friend casting me aside for a boulder rapidly faded from my immediate memory as wonderful memories of my time with her began to resurface. I wrapped my arms around her, my own eyes overflowing with tears as I too partook in that delightful kiss she was giving me. I held her in my arms, my fingers gently digging into her back. She was back... And I was all too happy to finally hold her in my arms again.

The kiss ended too soon, Rarity pulling away while she wheezed in front of me, half gasping and half sobbing. She then rested her head against my chest while I cradled her in my arms. The quivering in her body... Soft weeping. She was there... That beautiful and wonderful mare still existed and was right in front of me. Although I soon heard Twilight ask, "Are you two OK?"

I was the first to speak, my hand wiping my tears away from my cheeks while I tried to not choke on them. "Yeah... I think so..."

It was then that I felt a hoof tenderly caress my cheek. An indiscernible voice let out a tender hiss of sorts, as if trying to gently calm a crying child. I could not tell who it was. It could have been either of the two mares before me. But I knew it was Rarity. I could feel the tender adoration and love in her voice I had come to know from her. She was not speaking, but it was close enough.

For the next several minutes, Rarity did not budge from that spot. She constantly stayed in my grasp while my fingers slowly caressed her silky soft coat. All I could hear aside from the steady beeping of my heart monitor was the phonograph playing soft music that I am sure Rarity was really enjoying. I did not hear Twilight say a word, but I knew she was nearby. I could hear the sound of paper being moved, possibly from a book she had brought along to help pass the time while I was preoccupied.

Not much later, there was another knock at the door. I heard Twilight speak up, "Is that Rainbow Dash?"

I felt Rarity lift her head from me and hop down from the bed, but not before giving me another soft kiss on the lips. Possibly a way of saying 'I am still here for you' or something similar to that. I then heard the door open and the sound of two sets of hooves walking in. Twilight seemed to know who it was, but withheld one of their names probably as a means to surprise me. "Hey there, girls. Did you tell her everything on your way back, Pinkie Pie?"

I was left wondering who it was Pinkie Pie had gone to retrieve. Did she go after Fluttershy, or did she stop by Sweet Apple Acres instead for Applejack? Regardless, I then heard Twilight speak up once more. "I know it's tempting, but you need to not make a single sound. He can't be allowed to hear your voice or to see you. All right?"

Seconds later, I heard the approaching sound of hooves. I felt myself tense up. Was it Fluttershy? Was I about to be attacked while blinded? Whoever was approaching me stopped at my bedside. And like before, I felt someone set their hoof upon my hand ever so gently. It was through that touch that much of my tension faded. As with Pinkie Pie and Rarity, all I had to identify my visitor with was sensory memory. I felt along her hoof. Her coat was soft, but not very silky. With the exception of the heart monitor and the phonograph, the room had fallen silent as everyone else likely watched.

Who was it? I gently slid my hand around to her back and tried to pull her closer. She responded in kind by pulling her upper body up to the bed. It was then that I noticed a faint smell. Grime and possibly sweat mixed in with the smell of...apples baking with a touch of cinnamon. And when I slipped my hand up higher, I felt it stop before I could reach the top of her head. Something was resting upon it. Round and wide... A hat. And there is only one mare I know who wears such a hat in Ponyville. "You're...AJ?"

At those words, I felt myself suddenly held in an iron grip of an embrace. Such raw power in those arms... Truly the strength Applejack has come to be known for. As I too held her in my arms, the memories... Those lies... They had to be lies. They began to fall silent. I felt more relaxed than I had felt in days. She was still there... Dear dependable Applejack was still with me. Only the most painful of the memories remained. And when those memories became the only ones that simply would not leave me alone, I heard the door open once more. And with it, the voice of Rainbow Dash was heard. "Huh? Hey, girls! I guess the gang's all here, huh?"

I felt Applejack turn her head to look in Rainbow's direction upon hearing her voice. And I knew who was likely with her. Twilight then asked, "Yeah... We're finally all here. You know what's going on, right?"

Rainbow Dash then replied, "Yeah, I told her. No touching the blindfold and no using her voice."

"Right. James, are you ready?" Twilight then asked while Applejack pushed herself off my bed.

This time, I felt a new type of tension. The memories involving my other three friends were extremely unpleasant, but I could still remember what Fluttershy did to me. She did not only betray me. She inflicted physical harm on me. It was not only my mind that remembered, but my body as well. I feared being struck again. But with the promise of those memories fading once we had reconnected, I could not bring myself to turn her away. And so I decided to just remain silent.

Rainbow Dash spoke up softly while probably giving Fluttershy a gentle nudge. "Go on. He's waiting for you." Immediately after that, I heard a very slow tempo of hooves tapping against the floor. Her approach was agonizingly slow and it was not good for my nerves.

It probably took half a minute before I detected her presence right next to me. There was not a single sound coming from any of my friends. I was afraid. Someone who physically attacked was standing right next to me. I was expecting either a sudden burst of pain, or someone gently resting their hoof on my wrist. What I got instead was not what I expected at all. She fell upon my chest, her body shaking in muffled sobs. Instinctively, I reached out and gently caressed her head . Her mane... So long and silky smooth. And that aroma in it. I recognized it as it is one I use myself at times. The scent of a flowery scented shampoo and conditioner. There was no doubt in my mind of who it could be. "Fluttershy..."

This time, I was unsure of what to feel. The memories... They were fading like the others. I knew that the mare weeping upon my chest was not the demon who kicked me in the head with her hind hoof. But my body had not forgotten. I could still remember the point where I was struck. The pain that filled me. And it was a pain and injury I did not want to suffer again.

Finally, Fluttershy crawled entirely up to the bed and lied upon me. I was forced to sit up as her wings held me in a pseudo hug while she held me in her arms. Despite my instincts telling me to be cautious, I lowered my guard and gently wrapped my arms around her. I then quietly asked, "Honey... Is that you?"

Her tears... They just would not stop flowing. She was soaking my chest with them. Finally, I felt something upon my lips again. Not the same deep passion that Rarity showed, but... A soft tender kiss that I recognized right away. I felt my own tears flow once more as I realized that the mare I loved was finally in my arms once more. "I missed you, baby..."

I heard what sounded like hooves clapping against each other nearby. A type of applause from my friends? But as we held onto each other, I felt Fluttershy pull herself closer and pressed her entire underside against me. It was then that I remembered. According to Rainbow Dash, somewhere in her belly... My child is growing. But...I could not bring myself to ask. It was too soon to inquire about that. At that time, all I wanted was to bask in the relief that came with the return of those four wonderful mares.

Finally, I heard Twilight speak up. "It's great to see all of us back together like this... How're you feeling, James?"

I took a moment to think things over. The memories... For the first time in days, my mind was not filled with sounds and images that made me cringe on the inside. It was quiet... Peaceful. I felt at ease. Relaxed. And so I said while managing to crack a small smile, "I feel...good."

The day went by like a blur. All six of them were in the room at almost all times. And the entire time, I did not see a thing. Although Fluttershy was constantly by my side. The only voices I heard were the voices of Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle. I even got a bit of a laugh out of Rainbow frequently forgetting that four out of the six of them could not speak in my company. Although... In hindsight, it was actually rather sad. I just wish I had more to mention.

Just as visiting hours were on the verge of ending, we got an unexpected visit from one of the hospital's surgeons. Judging by the voice, it was the same doctor who had been assigned to me since the start. "Oh? Good evening, ladies. I... Huh? Excuse me, but why is James wearing a blindfold?"

Of course. This entire little experiment that Twilight and Pinkie Pie came up with had been done without the knowledge of the hospital's staff. I heard Twilight nervously speak up. "Oh, that...? Um... Well... It was to...help him relax. You've noticed that he's been extremely stressed lately, right?"

"I was wondering what was causing his deterioration to slow. Whatever it is you've been doing, it's been working wonders." The doctor replied with a rather satisfied tone of voice.

"Huh? Wait, you mean that?! He's getting better?!" I heard Rainbow Dash call out in shock. I was actually very surprised to not hear anyone else speak up. They must have been trying very hard to remain silent for my sake.

The doctor then explained, "Well, I wouldn't say he's improving. But at the very least, he is not getting worse. Shortly before noon, his physical deterioration seemed to...stop. Or if not stop, then it has at least slowed to a snail's pace. We can find no explanation around it, but we will continue to perform tests and scans to try to diagnose what has caused such entropy in his body in the hopes that we may be able to get his body back up to how it was prior to his hospitalization."

"That's... That's great! Please let us know when you find it!" Twilight exclaimed while sounding more excited than usual.

"I will. However, visiting hours are just about over, so I would appreciate it if you all gather up your things and be on your way soon. Your friend will be right here tomorrow. He's not going anywhere." The doctor said before I heard him speak to me. "I hope your friends haven't been a problem, James."

"It's fine, doc. I'm... Well, I'm really glad that they've been here for me today." I replied with a bit of a yawn. Even though I was no longer in discomfort, I was still feeling surprisingly fatigued.

Minutes later, my friends began to say their goodbyes in silence. I received tender embraces from Applejack and Pinkie Pie, but instead felt a tender kiss on my cheek from Rarity and Fluttershy. Only once they were gone did Twilight remove my blindfold. "So... Feeling better, James?"

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust from exposure to light due to seeing nothing but black all day. With that porcelain lamp turned on beside me, it was still rather bright in that corner of the room, even with the sun having almost completely set outside for the day. "Yeah... A lot better. Still pretty drained, but... At least I've got a clear head now... This blindfold turned out to be a good idea."

"Well, you better thank Pinkie Pie next time you see her. She's the one who gave me the idea to try that." Twilight said with a broad grin. She was clearly in a good mood.

Rainbow Dash then hovered over to me and gave me a tight hug. "Just hang in there, big guy. Things are gonna be getting better. At least you're not in the danger zone anymore."

"Thanks, girls... I don't know what I'd ever do without you." I replied quietly while holding each of them in a tender embrace. I was almost tempted to cry. I could not believe how much they had been doing for me in my time of need.

Twilight then proceeded to gather up her saddlebags before she and Rainbow Dash made their way to the door. "Well, we should be going before the staff shoos us away. Sweet dreams, James. We'll see you in the morning." I said my goodbyes and then they were gone. And this time, I was not alone with only angry voices filling my head.

And so, here I am writing out this journal while feeling fully relaxed for the first time in days. The memories, while not gone, are no longer constantly repeating themselves in my head against my will. Maybe... Just maybe, things will finally get back to the way they were. I just want to go home...

Wait... That vase full of azaleas... The polish is still black. I almost forgot about it since I had been blindfolded all day. And... While I would not normally be potentially bothered by it... I see...words scratched into its shiny black finish. Jagged text, all in capital letters, repeating the same two words over and over.

HOW LONG?

How long of what? Why am I seeing this? Did Twilight notice this change? No, she would have said something if there was something unusual about the vase's appearance. But now, I simply do not care. I am in a fairly good mood and I am not going to let some creepy hallucination get under my skin. Besides, I have a couple of friends waiting for me to fall asleep so I can join them. I think I just might take a few days off from making these journals just to relax and enjoy a clear mind for once.

As for now, it is time for bed. May my dreams be just as sweet as last night.


	39. The Breaking Point

Three days. That is how many days have passed since my friends finally found a way to get near me and put my fears to rest. And each day, I was forced to become blind and deaf to them. But here on Monday, before I could awaken, I dreamed once more. I awoke in the bedroom of Fluttershy's cottage, finding my girlfriend sleeping beside me. And like before, I dressed myself and snuck out of the house without waking anyone. Even though much of my doubts had been subdued... I still was not comfortable being tempted with a life I still could not have.

This time, I was greeted by a most unexpected sight when I opened the front door. Right as I did so, a voice spoke up from in front of me. "Good morning, sir. We are looking for one Mr. James. Is he home?"

I froze in my spot and immediately smiled at the sight before me. Both Luna and Nightmare Moon had decided to skip meeting up with me at the park and simply intercepted me right at the door. However, I was quick to throw up my hands. "Shh... Let's get outta here so we don't wake anyone up."

"Ah... Good point." Luna whispered while I stepped outside and gently closed the door behind me. Once again, the air was crisp and a bit cool. Another beautiful morning.

"I apologize if we met up with you too soon. We just decided to come straight here to save us some time." Niightmare Moon apologized while we headed down the dirt path and across the brook in front of the cottage.

"It's cool. I'm kinda glad you showed up as early as you did. Leaves us more time to do stuff." I replied while we walked across the meadow that stood before the cottage.

Luna then trotted up alongside me and asked, "So then... Where to this time? Shall we stop by and see what Pinkie Pie is up to like the last few nights?"

A tempting offer. Ever since the day I held Pinkie Pie in my arms while her voice was muted and my eyes blinded, I have been visiting her nightly. Mainly because...she always knows how to make me smile. But even so, I now had a few other friends I wanted to see as well. The first thought that came to mind was Fluttershy, but...

I almost felt a sting on my forehead. My body was trying to tell me to stay away from her. It was a strange conflicting sensation. I wanted to see her, yet I was compelled to keep my distance for fear of suffering harm a second time. With a sigh, I decided to push my thoughts of her out of my mind.

"Well... Uh..." I tried to think to who I wanted to see most. I had already been spending hours with Pinkie Pie. And Twilight and Rainbow Dash have been visiting me daily while I have been in the hospital without me having to blind myself to them. After a moment of thought, a face flashed through my mind. "I want...to see Rarity."

"The bearer of Generosity. I can certainly see why. One moment please." Nightmare Moon replied while she stepped away as a deep blue magic aura coated her horn. "Hmmm... There's Pinkie Pie again... That dream certainly seems fun. That little Button Mash... And there's Babs Seed of Manehatten... Ah, there she is."

At those words, a familiar rift seemed to open in the air before her. The Princess of Dreams then turned to look at us and smiled. "The gateway is open. Shall we be off?"

Luna then stepped forward and used her wing to try to push me towards the portal. "After you, my friend. I am certain she is waiting for you."

"Yeah... OK then." I said softly in return while I stepped forward. Curious of what I would find, I jumped through the portal and soon found myself standing on a smooth stone surface. I seemed to be in the back alley between a pair of pale buildings. The poor lighting seemed to suggest that night had only just fallen. Luna and Nightmare Moon soon emerged from the portal as well just before it closed and faded from sight. I then asked, "Um... Not where I'd expect to find Rarity..."

"Wwell, I'm not surprised. Judging by the architecture, we seem to be in Canterlot. Surely she must be nearby." Luna replied while gazing upward. She was right. After taking a closer look at the walls and windows around me, I came to understand that they were indeed of Canterlot design.

"Wait... Do you here that?" Nightmare Moon asked while her ears seemed to flick through the air. I could hear it too. There seemed to be a bit of an uproar in the air, not unlike one would hear in a stadium during a sports event. And it seemed to be coming from one end of the alley. "Over there?"

"Perhaps it is where we will find our dreaming host." Luna replied while she began to trot along the alley towards the light. Nightmare Moon and I followed after her together as the noise became increasingly louder.

When we reached the end of the alley, we were greeted by quite a noisy sight. There seemed to be a parade going on. Well, at least that was my first guess. Rows of ponies, both from the middle class and even the Canterlot elite, were lining the streets. While I could detect no music in the air, there was still quite a racket filling my ears. Although I did not see anyone walking through the street. Out of curiosity, I tapped one of the Canterlot nobles on the shoulder and asked while raising my voice to be heard over the cheering, "Excuse me! What's happening here?!"

The pony before me, who I suspect was an acquaintance of Fancy Pants, turned to face me and spoke up, "You didn't know?! It's the coronation of Princess Rarity!"

She immediately turned away to focus on the big event. It was during that moment that Nightmare Moon asked, "Princess...Rarity?"

It was at that moment that I burst out into laughter. Rarity being inducted into the royal family? That was a good one! Luna even joined in my laughter and shouted, "Princess?! Her?! Bwahahaha! Not in a million years!"

And yet, there she was. Marching down the street were a quartet of royal guards pulling what seemed to be a large grand carriage truly fit for royalty. The frame was mostly gold with the wheels bearing round hubs that showed one of the diamonds on Rarity's cutie mark while... Oh, I just cannot describe the majesty of that thing's design from just one dream. Perhaps if I ever see it again, I will be able to more properly recall the details.

Rarity, however, I can remember much more clearly. She stood at the back of the carriage and waved enthusiastically at her admirers. Truly, she was at the apex of the Canterlot elite. She wore a flowing liight blue dress that seemed to match the colors of her cutie mark and appeared to blend well with her gorgeous white coat. As to be expected from a princess, she was clad in jewelry. The overall shapes of her attire seemed to be a mix and match of those worn by Celestia and Luna. Her shoes appeared to be identical to those of Luna in shape while her crown and necklace seemed to match those being worn by Celestia most of the time. However, the color was a shimmering silver and a light blue diamond matching the shape of the Element of Generosity were embedded in the center of her necklace and crown. Truly, she was a sight to see.

"Well... Color me surprised. She does indeed wear the royal garb quite well." Nightmare Moon said while we watched the carriage being pulled by.

"But do you think she'd ever be cut out for the life of a princess?" I asked while briefly glancing at my two royal friends for their input.

Luna merely shook her head as a crooked smile spread across her lips. "Not likely. Besides, I doubt she would be willing to leave behind her passion for fashion. The role of a ruler leaves little time for such affairs."

She certainly had a point. As stressful as it can be on occasion, Rarity loves her job. While I am sure she would love to indulge in the life of royalty, I doubt she would be willing to let go of her sewing machine, fabrics, and silks for very long. Fashion is what she lives for.

As the carriage passed by us with the cheering crowd drowning out the sound of pretty much everything else, Rarity turned to face our direction while waving her hoof. But when she did, she suddenly seemed to stop. I decided to go ahead and wave back before she could get much further. However, I then thought I heard her voice over the roar of the crowd. When I did, the carriage suddenly stopped. "Wait. It's stopping?"

When the carriage rolled to a halt, the crowd of admirers began to quiet down when I saw Rarity hop off of the carriage before trotting in my general direction. Luna then said, "I think she saw us..."

I heard the sound of Rarity's voice speak up as the crowd of ponies in front of me began to move aside. "So sorry, would you mind... And you! Please stand aside! I hope I'm not being a bother!"

A few seconds later, she finally emerged through the crowd. And I was quick to drop to one knee to bring our faces closer together. At first, she did not say anything. And neither did I. A new tension filled the air as all ponies in the immediate area fell silent.

It was then, with no one else between us, that I began to understand who I was seeing. I felt a faint warmth beginning to fill my barely quivering eyelids. Rarity then reached out to me with a hoof as her voice began to break. "It's you... Darling, do you see me? Do you hear me?"

"Yeah..." I whispered before reaching out to her as well. Out of nowhere, I felt the tears flow. And I felt hers dripping upon my shoulder. That wonderful mare... I could finally and see her again with no restrictions. I felt her quiver in my arms, wracked with overwhelming joy.

The crowd was respectfully sillent, as were the two princesses behind me. However, once the tears had run their course and Rarity had released me from her grasp, the voice of a noble mare from somewhere nearby called out. "Your highness! Is he your beloved, by any chance?"

I suppose the audience had mistaken Rarity's show of tearful affection for a more romantic gesture. But just as I was about to deny the claim, Rarity suddenly smiled and spoke out loudly. "Why... Yes! Yes, he is! We are due to be wed in the coming months!"

"Wait... What?!" I yelped upon hearing those words. Luna and Nightmare Moon simply exploded into laughter at the sudden claim from Rarity while the crowd burst into a bit of an uproar. Clearly the concept of a member of royalty being romantically involved with a commoner was really something to talk about. Regardless, I then spoke in a loud whisper, "Rarity, you know we're not involved with each other like that! Why would you..."

However, Rarity merely covered my mouth and spoke quietly into my ear. "Just play along, darling! I'm well aware by this point that this is merely a dream."

"Wait... You know?" I asked while the crowd continued to whisper and gossip amongst themselves.

"Well, yes. The moment I saw you with Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon, I knew then that this glorious event must be a dream. That, and seeing Pinkie Pie juggling her own eyeballs a short ways back instilled some doubt in me as well." Rarity explained while I got a good snicker out of the thought of seeing Pinkie Pie repeating that little skit from a few nights ago.

However, I then heard another voice from likely one of the Canterlot elite then speak up, "Truly stupendous! Not only a princess, but a prince as well?!"

Those words caused Rarity to give me a smirk that got me feeling rather nervous. However, she then turned her gaze towards the twin princesses of the moon and promptly bowed. "Oh, good evening, your highnesses! So sorry that I failed to notice you there!"

The crowd seemed equally surprised to see two of their rulers casually standing just behind them and all turned before bowing as well. Of course, I know that Rarity likely knew they were there as well since she already had claimed to have seen me with them a minute earlier.

Luna merely shook her hoof and played along to maintain the illusion that the dream had crafted. "No need to bow, my subjects. This is truly a time of celebration, is it not? And I see that a certain humble unicorn of Ponyville has joined the royal pantheon with me and my sisters. Tell me, what achievements have granted you the privilege of wearing the crown?"

Possibly to avoid taking up too much of anyone's time, Rarity kept her response as textbook simple as possible. "Outstanding contributions to Equestrian society."

"A rather vague claim, but I am certain your words carry much weight to them." Nightmare Moon replied with a slight smirk. And she was right. That was a very vague claim. But in the world of dreams, I suppose that is enough.

"Ah, yes. Details, details... So much to say with so little time. But shall we continue on? I'd hate to hold up the procession any longer... Oh, wait! Nightmare Moon! If you would be so kind as to..." Rarity began to speak before motioning with her hoof for Nightmare Moon to listen more closely.

The Princess of Dreams lowered her head so that Rarity would be able to whisper into her ear. "Hmm... You don't say? I believe I can manage that." Nightmare Moon then lifted her head and looked at me with a smirk while her horn's magic aura appeared. "Time for a royall makeover, prince!"

"Huh?! Wait a second!" I yelped in surprise just before Nightmare Moon cast some sort of spell at me. I did not feel much, although I soon noticed that my attire felt slightly...less casual.

"Ooh, dashing!" I heard one of the nobles around me call out from nearby. A slight uproar rose around me while I took a moment to look myself over. My more casual attire had vanished and had been replaced with... I had seen that clothing somewhere before. A white jacket with twin tails hanging, white slacks, and polished black shoes. The same attire I wore before I awoke from...

"Much better!" I heard Rarity say before I noticed her horn become coated by a light blue magic aura, as did my hand. "Now then, let's not delay any longer! This way, my love!"

"Whoa, hang on!" I said with a bit of a yelp as I found myself being dragged through the crowd and then up onto the carriage. It was then that it began to roll forward again while a thunderous roar of applause filled the air.

"Go on, darling. Wave at them. They are your subjects now, after all." Rarity said from beside me while she constantly waved at her admirers. Having no idea what was really going on and just being along for the ride, I began to wave as well with a bit of a crooked smile on my face. What a dream this was turning out to be.

The coronation procession seemed to end at the royal palace itself. The carriage came to a stop just outside the palace. I carefully hopped off of the carriage and gently took Rarity'ss hoof in my hand while helping her down as well. The crowd seemed to have not been permitted to follow at a certain point, so the area was largely empty at the time aside from a royal guard or two making their rounds.

"Well, I never thought I'd sit through one of those before. Prince James? Peh..." I grumbled while looking myself over. I could never imagine myself wearing a crown or being seated on a throne.

"Just bear with it, darling. It's only for the evening. We are merely dreaming now, are we not?" Rarity replied while carefully adjusting her crown.

Something about those words caught me by surprise. "Wait a minute... You weren't kidding when you said you knew this is a dream?"

"Well... As I said, when I saw you with both Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna, I knew it could not be coincidence. And all things considered... I would never make it to the crown. It's all just a fantasy I've had for quite some time now, darling." Rarity replied with a bit of a nervous smile.

"Yeah, I seem to recall you wanting to become a princess by marrying a prince. But is that really how it works?" I asked in return while having little idea of how Equestria's monarchy works. I thought a princess getting married results in her becoming a queen. Or was I wrong?

While the guards who were pulling the carriage removed their harnesses, I noticed a pair of dark figures approaching us through the air. And sure enough, Nightmare Moon and Luna soon descended towards us before landing beside us just outside the door to the palace. I then heard Luna ask, "Well, that was a fine procession. But what happens now, dreamer?"

"Well... That is a good question now, isn't it?" Rarity replied before suddenly reaching out and wrapping her arm around my leg. "But it should be more interesting with a friend, shouldn't it?"

Nightmare Moon and Luna looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes while glancing at the two of us. It was a bit of an unnerving situation and I felt myself starting to get goose bumps. Rarity even gave me a rather whimsical smirk while winking at me. Finally, Nightmare Moon snickered briefly before smirking at us. "Let me take a wild guess. You wouuld prefer to spend the evening with your friend to catch up on lost time. Am I right?"

This prompted a rather surprised gaze from Rarity, although I was suspecting that claim myself. And that was certainly what I originally had in mind when I requested that we visit her. Regardless, Rarity gracefully bowed before the two royal sisters. "With all due respect, your highness... I do. May James and I please spend this night together so that we may reconnect after so long?"

Luna was quick to nod with a smile. "You may. I understand that being near each other has been...a challenge, to say the least. We should not deny you such a request in these troubled times."

Nightmare Moon, on the other hand, seemed slightly more reluctant to leave the two of us alone. Or rather, she was unwilling to leave me. Over the last few nights, I had been exclusively spending my time with Pinkie Pie and no one else while Nightmare Moon and Luna went off to explore the dream realm together. And as much as I treasure them and have sincerely appreciated their efforts to be there for me, I truly wanted to spend time with Rarity. I merely waited in brief silence before Nightmare Moon nodded. "Indeed. You should be allowed to spend time with those who were unable to go near you these past few weeks. Should you need us, we will be around."

"Thank you... You have fun out there, all right?" I replied with a grateful smile while throwing my arms around Nightmare Moon for a parting embrace. I heard a quiet chuckle from her while she returned the favor with her wings. Seconds later, Luna and Nightmare Moon trotted down the steps and back towards Canterlot proper for a night out on the town. I doubt even they have ever truly stayed up from dusk to dawn.

"Well then, my prince... What shall we do now?" I heard Rarity ask before I looked down and saw her batting her rather gorgeous eyes at me.

"Uh... Rarity? You know we're not in a relationship, right? You don't have to keep calling me that." I retorted while noticing that she was really pushing this whole 'betrothed' scenario she had claimed with the townsfolk.

She let out a brief sigh before smirking at me. "True...but a mare can dream, can she not?"

"Isn't that what you're doing right now?" I asked while Rarity laughed at my words. Perhaps I should have gone easy on her since dreams are a time of rest and escapism for the dreamer and that she was entitled to letting her desires flow a bit.

The two of us then entered the palace and proceeded through the halls. The palace was quiet, as to be expected of the later hours. Although I have to say Rarity looked absolutely radiant in the moonlight whenever we passed by a window. Her silky white coat almost seemed to glow and that dress appeared to have a bit of a shine to it. "Uh... Rarity? Did you make that dress yourself?"

My question seemed to catch her by surprise since she came to a stop before looking back at her drress. "Hm? My dress? Actually... I'm not entirely certain of where it came from. Why do you ask?"

"Well... It's just that you look amazing in the moonlight with it." I replied quietly while trying to avert my gaze.

Rarity fell silent momentarily. At least until I glanced back at her and noticed her motioning for me to come closer with her hoof. I lowered myself to one knee to bring myself closer to her. But before I could ask her anything, she brought her face close to mine and... That sweet sensation upon my lips. A kiss. She then whispered to me while gazing into my eyes with those beautiful pools of azure, "You have no idea how I longed to hear your praise these past two weeks. It's so good to finally speak with you again, darling..."

I was afraid of sounding corny, but I decided to return the favor while bashfully smiling at her. I then whispered while tenderly cupping her jaw in my hand, "I missed the sound of your elegant voice myself."

"Oh, darling..." She whispered tearfully while her cheeks instantly became stained with her tears. She then suddenly reached out to me, held me in an embrace, and pressed her lips against mine in a powerful kiss as our tongues soon touched. Just remembering it makes me feel warm all over.

I held that wonderful mare in my arms while our kiss deepened. It felt so lovely... I could never replace Rarity. When we finally did pull away, she continued to smile at me with such shimmering tears flowing down her face. "I love you, my prince... And I always will..."

Hearing those words... I felt tears of my own begin to flow. After so many days of mental and emotional anguish, to hear those words from someone I longed for and feared I had lost forever was more than I could bear. I choked as my chest tightened before I held her tightly in my embrace. "I love you too, m'lady..."

Rarity whispered and lightly hissed into my ear while tenderly stroking my back with her hoof as I lightly sobbed and whimpered in her grasp. "Shhh... I'm here, darling... There is nothing to come between us now..."

"I know... Thank you..." I squeaked out as I trembled in her embrace while her head rested on my shoulder. I wanted to stand up so as to not stall any longer, but I simply could not get my legs to cooperate.

After a couple of minutes, or at least until Rarity was certain I had relaxed enough, she released me from her grasp before tenderly placing her hoof in my hand and pulling me along. "Come, darling. Let's get out of this stuffy hallway and out to someplace a bit more...accommodating."

With a nod, I silently followed after the beautiful mare. We did not go far before reaching a familiar area of the palace that I quite like. The royal garden. And it was even more beautiful than I last saw as, being summer, there were many fireflies fluttering about while casting their occasional tail glows in the air. "Oh, wow... Never thought I'd see fireflies out here at such a high altitude."

"Marvvelous, is it not?" Rarity said softly while also partaking in the view before us. I have to say, the place was refreshingly deserted. That was good. At the moment, the only person I wanted to spend time with was dear Rarity.

Over the next several minutes, we said little while we strolled through the garden, partaking in the sights and the smells of the fauna and flora. Along with the dozens of glows from fireflies, we heard the gentle hoots of an owl and the twittering of a nightingale. It just felt so...magical. Like a true escape from any negativity that may have been lingering in my mind.

Eventually, we came to a sight I had seen a couple of times before. A type of covered patio tucked into the far corner of the garden that was illuminated by several lit candles. There was one piece of furniture that drew my attention immediately. A long plush sofa with a crimson finish. Possibly a type of personal rest area or just a place of relaxation while being shielded from the elements. I felt compelled to approach it and just relax upon it. Which I did. I spread myself out on it and rested my head upon a matching square crimson pillow at one end.

I looked at Rarity, who seemed to be looking back at me with a curious gaze. I lightly patted myself on the chest to signal to her that I was more than willing to let her rest upon me. The beautiful unicorn then smiled at me while she approached the form of a cast iron table. Her horn was then coated by her billowing light blue magic aura, as was her dress. It seemed to detach from near her shoulders, but then began to float up slightly while she turned sideways.

I was rather curious of what she was up to, so I watched in silence. However, I soon felt a twinge of borderline erotic excitement fill me while she lifted the dress forward until it completely obscured her body below the eye. Her gaze changed as well, her eye almost closing to show a very alluring gaze towards me. Almost as if she was attempting to seduce me. I could even feel my body becoming hot with sweat while a stirring in my groin caught my attention. But before I could think about it too long, she suddenly cast her dress away and let it become draped across the table nearby like a tablecloth. Her gorgeous white body was revealed, although she did nothing to remove the shimmering silver jewelry.

"Uh... Are you trying to tell me something, Rarity?" I asked while hoping my body's excitement was not showing too much.

Rarity smirked at me while she slowly walked towards me. "Mmm... Perhaps I am, my love. But that is for you to interpret, isn't it?"

watch?v=Rdk6P2ts3H4

Her words made my skin tingle. I adore that mare. Once she was beside me, I reached out and held Rarity's hoof before helping her pull herself up to the sofa before carefully turning her over and letting her rest upon my chest with her head lying just below my chin. My hand reached down and gently rested upon her chest. There were no words between us. Just an overpowering warmth.

A few minutes passed before I began to silently glance about to survey my surroundings. It was while I was doing this that I noticed something just to my right. A bowl set upon a stool that contained pieces of small fruit ranging from orange wedges to grapes to cherries to strawberries with the leaves cut off. I felt an idea pop into my head before I whiispered into Rarity's ear. "Rarity."

"Hm?" I heard her quietly mumble while turning her head in an attempt to look at me. I then reached into the bowl and lifted a grape from it while pinched between my thumb and index finger. Upon seeing me hold the purple oval above her, I heard my dear friend let out a sigh. "Oh, darling... You never cease to amaze me."

Rarity then returned her head to its original position while I lowered my hand towards her face. While I could not see her mouth, I had a good idea of where it was. I soon felt her lips upon my finger while she took the tiny fruit from my grasp and gently chewed it before swallowing in silence. All the while, my left arm was securely draped across her chest while her forelegs were curled over it. That moment was...just so romantic that I cannot help blushing when I think of it.

Over and over, I brought fruit to my friend and felt her remove it from my fingers each time. Although I soon noticed her magic aura coat her horn again. I then heard her whisper, "My turn, love."

I noticed a cherry rise up from the bowl next to me while covered by the same billowing aura. It seemed that the moment called for a bit of turnabout. Even without looking at me, Rarity expertly guided the cherry to my lips and allowed me to consume it. Much to my relief, I found that the pit inside had already been removed. I was especially impressed that she could accurately move something to my mouth without even looking at me, but I should not have been surprised. She has already displayed such mastery over the levitation spell many times before while moving things with it without even watching.

Back and forth, we fed each other bits of sweet fresh fruit. There were no words. Only the sounds of the night with only the stars, moon, fireflies, and nearby candles casting light over us. However, between bites, I heard Rarity speak quietly. "James... I am so in love with you, I can barely stand it..."

"I am honored to hear that, m'lady..." I whispered in return while I brought an orange slice to her lips.

Once she was able to speak again, she did so while levvitating a strawberry towards me. "How could I have ever chosen any number of diamonds over you... The way you touch... The way you love... It is mastery beyond your years... You are so romantically developed, I would expect such love from a stallion twice your age... Truly, your talent is bottomless love."

I felt genuinely flattered by that praise, especially since it would not be the first time I had been told that. While she feasted on another grape, I asked, "You really think so, Rarity?"

"I know so, darling. You are wonderful... So wonderful... Fluttershy has no knowledge of how blessed she is to have you..." Rarity whispered while almost sounding as if she was in tears.

At the mention of Fluttershy, I felt a twinge of bitterness in my heart. I am sure that Rarity must have noticed as well since I soon felt her hoof upon my left hand. I mean... I knew she still exists. She came to me. I felt her. I knew she was there. But even though that memory has all but faded, my body still remembers... The physical agony that radiated in my skull when she struck me there. I heard Rarity whisper, "Darling... Please do not tell me that you still hold misgivings towards her..."

"I can't help it... I mean, yeah... You kicked me right in the chest, but that was only to keep me away from the boulder you were carrying. My armor also helped prevent me from getting hurt. But she... Fluttershy kicked me right in the head with the sole intention of causing me harm and she knocked my helmet off first. There's a world of difference between them... I want to forget, but...I can't." I muttered in return while my right hand hung limply down the side of the sofa. I had suddenly lost my drive to do much. I could not even bring myself to reach for another piece of fruit.

I heard Rarity let out a long sigh while she lifted my left hand and set it upon her wrist. I could feel something there. A round metal band with small nubs aligning its length. The bracelet... "Darling... I understand... And I will do all I can to help mend your heart..."

She turned herself around and gazed into my eyes while her hoof rested over my heart. "James... Tonight, rest and forget about the pain. Just for tonight...I will be your mare."

I felt her chest upon mine while those glittering azure eyes gazed into mine. The offer she had just given me. I was unsure of what to think of it. "Rarity... What do you mean?"

She smiled lovingly while a noticeable pink hue shone through the white coat on her cheeks. "Come with me, darling. I will show you."

With little reason to doubt her, I did as she requested and followed her through the garden while leaving her dress behind. With nothing obstructing my view, her entire gorgeous body was on full display in the moonlight to the point where she almost seemed to glow. Her gait seemed noticeably nervous despite her calm demeanor. I could only imagine what she had in mind.

We soon entered the palace once more before walking down another hall near the outer edge of the structure. Rarity seemed to be focusing on the doors we were passing, as if she was looking for a very specific chamber. "Hmmm... I do believe... Here it is!"

She stopped at one door and promptly opened it before she stepped inside with me close behind her. I heard the door close behind me, as well as the clicking of the lock. It seemed we had stepped into a vacant guest room not unlike one I had stayed in once before. Barely any light was showing, but a quick click nearby fixed that with the activation of an antique lamp.

Feeling that now was a good time, I decided to ask the question once more. "So... Uh... What did you mean earlier?"

I froze as I suddenly found myself being lifted into the air while my entire body was coated in Rarity's magic aura. "I meeant exactly as I said, darling." Rarity said with a lovestruck smile as I felt my jacket being removed along with my shoes before being cast over a nearby chair. Once my socks and trousers had been removed as well while leaving my boxers intact, Rarity set me down on the bed while continuing to speak in that elegant sweet tone of hers. "For tonight alone, I will be your mare."

It was then that I understood what she was referring to. And while nervous...I could not refuse her. I understood that her feelings were genuine and I was desperate for her company. And...I would give anything to fill that hole in my heart that had not quite closed yet. Even in this world of illusion. "You would do that for me?"

Rarity smiled with a truly loving smile on her face and with such silent passion in her eyes. "Of course, my love. And as your mare..." She began to reply before pausing to use her magic to lift that silver crown from her head before casting it aside. "I must do all I can to make my prince feel as loved as possible. Because I know he would do the same for me."

I felt myself quiver in anticipation. I had almost forgotten what it was like to receive such love. Step by step, Rarity walked upon the bed while I watched, stepping out of her shoes one by one before pushing them away. But when she turned her head to look at me with that adoring expression, she also moved her hips to the side. And with a lift of her tail...she exposed herself to me.

I was uncertain of what to think at first. After living in Equestria for a full year, I had simply become accustomed to merely not noticing the genitals of ponies whenever I am outside an intimate situation. But as this was clearly an intimate situation, Rarity's vulva was on full display. She was clearly blushing while keeping her beautiful curled tail lifted to the side. Her thick lips were dark and noticeably moist in the lamp's glow. She then asked somewhat meekly, "Am I to your liking, darling?"

"You're beautiful, Rarity..." I said while never looking away. I heard a faint giggle rumble in her throat while she stepped sideways to bring herself closer to me while never turning her beautiful hips away.

Very soon, she stood before me and swayed her gorgeous tail while keeping it raised. "Do what you wish, dear. I'm all yours."

I quivered. Her words were like honey to my ears. My hand reached out and tenderly caressed the silky coat over the curve of her flank. A long sigh of pleasure escaped her lips while she rolled her head back and forth through the air. A moment later, I saw an unexpected sight under her tail I cannot easily describe. Rarity's vulva 'winked' at me, a clear sign of her desire for the man who was pleasuring her.

Knowing what she wanted, my hand slid from the side of her flank to the inside. Ever so tenderly, I traced my fingertips along her thick marehood. I heard a loud gasp from Rarity as my fingers touch her, sliding up and down those beautiful dark lips. I heard her whimper, "Oh, my love... You truly do know what a mare wants..."

"Please let me know if I do anything wrong." I replied with a calm smile, feeling glad with myself that I was bringing my best friend such pleasure. More than anything, I was feeling most happy knowing that I was making her happy.

"Oh, I know you won't do anything that would displease me, my love... Please, carry oooohhhh!" Rarity began to speak before she yelped in a pleasure spike. I had started to use my middle finger and thumb to push her lips apart and tenderly rub my index finger against the soft moist pink flesh within. "You... Oh my... You... Mmm... Darling, I love you so..."

"I love you too, your highness." I replied with a slight chuckle, playing off of Rarity's current royal status while also finding some slight amusement with how effectively I was causing her to turn into putty in my hands. I was amazed by how much control I had over her.

After a few minutes of constant pleasuring and listening to Rarity's angelic voice, I pulled my hand away from her while the beautiful unicorn trembled before me. She panted and whimpered, overwhelmed with pleasure I doubt she had ever experienced before. I was quick to notice that my fingers were coated in her womanly fluids as a result of her arousal.

The idea both intrigued and disgusted me at the same time. A quick sniff of the fluid that coated my fingers filled my nostrils with a very strong scent that both surprised and pleased me. With some hesitation, I brought my fingers to my lips and traced my tongue over them. The flavor... It was not as strong as I expected. A type of sweet womanly nectar. The taste is difficult to describe, but it just tasted so...her. It was the flavor of Rarity. "You... You taste lovely, m'lady."

My beautiful friend looked at me over her shoulder and smiled with a powerful blush flushing her cheeks. I then felt her beautiful tail caressing my face while she spoke weakly, "I was hoping you'd like it... But now it's my turn."

I felt something tug on my boxers while her horn was engulfed in a familiar light blue aura. And a second later, I felt my shorts being yanked down my legs before watching it get flung across the room. Rarity then whispered as she gazed downward, "Oh my..."

For once, I felt genuinely embarrassed as she beheld my male equipment. I turned my gaze towards the nearest window and spoke, "Sorry... I know I'm not exactly stallion material here..."

I was on the verge of speaking further, but I froze when I felt her hoof upon my lips. Rarity was smiling so lovingly at me before she pulled her hoof away and kissed me sweetly on the lips. "Darling... Do not say another word. It's beautiful."

No words were spoken further. This time, it was Rarity who was in control. She slowly lowered her face, leaving me paralyzed in anticipation. My length was not entirely erect quite yet. But just when I thought she was about to take the whole thing into her mouth, I got a different sensation instead. The feel of her lips.

Rarity kissed my flaccid length, causing me to shudder as if a jolt of electricity had just coursed through me. Over and over, I felt her angelic lips kiss me, my erection slowly growing until I felt it twitch and throb with need. It happened so quickly... My flesh merely dough to be shaped into what Rarity desired. I heard her whisper once more as I felt her muzzle tenderly rub against it, "You are just so lovely, sweet prince... I cannot imagine anyone else doing all this with me who is not you..."

"I'm honored, m'lady..." I whispered back while tenderly caressing the indigo coils of her luscious mane. It was only then that I felt a warm wet sensation all around my hardened length. Rarity had taken me into her mouth, moaning softly while I felt her tongue caress my flesh skillfully enough to prompt a grunt of pleasure from me. Her head bobbed up and down for a minute or two before she stopped, my length coated in her saliva while a light gasp was emitted from her gaping mouth. That blush in her cheeks never subsided once. With a sigh, Rarity looked up at me while placing one last kiss on the very tip of my hard and throbbing flesh. "I adore your taste, dear..."

I could only smile. She was so calm and graceful, but clearly joyous. However, she then stood up on the bed once more and slowly turned around before lifting her tail high once more, giving a completely unobstructed view of her beautiful moist marehood. She then looked at me over her shoulder and beckoned me with such a lovely smile. "Your mare needs you, my love."

A strong warmth filled me. She was right there, that beautiful mare. Tail raised, presenting herself to me. At any other time, I would be conflicted over what to do. But in this realm of dreams, the norms of the real world clearly did not apply. I wanted her. And I knew she wanted me. For this single night, we were no longer friends. We were lovers.

Without a word, I pulled myself forward. My fingers once more caressed those beautiful white flanks, prompting a shiver of glee from my beautiful friend that was promptly followed by a quiet shriek of pleasure as my fingers teased and rubbed the diamonds that made up her cutie mark. "Oooh, darling... Must you tease me so?"

"Maybe." I said with a bit of a smirk while almost feeling tempted to laugh. The awkwardness between us was steadily fading. I was feeling much more at ease about the whole thing, as if it was what was meant to be. My hands slid along her slender sides, caressing her ribs before sliding underneath and caressing her chest and belly all while she sighed in joy. But then, I decided to go further. I slid my hands further down her body and found them. Two soft mounds with a tiny nub in the middle of each.

"Oh... Oh my... James... My teats?" Rarity asked while looking back at me with a questioning, yet joyful gaze. I soon replied with a smile of my own while tenderly rolling her onto her side. There they were. Two small beautiful mounds in her coat with a dark spot in the middle. My hands continued to knead the soft flesh, my fingers tenderly pinching the two dark nipples as Rarity gritted her teeth and groaned in response to the spikes in pleasure she was receiving.

I soon tired of just feeling and decided to go further. I brought my face to Rarity's slender frame and began to lightly kiss her lovely teats while she gasped and moaned at the touch of my lips. And soon, I went even further. I clamped my lips over one of her teats and began to suckle, prompting a long and low sigh of pleasure from the beautiful mare. She soon whispered while watching, "Mmmm... Drink all you want, dear. Mama has plenty."

Something in those words sparked something in me. My erection only throbbed harder, desperate for release in spite of it being far too soon. While I suckled, my hand tenderly caressed Rarity's slender belly. That beautiful perfect body that she had tended to and tempered for so long. Truly the epitome of beauty in the mares of Equestria. However, my suckling did not go on for much longer. I heard Rarity groan before I felt an unseen force pull me away and turn my face towards Rarity. She was not smiling, but she was clearly overwhelmed with sexual bliss. Her words were direct and partially a wheeze, half pleading, half commanding. "Darling... Please... No more waiting. Make me yours... Make me your mare..."

Those words were a command I could not resist. We had come too far to stop. I nodded before reaching out and placing a soft kiss upon her lips, prompting a delighted smile from her. Already lying on her side, she lifted one hind leg for me to hold onto. I got on my knees and carefully aligned myself with her winking marehood. And then...I began the plunge into her waiting depths.

Such warmth... I even let out a long gasp at the sensation that was engulfing my length while Rarity yelped and groaned as I hilted myself to her body. I waited a brief moment while she trembled at the new sensations that were flooding her. I leaned forward and whispered while holding up her leg, "Am I doing OK?"

"Oh... Far more than OK... You're doing fabulous, darling... Please... Don't stop... More..." She groaned while laying her head down. I felt her tail curl around my lower back, trying to beckon me to stay. A request I had no intention of denying.

I pulled back slowly before just as slowly pushing back into my beautiful lover. My thrusts and strokes were slow and precise, carefully working its way to the climax. I was careful to pace myself to insure to not exhaust myself too soon. I was not doing it for my pleasure. I was doing it for her. And her soft moans and gasps were all the confirmation I needed to know that I was succeeding.

"Darling... Let's try it like this now..." I heard Rarity whisper before I pulled back to allow her to move. She slowly climbed to a standing position, but then once again presented those beautiful flanks to me with her tail moved aside. "Please... Claim me like a stallion, my prince..."

And so I did. I grasped those curvy white flanks and thrust my hips forward. This time, she yelped and trembled while her legs shook. I soon slowed down my rhythm to help draw out the pleasure the best I could, keeping my thrusts slow while always pushing as deep as I could go.

That tail swayed and wagged, caressing my torso and chest while I pleasured my lover. I leaned forward over her back, my hands grasping and caressing her shoulders and sides while her beautiful voice never ceased to sing her ecstasy. Eventually, my hands slid under her and rested upon her belly. As I thrust into her, I felt such a powerful natural desire. I did not only wish to make love to her. I wanted to fill her. To breed her. To give this wonderful mare my child. No... My foal.

Even though I did not say a word, I still heard her whisper back to me. "Yes, darling... I want it too..."

I was not expecting her to speak. I lifted my head to look ahead and soon saw Rarity gazing back at me over her shoulder with a most hopeful smile. "Please... Do not stop... Make certain every last drop ends up inside me... Where it is needed..."

I could see it in her beautiful azure eyes as well. That sacred desire. I began to thrust harder, spurred on by the desire to claim Rarity as mine. And that she may claim me as hers. My thrusts became hard and fierce, but I soon overexerted myself. I found myself struggling to keep my rhythm steady. And I am certain Rarity was beginning to notice as well. "Darling... Wait..."

Not wanting to disappoint her, I stopped immediately and pulled back. "Yes?"

Rarity's gaze showed nothing but delight and desire. She turned around and used her magic to gather up the pillows against the bed's headboard to build a soft wall for me to lean against. With a gentle push, she caused me to fall backwards and sit against the wall of pillows behind me. She then stepped forward and pulled herself up with her hooves resting upon my shoulders, my length standing up between her hind legs. With an endearing smile, she began to lower her body. "You've done so much already, my love. Allow me to do the rest."

And with that, she took my length into her. I shuddered and groaned at the feel of her warmth surrounding me once more, my hands reaching out and gripping her hips with my fingers digging into her cutie marks. Such elegance and grace, even in the throes of lovemaking. Truly a marvel...

Her eyes closed while her lips hung open with constant moaning that was nectar to my ears. I could barely even keep track of the minutes that passed. But with how masterfully her thick equine lips squeezed my hard length, neither of us had long to go before we reached the climax of our efforts. My hands slid over her smooth silky chest before sliding down to her belly. But when I did, her hoof left my left shoulder and rested over my hands. The one that bore the bracelet of silver and opals.

I looked up at her, even while she continued to ride my hard throbbing length. Rarity smiled longingly at me, so much love floating in those eyes. "Yes, my prince... You know what we want... Do it... Give mama what she needs..."

"Oh, honey..." I whispered in return as I felt a familiar pressure building in my groin. Rarity responded accordingly, bouncing up and down on me with unexpected speed. But not once did Rarity remove her hoof from my hand as it rested upon her belly. As if she was hoping my touch was blessing that part of her body.

It was coming. The urge to release was building. Rarity's speed was immense and her moans had turned into shrieking joyful cries. She was pleading. Begging for me to fill her. Finally, she threw her arms around me and sank my length deep inside her as her moist warm folds quivered around me. "Oh, my prince...!"

It was then that I could hold back no longer either. I too held onto her tightly while I held back as long as I could. But it was a futile struggle as I suddenly felt a torrent of warmth burst down the length of my erection before exploding into my lover. "Rarity...!"

One throb. Then another. And then another and a few more as I planted my warm seed into Rarity's waiting womb. She quivered and whimpered as orgasmic bliss wracked us both. Man and mare, together. Soon, as our combined juices oozed out of her body, I felt myself lazily lifting my hand and soon found Rarity's hoof searching for mine. The hoof that held the bracelet I had given her. I curled my fingers forward while her hoof tenderly rested in my palm. I then found myself whispering, "I love you...Rarity..."

I heard a muffled sob before hearing her reply with a quiet joyous tone, "I love you...forever, James..."

I slid down the wall of pillows until just my head was resting against it while Rarity rested atop me. I felt so honored... So blessed that such a wonderful and beautiful mare loved me so wholly and truthfully. She soon rolled to my right and dislodged my exhausted length from her body, but her hoof never left my hand. She did not say a word. She merely gazed at me with those beautiful azure eyes.

Minutes passed. The air was quiet save for the sound of a gentle zephyr outside the window. I gazed at Rarity while she gazed back at me. The afterglow was just intoxicating. I felt my heart swell as our eyes met. With a long sigh, I placed my other hand atop Rarity's hoof as it rested in my palm. "Rarity... Would you..."

I was silenced as Rarity tenderly rested her other hoof upon my lips. She then whispered as tears began to gather in her eyelids, "Darling... Please...don't. Do not ask me to take Fluttershy's place, because..." Her joyous smile then dissolved into a tearful frown as the tears flowed. "Because...I would not be able to resist the offer..."

She read my mind. I hated the thought of leaving Fluttershy after all we had been through, even after what she did to me. I was so...conflicted. I averted my eyes as I felt a feeling of shame come over me, but Rarity was quick to cup my cheek and direct my gaze towards her once more. "Darling... Have you visited her in your dreams yet?"

"No... I'm afraid to..." I muttered in return. After having encountered that grim reminder of what Pinkie Pie had become back then, I had only been visiting Pinkie Pie due to how reliably she can make me feel happy. Although... I just now remembered I did not see that grayish doppelganger again after the first time I visited her dreams... I would have almost expected to encounter Rarity's equivalent at some point during this dream as well, but... I never saw her once. But I digress.

Rarity let out a quiet sigh before she began to speak while tenderly caressing my cheek. "Darling... I promise you that she is the mare that you remember. I know you must be afraid of being hurt again, but... She loves you. And as much as it pains me to admit this... She needs you more than I do." She then pulled herself closer to me and whispered, "Promise me... Tomorrow night, you will go to her. And you will remember why you and her are betrothed. Promise me, darling..."

The thought of seeing Fluttershy again filled me with anxiety, but I knew Rarity's words to be true. She and Fluttershy have long been best friends, so I knew she would never lie to me about her. With some hesitation, I nodded. "I will..."

"Thank you, darling... But as for now..." She then reached out and placed another kiss upon my lips before casting me an exhausted smile. "For now, it is just us. Let us enjoy this dream for as long as we can, my prince..."

We soon tucked ourselves under the covers while resting our heads and upper bodies upon the many pillows that had been provided. However, before we could do much of anything, we looked towards the door as we heard the doorknob wiggle. A familiar voice then spoke up from outside, "Locked? They must be in here."

It was Luna. I was tempted to call out to her, but then remembered our compromising position. Rarity and I did not say a word, hoping that perhaps she would go away. Our hopes were promptly dashed as I saw the knob coated by a blue magic aura as Luna seemed to use the levitation spell to manipulate the lock mechanism without a key. Whatever she did, it was clearly successful since the door then opened. But as soon as the Princess of the Night stepped into the room, she instantly gave us a wide-eyed stare while we both froze and looked on in silence. What a tense moment!

A good ten seconds must have passed before Luna began to silently back out of the room while her face remained frozen in that rather...uneasy expression. She knew what had been going on. I know I caught her casting a glance at my discarded clothes. I then heard the lock click once the door was closed followed by Nightmare Moon's voice while Rarity and I remained silent. "Well? Were they in there?"

Luna then replied, "Uh... Not quite. Just one of the royal guard and one of the maids partaking in some...intimate activates..."

Nightmare Moon's tone quickly changed to one that sounded somewhat repulsed. "Uh... That's more than I needed to know." Once we heard the sound of their hooves become more distant, Rarity and I burst into suppressed laughter.

I have no knowledge of how much time passed, but I cherished the time I spent with Rarity nonetheless. We constantly cuddled, shared tender kisses, and even partook in more gentle lovemaking. I missed her...and I wanted to bask in her presence for as long as I could.

Finally, I felt the world twitch. The time of awakening was near. And Rarity knew it too. She held me in her arms and whispered in my ear. "Darling... I promise I will come by as soon as I can. I just have a few more orders to finish up."

"That's fine... I'll be waiting." I replied quietly while tenderly stroking the back of her head.

A moment later, Rarity gazed at me with a tearful smile and spoke with a tender tone, "James... No matter what happens, remember this. I will always love you. No matter where life takes us, you will always be my treasure. My prince."

I do not know where the tears came from. Something in those words just caused the dam to burst. Tears flowing down my face, I held her tightly in my arms as a light sob burst from my lips. The last thing I heard as my vision became a bright blur was, "Goodbye, my love... I will see you again soon..."

The feel of my mattress returned as the sound of a heart monitor reached my ears. My eyes adjusted to the morning light peeking through the blinds to my right. I felt weak, but at the same time relaxed. That dream... I actually felt pretty good. Well... I at least felt better than I normally have felt these past several days after awakening. The memories that used to hound me upon awakening were still silent.

I was feeling rather awake and mentally energized for once, so I took the time to start writing this journal down early. I only took a break once breakfast arrived, which I ate without much hesitation. Although, at the same time... I was feeling a sense of emptiness that I was trying to ignore. Perhaps writing this journal was a means to cope with it or even just ignore it.

The last few days have been...well...better, at least. I still get visitors aside from my closest friends. Mitta and Lyra have stopped by, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were spending time with me during the weekend, and Button Mash comes by sometimes to play games with me. Derpy has even brought me a muffin or two. And I do appreciate their concern and care, but... There is only one thing I am truly aching for now. And I know I cannot have it.

Once breakfast was done, I gave the cart a push to move it closer to the door. But it was shortly after that when I heard a knock at the door. A few seconds later, it swung open to reveal who is almost always the first friend I see every day. Twilight Sparkle.

She was noticeably happier than I had seen her the last few days. Most other times, she always had a very small smile on her face with a rather melancholy look in her eyes. But today, she seemed to be in a good mood. She trotted right over to me and asked, "Good morning, James. How're you feeling today?"

"OK, I think. I dreamed well, if nothing else." I replied before reaching out and stretching.

"Dream, huh? Did you visit Pinkie Pie's dream again? I can't even imagine some of the zany places her mind takes her when she's asleep." Twilight replied while she unloaded her saddlebags nearby.

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Not this time. I decided to visit Rarity last night instead."

This really caught Twilight's attention since she suddenly looked at me. "Really?! Well, what happened there? A beauty pageant?"

I could not help snickering at the memory. "Not even close. It was a coronation ceremony in Canterlot for the recently crowned Princess Rarity."

As expected, Twilight held a hoof to her lips while letting out a giggle. "Oh, yes. That's Rarity, all right. How'd she look? Did she have the kind of jewelry that Princess Celestia wears all the time?"

I took a moment to think back on that recent memory, letting out a sigh in the process. "Not quite, but similar. She was wearing silver jewelry and was also wearing a gorgeous light blue dress. She was a feast for the eyes."

Twilight merely smiled while she listened, but her expression seemed to darken a few seconds later. "She must've been happy to see and talk to you again... I know you're important to her."

"She was... I was glad to see and hear her too... I already miss her." I replied quietly while holding my head in my hand.

My friend stepped forward and lightly patted my arm with her hoof. "I'm sure she'll be stopping by again very soon to visit, James. She's been coming in every day to check on you, after all."

However, I felt a twinge of bitterness in my heart upon hearing those words. "Will I have to wear the blindfold?"

Twilight did not immediately reply. At first, that blindfold felt like a blessing since it allowed me to finally be near the friends I so sorely longed for. But now, I have grown to hate it. Merely feeling them and smelling them does not compare to the satisfaction of seeing and hearing them. Although Twilight did eventually mutter, "I'm sorry... I know how much you want to see and talk to them again... Just...hold out a little longer, OK? The doctors will let us know right away if they find out what's wrong with you. They've got to be getting close now."

"I know... I just... I wish there was a better way." I grumbled in return while just bowing my head. Almost as if on cue, there was a knock at the door. "Uh... Is that Rarity?"

"I'll check. Just a second." Twilight replied before she trotted over to the door. A second after she opened the door just a crack and peeked through it, Twilight looked my way and nodded. "It's Rarity. The blindfold is in the bottom drawer."

I let out a sigh that almost sounded like it was mixed with a growl. I truly did not want to have to wear it again. I pulled open the drawer at the bottom of the nightstand to my left and saw it. That band of black cloth. I wanted nothing to do with it, but understood that if Rarity or any of my other three friends were to get anywhere near me, I had to be blind.

I took the blindfold in my hands and stared down at it, feeling nothing but contempt for it. That band of cloth was both my shield and my shackles. With no other option, I chained myself to those shackles once more. I closed my eyes while the blindfold settled over my upper face. "OK... Let her in."

I heard the door creak open while I sat up in bed. I then heard Twilight say, "I know I probably don't need to say this, but don't make a sound. All right?"

I heard the sound of hooves drawing near. Not a trot, but a slow walk. I could vaguely make out a scent in the air. A lovely perfume. And soon, I felt a hoof rest upon my hand. I sighed while turning my head to my left to 'look' at my visitor. "Hi, Rarity... Did you sleep well?"

As usual, I got no reply. However, I did feel something tug on the blindfold. And I soon felt the blindfold being lifted just above my eyes while I kept them closed. The veil of black over my eyes became a shade of orange. And then... I felt an odd feeling upon my eyelids. Were those...her lips?

Twilight did not say a word. I am sure she was merely watching in silence. I suspect that Rarity may have told her about what she was doing about my blindfold before she could approach me. It was then that I understood what I was feeling. She was kissing me upon the eyes.

She wanted me to see her. Wanted to see me look at her again. The instant I understood what she was trying to tell me, I choked up. Once I shuddered and the tears started flowing, Rarity lowered my blindfold and threw her arms around me while I did the same. I was already missing the dream we shared...

Rarity, sadly, did not stay long. Probably no longer than fifteen or twenty minutes. Twilight forwarded to me Rarity's words, claiming that she had some fresh commissions to take care of. During her stay, I found that she had brought along a thermos filled with delicious orange tea sweetened with a spot of honey and a few matching teacups. I had a good feel of the distance between my hand and my mouth, for I had little difficulty drinking my tea. When Rarity did finally depart, she bid farewell with another soft kiss upon my lips.

"She's gone, James. You can take it off now." I heard Twilight say before I pulled my blindfold over my head again. I felt so disgusted with myself. She was right there in front of me and I hid behind a blindfold. I was even starting to wonder what Applejack and Fluttershy even look like. Would I end up forgetting their faces entirely if I did not see them again soon?

"James...?" I heard Twilight ask after a moment of silence. She approached me and stood by my side while I held that blindfold in my hands. "Are you...OK?"

I replied quietly with my voice speaking in a noticeable monotone I had not used for a few days. "I hate this thing..."

Twilight did not say anything. I did not even look at her. Although she soon reached out and held me in a tender embrace while holding her head to my chest. "I know... I hate it too... I wish you didn't have to wear that..."

The next several minutes were nothing but silence. I spent that time looking out the window to my right while tenderly stroking the petals on the flowers that Twilight had brought me. The ceiling fan made of clouds that Rainbow Dash brought in was still creating a gentle breeze. Although soon after Twilight started playing soft classical music on Pinkie Pie's phonograph, she came to my bedside again and sounded like she was rooting around in that cardboard box between the nightstand and the bed. Sure enough, that is exactly what she was doing.

Before I could even do or say anything, Twilight spoke up with a bit of a smile. "Huh... I completely forgot about these for the last few days. I guess I just got a bit complacent since things have gotten a bit better lately." She then looked at me while the earliest journal I wrote that she had not yet delivered to Celestia floated beside her. "May I take a look?"

"Sure." I said without feeling much need to hide anything. I know she was just trying to help.

Twilight smiled at me before she started flipping through the pages. It did not take long before she started offering commentary. "Uh... I guess you had a point. Why didn't I just use the teleportation spell to get us to the other side of the river the first time?" I could not help snickering at that line. But then again, I am sure Rarity would have much rather soared in the arms of an angel instead of just flashing from one side of the river to the other. At least I am sure that is how she would have worded it.

However, I soon heard Twilight mutter, "Another one...?"

"Another what?" I asked while I looked at her.

My friend seemed rather puzzled. She then turned the stack of papers around to show me the text I had written. "This is going to sound strange, but I keep finding some weird typos in your writing. Every now and then, you write doubles of letters where there should only be one. See?"

She was right. In one occasion where I wrote the word 'it', I ended up using one more I than there should have been. I had no memory of ever making that kind of typo and shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know how that even got there. Must've been a slip of the wrist."

"Yeah, it's not like you to make these kinds of typos. At least from what I've seen." Twilight said while she went back to reading. However, her eyes soon opened wide with interest. "Wow, you got to see the castle back before it crumbled away? I wish I could've seen that! There's so little of it left out there now..."

After that, Twilight put the pages back together and set them back in the box. It looked liked she had stopped halfway through. "Well, it looks like you had a good time that night... Hm?" She then used the levitation spell to lift what I had already written of today's journal entry out of the box. "This seems a bit short compared to the others."

"That one isn't done yet. I'll work on it later today." I replied while feeling slightly unsure on whether or not I wanted her to read that one.

"Oh, so it's today's entry. Well... Would it be OK if I read what you have so far?" Twilight asked while seeming rather excited to check it out.

After a moment of silently debating with myself, I nodded my head. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Thanks. I promise not to mention it to anypony unless you want me to... Oh, that's definitely Rarity's style. And that sounds like a lovely ensemble she was wearing." She replied with a smile while she read on.

Twilight fell silent for a short while, but I soon noticed her starting to blush. I merely looked on in silence, wondering what she was reading. She soon brought a hoof to her lips while she smiled as a few tears even began to stream down her cheeks. "Oh, James... This is beautiful... The way you two were feeding each other berries and fruit... I can't remember the last time I read something this romantic..."

I felt myself heating up and beginning to sweat heavily. "Uh... Thanks."

"If this is how you really are with a mare you love..." Twilight said softly while reading on. She seemed to glance at me momentarily before looking back at the page in front of her before letting out a sigh while she even seemed to swoon. "I think Rarity was right... You really are wonderful."

"Thanks..." I muttered quietly while not sure if I should feel flattered or embarrassed. But while I watched Twilight read, her rather dreamy expression started to become one of surprise. That blush only seemed to become bolder with every passing minute. And...was she sweating? "Twilight... Are you OK?"

"Uh... Well... Uh... Wow... This is..." She stuttered while not appearing to pay me much mind.

The tension in the air was becoming rather awkward. I then spoke up rather loudly, "Twilight... What part of that journal are you reading?"

Upon hearing that, she suddenly faced me and held the journal to her chest to hide the text while looking noticeably flustered. "Nothing! I wasn't reading anything!" However, she then asked while still blushing heavily, "But...uh... Now that I think about it... Would it be all right with you if I went home for just a little while? I...kind of need to take care of something...personal."

At first, I merely stared at her. But a few seconds later, I burst out laughing harder than I had laughed in weeks. All the while, Twilight shouted back, "It's not funny! Stop laughing at it!"

"It's hilarious! You read that part, didn't you?!" I replied between guffaws while holding myself up. My gut even started to hurt.

Twilight merely frowned embarrassingly while averting her eyes. She then set the journal back in the box. "OK, yes... I read some of it... But seriously, that was beautiful... The words, the passion... I think you should consider becoming a romance novelist. That was some of the most beautiful...and arousing writing I've seen recently."

I merely shook my head while suppressing another laugh. "I'll take your word for it. And sure, you can go deal with that little...problem of yours."

My rather excited friend grinned nervously while she backed away from me towards the door. "Thanks... I'll be back as soon as I can, all right?" Once she stopped speaking, I do not think she could have gotten out of that room fast enough.

I started adding to the journal to help pass the time, but I was eventually interrupted when someone else came into the room. "Morning, James! What's up? Feeling any better?"

It was Rainbow Dash. I felt myself smile a bit in her presence. Although I also noticed that the light in the room had dimmed somewhat, prompting me to reach over and turn on Rarity's lamp for some extra light. My brazen pegasus friend trotted over to me while apparently taking note of the lack of natural light. "Yeah, it's gonna be a bit gloomy for a couple of days. Have to get a lot of rain in to help the end of season harvests. Autumn's not that far off, you know."

"Yeah, I know... Can't stand autumn. Feels like the world is dying. At least winter has a magical feeling with all that snow." I replied while the thought of trees losing their leaves passed through my mind. I will never understand why Celestia sees autumn as her favorite season.

For some reason, my words prompted a rather relieved smile from my friend. "Man... I really missed the old you. It's great to have you back, you know?"

She was right. I was feeling more like myself lately. "Yeah... I guess I wasn't really feeling right for a while..."

Rainbow Dash then flapped up to the ceiling fan and gave it a light smack to make the fan's rotation speed up slightly. She then looked at me and asked, "So... Has Twilight been here today?"

"She was, but she...had to go home to take care of something. She'll probably be back soon." I replied while taking great care to not draw Rainbow's attention towards the journal that sat in the box next to me. If she read the contents of that incomplete journal, heaven knows what she would do.

Rainbow Dash did not seem too concerned. "Meh, probably some sorta assignment from Princess Celestia. That egghead's always got her nose in books."

"But what does that make those who write those books, huh?" I asked in return while taking some minor offense to that. I have done far more writing over the last year than reading. I even motioned towards the box filled with paper to emphasize my point.

Needless to say, Rainbow Dash looked utterly embarrassed. She took one look at that box before looking at me. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. She finally buried her face in my bed's sheet in an obvious sign of defeat.

A while later, I looked at the clock during a game of Weather Patrol. "Noon... Twilight's taking her time coming back."

"Yeah, you know how it is on Mondays. Everypony goes a bit stir crazy since there's not that much to do on Sundays and they just wanna get outta the house for a while. Oh, and... sky 3." Rainbow replied while looking down at her side of the board.

"Miss. Uh... cloud 6... Wait, is someone knocking?" I asked while making my move. We both fell silent for a moment to listen more closely. A few seconds later, there was another knock.

"I got it!" Rainbow said while she left my bedside to go to the door. She even took the time to open the blinds that hung over the window to the door's right. She then opened the door a crack to peek outside. "Oh, hey there, Applejack! Wanna see the big guy? And is that apple cake for him?"

Applejack... With a side of apple cake. Delicious. I certainly was in the mood for a visit from my favorite farm friend. Rainbow Dash then looked over at me and asked, "Is it OK if she comes in?"

"Yeah, send her in." I said with a smile. However, that smile soon faded when I saw Rainbow Dash point her hoof at me. "What?"

"Blindfold, man. You need to put it on." She replied with a bit of a frown. She could tell how much I had come to loathe this method, even if it is the only way to get anywhere near my friends. With a sigh, I pulled it back over my eyes without a word. It was then I heard Rainbow Dash say, "He's ready, AJ. Come in."

I heard the sound of hooves once again, signaling the approach of somepony I know. I sat up in bed and waited. And sure enough, I felt it. A hoof on my arm. I turned my head to my left, instinctively 'looking' in her direction. "Hey there, AJ..."

As usual, I did not hear a word being spoken to me. But I did feel her starting to hold me in an embrace. A very tight and strong embrace that felt like a vice. The scent in her mane... Apple and cinnamon with a hint of sweat and grime. It was indeed Applejack. I could not bring myself to say anything and held her too... I am sorry. That is all I can write about that encounter right now. It was just too depressing for me...

Applejack could not stay long. She had only stopped by to pay me a visit and to deliver a slice of amazing apple cake to me. The harvest season was still going, so she still had many apples to shake from the trees. But I did enjoy that cake... So good... Nopony makes apple products like Applejack does.

It was not much later that Twilight returned to my room while looking much more relaxed than when she left. "Hi, Rainbow Dash. Thanks for keeping James company while I was gone. Did anyone come to visit while I was gone?"

We had gone back to our game of Weather Patrol by that point. And while that slice of apple cake did make me feel good, my mood was still feeling rather low. Rainbow Dash looked her way and nodded. "Yeah, Applejack came and went a little while ago. What's up?"

"Well... I bumped into somepony on my way back over and...she wants to say hello." Twilight said with a more subdued smile. I knew what that smile meant. Someone dear to me, but I could not hear or see.

I was reaching the end of my tolerance of that blindfold. "Twilight... I really don't want to wear it this time."

"I know... But...you have to if you're going to get anywhere near her, James. And...I really don't want to turn her away. I think you know who it is..." Twilight replied with a long sigh.

I looked down at the black cloth at my side. I wanted nothing more than to hurl that thing across the room and be done with it. It brought such sweet relief at first, but now it was denying me a pleasure I had not experienced in what felt like an eternity ago. With great reluctance, I pulled it over my head until it rested over my eyes. "Fine..."

This time, Twilight and Rainbow Dash did not offer a greeting to my visitor. The pace of her hooves clopping against the floor was noticeably slower than those of Applejack and Rarity from earlier. And when I felt her hoof upon my hand, I placed my other over hers. That flowery fragrance coming from her mane... I knew who she was. "Hey there, honey..."

Once again, Fluttershy climbed upon my bed and rested atop me, holding me in her arms while placing tender sweet kisses upon my face. And it was only then, being held in her arms, that the doubts that still lingered not in my mind, but in my body, retreated. I could only believe she would not dare harm me only if she was there in my grasp while not feeling pain. But even moreso... The blackness over my eyes.

I opened my eyes to see her. That tender sweet pegasus mare that I had come to love so dearly. But I saw nothing. Nothing but blackness. All I had to do was lift the blindfold to reveal her to me. But I could not. The knowledge of what would happen the instant I saw her made me hesitant. But as I felt her tremble in my arms... Felt a warm tear trickle down my chest... My frustration skyrocketed. No more... "I can't keep doing this anymore..."

"Huh? What's wrong? What can't you keep doing anymore?" I heard Rainbow Dash ask from somewhere to my left.

I placed my hand on my beloved's back. I bowed my head while still blackness covered my vision. "I'm not going to keep going day to day like this... I'm tired of not hearing who I want to hear and not being able to see their faces... Their eyes... Their smiles... I want things to go back to how they used to be. How they...really used to be."

There was not a word spoken for a good fifteen seconds or so. They knew I was frustrated. And soon, Twilight spoke to me. "James... Are you sure about this? I mean...you know what happened the last time you..."

"I don't care, Twilight." I said with frustration pushing me on. "Please... I want you to do me a favor. Gather up the others and bring them here. I want to see them... I will hear them again. And if there is pain... If I just endure it long enough, maybe it'll stop and I'll be fine."

"James... You... You've got balls. You bet I'll go get the girls. Twilight? Fluttershy? You game?" I heard Rainbow Dash speak with what sounded like a tone of pride in her voice. Her compliance with my request filled me with a sense of relief. Soon... Very soon, I would truly have them back.

Fluttershy said nothing, although I did feel another kiss upon my lips before I felt her jump down from my bed. Twilight then said, "Well... All right... I hate to see you like this too, James. It's not fair for you to have to put a wall between you and your friends like that. I'll go get Pinkie Pie. Rainbow, you go find Applejack. Fluttershy, please go get Rarity. We'll all meet up in the lounge before we come back here."

The sound of hooves reached my ears before the sound of a door closing did. And once the room was silent aside from the sound of my heart monitor and the phonograph still playing some music, I removed my blindfold and found that I was alone. But not for long. I have been writing more of this journal to help pass the time before they return. It will not be much longer now.

Mere minutes after I stopped writing, I heard a knock at the door. I reflexively reached for my blindfold, intending to put it to use one final time. And then, the door opened before I saw Twilight Sparkle stick her head in. She was clearly showing signs of uncertainty as she asked, "James? Are you ready? We're all here."

I sighed before nodding and pulling the blindfold over my head once more. "Yeah... Bring them in. Let's get this over with."

The sound of many hooves reached my ears before the door closed shut. I was all too familiar with the pain I had experienced before. I knew what to expect. Once the room fell all but silent, the phonograph having fallen silent from exhausting the list of songs from the record that spun on it, I spoke up quietly. "Hey there..."

I heard the voice of Rainbow Dash. "So... Uh... How're we gonna do this?"

"Well... Twilight and Rainbow Dash... Please don't say anything. This has nothing to do with you." I replied while gathering my fortitude. I was not expecting this to be an easy process.

After a moment more of silence, I began to speak to the four mares who were standing in front of me. "Girls... I can't keep doing this. I don't want to settle for only interacting with you by touch anymore... I want to see you again. I want to hear your voices. I don't care if it hurts at first. I want things to go back to the way they used to be. Please... Just...say something. I don't care what. Just...please let me hear you."

A moment of silence passed. Perhaps they were uncertain or even fearful of taking that step. But finally, I heard a voice that I had recognized from many of my dreams these past few days. "Uh... Are you sure about this?"

The instant that sound reached my ears... The memories... Bitterness and hatred in that voice... My head throbbed as the memories resurfaced almost instantly. I cringed and held a hand to my brow as Twilight called out in reaction to my obvious discomfort, "Pinkie, no! Don't talk!"

I reached out with my hand to signal her to be silent. "No, Twi... It's... It's OK... Rarity... Are you there too?" The memories were flashing through my head, louder and more vivid than ever before. But I had to endure the pain for just a little bit longer. They were so close... I could almost reach out and hold them.

That beautiful elegant voice from just last night then reached my ears. "Yes, darling... I am here." And with those voices... The pain of rejection... Being pushed away in exchange for a boulder. The pain in my mind intensified, but I knew those memories to be false. My real friends were right in front of me.

"Good... Ugh... AJ... Talk to me..." I then said while the pain only grew with every new memory that floated to the surface.

"Are ya sure? I really don't wanna hurt ya, pardner..." I heard the voice of that dependable farm mare reach my ears, only to have that same voice echo in my mind with cruel lies. But it was too late to stop. Three down, one to go.

With all but one memory repeatedly cycling through my mind and the images of said images drifting along on the lids of my eyes with the sounds echoing in my ears, I called out to dear Fluttershy. "OK... Fluttershy..."

She was all too willing to let me hear her gentle meek voice. "I'm here... I missed you, dear..."

And with that, the most scarring memories surfaced. The malice, the desire to see me harmed, the pain of being struck in my head... I groaned as the memories of my four friends now once again exploded in my head with renewed vigor.

"James... I don't think this is a good idea..." I heard Twilight say from nearby. The rest of them did not say a word.

I waited for a brief moment, becoming reacquainted with the pain that had been with me for days. It was not new to me. "I'm OK... Now... Just...don't go anywhere."

I reached for my blindfold. The pain of seeing them was always worse than the pain that came from hearing them. If I could just endure it long enough, maybe the pain would stop. Squinting my eyes shut, I lifted the black cloth and dropped it to my side. And then...after a moment of mental preparation, I opened them. And there they were.

All six of them... The six most important people in my life were finally standing in a row in front of me. And the instant I saw them... My god, the pain... I cringed and did all I could to not yelp as my skull felt like it was on the verge of cracking open. My head throbbed, the memories played across my vision, but I could still see them. Vibrant. Real. And soon, gratefully smiling.

My heart monitor was beeping increasingly quickly. Even through the din that filled my ears, I could still make it out. But I did not give in to the pain. Not this time. They were with me once again. And it was then, even with pain radiating through my head, that I managed to smile.

However, seconds later, the heart monitor soon began to make a new type of noise just as I felt a strange tightness in my chest. The fast pace of beeping stopped and was replaced by a new sound. One long continuous droning beep.

watch?v=qtsNvVTDFN0

My senses began to go haywire. I heard shouts and shrieks over the noise in my head as my vision began to become blurred. My friends were in a panic. I lost all control over myself as my limbs ceased to respond. I fell to my side as my body went numb while the noise in my ears faded. And then...nothing.

I am uncertain how much time passed before I awoke. And when I did, those memories were there to greet me like many times before. The pain... I wished I had not awaken. The sky was darkening outside the window... The day was nearly over.

"James..." I heard a voice say to my left. Upon turning my head to look, I saw Twilight looking back at me with a most fearful gaze. Her cheeks... It seemed as if they had been stained with tears. "Thank goodness you woke up..."

I felt so listless... Exhausted. The memories hounded me like never before. "Twilight... What went wrong? I didn't give in, so... What happened?"

She seemed hesitant to speak. Like there was something she did not want me to hear. But she spoke regardless. "The doctors rushed in just after you collapsed... You know they've been constantly monitoring your vital signs. While you were exposing your hearing and vision to your friends, your... Heart rate, adrenaline... Your stress levels in general started to skyrocket... In the end, your heart... It just...stopped. Cardiac arrest. I thought for sure that was the end right there..."

"What does that mean...?" I asked quietly, my nerves and willpower in shambles. I had no will to really move.

With a sigh, Twilight spoke with such a monotone to her voice. "The doctors concluded that... Hearing your friends and seeing them... They're not only painful to you, James... They're toxic... They're not being allowed to see you anymore until the doctors find out what is wrong with you..."

Those words... It was then that I understood that as things were, my life would never go back to what it used to be. My friends were no longer just a source of pain. Their mere presence would prove fatal to me. I did not say a word. I had no will to speak. I just...rolled back over onto my side, facing the window.

"James...?" I heard her whisper from behind me.

Her voice no longer held any joy for me anymore. With what I desired being no longer possible... I...just did not care anymore. "Just go..."

"Wha... What?" I heard her say as her voice began to break. I said nothing and did not look her way. "James... Please... Please don't shut me out!"

I felt her hoof upon my shoulder while I rested on my side before she whispered while also sounding as if she was sobbing, "I won't give up... I'll find a way... Please, just... Don't push me away... I love you..."

The urge was strong to reach out to touch her. But...I felt so...empty. Somehow, I found the will to reach up to her. Nearly on the verge of just not bothering, I barely touched my fingertips to her hoof.

"Thank you... Please... Just hold on. I'll be back later..." I heard Twilight say before soon leaving the room. However, immediately after she stepped outside, I heard her speak up again. "Oh... Hello, doctor... Have you found anything yet?"

The door was open just a crack, allowing me to hear them clearly. The doctor spoke while sounding noticeably displeased. "Well... I'm sorry to say we've found nothing good, Miss Sparkle. His vital signs have begun to deteriorate once more. At a rather alarming rate, I must add. At the current rate of decay... I don't think he has more than a few days left."

"He... No... You're not serious, are you?! What's wrong with him?!" Twilight all but yelled at the doctor while I did not even bother to look. I merely rolled onto my back, my gaze directed at the ceiling.

The doctor continued to speak, but also sounded rather unhappy himself. "We've tried, Twilight. We have gone over every single possible diagnosis for his symptoms, and not one of them matches. And judging by the turn of events that have occurred... I would even go so far as to say that the various forms of entropy he has displayed are... It seems that he has simply lost his will to live..."

"Doctor... What are you saying...?" Twilight asked with a fearful tone in her voice.

I heard the doctor let out a sigh before he spoke his answer. "I'm sorry, Miss Sparkle. There is nothing more we can do for him..."

I felt...a strange sense of relief hearing those words. Soon, the pain would be gone. I would be free. But as I felt myself becoming increasingly resigned to my fate, a new sound reached my ears from just beyond the door. It was Twilight... She was crying.

"No... No... Not now... We never should've let him come along... We should've had him stay behind... If he never went out there with us... No... This isn't happening..." Her words were wracked with sobs. Finally, I heard her run down the hall and all became quiet before I heard the door fully shut.

I was torn. Some part of me wanted to care. But...I felt nothing. I was dying...and I welcomed it. But as I lied in bed...something drifted across my vision for only a few seconds before fading away. In capital levels, almost like a ghostly message written in bright red jagged letters. I still remember it vividly.

I WIN

Who wins? Who loses? Who even cares? I just want this all to end... As I lie here alone in the dark, all I hear is the heart monitor. Its beeps are slower than before, counting down to the final moments.

The memories... So loud and vivid... Just...please... Someone... Let me die...


	40. Cracking the Code

Time is running out... Just tonight at the strike of midnight, the staff of Ponyville Hospital forwarded the current condition of our dear friend to us. Just this evening, his physical integrity began to spiral downward at a frightening rate. At such a rate, he will not last more than a few more days... What in the world has transpired?

The last few days have been nothing short of a moment of respite. His physical deterioration had simply come to a halt. This bought me some much needed time to scour the royal archives for any traces of what foul magic he may have been exposed to in order to trigger such a horrid state of being. The journals he wrote that Twilight Sparkle has been forwarding to us have given me vital insight into his symptoms and has narrowed down the search. For whatever reason, I feel as if I have some innate knowledge of this degree of magic. I somehow know where to search. I am so close to finding it. I can almost taste it...

Unfortunately, night fell and I had to tend to my duties as the Princess of Dreams and rest for the following day. I would be doing nopony any favors if I ran myself ragged to the point of mental exhaustion. I must pace myself so as to not overlook any details as I have poured over dozens of tomes this past week. Besides, I was eager to see my beloved once more.

I cast my spell before allowing myself to drift off to sleep within my chambers. And soon, I felt the familiar sensation of drifting from the physical realm to the realm of dreams. A meadow of mist and clouds. The usual nexus I often find myself in when debating which dreams to visit. I searched and I felt. And then I found it. The dreaming mind of a human.

I found the portal to my dear friend's dreaming mind. That wall of shimmering mist. However... Something was very different. Even before setting foot inside it, I could feel that twisted presence that had fallen silent on the day that James awoke. It was so overwhelming... Fierce. The portal before me reflected this, almost looking like billowing storm clouds as lightning sparked through it.

Knowing full well what would occur if I tried to force my way through on my own power, I waited patiently for my fellow Princess of the Night to arrive. We would have to tackle this obstacle together if we would have any hope of seeing our friend again.

Minutes later, I detected her approach. Luna soared through the glittering night sky and landed beside me. "Good evening, sister. Shall we venture forth to see our friend?"

"About that... Look at the portal. Does it not feel...familiar to you?" I responded before I turned to look at the ominous rift before us.

My sister looked on in mild shock. "This presence... The same as before, but much more... What in the world is it doing back? It faded the day after he awoke from his coma!"

I scowled at the passage before us, vaguely able to detect that familiar distorted chuckling on the wind. "I know not what has brought about its return... Even so, it is all too obvious that whoever is there is desperate to keep us out."

Silence fell upon us. This wretched curse that has taken hold of our friend... Who or what could be doing this to him? It wants him dead, that much is all too clear to me. And now, with victory in sight, it is doing all it can to insure that no relief reaches him. The relief my sister and I have brought him night after night during these troubled times.

Moments later, Luna stepped forward as she seemed to gather her resolve. "No matter... We have overcome this barrier before and we will do so again. Are you ready, Nightmare Moon?"

"Always, Luna. Onward! He needs us!" I replied as we prepared our magic. No ethereal abomination would stop us from reaching our friend in the realm of dreams that we reign over!

We charged forward in unison, but the resistance... It was unlike before. I felt as if I was pushing against the mightiest gale to ever blow through my mane. Haunting noise which I cannot hope to describe filled my ears. And then...the agony...

Mere seconds after we began our plunge into that nightmare, I felt it. My flesh being split as blood began to flow. I yelped and grunted, but I did not relent. I had to not lose focus, or I would perish in this dream and be forced to awaken. And I could not allow that to happen. However, I could still hear the shrieks from my sister to my right. Her very voice made my skin crawl. "My eyes!"

At those words, I too shrieked as the vision in my right eye suddenly faded. Warm liquid oozed down my cheek. And along my belly... I felt my skin tear as...something began to dangle from the gash. I did all I could to not think about it and press on. However... My focus was all but shattered when I heard my sister scream out, only to be suddenly silenced as a...horrific sound was heard that I could only imagine being flesh rupturing. And then...nothing.

"Luna?! Luna, are you there?!" I called out while continuing to press forward. I heard nothing... Luna was gone. I was alone, facing this maelstrom of evil on my own power.

The resistance was fierce. But with Luna gone, the force upon me became nigh unbearable. It was a struggle to keep moving forward. The pain and injuries continued to grow. I howled in pain as the vision in my left eye soon faded. I was blind!

The pain... How I did not awaken by that point, I will never know. But...my left leg... And then my left wing... All feeling in it disappeared after a burst of pain there. Then my right hind leg... I crawled. I pleaded and prayed that I would last long enough to reach the other side. So that I may see him again... Then, just as my left hind leg was likely severed from my body... The resistance ceased.

I could not see. Agony radiated through my body. I had to be completely still to make the pain that coursed through me at least somewhat bearable. How did I last long enough to reach the other side? The air... It was eerily quiet. I was not near Ponyville at all. Where had my beloved's dream taken him?

Minutes passed before I could muster up the focus to undo the harm that had been done to me in the realm of dreams. My legs returned to me. My entrails were returned to the inside of my body. The gashes in my skin were closed. And lastly, my eyes were restored. I was indeed alone. Luna was nowhere to be seen. And... By the stars, where was I?

Not a sound reached my ears that did not come from me. Everywhere I looked... An empty gray void. There was no sky... No ground... It was difficult to discern where the ground even began. It was...unsettling. I have witnessed many a nightmare, but... This instilled within me a new type of horror that I had not once experienced before.

"James... James?! Where are you?! This is your dream, is it not?!" I shrieked and called out as I felt apprehension settling into my heart. I walked. I ran. I soared, searching far and wide. Yet, no matter how far my legs and wings carried me, I went nowhere. I was on the verge of panic. Confined to this prison without walls. But then, I saw it. A tiny speck on the horizon that stood out against the gray canvas.

"You there! Who are you?!" I called out in fear. I was dreadfully alone and began to crave some form of companionship. It soon dawned on me that whoever was peeking over the horizon was likely out of earshot. I would have to draw closer before I could be heard. I folded my wings before bursting into a gallop.

The sound of my hooves strangely echoed as I ran, bringing with it an unbearable sensation of solitude. But it did not last long. As I drew closer, I was able to see who it was I had detected on the horizon. It was him... My beloved James.

"There you are!" I called out to him as his form became clearer. However... He was seated, hunched forward. Clad in nothing more than the undergarments I had last seen him in when I visited him in the hospital. I approached him from behind, sweet relief cooling my heated nerves. "James... I'm here now. I'm sorry to say that Luna was unable to make it. But I will do all I... James?"

He did not respond to me. Did not even turn to look in my direction. I reached out to him, tenderly caressing his shoulder with my wing while I began to move around to his front. "My friend... It's all right. I am here now. Tell me, what is wrong? Why are you..."

He still drew breath. I could tell that he still lived. But...when I lifted his chin... Made our eyes meet... They were so...empty. So devoid of any of the gentle warmth I had come to know and love in them. He did not even bring himself to speak. He felt...broken.

Gazing into those empty eyes... I felt my heart break. The man I loved was nowhere to be seen in them. Nothing more than a hollow shell. Tears flowed down my cheeks as I held my hoof to his cheek. "My god... What did they do to you...? What has happened since I last joined you in your dreaming mind...?"

He said nothing. He barely even responded to my presence. I could not restrain my heart any longer. I reached out and held him tenderly in my wings. "No... I won't let this go on... Please, just endure it a while longer, my friend... I won't let it end like this..."

My vision blurred, I gazed around at the desolate empty landscape around me. This would not do. I had to bring him to a happier place. I closed my eyes while I focused my magic through my horn. Perhaps if I restored this realm to being Ponyville once more...

My eyes shot open as a new sound reached my ears. The sound of something cleaving through a hard substance. And then... I heard something strike the ground below me. A long dark slender object... My horn lay before me.

Powerful frustration filled me as more tears began to flow. I touched my horn with my hoof before reaching for my forehead, a profound feeling of loss flooding my heart. Indeed, it was gone. Severed from my head just above the base, leaving nothing more that a small stump behind. My wings released my friend while I roared at the blank sky. "What do you want from him?! What are you, monster?! Why can you not just leave us all in peace?!"

I wept briefly in profound desperation. I wanted to bring him relief. To instill at least a glimmer of joy in his fractured heart. But as I looked back at my horn, I saw him moving. My friend crawled to my horn and slowly, yet tenderly, took it in his hands. He gazed at it with eyes still empty and lifeless before, very slowly, he turned to me.

I said nothing. He was beckoning for me to come closer. And I did. I stepped forward and lowered my head to him. Ever so tenderly, he placed the base of my broken horn back upon the stump on my head and firmly held it there. As if he was merely compelled to help in some way. I was doubtful the two halves would be able to function while merely being held together, but I tried once more to cast my magic.

My deep blue aura reached up over both the base and the length of my horn. It was indeed functioning properly. And before I could be interrupted again, I cast my spell. In an eruption of light, the gray ground below us became soft sand as warm sunlight shone down upon us. Lush foliage and palm trees rose up around us. And in the very middle of this sandy patch of earth, a beautiful blue pool of fresh water formed. A literal oasis in this bleak lifeless land much like one I had seen during a visit to Saddle Arabia. "Perfect..."

My friend released his grasp from my horn, allowing it to fall to the sand. I did not pay it much mind. I would not need it for the remainder of the dream. It had served its purpose for now.

The sound of desert birds reached my ears while I strolled around the pool of water. The boundless expanse of gray still covered everything beyond the edge of the foliage, but the sky above us was a clear blue with my sister's sun shining brightly. The air was calm. For the time being, we were safe from whatever abomination that had been tormenting my beloved. However, he still sat there in the sand. Never moving nor speaking. I had to do something to raise his spirits. Even if only slightly.

"My friend... Look around you. You are safe now." I spoke softly while using my sable wing to shield him from the sun's harsh glare. He barely reacted, casting a lifeless gaze at his surroundings. However, I could see that he was beginning to sweat heavily. The air was hot and dry with the desert's heat. "Come... Let us retreat to the pond's edge."

I led my friend to the pond at the very center of the oasis. With so little covering him, he began to carefully lower himself into the glistening water. I joined him after I removed my armored shoes, stepping carefully into the shallow pool before taking a seat. The water was up to his chest while he reclined against the pool's edge. Even so, that empty stare never left his eyes. If only Luna had managed to join us...

I felt so helpless... I was doing all I could to aid him, yet nothing seemed to lift him from his stupor. Seeing as how he remained silent, I chose to not speak either. I merely draped my wing across his shoulders and pulled him close to me. But it was when I did this that I heard a weak whisper. A hiss from his lips. "Why are you doing this..."

He spoke. And only that once. I gazed down at my beloved while he barely lifted his head to look at me. I could feel tears beginning to build in my eyes as I began to speak. "Because...I cannot lose you... You know not what you are to me, my friend... From the start...you were my guiding light. Without you...I would be lost...

His face showed no response. He was hearing me, but he was not listening. I held him in both wings while I felt my tears finally flow free. "I told you... You saved me. And I must save you. I care not what vile curse has taken hold of you... I will fight tooth and hoof to find a way to save you to the very end. Even to your final seconds...I will never give up on you. Whatever it is that has you in its vile clutches, it is a fool if it thinks I will let you go now..."

I felt him lean against me. Still hearing, but not listening. But ever so slowly, I felt his hand rising to my shoulder before it gripped it tenderly, if not weakly. I saw them. Silent tears flowing down his cheeks as not a sound came from his lips. My tears still flowing, I lowered my head to his and decided that just this once, knowing that nothing I said was reaching him, I would speak my heart. "You are my everything... My light... My treasure... My love... And you always will be... And I will never allow you to be robbed from me without a fight... To the bitter end, I will be by your side... My guiding sun..."

For hours, we stayed right there. Merely soaking in the pleasantly warm waters of the oasis. Not a word was spoken between us, but we never left each other's side. But then, I felt it. The world quivered. The time of awakening was drawing near. I held his head near mine and whispered into his ear while I felt his grasp on me tighten ever so slightly. "I fear I will not be able to see you again in your dreams tomorrow... I only barely succeeded in reaching you tonight. But remember... I will...never surrender you to this evil... You will always have me... Even to the very end."

My vision was filled with a bright haze before I felt the sense of touch return to me. My mattress was below me while the light weight of my bed sheets covered me. I felt groggy and listless, but soon found my drive as I remembered what I needed to do.

Time is running out... His end is nigh. I must do all I can to find the cure for his ailment. I have turned the royal archives upside-down searching for any traces of the symptoms James has been suffering from and a way to cure them. The recent journal entries he wrote that Twilight Sparkle sent us has proven invaluable. No better way to understand what a person is experiencing than seeing it through his own eyes.

I have narrowed down my search, but only a fraction of the tomes within the wing dedicated to Star Swirl the Bearded remains unchecked. Surely he must have documented at least some knowledge of this vile magic...

I cannot falter now. I must remain diligent. I cannot lose him... I just cannot... Not now...

* * *

><p>I don't even know what's going on anymore. James was doing much better over the weekend. Me and the girls kept coming by to visit and keep him company. He was looking so much happier than before... I thought he was gonna be OK in the end. But when Fluttershy came home last night...<p>

He can't be dying... He was doing fine just yesterday! Why would he start getting worse?! I thought all this was over...

I couldn't even focus in school today... I was so scared for my brother... I mean my dad... I don't care what anypony thinks. He's... He's always been my dad. I just didn't know it until now...

Right after school, I ran right over to the hospital. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were going to wait for me at the clubhouse. But I had to see him first. But when I went to his room... One of those guards was standing right outside the door. I walked up to him and asked, "Hi.. Uh... Can I go see my brother?"

He looked down at me and shook his head. "The patient has requested that no guests are to be allowed in. I can't let you pass, kid."

Why would... Why wouldn't James want anypony to see him? I'm his little sister! I almost wanted to cry. "But... But that's my big brother in there! And... Isn't he dying?!"

"I'm sorry, kid. That's what I've been told and I'm not supposed to allow anypony to disturb him." He said back to me while still looking really stern.

I couldn't stop myself from crying. I hate crying when other ponies are around, but... I couldn't stop it. "Please! You've gotta let me see him one last time! He... He's the only family I've ever had... When he's gone, I'll... I don't wanna think about that..."

The guard actually started to frown and look really guilty. A few seconds later, he looked both ways down the hall and pushed the door open. "OK... OK, get it there. If anypony asks, I never saw you."

I felt so much better and smiled at the guard while I wiped my tears away. "Thanks..."

I got in there just before the guard closed the door. The blinds over the window next to the door were closed, so nopony could see me in there. But... James was still there. He wasn't moving and the only thing I heard was the beeping from that black screen with the green line in the middle. He didn't even look in my direction. And his eyes were covered with a... It's one of those masks some people wear when they sleep. Sweetie Belle showed me Rarity's once.

I was kind of scared. I didn't know what to say to him. Was he asleep? I walked over to his bed and said, "Hi, James... It's me... Scootaloo. Your little sis, remember?"

He didn't say anything. I think he was asleep, or... I just don't know. "Are you OK? Fluttershy said that...you only have a few days left..."

Still nothing. What was wrong with him? He wasn't in another coma... Well... Since this might be the last time I'll ever see him... "James... I... You've always been a great big brother to me... But... I... Since you're probably not gonna be around much longer..."

It hurt so much to say it, but... "Can I... Can I call you...Dad?"

I didn't think he would hear me. But... His left arm slid off the side of the bed with his hand open. It was almost like he was calling me closer. I... I couldn't stop myself from crying and ran over to him and held onto his arm. "Daddy..."

I cried... I couldn't stop crying... He was holding me... He lifted me up to the bed and put his hand on my back. I... I saw a tear trickling down his cheek from under the mask, but he didn't say anything... I held onto his arm. "Don't go... Please don't go... I don't want you to go, Dad..."

I don't want to write anymore... I just... I want to just stay here with my dad...

* * *

><p>"Morning, Twilight... I made you some tea, just the way you like it." That was the first thing I heard when I finally woke up. I must have cried myself to sleep since it was almost noon and I had a headache. Spike was standing at the side of my bed with a tea tray in his hands that held a teacup and a teapot. I could smell the scent of mint wafting from the spout.<p>

"Thank you, Spike... I'll be fine..." I muttered while I used my magic to pull up a stool for the tray to sit on. Spike respectfully left me alone with a nod and went back downstairs to the library's first floor. The tea was soothing to my tired throat. I just... I still felt so exhausted, though it was more emotional exhaustion than anything.

I looked out the window. The weather was dreary and the air smelled of rain. All too perfect to match my mood. He... Just yesterday... Nothing more they can do for him, they said. For the last week or so, I had been struggling with the fear that we were going to lose him only for that fear to fade when we found a way to get around the problem... And now... He is almost gone... And there is nothing we can do about it!

I had to get out of the house for a while. I left Spike in charge of the place for the time being and walked through Ponyville as rain poured down upon me and my umbrella. At first, I was only wandering. No destination in mind, just allowing my mind to wander.

Eventually, I came to a familiar destination. Sugarcube Corner was just ahead of me. Deciding right then that I should get at least a little food in my belly, I went inside. It looked like they had several customers huddled in the corner while enjoying their wares and staying out of the rain.

"Good morning, Twili... Oh, I guess I should say good afternoon now. What can I get you?" Mr. Cake said from behind the counter while glancing at a clock nearby.

"Yeah, I slept in today... I think I'll have one blueberry muffin." I replied while getting a couple of bits out of my saddlebag.

"Sounds good. We've got a fresh batch coming up in just a few minutes. I'll bring yours out as soon as it's ready." Mr. Cake spoke with a smile while he took my bits.

However, it was while I was at the counter that I felt myself wondering about Pinkie Pie. She was... She did not take the news yesterday well at all. "Say... Is Pinkie Pie here?"

Mr. Cake seemed a little bothered by that question. "Well... She never came downstairs today. If you want, you can head on up and see her. I know she never left the place."

She never came in for work? That definitely is not like Pinkie Pie. She loves her job. Either way, I decided to go upstairs and see what was up. But as I neared the top of the stairs, I heard a familiar voice. "Yeah, the icing cutie marks sound great. Can I get six of them?"

Was that...James?! Hang on... The voice sounded like it had some...static in it? I trotted up to the top of the stairs and found Pinkie Pie standing by a small table. It looked like she had several chocolate drops topped off with colorful icing in the form of a variety of cutie marks. Only... Pinkie Pie did not look herself. Her mane and tail were noticeably...deflated. Not only that, but they and her coat were a bit darker in color than normal. And... Was that a wooden puppet on the other end?

"Uh... Hi there, Pinkie. What's going on?" I asked while approaching from behind. There was an unsettling tension in the air... And when Pinkie Pie looked my way, I found out why. That grin... Those eyes... I felt my skin crawl when she looked at me with that face.

"Hi, Twilight! James and I were having some chocolate drops! Want some?" She sounded way too cheery to be talking about James. And why say that he was there with her?

Either way, I was not feeling hungry enough for more than just that muffin I had only just ordered, so I turned her offer down. "Uh... No thanks, I'm not that hungry. But... What about James? I thought he's still in the hospital."

Pinkie Pie then let out a rather inappropriate giggle at my reminder. "Oh, you silly filly. He's fine! And he's right here! Say hi, James!"

She then reached under the table and pressed...something. And upon doing so, I heard that voice again. "Oh... Hey there, Twi."

"Pinkie, where is that sound coming from? And what is..." I paused when I saw what was sitting behind the tray of chocolate drops. It was a wooden puppet crafted in the visage of a human with blue pants and a green shirt. It was...

"It's coming from James, of course!" Pinkie exclaimed before she went to the other side of the table and gave the puppet a hug. "He's right here! Did you not recognize his voice?"

Pinkie's tone of voice was constantly overly exuberant, even by her standards. It almost even sounded forced. And seeing her proclaiming that a puppet could be talking... "Pinkie... That's...a puppet. James is still in the hospital. You saw him yesterday..."

"Huh? Nah, I'm feeling fine." I heard James' voice speak up again when Pinkie Pie reached under the table.

"See? He's just fine! And he's hungry! You sure you don't want one, Twilight? Five's his limit." Pinkie then added while still keeping up that constant unnatural smile.

Finally, I could not just stand there and play along any longer. "Did you record those?! Let me see that!"

I used my magic to pull out the gray plastic thing that was peeking out from behind the table's leg. It turned out to be a cassette player. And it seemed to still be playing. Right then, I heard James' voice come from the device. "Pinkie, did you put hot sauce on my chocolate drop while I wasn't looking?"

"Of course I didn't! But I still put the icing on it like you wanted." Pinkie Pie replied while looking at the puppet in her arms, even though the voice had not come from its direction.

I pressed the stop button and then set the cassette player aside. Pinkie was...clearly emotionally and even psychologically traumatized with the knowledge of James' imminent passing. "Pinkie... I know it's hard to accept, but... You know that's not him. And...he doesn't have long for this world."

As expected, Pinkie Pie just brushed off my words with another demented giggle. "Hehehee, no he isn't! James is as fit as a fiddle! Right, James?"

Pinkie then picked the puppet up between her hooves and held it while giggling, but then... The head fell off. It just hit the floor and rolled around a bit while Pinkie looked on without saying a word as her face froze with that unsettling smile on constant display.

"Pinkie Pie?" I asked while keeping my distance just in case she ended up doing something drastic. When she still did not reply, I tried approaching her from behind and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey... Pinkie? It's gonna be OK... Everything will be all right..."

I really was not sure what to expect from her. It just...hurt to see Pinkie Pie living in such utter denial. But just then, she turned around so suddenly that she startled me into backing away. She then all but shrieked at me, "No, it isn't...!"

She was in tears, the puppet having been dropped to the floor. It seemed that she had finally opened her eyes to reality, no matter how painful the truth was. "I never even got the chance to say I'm sorry, Twilight... I can't even say goodbye! What kind of friend am I...?! I thought I was the pony who could be friends with anyone, but... Now one of the best friends I've ever had is gonna be dead soon! And it's my fault!"

I wanted to say something. To do anything to calm her down. But I just could not bring myself to step forward. Finally, Pinkie Pie collapsed to the floor and buried her face in her arms. "I've never broken a Pinkie Promise... But I couldn't keep it... Stupid Discord... Why didn't I keep the promise...?"

I could not bring myself to say anything. I merely stepped forward and gently patted her on the head. "Pinkie... We all share the blame..."

The two of us just held each other in a tight embrace. I too felt tempted to cry as Pinkie Pie started to speak again. "I just want things to go back to how they used to be... The days when we all used to laugh and have fun together... What happened to those days, Twilight...? Why did they have to stop...?"

"What happened...? I think...a piece of the puzzle fell out and we're just trying to cope with the hole that was made... But...I'm not giving up... Not yet." I whispered in reply. I wish there was more I could do for her...

A short while later, I was back home. I was just resting in bed while looking out the window at the rain coming down. It was almost as if the sky itself was weeping...

My moment of peace was interrupted when I heard the little footsteps of Spike coming up the stairs nearby. I turned to look and saw him run across the room before running up the steps and over to me with what seemed to be a small pack of teabags in his hands. "Sorry to bother you, Twilight. Princess Celestia just sent me a message with a bit of a care package along for the ride. She said it's tea to help you relax."

I tried smelling the bags. They had the smell of honey on them. Chamomile tea. "Thank you, Spike... Please let Princess Celestia know it's appreciated."

"Will do. If you need anything else, I'll be right down here sorting those books you needed put away." He replied with a somber smile. I did not ever tell Spike exactly what happened at the hospital yesterday... How will I tell him? Will I ever tell him?

However, while I looked at the bags of tea and thought of who sent them, I felt a sudden burst of hope in my heart. Why in the world had I never thought of it before? With all that has happened... Perhaps the Elements of Harmony could cure him! They purified Princess Luna in the past, so maybe they could cure James of...whatever it is that has him stuck the way he is.

Of course, with the Elements of Harmony being nothing short of the greatest treasures in the world, I knew I would have to secure permission before me and my friends could use them. I immediately reached for a quill and a spare empty scroll before unfurling it and began to write.

"Dear Princess Celestia. I am so sorry for having never considered this earlier, but I just now had a brainstorm on how we may be able to save James. The Elements of Harmony. It is clear that James is not suffering from any ordinary forms of illness or disease. I am certain that the Elements of Harmony will likely purge him of whatever ailment it is that is poisoning him. Please... If you feel this approach is feasible, please let me know right away. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

I was quick to roll up the scroll and call down to Spike before dropping the scroll down to him. "Spike? Would you please send this message to Princess Celestia for me? It's absolutely vital that she gets it immediately."

My little assistant nodded with a smile as he ran over to the nearest window and pushed it open. "You got it!"

With a quick breath of green fire, the scroll dissolved into smoke and quickly escaped out the window. "I'll let you know when she gets back to us on that."

"Thank you, Spike." I then began to brew me some of the tea that Princess Celestia had sent me. With new hope in my heart, I was feeling much better. The Elements of Harmony have never failed to tip the scales in our favor, although I was going to wait for an answer before notifying my friends.

Roughly ten minutes later, I heard Spike suddenly belch. And when I turned to look down at him, he was running up the steps that led to my sleeping spot with a tightly wound scroll in his hands. "I think this is yours, Twilight!"

"Thanks, Spike. I just hope it's good news." I said with a smile while I poured the hot water to steep my tea. While Spike left me to my scroll, I unfurled it and began to read. However, any hope I had at that moment quickly drained away as I was filled with bitter disappointment.

The scroll read, "Dear Twilight, I understand your way of thinking and I do not fault you for believing that the Elements of Harmony may be the key to your friend's salvation. And believe me, if you were to request their use to perform an act that would benefit Equestria, I would grant you permission to access them without a second thought. However, I am sorry to say that I am not willing to allow you to use them for such a domestic purpose, even if it is to save the life of a very dear friend. Your friend is indeed dying from some form of terminal deterioration and the Elements of Harmony, as you suspect, would likely be enough to save him. However, if word were to get out that the Elements could be used to heal anypony suffering from a life-threatening ailment, there would no end to demand for their use. And as you and your friends are the only people on the planet who can use them, the six of you would be nearly constantly hounded by those seeking your help. Furthermore, it has come to my understanding that four of the six bearers of the Elements cannot even get anywhere near your friend without severe complications, rendering the use of the Elements impossible. But more than anything, I fear what the use of the Elements for this case would do to you and your friends' lives and privacy if the public learned of it. If it comes to light that there is truly no other means of salvation for your friend than the Elements of Harmony, I may be willing to grant an exception. But for now, I strongly advise against it. Despite this, have faith. Nightmare Moon is searching tirelessly through the archives for any traces of what sort of magic may be involved here and the information you have provided us has been nothing short of a great help. If she finds anything, I am to inform you immediately. For now... Be strong, Twilight. It is not over yet."

I sighed deeply. It had never even crossed my mind of what using the Elements of Harmony for something so simple would mean for me and my friends. Sure, Rainbow Dash would have just eaten that attention up at first, but she would probably get sick of it after the first month. With a somewhat heavy heart, I used my magic to bring another blank scroll over to me and began to write in it.

"Dear Princess Celestia, I understand what you mean and I am sorry I did not consider such a detail. You are right. I would not appreciate being approached weekly by some random stranger asking me to drop everything and gather my friends to use the Elements of Harmony to help that person in whatever way they need. We have lives of our own and we cannot constantly spend it tending to the needs of everypony else. But Nightmare Moon's assistance is greatly appreciated and I do hope she succeeds in finding exactly what it is that has infected James. My friends and I will be waiting for the news. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

"Spike?" I asked once I closed the scroll. He nodded right away and took the scroll when I dropped it to him before running over to the window and sending it on its way in a plume of smoke. Once again, it was back to the waiting game for us.

A few hours later in the late afternoon, I decided to go for another walk to help clear my head. While I was out and about with rain pouring down around me and the umbrella over my head, my thoughts drifted back to yesterday. The journals I briefly looked into. I had forgotten all about them. I suppose there was little reason for me to want to have anything to do with them, but... I felt a desire to go back and get them. Even if I just wanted to read James' writings again to be reminded of the happier times these past few days.

I went straight to the hospital and left my umbrella by the door. Nurse Redheart was at the receptionist's desk and greeted me with a faint smile. "Good afternoon, Twilight. Can I help you?"

"Yes... I was hoping I could stop by James' room." I replied briefly. However, I was not expecting her response.

"I'm sorry, Twilight. He has requested that he not receive any visitors. We even had to assign one of the night watch personnel to keep visitors away, just in case." Redheart explained while I felt a pit open in my stomach. Not wanting anything to do with anyone... He truly had lost all hope.

Even so, I could not leave without what I went there for. In the hopes that she would believe me, I spoke a half-truth. "I see... Well, may I at least be allowed in to retrieve something? I left something in there yesterday without knowing that visitors wouldn't be allowed in today."

That seemed to work. Redheart hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I don't see any harm with that. Just remember to leave James be. The night watch will have to see you out if you disturb him."

"Thank you... I won't be long." I said quietly before heading down the hall on the left. It was easy to find the room James was still in since I noticed a stallion standing in the hall right outside one of the doors. I approached him and said, "Excuse me. I left something in here yesterday and would like to get it back. I won't bother the patient."

He did not seem to have any problem with my request at all and stepped aside. "All right. Just gather what you came for and don't stay any longer than you have to."

The room was dreadfully dark for that time of day. And silent with the exception of the sound of the heart monitor. The tempo was much slower than before... And there was James on the bed. And...Scootaloo too?

I trotted over to the two of them and saw that Scootaloo was indeed by his side. She seemed to be asleep while James' hand was resting upon her head. I have no idea how she managed to sneak past the guard. He must have allowed her in for a very special reason. And there seemed to be a few pieces of paper and a pencil in front of her too. A journal of her own? Well, regardless of what it was, it seemed to be in her writing, so I left it alone. I had no business prying into a child's diary.

Of course, I knew that James would not mind me looking through those three journals. I gathered the stacks of paper that sat in the cardboard box next to his bed and stuffed them into my saddlebags. One last glance revealed that only one blank page remained. Would he use it before...the end comes?

Before I departed, I looked at James one more time. I knew I was not supposed to disturb him in any way, but... My heart would not let me leave without saying something. "James... Do you remember me? Twilight Sparkle?"

He did not say a word. And I could tell he was not asleep. I know how he sounds when asleep by now. "Please... Just... Hang on a little longer... I haven't given up... We don't want to see you go..." I then reached out and placed a soft kiss on his cheek and left the room in silence. It was time to go home.

Throughout the day, I have searched through any books I could find that might point to any sort of magic with a dark purpose, but found nothing. Not even that copy of 'Supernaturals' I have shed any light on what James' ailment could be. At one point during the week, I even tried to enlist Zecora's mastery over obscure medicines, but even she was baffled by the symptoms I explained to her, claiming it sounded like nothing short of a work of evil that is outside her power. I suppose even she has her limits on what ailments she can treat...

Hours later as the sun set over the horizon, I just wandered around the library's loft with soft candlelight and the occasional lightning flash illuminating my surroundings. I felt so helpless and tired amid the sounds of the thunderstorm that was drenching Ponyville. I just wanted something to do.

It was then I looked over at the three stacks of paper on my table by the window. The three final journals that James wrote. I had been so determined to find a cure in the library that I had not had time to read them. With a deep sigh, I walked over to them and began to look through them in order. Just something to keep my mind preoccupied.

I did not read very far before coming across that first typo again. One extra 'I' where there should have been only one. It is not normal for James to make these kinds of errors in his writing. He is a very good speller. Using a quill filled with red ink, I decided to circle it to make it easier to spot. I then soon found two more, being the exact same type of error where there were doubles of one letter where there should not have been.

However, it was then that I noticed something. "Wait... I...A...M... I am?"

Was it just a coincidence? When put together in the order they were written, the three extra letters spelled out 'I am'. This strange discovery left me intrigued and I began to read on. Not to actually read what James wrote and imagine what he remembered, but to find anymore misplaced letters like some sort of game. At least it was helping distract me from the sorrow in my heart. "Pretty clever, James... I didn't know you could be this crafty..."

One after another, I found more and more doubles of letters that should not have been there while writing down the letters on another small slip of paper in the order I found them. They were fairly tightly packed together, with there rarely being less than two errors on each page. With every typo, I made another red circle. Finally, I found that new typos were not showing up anymore and looked at the line of letters I had written. "OK... What did I wind up with?"

However, when I did, I felt my eyes and my mouth slowly opening as I felt a powerful sense of abject horror filling me. "Wha... What the... This is..."

E

I felt my blood chill. These errors...when put together in order, spell out four words. A message... Or a warning. Did James truly not know that he wrote in these?

My thoughts went to the other two journals. And I immediately began pouring through the second one. I did not look long before finding the first error. I soon found that these were more spread out than the last with there being only one on each page. I circled each one in red ink while glancing at the paper with the first hidden message to write down each error in the order I found them. I looked over the journal as quickly as I could, scanning for any word that contained two of the same letters right next to each other. And as soon as I found a page with not a single typo to be seen, I looked at what I had found and felt my heart skip a beat upon beholding what the letters showed.

E

Doing all I could to not lose focus, I moved on to the third and final journal. I was terrified, yet determined. These hidden words had to mean something! And there is no possible way that James was intentionally putting them in! I found the exact same pattern as before, with there being only one typo per page. And once more, I felt my entire body shiver at the message I found.

E

"Oh my god..." I muttered to myself. I then quickly divided up the letters, spelling out the words from each entry.

I

AM

STILL

HERE

I

CANNOT

DIE

I

WILL

SURVIVE

These hidden words... What in the world did they mean? Were they written by James? Or by something else? As I read them, I felt as if they were laughing at me... Taunting me. "Who are you?! Why are you doing this?! What do you want?!"

These words... They are the final piece of the puzzle! Nightmare Moon needs to know! I immediately grasped an empty scroll in my magic and pulled it over to me. Without bothering to swap to a quill with black ink, I began to write the message out in red ink.

"Dear Princess Celestia, I found it! I went back to the hospital to retrieve James' journal entries that had been written and read through them for any insight into whatever he may have seen or experienced that may help us figure out what is wrong with him. While I was reading through the first one, I found multiple misspellings that, when removed and lined up in order, spell out a cryptic and haunting message. And I know that James himself was never aware that he wrote this. I am now all but certain that there are dark forces at work. These hidden messages just might be the last clue we need to find the cure. I am sending the journals and the hidden messages I found along with this scroll. Please make sure they reach Nightmare Moon right away. Time is running out and this may be the last hint we get. Praying for the best, Twilight Sparkle."

"Spike! Get up here! Hurry!" I called out down the stairs to the library below. I soon heard the sound of Spike's little feet coming up the stairs before seeing the light from a candle. Spike then came into view with a lit candle set upon a candleholder being held in his hand.

"What's wrong, Twilight? Need more tea?" He innocently asked while looking a bit alarmed. I must have sounded almost panicked when I called for him just then.

"No time for tea. All of this..." I began to explain while using my magic to levitate the journals, slips of paper with the decoded messages on them, and my message over to him and dropped them into Spike's hands. Good thing he set the candle down before he could hold them. "This needs to all be sent to Princess Celestia at once! It can't wait!"

"All of this?! You serious?!" Spike exclaimed while trying to peek around the stacks of paper to see me. I was not surprised. I have never asked him to send such a large load before.

Even so, I tried to make it clear how serious I was. "Yes! This contains information that might be our last chance to help James! Hurry!"

"All right, all right! Just get the window open and I'll send it!" Spike replied while he waddled over to the nearest window. I made sure to open it for him before he breathed a gout of green fire into the stack of paper. Even in the rain, the paper was reduced to enchanted smoke that soon floated away and out of sight. Spike then looked at me and asked, "Do you think that'll really help?"

I was feeling my skin crawl and my stomach churn with anxiety. I was both excited, but also scared out of my mind. What in the world had I discovered? And who or what really wrote that message? Either way, I shook my head in dread. "I don't know anymore, Spike... If this doesn't help...I'm out of ideas..."

"Well... What's really happening with James?" Spike then asked while I closed the window to keep the wind and rain out.

I sighed deeply before motioning for him to follow me to his bed. "Here... I'll tell you everything. He probably doesn't have much time left..."

I am now writing all this from bed while sipping tea to relax me. I cannot believe this clue was right under our noses all this time. But...what is really wrong with James? Will this discovery save him? And...can things ever go back to how they used to be? Please... Please let this nightmare end soon...


	41. Into Uncharted Waters

What a gloomy day... Even now, more than two weeks after that disaster, my heart remains heavy. And now, our friend once more lies on the verge of death with likely no way of saving him. Although... It was most resourceful of Twilight to search the journal entries that James wrote for more clues. I have indeed forwarded her findings to Nightmare Moon. She continues to search tirelessly through the archives for any clues as to what this deadly ailment is that plagues our friend, bless her soul...

I could barely tend to my duties, my heart was so sick with guilt and fear. Thankfully, Luna volunteered to cover for me for the time being. We really must install two extra thrones to accommodate my two sisters... Although more often than not, my thoughts drifted to Nightmare Moon. Was she making progress in her search for the cure?

With a heavy heart, I made my way through the palace towards the royal archives. Such a vast array of arcane knowledge being stored there... Surely she must have found a lead by then. However, upon arrival, I noticed something...off about the place's appearance.

Ever since she began to search for clues to what was ailing James, Nightmare Moon would always leave quite a mess behind. Books, tomes, and scrolls stacked high in the aisles she had scoured for information, much to the irritation of the castle's servants. Only this time... There was no sign of activity. Not a single book was strewn about the chamber. No wayward scrolls having been left unfurled. Nothing. Where was she? Nightmare Moon has been adamant in her search for the source of her friend's poisoning. She would not give up the search now.

I decided to venture into the throne room to speak to Luna. And I indeed found her busy reading over some of that wretched paperwork while seated upon the throne. She was quick to notice my approach and spoke with a smile. "Good afternoon, Celestia. All is well here."

"Yes, I see that..." I began to speak while trying to ease into a conversation. "Well... Were you and Nightmare Moon able to visit your friend in his dreams last night?"

Luna sighed with a profound frown on her face. "We tried, sister... We truly tried. The storm that clouds his dreaming mind was too fierce for us to get through. Nightmare Moon may have been fortunate enough to endure it long enough to reach the other side two nights ago, but neither of us succeeded this time... Truly, something is striving to keep us away from him."

I was hardly surprised. Nightmare Moon spoke of unseen blades mangling her body as she pushed through such a maelstrom two nights ago after she awoke. "I see... Well, where is she as of now? Have you seen her?"

"Is she not in the archives?" Luna replied while once more looking through the papers she had been provided.

She did not know? If there was one pony who had been maintaining near constant contact with our sister, it was Luna. "Well...no. I already stopped by there, but I saw no trace of anypony having visited today."

"Hmm... That is perplexing. I cannot imagine anywhere else she might... Wait..." Luna said before pausing and giving me a rather grim gaze. "Celestia. You don't suppose she is searching THAT chamber, do you?"

I felt my blood chill. Of course... That chamber. I immediately rushed for the door. "I will check immediately. And thank you for minding the throne for me, Luna."

Even though I know this journal will never be seen by eyes that are not mine, I must keep the details of where and how I reached my destination hidden for the sake of global security. The chamber was narrow with a few bookcases lining the walls with the pathway leading into a small alcove complete with a table and glowing crystals adorning the curved walls. And indeed, there she was. Nightmare Moon stood with her back turned to me.

Just seeing anypony in this chamber left me feeling anxious. There was knowledge in those walls that should not be allowed to leave. And I made my presence known with a shout. "Nightmare Moon, what in the heavens are you even doing here?! You know as well as Luna does that the spells contained here must never be allowed to be seen by our people again!"

My sister did not face me, but her voice bounced off of the walls before her and reached my ears regardless. "Of course I know what this vault contains, Celestia. So many mistakes and sins that must not be repeated. There was no other place I could think of that may hold the clues to his suffering. I have been monitoring his symptoms closely and Twilight Sparkle was most helpful in providing greater insight. I am more in tune with the dark arts than most, sister. And they seem vaguely...familiar. Surely, the answers must be here!"

I could certainly see the wisdom in her words. But even so... I could not see how it could possibly be relevant to whatever was afflicting him. "I certainly cannot fault your thinking, but... The vast majority of the spells that are contained here were developed during the 'Era Before Time Began to Flow'… There is nopony alive…or free who has any recollection of how to even cast them!"

Nightmare Moon was quick to counter my claims. "That may be so… But you have seen what has been happening to him in Ponyville. Something is slowly killing him… Poisoning him… Turning his heart's fondest desires into a lethal venom that flows through his veins! And the more I have delved into these tomes of dark arts; I have felt myself drawing closer… I swear that the answers are somewhere around me. His time is on the verge of being cut short and I will never settle for it! Do not forget, sister. Discord was still up and about during that dark time so long ago. By this point, I would not be surprised if this has all been his doing."

Discord... Again, I felt my heart grow heavy at the mention of his name. A part of me refused to believe those words. I did not want to believe that even he, as twisted as he was, could do something as cruel as this. "Yes, but... Surely he would never… Discord would not be so cruel as to…"

"Sister… I know you still long for the days where he was still that kindhearted jovial fool who relished in spreading laughter and excitement wherever he went. But those days are long gone. He lived and died a monster. And no happy memories will change that fact." Nightmare Moon said to me while I saw her beautiful yet unnatural eye gaze over her shoulder at me before she turned her attention back to the tomes that likely laid before her. "And I would be willing to gamble my crown that he..."

I soon noticed that my sister had fallen silent. Why? What had forced her to hold her tongue? "That he...what? Sister? You were saying?"

I drew somewhat closer so as to hear her better. But as I did, I heard a growl from my sister as she seemed to bow her head. "Discord, you wretched fiend..."

Her words of anger filled me with a certain excitement. What had she found? "What did you find? Did you discover the cure?"

The sound of a book being loudly closed reached my ears before my sister turned to face me with a most determined glare in her eyes. "I believe we have entered, as the modern term is called, overtime. This 'Ultimate Game' of theirs has not yet been decided."

"Ulti... No... You surely are not implying that they..." The name of that competition filled me with a wretched dread. Twilight and her friends had mentioned that James brought about Discord's end with something he referred to as the 'Ultimate Game'. Surely Discord did not...

Nightmare Moon took a few steps towards me while she spoke. "I should've suspected this from the very start. James may have backed Discord into a corner somehow, but Discord never went into a confrontation without an ace up his sleeve and this time was clearly no different. Likely an ace set into play with his dying breath. He is planning a reversal, sister. That demon still has his hooks in our friend's heart and mind. And as things stand, he may very well just have the last laugh."

My mind became filled with a haze of anxiety. To think that even from beyond the grave, Discord would... I felt myself becoming lightheaded. I cannot recall the last time I had felt so stressed. "You mean he seeks to drag his foe down with him, even from beyond the grave? What would he gain from this? Discord would never…"

My sister placed her hoof upon my shoulder and gave me a hard shake to grab my undivided attention. "Sister, compose yourself! You know full well that the friend we knew is long gone! He drowned himself in chaos to the point where even in death, it consumes him! He would not sit by idly and allow a mere mortal to sever his grip on his world! Surely, it is nothing more than an act of spite. Something to stab the victor in the back once victory appears to have been claimed. And yet… Some of these writings are too…unclear…"

Her words imparted a nameless fear into my heart. What else had she seen? "Unclear? In what way? Has the text faded or been smudged?"

Her eyes showed confusion. Even fear. "Perhaps here and there, but that is often the case with these ancient forbidden tomes… But it is also rather difficult to decipher what I can make out. But from what I am able to see… As things stand, I would not be entirely surprised if once this 'Ultimate Game' ends in Discord's favor that he may yet return to us."

I simply could not fathom such a phenomenon... How could Discord possibly return from the grave? His body was cremated and scattered to the winds days ago! And even then... Can the dead ever return to the world of the living without cost? Regardless, Nightmare Moon began to pass me in the narrow aisle. "I must go now. The six bearers must know what it is that has afflicted our friend and what must be done to save him. Time is not on our side. I will gather the Elements of Harmony before I depart as a safeguard, just to be wary."

I said nothing. My mind was swimming with so many thoughts. What in the world did Discord do to him? What would happen if we could not save our friend? But before I could think much longer, I noticed a lack of a sound. Nightmare Moon had come to a stop a short distance behind me. And soon, her voice reached my ears. "Celestia. While I was largely speaking from conjecture… And even if that possibility is small… Knowing that Discord may yet return, this may be your one chance to stop me."

The possibility of seeing him return... I felt my heart sink. I would have to choose. A friend that no longer exists, or... The memories, as faded as they were, made me smile. Such a wonderful era... But knowing that those days came to an end far too long ago... "You force me to make an impossible choice, Nightmare Moon… To choose a friend from long ago, or to choose a friend whose bond with me is only starting to bloom…"

I heard my sister speak once more, though with a voice that oozed a powerful sense of longing. "He was my friend at one time too, after all. I still retain Luna's memories of happy days. The grand feasts we would partake in with chocolate pouring from the walls and pillars that tasted and felt like basted roasted carrots… The looks of wonderment and calls of laughter and cheering from the common folk whenever he would make his rounds to spice up an otherwise uneventful day… Those were some good times… But in the end, he drifted from us and embraced only chaos to fill his heart and drown his sorrow. But now you must choose, Celestia. Your old friend, or your new friend."

I did not take long to decide. I have long since come to understand that I must focus on the present while not getting too swept up in my feelings for times long past. Even if I do falter in that way of thinking at times. With a slight smile of hope and a long sigh, I turned and looked over my shoulder at my sister. "My days of friendship with Discord ended long ago, sister. He was indeed my friend once, but as he was when we last crossed paths… Go, Nightmare Moon. Do whatever you must to save our friend and the herald of humanity's return."

"I will. Have faith, sister. I will return with words of triumph. And be certain to send word to Twilight to gather the other five bearers of the Elements. They will likely be needed for this." She said with a confident smile before disappearing at the end of the chamber.

As Nightmare Moon begins the steps to finally bring this dark time to an end, I am here in the royal garden while trying to keep my hopes high. The message for Twilight has been sent. I know not what it is she found, but she clearly knows what to do. Please... Let this crisis end soon.

* * *

><p>At last... The end is in sight! The clues that Twilight Sparkle found and alerted us to were nothing short of the key to the cure. Discord... You thought we would not find your little parting gift, did you? Leaving little breadcrumbs for us to find, taunting our friend through a veil over his eyes, turning his source of joy into a source of agony. Truly your vilest work yet.<p>

Of course, there is no reason to celebrate just yet. Knowing what the problem entails is one thing. Actually tackling the problem is another entirely. Rather than make this crisis simpler, this revelation has only caused this predicament to become even more complicated. And the only remaining means to tackle it is not without risk.

I had to gather the Elements of Harmony before I could depart. While I was doubtful that the requirements to use them would not be met, they have proven themselves instrumental to victory time and again. Perhaps just having them with us would be enough to give us a push towards success.

I trotted down the Hall of the Elements without much fanfare and inserted my horn into the vault's lock slot before casting the spell to open the Elements' resting place. Just to be certain that they lied within the jeweled box that stood before me, I opened it and peered inside. Cleansed of the blood that stained them roughly two weeks ago, the six Elements of Harmony rested inside.

Placing the box in a satchel I had hanging from my side, I turned and began to trot back down the hall. But before I could reach the other end, I paused when my eyes glanced at one of the stained-glass windows that lined the walls. The window that depicted the days when Discord had free reign over the world, toying with his subjects as if they were mere toys to be broken.

I felt such a bitter wrath fill my heart as I beheld the crooked depiction of this world's former king. His demise was truly terrible and not something I would have wanted to witness, but I still felt nary a shred of pity for the monster before me. At last, he was gone forever. But he still left one last festering plague in the body and soul of the one who finally ended his tyranny for good. And I would not dare allow him to have the last laugh.

"May you rot forever where your twisted soul ended up, you beast. Your time has ended. And I will not allow you to leave a scar on your final victim." I growled at the image laid out before me before turning and hurrying down the hall. I could not allow myself to be distracted for long. His time is nearing its end... I had to hurry!

I leapt from Celestia's chamber's balcony and spread my wings before swooping through the air towards Ponyville. I would arrive in mere minutes at such speed while I rapidly descended towards my destination. The air was heavy with moisture while the sky was dark and gray. Rain would fall soon. Almost as if the very weather itself could detect the turmoil that was building.

I promptly arrived at the local library and home of Twilight Sparkle and quickly barged inside. Or I would have if the door had been unlocked. Not wishing to waste time, I peered in through the nearest window and used the teleportation spell to make my way inside. "Twilight Sparkle! Are you here?!"

"Who?" I heard a soft voice from nearby speak. When I turned to look, I was greeted by a rather quaint sight. Perched upon a podium carved from a tree stump set just to the left of the window beside the front door was none other than a little barn owl who eyed me constantly.

Charmed and temporarily distracted from our plight, I approached the owl. "Well, hello there, little fowl of the night. Would you happen to know where I may find Twilight Sparkle?"

"Who?" The owl replied briefly. I suppose I should not have been surprised. Owls are incapable of actual speech.

"She is not here, is she? Did she recently depart? And what of her little dragon messenger?" I asked while taking note of just how quiet the entire dwelling was. Was there truly not a soul left in the entire library?

This time, the owl merely shook his head from one side to the other. "No, I see... Very well. I hope you do not mind my company until she returns." I then began to pace and think, doing whatever I could to pass the time while praying she and her friends would arrive soon.

I did not wait long before I heard the front door click before it opened. And as soon as it did, I saw them. Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie. And it was Pinkie Pie who detected me first. "Huh? Nightmare Moon? How'd you get in?"

"To one skilled in the art of teleportation, a window is but a portal to pass through. And...are you well?" I explained while taking note of her rather...dark coloration. Her mane and tail seemed long and flowing instead of frizzy and light.

"Oh, she always gets like this when she's depressed... But...you wanted us to gather here? Princess Celestia sent us a message saying that you needed all of us to get together at my place." Twilight then asked while looking noticeably confused, but she then suddenly gave me a hopeful gaze. "Wait! The messages I found in those journals! Did you get them?"

"I did, Twilight. And it was a most brilliant breakthrough. It helped me narrow down the search. I found it. I know what is ailing him." I replied while smiling proudly. Truly, it was a good feeling to know that the cure was within our grasp.

At my words, Pinkie Pie's mane and tail suddenly returned to their natural frizzy forms while her overall coloration seemed to brighten back to normal as she gave me a most surprised stare. "Really?! We can save him?!"

"We can. But first, we... Wait... What are you doing?" I asked in return as she suddenly seemed to hunker down while grinning rather ridiculously broadly as her body began to shudder. Even Twilight seemed to notice something was not quite right and began to back away nervously.

A few seconds later, there was a sudden burst of bright pink smoke before the sound of a loud impact rang out through the room. When I glanced up, I saw a rather laughable sight. Pinkie Pie had...well...rocketed herself right up into the ceiling and flattened herself against the ceiling before gravity finally caught up to her about ten seconds later where she fell to the floor with a thud. With a truly embarrassed frown on her face, she began to rub her head while Twilight and I howled in laughter at the absurd result of her excitement. "Owww... Remind me to never do that indoors again..."

Minutes later, there was a knock at the door before it suddenly burst open. Standing in the doorway with the bearer of Generosity standing behind him was Twilight's little dragon assistant. "I've got Rarity, Twilight!"

"Thank you, Spike. I really hope you weren't in the middle of something when Spike came to get you, Rarity. It's really urgent." Twilight replied while Spike approached her.

Rarity then approached the center of the room and spoke, "It was no trouble at all, Twilight. I only had some touching up to do on a few orders at the time anyway. Mitta will be tending to any customers that show up, not that I'm expecting many due to the impending downpour." She then turned to me and asked, "Ah... So you did wish to see us, your highness. What's the occasion?"

Before I could even say a thing, Pinkie Pie rushed over to her before I could even blink. "I'll tell you what! She found the cure! James is gonna be OK!"

That look of elation in her eyes. It was as if she did not know how to properly process them. Rarity then turned to me and asked, "Truly?! You... You found what is poisoning him?!"

I lifted my hoof to silence her while making certain to not show a single smile. "We will discuss it once all of you have gathered."

"Ah, of course. They will need to hear this too." Rarity replied with a nod before glancing towards Spike while in noticeably better spirits. "Spike? Would you be a dear and go prepare some tea for us? It's been some time since we've all had to gather for a meeting like this."

"Yes, ma'am! I'll be just a few minutes!" The little dragon child said before rushing upstairs and out of sight.

Several minutes later, he emerged from the stairwell with a tea tray held above his head. Several teacups were spread out while steam wafted from its spout. But before he could say anything and the sound of thunder rumbled outside the library, the door burst open to reveal none other than the bearer of Loyalty looking slightly drenched. "Phew! Barely made it! I found Applejack and Fluttershy! Come on, girls! You're gonna get soaked!"

She then rushed inside and set her hooves upon the floor while the bearers of Honesty and Kindness trotted in after her while also looking partially wetted down by the beginning of the downpour. "Yeah, we know, Rainbow. Good thing ya found us when ya did!"

Fluttershy was quick to look at me, her eyes filled with such profound sadness, but also curiosity. "Oh... You're really here... Why did you need to see us?"

I glanced around at the six mares as all eyes fell upon me. Well, all but those of Spike as he focused on pouring the tea in the eight teacups. With the tension becoming unbearable and with time not being on our side, I began to speak. "I asked you all to gather here because of how much you have been wanting to hear this. I found it. I know what is poisoning our friend."

While the bearers of Generosity, Magic, and Laughter did not show much response, the bearers of Kindness, Honesty, and Loyalty gave me looks of absolute shock. Fluttershy then asked, "Wait... You... You mean it?! You know what's wrong with him?!"

"Well, spill the beans! What's got its hooks sunk inta 'im?!" Applejack then asked while sounding noticeably anxious.

I decided it would be best to explain exactly what it was and how it came to be before I revealed the more difficult parts of the subject. "Well... It is as I suspected. It is the result of a curse that was cast upon him. Most likely during Discord's final seconds that even James' armor could not repel. And it is a most fiendish curse indeed."

"Wait... I thought curses don't even exist... Are you sure of this?" Twilight asked during a lull in my speech.

I turned to gaze at her and replied, "A curse is simply a form of magic, Twilight. And what our friend is suffering from is indeed a curse."

"But...whatever does it do? And who in their right mind would even think of crafting such an evil spell? Surely even Discord would not weave such an evil spell..." Rarity then asked as Spike began to silently pass out the tea. He likely was simply too young and naive to firmly grasp the weight of the situation.

While I sipped from the teacup with there being a noticeable taste of honey in it, I proceeded to explain. "I do not know. Possibly an ambitious and naive pioneer in magic in times long past who knew not what it was he was tampering with. As for what it does... In layman's terms, it turns the sources of the victim's greatest joy into sources of pain. Of course, the pain is not enough to completely turn someone away from what they love. They pine for what they desire, yet any attempt to acquire it results in physical and mental agony. The curse eats away at the victim, slowly breaking the victim one day at a time."

With a sigh, I spoke the heaviest segment of the curse's nature. "In the end, the victim loses the will to live. And as a result of that... The victim dies."

The air fell silent. Nopony dared to speak. Although in the end, it was Pinkie Pie who spoke first. "Well, what're we waiting for?! We've gotta get over there and break the curse!"

"But that is the catch." I retorted quickly to prevent them from rushing out the door. "This curse CAN'T be broken."

The looks of shock and despair that filled their eyes... I did not want to place any greater layers of sorrow upon their shoulders, but I could not withhold any details from them. Regardless, the bearer of Loyalty rushed over to me and practically yelled into my face. "Are you kidding me?! This is what you called us here for?! Just to build us up and then say there's nothing we can do to save him?!"

"Let me finish." I growled at her as my irritation began to fester with her outburst. Reluctantly, she backed away from me with a frustrated and tearful glare. I then spoke while gazing at them all, "As I said, this curse cannot be broken. However, it can be slain."

"Slain... You mean...this curse is alive?" Twilight Sparkle then asked while confusion was clearly seeping into them.

"In a sense, yes. This curse does everything in its power to break its victim's will. It sees, it hears, it thinks. It knows what is happening, both in the real world and within the victim's dreams. It knows how to tempt its victim before crushing its hopes when the victim least expects it. There is no way to cure this vile curse, so the only way to remove it is to destroy it where it lurks." I explained while feeling the tension rising ever further.

"Then... We can save him, right? If we just go to where this curse is, we... Where is it again?" Fluttershy then asked while sounding both puzzled and hopeful. She clearly could not comprehend such a complicated and fiendish curse.

My next words were sure to frustrate them to no end, but they needed to be spoken. "It is hiding in a place only the victim can reach. It festers deep within his psyche, which is why it is able to physically interact with him on the dreaming spectrum. He alone is the only one who can destroy this demon. And even then...he may fail, for this curse is likely far from defenseless."

"There's no easy way to do this, is there?" Rainbow Dash asked as a nameless fear bloomed in her eyes. Her stance became unstable with stress. "There's gotta be a better way... He's already been through too much pain... I don't want to see him risk anything else..."

"I wish there was, Rainbow Dash... There truly is only one way to dispose of this curse, even though I wish it were simpler than this. However, to hopefully turn the tide in his favor..." I said before using my magic to open the satchel that hung from my side before levitating the jeweled box within out into the open. "I have brought these along."

Applejack was quick to recognize it immediately and instantly smiled. "The Elements of Harmony?! Why didn't we think of that?! They've always helped us come out on top in the end! Good thinkin', yer highness!"

I was quick to lift my hoof to silence her. "Not so fast, Applejack. You know full well that four of you cannot even be in the same room as him, so your Elements cannot even be used. I suppose we could blindfold him as you have done before while also keeping you silent, but considering the curse's awareness of your presence... I dread to imagine what it would do once it detected the presences of all six of you with the Elements of Harmony. Perhaps it would kill him on the spot. Who can say? Regardless, we simply cannot afford to risk it."

"Oh... Well... Whatcha bring 'em along for then?" She then asked while her friends indifferently sipped from their teacups.

Indeed. They could not actually be used in his presence. "I brought them along because... Perhaps... Just maybe having them nearby may cause things to flow in our favor... Hm? You there. Spike. Are you well?"

The dragon child seemed to be gagging over by the podium that the little owl was perched upon. "Ooogh... I feel a big one coming..."

At those words, he belched loudly with a plume of green fire being emitted from his maw. The smoke that came from said flames quickly compacted in the air before suddenly bursting into the form of a small cardboard package. Twilight seemed rather puzzled by this and asked, "A package from Princess Celestia?"

"Ugh... I don't know why she doesn't just use the postal system to send these bigger parcels." Spike grumbled while he seemed to remove a slip of paper that was affixed to the top. However, he then called out to me after glancing at it. "Hey! This is for Nightmare Moon!"

A package for me? From my sister? Well, she did know where I was. "Truly? Well, what does it say?"

Spike then looked at the note again while speaking aloud its contents. "Dear Nightmare Moon... You forgot something."

"I did...?" I muttered while I raised an eyebrow. Spike was then quick to use his claws to open the box before leaning over the side and lifting something out that I recognized immediately. "Of course... Bless you, Celestia..."

"Awesome helmet! Wait a minute... Isn't this James' helmet?" Spike then asked while holding the helmet above his head. Indeed, it was the helmet that completed my beloved's suit of armor. And set into the helmet's forehead section was none other than the polished white form of the Element of Humanity.

"All right! Now all seven of them are here!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed before she trotted over to the door. "Let's go! We're bound to beat that curse now!"

"Indeed. Let's be on our way. But since it is raining rather heavily outside... Why not take the express route? For all we know, he may only have hours to live." I asked whimsically as the tension in the air became filled with optimism. With the levitation spell, I took the helmet from Spike's grasp and had it rest within the grasp of my wing.

Rarity seemed to smile faintly while she used the levitation spell to gather up the emptied teacups and set them upon the tea tray they had been provided on. "Indeed. And it should save us some much needed time while keeping us dry... Twilight? Would you care to do the honors?"

"Sure, girls. Spike, please watch over the place while I'm gone. This is a very important task and we cannot stay." Twilight replied while she turned to Spike as we gathered close to each other.

"Uh... Sure. I don't really know what's going on, but good luck!" The dragon child replied while giving us all a supporting wave. Twilight then began to focus her magic to cast a spell. And seconds later, there was a bright flash before I found myself standing in what seemed to be the lobby of the local hospital. And standing behind the receptionist's desk... I believe it was Nurse Sweetheart?

"Hm? Where did you all come from?" I heard the nurse say from behind the receptionist's counter. She must have had a magazine or clipboard over her face to not notice us appear before her.

Rarity then stepped forward and spoke, "So sorry to bother you, Sweetheart. We need to pay a visit to James' room. It's absolutely vital that we see him now."

"Oh, I'm sorry... I'm afraid he has directly requested that he not be receiving any visitors. I'm afraid I can't let you see him." The nurse replied with a melancholy frown. Indeed, the curse was weaving its vile tendrils through his heart. Time was short. If he had begun to refuse to see those who once brought him joy, then he truly did not have long for this world.

I decided to step forward and motioned for those with me to remain silent. I then gazed at the nurse with a most stern glare. "Nurse. As Princess of Dreams, I hereby decree that we are to be allowed to see James. Do I make myself clear?"

I understand that she was merely trying to protect her patients and honor their wishes, seeing as how she was clearly reluctant to comply. Regardless, she soon nodded. "All right... He is in room G5."

"Thank you..." I heard Fluttershy say quietly before we began to head down the hall to the left. We did not go far before coming to a room that seemed to have one of the hospital's night watchmen positioned just outside the door.

Noticing us approaching, the guard turned to face us. "Uh... Good afternoon, your highness. Can I help you?"

I once more handled all verbal interactions. "Yes. You are dismissed. James' request for visitors to be denied access to his chambers has been revoked. We will be entering now."

The guard could clearly see that I was not jesting in the slightest and bowed before walking past us. "I understand."

"Before you go..." I added before the guard could get too far. He turned to look at us while I began to speak. "Please inform the hospital staff that we are not to be disturbed under any circumstances. If they see his vital signs disappear from the mainframe, they are to not intervene."

"I... Well, I'll make sure they get the message, your highness." He replied before continuing down the hall.

Once it was just me and the six bearers outside his room, I turned to face them. "Now then... Which of you are able to go near him without the curse triggering any painful feedback?"

"Just me and Twilight." Rainbow Dash spoke up while she and the bearer of Magic stepped forward.

I nodded at them before facing the other four. "I see. As for the rest of you... I do not want to see you leave. Is there somewhere nearby where you can wait?"

"I guess we can wait in the cafeteria..." Fluttershy said in barely more than a whisper. I could tell that she truly wanted to be there, even though she knew full well that she could not.

"Very well. Wait there for us to come retrieve you. We are not to be disturbed until then. Understood?" I then said while taking note of their stares. They were so desperate... So fearful of what may soon happen. I wish they could be there with him.

Pinkie Pie let out a long sigh while she and her three friends began to walk further down the hall. "All right... Please... Make sure he'll be OK in the end..."

At last, it was just the three of us. I turned to the bearers of Magic and Loyalty. "Are you ready?"

Rainbow Dash merely nodded while Twilight Sparkle spoke with a sigh. "Yes... Let's get this nightmare over with."

The blinds over the window to the left of the door were shut. We would have no interruptions. I pushed the door open and... Something was wrong. It was the exact same lifeless presence I felt within his dream two days ago. The only sound to reach my ears was the conspicuous beeps coming from his heart monitor. The only light in the room was coming from beyond the window's blinds. The room was far too dark.

"Let me turn the lamp on." Twilight said while she seemed to move to the right side of the room. When she stopped before the bed, she reached out and seemed to tug on something. Soft light was cast around the room from a small elegant porcelain lamp. And there he was. Motionless before us with a black mask set over his eyes. He did not speak. Did not even acknowledge our presence.

Rainbow Dash stepped forward and gently patted her hoof on his exposed arm. "Hey... How're you holding up, big guy?"

I was certain that he was not asleep. And yet, he said nothing. Not a word of response. Not even a turn of his head. Twilight then stepped forward. "Here... Let me get that mask off. He needs to see us."

With the use of her magic, Twilight lifted the mask from James' face and cast it aside. As I expected, his eyes were barely open. Even when greeted with the faces of two of his dearest friends, he did not respond at all. The same lifeless gaze when I saw him before.

"James... Do you see us? You remember me and Rainbow Dash, right?" Twilight spoke in futility as Rainbow Dash stood by her. Just like before, he said nothing. His eyes did not even seem to glance at them. It was...haunting. The curse truly had finally broken him.

We could not have any interruptions. I turned my gaze to some sort of metal panel on the wall above his bed. Some sort of cable was connecting to it from the bed. It was likely wired into a mainframe of sorts to constantly monitor his vital signs. To insure that nopony would arrive to interrupt the process, I used my magic to pull it from the wall. And as expected, a voice soon called from the intercom on the wall. "Who's there? Why have you disconnected the patient in room G5 from the mainframe?"

I approached the device on the wall and spoke into it while pushing in the button to speak. "Nurse Redheart, this is Nightmare Moon. I have disconnected James to insure that you will not be able to read his vital signs and send somepony to check on him. He must not be disturbed from this point forward."

"Not check on him?! This goes against hospital protocol! We need to be there for him if something goes wrong!" I heard her object from the other side. I understood that she meant well, but his well-being was truly out of her hooves by that point.

I pushed in the button once more to speak. "Redheart, listen to me. Your patient's salvation is not within your power. As he is now, only I can insure that he survives this affliction. Under no circumstances are you or any other member of the hospital's staff to enter this room until I emerge from it. That is an order. Do I make myself clear?"

For a moment, there was no response. I could understand her doubts. They had worked so hard to find a cure for his deterioration and were clearly fearful for his well-being after so many violent attacks on his body and mind from the curse. But soon, I heard Redheart finally speak again. "I understand, your highness... I will make certain that nopony is to enter without your consent."

"Thank you, Redheart." I said into the intercom before looking back at the two mares behind me while they stood by their friend.

"So... Uh... What do we do?" Rainbow Dash asked while looking noticeably uneasy. I was hardly surprised. This was not a crisis they had ever been presented with before.

"I need to speak to him first." I replied before stepping forward. I stood above him, his empty eyes glancing over at me. With my magic, I took hold of his bed sheet and pulled it entirely off of him. But when I did... His body... It looked so weak... Ravaged.

"Oh my god..." I heard Twilight whimper while bringing a hoof to her mouth as she seemed to hold back tears. "It really is eating away at him..."

Rainbow Dash nearly looked and sounded panicked. She turned to me and asked, "Are you sure you know how to fix him? And are you sure he'll be able to take it?"

I too was feeling some doubt over this approach. It would not be without risk, even though it was the only possible way by this point. I turned my gaze from the two mares and directed it towards the man before me. "James... Please listen. I bring you good tidings."

He said nothing, but his eyes never looked away from me. And so I continued to speak. "I know what it is you are going through. Forced to remember times you wish you could forget. Filled with agony when you see or hear those you long for. So desperately wishing to reach out and hold what you lost, knowing you can never reclaim it. I know what this is, my friend. You have been cursed. A final foul act by Discord himself."

Much to my surprise, even the mention of Discord did not rouse any emotion in him. "And yes, I know of the means to lift this curse from you. But beware. This is a curse that cannot be broken. It must be slain, for it is alive. I am sure you have seen cues that only you could see. Words or sights that taunt you. I can help you overcome this, but only you can remove it from your mind."

Twilight then stepped forward and asked, "Wait... Surely we can do something about this, right? He shouldn't have to do this alone..."

"I wish there was another way to do this, Twilight Sparkle. But only he can reach the curse where it has taken root and we cannot follow." I grimly explained with a heavy heart. I know they wanted to be with him so desperately. They could not bear to allow him to face this evil alone after having nearly lost him already.

"Why... After all this, we can only stand back and watch?! This isn't how we've always done things, you know! We've always been there for each other!" Rainbow Dash spoke up loudly in protest, clearly frustrated with being helpless.

I did my best to explain this predicament to each of them. "And I know that such a means has never failed to bring you victory. But this time... To dispose of the curse, I must send him into a deep trance, sending his very mind into the depths of his subconscious. A place that can never be reached voluntarily, yet is accessible only to him. And from there, he must find a way to send the curse to its grave."

However, Twilight did not seem so sure. "But...what if he fails? What if the curse comes out on top instead?"

It was a thought that had not crossed my mind. The tome I found the truth in spoke nothing of what may happen when the victim tries and fails to destroy the curse that plagues them. I merely bowed my head and sighed. "I... I do not know... But still...it is our only chance to set things right. Either we try, or his demise is assured."

I then turned to my beloved and asked, "You know what must be done, James. But will you do it?"

We all looked on and listened. What would he say? After a brief moment, he let out a raspy sigh and spoke with a hissing whisper. "I have no preference..."

His words lacked any soul in them. No life... No will or drive to stay alive. But before we could reel from them, he then added, "But if you want to try, I won't stop you..."

The two mares beside me smiled sorrowfully, as did I. But Twilight and Rainbow Dash then took a step forward with Rainbow speaking, "Cool... But before that... Uh..."

Twilight began to speak as well, though I could see tears building in her eyes. "Just in case... Just in case this happens to be the last time..."

They held out their arms for an embrace. They were afraid. They knew that this may very well be the last time that they will ever speak with him. And it did my heart good to see him slowly lift his arms. They practically crawled over him, tearfully holding on as if they would never let go. It was then that I decided to remind them of what we had brought with us. "One last thing, my friend. You may need these."

As the two bearers climbed down from his bed, I lifted the box from my satchel and opened it to reveal the Elements of Harmony from within. Twilight then asked, "Wait... We can't use those unless Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity are with us."

"I know." I replied before bringing them forward with my levitation magic. "But even so... I am certain he would appreciate having a part of you with him."

One by one, I placed the Elements upon his body. The Elements of Honesty and Laughter were clasped around his ankles. The Elements of Loyalty and Kindness were worn around the wrists, albeit loosely. The Element of Generosity was properly attached around his neck. And lastly, the Element of Magic was placed upon his head. I knew he could never hope to use them, but that was beside the point. Maybe, just maybe, having them with him would do...something to keep him safe.

I heard a snicker from nearby and saw Rainbow Dash covering a grin with her hoof. "Wow... Uh... You look kinda... I don't know what you look like, but those look pretty good on you. Although I think the Element of Magic looks better on Twilight than on you."

"Well, yeah... It's meant to fit its bearer and not someone else." Twilight replied with a smirk while the mood in the room had brightened slightly. James seemed completely indifferent to his new attire with the only other clothing he was wearing being a pair of blue shorts.

"One more thing." I said softly while using my magic once more. The helmet that rested upon my back floated forward and soon rested upon his belly with the Element of Humanity facing him. "I believe this is yours."

James silently reached out and placed is hands on the sides of the helmet as if to hold it. He gazed directly at the beautiful white form of the Element of Humanity. It was during this time that Twilight Sparkle seemed to look into the cardboard box that was beside his bed before looking at him. "James... There's one piece of paper left... Do you want to use it before...you know...?"

His response was quiet and brief. "All right..."

I am writing this to pass the time while James writes out what may very well be his final journal entry. We have no possible knowledge on what he may find in there once I send him on his way. And does he have the power to actually overcome this curse once he personally encounters it? One thing is for certain though. Wherever he ventures, James will soon be heading into uncharted territory and there will be nothing we can do to assist him. Am I sending him into a trap to meet his end? Or is this his only means of salvation?

By the stars, I pray I do not regret this choice... My love, please... You must survive. Please, triumph over this vile foe. For me...

* * *

><p>They are here. Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow Dash. Nightmare Moon. They say they can cure me. Make the images and noise in my head stop. Make things go back to the way they were.<p>

I used to feel happy when I saw them. Now I feel nothing. I feel numb. Cannot think. Nerves burned too long and too hotly to feel anything but hollowness. Things will never go back to what they used to be now.

Maybe this will be my last entry. Maybe not. It does not matter to me anymore. The Elements of Harmony and the Element of Humanity is with me. Not that they will do anything for me.

That is all I feel like writing. Nightmare Moon looks ready to cast her spell. I hope the pain stops. Hopefully I will not wake up again. Goodbye.


	42. Sudden Death

-UNDOCUMENTED-

I remember closing my eyes, feeling myself becoming more relaxed. But almost as quickly as it had begun, it faded away. I open my eyes and... Here again? Why am I back in Fluttershy's cottage?

I still feel very weak when I make myself climb out of bed. But...something is weird. I do not hear a single thing. I usually hear the sound of songbirds whenever I awaken in the morning. But...the area is eerily silent. With the memories and the pain having subsided, I feel a little better than I was before Nightmare Moon cast her spell on me. But now I feel...incredibly uneasy. And just...so painfully empty.

I feel tempted to just lie here on the bed. I feel no drive to do anything anymore. And yet... I feel compelled to move. Like there is something I need to find. Well, I might as well get dressed before I do anything. Wait... Why will the drawers not open? No matter how much I tug on the handles, I cannot get them to budge. In fact... I cannot move anything that is around me. The little knickknacks on the shelves, the furniture itself... Anything that does not seem to be attached to a hinge will not move at all. Even the sheets I was lying on are unnaturally stiff. As if everything in the house is...frozen.

I feel so alone... I had better go outside. Something does not feel right. There is no one here. I do not see or hear Scootaloo in her room. The room where Gladesong always slept is gone... At least the front door can be opened. Strange... Everything looks all right. Plenty of greenery. The sun is shining. It actually looks like a nice day.

At least... That is how it looks. But... Something is missing... I hear nothing. I do not hear...or even feel the wind. The tree leaves are not rustling in the breeze. I see and hear no little animals scurrying about. Even the sound of the brook that flows in front of Fluttershy's house is not making a sound... And I see why. It is entirely dried up. There is no water to be seen. And the sky... It feels eerily still. I do not feel the rays of the sun on me even though the sun is high above. The clouds do not move. Almost as if what I am seeing is a still backdrop against the horizon...

The world feels...dead. Stopped in time. And... My god, I feel afraid. I want to see someone. To find someone. I feel panic beginning to set in. But... Wait, who was that? Someone walking down the path in front of the house towards Ponyville?

There it is again... Was that Fluttershy? She just...faded into view without becoming entirely opaque before fading away again. Was it a message? Should I go in the direction she was going? Will she lead me to...the curse?

That's right... Am I really in my own subconscious now? Is this really what it feels like? It is...frightening. So empty... Well... I have nowhere else to go and nothing else to do... I may as well see where this path takes me.

I feel so awkward walking around in just my shorts. The earth beneath my feet feels warm, the rays of the sun having done a good job of making it feel comfortable for me. But still... Even as I walk, I feel no wind against me. As if there is no air at all... How am I able to breath? I can still inhale, so there is clearly air around me, but... This world just makes no sense.

There is Ponyville. Still just as empty and lifeless as the area around Fluttershy's cottage. I see and hear no activity around me. There is no one to see. No one to hear. The place has become a ghost town.

This sense of apprehension... It only grows stronger with every passing minute. Never have I been more desperate to feel someone's company. But whenever I stop, I get another visual cue to lead me along. That was...Applejack I just saw. She faded away while leading me east. But when I began to follow, I stopped. After hearing nothing but sound that came from me, a new sound reached my ears and even startled me somewhat.

"Turn back."

The voice was raspy and quiet. And it seemed to come from everywhere. Was it the curse? If it was, I have to make sure I do not listen to it. Besides, there is nothing back there that I want anything to do with. I need to keep moving on.

There was Rainbow Dash... Leading me towards the town square. I better follow. Such a wide open space and not a soul in it. But... Coming out of the spa... Of course. Rarity. She looks like she is heading north and... She just faded away. Might as well see where going that way takes me.

There is the library. I could probably go inside, but I feel no reason to. And...there is Twilight Sparkle. Heading northwest before she can fade. I feel like I am merely being led around by the nose by this point, but I have no idea where to search. For all I know, these illusions are the work of the curse itself.

And finally, there is Pinkie Pie. But...did she just go down that well? Maybe I should take a closer look. I have seen this well numerous times before. Only... Are those steps leading down into it?

It looks like a spiral stairwell inside it. Creepy... I am not sure I should follow her. Could be a... Wait... That rumbling sound. Where is it coming from? That mountain?

I can still see Canterlot up there in the distance. Everything seems fine right now... Wait... It... It's falling off the side of the mountain?! Just... I cannot believe what I am seeing... The entire city, crashing down the side of the mountain like a broken play set... Just... Thank god there was no one there. But now... The mountain too? It is...crumbling...

The ground... Constantly shaking. My god, the houses around me... The ground is splitting open! Great chasms are opening in the earth and falling out of sight with everything on them! Ponyville is just falling down into the depths! And the sky... Cracking... The blue is falling away to reveal a...swirling gray mass just looming in its place.

I cannot say a thing. The sight is just so haunting. The horizon is falling away to reveal the gray miasma... The ground, the houses, the trees... All falling out of sight... The air is quiet once more. And... All that remains is the well beside me and the ground that is immediately around it. Just a tiny foothold in a vast endless gray void. Ponyville... No... Equestria itself is...gone.

The sense of horror I am feeling... I am amazed I can still feel anything at all. But now... The only place left to go is down. The stairwell seems safe enough. Just a spiral going down. And where was that shade of Pinkie Pie leading me? I may as well investigate. If nothing else, this whole setup has piqued my curiosity.

There is almost no light sources down here, but I can still see the steps and the walls. I have no awareness of time anymore, so I cannot even say how long I have been descending. But now... Did the steps become straight? I think it broke out of the spiral design. Still nowhere else to go but down.

There seems to be an opening up ahead. Almost like the end of a tunnel. But I do not see the end of the stairwell. May as well just keep following it. There is another tunnel ahead. And then that one ends only to be followed by another... Wait... What exactly is around...

What in the world am I seeing? Gray stone stairwells all around me building into some towering mass of steps? Up, down, sideways, upside-down... It... Who made this? Am I standing upside-down now? Which way is up? Which way is down? Wait... I see her again. Rarity walking upside-down into a gap in the ceiling before fading just as she is about to enter it. Or was it a gap in the floor?

I feel so disoriented... I have to focus only on the path before me to not feel queasy. Only look at the steps... The endless steps...

Finally... I think I can see the bottom. It seems to lead down into some water. But... Everywhere I look from the archway. It is...nothing but a vast expanse of endless ocean. The sky... Still a swirling veil of grays that extends to the horizon. Here and there, rocky crags stick up through the water.

I feel unsure about this. Maybe if I... Hm? This water... It is only a couple of inches deep. Not an ocean, but a shallow pool. I am not going back up that nightmare of a stairwell again, so may as well step forward. The water feels pleasantly cool, but not too cold. But...where do I go from here?

What is that noise? More rumbling... Wait... That tower of stairs? It looks like it is quivering... And now it is sinking. Down into the depths. Sinking...and now it is gone. Swallowed by the waves. I dread to imagine how deep that sinkhole is... Or is it... Strange... The hole that swallowed it is gone. Nothing but solid ground just under the surface. Where did it go?

The air is still hauntingly silent... The only sound that breaks the silence is the splashes made by my feet while I shamble around while...searching. What am I even doing? What am I looking for? I am not searching. I am not even exploring. I am merely wandering wherever my feet take me before this all finally ends...

I am hearing something else now. Tiny splashes. And I feel something too. I am being pelted with tiny drops of liquid. Rain. The gray sky is pouring rain. I cannot even see a source of light anywhere, yet the world around me is relatively well lit. I do not mind the rain though... It suits this hollow emptiness in my heart. Not too cold either...

Nothing but water and crags as far as the eye can see. And not a sound but the rain and my own feet splashing about. Lightning flashes through the sky every once in a great while, the sound of thunder rumbling in my ears with each bolt. Maybe I will be stuck here forever... No one is here with me... They are gone... That life is gone... I have nothing to go back to... Nothing I want to go back to...

Wait... A voice among the rain and splashes... From behind me? "You shouldn't have come here, you know..."

I turn and... Rising out of the water from nowhere... Twilight Sparkle? But... Her coat and mane... They appear to be...grayish. Just like...them. Her eyes look so tired. Empty. "I hope you didn't come here looking for friends... No friendship lasts forever. Better to just forget about it."

Another voice from behind me... I turn and... Her... Applejack is rising out of the water. But...her hat falls off and sinks out of sight. Her colorations... Just as gray as I remember. "Friends ain't worth dirt, ya know. Just imagine the stuff they say behind yer back. And ya came all this way ta find 'em? Y'all weren't very smart ta start with, come ta think of it."

And now...rising out of the water beside her... Rainbow Dash... I cannot believe even she has become like them, her colors being so dull. "Lemme guess. You were hoping to find us? Well, keep walking, big guy. We never needed you."

Behind me... The sound of water among the rain... It is... Rarity... "You cannot compare to the riches of the world, James. How could we choose someone with so little value over such grandeur?"

Their words... They were supposed to hurt, but... I feel almost nothing. And there... It is Pinkie Pie. Still so dull and angry. "We never liked you! You and your gentle caring and soft heart! We hate you!"

And lastly... The sound of someone rising from the water behind me... The one I dreaded seeing most. Fluttershy. That cruel grin... "You've always been so weak. A real man knows how to take pain, but you? Pathetic."

I am not sure what to feel... They are circling me... Gazes of hollowness, disdain, smug arrogance, wrath, greed, and malice. But the only one who is still speaking is Fluttershy. "You couldn't just take a hint, could you? You couldn't just lay down and die, huh? Are you really so weak that you can't stand being without us?"

Perhaps I am weak... But if being with them made me weak, I would rather be weak and happy than strong and miserable. Only now I feel next to nothing while seeing these six miserable mares walking around me in a circle. And Fluttershy is still the only one who speaks. As if she is leading them in some way... "We never wanted someone as weak and pitiful as you. Some man. Well..."

Something is wrong. They are coming to a stop right in front of me. Standing lined up in a row while facing me. Closing their eyes... "If you really want to be with us in your final minutes..."

They... They are all grinning... Wide toothy grins... And...they just opened their eyes and... "We might as well give you the chance to go out with a bang!"

Those faces... The exact same expressions. And... The eyes... They all have...the same...eyes...

They are starting to laugh and giggle... And their bodies... Merging? My god... Twilight Sparkle just leaned into Fluttershy and... How can I even describe this feeling of horror? The six are becoming one...

Growing in size... Fluttershy's head is almost as big as I am... The body structure... It almost looks familiar. Long body with large wings, the right arm being like that of a lion's, but with Twilight's dull purple, and the left being more reptilian but with that dull gray of Rarity's... Just...what are they?! Twilight and Rarity's heads fused into the shoulders, Applejack and Rainbow Dash's head merged with the knees, and Pinkie Pie's head on the tip of its long slender tail. Those shared grins... And the eyes... Those unholy yellow and red eyes...

I cannot speak... Just...what have they become? Is this the face of the curse? This freakish chimera of my lost friends? The tip of the tail is looking at me... "What's wrong, James?! Don't recognize your friends?!"

Fluttershy's head... Rotating until it is upside-down... But there is something else in those eyes... Some form of malice and dominance. Even with that grin matching the others. "You wanted to see your friends again, right? Well, what do you think? Still the same friends you remember, sweetheart?"

"Girls, I reckon our ol' pardner is a lil' lost right now. Whatcha say we show 'im the way out?" Applejack's head just said while still showing that unsettling grin like the other faces...

"Good idea." Fluttershy just said before spreading her wings and flapping them to propel them backwards possibly a hundred feet. I... I still cannot bring myself to move. Just the shock and the despair all rolled together...

They are standing upright now and... I know I have seen that body structure somewhere before, even if not on something that big. Even from this distance, I can still hear Fluttershy clearly. "I'll admit it. It was a fun ride, James. But right now..."

She is holding up her left hand... That bright yellow glow...and now sparking as some crackling orb is formed in her palm. That maniacal look in those eyes... "Looks like it's game over for you after all!"

Game over... That orb is rocketing towards me. Will it end me? End this nightmare? I...feel fear...but also peace... What should I do?

* * *

><p>The moment James ceased responding to any stimuli was the moment I knew he was somewhere we could not reach him. This curse that has taken hold of him... Thank goodness Nightmare Moon found out what it was before it was too late. I truly do fear that today would have been his last day with us if she had not discovered it...<p>

There was nothing we could really do while waiting for James to awaken, but we were not really in the mood for conversation either. Rainbow Dash was restlessly pacing back and forth across the room. But Nightmare Moon... She never left James' side. Never looked away from him. As for me... Well, I am writing this journal. Or rather, adding bits and pieces to it when I feel the urge to. I have to do something to pass the time.

James is still wearing the Elements of Harmony on different parts on his body. And I do not know why, but... The Element of Generosity really seems to suit him somehow. Was that why Nightmare Moon placed it on his neck? My thoughts kept going out to the rest of my friends in the cafeteria. I wish they could be with us, even if doing so would be placing James at risk...

After roughly half an hour, the nearly complete silence was broken by the frustrated groan of Rainbow Dash. "Uuuggghhh! Is there anything else we can do to help him?! I'd rather be doing something than just standing here doing nothing! Come on!"

"I wish that were the case, Rainbow Dash. But as I explained, the curse lies in a place we cannot hope to reach. It is entirely up to him now. All you can do is have faith." Nightmare Moon replied while never once looking away from James. Such dedication and focus... I know she and James have always been close, but... I am simply amazed by how dearly she cares for him. She would probably go to the ends of the world for him.

"Yeah, I know... It's just that... Huh?" Rainbow Dash began to speak before it seemed that something distracted her. "Hey, uh... Are the Elements supposed to glow like that when they're not being used?"

I looked up from the paper I was writing in. She was right. The six gemstones that make up the Elements of Harmony were beginning to shine. It did not seem they were actually being used though. It merely seemed like they were...resonating in response to something.

"Most peculiar... I wonder what's going on in there." Nightmare Moon muttered quietly. However, she then gasped as a white light began to glow from the Element of Humanity as well. "His Element too?"

I could feel something... Something...inside me almost. "Rainbow... I feel something... Do you feel it too?"

That look she was giving me showed the answer I was hoping for. "Yeah... I feel it too... I can almost...feel the other girls. What do you think it means?"

I tried closing my eyes. Maybe trying to listen to my heart. But when I did... "Oh my god... Rainbow, are you seeing this?!"

I heard her reply soon afterward. "Ye... Yeah! I can see you! And the other girls and... What is THAT?! And is that James?!"

* * *

><p>What is this presence I feel? Familiar... Warm... What are those six lights spiraling around me on the surface of the water? Red, pink, purple, light blue, orange, and... I feel like I know them...<p>

Wait... Shining brighter... And... A rainbow?! A spiraling cylindrical wall of the colors of the rainbow?! This is... I know I was forced to wear the Elements of Harmony before Nightmare Moon cast that spell on me, but... There is no way I can be doing this! I can't be using the Elements of Harmony!

"What the... NO WAY!" That freak of nature just yelled from somewhere on the other side. And now... That crackling ball of lethal magic has slammed into the side of the spiraling rainbow wall. Trying to force its way through, but the wall is holding. I have nowhere to run from inside it... Is it going to explode?

It did... A burst of noise reaching my ears joining the swirling noise of the rainbow barrier. And the shockwave... I feel myself being launched backwards, eyes squinted shut...but... I do not feel myself hitting the ground. Just...floating on my back as if drifting upon a pool of water.

All I hear now is the swirling of the Element's energies around me. I open my eyes... I am indeed floating on nothing. The spiraling cylinder still surrounds me, reaching high above. But instead of seeing the shifting gray sky, I see...a bright light, as if gazing into the heavenly sun.

What is this warmth? And...is the light descending? I cannot look away. But instead of feeling frightened, I feel...at peace. Why... Why do I want to cry? Do I know this presence? I see...six forms in the light. And reaching down to me... Six hooves? One that is orange, another pink, one light purple, another light blue, one purest white, and another a pale gold...

I... Oh my god, I see them... My vision... Becoming so blurred... The tears just will not stop flowing... I have to reach out to them, trying to touch them... "You... You were...with me all along...?"

As soon as my hand comes within reach... They take hold. I feel them... I thought they were gone forever, but... The Elements of Harmony... I can see their shining colors even in the light that conceals their bodies. The Elements would never allow themselves to be used by anyone other than their assigned bearers. I know it is them... And... This white light that seems to be emanating from my forehead... The Element of Humanity? Did it...guide them to me?

The light engulfs my vision. I... I feel them all around me. Holding me... Cradling me... And my arms... I hold them as well. I can still feel the tears... I cannot make them stop... Just... Is this the joy I had all but forgotten? The joy that they bring me?

The light is fading. I feel myself standing. And...they are all around me. Holding me. Eyes closed, tears flowing down their cheeks, colorations still vibrant and...so beautiful... But...what is this shell I feel between us? Hard...metallic. My armor? Even so... I can still feel their warmth... The rain has ceased falling... Just... There are no words. I cannot say anything... And neither can they. It is just such solemn silence...

"No... No, not now! Not now!" That thing is shrieking at us in such frustration. Or rather, Twilight's head on its right shoulder is shrieking. And now... Another orb of cracking yellow energy? Only bigger than the last? Even through my tears, I can see it. "I'm too close to lose now!"

That orb is rocketing towards us again, but... I do not feel scared. Not in the slightest. But should we move to avoid it? Wait... What is Rarity doing? She just let go of me and is standing between us and that spell.

She is not saying a word while she channels her magic... Is something coming up out of the water? It is...a craggy pillar of blue diamond? Fitting, somehow... And... With one mighty swing of that shimmering blue rock, she just sent that orb hurtling over the horizon and...wow. That was quite a burst of energy.

The pillar of uncut diamond just fell back into the water and sunk out of sight. And...now I hear her voice. "Not on your life, you abomination."

One by one, they are opening their eyes. But their is no sorrow or relief. I see only fierce determination. Fluttershy just hovered forward and is standing beside Rarity. "Stay away from him you...you big...dumb...idiot!"

Now Rainbow Dash has flapped forward and is hovering between me and that...thing with her arms crossed. "You want him?! You're gonna have to get by us first!"

I feel my sorrow and euphoria leaving me. I feel so...complete with them by my side. Like a missing part of me has returned. As the tears begin to cease flowing, I feel more...confident. Like I should not fear this bizarre beast that stands before us.

Now Twilight releases me from her grasp and steps forward. "I don't know what you are. I don't know where you came from. And I don't know what you want from him. But it's time for you to leave! You've done enough harm!"

That look of frustration in that thing's twelve unnatural eyes... It is becoming demented joy once more. Fluttershy's face seems to be the one doing the talking now while it...rotates vertically. "But what if we don't want to leave?"

Now it is Rarity's head talking. "We've become quite fond of this humble little abode. Why don't YOU leave instead, James?"

Leave? How could I leave? I am inside...well...my own mind as of this moment. But it looks like Applejack has something to say now while she steps away from me and seems to be flexing her wrists. "He ain't leavin' and there ain't nothin' y'all can do ta make 'im leave! And yer not gettin' him while we're here. Ya got that?!"

Pinkie Pie just patted me on the helmet. It looks like she has found the drive to show me that wonderful smile I have not seen in... It feels like it has been too long. "You just leave this big meanie pants to us. Sit back and enjoy the show, James!"

"Wait... You mean..." I finally bring myself to speak. It felt as if I could not speak until that moment. As if I just could not bring myself to interrupt the sounds of those wonderful voices I thought I would never hear again.

Rainbow Dash is looking back at me with that confident smile I had almost forgotten about. "You've already been through enough of this thing's junk, big guy. We've got this one. All right?"

"Hang on... You don't mean you're gonna fight that thing, are you?" I say in return. I just cannot imagine all of my friends actually attacking that thing, even on my behalf. Well... Maybe Rainbow Dash and Applejack know a thing or two about brawling, but the rest? Certainly not... Or do they?

Looks like Fluttershy is not entirely in favor of that idea either. "Um... Actually, why don't we just use the Elements of Harmony to get rid of it? That's the curse, right?"

Applejack is taking a good look at that...thing that is still just looking at us with that... How do I even describe the way those faces are looking at us? "Yeah, I reckon it is... I mean... That thing's made up of us when we were..."

"I know... They are the ones who harmed him... Not us." Rarity mutters from next to me before turning to us. "I say we use the Elements as well. This wretched nightmare has gone on long enough. And we don't want to draw this out any longer than it's already lasted, do we?"

How long ago did this all start anyway? Two weeks at the very least, I am sure. And they already have the Elements out on their necks and Twilight's head... I had all but not noticed them in the glow when they first appeared above me. Twilight seems to be smiling at the idea. "Good idea. Let's just get this over with right now."

They are closing their eyes. The Elements of Harmony are beginning to shine. And... "BOOM, HEADSHOT!"

What the hell?! Twilight just got sprayed in the head with a torrent of brown... Wait... That sweet scent... Rainbow Dash just turned to look at her. Seems it hit her with such force that it sent Twilight sprawling behind me a good distance. "What the...?! Was that chocolate milk?!"

It came from that thing! It's down on all fours and... Pinkie Pie's head is firing bursts of chocolate milk from her mouth?! And it sounds like Rainbow Dash's head is providing the commentary. "Headshot! Double kill! Triple kill! MONSTER KILL!"

As obnoxious as that freak is being, it is actually kind of funny. And it was right. It...they...she... Whatever, that thing just scored perfect headshots on each of my friends and sent them all flying past me. It looks like it did no real harm though. All it did was disrupt them from using the Elements, it would seem. Still, I might as well say something. "Hey, not cool! That wasn't your turn!"

Well, they seem drenched in the stuff now. And Rarity seems especially disgusted with it soaking her mane. "Ewwww! Chocolate milk?! This simply will not do!"

Now she is using the levitation spell to lift up a block of water and just now dropped it on herself. A few good shakes of her body and head and she is back to that gorgeous form of hers. "Ah, much better... Hm? Darling, behind you!"

Behind me?! I hear it, now that I think about it. A heavy tread splashing through the water and... That thing is sprinting right at me like some feral beast?! It just leapt at me with its right hand raised... Are those claws on the tips?! And where's my shield?! "Lights out, baby!"

"Oh, NO YOU DON'T!" Rainbow Dash?! She just zoomed in out of nowhere and rammed that thing right in the gut! Off they went as she carried it through the air, swooping in the air for just a couple of seconds in the distance at... Man, that is fast. Almost a blur. Was she ever that fast without performing a sonic rainboom? After just a few seconds, she just slammed that thing right into the ground with a crash! And here she comes again. "Woo! I don't think my cruising speed's ever been that fast before! Almost thought I was gonna get motion sickness!"

"Who knows how thing's work in someone's subconscious? For all we know, this could work similarly to a dream. And... Pinkie Pie, what're you doing?" Twilight just said while she and the other girls are coming back over to me. It seemed that Pinkie Pie's tongue had extended to great lengths to allow herself to lick the... Oh no...

"I'm just licking off all this free chocolate that thing gave me! Yummy!" Pinkie Pie is just licking herself clean. Maybe I would be bothered by her stretchy tongue if I had not seen it happen before.

It looks like Fluttershy is finding the sight a little unsettling, although apparently not because of the tongue. "Pinkie... Um... You know that came from inside that thing over there... Right?"

"Uh huh! Why? What's wrong?" Pinkie really does not seem to get it...

Ugh, might as well say it myself. "She's saying that it's vomit! And you're eating it!"

"Tastes pretty good to me!" Good god, Pinkie... Yeah, you girls got it right. Go ahead and groan...

"Hey! We've got speed limits here!" Where did that come from? Below? Whoa, that thing just burst out of the water behind us!

Looks like Applejack wants a piece of them now though. "Oh, I'm gonna lay you out! C'mere!"

She just rushed towards that thing after pulling the brim of her hat down. Looks like that thing does not seem too worried though. And that fake Applejack on its left knee seems to agree. "Whatcha gonna do, pardner? Last I checked, y'all got the flimsiest legs in all of..."

That shut them up. Applejack just turned around to come to a sliding stop on the water before kicking that creature squarely in the belly with both hind legs. Even so... I know Applejack has always been strong, but not THIS strong! That thing is hurtling over the horizon! Even Applejack seems shocked. "Woo, nelly! When'd I ever get his pumped up?! Must've been the fritters from last night..."

"Ooh! I know what to add!" And now... Pinkie Pie's arms are rapidly stretching to catch up to the... What am I even supposed to call that thing? Fine, I guess if I am going to call it anything, I will call it the curse. That is what it is, right? Anyway, looks like her arms caught up to the curse, grabbed it, and then flung it back towards us. There is nothing I can really say to all of this. I am just enjoying the show!

"I got it!" And off goes Rainbow Dash. Ramming right into the dazed curse and... Where the hell did that explosion of lightning come from?!

"Oh, spectacular! What in the world did you do?!" Rarity just asked while Rainbow Dash is heading back over to us while the curse just falls limply. Judging by that look on her face, even she is shocked by what happened. As for the curse... I think that one left it a bit stunned. It's just floating around in the water over there.

"Yeah, Rainbow. What exactly did you do out there?" Twilight seems especially curious about the whole thing too. Was it some new trick she had been working on?

"I can't believe I did that..." Rainbow seems...awestruck with herself, which is really something when considering her ego. "That was the Buccaneer Blaze! I can't believe I just pulled off the Buccaneer Blaze! I thought it was something I could only do in my dreams!"

"That was the Buccaneer Blaze? Wow...uh... It was really flashy... I guess this really must be some sort of dream fight." Dream fight, huh? I suppose Fluttershy has a point.

"Yeah! I mean my body's all stretchy, Rarity can conjure up stuff made of diamonds, Applejack's gone all super strong, Rainbow Dash is even faster than ever and can do...that, and... Actually, what can you do, Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie has a point... They seem able to do things that they could not before.

"Me? Well... Um... Wait... Is someone down there?" Fluttershy seems to be detecting something just under the surface of the water. Walking along while eyeing the water... Seems like she just glanced over at the curse just floating around out there and... Well, that is a rather sly smirk on her lips. She must be eager for some payback. Now she is just looking down at the water again. "Excuse me. We could really use some help in getting rid of this curse. Would you please help us?"

That noise... Some sort of gurgling whale-like moan? It certainly got me feeling creeped out. "Hey... Uh... Fluttershy? What are you calling up?"

"Uh... He says you should all probably get back before he comes up. Could you all please step away? Especially before that thing over there starts to know what's going on?" Fluttershy seems pretty sure of herself on this matter. Might as well give her a chance to test this.

I think a hundred paces is far enough. With how softly Fluttershy tends to talk, she is definitely out of earshot. And now that water is rippling under her and... What the hell is that?! It just burst out of the water and is carrying her into the sky!

"Whoa, what the hay did you call up this time?! What the heck is that?!" Rainbow Dash seems just as freaked out as the rest of us. But what is it? Almost humanoid body, greenish flesh, wings, some draconian features, a head that looks like an octopus...

Oh, you cannot be serious. Should I feel scared or just blown away? "What the... Cthulhu?!"

"Koo thoo what now?" Yeah, I am not surprised that even Twilight has never heard of that thing. I did not know it even exists! Or does it?

Might as well warn them. "Don't ask, OK? The less you think about this thing, the better... Hey, Fluttershy! Why'd you call this thing here anyway?!"

Here she comes. Man, that is a long way down. Is that creature really supposed to be this massive? And... Oh wow, now she is cuddling with its leg. "I couldn't help it. He's just so big and squishy! He's really big, but such a sweetheart when you get to know him. Aren't you?"

That sound it is making... Some sort of calm moan like that of a whale. Applejack just took off her hat to rub her head. "Sheesh, Fluttershy... Ain't there a single critter that don't like you?"

"Hey, what's that thing doing here?!" Sounds like the curse is back on its feet. And it is Rainbow Dash's head doing the talking this time. It is just pointing up at big bad Cthulhu. "You know this story isn't a crossover! Take a hike, you big... ACK!"

OK, now that was funny! That giant sucker just put its hand down on the freak! And now we are all laughing... Man, when did this go from being a surreal struggle to survive into nothing but a laughing fest with my friends? I do not even feel the least bit intimidated by the curse now. Or is it just not taking us seriously yet?

Now that thing is making itself stand up while looking like a flat poster. Now it is blowing into its thumb and... OK, what is this? Some silly cartoon? It just reinflated back to normal. Now it is Twilight's face that is yelling. "Knock it off! You're not allowed here, you freak! Get outta here!"

"Hey, Fluttershy can call whoever she wants! Even if her friend was by Mr. Lovecraft!" Pinkie Pie just repl... Wait, how does she know that name?

Wait... What did the curse just say? "Do you see the 'crossover' tag under this story anywhere? Do you?"

Crossover? Tag? Story? What is she even talking about? No one else seems to get it either. Wait, it looks like Pinkie Pie has an idea. "Uh... I'll go check! Be right back!" Wait, where did she go?

Oh, there she just. Just disappeared under the water somehow. "Sorry, everypony. They're right. I only checked it just now and all I saw were tags for romance, tragedy, dark, comedy, slide of life, and human, but no tag for 'crossover'." And now she is looking at Rainbow Dash. "By the way, what were you doing there, Rainbow Dash? And why were you so tiny and made of pixels?! And who were you talking to whose name you couldn't say? Unless there's somepony you know named Censored?"

That look Rainbow Dash is giving her... I wish I could describe it. Only now she is looking at me. "James... This is all going on in your head. What's she talking about?!"

"Hey, don't look at me!" What more could I say? How was I supposed to know what Pinkie Pie saw?

Either way, Fluttershy looked back up at her towering new friend and waved goodbye. "I'm sorry... It looks like you can't be here... Maybe we can have tea some other time?" Well, the big guy actually sounds disappointed. He is waving his massive fingers at her in a forlorn manner before sinking out of sight. Looks like he is gone now... I am not sure if that whole thing was creepy or cute.

Huh? What is Pinkie Pie so excited about? "Wait! What about..."

"No! You can't bring anyone from Marvel either!" The curse just yelled back with Fluttershy's head.

Now Pinkie Pie is just staring. And... Heh. Every time she raises her hoof to speak, the curse intercepts her. "Or from Capcom! Or from Valve! Or from SEGA!"

"Aww... Well, just let me let someone know, OK?" And now... She just opened up a hole in the floor? "Hey, Deadpool? Sorry, but this isn't a crossover story, so you can't join the fun!"

She is talking to who?! And that voice that is echoing out of the hole... "Oh, come on! I just finished baking the chimichangas! You sure I can't come over?!"

"Sorry, no... Besides, Marvel might not be happy with you showing up without Hasbro having the rights. You know how it is." Do I even want to know? Do the rest of us even want to know?

"Ah, fine... Well, I'll throw in some churros next time too! Oh, and... Hey, Pinkie! Don't close it yet! Hey! You! J Man!"

"You talking to me?!" Seriously?! He knows me?!

"Yeah, I'm talking to you! Awesome impersonation you did! THAT'S for not tasting like chicken? THAT'S for turning the corn into popcorn? WITHOUT THE BUTTER?! Dude, you rock! I was laughing my socks off! Well, I at least would if I was wearing any socks."

Oh god, now they are all starting to laugh... Was that thing I did really that funny? "Girls, stop laughing! This is embarrassing!"

"No, it's hilarious! I'll admit, as scary as the rest of what happened was, I was howling when you were slapping Discord silly like that!" Ugh, Rainbow Dash...

"Just shut the hole, Pinkie! We've got work to do!" Oh man, this is just too surreal for me...

"OK! Anyway, we've got something big to take care of. See ya, Deadpool!" Finally, the hole is closed... How does Pinkie Pie even do that? I thought the guy was entirely fictional!

"Knock knock! Forgetting something, darlings?!" Oops... Almost forgot about that thing. I think the curse is starting to get annoyed. And it seems to be brewing up another spell in its hand.

Looks like Twilight is not about to have any of that though. "Forget it!" That flash of light... She just teleported closer to it and... Man, what was that?! It looked like she cast a spell, but there was a huge flash of purple light instead of just a beam. Like an explosion of magical force! It certainly hit its target hard. The curse was sent sprawling backwards and even let out a shout of six voices.

"Whoa nelly, Twi! Since when could yer magic do that?!" We rushed over to her with Applejack leading the charge. Even Twilight seems shocked.

"When? Uh... Never! My magic's always been pretty strong, but nowhere near that caliber! What's happening to us?!" She has a point... They are able to do things now that they never could in the real world...

Well, it looks like Rainbow Dash is not terribly bothered by it. "Hey, who cares?! As long as it helps us get the job done, I say we just roll with it! We've still gotta get rid of that thing, right?"

The curse is struggling to climb to its feet. It must have not been taking us very seriously at all if my friends were smacking it around this easily so far. No... There is no way it can be this weak... And Twilight knows it. "Yeah... We might have an advantage now, but... Just look at those eyes... They have Discord written all over them. What should we do?"

"You heard Nightmare Moon say what must be done, Twilight." Rarity said while conjuring up a diamond spear consisting of a beautiful light shade of blue. That focus in her eyes... She is ready for a confrontation. "This curse must be slain if we are to ever have peace of mind again."

They are all looking at each other. That look of unease. Fluttershy is sighing deeply. "I guess we have to... It's done nothing but bring us so much pain... I just want things to go back to how they used to be..."

Applejack seems to be flexing and cracking her neck. "We all do, Fluttershy. Just remember. It's either James or that freak. And I know who I don't wanna lose."

"Girls..." I am unsure of what to say. Just... They have come so far for me... What would I do without them?

Pinkie Pie... That forlorn look in her eyes... Now she is hugging me tightly. "James... You go ahead and sit this one out. We'll take it from here."

"You're serious?" I still cannot fathom any of them knowing much about fighting, even if they seem to have learned a few new tricks. Rainbow Dash has always been a black belt in karate for as long as I have known her, but the others...

Twilight actually seems pretty confident though. "We'll be fine, James. The Elements of Harmony have brought us here, so I'm not going anywhere yet." But now she is looking at the curse over yonder with a rather irritated glare. "But I don't think that thing is going to let us use the Elements easily. Guess we'll just have to take it down the hard way."

"Fine by me. Let's rumble!" Rainbow Dash has led the charge and the rest of my friends follow along as the race across the water. "You're not getting him, you freak! Now you've gotta tangle with us!"

"Well then... En garde! Do try to make this interesting for us, darlings!" Rarity's head on the curse's left shoulder just replied. They all seem rather excited, judging by those...unsettling stares and broad grins.

Rainbow Dash went first. She suddenly accelerated to the point of being a blur. Looks like the curse caught on just in time since it looks like Rainbow only landed a glancing blow. But now Applejack is coming in swinging. Seems like the curse is quite aware of just how strong she is since they seem to be hopping and weaving to make sure she never lands a blow. "Come on, twelve eyes! Stand still for a sec!"

"Nah!" Was that Applejack's head that just talked and... Ow. Looks like Applejack did not see that one coming. It scored a kick right to the center of her abdomen. Sent her pretty far too.

Applejack just came to a stop after skidding across the water. Knocked her hat off too. And she looks pretty irritated that she more or less got kicked by her own doppelganger. "Hey! Nopony kicks me with Bucky McGillicuddy!" Wait... Did she seriously name her own legs?

"My turn!" And here comes Pinkie Pie. She is just throwing punch after stretchy punch with those stretchy arms of hers. And now she is going into a spin with her arms swinging in great circles as if she is trying to slap that thing across the face.

As big as that thing is, the curse looks like it is having no problem evading that aimless barrage of spinning slaps by just lying down. I swear that thing is actually having fun with this whole thing. And Twilight's head seems to be taking a particular interest in her. "Dizzy yet, Pinkie?"

"Uuhhh... Yep!" And now she comes to a stop with those arms looking all twisted like a vacuum cleaner's power cord having been left tangled for too long. Wait... What is she up to? "Oh, wait! I have an idea!"

"What're you... HEY!" I think I just heard Rainbow Dash's voice yell out and... Good god, that was creepy. Pinkie Pie's mouth just opened to impossible proportions and swallowed that thing in one gulp! I know I have seen her mouth open way too far than it should be able to when gulping down entire cakes, but that was just too much!

"Goodness, Pinkie! You...ATE it?!" Rarity certainly seems disgusted now that she is drawing close. And I certainly am weirded out myself.

Well, if anything, that curse was not particularly appetizing. "Bleh... I was hoping it would taste better than that! But at least the curse is gon... Whoa! What's that?!"

What the hell?! Her ear is opening wide and... Oh good grief, that is freaky! The curse is desperately trying to climb out of the ear! "Lemme out! Gotta get outta there!" Wow, never thought I would hear Fluttershy sounding that desperate.

Applejack seems to be drawing a bit closer now. "What's yer problem?! It ain't that scary in there, is it?!"

There, now the whole thing is out with all six heads showing varying levels of unease or irritation. Rainbow Dash's head seems like the one that is talking now. "You have no idea! Especially that little yellow butterfly pony! Always calling out for a Tra La La this and a Tiddlywink that!"

"Eek! Forget you ever saw that!" Sheesh, Pinkie Pie looks exceptionally bothered by that claim... A pony inside her head? I know there is a lot about Pinkie Pie that makes no sense, but that? Do I even want to know?

"No matter. Now you're mind, you abomination!" And here comes Rarity with that diamond spear! Looks like the curse is not exactly willing to take a hit and just keeps weaving and flexing its body to evade those powerful thrusts and swings. But wait... Another spear?

With every five seconds or so, Rarity conjures up another spear of light blue diamond from the water depths! And with each new weapon, her attack pattern seems to change. Two spears, one thrusting while the other twirls and smacks around with its shaft. And now a third, each spear moving in unison for some sort of three pronged attack. And... Oh, that got it! One spear rammed right through the center while the curse weaved to evade the other two!

"Yee haw! Nice one, Rarity!" Applejack sure seems pleased while she tosses her hat in the air.

Wait... That thing has just been impaled through the middle of its torso, but... Where is the blood? And why does it not seem to be in pain? And... Oh great, now the Rarity head is speaking up while the body is feigning agony in an almost Shakespearean manner. "Oh, woe is me! I have been wounded! Maimed in lethal combat! Whatever shall we do?!"

"How about this?!" The Fluttershy head seems to be grinning while the right arm reaches behind it and... Of course. It just grabbed the front of the spear and pulled the entire shaft through its body and out the other side. And... Oh man, is Rarity in trouble?! "You dropped this!"

It just hurled the spear right at her, but... Phew. That was some good aim from Twilight. Shot the thing down right out of the air. But... What is that look Rarity is giving the other two spears? Just gazing at them with a hoof to her chin. "Hmmm... Too primitive!"

She just let go of them by ceasing using the levitation spell. And down they go into the watery depths from whence they came. Hang on... What is with that sly smirk she is giving the curse? And... Whoa, now she has conjured up sabers with diamond blades?! "I always did prefer blades, after all!"

That look the curse is giving her... Either it is feigning fear, or it really is flabbergasted by just how confident and deadly Rarity seems. There are... My god. Eight blades at one time! Four floating to her left and the other four on her right. The way they are mirroring each other as they sway in the air while Rarity seems almost ready to charge... It almost brings to mind a type of fan dance.

"Oh my... Rarity, I didn't know you knew anything about swordsmanship!" Fluttershy seems especially surprised, despite knowing Rarity as well as I think she does. Even I would have never guessed she knows how to fight. But considering she is the kind of woman who hates to get her hooves dirty, I can see why she would rather strike with a blade instead of her hooves.

"Well, a lady must know how to defend herself. And for a unicorn, it certainly helps if she has mastery over manipulating her surroundings! Now... En garde, you fiend!" Man, she is good... Rarity has that thing flapping its wings to propel itself away from her! The eight swords that are floating through the air cleave through the air almost as if some puppeteer is guiding them along. They are moving seamlessly from one attack to the other, four slashing through the air, then the other four, then one set join at the hilts and spin at the curse like a wheel of blades, and then they whirl above it before diving at curse one after the other from different angles. And Rarity... I think she may be getting a little too into this as she seems to be practically dancing as she manipulates her weapons, twirling herself and charging forward depending on what the eight swords do. Just wow... How can someone be so beautiful, so elegant, so deadly, and...dare I say...so sexy all the while?

"Let me try, Rarity!" Fluttershy? Her? Fight? All eyes are on her now. Rarity and the curse just stopped their scuffle right away. Seems like Fluttershy is just looking at the water she is standing on now and...talking to it? "Um... Excuse me. We really need some help in making this big meanie go away..."

"Just remember! No crossovers!" Twilight's head just said while Fluttershy's face... I mean the face of Fluttershy on the curse had a really smug smirk spread across her lips while crossing her arms. That thing really does not seem too concerned at all with my friends, even though they have all managed to hold their own against it. But what is Fluttershy about to bring to the table?

Wait... What was that grumbling noise? And it came from below the surface of the water... A whale? No, too deep... But there is my answer? It just exploded from the water with massive pale tentacles trying to snatch up the curse! But wait... Is it a giant squid? No way, that thing is way too big to be one. "Whoa ho ho, Fluttershy! Unleash the kraken!"

That curse sure did not see that thing coming. It seems to be trying to fly away from the thing, but those jumbo tentacles are like flexible prison bars. Doing all they can to keep it from getting away. Looks like Twilight is especially curious as to why Fluttershy called up such a beast. "Fluttershy, where did you get the idea to call such a sea monster here?!"

"Because they're so soft and squishy when you cuddle with them." Oh, Fluttershy... That is so cute, yet so funny. And...uh oh. Did I just see a spark of yellow magical force come from the curse's hand?

Ouch... That looked like it hurt. A giant...anvil just seemed to fall out of the sky and just fell onto the kraken's squishy head before pushing it back below the surface. I have a hunch it will be just fine, but still... That was a cheap trick. And how did the curse do that?! And I thought Pinkie Pie was spontaneous and made no sense...

"All right, I'm bringin' that sucker back down! C'mere!" Applejack just reached under her hat and seems to have taken her favorite lasso into her teeth. She always was good at getting that rope going using just her... Hey, since when could it extend that far?! Looks like the curse is playing hard to get and just took a dive back to the ground.

Man, just seeing the girls going at it like this... Rainbow Dash bolting past that thing while using her newfound speed to disorient the curse, Twilight taking shots at it with souped up magic power, Pinkie Pie using her stretchy arms to try to hit that thing from long range while her friends keep it preoccupied with them up close, Rarity just dancing with those diamond swords whirling about, Applejack constantly trying to capture the curse in her lasso, and Fluttershy... Well, I am hardly surprised that she is not actually trying to attack it directly. Although it looks like anything she calls from the depths answers her call right away. I have already seen a shark or two burst from the water to take a bite out of the curse. But even so...

What am I doing here? I am the one the curse wants dead. And even though watching this unfold before me is quite entertaining, I should not let my friends fight this battle for me. And I have to say... I feel so much more confident now that they are here. I have my armor, and I have my helmet, but... Where are my weapons? Wait... This is MY subconscious. This is MY world. Perhaps... Maybe if I will it...

I open my hand... Come on... I need a sword... No, I need the Celestial Sword. Come on... That pillar of bright white sunlight that is forming in my grasp. I can feel something there! The light fades and... There it is. The Celestial Sword is back in my grasp. That pure white blade is giving off just a slight glow. Now then, I cannot go into a fight without the shield. Brace my left arm... I need the Lunar Shield. I can see it... Sparkling blue moonlight. And from that light... There we go. That grand shield affixed to my arm. Now I am ready. And it looks no one has noticed me. Excellent.

Maybe I can end this with just one stroke of my sword. Better get ready. I have lifted my sword to near my left shoulder, ready to swing to my right. How do I use the teleport spell again? Right... Distance, mass, and line of sight. I want to get right behind that thing. I am focusing my magic in my left hand... Ready to cast the spell... The curse has just smacked Rainbow Dash away from itself by using its wing... Now!

A flash of light and I am right behind the thing. Now! "Gotcha!"

One swing of my sword and... Whoa... The thing did not even know what hit it. The Celestial Sword cut through it like paper! And... It fell. The two halves of its body are just lying in the water. The faces... Eyes wide open... Lifeless. Strangest thing about it though... There is no blood. Even so... It is clearly dead. I got it...

"Whoa! Dang, what happened?! Where'd you come from?!" I definitely surprised Rainbow Dash. In fact, all six of them are just looking at me in shock.

"You... Is it really dead then?" Twilight does not seem too certain about it. Even I have my doubts. I dropped that thing with a single stroke of my sword... It was almost too easy.

"I'll check!" Seems Pinkie Pie is not above performing an autopsy... Oh, come on, Pinkie. Poking the eyes? That is how you think it is done? "Yep! They're down for the count, all right!"

"Phew! Glad it's over... I was gettin' real sick of them eyes lookin' at me like that... Ugh... And I thought they looked creepy on Discord..." Applejack is tucking her rope back under her hat. And she seems rather exhausted too. And she is right. Those eyes... They just look so...unnatural on the faces of my friends...

The atmosphere has calmed down greatly. Just... The relief of knowing that it is finally over. After all that happened... Rarity is coming forward. "Found your sword and shield after all? It's so good to see you as our knight in shining armor again, darling."

"Thanks..." I just feel...so tired now. After all the excitement, all the angst and pain... It just feels so good to know that it is finally over. And that things can finally...finally go back to how they used to be.

Fluttershy... She is looking right at me. That look of absolute relief in her eyes. I have placed the Celestial Sword back in its scabbard on the back of the Lunar Shield and I am holding my arm out to her. "Hey... I missed you, honey."

Those tears and that smile... She just leapt into my arm. Holding her to my chest while I drop to one knee. "It's really... It's finally over... Everything's going to be OK now... I just... I missed you..."

"Missed you too, baby..." I just cannot believe that things are finally as they should have been. And... One by one, I feel them joining in. I am being held in a tender shell of arms. Everyone is here... Just as it should be. Wait...

Who just said that? That was Applejack's voice, but... "Aw, shucks. Looks like he got us, girls."

"No way..." Rainbow Dash just jumped away from me. They all did. The curse... Still where it fell, but... The faces... They are all showing signs of life! "No! No, no, no, no, no, no! There's no way! He got you good!"

"Yup! He sure did!" The false Applejack face just said while looking surprisingly unfazed by the fact that I had bisected its body at the waist.

Hang on... The torso's two ends just stretched and reconnected at the sections where they had been severed. And now that false Rainbow Dash head on the right knee is just laughing. "Not! Haha!"

"Oh, come on! Why can't you just stay down?! Leave us alone!" Twilight Sparkle seems to be getting rather frustrated with this thing, as am I. It was kind of fun at first, but now this curse is starting to get irritating.

"Leave? You want us to leave?" Now what is the curse doing? Standing up, bending itself over backwards until Fluttershy's head sticks between its legs and then grabbing its jaws to turn the head to crack the neck...only to turn it until it makes a complete rotation without the neck actually snapping. "Nah. We like it here. Why don't you leave instead, James? Don't you just want to fall asleep and never wake up?"

"You wanna know what I really want by now?" This thing... At first, it really disturbed me. But now it's just getting under my skin. I am pointing my sword's glowing blade at it now. And I am feeling somewhat pumped. "I want you outta my head!"

This thing is mine! I charge at that freak and start swinging. What is this thing even made of?! The body keeps stretching and weaving like taffy to avoid my sword! Even a leaping spinning whirl doesn't reach it! Well... Perhaps if I... Of course!

Focus... Flames. I need fire. There we go! Flames coating the blade of my sword! What was that? Was that Applejack? "Woo, that's what we're talkin' about! Fry that sucker!"

"You got it! Now, get over here, freak show!" With every swing, a lick of flame reaches even further. I think I see the fake Fluttershy's coat starting to look a little singed now. But maybe... Oh, this will be awesome. It thinks it can stay out of melee range. But just focus the magic a bit more and... There!

One swing of my sword and a crescent wave of fire is launched from it! Oh, that feels good. It slammed right into the body and... Wow. Completely ignited. Oh, please. Even now, that stupid Applejack head just has to tell a blatant lie. "Whoa! Who called winter in early?"

Looks like even the rest of the heads aren't very happy with her. Especially Twilight. "What're you talking about?! This is hot! Too hot!"

Now the girls are just laughing while that thing rolls around in the water to get the flames out. Seems even Twilight can't help getting a wisecrack out. "Looks like James is just a bit too hot to handle!"

"Oh, come on, Twilight! How about a joke that's less obvious?" Pinkie Pie just said, even though she's still laughing. To her credit, I don't think Twilight could've come up with a better joke at the time.

OK, now the flames are out. And that thing looks...surprisingly unscathed. But it is starting to look a bit annoyed with us. Or is it looking at...them? And I really don't care for that malicious grin Fluttershy's face is giving me. "Nice move, hot stuff. Now it's our turn!"

That thing just grouped down onto all fours and is charging right at me like a wild beast! It's pretty big... Bigger than me. Well, if I can just skewer the head... Wait a second! It jumped over me?! And... OK, that is freaky. Its body just came apart and separated into...all six of them?!

"Oh, my stars! Divide and conquer, is it?!" Rarity seems just as surprised as the rest of us. They are still bigger than normal ponies and their eyes are still those of Discord. What're they going to do?!

It seems that each of these faded clones of my friends are drawn to their counterparts. And it looks like that might've been a bad idea. The Applejack doppelganger is charging Applejack now. "Let's rumble, shrimpy!"

Weird... Applejack doesn't seem too intimidated at all. She just tilted the brim of her hat down with that smug smirk I've come to know her for spread across her face. "Yer move, varmint."

Whoa... Just... That had to hurt. The copy of Applejack tried to take a swing at her, but Applejack ducked it and slammed her right hind hoof into that thing's torso so hard that it... Wow, I'm amazed her flesh held enough to make it so that Applejack's leg did not punch a hole through it! "That's Kicks McGee sayin' howdy!"

Sheesh, that really left her clone reeling. And... Well, looks like Applejack isn't done yet! She just smashed her elbow into that thing's back so hard that it ended up getting its face slammed into the water! And now... Man, that thing just doesn't have the muscle to break free. Applejack has it pinned under her with its arm grasped in her own arms like some sort of wrestling move. "What's the matter, Tiny? I'd thought a big girl like you could've muscled yer way outta somethin' like this!"

OK, this is getting to be too funny. The false Applejack, in spite of her size, is just stuck under Applejack's superior strength and is pounding the water with her free arm in very clear extreme discomfort. "Agh! Uncle! Uncle!"

But what about the other girls? Oh, wow. Rainbow Dash is just dominating her copy. I guess size means nothing when it comes to speed and skill. Lots of jabs and even roundhouse kicks to the face! Never a good idea to take on someone who knows martial arts, I guess. "Where's YOUR black belt, huh?!"

Oh, that was a really bad idea taking on Rarity when she had all those swords ready. Her clone is trying to fight back with crude makeshift spears made of rock it's conjuring up from the depths, but Rarity's diamond blades are dicing them up with no problem. Leave it to Rarity's discerning eye to find high-quality materials. "Darling, you know I never purchase budget materials for my work! And that's all you are! A mere cheap imitation of the glorious original!"

Well said, Rarity. Now then... Uh... What is going on between the Pinkie Pies? Well, the grayish one is towering over her like some sort of bully, although Pinkie Pie doesn't seem all that intimidated by her. "You gonna just laugh at me the same way you giggle at the ghosties?"

Huh? Now Pinkie Pie seems really excited! "Ooh, you know that song?! Well, of course you do! I mean you're me!"

"What is she doing...?" I just can't figure out how Pinkie Pie's mind works. But it looks like things are about to get really funny.

Pinkie Pie just stretched her arm around the shoulders of the other her and is holding her in a pretty chummy half hug. Kind of like how she did when I showed up at my welcoming party last year. And that grayish Pinkie Pie seems a bit uneasy about this show of unwarranted friendliness. What is she doing? Trying to talk the thing into submission? "So, what's you're favorite song?! Is it Hop, Skip, and a Jump? Or maybe even You Gotta Share, You Gotta Care? Oh, wait! I bet it's Smile, Smile, Smile! James loves that one!"

Yeah, no denying that. Where most of those silly songs Pinkie Pie has come up with over time are either hit or miss, I have to say Smile, Smile, Smile is the only one that doesn't sound like an obnoxious joy trip. Catchy too! Wait... Why is she opening another hole in the floor? "Hang on! If you're Pinkie Pie too, then I've got a friend you're just gonna love!"

"Uh... Hold on a minute! This isn't a crossover story!" Again with that thing? What do they even mean by that?!

Looks like Pinkie Pie isn't terribly bothered by that. And I am starting to think this whole show of friendliness is a sham. "I know! But that doesn't mean you and I can't crossover off screen! Just as long as the person who's writing the whole thing doesn't see it, it doesn't count! And besides, I do it all the time when nopony's looking! It'll be fine!"

You know what? I am not even going to wonder about what she is going on about for the rest of this mess. Anyway, it looks like Imposter Pie is trying to make a run for it, but... OK, this is getting hilarious. I can't help but laugh! Pinkie Pie just reached out and grabbed the thing in her stretchy arm and is dragging her down into the hole! "No! I don't wanna go! Noooo!"

And there she goes. Hole's still open though and... That voice again. "Hey, Pinkie! You made it! What hot sauce you want with your chimichangas? Hot or volcanic?"

"Forget that, DP! I've got a new friend for you to meet! Say hi!" That tone of voice... It's a bit too mischievous to be as innocent as Pinkie Pie normally is. And I am just getting way too giddy listening to them.

"Ooohoohoo, that friend, huh?! I've got a couple of little friends right here who'd just love to get to know you all up close and personal like." Wait... Was that the sound of swords being drawn? Or was that the sound of a pair of pistols being cocked? "Say hello to Butter and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!"

Just... What? Why can't I stop laughing? I hear one Pinkie Pie laughing while the other is just yelling in terror or something. Anyway, what's going on with... Oh, this doesn't look good. That false Fluttershy has the real Fluttershy pinned on her back while towering over her. And yet... I feel compelled to just watch. It feels like Fluttershy may have some tricks up her sleeve, especially if she could call up a kraken.

"You always were just a wimp! Just like him!" Looks like the imposter is just gloating for the moment. And... Huh. Fluttershy doesn't seem too intimidated.

"Um... Would you mind getting off me? Even though you probably deserve a beating right now, I... Um... I still don't want to hurt you..." Oh, Fluttershy... Such a sweetheart, even when staring down the enemy.

Well, her imposter doesn't seem bothered. "You? Hurt me?! You and what army?!"

She just had to say that... Looks like something just burst out of the water behind her while letting out an ursine roar. "If you really wanna know... That one."

A towering bear not unlike one I have seen around Fluttershy's place from time to time is just standing before the imposter now that she's facing it. And he looks mad. But she doesn't seem to be all that worried about it. "What? Just one bear?"

"Uh... You said what army, and here they are." Wait... Two more bears...now three...now four... Man, they just keep coming! It's an army of bears!

That look of bewilderment and terror with such an exaggerated frown on her face... Looks like that imposter knows she's in over her head. And there she goes, shrieking her head off while the bears are in hot pursuit! But how did she end up floating in the air for a second while her hind legs seem to spin like a wheel? I can't stop laughing! "Oh my god, Fluttershy! That was mean!"

She's giggling too while I take her hoof and help her up after placing the Celestial Sword back in its scabbard. "Well, she deserved a little meanness for once, right? Especially after all she did to you..."

That sweet little kiss on the lips... I had forgotten how tender her kisses are. "Thanks, honey... I really missed you... Wait, what's going on with Twilight?"

"Uh... It looks like she's not doing too bad..." Seems like Twilight is stuck in some sort of magic duel with her counterpart. They are just trading shots with pink magic beams shooting back and forth while they stay on the move to avoid getting hit.

Oh boy... Now it looks like their magic beams just crossed and they're stuck in some sort of power struggle to push the other down. Neither side is relenting in their magic use and that Twilight imposter seems pretty sure of itself and it seems its magic is pushing Twilight's back. "Looks like Celestia chose wrong! A unicorn is still just a unicorn!"

Twilight though... She doesn't seem troubled at all. "Maybe... But I'm a unicorn in the mind of a friend who wants to see us succeed!" And at those words... Man, how did her magic get that strong?! That little pink beam just turned into a massive wave of pink magical force that could probably engulf my entire body! And it definitely wasn't what that fake was expecting! It just engulfed her and sent the sucker flying a good distance away!

"Wow... Amazing, Twilight!" Fluttershy seems just as shocked as I am. And... Oh, that looks dangerous.

"Hey, Twi? Uh..." I'm pointing at my forehead, hoping she'll know what I mean. Her horn actually seems like it may have...well...overheated. I swear there is some smoke or steam coming from it and it seems to have a bit of a reddish glow to it.

"Huh...? Oh!" A quick blow from her mouth cooled it down just enough to stop glowing hotly. "Thanks for pointing that hot. And... Wow, I can't believe how well we're doing! I guess those cheap copies just can't amount to the genuine articles!"

"Well... I don't think we've ever failed when working together." Fluttershy seems pretty confident of things now. She's even smiling

That fake Fluttershy is still being chased around by that army of bears, Twilight's doppelganger looks like she's down for the count, I just saw Pinkie Pie's clone try to claw her way out of that hole before getting dragged back down again, Applejack still has her imposter pinned under her with an arm restrained, Rainbow Dash just seemed to floor her opponent with a blow to the face, and Rarity seems to be trying to skewer that greedy mirage of herself with that flurry of diamond swords while it looks like she has already sliced off most of the tail now.

"Forget this! Bad idea! Regroup! Regroup!" What was Fluttershy's copy going on about? Huh? Looks like all six of them are trying to converge on one spot. Even the fake Pinkie Pie managed to crawl out of the hole, even though...it seemed that bits and pieces of her body and limbs were missing without blood oozing from her body. They all just jumped at each other and... All right, that is kind of creepy. Just became a molten pulsing blob of multicolored putty before returned to the form of that towering freakish abomination that it was before. "Much better!"

OK, here comes Pinkie Pie out of that hole. And she's looking back into it? "Sorry I have to leave so soon! This thing's a toughie!"

"No problem, Pinkie! And tell that thing to never come back! Tastes like sour bubble gum!" Wait... Did that guy seriously cut pieces out of that imposter just to taste her?! Best not think about it.

Now she closed the hole and is hurrying all over to us. "Hey, girls! You having fun too?"

"Now that the gang's all here?! You bet I am!" Rainbow Dash is certainly pumped. And I can't blame her. This is actually turning out to be a fun experience with my friends!

"Well, we shouldn't let ourselves get carried away. Just remember we're here for a reason. We need to get rid of that curse!" Leave it to Twilight to remind us of the task at hand. Even with the source of all our problems for the last two weeks or so right in front of us, I can't believe how much fun I've been having since my friends showed up.

Rainbow Dash seems pumped, flexing her neck and appearing to be doing some warm-up stretches. "Yeah, we haven't forgotten, Twilight. Besides, this whole Ultimate Game thing's finally gone into sudden death. Can't lose now!"

Seriously? They remember that? I thought I made that whole thing up! Well regardless, that thing ahead of us still has all six of its heads looking at us with those really unnatural grins again. Quite a smug character, that curse. At least Fluttershy's head seems to have a more domineering look in its eyes than the rest of them. And now Rarity is slowly twirling her eight blades through the air with such finesse. "Well then, now that your efforts to conquer us separately have failed, what is your next approach?"

Wait... Are those bears still coming? And now it doesn't look worried at all. "First, I think bear season is over." And with a snap of its fingers...they just sink like stones into the water and out of sight.

"Oh no! I hope they can swim..." Poor Fluttershy... Always thinking for the animals.

Applejack seems to understand the reality of the situation though. "It's all right, Fluttershy. They probably ain't real anyway. Pretty much the only folks real here are us and that!"

"Wanna know what else is real?" The curse just said before it snapped its fingers again. And... Was that thunder?

"Ooh, look at that! We're finally getting more chocolate rain!" What's Pinkie Pie so excited about? And... Wait. Cotton candy clouds forming in the sky?

"Oh, big whoop! Like that's gonna do anything!" Rainbow Dash certainly doesn't seemed concerned with it. Neither am I. It's just chocolate milk.

"Y'all sure 'bout that?" The false Applejack head just said while the curse seems to have conjured up a glass of chocolate milk with a snap of its fingers. Wait a minute... Instead of drinking the milk... Is the glass made of water?

Weird... It just drank the glass while leaving the chocolate milk intact as if it's a solid object. And it just chucked it over its shoulder and... It...exploded.

Explosive chocolate milk. I... I just have no words. None of us have anything to say to that. Except maybe for Fluttershy. "Pinkie...? How did that song about chocolate rain go again?"

"Uh... Some stay dry while others feel the pain..." Even Pinkie Pie seems to be catching on to what that little demonstration meant for us. Which mean that the chocolate milk that is about to be falling from those clouds will...

"Oh, no no no no no no no!" I'm not sticking around for this! Better run! We're all running! The rain is starting to fall behind us and... Yep! It's a blanket of tiny explosions popping up everywhere! Probably would not do that much harm with a single drop, but a constant bombardment will probably tear us apart! How long do me have before the clouds catch up?

"When did this thing suddenly get this cruel?! Rainbow, do you think you can fly up there and get rid of them?" Certainly not a bad idea from Twilight.

Looks like Rainbow Dash isn't too keen of it though. "Are you kidding me?! I'm not touching those things if they're just gonna blow up in my face!"

"Ooh, I got it! Just leave this one to me!" Wait... Pinkie Pie? What is that goofball going to do to stop this shower of napalm?! Well, whatever it is she's doing, she just stopped in her tracks and got left behind.

"Pinkie Pie, don't stop now! Hurry!" I don't think Rarity's words are... Whoa... Just how wide is Pinkie Pie opening her mouth?! It's already covering us like part of an umbrella!

"Girls? Y'all don't think Pinkie's really gonna eat that stuff, do ya?!" Applejack certainly has a point, although I am more curious of what Pinkie Pie is going to do than worried for her safety. I suspect she knows what she's doing.

Now it sounds like the clouds are right overhead, but I don't hear any explosions yet. Wait... Is Pinkie Pie's neck extending? It... It is! Her head is rising into the sky and... You have got to be kidding me. She reached all the way up and devoured the clouds!

Twilight just looks downright disturbed. Not that I blame her. "That was the most ridiculous snack I've ever seen you consume, Pinkie... Hang on! Did you really just swallow cotton candy clouds filled with explosive milk?!"

"Yep! And it was delicious!" She's still chewing that stuff... And... Oh man, I can't be the only one here getting the feeling that I should be running for the hills. Yeah, I better start running. I mean the rest of my friends are! "Wait! Where are you go... Uh oh..."

There it was. A muffled boom. And when I turn around... OK, now that is hilarious. That stuff may have exploded inside her, but her stretchy body held! Now she's just a big pink pancake with a head! "Woo! A bit hot, but delicious!"

Looks like only Rainbow Dash can reach her now with stepping on her. "Whoa... You OK, Pinkie? You look more like a Pinkie Pancake now than a Pinkie Pie!"

"No biggie! I can fix this! Just a second!" Now what is she doing? Trying to lift her hoof, but her flattened body won't let her get it to her face. "Uh... Hey, Rainbow Dash! Could I borrow your hoof for a second?"

"Uh... Sure, I guess... Hey! What're you doing?!" Wow, she walked right into that. The instant her hoof was within reach, Pinkie reached out and closed her mouth over it. And now she's...blowing on it?

Well, that didn't take long. Just a couple of seconds later, her flattened body suddenly retracted back to its original shape. "Phew! Thanks for the hoof!" Now she's looking at the curse over yonder and prancing back and forth. "That was yummy! Gimme more! Gimme more!"

Did that thing just facepalm?! What is it about seeing the bad guys getting annoyed with Pinkie Pie that makes it so funny? Wait... Now it's that smug smirk again. "So... You want more?"

Now it's getting down on all fours while lifting its tail like that of a scorpion. And Pinkie Pie's head is the stinger. "I'll give you more!"

Whoa! Just spraying chocolate at us from her mouth?! This doesn't look good. "Whoa nelly! Everypony scatter!"

I better use my wings to get some extra speed. Should make me harder to hit in the air too. Man, I forgot how good it feels to fly. The rest of my friends are just running and flying every which way. I still can't imagine how dangerous a chocolate cannon is... Wait, if it's coming from its mouth... Does that mean it's vomit? Ick...

Hang on... Looks like it's trying to chase down Rainbow Dash while she's flying low. And... Dang... The beam of chocolate just passed one of those rocky crags that dot the ocean and sliced right through it like a hydro cutter! Now I know we can't let ourselves get sprayed...

Huh? Applejack seems to have taken an interest in the fallen crag. Looks like it's not sinking either. Is she trying to call me down? Better teleport just to be safe.

OK, I'm back on the ground now. And the bulk of the fallen crag is providing us with cover. "What's up, AJ?"

"All right, I just got an idea. I'm gonna hurl this baby at that...thing out there. When I do, you do somethin' about the head that's tryin' ta spray us. Sound about right?" Right, I almost forgot just how much stronger than usual Applejack is here than in the real world. Maybe it would work.

"Well, if you think it'll help, I say go for it." Now I better get back up in the air. Just need to not get too worked up. I can already feel the tension rising in me. If I screw up... No, just do what you need to. First, a diversion. Then strike.

OK, I just teleported back above the curse and am just hovering. And... Whoa, there it goes! Applejack just sent that boulder flying at the curse with nothing but her hind legs! Seems the curse doesn't want to take that blow and just jumped to the side while ceasing its chocolaty discharge. Now it's my turn!

Down I go and... Got it! Just cleaved my sword at the point where the head attaches to the tail... Wait, what did she say? "Rubber chicken!"

Huh?! The head just...took off like a balloon someone blew up only to let it fly! Sounds like one too. And...it just...popped? No, seriously. The head just burst like a balloon and...released a flurry of confetti and three smaller balloons that are just drifting away. One yellow and the other two blue. And it looks like the curse has no idea what hit it. Well, it sounds like Rainbow Dash's head noticed. "Mare down! Mare down!"

Fluttershy's head looks utterly shocked that I managed to actually lop off one of the heads. Better back away from it, but... Man, it feels good knowing that we just made some progress... And here comes Rainbow Dash. "Aw yeah! Nice one, James! Now we've just gotta... Hang on a minute! I know that tail!"

Tail? What about the... Wait... The tail changed?! It was covered in nothing but a smooth dull pink coat a minute ago. But with Pinkie Pie's head gone... It... I recognize it too. The coloration is still grayish, but... It's more...red now and covered in scales with a large tuft of pale fur at the tip.

Here come the rest of the girls. And it seems Fluttershy is noticing it too. "That's... That's Discord's tail!"

Why though? What are the rest of the heads hiding? Discord is dead! I saw him die myself! What is this creature?! Rarity even has her swords pointed at this thing while growling, "Answer us, you abomination! What are you?!"

The look in those eyes... I don't see any of that unsettling glee or those exaggerated smiles. All I see are frustrated scowls. The curse just turned to face us. And it is definitely not please. "We're done playing."

That tone of voice... Sounds like this thing has finally gotten serious. It just spread its great yellow wings. Its hands seem to be coated by an erratic yellow aura. I can hear the sound of Applejack's voice coming from it as it hovers a good distance above us. "Y'all wanna go out fightin'?! Then let's rumble!"

The ground... The water is rippling. This doesn't feel good. Fluttershy is practically holding onto me in fright. "Wait... What's happening now?!"

Whoa... The water around of us is just bursting as...huge pillars or strips of land rise and twist into the sky... Some parts of it of it still look like stone and strips of grass, but much of it is mostly black and white checkerboard patterns. And if not that color, they're either two shades of blue or purple. It looks like there are even just chunks of earth floating in the air with trees or craggy rocks sticking out of them with some even being upside-down. Just a web of... Definitely feels like Discord's style...

"By this point, I wouldn't be surprised if that...that...mockery of us even thinks it's Discord! This battleground looks just as surreal as the last! Maybe even more!" Rarity certainly has a point. The floating chunks of land definitely reminds me of our last encounter. Just without the nightmarish deterioration of the environment.

Rainbow Dash doesn't seem all that worried though. "Who cares?! At least now we know what to aim for!"

"Yep. Go for headshots." Strange... Even with this freak starting to flaunt more of its power, I don't feel intimidated at all. With my friends with me... It feels like we can overcome whatever that thing throws at us.

Twilight seems to have the same idea. "Well, at least now we know that victory is possible. Let's just hold off on using the Elements of Harmony for now. I don't think it'll let us get a shot in with them anyway after the last time."

Fluttershy is hovering up beside me and is resting her hoof on my pauldron. "We'll get through this together. Right?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, honey. You girls ready?" They all seem ready. None look like they are ready to run away or even seem afraid at all.

Rarity seems to have brandished her blades again almost like spread wings at her sides. "Absolutely, darling. Lead on!"

All right... Time to get rid of that curse. And I feel more confident than usual. I spread my wings and rush forward with one great flap. I had forgotten the sense of freedom and control that comes with flight as I'm streaking just over the surface of the water. Just feels so good!

I'm starting my ascent, weaving around these massive obstructions while the curse just hovers there looking smug. Still, at least it lost its chocolate cannon. Maybe I should start with a long distance assault.

"Here you go!" Let's see... Maybe ice. I just stuck out my hand and... How do I do this again? Focus... There, that icy mist around my left hand. Good thing the Lunar Shield doesn't get in the way. And there! A flurry of ice spikes!

"Not bad! But..." OK, that can't be fair. The thing's body is just stretching and weaving like a rope of taffy while just letting my ice shots fly past it. And Rainbow Dash's voice is sounding pretty cocky right now. "You're gonna have to be a better quick shot than that!"

"Fine!" Now for some lightning! That one actually hit and it sure sent them reeling a good distance.

"Bravo, Sir James! You deserve a round of applause!" That was definitely Rarity's voice coming from the curse... Wait... Is that really the sound of applause from behind me?

OK, this is...surreal. A pair of huge arms have extended from two of the checkerboard squares on one of these thick rectangular pillars. And the hands on them are clapping. Weird, yet charming... Ow! They just boxed me! My armor still held, but that kind of hurt! All right, now that one didn't feel good. The black right arm just uppercutted me into the air. And then the white one stretched out and spiked me out of the air towards one of those floating chunks of earth!

Need to slow down... Come on, need to levitate myself... There we go. Slowed my fall just in time. And that thing is just laughing at me. At least Rarity's head is actually saying something. "So sorry, darling. But you'll have to do better than that if you want to give us the cold shoulder!"

Huh? Was that Applejack? "Well, how 'bout a busted shoulder instead?!"

Wait... There she is! Looks like Rainbow Dash flew by overhead while carrying Applejack and letting her go! She's diving towards the curse with a hind leg outstretched. Will it connect?

Ouch... The curse didn't react in time. Applejack connected a direct dive kick right into Rarity's face. And... It shattered?! It was as if a large gemstone had just been blown apart! It's right arm seems to be losing its white coloration and... Yeah, that is definitely a griffon's arm. Only the yellow scaled flesh is noticeably faded. Wait... Why is Applejack's head on the body laughing? "Heheh, she always was 'bout as flimsy as a rotten apple."

Still, that was an impressive move Applejack pulled off. She just managed to land successfully not too far from me. "Whoa, nice one, AJ!"

She seems especially satisfied with the results herself. "Thanks! Woo nelly, I've been wantin' ta do that for way too long!"

Uh... Wait... For that long? And it seems Rarity just somehow made it up here with a little help from Fluttershy. "Do that for... I beg your pardon?! Are you implying that you wanted to smash my face in all this time?!"

"Huh?! Oh... Uh... I didn't mean it like that!" Looks like Applejack is getting rather nervous with Rarity drawing closer with her swords raised.

Applejack can't even provide a real response to that. And with that look Rarity is giving her... "You girls didn't always get along, did you?"

Huh? Now Twilight just teleported up next to us. "You have no idea, James. You should've seen them when we had our first slumber party! They just wouldn't stop bickering!"

"Well, she started it." Rarity just muttered while turning her head away.

And it looks like Applejack isn't too happy with that claim. "Me?! Yer the one who always needed ta have every lil' thing yer way! You started it!"

"Did not!" Oh boy, here they go. Just bickering back and forth like little kids. Kind of funny, to be honest.

"Hey, don't get started on that now! We've got bigger problems!" Thank goodness Rainbow Dash just came back. The curse seems especially annoyed too from the loss of another head.

"Hey, that was our prettiest head! Now you're in for it!" Looks like Twilight's head seems rather annoyed and... Oh, now it just hurled another orb of crackling yellow energy at us. Will it blow the entire floating island apart?

"Uh... I think I can do something!" Fluttershy just went over to the tree and tapped on it. "Excuse me. Could all of you please help us stop that big mean jerk up there?"

OK, how did she know they were there?! As soon as she asked, a swarm of twittering birds burst from the tree and swooped towards the curse! Looked like kingfishers... But they couldn't stop the blast of magic.

"No good! Time ta bail!" Looks like Applejack has the right idea. She and Rarity just jumped with Fluttershy trying to hold onto them to lower them to safety. I didn't have time to do much, so I took flight and used the gravity change spell to allow me to stand on the side of one of those checkerboard pattern winding pillars and made a run for it. When that orb of magic hit, the floating chunk of land was indeed blown apart. Strangely enough, they are just floating out there now like bits of debris.

Still can't believe how fast my legs carry me along when I'm in armor... Looks like Rainbow Dash is trying to disorient the curse while occasionally making passing light blows on it while even appearing like she's coated in lightning. That swarm of birds that Fluttershy called up also seem to be doing a good job of frustrating the curse whenever they engulf it. Although I have to say... It doesn't seem to be doing that good of a job fighting back. It's clearly powerful, seeing as how it can alter itself and the world around us, but in actual combat... Is it just not the fighting type? Or are we working just so well together that it's having a hard time fending off such a varied attack force?

Huh? What was that flash next to me... Oh, it's Twilight! Running up the pillar with me! "Wow, you can use the gravity change spell? You've gotten good at this, James! I'd say you're probably almost as good as I am at magic right now!"

"Well, I've been learning from the best! And you're magic's gotten pretty souped up too!" This pillar is just winding through the air while our orientation is constantly changing. It just feels so fun to rush along this thing at such speed while watching such a surreal struggle going on below.

Huh? What's Twilight looking at now? "Hmm... Hey, James? Would it be all right if I borrowed your shield for a little while? I just had an idea and it looks big enough for the job."

"Huh? The Lunar Shield? OK, let me get it off." Not sure what she has in mind, but Twilight is clever. Whatever it is, it's probably good. Just use the levitation spell to undo the clasps... "OK, grab it!"

Now Twilight's pink magic aura is coating the shield while it moves ahead of us while... Wait... The way it's so close to the ground with its backside facing up... "OK, here I go!"

Twilight just hopped forward onto it and... There she goes! She just took off while riding the Lunar Shield like some sort of hoverboard! And it's leaving a really cool pink magic vapor trail behind it while it flies. "Woooohoo! You've gotta try this sometime, James!"

"Using the Lunar Shield to fly without my wings... Why haven't I thought of that yet?!" Only question now is what is Twilight going to do now that she can fly freely with it? Whatever she has in mind, she's moving back towards the curse.

Man, the curse is really starting to look quite annoyed while Rainbow Dash keeps disorienting the curse with those quick darting swoops. And why does it keep snapping its fingers? "Oh, come on! Why won't your wings disappear?!" Maybe the Elements of Harmony are protecting them from the bizarre magic that thing uses?

Well, I can't let them have all the fun. Time to get back in there! I just spread my wings and dispelled the gravity change spell to let me fly properly while I swoop back towards that thing. I don't need my shield if my armor will hold up just fine anyway.

"Hey, Rainbow! My turn!" OK, she just backed off. But just how do I perform aerial swordplay? Maybe using my wings to advance and weave around the thing? Regardless, it looks like I've got the curse's attention. Hang on... Why is the shoulder with Twilight's head on it turning my way?

"Eat this!" Whoa! A beam of yellow magical energy launched from the horn?! Managed to dodge that one... But here come some more!

OK, I can counter this. Fight magic with magic. My left hand is free, so maybe... Yeah, there we go! Lightning! Just thrust out my left hand and let it fly! Man, I forgot how amazing it feels to just let loose with this kind of power. Only now... It looks like Twilight's head is trying to hold back that arcing torrent of electrical magic with her own magic. And... It's so strong! Is it seriously pushing mine back?!

"Looks like I've... Hey! Buzz off!" Oops! Looks like Fluttershy's swarm of feathered friends just blindsided the curse and are just engulfing it while they fly by. I just hope they have the sense to scatter before the lightning hits.

Well, that was close. They got out of there just before the magic lightning bolt could strike. And it looks like it hit hard! But while it's falling back towards the ground... Oh, here comes Rainbow Dash again swooping down and then right up into it! And boom, another Buccaneer Blaze! Man, that move almost looks broken.

Now the thing is just falling out of the air while giving off quite a bit of smoke fro its singed coat. Did we get it? Um... Nope! It just blasted Rainbow Dash with a bolt of its yellow sparking magic. I'd be more worried if I didn't know just how hardy Rainbow Dash is. But... Wait. What's that shadow looming over me?

Ow! That one actually hurt! A giant fist just emerged from one of those checkerboard squares on those twisting pillars and slugged me! Why is it always the environment that gets me?!

Huh? That was close. My descent towards the water came to a sudden stop. This blue magic aura around me... Rarity? "Close call, darling! It certainly wasn't fair to hit you from behind like that!"

"Well, this thing isn't exactly playing fair." Ugh... I'm amazed my armor doesn't have a dent in it from that blow. "Just let me get my bearings and I'll get back in the game."

"Wait a moment... Where's your shield?" Well, I guess she did miss the moment where I let Twilight take it.

I better just point her out. "Oh, I let Twilight borrow it. She's up there, right?" I can still see her soaring along with her magic aura leaving that trail behind it. While Rainbow Dash is keeping that thing busy, it looks like Twilight just fired off a few orbs of pink magic energy... Wow. That's impressive. They all exploded near the curse in massive pink bursts of sparkling pink flashes!

"She's flying while using that thing?! Why didn't I think of that?!" Wait... She just conjured up a mostly flat slab of diamond from the water now? "Well, I can't let her have all the fun!"

"Hey, keep that up and you'll make Applejack and Pinkie Pie feel jealous!" Now she's just standing on the floating slab of diamond while her swords are staying close by. That look she's giving me... "Hmmm... You seem to have a spare hand now... Why don't you take this along?"

What's this she just lifted from the water? A straight sword made of diamond? The size seems identical to the Celestial Sword... Wait a second... Dual-wielding? OK, now that is too cool. It would be a bad idea to try that against a warrior who knows what he's doing, but against something without armor or weapons? "Oh, thank you, m'lady!"

"Hang on, you two!" Here comes Applejack. "Ya can come up with different weapons, huh? How about whippin' me up an axe?"

"An axe?! Whatever for, Applejack?! You've never taken a weapon into a fight before, have you?" Rarity has a point, seeing as how I've never seen her use anything besides her hooves.

Applejack seems pretty sure of herself though. "Sure! I've gotten a pretty mean swing while choppin' firewood. I know how ta swing that baby like a pro."

"Well, if you insist. Now we just need to find way to bring that abomination back down so you can actually reach it." Ah, there it is. And... Well, that's quite an axe. All light blue diamond and with an axe head that's almost the size of Applejack's own head.

"Woo, now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Looks like she has no trouble holding that thing with her mouth. She must have a really strong neck and jaw. "All right. If y'all can get that varmint back down 'ere, I'll get choppin'!"

"I think Twilight might be about to oblige us." Twilight seems to be keeping her distance while staying on the move. That thing just cannot seem to deal with Rainbow's speed, even though it seems to have somehow expanded to try to grab her. A hand that size could probably snatch up a train car.

Oh, there she goes! She just launched several pulsing orbs of magical energy right at the curse from behind! Looks like Rainbow Dash just got out of there and all of Fluttershy's little bird friends just scattered. Hang on, what did Rainbow Dash just say? "Hey, ugly! I hope you've got eyes in the back of your head!"

Oh, come on! Don't give away the incoming attack! Oh, wait... Never mind. Looks like it turned its head around just in time for those orbs to explode all around it in a flurry of magical blasts. The last one just sent the curse hurtling into the ground. Must've dazed it too since it didn't do anything to break its fall. Now it's just staggering to its feet while holding its head. Well... The main head, at least. Fluttershy's head.

"My turn." Time to see if this extra sword helps. I'm just sprinting right towards the curse across the water with both swords out to my sides for balance. Looks like it sees me coming. It just turned its right shoulder to me to show Twilight's head. And here come the magic beams. With her head being so big, those magic shots are pretty big too. Thank goodness my wings are so responsive! I'm just weaving around the shots without slowing down at all!

"You're mine!" Now's the time! A little self levitation and I'm whirling at the thing in a somersault slash with both blades! I think that one actually hit. I felt some resistance. Now to see what happened... Yep! I'm right behind the curse and there's one big vertical gap down its slender torso! Still no blood though. Just what is it?

"Whoa nelly! Thanks for remindin' us that we gotta eat! Ain't got nothin' in us right now!" Really? The Applejack head sees a gaping gash in its body's torso and it thinks of food. Well, it just 'zipped' itself back up somehow. And here comes the real Applejack with that axe in her teeth.

"Y'all wanna bite?! Well, eat this!" Good grief, I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that swing. I'm afraid to get in there either. That axe would probably even inflict damage on my armor.

Even with Applejack being as strong as she is, her swings are still slower than mine with such a bulky weapon. And she keeps swinging it from the very tip. Massive power in each swing, but less control and speed. And it looks like that curse isn't even trying to fight back. It's just stretching and weaving around her heavy swings without looking even the least bit worried. Looks like even Applejack is starting to get fed up with this botched approach.

"Dagnabbit! Forget this!" Hey, that was close! She just hurled that thing at the curse like a tomahawk! Looks like even the curse didn't see that one coming. It cleaved its arm off while whirling through the air. And... Wow. The axe head smashed into one of those rocky crags that dot the water and split it in two!

"Fantastic effort, Applejack! But now it's my turn!" And here comes the sword maiden herself! Sabers whirling and slashing... It's just poetry in motion. The way Rarity manipulates the blades' movements is almost as if she's orchestrating a puppet show. They whirl like a buzz saw, take alternating swings like the claws of a beast, whirl over the curse before each one alternates in diving at its target, and so on. When one approach fails, they just flow into the next without rest. I never would've guessed Rarity could be this deadly! Truly a rose with hidden thorns. And she must be deadly if that thing has to be resorting to projecting magic barriers to hold off her blades... Wait a second. Didn't she have eight swords a while ago? Why am I only counting seven?

Oh ho, there it is! Just popped up out of the water just behind its left leg! And... Well, that was spiteful. She just slashed Applejack's head on the left knee in such a way that the blade cut through the eyes. And... What the?! Did that thing just burst like an apple?! That white fruit... And the curse surely didn't see that coming! Even just dropped to one side as if its knee just went out. "Huh?! Hey! No fair! Only I can play dirty!"

"Well... That was more satisfying than I expected!" Rarity certainly looks smug with those eight swords spread out behind her like the tail feathers of a peacock.

Uh oh... I think Applejack might be taking that a bit personally. "Hey, Rarity! Y'all got a bone ta pick with me or somethin'?" Oh man, that glare... I can't help but laugh! But what about these apple bits floating in the water?

"Uh... No, of course not, Applejack! Well... Not anymore, at least... Wait... James, what are you doing with those things?" Wow, Rarity certainly looked nervous there. Not that I blame her. If Applejack got in a good shot it'd probably take days to dig her face back out.

"Huh? This stuff? Well, I'm curious of what kinda apple that thing was made of." Now to try a bite... Uh... Ugh! Whoa, that's awful! Had to spit it out. "Oh man...! Sour apples! And... Hello, what's that?"

Seems with the destruction of another head, more of the curse's underlying form has been revealed. It's still a hoofed leg, but... It doesn't seem equine at all. For whatever reason, it brings to mind a goat. And while it seems brown with the exposed hoof being an even darker brown, it's all still a bit grayish like the rest of it.

"Ooh! It's looking even more like Discord now!" Where'd she come from?! Pinkie Pie just stuck her head out of the water... What had she even been up to lately after that floating island got blown apart?

Here comes Rainbow Dash and Twilight again. And Twilight's still riding around on the Lunar Shield... That just looks like so much fun. "Huh?! Pinkie, what were you doing down there?!"

"I was trying to see if I could convince Cthulhu to help out again! But he says he can't help out because the author insisted on this not being a crossover story... Oh, and Fluttershy found a manticore to help out." Wait... Manticore? Then where was...

There she is! So that's a manticore? Never saw one in person until now. And it totally caught the curse by surprise! It just turned around as the thing stands tall and roars... Wow. All three of the remaining heads just shrieked like little girls. And it looks like Fluttershy is riding on its back.

Sheesh, Fluttershy sure got the curse good this time. The manticore just pounced on it and started tearing and slashing at the curse with its huge paws. Not as big as the curse though... Probably only as tall as me, actually. But it's still got the curse pinned under it. Although it looks like Fluttershy is trying to not watch...

"Whoa... Fluttershy sure knows how to pick her buddies." Rainbow Dash seems pretty hesitant to get anywhere near the curse while Fluttershy's new friend is just tearing into it. The curse is just too panicked to even try to fight back and is just trying to crawl away. And... Oh, that had to hurt! The manticore's stinger just stabbed the Rainbow Dash head in the eye!

Uh... OK, that was sudden. Upon being stabbed, the Manticore and Fluttershy got hurled off by the head exploding in a burst of rainbow-colored lightning! And there's the leg! It's... Well, it's still a dull color, but is clearly a reptilian leg covered in green scales. Fluttershy seems especially surprised that her efforts have removed yet another part of the curse's disguise. "Did we... We did! Another head's gone! We..."

Huh? Now's she's freaking out a bit and is flying right over to Rainbow Dash. "That was your head, wasn't it?! I'm sorry! I didn't mean for him to stab you there!"

"Hey, hey, it's OK! Just because that face looked like mine doesn't mean I felt it. Besides, my face is much cooler anyway!" Rainbow Dash seems to be taking it all in stride while patting Fluttershy on the head.

That manticore looks like it's about to pounce... Oh, wait. The curse snapped its fingers again. And the manticore just sank like a rock. Too bad it can't get rid of us that easily. Heh... Its entire front side is covered in deep tears and scratches. Still no blood though, oddly enough. And it seems with just a snap of its fingers, the injuries are gone. And now it's actually starting to look a bit annoyed. "You just always need to have the last laugh, don't you?"

Applejack is adjusting the angle of her hat again while looking like she's about ready to charge it. "Hey, we told ya. We ain't leavin' til yer gone. James is comin' home and we ain't gonna let you stop us."

I can't help but smirk at the curse. "What she said. Although I have to be honest, I would be feeling more hostile towards you if I wasn't having so much fun."

Huh? Now the Twilight head is smirking at us. "Well, I guess that means the fun stops here!"

Huh? Wait a second... Those massive checkerboard patterned pillars are starting to sway and bend as if the tops are... Uh oh. I... Uh... "I think we better start running."

"Hang on. Are those things about to... Whoa! OK, so they ARE trying to squish us!" Looks like Rainbow Dash narrowly managed to avoid getting flattened by the flat tops of one of those pillars. And the rest are still coming!

I'm not entirely sure how effective blasting those things with magic would be and I'm worried that it may trigger a chain reaction where they all fall on us. Better just scatter! There must be at least a dozen of those pillars trying to squash us! Fluttershy, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and myself aren't having much trouble staying away from them since we can fly, but it looks like Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie aren't so lucky. At least they're staying on the move.

Huh? What did Fluttershy shout out? Wait... Oh no... "Pinkie Pie!"

It got her! No... I know this is all in my head, but... They can't actually die here, can they? Wait... What the hell? It just lifted off of her again and... What am I even looking at?!

"Wooo, this is weird! I could really use some sandwiches!" It...flattened her. Her entire body is now paper thin! And her legs seemed to have stretched out too... She must be standing at least twenty feet tall now. She's a kite attached to four stretchy legs!

OK, need to get my head in the game. Pinkie Pie might be all but immune to harm, but that doesn't mean the rest of my friends are. That curse, while outnumbered, is still clearly dangerous. Better put it down before things can get much more out of hand. I just spread my wings and swooped towards it with both swords in hand. "OK, let's rumble!"

Looks like it sees me coming now that the pillars are beginning to stop moving. "You'll have to catch me first!" And off it goes on those huge wings. Pretty fast flier too. I'm just weaving and swooping around the pillars and bits of floating debris and... Huh? When did that get there?

Did the curse summon a house from Ponyville? It's just standing there on one of those floating chunks of earth. Although it looks a little large for one. Probably just to accommodate the curse's large size.

I just set down on the far end of the island and it seems harmless enough. No traps or anything. Huh? Now the curse just stuck its Fluttershy head out of the second story window. "What's wrong?! Come and get me!"

Heh... Why not? The enclosed space would leave it with nowhere to run. Might as well just barge in. I'm running right towards the door. Pulled it open and charge inside and... Wha... What the hell?! "What the...?! Shoot! Help! AAAAGH!"

Where'd the floor go?! I'm falling?! And I'm still outside the house?! Huh? Phew, Fluttershy caught me with a swarm of butterflies. "Are you OK?!"

Well, this is cute. Being carried along by a swarm of butterflies. "Yeah, I'm good. Just... How did I run through from one side of the house to the other in a second?"

"Um... Maybe that explains it?" It looks like we're flying by the side of the house. But... Where is it? It was there a second ago... Wait, there it is. And it's completely two-dimensional!

"How am I supposed to get in there?!" I've got to say that curse is starting to get on my nerves now. If nothing else, it's hard to bring down. Looks like the rest of our friends are starting to show up. And... Man, Pinkie just looks hilariously freaky like that.

"Uh... Maybe my depth perception is a bit off, but am I the only one seein' that house bein' as thin as an apple skin?" Applejack looks just about as weirded out as the rest of us.

"I think that's exactly what it is..." Fluttershy just walked up to it and tried to push it over. "But it's really solid for something so thin! It won't budge!"

"Let me try." Twilight just fired a beam of magic from her horn, and... Nothing. The house didn't even wobble. "Rats... I was so sure that with my magic having been powered up that it would've at least done something to it."

"Well, surely there must be something to flush it out. We can't just quit now!" Rarity has a point. Since this curse doesn't seem to be much of a fighter, it seems to be relying on trickery to force us to give up.

Huh? What's with that smirk on Applejack's face? "Hey, Rainbow. Remember when ya helped me demolish that ol' shed a couple years back?"

And now Rainbow Dash is giving us such a smirk too. "Oooooh, that one! Yeeeeah, I can totally pull that off. Take cover! It's gonna be a big one!" And off she goes, soaring high above us.

"Uh... Did something happen before I first came to Equestria that I should be aware of?" I'm totally in the dark about this trick we're about to see. What did Rainbow Dash use to demolish a shed? Dynamite?

"Let's just say I better put up a barrier." And that is exactly what Twilight is doing. She's got a spherical magic barrier set up all around us.

And here comes Rainbow Dash. She's diving right towards the curse's hideout. "Hey, ugly! SPECIAL DELIVERRRRYYYYYYYYY OWWW!"

What the... Oh god, I can't help laughing! We're all laughing! Rainbow Dash completely missed the house and buried her head in the dirt right in front of it! That had to hurt, but it's so random and unexpected that I can't help but laugh! "What the?! Bwahahaha! What the hell was that, Rainbow?!"

Give her a second... She's pulling and...there she is. And wow, that is the deepest blush I've ever seen on her face. "Stop laughing, guys! That was awful!"

"Can't help it, Rainbow! But what were y'all thinkin' when ya decided you'd rather eat dirt than blow that thing apart?!" Applejack sure can't stop snickering, although she has a point. Why DID Rainbow miss it?

Now Rainbow just looks annoyed. "Hey, that thing's as thin as a parasprite's wing! I couldn't slam into it because I couldn't even see it from above!"

"Hmmm... Point taken. Guess we'll just have to knock it down from here then... What's that thing even doing in there anyway?!" It looks like they've all stopped laughing by now while Twilight made that observation. And now Rainbow Dash is knocking dirt out of her ears.

"I got it." I may as well check it out. I just flew up to the second story window and... Huh. Kind of cozy in there. The curse is lounging around on a large sofa while feeding popcorn to both of its heads. And it's watching television? Judging by what I'm seeing, it seems to show a mariachi band performing in the middle of a... Seriously?

Well, I've seen enough. Might as well head back over. Rarity looks like she's stepping forward. "Well? What did you see, darling?"

I can't help but hold up my hands with my swords still in my grasp while I shrug my shoulders. "It's just watching Star Trek reruns."

Yeah, they understood that about as well as I expected them to. But now lanky flat Pinkie Pie is hopping in place while wobbling so... Jeez, she's just so awkward to look at right now. "Oh well! Now we know we just need knock that thing down with some heavy-duty firepower! Anypony got some?"

Huh? Looks like Rainbow just had an idea. "Wait a second! James, you can do it! You've got the strongest magic outta all of us! Use it!"

Right... I've been so focused on the use of swordplay that I've barely even used any magic at all so far. And the strongest magic I've got is... "Wait... You don't think I should use plasma magic for this, do you?"

"Well... It's the strongest you've got. But after last time..." Twilight's looking at my right arm. She's right... The last time I attempted to use it, I scorched my arm to the point where I even melted my gauntlet to a certain degree.

Still... Maybe if I just generate a small amount. I just stabbed the Celestial Sword into the ground to free up my right hand. "I'll be careful. We probably don't even need much."

OK, just need to focus... The golden yellow aura is coating my gauntlet. And... No, not fire. Those are flames. Almost... There... It's hard to maintain, but... I see it. Pulsing bright yellow energy. It keeps fading every couple of seconds, but... Just a little more... There. It's not fading away. Just the size of a bit, but I have a hunch that might be all we need.

"Oh my... So that's plasma magic up close." Fluttershy's looking closely while gathered around. They all are.

"OK... Twi, you be sure to put up a barrier as soon as I launch it." Time to see if that is a house or a bomb shelter.

"Got it. Let them have it!" And there it goes. Extend my arm and send it flying. As soon as that tiny glowing orb of fiery energy was a good distance away, Twilight projected a magic barrier around all of us. And then... Dang, that was big! That little thing exploded in a fiery bright explosion of raw energy and was big enough to engulf the entire house!

"Dang! Is that really something Princess Celestia can do?! I'm amazed she doesn't use that kinda magic more often!" You and me both, Rainbow. And... Ha! The curse is just lying there on a charred sofa like it has no idea what just hit it. Looks a bit singed itself.

Well, this just turned into an awkward moment of silence. OK, now the Twilight head talks. "You guys are terrible, you know that? I just finished paying the down payment on this place!"

"Sorry to hear that. Too bad I've decided to evict you!" OK, no more playing around. I just snatched up the Celestial Sword in my right hand and have charged the curse with both swords at my side. Only that's not enough. Come on, need to focus evenly on both magic and weapons...

That should do it! Engulfing the blade of my sword in the left hand with lightning and the one in my right with fire! And the curse definitely didn't see that coming. She... It... He... I don't know what to call this thing anymore. Fine, until I get the gender of this thing figured out, I'm calling that thing an 'it'.

Take a swing with the Celestial Sword... And I hit the shell of carbon residue left behind like a temporary duplicate before it could fall to the charred remains of the house. And it's trying to keep its distance from me. Well, if that's how it wants to do it... I'll just have to close the gap!

"Here you go!" I just hurled the two swords at the curse like projectiles with the use of levitation, but are keeping them connected to my hands with 'ropes' of magic. Sweeping and stabbing through the air... I'm surprised by how responsive they are! I'm barely even swinging my hands to manipulate them! And... Oops, there goes the Twilight head's horn! Doesn't look like it was enough to take it out though. I probably need to score a direct hit instead. At least that cut down the curse's firepower.

Huh? Wait a second, where did it go? Teleported? Huh? What's this shadow over me? Up there? Holding a giant golf club... Oh this is going to hurt... "FOOOORRREEE!"

Ow! Just... Dang! Good thing my armor held up! I lost my grip on my swords and... I can barely move with how fast I'm hurtling through the air! Need to get my bearings before I crash into something... Huh? What just went rushing by me? Was that... Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy carrying Pinkie Pie?

Wait... What just caught me? Did I just land in a net? And it's still giving under me... "Close call! Don't worry, James. I've got you!"

Wait a second... Pinkie Pie?! Her body was used like a trampoline to catch me... And Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy and holding onto her arms to allow her to stretch. Man, she's still moving back... "Hey! You want me to launch you at that thing?! Maybe you could get in an easy hit!"

Brilliant! And this is going to be a fast launch judging from how far her legs are stretching in front of us. Maybe I can even give the curse a little parting gift. "Sounds good, Pinkie! Just give me a minute..."

Need to work fast... Focus... Need plasma again. And I need it a bit bigger. There we go... Let it grow... All right, that's big enough. The size of my fist should be fine. And now I feel us starting to stop moving. "OK, Pinkie! Lemme at it!"

"Oki doki loki! And away you go!" Oh god, the g-force under me when she catapulted me forward! I can't remember the last time I moved this fast! I think I can see the curse up ahead. It looks like it's in a shooting match with Twilight while she zips around on the Lunar Shield as she takes potshots at it. Looks like Pinkie did a good job of lining me up with the curse. Just need to turn myself a bit now so my feet go first.

Thank goodness I have these wings. Turn a bit more... There we go! Now to give this sucker the mother of all dropkicks. Oh, too late! Sees me coming but not enough time to dodge!

Man, that almost hurt! The force of the impact when my armored feet slammed into the curse's middle even radiated throughout my legs! And now we're both soaring through the air with this thing unable to react. And I've still got my little explosive present ready for it. "Thanks for being such a whooping big target, buddy!"

I propel myself off of the curse while also throwing the plasma orb into it. Down it goes into the horizon and... Dang... That was big. A little plasma sure goes a long way. Need to remember that so I don't blow myself up in the future.

Better regroup with my friends. There's the girls, but there's no sign of Twilight. Is she minding her distance just in case the curse isn't down for the count yet? Still, better not let myself get too relaxed just yet. "Man, that awesome! Thanks for the catch back there."

"No problem, big guy! I'd just like to see that thing walk that one off... Hey, Pinkie? You don't have to stay all flat like that, you know." Heh, that look Rainbow Dash is giving Pinkie Pie. She certainly is awkward to look at while a deflated balloon with legs.

"Oh, all right! Just a second!" She's blowing into her hoof and... Well, at least she's back to normal now. "There we go!"

"It's a good thing you didn't try to inflate yourself by gorging yourself on cake instead." Fluttershy just said with a giggle. "At least... Uh oh... Is it still there?"

Yeah, there it is. The curse is emerging from the water in front of us. And it looks really sore after getting caught in that blast. But... All right, I know we're stuck in my subconscious right now, but how do you survive a solar flare?! I'm surprised it didn't at least get rid of one of the curse's heads!

"Phew... You're hot stuff, you know that?" Fluttershy's head just said while ringing out her mane. Doesn't look as singed as I expected it to be either.

Applejack seems to be flexing her neck. "Yeah, well... We can keep this up all night if we have ta. What's yer next move, varmint?"

"Wait a second..." Now it's the Twilight head talking. Seems to be looking us over... "Where's the other me?"

Huh? That bright flash just ten feet to the curse's right... Twilight floating on the back of the Lunar Shield? "Right here!"

Oh, that was a cheap shot! She just blast the curse in the shoulder with a beam of magic! And... Whoa! The Twilight head just burst in a flash of magical sparks! What's with these heads taking on the properties of my respective friends' cutie marks when they get destroyed?! Only now... The right arm. It's not changing form, but the color of its fur has become a pale tan. All that's left is Fluttershy's head. Ad she looks pretty ticked off stomping and flailing in frustration. "No... No no no no no! I'm not gonna lose now! Not after all precautions I took!"

Now it sounds like Rainbow Dash is talking smack to that thing. "Yeah?! Well, you're not exactly putting up the best fight anyway!"

Something about those words seems to have struck a nerve in the curse. It's just standing there hunched over while looking right at us. "I beg your pardon...?"

Man, Rainbow's laying it down thick. But considering she's a black belt in karate, it would make sense that she knows quite a bit about fighting. "I've been watching! You've barely even taken a swing at us! All you've been doing is using tricks and traps to mess around with us, but almost never taking a direct approach! Just face it! You're all about messing with our heads. You're just not the fighting type!"

She really does have a good point. As powerful as the curse seems to be and how hardy it has proven itself to be, it...just doesn't seem like something that really knows how to actually handle itself in a combat situation. As if once its veil of trickery and mind games fail, it has very little to fall back on. And that curse seems pretty stunned by those words. Just gazing at us with its mouth hanging open.

"Not...the fighting type?" It just muttered. Its head is hanging low...but I don't think it's given up.

I don't like this... "Hey, Twi? I think I'm gonna need my shield back."

"Huh? Oh, sure. Here you go." She just hopped off and let my own levitation spell grab it before closing the clasps back over my arm. And now the Celestial Sword is back in my hand. It's really handy that I can just summon it back to me. No idea what happened to that sword made of diamond though.

The curse seems to be twitching in frustration now... "Not the...fighting type, huh?" And now... OK, that's unsettling. It just lifted its head and is now looking right at me with that same maniacal grin it was showing me not that long ago. "I guess I'll just have to step up my game!"

What the... Ow! Its right arm just extended and punched me right in the face! Now I feel myself flying backwards from the sheer force of it. I'm amazed it didn't take my head off! And... How far did that blow send me flying? Wait... Something grabbed my leg?! "You want a fight? You got it!"

That stretchy arm is swinging me through the air like a flail! Ow! It just smashed me into one of those towering pillars back first! And now... Jeez! Right into the floor! I have it a bit easier when it slams me into something front side first since I can bring up my shield to protect my front from a direct impact, but... I just can't focus long enough to get a shot in! Getting swung around like this and being slammed into then environment is just too disorienting! Thank goodness my armor is holding up. But for how much longer?

"Hey! Fight fair!" Huh? Was that Rainbow Dash? Something's got me under my arms... It's her! She's trying to pull me up and away from the curse while that stretchy arm just won't let go!

"Back off, featherbrain! This is just between me and him!" The curse is trying to pull me back down, but Rainbow is flapping her wings too hard and fast to give in. It's turned into a game of tug-of-war between the two of them.

Ergh, I feel like my leg is going to pop out of its socket... Or maybe my greave is about to get torn right off me. I don't feel the back and forth pulling anymore. It seems to be an even amount of pulling on both sides. Wait... What did Rainbow Dash just whisper to me? "OK, James. Get ready!"

"Huh? Get ready for what?" What's she up to? Now she just looks like she's still struggling to pull me away.

Huh? Now that look of frustration just turned into a sly grin. "OK, you win!"

What the...?! She just let me go! Hang on... Oh, now I get it! "Incoming!"

And...pow! Dang that had to hurt! Just rocketed feet first into the curse's face and just had that thing skidding along the ground for a moment. Phew... I was expecting to get hurt during that, but the curse's body helped break my fall. "I guess that's all then... Huh? Wait a minute..."

What is wrong here? The other five heads on its body were destroyed by a single blow. And the Rarity head even got obliterated by a kick from Applejack. But this final head just won't break! I wouldn't be surprised if that kick hit hard enough to snap a tree in half. "Still in one piece?!"

Huh? Crap! It's got me by the ankles! "Yep! But you won't be for long!"

Ow... It just slammed me face first into the water...and... No! It dragged me under!

This is terrifying... The water is dark... I can't even see the bottom... Panic is setting in and this thing won't let go! Can't focus to use magic... Someone, help!

Huh? What's that... Is that Fluttershy running overhead? And... These huge tentacles... Her giant squid friend? Thank you, Fluttershy! Those huge tentacles just grabbed the curse and pulled it away from me while also pulling its arms free. Now, need to get to the surface... Maybe these wings can propel me along.

Yeah, that's the trick. These wings function like huge paddles under the water! A bit more and...yes! I just burst out of the water and back on solid ground just under the surface. That was close... Good thing the wings on my armor are entirely metal so as to not get weighed down by the moisture. But was the kraken able to finish off the curse down there?

There's Fluttershy... I could use a moment to catch my breath after that. "James! Are you OK?! I can't believe it tried to drown you..."

Feels good to be back in her arms. Even if just for a moment. "Yeah... I think that thing is finally getting frustrated. It's a cornered beast now."

"At least we've almost... Eek! There it is!" It... Fluttershy! It just yanked her away from me! And... Oof, I felt that one. Just slammed its fist into me for an uppercut and launching me skyward.

Need to get control over myself... Turn over... There. Now I'm soaring along on my wings. But where is the curse? It couldn't have caught up with me by now, could it?

Hang on... That creaking crackling sound... These giant bending checkerboard pillars... They're all starting to lean in my direction? They're way to easy to weave around. Wait... They're colliding and breaking apart?!

Drat, I got clipped by one! Need to land! There... I managed to land on one of the falling chunks of stone. But... There are so many around me, some actually rotating in the air. How high up am I anyway? How much longer until we hit the ground?

There... Here comes the curse! That beast is perched upon another block of rock and it looks ticked off. It's stretching arm... It just grabbed another huge falling chunk of rock and... Need to move!

Man, it just hurled that hunk of pillar right at where I was last standing! They were both pulverized! Well, now it's my turn while I come in for a landing on another one. Focus the magic through the Celestial Sword like a conduit and project it from the blade... No fire or plasma. Just raw magical might. There! Crap, the curse jumped to another falling chunk of rock. But dang... That blast of golden yellow magical energy just blew that rock apart!

"Whoa! Hey!" Sheesh, the rock I'm on just started to rotate a bit! Am I facing up now? Need to use the gravity spell to make sure I don't fall off... Oh, I see it now. The curse it crawling over the far edge and is now prowling down the side on all fours like the beast it is. And that look of raw dominance in its eyes... I bet it still thinks I'm the prey.

OK... It's pretty big, but it doesn't have a whole lot going for it aside from desperation. I can handle this thing! I'm charging it now with sword raised. "You're mine!"

I leap and swing down with the sword... What the... The head split in two before I could strike! And now the head's two halves just came back together and... It's got me in its huge hands! And my sword arm is being pinned to my side! I can't get loose! Girls, where are you?! "Now you're mine!"

It's trying to crush me in its grasp, but my armor's holding for the moment. Need to get free... My left hand is still free, even with the Lunar Shield on my left arm. Maybe... Just need to bring my hand to its arm... Now... Lightning magic... Let's see how you like this!

Oh yeah, that's hitting home! Just sending that raw magical electrical current right into its body! It's trying to hold on, but... Yeah, that had to hurt. It just yelped and let go of me while staggering back. OK, think fast. That thing's a big target. Maybe... Yeah!

Change polarity in the left hand. Not lightning... Ice! And here you go! One extra long ice spike right through the torso! Whoa... That actually worked pretty well. That spike of magic ice has to be around twenty feet long and it's stuck right through the curse's body. "Ooh, gotcha good that time!"

Huh? Why is it smirking at me? "Or did you?" Its right arm is stretching again and...reaching behind it? It's pulling the icicle all the way through to the other side of its body? Uh oh...

Almost got me! I threw up my shield just in time before it smashed the icicle into me. The whole thing shattered, but it almost knocked me right off of my foothold. My turn! Rush forward and a quick kick to the belly! I must've kicked that thing harder than I thought since the recoil even cause that thing's eyes to pop out and roll past my feet while the body fell out of sight.

Hang on... That makes no sense. And where did the eyes... What the hell?! The curse just popped out of the floor under me?! "Keeping moving!"

It just grabbed and hurled me into another chunk of falling stone pillar... And here comes another! I keep jumping from one floating piece of debris to another while trying to descend as fast as possible, staying ahead of the rocks that are trying to run right into me. OK, I think they stopped for now... Wait, where's the curse?

Right out of the corner of my eye and... That hurt. It just swung a particularly large chunk of those fallen pillars right into me. Falling... No, need to focus! Catch myself! There... I'm slowing my fall with self-levitation. Phew, close one. But I'm actually feeling sore from that blow. I only barely managed to get my shield up in time. Now that I'm back on solid ground, where's the... What's going on with the floating debris? Smashing together to form one big object?

"Hey, James! You like mashy spike plates, right?!" Mashy... Oh no... It's just a massive rock panel with the underside lined with craggy uneven stone spikes! Can I even avoid it! And it's falling right towards me!

My armor won't save me from this... Huh? Who just whistled? Hey, there's Pinkie Pie! And...are the girls jumping into a hole in the floor? "James! Hurry!"

Can I make it in time if I run? I know I'm much faster on the ground than normal while in armor... Come on... That thing's coming down fast! Need to keep my wings folded. Almost... One little hop and...down I go! And Pinkie Pie just jumped in after me! And a few seconds later... That was close. I just head the crash. But what am I going down?! Some sort of slide?!

All these twists and turns! And Pinkie Pie sounds like she's having a blast behind me. Oh, there's the exit! Woo! Huh? Oh, there's the rest of the girls. Right on a pile of pillows at the bottom. And... It's pretty quiet here. Where are we?

"Weeee! I wish we could go again!" Pfft, get off me, Pinkie. My armor probably doesn't make for the softest cushioning anyway.

"Well, that was certainly a harrowing escape. But...where exactly are we? It's...quite cozy here!" Rarity seems to have misplaced her swords while she climbs out of the pillow pit. And... Yeah, cozy is what I would say too. It seems we're in some sort of subterranean dwelling carved right out of the earth itself. The ceiling is low, but is just high enough so as to not bump my head on it while standing straight up. I see a few soft sofas and a simple wooden table surrounded by stools. There even seem to be a couple of end tables near the sofas that are holding some brass lamps that are modestly lighting up the area. There even seems to be a miniature refrigerator in the corner with a few rugs spread around the floor.

Fluttershy is the next to climb out of the pillows. "Come to think of it... What is this place, Pinkie?"

"Oh, it's just a little hideaway I cooked up for us to lay low for a bit to take a breather. And don't worry, that big meanie has no idea where it is! I don't think it could even see around that giant rock anyway. Anyway, make yourselves at home!" Heh, leave it to Pinkie Pie to get us out of a jam in such a surreal situation like that.

"Well, we're much obliged, Pinkie. And I could use a cold drink right 'bout now." Applejack just made her way right over to the mini fridge and is rooting around in it. "Hey, Rainbow! Y'all want a cider?"

"Ooh, you bet!" And now Rainbow's hurrying over there to grab a drink too.

Twilight's finally making her way out of the pillow pit now. "I'd like some lemonade if there is any."

The tension in the air is all but gone now. And I don't want to leave the pile of pillows yet. Still... This place doesn't look like what I would expect from Pinkie Pie. "Nice place you got here, Pinkie... Although I have to say this makes me think of a rabbit's burrow more than anything else."

What's she's giggling about now? "Funny you say that! One of my old high school friends helped me dig this place out! Those guys from Acme were the zaniest bunch of kids I've ever known."

Acme... Wait. That sounds familiar... "Hang on... Acme Loo?! That...explains quite a bit about you."

"You know about it?! Awesome! Yeah, a lot of the students were frequently on camera, but I always had to stay off screen, so I never showed up in any of the episodes. They kept telling me I was 'way ahead of my time' and that the audience of the 90s just wasn't ready for me." She sure looks happy recalling those days. I'm getting quite a nostalgia rush myself since I know what she's talking about. "I wonder what happened to everyone... All of the teachers and professors went on with their careers, but I never saw my classmates again in anything after graduation... Makes me feel kind of sad..."

That is rather worrying... "Well, were there any bad signs of something to come?"

Pinkie Pie's rubbing her chin now while she seems to be trying to think. "Huh... Well, I heard some rumors of budget cuts after two of my classmates got back from a place called Two Tone Town... And then that rival show showed up. I mean, sure. There was a lot of new stuff, but some of it was hit or miss to me. One of the mini series in it was about a teenage girl with some serious hormone problems who was just more annoying than anything and it never felt good to see that poor dog getting punished for trying to keep his masters' kid safe whenever she kept wandering off. Worst parents ever! At least the stuff my classmates were involved with were almost always consistent with their quality!"

"I think I know what you're talking about, and yeah. It is pretty sad. I miss those days too." Well, at least I know how and why Pinkie Pie is such a zany girl now and then. Even if it makes absolutely no sense at all. But if there's one thing I know by now, I should never question the hows and whys of how she does what she does.

"Yeah... Well, no point in crying over it now! You just relax for a while." She perked up in an instant and just went trotting over to the table to engage in conversation with Rarity.

Man, it feels good to just relax for a minute. I left the Celestial Sword in its scabbard with the Lunar Shield propped up against the wall. Feels good to just get my helmet off and lounge on the sofa. And my friends... They're all here. Enjoying a cold beverage. Talking amongst themselves... Just like old times.

Hm? I look away for just a minute and Fluttershy is practically on top of me. I can't help but sigh and smile. "Hey, honey..."

She's holding me in her arms... "I was afraid we'd never have a moment of peace like this again..."

God, I missed her... I missed them. And they're all gathering around me. "Girls?"

They're all showing the same expression. Mournful smiles. Applejack just spoke. "Sorry, pardner... It's just... It felt like we were never gonna get the real you back."

"Applejack, we haven't won yet. This little rest spot is nice and all, but... That curse is still out there. Things will never go back to normal until it's gone for good..." Twilight has a point. The curse may have no idea where we are, but we're still stuck in the pits of my subconscious. Until the curse is taken care of... We can never leave. Or at least I can never leave.

"Hey, that reminds me!" Huh? Now it's Rainbow Dash speaking up. "Did you see those heads?! All it took was one good hit to take them out, but I've already landed several good blows on the main head. And it's still there! You think the curse will be down for the count if we can get rid of that one?"

The main head... The one that looks and sounds like Fluttershy. But with the other five gone, the body save for the wings and torso bear the faded colors and appearance of Discord's body. "It doesn't explain why that thing is looking more and more like Discord with every head that's destroyed. They all have his eyes too..."

"But...why our faces? Why did it choose to look like us?" Fluttershy does look rather uneasy. It must have not been easy to see such a twisted replica of her own face looking back at her.

"Because we are what is most precious to him, darling... Wouldn't it be just as traumatizing to you if someone with our faces committed acts of cruelty against you?" Rarity has a point... It's all likely an act of psychological warfare.

What's Pinkie Pie smiling at now? "Well, it's probably not doing a very good job of it if the real deals are there with it!"

"Either way, that thing is proving tricky to take down. And I think you were right, Rainbow. That thing clearly isn't used to actually fighting back. It really is just like Discord... Playing mind games and trying to place its enemies into situations they can't win." Now Twilight is starting to smirk a little. "Which explains why we're doing so well taking it on as a team."

Now Applejack is seated at the table nearby and is tapping it with her hoof. "Well, I reckon we should figure out how ta bring that varmint down for good while we have a minute. Whaddya say?"

Well, now we're all gathered around the table while sipping from bottles of cider. As usual, it's Twilight who seems to be heading the meeting. "All right... So, from what we found out, that curse definitely knows what the Elements of Harmony are."

All of them are looking at the Elements that are still around their necks while Twilight is nudging the Element of Magic on her head with her hoof. "That's why it stopped us from using them at the start. But the six heads on its body seem to be weak points. Every time they were directly struck, they disappeared and the part of the body they were attached to changed in form to resemble Discord's body... Yes, Pinkie?"

Pinkie Pie must have a question to ask since she has her hoof raised. "Could you pass me another bottle of cider?"

Why was I tempted to laugh at that? Twilight's just rolling her eyes while using the levitation spell to pop open the fridge and bring another bottle over to our goofy friend. "Thanks! But anyway... Do you think Discord might be the curse?"

That's certainly a good theory, but I just don't see how it's possible myself. And besides... Twilight's looking at me out of the corner of her eye while...looking rather melancholy. I feel a twinge of guilt in my heart... "I strongly doubt it, Pinkie... Discord's dead. We all know that."

"But the way that thing keeps making the world shift and change... It's a lot like how Discord kept warping reality when he first got loose. Maybe the curse is a tiny part of him?" Hmm... That does sound plausible. And Fluttershy does seem to remember clearly what she saw.

"A part of him...?" That seems to have gotten Twilight thinking. "It may just be a manifestation of spite from Discord... Whatever it is, it wants James dead... And we can't let that happen."

"Well then... What's the plan?" Rainbow Dash is sounding pretty impatient now while she's tapping her hooves together.

Twilight doesn't seem to be uncertain of what to say at all. "There's only one thing we can do now. Take out that final head and reveal the curse's true form. Maybe then it'll be vulnerable to being destroyed. Or maybe even weakened enough to not stop us from using the Elements of Harmony."

"Yeah, but I don't think that thing's gonna let us get in a good shot easily. I already took a swing at its face with my sword, but it just split its head in two down the middle to avoid it." That was such a freaky move too... I had no idea what I was seeing at first, now that I think about it.

"So, it can roll with the punches, but can't stand being stabbed? I'd say this sounds like a job for you, Fluttershy, and I, darling." Heh, Rarity looks pretty confident now. I have the Celestial Sword, she can conjure up blades made of diamonds, and Fluttershy seems like she can call on any number of beasts with claws.

As much as Fluttershy clearly does not care for violence, she's nodding in agreement. "I'll do what I can... There must be someone I can ask for help who's right for the job."

All I can do is nod in silence. After all that chaos, I am in no hurry to leave this safe haven. But I understand that we must if we're to finally have things go back to normal. Twilight's looking back and forth at us. "Well... I think that's all I can think of. Anypony else have any suggestions?"

No one is saying anything. In fact, they all look uneasy. They don't want to go back out there. And neither do I. What if something goes wrong? We've been doing great so far in keeping the curse on its toes by working as a team, but it's been getting desperate. I almost couldn't hold it off with how unpredictable it had become.

"Girls..." All eyes are on me. I think I better sit down. It feels awkward standing over them at such a low table like this. Now... While I'm seated on the sofa... "I just... I can't thank you enough for always being there for me... I don't know where'd I be if you hadn't been there at that last second..."

What else can I say? And... They're all around me now. Rarity... "Say no more, darling."

One by one, they're holding me in a group hug. Applejack... "You'd have done the same if one of us ended up in yer place."

"We can't let you go now... Not after everything that's happened..." Fluttershy... No, I don't want to cry... No tears...

Rainbow Dash... There are tears rolling down her cheeks. "We're not gonna let that thing take you away... Not now. Not ever..."

Pinkie Pie... She's struggling to hold in the tears. I can hear it in her voice. "You're one of the best friend's we've ever had... I don't want that to end...

Twilight... She's...smiling while her eyes are moistening. "You've become a part of the puzzle, James... Like it or not, our circle of friends would be incomplete without you now."

I wish I could get my arms around all of them. Just having them all here like this... Darn it... I can't keep the tears in. There are no more words. At least not for a moment. It's Rainbow Dash who broke the silence. "OK, girls... You all ready to wrap this up?"

All eyes are on me. And there's only one thing I can say. "Yeah. Let's roll."

"That's what I wanna hear. But...uh...how're we gonna get outta here? Y'all don't reckon we gotta go back up the way we came, do ya?" Um... Applejack has a good point. I really hope we don't have to crawl all the way up that tube slide.

"Oh, that's easy! Right over here!" Pinkie Pie's walking to the far earthen wall and... Seriously? She tugged on the bottom and it just shot up like a curtain to reveal...an elevator? "All aboard!"

"That's convenient... How'd you even install that anyway?" Fluttershy certainly is sounding baffled. Not that any of us can really understand how Pinkie Pie does a lot of things.

"Hey, I'm not complaining! Let's just get in there and get back in the game!" Well said, Rainbow. I better fetch my sword, shield, and helmet before we head out.

There we go. All suited up. And... Well, this lift sure is packed. And it's surprisingly nice in this elevator too with a brass button frame and plush carpeting. Although there are only three buttons on the frame to choose from. And it looks like Pinkie is minding the buttons. "That's everypony? OK, up we go!"

The doors just closed with the ring of a bell and... There's that feeling of intensified gravity. We're definitely going up now. And I'm at the back of the lift.

Man, it's cramped in here. And it's quiet too. No one is even saying a word. And I don't blame them. There is a bit of...tension in the air. Once we reach the top, we'll be back out on the battlefield with that curse hounding us. It's almost go time.

It's probably been two minutes since the thing started moving and we're still not at the top yet. Just how far underground were we? And... Is that Pinkie Pie singing under her breath? "This is your singing telegram, I hope it finds you well..."

I think Rainbow Dash is taking issue with Pinkie Pie trying to relieve the tension. "Hey, you wanna break the tension? I've got a better idea. Rarity, pull my hoof."

Oh, you can't be serious. Although Rarity doesn't seem to understand why. "Pull your hoof? Whatever for?"

"No! Not in a packed lift, Rainbow!" OK, that got a laugh out of us. Good thing Twilight knew where that was going.

Now that tension is setting in again while Pinkie Pie is just singing quietly. Or maybe the ride is just relaxing everypony so well? Now Fluttershy is breaking the silence. Good thing too. This elevator ride is so relaxing, I could probably lean against the corner and take a nap. "So... Are we going to see the curse as soon as we step out of here? I don't think we should reveal ourselves right away..."

"Yeeeaaah... I'll bet that thing probably has no idea where we are. Might be a good time to get in the first shot." Good thinking, Rainbow. That thing is probably not entirely certain if it's won or not by now.

"Hmm... Yeah, I don't wanna charge right inta another scuffle with that thing after it went nuts last time. We better take it all real careful like." Well... Considering that thing threw a massive chunk of tarmac right at me, I would also say that it's become more dangerous than it was at the start.

Three minute... Now four... Now five... There it is. I feel the elevator coming to a stop. But the door's aren't opening yet. Pinkie Pie's looking over her shoulder at me now and is... What is she pointing at. "OK. James? Could you take a peek out of that little peephole in the wall and tell me if the curse is there?"

"Huh? There's a hole?" Oh, I see. There's a little square mirror covering a small round hole in the wall. Just need to push it aside. "Yeah... I can see it. The curse is just looking around out there."

That thing is just stomping around looking mildly annoyed. It probably knows that I'm still fine since nothing has changed. "So, what now?"

Pinkie Pie just pushed a button to cause the doors to open in front of her. Thankfully, it's in the opposite direction the curse is in. "Well, we better get outta here! But let's be quiet for now."

We're all shuffling out of the elevator now. It looks like it was built into the foundation of one of those towering pillars lined with checkerboard patterns. Good thing the pillar is wider than the elevator itself. And now that the doors are closed, we can't even tell it was ever there.

"All right! So, what's our next move?" Rainbow Dash looks pumped, but she's also keeping her voice down. It would be foolish to just have us all charge it or to give away our positions before we are ready.

"Hmm..." Twilight seems to be backing away from the pillar so as to see around it while keeping it between her and the curse. "It looks like there are still lots of those rocks around and some of the broken pillars still have their foundations intact. How about we all take turns popping out from behind them to get in a shot at the thing while making sure we hit it from behind?"

"Well, it's not exactly sportsmanlike to hit our foe from its blind spot, but it would certainly be poetic justice after the turmoil it's forced us through. I say we give this abomination our worst." I too am not feeling much sympathy for the creature by this point. It's either it or us. And the hell it put me through lately makes me more than just a little willing to take that thing down by any means necessary. And with my friends by my side, I feel more confident in taking it on now than ever before.

Twilight seems rather excited as she comes back over to us. "Great. James, you should stay here. I'll use the teleportation spell to drop you all off at different hiding spots. Rainbow. Since you're the fastest out of all of us, you'll attack first. Make sure you have that thing facing the spot where you came out of hiding after you land a blow. After that, I'll blast it with magic to get it to turn to me. We'll keep drawing its attention away from each other so that each of us gets in one shot from behind. In order, it'll be Rainbow Dash, me, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and finally James."

"I'm last? OK. I'll try to hit it with the strongest magic I've got." I think I better keep my sword sheathed. Even though this place is fairly lit in spite of there being no visible light sources, I don't want to run the risk of having the Celestial Sword's glowing blade give my position away.

"All right then... Just remember, we're all in this together. Let's take that thing down and go home." Twilight's sticking her hoof out and all of my friends are bringing their hooves forward to touch hers in a circle. They're all looking at me now and I cannot help smiling. I placed my right hand upon their hooves. I know I can't lose as long as I've got them.

"OK, let's get in positions. Get ready, James. As soon as that thing turns its back to you after Rarity takes a swing, you give it all you've got." Twilight is smiling confidently at me while her horn is coated with her pink magic aura. And then, in a flash, they are gone. Now I just need to wait for them to make their moves.

I better peek around the corner the best I can without giving my position away. The curse looks like it's just fuming with frustration. "I know you're still out there! Show yourself! We're not done yet!"

Man, it's really unsettling hearing Fluttershy's voice sounding like this... I'd hate to see my girlfriend that ticked off. Well, it's not looking my way yet. Better get some magic ready. I just set the Lunar Shield against the pillar beside me. I want to make sure I have both arms ready for this.

Maybe if I can get two spells ready at once... Lightning in the left and plasma in the... Wait. I can't use plasma. What if one of them gets caught in the blast radius? I just can't risk that... Fire it is. Focus... There. A crackling orb of magic lightning in my left hand and a flicking orb of fire in my right. I should probably make them bigger, but I better wait right until I launch them.

It's been almost two minutes now... Where are they? I see several spots where they could be hiding... There we go! That blur that just came out from behind that rocky crag! Oh, that's her! There's Rainbow Dash! She just rushed past that thing while kicking it in the back of the head before streaking right past the curse again and landing a lightning-charged punch to the face! "Hey, ugly! Am I too fast for you or what?!"

Oh, that ticked the curse off. But just as it turns to face her... Nice one, Twilight! A beam of pink magical energy just slammed into its back and burst into a flurry of sparks! And there she is peeking out from behind one of those broken pillars to my left.

Next is... Who was it again? Oh, a shark! Yep, that's Fluttershy. And man, that curse just screamed like a little girl when that thing took a bite out of its torso before disappearing beneath the waves again. Tch, a snap of its fingers fixed that, but now it's looking really irritated. Every hit it takes just makes it madder and madder. And there's Fluttershy peeking out from behind another pillar somewhere over to my right in the distance. Hopefully she isn't feeling too sorry for the curse.

I think Pinkie Pie was next... Whoa, that was mean! Her stretchy arm just burst out of the water under the curse and slammed into its chin with such speed that the curse was launched right into the air! And... Oh, here it comes! Her other arm is coming down from above and... Dang, it just spiked the curse's face right back into the floor! There she is now, hopping around like a little kid in a candy shop. "Woohoo! Score one for Pinkie!"

And right when the curse starts to turn around while struggling to stand... Here comes Applejack! And... Ouch. The curse must have heard her coming and turned just in time for that powerhouse of a mare to deliver a leaping roundhouse kick to its gut. Sent it sprawling across the water pretty far too before she retreated. I doubt even my armor could endure a blow from her with that strength...

All right, here comes Rarity from the still standing pillar that is directly across from my hiding spot. And she's got all eight of those swords ready! The curse is starting to turn her way and... Wow. All eight of those swords were swung at exactly the same time from the same direction and cleaved through that sucker like butter. And... OK, that is hilarious! Its torso fell apart in several featureless slabs! Now the sections below the waist and above the chest are just... It's too silly to describe. "Oh dear! Don't fall to pieces on us just yet!"

"You think this can stop me?! You're just a bunch of pesky little flies fresh out of a garbage dump!" OK, it's taking some time to piece itself back together. Now's my chance! I just jumped out from behind my hiding spot. Now...focus... Bigger... More... All right, these two orbs of lightning and fire are feeling pretty packed with power now! I need to figure out how to charge them up faster sometime. Now to let them fly! "Gotcha now!"

And there they go! Man, those things must be the size of my whole body! Oh, now the curse is starting to turn around. But it's too late! Whoa, the two of those things just exploded in a massive pillar of flames and arcing bolts of magical electricity! "Dang! That got it for sure!"

The flames and sparks are dying down now... Oh, you have got to be kidding me. Still standing?! "Oh, come on! Enough already!"

The curse is still standing there with steam rising from the water around it. A lot of its pale coat and mane looks singed and that look it's giving me is just seething with frustration. Even its breathing sounds angry. "So, you'd rather die hard..."

...Screw this. I see how it is now. I'm out of patience and I can tell my friends are too. They're completely coming out of hiding and are starting to surround it. This is where the gloves come off. I just summoned the Lunar Shield to my left arm and drew the Celestial Sword from its scabbard. I'm pointing my sword's glowing blade right at the curse. "No more. I want you gone. You better be done packing."

With a flap of my wings, I swoop right at the curse with sword at my side. And that thing just hurled one of those sparking orbs of yellow magic energy right at me. Tch, I got this. Just need to focus some plasma magic right into the Celestial Sword's blade... There we go! The blade is coated in flickering white fiery energy! And with a swing of my sword, that magic orb was just obliterated. No time to celebrate though. Time to take this thing apart!

A direct assault probably won't work against such a hulking brute though. How about this then? Just as I'm getting close, I used levitation to hurl the Lunar Shield right at its face! Dang it, the curse managed to smack it away in spite of the shield's size. Still enough time for me to close the gap with both hands grasping my sword's hilt though! Ascend a bit and come down for a leaping chop! "You're mine!"

One swing and... I missed the head. But I got its arm! The griffon arm just fell off and was engulfed in white flames before sinking below the waves... Of course. A new one just sprouted from the curse's shoulder. What's it made of anyway? I know Nightmare Moon said this thing needs to be slain, but how can we do that if it just recovers from its injuries as quickly as I can rend them?!

"Too bad, hot stuff... Hey!" Whoa, that thing was about to take a swing at me, but Twilight just shot it in the side of the head with her magic. Almost knocked it right off its feet too. Now I've got it! Focus more magic into the sword... Whoa! The magic plasma aura surrounding the blade just doubled in length! This is gonna be good.

Gotcha! Right through the torso! I just impaled that sucker on the... Yikes. The whole curse just burst into bright white flames! Plasma magic is hot stuff, it seems... Huh? Why is it reaching for its head like... Oh, seriously? Pulling a zipper down and discarding its burning flesh? And now that smug smirk... "You not gonna win this one... Ow!"

And there's Applejack! She used her lasso to snatch up a loose crag from over yonder and smashed it right into the curse from behind! And now... Whoa, Pinkie Pie pumped up the size of her hooves and just smashed the curse between them! Heh, the thing looks like a paper cutout now. But it can still inflate itself just like Pinkie Pie by blowing into its thumb... Oh, and now it's Rarity again! Those swords just joined at the hilts and are whirling like a wheel of blades around the curse. It ducks, it jumps, and weaves, but that look of panic in its eyes... It's doing all it can do to make certain the blades don't reach its head. Even getting sliced through its body seems to be a necessary sacrifice to stay in the game.

OK, the curse just flapped its wings to propel itself backwards to escape the blades. But why isn't Rarity chasing it down? And where is Fluttershy? Huh? Oh man, she just burst out of the water on the back of a manticore! It almost pounced upon the curse, but it backed away...and right into the clutches of another manticore bursting from the water! And another...and another... Sheesh, she's got an entire pride on her side! They've got the curse pinned and are just mauling it!

Well, that didn't last long. The curse just sent them all flying back with some sort of spherical magic shockwave. And it's looking pretty ragged now. But... There's Rainbow Dash again! She just came out of nowhere and rammed the curse. She's carrying fast into the sky and... What did she call that move again? The Buccaneer Blaze? Well, now they just look like an orb of lightning just streaking across the sky! What a way to steal the show.

Huh? Now Twilight is launching a volley of magic orbs into the sky towards the area that Rainbow Dash and the curse are heading. Now the lightning seems to have vanished while Rainbow is just letting her opponent fall right towards the orbs... Oh, man! They all just exploded around the thing like a massive chain reaction!

Now that it's fallen to the ground again, it looks like its my turn. Need to close in before it can get its bearings! Summon the shield to my arm and swoop right at it with sword ready. It's staggering to its feet now. Can't get a clear shot at the head, so I just swooped past and took its leg off to mess with its sense of balance. Now to bank to the left and head on back.

Huh? It's not even bothering trying to stand now. It just spread its wings and took off while staying low to the ground. I'm catching up on its right. All right, now the thing is turning sideways and its got both arms outreached with orbs of its crackling magical energy in its clutches. And that look of maniacal joy in its eyes... Good thing my shield's on the side that's facing it.

It just launched those orbs at me and keeps conjuring more of them with each throw. And I'm returning fire with blast of magic, fire and plasma launched from the tip of my sword. Some are just projectiles while others are crescent waves created by performing swings of my sword. It's just so exhilarating, just swooping along over the waves while exchanging blasts of magic! None of its spells are hitting me thanks to the Lunar Shield and the responsiveness of my wings, but that thing's proving to be hard to hit despite being such a big target! Well, some of my attacks do strike and cleave through the body, but it just shrugs them off without trouble. It just won't drop!

Whoa! Its got both hands together to start conjuring up an extra large orb of that magic! I'm trying to stop it, but striking the body isn't doing any good! And the orb is being held in front of the head, so my magic shots can't get to it... Hey! What's got me?! I'm just rocketing so much faster now! "Whoa! Too fast! Too fast!"

"Easy there, James! Just leave the flying to me!" That's... Rainbow Dash?! She's holding me from the back of my cuirass! No wonder we're going so fast... "Keep your wings folded! I'll handle it from here! You just get your magic ready!"

"There's nopony I'd rather have backing me up than you, Rainbow! Love ya, girl!" OK, I've got my wings folded. Just need to have faith in this master of flight. We're curving around now and are starting to head back towards the curse while it seems Twilight's drawing its attention away with some cover fire.

"Love you too, big guy! Now, let that freak have it!" All right, just need to pull off a strafing run... I've got my sword pointing down and... Wait, maybe... Rather than condensed orbs of it... A constant stream?

Maybe if I try launching a stream of plasma magic in the same way I would unleash a torrent of fire... Whoa, it worked! A focused beam of white-hot plasma is being shot from my sword! It's just being dragged across the ground and is cutting through anything it touches! And there! Just sliced through the curse with it while it burst into flames! Rainbow Dash sure sounds impressed. "Whoaho! Since when could you shoot lasers?!"

"Well, seeing as how lasers are from 'Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation', it's no wonder that plasma is basically supercharged sunlight!" Well, the curse just dove under the water to put out the flames...and now it just jumped out of the water and took off running with a shriek while...Fluttershy chases after it with a school of sharks! And is it yelling 'Not the face!' down there? And when did it grow its leg back?

"Hey, we only need one Twilight Sparkle around here! No more egghead talk, all right?!" Peh, Rainbow... Why can't I help laughing at those words? Oh, now the sharks suddenly dropped down out of sight while Fluttershy is just running away. Did the curse make them lose their buoyancy somehow?

Hang on! Where'd Pinkie Pie come from she just burst out of the water with... Is that her party cannon?! Dang... In stead of confetti and streamers, its blaring out a wave of pink energy and... Is that music I hear?! "Come on, everypony! Smile, smile, smile!"

Why am I laughing at that?! And Rainbow's laughing too! "Wow, it's a sound blaster! Nice one, Pinkie! OK, James. I'm gonna dive and let you go. Make sure you give that thing one heck of a dropkick!"

"You got it, Rainbow!" Now we've gone into a speedy dive. Pinkie just turned off the cannon and that curse is just lying flat on its back quite a distance from her. I bet its ears are ringing. And here I go! Rainbow just let go of me and I'm heading right for it. Looks like the curse is smacking the side of its head to clear out its ears or something.

"Incomiiiiing!" Just need to turn myself over and... Got it! Slammed into it at high speed on an angle and now the thing is skidding across the water. "Man, you're way too big to be an effective surfboard!" Such a shame it came to a stop so soon. And you'd think it would've been more stunned by such an impact. I just hopped off and sliced off its left leg for good measure. Would've taken off its right too if its tail didn't smack me away while it started climbing to its feet.

Looks like that curse is getting really mad now. I mean it has to be if it's barely even saying anything anymore! It's taking swings at me with its big clawed hands while trying to keeps its balance. I guess it's having a hard time mentally multitasking to regenerate its leg. Man, even though my shield is holding up fine, each of those swings hits hard! And it keeps leaning away from me whenever I take a swing at it. Just a back and forth swinging of blows.

Wait a minute... Whoa! Twilight's unloading on it again with more magic bombs! Better flap backwards to get away! And... Hey, are those diamond spears whirling about in the sky? Some sort of joint attack by the unicorn mares? Well, the curse seems to be trying to shoot down the incoming pink magic orbs before they can detonate. "I'm getting so sick of your tag teaming!"

It managed to shoot down some, but most of them still got through. Funnily enough, they were almost out of range. The curse was still standing once all those blasts came and went... Oh, here they come! All of those spears are coming down one after the other in rapid succession!

The curse just let out a help as... Dang... One after the other from numerous angles. There must be dozens of them! Nice one, Rarity! That hulking brute has every last one of those spears impaled through its body! "Whoa... Doesn't that hurt?!"

Something's wrong here... The curse is smirking at me while its missing leg just sprouted from the stump. The spears... Are they being absorbed into the body? "Not as much as this will."

It just thrust its abdomen at me and... Oh, this is bad! Every last one of those spears flying right at me n a tightly packed cluster! Will my armor hold up?! Gotta get behind my shield... Man, that was close! I just barely managed to get my entire body behind it. But it still hit me hard enough to knock me off my feet!

"Oh, screw this!" I'm not getting anywhere being kept away like this. One little teleport spell and I'm right under it. And then... That got it! Just unleashed a torrent of fire from the tip of my sword right into it! That sent it sprawling quite a distance, but... Whoa! What's going on?! Why do I feel like I'm on a slope!

The girls are hurrying back over to me. Applejack almost lost her hat while trying to keep her footing. "Whoa! What's goin' on?! What's that varmint up to now?!"

"The whole world is turning on its side!" Hey, Twilight! Don't take my shield unless you ask first! But... Dang it! The floor just became a wall and we're falling! But the world's still not done turning! Now the watery floor has become the ceiling and we're just plummeting skyward!

"Wooooooohoo! I love it when things get topsy-turvy!" Sheesh, Pinkie Pie is having a blast... And there's the curse down below while just flapping in place! Now it's just sending a flurry of magic orbs and debris at us.

"Hey! Look alive, everypony! That thing's trying to pelt us with junk!" Rainbow Dash is having no trouble banking around the stuff that's flying at us. Fluttershy and I are having no problem either. Applejack and Pinkie Pie are getting creative with their aerial movements. Pinkie Pie is using her stretchy arms to swing on the passing debris to change location while Applejack is doing the same with her lasso. Rarity has gotten quite creative and has brought her eight diamond swords to her sides with them appearing to be taking the general form of wings to glide around on...somehow. And Twilight is just using the Lunar Shield like a hoverboard again. This is hardly intimidating anymore. It's actually gotten to be pretty fun!

"Why is this getting so fun?!" Took the words out of my mouth, Fluttershy. I can't help but laugh while gliding around the curse's attacks!

"No idea, but we've still gotta take that thing down!" Now that I've got a clean shot, I'm unleashing a barrage of ice spikes from my left hand and firing volleys of fireballs from the tip of the Celestial Sword. They keep intercepting the curse's own magic orbs and keep blowing away bits of debris. Rarity's swords have no problem cleaving through whatever comes her way and Twilight is also trying to shoot it down with her own magic. Rarity even seems to be conjuring diamond daggers from the water and is sending them flying at the curse whenever she gets a break from deflecting debris. And... What is the deal with the gravity of this place?! First it looks like we're falling towards the sky, and then we seem to be falling back towards the ground and then back to the sky and even just sideways. At least the curse is constantly staying ahead of us.

Every moment or so, some of our spells manage to hit that thing. It's all become a game of hit and run. Score as many hits as we can while making sure we weave around the incoming attacks. Wait a minute... Now we're just falling towards the ground and... Hey! Where'd the curse go?!

"Oh dear... Are we falling to our deaths?!" Looks like Rarity's starting to panic.

"I got it!" Huh? Oh, good thinking, Twilight! She just surrounded us all in a pink magic barrier and... Huh. We're just floating inside it and we just hit the ground like a bubble. Now the barrier's gone and we're back on solid ground. "That was close. But where's... Hey!"

Twilight just turned herself sideways to make sure the shield she's standing on was facing the direction an orb of yellow magic came flying in from. It exploded hard into it, sending the two of them flying. And there's the curse over there... "Looking for someone?!"

"Oh, that's it!" This thing is really starting to get under my skin! I just took the Celestial Sword and swapped it to a reverse grip while channeling plasma magic into the blade. And with an upward swing, the tip grazed the ground and... Yeah, that's what I was going for! A vertical wave of lethal plasma magic surging towards the curse!

Huh?! OK, that was wishful thinking. Why should I have expected that thing to not dodge it? The curse just weaved around it, allowing the wave to cut through its body while it blasted me squarely in the chest with a beam of its own magic energy. My armor held up, but it still sent me flying a good ways back!

"You OK, James?!" Twilight came rushing to my side. Looks like I fell near where she landed.

"Yeah, I'm good. But... What's it gonna take?! We keep pounding it, slashing it, scorching it, but it still feels like we're not getting anywhere!" Even now our five other friends are surrounding the curse and are simultaneously ganging up on it while it seems to be struggling to deal with them. Anyone it blows away just keep coming back for more. But we just aren't making any progress!

Twilight isn't saying anything right now... It's just so frustrating. How are we supposed to take that thing down? Now she's looking at me with a frown. "James... I think it's time we use the Elements of Harmony. If brute force won't work, we'll just have to place our faith in them!"

Even though the curse intercepted their use before, I can't think of a better way myself. "Well, you're the brains of the gang, Twi. What's the plan?"

"Well... The Elements do take a moment to get in sync with each other... If we can find a way to incapacitate the curse for a moment... Wait! James, do you think that ice magic of yours can freeze the curse in place for a minute?" My ice magic? All I've been doing is.. Oh, wait! Yeah, Luna demonstrated how she used that magic to kick up a howling blizzard that froze the ground before her! I can do that!

"Sure, I can probably do that. But... Won't the curse just use its magic to get free?" If that thing can just unzip its whole skin to escape when on fire, then it could probably break out of an icy shell just as easily.

"Hmm... Good point. Well..." Come on, Twilight. I know you can think of something. "Hmm... How about this? I'll teleport in there and blast it away with my magic. After that, I'll get the girls to use the Elements of Harmony with me. When that thing tries to stop us, you teleport in front of it and freeze it."

Sounds solid, if the only the curse could not break free in an instant. "I don't see how that'll hold it for long, Twi..."

Now she's actually smiling a bit. "Yes, if it uses its magic. But when it finds itself suddenly frozen and immobile, it might temporarily forget about using its magic as it becomes frustrated from being restrained. It especially won't see it coming since you haven't tried it yet! It probably won't be much, but it just might buy us enough time to get the Elements to work!"

Crafty... Very crafty. "OK, go for it. I'll jump in as soon as I can."

"Great... Let's put this thing to bed and go home!" Now to focus... Need to prepare that artic wind... I can see the frost and icy mist whirling around my left hand. And there goes Twilight. She just vanished and appeared between her friends and the curse.

Well, that must've hurt. That huge wave of pink magical energy just sent the thing flying! They're all gathering closer to each other... I can see them. The six gemstones are all glowing.

The curse... Oh man, here it comes. It's swooping right back towards them. Now it's my turn! Teleport...and now it's coming to a screeching halt in front of me. "What the...?!"

"Chill out!" I just thrust my left hand forward and... Man, that's cold! A swirling cyclone of frigid mist and ice is just howling as it engulfs that freak! OK, I think ten seconds is long enough... Oh, wow! That thing is almost completely frozen over in a crag of ice! And that look it's giving me through the ice... "Whoahoho! That got you good!"

"James! C'mon, pardner!" Huh? Applejack? They're... They're all rising into the air. They're calling me? Of course... The Element of Humanity. It's right here on my helmet. Better to be safe than sorry I suppose.

With a flap of my armor's wings, I ascend after them. They're around me now. Our Elements... They're all glowing. Time to wrap this up!

"No... No! Not now!" The curse just got its head free, but it's still struggling to break free from the ice. It really has been distracted from using its magic! Now's our chance.

I feel compelled to point my sword towards it... As if guiding the Elements. With my sword pointing at the curse, the Elements... Glowing wisps of light matching the shapes and colors of the seven Elements just emerged from them and are beginning to swirl around the base of the Celestial Sword one after the other. Honesty. Laughter. Generosity. Magic. Loyalty. Kindness. Humanity. They are all here.

The whirling colors... Speeding up until they are a blur. The sword's blade has become engulfed in a rainbow of sparking energy! They... Their hooves are resting on my hand. Three on one side of me and three on the other. I remember this feeling... I had almost forgotten... Girls... You're all here.

There are no words. And now, the curse finally shatters its icy shell. It just launched a shockingly large orb of magic right at us. But I'm not afraid. I know we can't lose now. It's time to end this madness. "It's time for you to go!"

And... Wow. I felt the recoil! The energies of the Elements of Humanity were fired as a spiraling beam of rainbow colors! It just cut right through the curse's magic projectile and obliterated it! It's not even trying to dodge. Almost as if too stunned or afraid to move. And now... OK, that was awkward. That blast of harmonic energy just went right down its throat!

"Whoa! Taste the rainbow!" OK, why did I laugh at that quip? Well, at least Rainbow Dash found a way to break the tension. And the curse is just holding its huge hands over its mouth while looking rather freaked out.

"Blech! Tastes like...harmony!" Does harmony even have a flavor? And why is it not... Oh man... That was startling. A beam of sparkling yellow light just burst from its side! And now one of red. And blue. And green. And... More and more just keep rupturing out of its body! And finally... A beam of white bursting right out of the center of its chest.

"I think we got it..." Fluttershy's right. That thing... It's done for. It's staggering back and forth as the energies within it continue to burst out of its body. Finally... With a scream, it turned its head to the sky just as its form was engulfed by a swirling pillar of the harmonic energies within as they finally consumed it. It brightens and...

I couldn't see for a moment. But the place is now quiet. We're still floating high above the ground and... The curse. It's still just standing there with its arms outstretched to the sides and still frozen in the same pose it was in just before the Elements of Harmony overcame it. Steam of seven colors seems to be rising from it in several spots. Although it is...noticeably smaller than before. Such a gut wrenching silence. Is it done? Did we triumph?

There is movement. It just dropped to its knees and...fell forward and flat upon its face. We are descending now. Landing lightly upon the ground. For a moment, there are no words. But I feel such sweet relief washing over me. It is finally over. The curse has fallen. And Applejack put it best. "We got 'im."

The area has fallen so silent... Well, minus the sound of weakly rippling water around us. But something is wrong... "Then...how do I wake up?"

"Hmm... You'd expect for this place to vanish after the curse's demise, wouldn't you?" Rarity has a point. Nightmare Moon said that the only way to get rid of the curse is to destroy it where it was hiding. And now it is lying dead before us. Or is it?

"Unless..." That look of surprise in Fluttershy's eyes while she looks away only to look back ahead at the fallen curse. "It's...not dead yet?"

Rainbow Dash does not seem so sure. "What're you talking about?! We just nailed that thing with the Elements of Harmony! What could survive that?!"

"Well... Nightmare Moon survived it. And...well, I can't imagine the Elements of Harmony actually destroying anyone." Twilight... Yeah... She did survive it. And they never killed Discord either, from what I know.

"Yeah, I can't imagine the Elements of Harmony being a force of destruction." Even so... The curse is still there. Fallen, shrunken, motionless...but still whole. "You think it's just been weakened to the point where it can't fight back?"

Applejack just nudged me forward. "If that thing's still alive and kickin'...then all that's left is ta put it outta its misery. Go on, pardner. Yer the one it wanted anyway."

Pinkie Pie just handed the Lunar Shield back to me. "We'll be right here. But be careful! It probably still has a few really mean tricks up its sleeve!"

Sword in hand and shield on my arm. All my friends are looking at me. I guess it is time to put an end to this nightmare. The curse is not even trying to move from where it has fallen. And...it really does look no larger than Discord now. Still, I cannot lower my guard until I finally awaken from this. With shield constantly held out between the two of us, I slowly draw near.

I am keeping my approach slow and cautious. My shield is constantly being held out in front of me with the Celestial Sword held back and prepared to make a quick stab the instant I move the Lunar Shield aside. All I hear in this watery wasteland is the sound of my own armored feet splashing through shallow waves that lap below my ankles. I feel much calmer now, but this thing... What else could it still have ready to unleash on me?

I have come to a stop. It must be no fewer then twenty paces from me now. But I am still not lowering my shield yet. Maybe I can walk right up to it, wait a moment for any movement, and then lash out and stab it through the head. Huh? Hang on... What is that sound? Is someone...crying?

The curse... It is starting to stir a bit. Lightly clawing at the ground as if struggling to stand. It is starting to lift its head now. It is looking at me, but... The eyes... Is that...Fluttershy?

Those tears rolling down her face... And those deep cyan eyes... What happened to the curse? Is this just a fragment of Fluttershy's will? Did the Elements of Harmony purify her in some way? She is reaching out to me with her left arm. "I'm... I'm sorry..."

She can barely speak. Nothing but quiet sobbing as she lowers her head again. She seems so weak... So helpless. I sense no hostility in her. It must be safe now.

I have lowered my shield and sword. I feel... I am not sure what I feel right now. Just...so relieved. It is only my girlfriend... Maybe if we touch, this will finally end. I am reaching out to her... Wait... That grin...and...those eyes!

"Gotcha!" It has me! The curse grabbed me by the throat! Need to... Why... I feel...weak... Body is going numb...

"That's it. Just let go. It'll all be over soon..." Can't move... Can't even hold my sword... It just fell fro my grasp. Everything is...going dark... Am I...dying? Girls... Where are you...?

* * *

><p>I was snapped back to what was happening in the hospital room when a loud droning din reached my ears. James' heart monitor. Rainbow Dash had her eyes open too. But Nightmare Moon... She was looking at the monitor. The line was...flat.<p>

"No..." I heard her mutter before she suddenly approached him. "NO! What's happening to him?!"

Rainbow Dash then turned to the heart monitor too as a look of panic filled her eyes. "Oh man... He's flatlined! The curse is killing him!"

No... We used the Elements of Harmony! The curse shouldn't be a threat after that! Why was this happening?! Was there something I could do? I closed my eyes, trying to see what was happening again. "The curse is holding him by the throat! We... Wait, what is Applejack doing?!"

* * *

><p>I... I cannot feel a thing anymore... Vision almost gone... Wait... What is that circular thing coming down?<p>

That voice... I just heard the curse yelp...and then squeal as it suddenly let go of me. My vision and all the strength in my body is suddenly coming back! I almost fell down when I staggered back from loss of balance. The... Whoa, nice one, Applejack! The curse is grabbing at its throat while Applejack has her lasso strangling it from around the neck!

"The tough part is always gettin' the varmints ta stay down!" Now she just threw her head back and...ouch. The curse was slammed right back down into the ground. And here comes Rainbow Dash. Coming right down into the thing's back with a diving kick!

Now here comes Fluttershy. And... What was that shriek?! She just stomped on the back of the curse's neck and looks like she is trying to snap the thing by twisting its head. Only it does not seem to want to stop twisting... She just looked like she figured that out and let it go, sending the head spinning back to normal before elbow dropping its face back into the water. I never knew she could be so scary...

The curse looks like it is trying to claw its way out from under them... Good god! A diamond spear just impaled itself through the curse's arm while Rarity stomps on it! And now the other arm and the legs, pinning it to the floor! "You...will...harm...nopony ever again! It's time for the coup de grace!"

"No more dirty tricks, meanie!" Whoa... Now Pinkie Pie just dropped onto it and is stretching her arms around its limbs to add additional restraint while Twilight seems to be shooting its wrist and ankles with her magic that seems to be creating solid pink loops that appear to be shackling the curse to the floor!

With the exception of Applejack, all of my friends are pilled onto the curse in one way or another in some attempt to pin it to the floor. Applejack is still standing a short distance behind them while keeping her rope taut, forcing the curse to keep its chin off the water to avoid being strangled to death. And it is looking right ahead at me. My god... They saved me. Now Twilight is calling out to me. "We've got this thing, James! Take it out and let's go home!"

I am feeling better now... Definitely back to normal. I just used the levitation spell to bring the Celestial Sword back to my hand. "Thanks, girls..."

* * *

><p>I heard that beeping again. When I opened my eyes, I saw and heard the heart monitor functioning properly. Thank goodness...<p>

Nightmare Moon turned to me, looking noticeably relieved, yet also baffled. "What...happened in there?"

"I guess the curse was killing him when it was touching him... Don't worry, we've got the thing completely restrained now." I said while also feeling the tension dropping. Finally, it was almost over.

"Hey, Twilight! Stop looking around out there and focus on the prize! James is coming!" Rainbow Dash suddenly spoke up while keeping her eyes squinted shut. And she was right. When I closed my eyes, I saw James starting to head towards us.

* * *

><p>Now then... I know I have nothing to fear with that thing being so thoroughly restrained. It is glaring at me with those unnatural red and yellow eyes as I approach. I have no idea what the Elements of Harmony did to it, but it seems incapable of escaping from my friends' clutches. More than likely, all of its supernatural abilities were locked away or even removed. That look it is giving me. So defiant and frustrated, but also somewhat fearful. It knows it is caught.<p>

Finally... I am standing before the curse. I suppose I could use this opportunity to deal the final blow and I am indeed in a hurry to get this whole mess over with, but... That facade it wears of Fluttershy's face... What is under it?

I have brought the tip of my sword to its face, the tip only lightly pressing against its coat right between the eyes. "First thing's first though."

The curse just silently looked inward, directing its gaze towards its nose before looking back at me. Physical blows failed to inflict any real harm, but I am certain the touch of a sharp blade would. "Time to see who's behind the mask."

With a light upward flick of my wrist, I scrape the tip of the Celestial Sword across the curse's face. A tiny scratch can be seen there while my friends watch in silent tension. Nothing is happening... Wait. Right between the eyes... A butterfly bearing the colors of the curse's faded golden yellow suddenly spread its wings as if it rose from the face body itself. And...I see another more vibrant color just under it.

Wow... More and more butterflies are rising from the curse's body and are taking flight in a flurry of flapping butterfly wings. The colors are faded, but it is still such a mesmerizing sight. The butterflies are even rising from the rest of the body and not from just the parts that bear Fluttershy's corrupted colors. My friends do not seem to be hindering the butterflies at all and are looking on in wonder as the swarm of harmless charming insects rise into the air. Fluttershy sounds especially pleased. "Wow... Who would've thought the last one would've been so wonderful to watch?"

"Yeah, it was. Anyway, that's the last one! So, who's behind the..." Rainbow Dash just looked back down at the curse's head. And...that look of utter shock that is filling her face... "No... There's no way..."

One by one, that look of utter disbelief is filling their eyes. And I can see why. The curse is looking right at me, its disguise having been completely removed. And even though I probably should be feeling just as shocked... Some part of me in the back of my mind feels as if it knew the answer all along. I have seen that face before.

I am merely gazing down at the face of the curse while he gazes back up at me, still powerless and captured. There is only one thing I can say to this revelation. "Why am I not surprised?"

The creature gazing at me... He is casting a small somewhat humbled smile at me. That sly draconequus. "Well... I suppose there's no point in putting on another pretty face again. Read any interesting cards lately? Or seen some fancy vases?"

"Discord... You... You're dead! We heard you die! You..." Twilight looks and sound as if she is in shock. And I cannot fault her for it. Discord, the very demented freak show I killed with my own two hands, is staring right up at me alive and well.

Strange... He does not seem all too bothered by the fact that he is being restrained and has been left utterly powerless with his limbs having been impaled on spears. Still no signs of blood though. If he was able to escape from my friends, he likely would have done so by now. He is speaking to my friends now, even though he clearly cannot turn to look at them with that noose around his neck so tightly bound. "That I did, Twilight Sparkle. My body is dead and gone. But as you can most clearly see, I am still here."

With my friends having returned to me as the wonderful mares I remember them as, I am not feeling quite as angry and bitter towards this creature as I probably would be feeling earlier. But still... He is still here. The curse was hardly a curse at all. It had been Discord lurking in my mind all along. "Why... What were you doing in my head?"

"What? You'd expect me to just let myself lose in something called the Ultimate Game? I have never lost a game of any sort before and I wasn't going to start then. And besides, you think I would go into a game I've never played without an ace up my sleeve?" That smirk on his face. Even when restrained and powerless, Discord still maintains that air of smug aloofness. "Though to be fair, I see that you had an ace up your sleeve as well and that you played it first. And what an ace it was."

I am saying nothing. I would rather let him explain himself than speak right now. "I'll admit, it was very tempting when you made that offer you did. Having been around as long as I have, I've done just about everything I can imagine, so the opportunity for some new fun was a welcome change of pace. It was very cunning of you to tempt me with a game I had never had the pleasure in partaking in before. Kudos."

He is just gazing up at me now, almost as if waiting for me to say something. The girls are not saying a thing either. They probably want answers too. Although there is really nothing I want to say just yet. "Hm? What's wrong? Nothing? Got nothing to say? Did one of those manticores get your tongue?"

Guess I may as well say something to get him to keep going. "Go on..."

"Ooooh, I get it now. You want answers. Yes, that's what everypony wants, isn't it? Well, seeing as how I now lie defeated and helpless before you, I suppose I at least owe you that much." Still being a bit of a goofball with his choice of words, yet also being quite accommodating. Is he just worn out from the whole ordeal?

The girls seem rather wary of him and they are all looking rather irritated. Yet not one of them dares interrupt him. "Now then, where was I... Oh, yes! I still have to give you a round of applause by suckering me in the way you did, 'Sir' James. Taking advantage of my penchant for fun and games? Well played. Of course, it still wasn't exactly wise to try to outfox the lord of chaos itself. Although if you sending me packing with that low blow to the undercarriage, if you know what I mean, was a means to get me to back off long enough for you to formulate a strategy, then that was exceptionally clever. Immortal or not, a blow to that area still stings."

I almost laughed at that reminder. I still remember that girlish shriek he let out a moment after I walked away after that low kick. The girls seem to be puzzled though. I guess Twilight must have forgotten since even she does not seem to know what he meant. Even so, he is still continuing to speak. "Like I said... Thinking you could outfox me in game I've never played? Tch tch tch, not wise, boy. You may have had an ace up your sleeve, but so did I. Although I certainly wasn't expecting the sheer madness that you had in store for me! That was a type of chaos I cannot recall the last time I ever witnessed!"

"But you're dead now! It doesn't matter what that ace you had was now! You're dead! There's nothing you can do to win! It's over!" Rainbow Dash has a point. Even if his soul somehow weaved its way into my mind, it really does not matter what Discord does at this point. He is barely more than a ghost.

"If you'll let me finish..." Now Discord sounds mildly irritated. That shut Rainbow Dash up. Now he is just clearing his throat. "Well, as I said, I had an ace in the hole. But only for the most extreme situations. And wouldn't you know it, that ace came in handy! And let me guess. You all thought this was the work of a curse? Well... Yes and no. I suppose you could call this a curse in some way, although I'm sure whatever curse Nightmare Moon told you about is really just a lost art. I have no use for something so devilish. There's no fun in utter suffering."

"Then... Why?! You put him in agony so many times! Just seeing me was enough to almost kill him! And you did that all even though it wasn't fun?!" Fluttershy looks and sounds like she is on the verge of tears. They all look absolutely wrathful. And I still remember that pain... Time after time. My dwindling hope...

Discord seems to be trying to tilt his head back as far as he can to try to see them on his back. "Of course there was no fun in that. It may have been necessary for me to come out on top, but I took no pleasure in inducing that type of agony. It was all a means to an end, my dears. But I suppose you would like to know exactly what's been going on all this time, wouldn't you?"

I am feeling so curious to hear exactly what in the world had been happening inside my head the last couple of weeks. "I did as the rules you said demanded, Sir James. I locked away every spell you claimed to have not yet mastered at the time. Including my immortality. Or rather, all but one. A little failsafe just in case. And you surprised me that day. I took you as a loveable oaf who couldn't harm a fly. But to show that level of wrath fused with homicidal madness? And the way you got dirty by using magic you had not yet mastered. That was very mean of you. But what was up with all of those random quips you were constantly spouting?! I would've been laughing my eyes out if I wasn't so absolutely terrified for my life!"

That was a dark moment... I was doing all I could to drown the despair in my heart to keep myself focused on bringing down the one who had taken away the people I held most dear to my heart. It was all nothing more than a facade. "Well, regardless of how and why you did all that... I was being quite serious when I offered you a draw, seeing as how the rules you set demanded that one of us live or die. But when it became quite clear at the end that you would not relent, I decided that I would not either. In the final seconds before you could end me, I cast that final spell. Transferring my very soul into your subconscious while leaving my body behind to its fate. But at the same time, I knew that tear in your side would ultimately prove fatal if something was not done."

"What do you mean? What about that wound you gave me?" I still remember that moment... The instant his claw ripped through the soft underarmor between the plates and my underlying flesh with it. I remember going cold, bleeding to death. But...I also remember that oh so sweet dream that spanned several days immediately afterwards. Surely that was not his...

That smirk he is giving me... Almost as if he is recalling a master stroke of genius he enacted. "It's simple, my good man. For me to win this Ultimate Game... I needed you to live."

That look of shock in their eyes... And this chill in my spine. This just got a bit creepy. "You were at death's door. And I needed you to stay alive for the time being. For if you died, my soul would be set free and I would join you in the afterlife. Essentially, your death would've doomed us both. So the instant you faded from consciousness, I put together a dream taken from your most precious memories. An ideal life that you would be at peace with while keeping your will to live strong. And I kept this dream of yours going until I was absolutely certain that you were past the danger zone. Although I did have to take measures to keep out anypony who may...inform you that such a perfect world was not what it seemed. Not that you would've believed them. And then... Well, I'm sure you remember how you woke up. That was where Round 2 began."

I can feel goose bumps starting to line my flesh. He was there all along? Every surge of pain. Every wretched memory constantly flooding my mind. Every haunting hallucination. He was behind it all?! "Just a quick reminder. Inflicting sheer agony on others has never been my style, but it had to be done. Ever since the moment you struck me down, I've been here weaving the next stage of this little game you trapped us in. Weakening your will to live so that in the end you would just give up. Of course, I still needed to give you moments of respite from the torment to let you rest before thrusting you back into it to break your will even more."

"You wretched... How dare you?! How can you be saying all of this with such a straight face?! You're evil! Evil!" Rarity is utterly shrieking at him while conjuring up another one of those diamond swords, threatening to stab him through the head herself. Even I have to admit that hearing him say this is...chilling.

"Must I remind you that I was trapped in a game your friend here coerced me into?!" He seems rather annoyed with my friend's outburst while trying to look back at her. And... I have to look away. I do not want to be reminded of what I did...

"It doesn't matter anyway! You're dead now! You can't win if you're not alive anymore!" I was not expecting Pinkie Pie to speak up. Even she is starting to look rather angry too.

"Well, dead in the sense that my body is no longer alive. And besides, I had no desire for this game to end in a draw. I was in it to win it by that point. I mean I could've just tormented him with such painful visions until his heart stopped. But I couldn't have that now, could I? My goal was to break his will until he finally could not go on, leaving him at the precipice between life and death. His soul moving on while leaving his body a barely alive husk."

"And...then what?" Twilight seems afraid. And I have to say I kind of am too. This almost feels like we are being told some sort of horror story.

Discord is bringing the fingers on his left hand together. "I believe it would be best to show you."

He just snapped his fingers. And...nothing happened. Now he is starting to snap them over and over while looking rather annoyed. "Oh, come on! At least grant me this!"

He looks like he is struggling to lay an egg or something by how scrunched up his face is getting. Grunting and growling as if trying to force a spell out. But that surely is not possible now, right? Huh? Now there was a flash of yellow sparks from his hand. "Eureka! Enjoy the show, ladies!"

Hmm... There seems to be an almost circular screen of sorts appearing in the air to my left. Nothing but static right now, but Discord is pointing at it with his fingers on the right hand now. "Ugh, junky reception. James, would you mind giving that a smack?"

"Uh... Sure?" I just smacked the thing with my shield. It wobbled in the air despite seeming mostly temporal and even spectral, but the static is starting to clear up... Wait... Is that me lying on the same hospital bed as before? The Elements of Harmony are still set upon me with my helmet still resting on my torso. And is that Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Nightmare Moon?

That long droning noise... The heart monitor has flatlined. And the three of them seem to almost be in a panic. Twilight is rushing up and down the length of my bed while glancing around and at the heart monitor. "No... No no no no no... What do we do?!"

Wait... The heart monitor just started beeping normally again. Rainbow Dash just wiped her brow. "Phew... False alarm, girls... Huh? Hey, is he moving?!"

Am I waking up? The perspective of the video feed seems to keep changing as if we are watching a professionally filmed movie. I seem to be stirring in bed before slowly starting to rise to a sitting position. Nightmare Moon seems to be smiling broadly. "He lives! Thank the stars..."

"Let me get those off you, James." Twilight seems to be using her magic to remove the Elements of Harmony from my body. Now I seem to be silently sitting up in bed while hunched forward.

Seems like everything is fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. Now Rainbow Dash just took a step forward. "So... How're you feeling, big guy? You feeling all right?"

Now I seem to be reaching out with my arms for a big stretch. And once that is over, I suddenly hunch forward with a grunt. But... That grunt did not sound like... "Oh, I'm feeling just grand, Rainbow Dash. Never better, to be honest."

The chill that just spread in the air. Discord is just smirking as if anticipating a really fun part that is coming up, but my friends... That look of horror in their eyes. It is Fluttershy that just stated the obvious. "That isn't James' voice..."

My three friends standing at the bedside. They just jumped back in shock, although Nightmare Moon is standing her ground. "What the... I know that voice... Who is that?! Who are you?!"

This just went straight up psychological thriller. The tension is thick as the camera seems to move behind the three mares while focusing on me. There is barely any movement. And now... The camera just rapidly zoomed in on my head as I turn and...open my eyes while flashing a smirk. The eyes... "Who do you think?"

"What the hell...?!" That actually spooked me! My eyes are...red irises and yellow sclera. Discord's eyes? No way... And I am speaking with his voice?

"What the... That's Discord's voice! James, what's gotten into you?!" Rainbow Dash is yelling in the screen, clearly not entirely sure what to make of the person before her. Although it is becoming painfully obvious as to who is really speaking.

"James?" It seems I am feeling my hands all over my face. "Oh, right. I suppose this body could use a bit of a makeover first. Just a moment." And with a snap of my fingers... This... This is just too wrong. I was engulfed in a flash of gray light. And in my place... Discord himself as he flexes and literally bends over backwards. "Ooooh, yes! Feels so good to be back in the flesh!"

All three of them are just staring in shock, clearly unable to comprehend what they are seeing. It is Nightmare Moon who speaks first. "No... How do you still live?! I saw your corpse! You perished at his hands! Where is he, cretin?! What have you done with him?!"

"Temper, temper. Must you be so loud?" Now Discord is just lounging around on the bed while propping his head up on one hand. Such conflicted gazes in the eyes of Twilight and Rainbow... Not sure if they are confused, panicked, or enraged. "As for where he is... Well, I won't beat around the bush this time. He just couldn't take the pain and madness anymore and...just let go. Now I'm in charge of this rather cozy vessel, although I still prefer something more familiar. Can't exactly interact with the physical plane without a physical presence, right?"

Tears are beginning to stream down Twilight face as she seems ready to fire a spell at him. "No... Bring him back! I don't care where he is! Just bring him back to us!"

Now Discord is giving them a rather irritated glare. "You ask the impossible, Twilight Sparkle. Now, I may be able to do just about anything I want, but reviving the dead is still beyond my power."

Rainbow Dash... She is screaming at him now while also sobbing heavily. "He's not dead! But you are! So get outta his body and bring him back or I'll rip your head off!"

"And like I said, even I can't bring back the souls of the dearly departed. He made a gamble with the master of all chaos and paid the price for it. He may have won the battle, but he lost the war." And now... Such a cruel smirk. "And besides... Was I the one who really orchestrated his demise?"

Those looks of horror in their eyes. Nightmare Moon seems ready to blast his face off with a crackling lightning spell as arcs of magical electricity surges around her horn. "What are you implying, you abomination?!"

Discord is just lazily stretching while he sits up in bed. "If memory serves, the keys to my defeat were the Elements of Harmony. And yet, an outside factor was introduced. Someone who had no bearing on the situation and had no place there. And yet, somepony seemed to have brought him along anyway. And who was that?"

"No..." Twilight's stance seems to have become unsteady and the magic aura around her horn is beginning to flick as if she is beginning to lose focus. "We didn't... You're the one who... This was all your fault...! We just wanted..."

Now Discord is merely crossing his arms while smirking in clear triumph. "You wanted him to be with you as you dealt with something only you could fix. And as a result, he fell victim to a situation that he had no business getting involved in. I did not destroy your friend." He is now holding out his hands to Rainbow Dash and Twilight. "You did, my little ponies. You led him right to the grave."

Those words were the final nail in the coffin. Twilight and Rainbow Dash's face just dissolved into gazes of horror and utter anguish as the tears just burst forth. They could barely even make a sound. Twilight's magic aura vanished entirely from her horn as she dropped to her knees.

Discord just clapped his hands as he hopped to his feet. "Well, I'm afraid I have no time to stick around here. I've got plenty of chaos to see to! I have to say this was quite a hectic time for all of us, but you can't win them all, can you? And now I'm off! And be sure to tune into the weather channel because there is a hearty storm of fresh chaos with a side of mayhem blowing in pretty soon. Arrivederci!"

"NO!" Nightmare Moon just shouted before unleashing a massive blast of magic lightning right at him with eyes aglow in wrath. A bright flash and loud crash was heard before the light faded to reveal the bed and hospital wall beyond it absolutely blown apart and crumbling to reveal the area outside just behind the hospital. But there was no sign of Discord. He is gone. This clearly is not enough to deter Nightmare Moon's rage as she spreads her wings and flies out through the gaping hole in the wall in hot pursuit of the draconequus as his triumphant laughter seems to echo from everywhere. "I WILL FIND YOU, MONSTER!"

I was expecting the video to end there, but it is still going. It is panning down to Twilight and Rainbow Dash. Rainbow is not saying a word and just buried her face in her hooves. Twilight... She is muttering quietly repeatedly, "No... We didn't... We didn't..." She just collapsed to the floor, sobbing as they both lie there. Broken and consumed with absolute despair. Discord had truly won.

The screen seems to be filling with static now. And now it is just fading away. I... I do not even know what to say to what I just saw. It was so chilling... Completely fictional, but still... That could have happened? My friends are no better off. Fluttershy is even shedding tears as all six look on with faces frozen in horror.

"Well, that was more or less what would've happened." Discord just said calmly. Wait... Why did he suddenly yelp? The rope around his neck... Why is Applejack pulling on it so hard? I look around them and... She is! She really is pulling on that rope hard! "I've had enough! I'm gonna strangle that varmint!"

"Not if I get him first!" Rainbow Dash is trying to tear his wing off... They are all going crazy with rage! Fluttershy seems like she is trying to snap his neck while Applejack is attempting to strangle him, Rarity is repeatedly stabbing his body with her sword, Pinkie Pie seems like she is trying to constrict him with her stretchy arms and legs, and Twilight has her horn directed right down at his head while a surging pink aura surrounds her horn as if she is about to blow his head off. My god, they're really going to kill him!

He is helpless... But... What do I do? He probably deserves it, but... I am not convinced he is done talking yet. "Girls... GIRLS!"

They stopped but those faces... They are utterly furious, but they are at least not trying to hurt him for the moment. I hope they listen... "Please, let him finish."

Thank goodness they listened. They really do not want to relent, but they are starting to just let go off him while staying on his back while making sure he is staying restrained. Applejack just gave her rope some slack to not put so much strain on his throat while he gasps and coughs. Twilight just lowered her lips to his ear and just spoke in such a menacing tone, "If this were any other time, I would've blown your face off. You have no idea how lucky you are."

Strangely, Discord does not seem too intimidated by her words despite being completely helpless and even almost completely powerless. And now he is looking back up at me. "Well, regardless of what might have happened, it clearly isn't the case anymore. You challenged me to the Ultimate Game and won, Sir James. Now I lie humbled and defeated before you. Congrats."

What is wrong with him? He is not scowling. He does not sound bitter or resentful. And he does not seem afraid. "I'm...surprised you're not more upset about this."

Wait... He is laughing?! "Me? Upset?! Hahahaha! What in the world do I have to be miffed about?!"

All of my friends look just as baffled as I do. He is probably about to die and he is laughing at it?! He is even smiling! "Why should I be upset at all?! That was the single most exhilarating experience I have been through in eons! When you said the Ultimate Game is the single most satisfying competition I could ever partake in, you weren't joking at all!"

"I still don't follow..." What in the world is he getting at? This whole ordeal was miserable! What fun could be had in it?!

Well, seems like he is about to explain himself. "I wouldn't expect a mere mortal like you to understand it. When you backed me into the corner you did at the start, I felt things I didn't even know I could feel. I felt terror, desperation, vulnerable, so many new emotions I still cannot describe! It was the ultimate role reversal! Granted, I wouldn't want to go through it again, but it was the experience of a lifetime! It was...utter mortal chaos!"

He...actually got some sort of kick out of the thrill of being hunted down in hindsight? "Oh, but then things went from high octane madness to careful strategic planning. For roughly two weeks, I whittled at your defenses, chipping away at your integrity to insure that I would be the last one standing and be able to stay in the world of the living. Of course, to be fair, I did drop a few breadcrumbs here and there to see if anypony would catch on to what was happening. I even decided to pay a few visits to your dreams while wearing some familiar pretty faces. With mixed results, if memory serves. And then... Just when you were finally hours away from kicking the bucket, you came right to me to finish you off."

The horror I felt when I saw the six false forms merging together into a hulking frightful amalgam of them with Discord's eyes is still fresh in my memory. And I was defenseless at the time. "I had you right where I needed you to decisively end our little game right there. But just when I thought I had this game in the bag, the Elements of Harmony kicked in and things got crazy! Going up against all seven of you while each of you had your own unique tricks to throw my way made it just...so delightfully chaotic! By the way, Rainbow Dash? You're quite right. I've never been that much of a fighter. Chaos isn't something that's supposed to be focused like a warrior's will."

Man, I was having fun at that time too. And he was too? Huh... Well, he is still not done talking. "Oh yes... Fun times. I haven't had that much fun in far too long. It all came right down to the wire! And in the end...I lost. But what a loss it was! I had so much fun that I simply don't care! Even in defeat, that Ultimate Game certainly lived up to its name! Sooo satisfying! I may have lost, but it was a loss for the history books. I couldn't ask for a more spectacular way to end it all. I will remember this spectacular swan song for eons to come. It was a pleasure. Well, at least at the end, that is."

He is lowering his head and closing his eyes with such a serene smile across his lips. As if just resigning himself to his fate. My friends keep glancing at each other as if they are trying to find something to say. It is Fluttershy who breaks the silence. "Are you... Is this really all right with you?"

Discord still does not raise his head to look at me while he speaks. "I have no regrets. I have experienced the greatest fun I have ever had and that is a good enough high note for me to end on. Go ahead, Sir James. Claim the victory you earned."

It is strange... Even after all the crap he put us through, all of the pain... Some part of me does not want to see him die. He is helpless. He is not even showing fear. He has accepted his fate without a fight. Why? Does he actually want to die? "I'll be honest... I kind of don't want to..."

"Well, if you want to get out of here, you need to. I don't exactly have a body to go back to anyway. So I don't see what's stopping you." Discord is still keeping his head bowed. He is just waiting for me to deliver the deathblow.

This still does not feel right. I still feel compelled to talk him out of it. "Are you sure this is what you want? Aren't there any friends you want to see again?"

"...Friends?" That was different... His tone of voice almost sounds angry. And...he seems like he is starting to stir. "Don't you DARE preach to me about that garbage..."

Something is wrong here. His tone has changed entirely. His eyes have opened and...he is just glaring at me while he seems to be starting to struggle. My friends are trying to keep him down, but... "Friends aren't worth dirt. They'll never even be there forever. Nothing is more pointless than what you speak of!"

His shackles binding his limbs to the floor... Are they starting to crack? The ones binding his wrists to the ground just broke and he is beginning to rise, struggling to hurl my friends from his body! "Only chaos is absolute is this world! Everything, from friendship to love to happiness, will all be for naught in the face of chaos!"

This is bad... He seems like he is beginning to go mad. One by one, he is hurling my friends from his body. He even just snapped Applejack's rope from his neck and even pulled the diamond spears from his limbs. Free at last, he has lifted his head high. I need to strike now before he gets in another shot! We only barely managed to take him down once already! "Chaos is what makes life worth living! Let it consume you! Embrace it, for it is the absolute truth! I will..."

I... I got him... Just as he brought his head back down towards me, I thrust the Celestial Sword forward and... I got him. Right between the eyes.

The air has become utterly silent. I can hear nothing around me. I am gazing right at Discord as he gazes back at me with a look of total shock in his eyes. My friends are nearby, I know that much. But I cannot look away. I just dealt the final blow to Discord. He is frozen in place, mouth hanging open as I hear faint utterings from his twitching throat.

Why... I feel no satisfaction over this. No sense of accomplishment. No sense of triumph. I only feel...pity. I feel I should say something to him before this world fades. "That's enough, Discord... It's time to let go..."

He is... He is muttering something quietly, but... I can clearly hear him. "I...can...die...?"

Why would he ask that... And...why am I crying? Why are these tears flowing down my cheeks? There is nothing I can say to that. All I can do is nod in silence. That expression... His eyes. His mouth. It is beginning to show...utter tearful joy as tears begin to flow from his eyes as well. The world around us is beginning to brighten as the environment fades into the void. And I hear his final words. "Thank you..."

His hand... It is slowly and rigidly reaching for me... For my face. But...I sense no hostility in him. What is he doing? I feel no urge to move away.

His hand is upon my face. And... The white is rapidly fading into darkness. Why? What is Discord... Wait... Is that his name? Then who was just with... Why... Why can I not remember them? What am I doing here? I do not feel weak or cold, but... I... Why are my memories... Who even am I?

* * *

><p>I saw it. James stabbed Discord right between the eyes. The world around us began to brighten and... I saw Discord starting to reach out to him. That was when my vision faded and I could see nothing else. I opened my eyes, finding Nightmare Moon looking at Rainbow Dash and I. "Well? What has transpired?"<p>

"I... I think it's over... The curse was Discord himself and... James just plunged his sword right between the eyes. And then... Everything went blank." I still cannot believe it was Discord all along. And what would have happened if he succeeded... I can still feel my skin crawl just thinking about that vision he showed us.

"Discord himself?! I should have expected no less..." Nightmare Moon said in mild surprise while also showing a look of disgust.

Rainbow Dash started to walk over to James' bedside. "Yeah, I couldn't believe it either... I think he said he possessed him or something just before James killed him. Some kinda soul transfer spell he kept up his sleeve?" She then reached out and placed her hoof on James' hand while looking at him. "But... If Discord's gone now...why hasn't he woken up yet?"

It was then that I heard a knock at the door. Seeing that the curse that had been cast upon James was finally lifted, I felt it was safe to allow whoever was knocking into the room. But instead of finding one of the hospital's staff on the other side, I saw them instead. "Huh? Oh, girls! What's wrong?"

All four of my other closest friends had gathered on the other side. Fluttershy was at the front of the group and asked, "Is it safe now? Can we come in? Is he...all right?"

I could not help but smile. We did not have to worry about keeping them away from James now. "Sure... The coast is clear."

They came in right away, although I could tell they were still uneasy about something. Rainbow Dash turned to them and asked, "Hey, girls... Did everything go black for you too?"

"Uh huh. Everything just faded to white and... Why isn't he awake yet? Do you think Discord got to him at that last second?!" Pinkie Pie seems especially worried. And I remember it too. The way Discord was reaching for James' face right before I could not see anything anymore. He almost killed James when he grabbed him by the throat so...

Rarity seemed to be thinking of the exact same thing I was. "I don't think so, Pinkie... If he did... Don't you suppose he would have already awaken in James' body?"

She was right. Unlike in the vision Discord showed us, James remained asleep on the bed. "Good point... Wait! If he's asleep... Nightmare Moon, could you visit him in his dream?"

"I most certainly can. Let me check first." Our Princess of Dreams then closed her eyes as her horn was coated by her dark blue magic aura. However, a moment later, she opened her eyes while showing a worrisome frown. "I... I cannot reach him. He is not dreaming at all..."

"Then...where do y'all think he is?" Applejack asked before trotting over to James and nudging his face. "Hey... Come on, pardner. No point in sleepin' in anymore. Ya took that varmint down, so... Wake up already!"

I could not understand. Discord was finally gone. The curse was lifted. So...why would James not wake up? What did Discord do to him at the last second? This is getting...scary. Please, no more! I cannot handle anymore of this madness! It is over! The crisis is over! Just let us all go back to our lives!

All we can do now is wait. I am just writing this down to help pass the time... Fluttershy is standing by James' side. Placing her hoof on his hand. Oh, Fluttershy... I know she has had it worse than any of us... "Please... Come back to us... I can't take anymore of this... Please come back to me..."

I know you love him, Fluttershy... I do too. I miss him. The real him. My gaze fell upon the Elements of Harmony. The six gemstones embedded in them are still faintly glowing. I strongly doubt we should remove them yet. Maybe they are still guiding him. Leading him back to those who miss him...

* * *

><p>-DOCUMENTATION BEGINS-<p>

I have no way of knowing how or where I ended up where I was. I remember nothing from before where my memory begins. All I remember is tat I found myself standing in an empty black void. I was wearing almost nothing. Nothing but a pair of shorts covered me. I could feel solid ground beneath my bare feet, but could see nothing. Despite the inky blackness all around me, I could clearly see myself despite the lack of any light. But I did not know where I was. I did not know what I was doing. I could even barely remember my own name. Everything was just blank.

There was nowhere for me to go. No one to turn to. I did not even know what to feel. Should I have felt afraid? Angry? Sorrowful? Happy? All I could do was just walk along. I felt so empty... Yet I was not left wanting. I did not know what I wanted or what I should have loathed. Why could I not remember a single thing?

The only thing that reached my ears were my own shambling light footsteps. However, after... Actually, I cannot even remember how much time passed. I had no way of knowing how many seconds or minutes ticked by before I found something in the inky blackness that was not me.

Out of the darkness, I saw something rolling into view. It was mostly round and rolled smoothly along the flat ground. It also seemed to be giving off a faint glow. I stopped and watched it roll, strangely mesmerized by the sight as it was the only sign of movement all around me. Eventually, it came to a stop in my path.

I felt compelled to approach it and pick it up. And when I did, I found that the object seemed to be a round fruit with a thin rind and a tough pulp just underneath. One word came to my mind. Apple. It was a red apple that constantly gave off a faint red glow. A single green leaf was still attached to the stem.

"Whatcha got there, pardner? A lead weight?"

Those words carrying a thick southern accent seemed to come from everywhere. Or did it come from within my mind? I promptly replied quietly, "No... It's just an apple."

It was then that I realized someone had just spoken to me. I turned and began to scan my surroundings. But no one was there. And the voice did not come again. And yet... I swear I had heard those words before. From the same voice. They felt sacred... As if the time they were spoken to me held great importance in my heart. But no memories came to me. I had no way of knowing when or where I had heard those words before. Or from whom.

I turned my gaze back down to the bright red rind of the apple in my hand. Almost instinctively brought it to my mouth. However, I quickly stopped and lowered it. It was all I had at that moment. And I felt...a strange connection to the simple fruit. I could not bring myself to tarnish it. I was not even certain if I was hungry. Feeling compelled to preserve the fruit, I continued to clutch it in my hand while I continued on with no destination in mind.

Before long, my eyes caught a peculiar sight in the darkness ahead. A single light blue balloon seemed to be slowly drifting through the air while not very high off the ground. It too was giving off a faint glow from the bright rubber that made up its body. Much like with the apple in my hand, I felt compelled to approach it. I hastened my pace until I was standing before it.

The balloon lazily drifted back and forth before me, yet it never floated away. A thing string of thread hung from the bottom, tied securely around the balloon's opening to keep the helium inside. The way it simply stayed there without drifting away... I almost felt as if it was calling me. And so I reached out and grasped the thread with my right hand.

"James, you silly! This is YOUR party!"

Another voice. And this one was filled with peppy cheerfulness. And those words... Once again, I felt a powerful sense of longing upon feeling that I had heard them before. But from whom? There was still no one around me to be seen.

I gazed up at the balloon, wondering if was who had spoken to me. I tapped it with the apple in my right hand to see if it would respond in some way, but the only response it gave me was simply being pushed through the air before floating straight back up again above my hand where I held its thread. And that name it spoke... James. Was that my name? Or was it someone else?

Feeling another strange attachment to this random object floating in the black void, I continued to grasp it in my left hand. I then placed the apple in my left arm while keeping it close to my body so I at least had one hand free. I began to walk again in the silence of the darkness, my two passengers casting their faint glow onto me like portable nightlights. Despite them being inanimate objects, I felt slightly less alone with them in my grasp.

In time, I saw something new in the darkness. It seemed to be a beautiful azure glow coming from a tiny point in the ground up ahead. With the balloon and apple in my arm, I actually ran towards it as an alien sense of excitement filled me. The object was small. A bit smaller than the apple. It seemed to be an azure diamond. Not very narrow, it was almost as wide as it was tall, but not quite. I took it in hand, admiring its simple cut and polished form.

"Red and green go so well together, do they not?"

That voice that came from nowhere... It was oozing with elegant grace and sophistication. And like the previous two, it belonged to a woman. I instinctively looked down, eyeing the red color of the apple and the green glow coming from its equally green leaf. "They really do..."

There was no sign of anyone around me. Where were these voices coming from? And why were they talking to me? And why was I feeling so attached to these random items I was finding? Regardless, with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and no memories to call upon for guidance, I placed the beautiful glowing diamond beside the apple in my arm's grasp and began to continue on. I was curious as to what else I would find.

It took almost no time at all to see something new out in the inky darkness. A tiny light on the horizon piercing the black veil in front of me. Thinking it was a beacon I should not ignore, I began to approach it. However, I soon found it was nowhere near me. It truly was on the horizon. After trekking for what felt like somewhere close to a full mile, I finally found it floating in the air before me. A star with six points and a pinkish hue was floating almost above the height of my head. The glow from it was bright, yet not so bright that I had to look away.

It was almost ethereal in composition. I stared at it, wondering if I could hold it in my hand. A part of me was wary, somehow knowing that stars are unbearably hot and touching it might destroy my hand. But I felt no heat from this source of light. Actually, it was not giving off much more light than the three objects I was carrying. With some hesitation, I reached out to it with my unoccupied hand.

I could not touch it. My fingers merely passed through it. However, it did respond. Once my hand had been lowered, the star drifted towards me until it was floating just above my right shoulder. And it stayed there no matter which way I turned.

"Excuse me, but you're a human, aren't you?"

This voice was different from the previous three. Where the previous three voices that came to me sounded charmingly rustic, the other was loud and cheerful, ad the third was beautiful and enticing. This voice sounded more...normal. Down to earth and calm. And I felt a strange kinship with the voice. And it... Unlike the others, those words seemed to fill my heart with a powerful sense of nostalgia. Where had I heard that line before? And who said it to me? And why comment about me being human? Were these voices...not from people who are human?

Seeing that the star stayed right above my shoulder, I made no attempt to move it to my left arm. I then began to walk along again, still having no idea of where I was and with no new clues as to why I was there and who I am. After what felt like far too long without any signs of activity, I heard something come from above. A faint rumble.

A thunderclap. But there was no rain. And I could see no clouds. I came to a stop. I instinctively scanned the black sky above me. And then, I saw and heard it. A loud rumble that came from nowhere as a bright light of numerous colors rushed towards me.

Startled, I threw up my right hand and closed my eyes while gritting my teeth. I felt...something strike my hand. Almost like I had felt the air ripple into it. When I felt the danger had passed, I looked down at my hand. And I was left stunned by what I was seeing. In my palm rested arcing and crackling currents of raw lightning. They never touched me, but they never faded either. And the colors... Red, yellow, and blue. And the general shape they took on resembled that of a lightning bolt.

"Uh, James? I think you better let this one go."

I did as the voice told me and turned my hand sideways to drop the lightning bolt. However, it stayed where it was, never once leaving the space above my palm. It was then that I realized that holding the lightning of three colors in my hand had, like the previous four items I had found, triggered a new voice to speak up from seemingly nowhere. This voice belonged to a woman as well. It was bold and oozed confidence.

Gazing down at the lightning in my hand, I felt a sense of safety As if I could count on it to protect me. It felt so familiar, but I could not put my finger on it. Even so, with no way to actually remove it from its location, I began to walk along with my five passengers. What would I find next?

Minutes passed and I saw movement up ahead. Something was moving around in the air up ahead in a seemingly aimless pattern. Once I drew closer, I could clearly make out the form of a butterfly fluttering about. It too was giving off a soft glow, allowing me to see it easily.

I felt charmed while watching the humble insect flapping through the air. But with both hand in use, I was unsure how to reach out to it. Fortunately, I did not need to. It seemed to respond to my presence when I drew near since it began to adjust its flying to drift towards me. It eventually circled me and lightly landed upon my left shoulder while its wings lazily rose and fell. The butterfly itself was largely featureless, having no visible eyes, abdomen, or legs. The wings were a light pink while the body and antennae were more teal in color.

"Um... Excuse me, but are you OK?"

Another voice... Once again, it clearly belonged to a woman. However, this voice was quiet and demure. And where had I heard it before? I felt myself calm down upon hearing it. Who was speaking to me? What were these six apparitions I kept finding in the empty darkness before me?

I was unsure of where to go from that point. The presence the six items in my possession felt so warm and familiar... As if I was among people I care about. But I could not remember a single name or face. Why could I not remember a single thing?

Something caught my eye. I gazed up to see two shapes flying overhead. They seemed identical to each other, being completely featureless while giving off a white glow. They soon swooped low, allowing me to see them. Bird. Or at least the shape of birds. I felt a strong compulsion to reach them. As if I needed them. However, to my disappointment, they flew on ahead and out of sight. Even their glow could not be seen from so far ahead.

Feeling a twinge of sadness in my heart, I began to walk along again. However, as I did, I noticed an odd sight. The glows of the six objects around began to brighten. They even began to float away from me, the lightning bolt, apple, and star on my right while the butterfly, diamond, and balloon floated to my left. They kept up with my pace as I walked, but a new glowing mass began to surround them. What were they doing?

Some of the six items were shrinking. Some were even dividing. The star and the lightning were even becoming solid. But they all seemed to be in the process of becoming flat. And the glowing mass of light that seemed to be expanding from them... What were these forms? The more mass they gained, the more...equine they became.

Finally, the growth seemed to stop. And for the most part, the forms that had emerged from the six items I had acquired looked roughly the same. Although... The color of the glow that covered each of them were different. Completely featureless, but with a definitive shape. Quadruped equines, though much smaller than me. The one that emerged from the apple was a shade of orange, the one that had been produced from the balloon was a vibrant pink, the form that came from the diamond was purest white, the one that arose from the star was a light purple, the one that came from the lightning was a light blue, and the one that bloomed from the butterfly was a light golden yellow. They were all too small to be horses... Ponies, perhaps?

They all stood in a row alongside me, three on one side with three on the other while facing the direction I had been walking. Even though I could see no discernible features upon them, I could see that their tails and manes were all styled differently. The purple one's mane seemed to have been combed straight, yellow one's mane and tail were very long and curled at the tips, the orange one's tail and mane were both tied at the end to form a literal ponytail while the shape of the head's top seemed to suggest the presence of a hat with a wide brim, the pink one's mane and tail both seemed to be rather...poofy and frizzy, the blue one's mane and tail appeared to be rather wild and frayed at the tips, and the white one's mane and tail were noticeably curled in just one impressive spiral for each. And even though I had no memory of them, they all looked...familiar somehow. And for each of them, the items that they had emerged from seemed to have emblazoned themselves upon the sides of their hips as completely flat images. The balloon had gained two extra balloons with one being the same color with the other being a light yellow, the diamond, apple, and butterfly had tripled in number, and the lightning bolt had become a lightning bolt shape with the three colors I mentioned before while appearing to be coming down from a white cloud. The star symbol seemed largely unchanged.

"Who...are you?" I asked quietly, wondering if these glowing apparitions were alive in some way. They did not respond to my words and remained silent. But when I began to continue on, they walked in sync with me. Where I went, they followed. And I felt relieved knowing that they would stay with me. Being in their presence comforted me for some reason I could not fathom at the time.

I was unsure of what to make of these things as they followed me wherever I went. But in time, I saw them once more on the horizon. A white glow. And when it came into view, the six equine forms beside me hastened their pace into a quick trot. Where were they going?

Not wanting to lose sight of them, I hastened my pace into a jog. But they stayed ahead of me regardless. With those six colors guiding me, I saw what the white light was coming from. The two birds I had seen pass overhead were floating in the air, wings spread wide with heads touching while bowed as their tail feathers were curled with talons clasped. The form brought to mind a heart. And there was even a perfect heart shape between them. A form that felt so familiar to me.

The six glowing equine forms stayed in a row as they trotted along. When they were about to pass the floating merged glowing birds, I came to a stop. All I could do was watch. Just when they were about to pass it, they came to a stop. Seven glowing forms lined up in a row with nothing but blackness around them, each a different color. They seemed to turn around to face me. For a moment, I merely stood there while looking on while they looked back. At least I assumed they could see me. And then, I heard the voice that spoke to me just after I tried to touch the star when I found it.

"Come back to us, James."

They were speaking to me. One by one, I heard a voice come from them while sounding as if it came from everywhere. The voice that came with the apple spoke next.

"Time ta wake up, pardner."

Then the voice of the diamond.

"Please, leave this nightmare behind you and return to us."

Then the voice of the balloon.

"No more sad times... Let's get back to the happy times."

Then the voice of the lightning bolt.

"Come on, big guy... We're not saying goodbye today."

And finally, the voice of the butterfly.

"Please... Don't go..."

It was then that I felt my eyes beginning to water. Tears. Somehow, those words triggered a stirring in me I could never hope to describe. These were voices I had heard somewhere before. I wanted to be with whoever they belonged to. I longed to return to whatever I had forgotten. As if compelled to do so, I walked forward. As I did, I could see that the six pony forms were turning their heads to watch me. I soon stood before the two glowing bird shape that floated between them. But when I reached for it, I noticed another glowing white form. Right upon my upper arm.

I had not seen it before. It matched the shape before me perfectly while giving off a soft glow. There was one on my other arm as well. The same kind of marking as those on the six ponies near me? I thought nothing of it and reached out and attempted to touch the glowing shape before me.

The moment the two of us made contact, angelic white exploded from the twin avian forms and began to engulf my vision and the black void around me. Everything began to fade away in the white veil. And as it did, I was hit with a deluge of mental information. Years upon years of memories were returning to me. I remembered my name. I remembered where I came from. I remembered...too much to list in one go. But most importantly, I remembered them. Those six wonderful mares. And everyone else I met afterwards. And then...my vision began to return as I opened my eyes.

I could hear a high pitched beeping sound. The kind you hear from a heart monitor. And...was there something on my head? And on my torso? And around my neck? I tilted my head down and saw none other than my helmet with the Element of Humanity facing me. But what was on my head? When I reached up and took it in hand, I found it to be none other than the Element of Magic. And I was further surprised to find the Elements of Kindness and Loyalty to be loosely worn around my wrists. I immediately snickered at the thought of wearing such an extravagant tiara and such oversized bracelets. "OK, who was playing dress-up with me while I was asleep?"

There was barely a sound. When I turned my head to look to my left, I saw them. All six of my dearest friends. And among them stood Nightmare Moon herself. Why had they all gathered? And...what was with those gazes of... I do not even know what those faces were conveying. Shock? The silence in the room, unless you take into account the heart monitor, was getting rather unsettling. "Uh... Girls?"

Something felt wrong. Every last one of them looked as if them were on the verge of bursting into tears. Nightmare Moon seemed to be keeping her composure, though She seemed to quiver and sniffle every now and then. Finally, Fluttershy came forward. "James...? Are you... Do you remember us? Do you feel all right?"

I took a look at my surroundings. I was definitely somewhere in Ponyville Hospital. And when I looked down at myself, I saw that a bandage was wrapped around my middle. Just what happened to me? I placed my hand on it, but felt no pain. If I had been hurt, I clearly was healing nicely. "Did...something happen?"

Pinkie Pie then stepped forward. "What do you mean? You were there. You saw Discord...right?"

"Discord? Who's... Oh, that guy! Yeah, he was pretty wacky. Where is he? Did we get... Oh, well I guess we must've gotten the Elements of Harmony back if I'm wearing them. Obvious answer is obvious." I could not help laughing a bit at such an obvious observation. But for whatever reason, my friends were not laughing at all. They were merely looking at each other in silent confusion.

"Pardner... What's the last thing you remember?" Applejack looks quite worried. Why? I felt fine, if not a bit tired.

"Um... Well, the last time I saw Discord was right when we were about to head into that giant hedge maze. Walls of leaves popped up around us, I left a journal entry at the spot where I started, I began to walk down the path in front of me and... That's the last thing I remember." I have to wonder what happened after that part. Everything else is a blank. Did I pass out?

"Truly, darling? You... You remember nothing of what happened after that?" Rarity looked rather shocked and even rather uneasy as she said that. What was troubling her so much?

I looked around the room while trying to understand what had all my friends so troubled. I saw a wooden stool I had seen frequently in Applejack's house. I saw a ceiling fan made of clouds spinning above us. I saw a potted flowering plant just to the right of my bed that I had always seen on the second floor of Twilight's home. I saw a birdhouse hanging from the room's ceiling lamp. I saw Pinkie Pie's phonograph in the corner of the room. And I saw an elegant porcelain lamp that surely must have come from Rarity's house. Why were there so many little decorations around my room? "How long was I out...? Did something happen to me?"

"James... You were..." Twilight began to speak, but soon paused. A brief moment later, she showed a somber smile. "You... You just collapsed in the labyrinth right after we started. We managed to find the Elements of Harmony and defeated him again, but... We found you collapsed right by the entrance. You fell into a coma... We weren't even sure if you were going to wake up. It's been at least three weeks... Right, girls?"

A coma... Wow... I had no idea what to say to that. But they all began to solemnly nod in unison. Rainbow Dash then halfheartedly grinned and said, "Ye... Yeah... That's what happened. Don't worry though... Discord's gone. He won't be bothering Equestria ever again..."

They still all looked very uneasy and even stressed. "Girls... Is something wrong?"

"No... Nothing's wrong..." Fluttershy said quietly as tears began to flow down her cheeks. She smiled quietly, but soon sobbed before leaping right into my arms and burying her face against my chest. "Everything's all right... Everything's going to be all right...! You're going to be just fine..."

"Please... Make room, Fluttershy." I heard Rarity say between wracked sobs. Before I could even comprehend what was happening, all six of my friends had climbed onto the bed and were holding me in a powerful group hug. There was not a dry eye amongst them. But...I did not let go. I did not reject them. I allowed them to cry all they needed to. However, I then turned my gaze towards Nightmare Moon.

She seemed to quietly smile at me, but did not move from her spot. It was not until my friends finally climbed down from the bed that she stepped forward. "It does my heart good to see you well, my friend..."

"It's good to see you here too..." I said in return, all too happy to see my precious royal friend before me. She seemed to be holding back tears as well, so I reached out with an arm to invite her into an embrace. An offer she all too readily accepted.

Nightmare Moon spread her wings and wrapped them around my body while I did the same with my arms. She sobbed quietly with her head resting upon my shoulder. It was difficult for me to not become overwhelmed with emotions myself. "Thank the stars you are well once more... I feared we would lose you, my friend..."

"It's OK, Nightmare Moon... I'm not going anywhere." I whispered to her while tenderly stroking my hand down the back of her neck and through her glorious mane. However, mere moments later, there was a knock at the door.

"I got it." Rainbow Dash said while she trotted over to it. She opened it just a crack before speaking up. "Oh, hey! What's up, squirt?"

Squirt? There is only one person I know who Rainbow Dash consistently calls that term. Among a few other pet names as well. And I heard a familiar girl's voice speak up from just behind it. "Hi, Rainbow Dash... Cheerilee let me have the afternoon off so I could stay with him until he..."

"Hey... Hey, no crying." Rainbow spoke sympathetically while reaching out behind the door as if to lift someone's chin. "You don't have to worry about him kicking the bucket now. He's gonna be fine." She then suddenly opened the door wide, allowing me to see a familiar pegasus filly standing in the doorway. "See for yourself!"

I felt myself instantly smile, recognizing the little filly as my adopted sister. I waved at her and said, "Hey there, Scoot."

At first, she had no response. She seemed to stutter and stammer for a moment while watching me sit up in bed. But she did eventually charge right into the room with an excited smile while calling out the one word I was not expecting to hear. "Dad!"

Everyone's response to that was pretty much the same, as was mine. I could hardly believe what I had just been called. Applejack put it best. "Whoa, am I missin' somethin' here? Since when was James yer pa?!"

Just before Scootaloo could reach my bed, she stopped cold in her tracks while a deep red blush began to spread across her face. She then covered her face with her hooves and groaned in embarrassment. "Oh man, did I really just say that?! Sorry!"

We were all laughing by that point. Even so, I still reached over the side of my bed and lifted my little sister to my side. "It's cool, sis. But what's up? Why'd you call me that? I thought I was your big brother."

"Uh... Yeah... About that... Huh?" Scootaloo started to speak, but Rainbow Dash had hurried over to her side and began to whisper something into her ear. It was too quiet for me to hear and she had her hoof up to block my view of her mouth. Scootaloo merely nodded while looking surprised. "Really? Whoa... OK."

Once Rainbow Dash backed away, Scootaloo turned her attention towards me once more. She looked remarkably somber while struggling to maintain eye contact. "It's just... While you were in a coma... I was doing a lot of thinking... You've always been there for me and... I guess..."

I waited patiently while allowing Scootaloo to speak. However, it seemed that she ultimately could not find the right words and let out a long sigh. "I guess... What I'm trying to say is..." She then looked at me in the eyes while tears seemed ready to burst forth at any second. "Can I... Can I call you Dad?"

I heard an audible gasp from some of my friends. They were all looking on in shocked silence. Rarity and Fluttershy even had a hoof raised over there mouths. I was unsure of how to process Scootaloo's request. Was she being serious? Am I truly more of a father than a brother in her eyes? She almost looked terrified, as if she feared an angry response. But... I felt no anger towards her. I was not even entirely certain of what to feel. I felt...flattered. Touched, even. Was I ready to be a father? If this child wanted me to be her father, and had known me long enough to see such qualities in me...

My hand tenderly stroked her wild purple mane while I felt myself smile warmly. She looked right at me as I spoke my response. "You can call me whatever you want, sweetheart."

Very slowly, her eyes began to moisten further. She lifted her little hooves to her mouth as the tears began to utterly cascade down her face. Finally, completely in tears, she jumped at me and buried her face in my chest as a word escaped her lips that instantly brought tears to my eyes. "Daddy..."

I tenderly placed my hand on the back of Scootaloo's head. All of my friends were applauding heartily while some were even crying. I was especially shocked to see Rainbow Dash burst into tears. I did not mind though. I had no idea if I was truly ready for fatherhood, but I was willing to try for the one little girl who wanted me to be hers. My hand tenderly stroked the back of my daughter's head while I felt her tears flow down my bare chest.

Moments later, Fluttershy came to my bedside with fresh tears having matted her cheeks. She reached out and tenderly got Scootaloo's attention by patting her back. "Scootaloo...?"

"Hm...?" She muttered while trying to dry her tears. I too was curious of what she was going to say, although I had a hunch of what was coming.

After taking a deep breath, Fluttershy spoke in her soft quiet voice while showing a calm smile. "If you want... You can call me Mom too."

That prompted a second deluge of tears from the young filly, but she still managed to speak clearly. "OK...Mom." Once more, there was a burst of applause while Fluttershy tenderly nuzzled our little friend's face... No... Not our friend. Our daughter.

Minutes later, once she had finally stopped crying, Scootaloo took a moment to seemingly eye the Elements of Harmony that were still on my body. She then smirked and pointed at the Element of Generosity that was around my neck. "Hey, Dad? Why're you wearing jewelry for girls?"

I think I may have blushed a bit at that observation. I still was unsure of who put them on me to begin with. With a roll of my eyes, I looked at my friends. "Good question. Which one of you girls thought it was a funny idea to dress me up like a chick?" The only response I got was laughter from everyone in the room.

I am unsure of how to describe the rest of the day. It was just so...nice. Although I was bored with the fact that I was not able to leave the room at all. It only made me all the more glad that I have not been hospitalized more often. It is boring here! Thank god my friends stayed with me throughout the day. And for whatever reason, I was famished. I felt I had not eaten in days. Although considering I had been in a coma for more than half a month, that should not have surprised me. Pinkie Pie was more than willing to bring me some goodies from Sugarcube Corner, bless her heart.

I was glad to find out from the doctors that I seem to be healing up rather quickly. It seems I will be getting out of here in no more than a week, although I hope it will not take quite that long. Strangely, Rainbow Dash kept bugging Fluttershy to tell me something today. And each time, Fluttershy insisted on waiting until I got home. I wonder what she has in store for me...

Night got boring very fast. All of my friends had to leave at 8 pm, so I was left with nothing to do but write this journal. Thank goodness Twilight brought me some extra paper and ink to do it with.

While I was taking a break from writing though, I got bored and began to peek into the drawers of the nightstand to my left after flipping on the lamp Rarity had left there. At least I am sure it was her lamp. I really liked that vase filled with flowers. I think they were azaleas while the vase seems to be a greenish or even seafoam color. It looked like the Cutie Mark Crusaders dropped it off at some point while I was incapacitated. While feeling around, I felt something flat inside. A piece of paper?

When I lifted my hand out, I found none other than some sort of 'get well' card. Knowing I had not read it before, I flipped it open and began to read it. "Dear James... I am so sorry about what happened... I wish I could've been there for you. To have stopped this from happening. I... I feel like the worst girlfriend in the world... Can you ever forgive me for what I did? If anything ever happens to you, I will never be able to forgive myself... I just want things to go back to the way they used to be. I love you... Please pull through. I can't bear to lose you now... Please... Please don't leave us now. Forever your mare, Fluttershy."

I felt so bad, yet so touched when I read that card. I tenderly held it to my chest, thinking back to that beautiful tender mare I had fallen in love with. Whatever it was that landed me in a coma, it seemed that Fluttershy had taken it pretty hard. At least now things seem to be just fine. I cannot wait to go home. I looked down at the card one more time and sighed with a smile. "Thanks, honey..."

I think that is all I want to write tonight. I still feel rather tired from being stuck like this for so long. Being bedridden for this long really leaves you feeling weak. At least that trouble with Discord was handled in the end. Although I still cannot help wondering what happened back there while I was unconscious. Is Discord stuck back in stone somewhere in Canterlot? I will inquire about that some other time. Right now, I just want to sleep.


	43. Buried

I still cannot believe that it is finally over... After all that turmoil and nearly three weeks of living day to day with remorse and fear, it is finally over. I still cannot believe Discord himself was behind everything, even in death! But at least now... At least I can safely say he is probably gone for good. And we finally have our friend back.

Still... Why? Why did James awaken without any knowledge of what happened after we set foot inside the labyrinth in Canterlot to search for the Elements of Harmony? I mean I am not entirely upset that he does not remember anything that happened after the search began. I wish I could forget everything that has happened too... But still... What caused him to lose his memory? I could see, hear, and feel everything that went on inside his mind when he dealt with the curse that Discord had placed on him. And at the end, Discord himself reached out to James before the area could completely fade away. The moment he touched James on the face... Did Discord take those memories with him? And why? Why erase such horrid memories from his enemy?

Even so, shortly after he awoke, things slowly began to return to normal. We were still reeling from the immense relief of our dear friend having pulled through in the end, but we were finally starting to smile again. He was sitting up in bed, he was talking, he was smiling and even laughing. It was...just like before... And I could not be happier to have him back.

We were all there. All five of my other closest friends were present with me and the feeling over everything that had happened was mutual. Nightmare Moon was present too. And it was she who found the way for us to finally save James from his predicament. She never left his side.

But what I expected least of all was for Scootaloo to show up. I know she knew James was dying just yesterday and she knew he did not have long to live. It seemed that Cheerilee had allowed her to leave class early so that she may spend his final hours with him. What a delightful surprise it must have been for her to arrive only to find that her big brother was alive and well.

What came next was a shock. She called him 'Dad' at first before correcting herself. Rainbow Dash was quick to let her know that he did not remember a single thing and to not mention anything to James over what had occurred. She listened, but then... She requested that she be allowed to call James her father.

I was just as shocked as everypony else. I had always known that Scootaloo had always looked up to James as a brother figure. So for her to begin to view him as a father... She has always been an orphan, from what I know. So I can understand how badly she has always wanted a family. Thankfully...James held her in his arms and agreed.

I cried... It was just...such a high note after all that pain we had gone through. Even Rainbow Dash ended up bawling her eyes out for a brief moment. To think that now James is a father... Well, he will eventually be a real father, although it seems that Fluttershy wants to hold off on telling him the news until he finally gets home before revealing it to him. Understandable, considering all of the stress we have gone through. We all just want to take it easy for a few days. We need the rest.

Very shortly after we had removed the Elements of Harmony from his body and placed them back in the satchel Nightmare Moon was wearing before we placed James' helmet in the box by his bed, Nightmare Moon plugged his bed back into the mainframe port above him on the wall. With him no longer in danger, there was no reason to break hospital protocol by keeping the staff in the dark about his condition.

The next several minutes were just spent in quiet conversation. It just felt...so calm that I did not even want to speak much. However, there was soon a knock at the door. Before we could even answer it, the door creaked open to reveal the doctor who had been watching over James since he had been admitted to the hospital. "Good afternoon, ladies. And... Oh, hello, James. How are you feeling today?"

"Pretty good, actually. A bit tired and weak, but I'm feeling OK otherwise." James replied while he kept holding Scootaloo in an adorable embrace with his arm under her chin while his hand kept scratching her ears and mane.

"Excellent. Uh..." The doctor then turned his gaze towards us and Nightmare Moon while we all looked at him. "Actually... Could I speak with all of you in private?"

"Of course, doctor. Please come with us, everypony." Nightmare Moon said while she began to follow him out of the room.

Applejack then looked over her shoulder at James and Scootaloo. "We'll just be a minute. Scootaloo, y'all keep an eye on yer pop while we're out."

I swear I saw an embarrassed grin on James' face as a blush filled his cheeks. I could tell he was not used to being referred to as a father at all. Scootaloo seemed pretty thrilled though and nuzzled his cheek. "OK, Applejack. I'll keep an eye on Dad!"

Once the door had closed behind us, the doctor began to speak to us in a bit of a quieter tone than before. "First of all, I really must ask. What in the world did you do? His vital signs are improving at a remarkable rate!"

Pinkie Pie then scratched her head as if she was feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Uh... Heheheh... It's a reeeeeaaaalllly long story. Let's just say it involved a lot of fighting, a lot of crazy sights, a lot of fourth wall breaking, a lot of cameos, a lot of heads exploding, a vengeful spirit, and the magic of friendship coming out on top again!" Interesting use of words, Pinkie.

While the doctor clearly did not follow what our silly friend said, Nightmare Moon then spoke up. "What she is saying is anyone in the field of medicine would likely not be able to comprehend what transpired in our efforts to save him. All that you need to know is that he is alive, he is well, and he will survive this ordeal."

"Hmmm... I see. Well, at the rate of his recovery... I have to say he will probably be discharged in no more than a week. Or maybe even as soon as just a few days. It's looking really promising right now." The doctor then began to approach the door. "I had best give him the news. He's certainly been through a lot, from what I understand."

"Wait!" Nightmare Moon suddenly barked before the doctor could reach for the handle. "Reveal to him his condition and rate of recovery if you must, but do not say a word about all that has happened before the moment you enter this room. He does not recall a thing over the last few weeks. And with all said and done, that is likely for the best."

I could definitely understand her reasons behind that demand. None of my friends seemed to be against it at all. Of course, the doctor seemed to not like this idea since he clearly did not understand it like we did. "Your highness, I cannot condone this! As my patient, he needs to be made aware of exactly what got him admitted into the hospital in the first place!"

Nightmare Moon maintained a constant serious scowl on her face. "Doctor. As your princess, I hereby decree that you and your colleagues are to not reveal to him any details of his condition aside from his rate of recovery and current physical state. Failure to comply with this order will be treated as an act of insubordination."

The air was thick with tension. I was genuinely amazed of how far she was going to protect James. After a moment of silence between the two, the doctor sighed while he bowed his head. "As you wish, your highness... I fail to understand your reasoning, but it is not my place to question it."

"Thank you, doctor... Carry on then." Our Princess of Dreams commanded before the doctor entered James' hospital room and closed the door behind him.

"Nightmare Moon... Do you really think he shouldn't be allowed to remember what happened? I mean... I kind of don't want him to either, but..." Fluttershy began to speak, but soon began to fall silent.

With a sigh, Nightmare Moon frowned solemnly at us. "I do, Fluttershy... After everything that has happened... The fact that he has no recollection of what happened must be some form of a blessing. He has been spared the memories of the horror that has occurred. I do not believe we should rob him of this respite."

"Yeah... I wish I could forget too..." Rainbow Dash muttered while rubbing her face before turning to me. "You saw how he was when he first woke up, Twilight. He really didn't have any faith in us anymore."

She was right... When he first awakened from his coma after ten days, he... He did not want anything to do with me. He was so sure that we had abandoned him. Even after being there for him and helping him take Discord down... The scars just might still be there, only numbed. Even after what we just went through together... If he were to remember... "I know, Rainbow... I don't think we should let him remember either. He'll be happier that way."

"After what we did... I would not fault him for not being able to trust us as stalwartly as before... He would never be able to forget that... And his heart has been scarred before. He would be much more cautious around us... It just wouldn't be the same again..." Rarity said softly while almost looking like she was on the verge of tears. And she is right. James is a cautious sort. He would be wary of letting himself being harmed the same way twice.

"I know... It's probably really selfish of us, but... Would he even believe us if we told him?" Fluttershy then asked while curling a hoof around her leg.

"Probably not... But I don't wanna take that chance anyway." Applejack added while tilting her hat down a bit as if to hide her face.

Nightmare Moon managed to crack a small somber smile. "I greatly appreciate you doing this for him. And I agree. For his sake... Let us never speak of this disaster ever again. But for now, let us return to him."

I watched as she turned around before opening the door to the room again. The doctor seemed to be checking James' blood pressure while Scootaloo was watching the gauge with every pump of the... I was never terribly familiar with medical equipment. What do they call that again? "Hm... Well, it seems your blood pressure is only slightly below normal. That should probably return to normal before long."

"How's everythin', doc?" Applejack asked while the door remained open behind us.

The doctor removed the device from James' arm while Scootaloo went right back to resting her head upon her brother's...I mean father's chest. This is going to take a while to get used to. "Well, he still has a ways to go, but his physical condition seems to be just fine, for the most part. He should be out of here in no time."

"Thank you, doctor. If there is nothing else that needs your attention, I would appreciate it if you would leave us be." Nightmare Moon said with a slight smile.

"Very well, your highness. I'll take my leave now." The doctor then promptly left the room and closed the door behind him. It was then that I noticed the room was looking noticeably brighter than before. It seemed that the gloomy weather had started to clear up.

Nightmare Moon then stepped forward before either of us could. She stood before James while also casting her gaze down at Scootaloo. "Hello, child. Still catching up on lost time with your father?"

James did not say a word, although he rolled his eyes and seemed to blush a bit. Poor guy. He really was not used to being called that. But Scootaloo had no reservations about calling him that since she jumped up immediately. "You bet! Right, Dad?"

Oh, James... He just snickered in flattery while looking noticeably red in the face. "Yeah... I'm still getting used to being called that. Feels really good, actually."

"I'm sure it must." Nightmare Moon replied with a chuckle. However, she then reached down and tenderly nuzzled his face. "However, as much as I would like to stick around, I must return to Canterlot and inform my sisters of your condition. They've been quite worried since the moment you were hospitalized and will be delighted to hear that you are going to pull through."

James nodded in understanding and gently ran his hand over the length of her neck. "All right then. Please give my best to Luna."

"I shall. I will see you again soon, my friend." She said before using her magic to take hold of the helmet in the cardboard box beside the bed and carry it with her while turning to face us. "I shall leave him in your care. Please watch over him."

"You can count on us! That's what friend's are for!" Pinkie Pie replied with a cheerful hop while the rest of us merely nodded and smiled. Nightmare Moon then stepped past us before taking one last look back at us... No, wait. In hindsight... It was not us she was looking at. It was just James. With an almost mournful smile, she closed the door behind her and was gone.

"Sooooo..." Rainbow Dash spoke before she hurried over to James' bedside. "What's up, big guy? Had any fun dreams while you were out?"

James seemed to pause in thought for a moment before he could speak. "Well... Kind of. I mean... I still don't remember anything that happened after I went into the labyrinth behind the palace in Canterlot. But... Well, I guess I do remember a bit of before I woke up. Although it was kind of...surreal and even beautiful in some ways."

Oh no... Did James truly remember something from when we took on the curse? I felt myself quiver in anxiety while doing all I could to not show any sign that something may have been wrong. All five of my closest friends were giving each other the same look. It was a miracle that James never thought anything was amiss for even a second. It was Scootaloo who spoke next. "Sounds cool! Can you tell us?"

"Uh... I... It's kind of hard for me to put into words... Maybe if I wrote it down instead?" He retorted while seemingly having difficult recalling anything. But judging by now he did not seem bothered by anything he was remembering... Maybe he really did not remember anything that happened in his subconscious. What did Discord do to him in those final seconds?

"Oh, you mean in a journal entry? Brilliant idea, darling!" Rarity exclaimed while the fear in her eyes seemed to fade. However, when she went to his bedside to check the cardboard box beside his bed, the box that had been holding the paper he had been using to write journals during his stay in the hospital, she stopped. "Um... Well... It would seem we had best get you some more paper then. It would appear that there's only one sheet left. Hardly enough for a full entry."

Right... James used that last sheet to... I nearly panicked as I realized what was on that that last sheet of paper. Those held James' final thoughts before Nightmare Moon used her magic to send him right into his own subconscious. I could not let him see it!

I rushed to Rarity's side and used my levitation magic to snatch it up before James could develop enough curiosity to examine it himself. "Oh, you can't use this one, James. It's already full of gibberish. I'll run home and bring you some more, OK?"

Rarity seemed a bit puzzled by how hastily I snatched that paper away from them, though James did not seem to think much on it. "Sure thing, Twi. Thanks." I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Rainbow Dash also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She was there when he wrote it, so she knew what was on the other side.

"All right then. I'll be right back. Excuse me for a little bit, girls." I then rolled up the paper and kept it close to my side while I left the room and then left the hospital. The weather was starting to look and feel really nice and the air was thick with humidity. Hopefully it would not get too warm.

My return home was fairly uneventful and I was not interrupted once. When I entered the through the door, I found Spike enjoying a sandwich for lunch. "Huh? Oh, hey! Welcome home, Twilight! Is everything OK?"

I breathed deeply before I smiled at him. "Yes, Spike... Everything is finally OK. James is fine and will probably be out of the hospital in less than a week."

"Awesome! Does he need anything? Should I bake him a batch of my triple-decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies?" Spike perked up instantly and almost dropped his sandwich in the process.

I could not help giggling a bit at his enthusiasm. "Well, as sure as I am that he would love to try those, I don't think he would care for the nuts. He says most of them get stuck in his teeth. But what he would like is some paper. Could you please gather up a small stack of them?"

"Sure thing! I'll be just a minute!" Spike said with a smile before hurrying upstairs and out of sight. I then just stood there while browsing the books on the nearest shelf before I soon heard his little footsteps coming my way again. I then turned and saw him come into view while coming down the stairs before rushing over to me with my saddlebags between his hands. "Here you go! Is thirty pages enough?"

"That sounds like plenty, Spike. Thank you." I then used my magic to place my saddlebags on my back with them hanging off my sides. "I think that's all I need. I better hurry back."

"OK. But...uh... What about that one?" Spike asked while pointing to just my left. I had forgotten about the rolled up sheet of paper that held the last journal entry James ever wrote. How did I forget that I was already maintaining the levitation spell?

"Oops... Almost forgot about that one." I said while feeling a bit embarrassed. I then brought the paper to his hands. "Could you place this by my bed for now? I'll take care of it when I get home in a while."

"Sure! Tell James I said hi, all right?" Spike said while waving goodbye to me. Without further delay, I hurried on back over to the hospital.

Once I got back to the room James and my friends were in, I opened the door and found that not only were they still there. They were also all snacking on muffins of some sort. "Uh... Did I miss something?"

Pinkie Pie turned to me and grinned brightly. "Oh, James was hungry, so I went and got some goodies from Sugarcube Corner! We've got blueberry muffins, banana nut muffins, chocolate muffins, and... Oh, here's a new one! Cherry chocolate chip muffins!"

I could already smell the delicious treats in the air and soon found myself snacking on one of those cherry chocolate chip muffins. Delicious! Anyway, I went over to James' bedside and removed the stack of blank papers from my bag. "Sorry if I kept you waiting, James. We've got thirty pages here. Is that enough?"

"More than enough. Thanks, Twi. Um... Scoot, would it be OK if I just wrote something down for a while? You're a pretty big distraction." James said in reply before patting his little girl on the head... I am sorry, but those two are just so cute together. I mean they were cute before as brother and sister, but as father and daughter... Oh, I could not help but grinning.

Scootaloo did not seem to mind, especially since Rainbow Dash was trying to coax her away from him with that board game she brought along. Weather Patrol, if I remember it correctly. "Sure thing, Dad. I'm gonna play with Rainbow Dash."

It must have been difficult for James to focus on writing with all of us around him. He would frequently glance up from the paper he was writing on to look at us. Applejack seemed to be keeping an eye on Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash, although I am sure she was just making sure Rainbow did not cheat. I was merely conversing with the rest of my friends while also taking time to write this down every now and then. But after... Well, I think it took around an hour for James to speak up. "OK, I think that's it."

"You wrote down what happened in your dream?" Fluttershy asked while we all went to his bedside while Scootaloo started helping herself to another muffin.

"I don't know if it was a dream, but it's all I remember happening before I woke up." He said before handing us a portion of the stack of papers.

"All righty then. Let's see here..." Applejack said as we all gathered around it while taking several steps away from his bed. Scootaloo then hopped back up onto it while bringing James another muffin.

The start of the entry was a bit haunting, to be honest... According to what James remembered, his entire memory had been wiped clean. He could not even remember his own name while trapped in an endless black void. It was creepy, not to mention nerve-wracking. I would have likely panicked after a very short amount of time if I was ever in such a situation. Pinkie Pie muttered quietly next to me, "This is so sad..."

"Yeah... No idea who you are or what you've lost... I can't believe this happened to him..." Rainbow Dash added quietly while keeping her voice down to make sure James could not hear her. What did Discord do to him? I was relieved that James could not remember any of the hellish events that happened, but why erase EVERYTHING from his memory? Or was that not the entire trick?

Things got a bit more interesting when we got to the part where James seemed to find an apple on the absent ground. And the voice he claims to have heard when he picked it up.

"Wait a minute... I reckon that was my voice who said that..." Applejack whispered while she rubbed her chin. She then quietly gasped, "I remember now! That... I said that ta him when he was tryin' ta pull that rigged apple outta the tub at his welcomin' party! Golly, it feels like that was forever ago..."

"And that was on his first day... Ooh, a balloon! Did he hear me next?" Pinkie Pie then said quietly while we read on. It seems James found a balloon floating by next. A balloon that matched the ones on her cutie mark.

"James, you silly..." Pinkie Pie quietly whispered before she brought her hooves to her mouth in shock.

She looked genuinely alarmed while I glanced at James. He seemed to be preoccupied with Scootaloo and they even seemed to be playing Weather Patrol to pass the time. I then looked at Pinkie Pie, as did everypony else, and asked, "What's wrong, Pinkie?"

I saw a tear trickle down her cheek while she quietly sniffled. "That... That was the first thing I ever said to him... Remember, girls?"

"Oh my goodness... You're right. Just after we startled him when he came upstairs in Sugarcube Corner..." Rarity said quietly while looking truly uneasy. These voices that James had been hearing... What significance did they have?

When we read on, the journal mentioned that James came across an azure diamond on the ground. Rarity instinctively looked back at her own cutie mark at that moment, although I have to say I am not certain if azure is the correct description for the diamond symbols that make up her cutie mark. And the words that the next voice said... I know I had never heard them from her before.

"Red and green go well together... I guess that's true, but what did that have to do with anything?" Fluttershy asked while everypony looked a bit confused. Although the mention of red and green did sound familiar somehow...

Rarity covered her face in embarrassment. "Oh dear, now I remember... I was commenting on the colors I painted the bandage I wrapped around his head after I accidentally smashed his forehead into my doorway..."

"Now that you mention it... He was wearing a green headband with some sort with a red star on the front next time I saw him that day... I almost forgot that you told me it was a bandage." I cannot believe I almost forgot that. James wore that the next couple of days before he removed it.

"Well, let's see what he found next..." Applejack muttered while we kept following the lines of text. I felt a twinge of excitement fill me when the journal mentioned seeing a star of sorts floating in the darkness. The description matched the star at the center of my cutie mark.

"Ooh, let's see who talked next... Oh, wait. It had to be you, Twilight." Pinkie Pie whispered while she smiled at me as she wiped her tears away.

The words that he heard me say. Asking if he was human. Where had I said that before? And why did it fill him with an exceptionally noteworthy sense of nostalgia? And then I remembered. And I all but burst into tears as I held my face in my hooves.

"Hey... Hey, Twilight? You OK?" Rainbow Dash asked while I felt her drape her wing across my back in support.

"That line..." I muttered while trying to compose myself. "That was the first thing I ever said to him... No, I... I was the first person to ever approach him when he first came to Equestria..."

"Oh my..." I heard Rarity whisper while she seemed to glance over at him while he was still preoccupied. "Then... No wonder that moment was so sacred to him..."

"It's sacred to me too... I'm glad he remembered it..." I whimpered while hurriedly drying my tears. This moment, as quiet as it was, was becoming quite an emotional experience for all of us.

"Rainbow lightning... Yep, that's me!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed quietly when the entry mentioned a bolt of lightning streaking down from the sky and striking James' hand before the electrical energy collected in his palm. And then the voice he heard next. "Yeah.. I said that right after Applejack when he got that weird one in the tub..."

And as expected, it did not take long before we got to a point where James mentioned seeing a butterfly. The colors perfectly matched the little butterfly symbols that make up Fluttershy's cutie mark. I soon noticed tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks while she held her wrist to her lips. She was smiling just slightly. "I remember those words... It was the first thing I ever said to him when I found him inside Sugarcube Corner..."

All of these words that he heard... They were all from the very first day we ever met him. He was remembering glimpses of the day where he came into our lives. And us into his. And then it happened. We got to the part where it seemed two white birds that resembled his own cutie mark flew overhead, but then flew out of sight.

"Aw... I guess the birds were feeling really shy right then." Pinkie Pie said quietly. Were they taunting him? Or were they just leading him along? But it was then that things got a bit weird. The six items James found that served as our cutie marks began to produce glowing forms that seemed to resemble our own bodies. But they never spoke... Even as they walked alongside him. Were these extensions of the Elements of Harmony and our will? Were they merely projecting our presence there? I wish I could have closed my eyes and saw myself there with him instead of being kept in the dark.

None of us said a word. We all read on in silence. Eventually, the writing revealed that James finally saw the symbol of his cutie mark floating in the darkness up ahead. And when that happened, our glowing duplicates began to speed up while he tried to keep up with them. And when they reached the glowing twin avian forms, they turned to face him. They spoke. And James revealed in order which voice came to him.

"Come back to us, James."

"Time ta wake up, pardner."

"Please, leave this nightmare behind you and return to us."

"No more sad times... Let's get back to the happy times."

"Come on, big guy... We're not saying goodbye today."

"Please... Don't go..."

The tears just came as I read those lines. The Elements were speaking to him... No. We were speaking to him, even if only in spirit. The Elements of Harmony were probably projecting our will. And... Why were these words so beautiful to me? I glanced around at my friends. Nopony said a word. But they were all in tears. They were all equally moved.

I had read enough. I stood up and approached James as he held Scootaloo in his arms and gently tussled her mane. "James..."

"Hm...?" He mumbled while turning to face me. His expression became one of concern. All my friends were beside me. And this time, I could not hide the tears. And neither could they. "Girls...? Are you OK?"

Scootaloo seemed just as equally concerned, especially when she looked at Rainbow Dash. "Hey... Why are you crying, Rainbow Dash? You're too tough to cry like that!"

"Squirt..." Rainbow Dash muttered while her voice was beginning to break. "Maybe when you find somepony someday that you just can't imagine living without, you'll understand why..."

With that, Rainbow Dash pulled herself up to the bed and threw her arms around his neck while burying her face into his shoulder. One by one, we all followed. In a moment, we were all holding our dear friend in a group embrace as the tears flowed. Scootaloo remained silent and watched in concern. I know she could never hope to understand what we had been through, but I am certain she knew better than to judge us.

I felt James' hand rest upon my back as he tried to hold us in his arms. "Hey... Is something wrong?"

"No, darling... Nothing is wrong... Nothing is wrong in the slightest..." I heard Rarity whimper quietly from next to me.

I then heard Pinkie Pie speak while her voice sounded more like a squeak. "We're OK... You're OK... Everything's gonna be OK now..."

Hours went by and we stayed by his side as long as we could. Scootaloo departed after a while to go spend time with the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but also to spread the word to them that James was doing just fine. It was a shame they never came back, but I am sure they will all be spending some much needed time with him starting tomorrow.

I was reluctant to leave once 8 PM came, but James did seem rather tired and was eager to turn in early for the night. He may have been healing, but his body was still ravaged from the entropy it had been suffering from. It will likely be several days before he is back to what he used to be. We all departed from the hospital with the sun having just disappeared over the horizon with only its orange glow modestly lighting up Ponyville around us. Even so, we were all in high spirits. And that was a first in what felt like far too long.

Pinkie Pie was hopping alongside us instead of just walking. She must have been in a good mood. "Phew! It feels soooo good to be happy again!"

"Heh, yeah. I was almost forgetting what it was like." Rainbow Dash snidely replied while rolling her eyes. I could already feel the mood returning to normal. All of us together, chatting and joking as friends. Even if one of our closest friends was absent, there was nothing holding us back. No lingering feelings of dread or guilt. Things truly were returning to normal.

Rarity then spoke up while she hurried up beside me. "Actually... I propose we all go out to dinner to celebrate. It's been too long since the last time we all just got together for a little soiree, hasn't it?"

Before I could even give that suggestion much thought, I practically heard my stomach roar in demand. And not just mine. It was almost as if all of our stomachs roared at us. It was then that I realized I had not eaten a thing all day since breakfast! There were those muffins that Pinkie Pie brought over, but those could hardly count as a meal. Gosh, I think the last time that happened was back during my first few weeks in Ponyville when I first got that invitation to the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Whoa... We got so swept up in hangin' out with James that we forgot ta fill our bellies. Who else is up for some grub?" Applejack asked while realizing just how hungry she was.

Fluttershy seemed to blush as her stomach growled especially loudly. "Oh dear... We did lose track of time, didn't we? An outdoor sounds lovely. Should we visit the cafe?"

One by one, my friends and I voiced our agreement to the proposition. Once it was agreed upon, I smiled and started to walk home. "OK then! I'll just head home to grab some bits and I'll meet you all there!"

It was getting pretty dark out, what with the occasional lamppost automatically turning on to cast some light out through the darkness. I could hear the hissing and cries of cicadas in the cool evening air. You do not normally hear those sounds in Canterlot. Even so, I did not let myself get distracted while I headed home. I was famished and looking forward to a hot meal. I could already taste the roasted carrots.

I pushed the door open to the library, finding the place already rather poorly lit. However, I did see a single source of light right next to the stairs that seemed to be coming from a single lit candle. And seated beside it on the steps was Spike. "Oh! Hi, Spike! Isn't it almost your bedtime?"

My longtime friend looked over at me and said, "Huh? Oh... Hi, Twilight. Yeah, I was supposed to be getting ready for bed, but... I couldn't sleep."

"Couldn't sleep? But you're one of the heaviest sleepers I..." I began to speak in reply, but my eyes then noticed something in his grasp. A sheet of familiar white paper tightly rolled up. "Oh no... Spike, did you read that?"

He nodded worriedly. "Sorry... I just got curious and took a look at it. I probably would've read it anyway if you told me not too..." Spike then looked right at me and walked over to me with the paper unfurled. "James wrote this, right? Why'd he do this? It was kinda...scary to read. Is he really OK now?"

The journal entry was very short. Only four brief paragraphs. And they all contained the apathetic words of a broken man who had completely given up. Thank goodness that dark chapter is finally behind us. Even so, I rolled up the paper again and lightly patted Spike on the head. "Yes, Spike... He went through very hard times recently, but he is doing just fine. I saw him today. He was smiling and talking. He's going to be just fine. I promise."

"Oh... That's good, I guess... But...what happened to him? What made him act like this? I would've never guessed he wrote this if I didn't recognize his writing." Spike asked once more while still looking very concerned and puzzled.

I did not want to tell him to just stop worrying about it. He would not just lose interest like that. I had to think of a way to explain it to him without revealing too much. No child should have any idea of what happened that day... "Spike... He... I'll try to explain this the best that I can. To make a long story short... He thought he lost the most important people in his life. People he could not imagine living without."

"I... I don't think I really get that..." Spike quietly said while scratching his head. It truly was a concept he was struggling to comprehend.

With a sigh, I placed my hoof on his shoulder. "Spike... Think for a minute. Is there somepony in your life who is just so important to you that you can't imagine life without them? Someone who is so deeply integrated into your life that losing them just is not something you could ever bear?"

For a good half of a minute, we just stood there in silence. Spike gazed up at me with his young big green eyes while I looked back, waiting for an answer. And soon, the tears that began to slide down his cheeks showed me that he had found the answer. He then rushed forward and held onto me in a surprisingly tight embrace. "Yes... You, Twilight..."

I felt my heart melt at those words. I wrapped my arm around him and held him tightly to my chest. "Thank you, Spike... Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"I know..." I heard Spike whisper to me. He has been with me since the day he hatched. Almost like the little brother I never had. I cannot imagine losing him. He has been with me for so long and will probably be with me until the day I die. I could never replace him.

Finally, Spike pulled his head away and looked up at me while drying his tears. "So... That's what happened to James? He...lost somepony that important to him? Who was it?"

I did not want to worry him further, so I just lightly rubbed his head with my hoof. "That doesn't matter, Spike. He thought he lost those precious people in his life, but they were with him all along. And he knows it now. So... No more tears, OK? He's going to be fine."

"That's good..." Spike said quietly before he let out a big and long yawn. I suppose his nerves were more relaxed now that he had gotten some closure and a weight off his chest. "Wow... I think I really should get to bed now..."

I could not help giggling a bit. "Oh, trust me. Crying tires you out. I should know. I've done quite a bit of that lately."

The two of us headed back upstairs with a candle lighting the way. Very soon, Spike was fast asleep in bed. I did not even get the chance to say goodnight before I turned around and found him in his little bed while sucking on his tail spade. Such an adorable sight. With my coin purse on hoof, I placed a little kiss on his head before hurrying back downstairs. I found Owlowiscious perched upon his favorite roosting spot just to the left of the door, just as I had hoped he would be. "I'll be back in a while, Owlowiscious. You keep an eye on the place for me, all right?"

Owlowiscious gave me one of his cute little hoots before I headed out the door. The sky had become even darker than before while I was in my house, the stars adorning the night sky while a fantastic full moon hung overhead. Princess Luna was probably rejoicing over her friend's recovery at that very moment. I hope James was seeing it before he finally fell asleep.

I wasted no time in making my way to the cafe. While they do close at 10 PM, I did not want to get there too late. And sure enough, I found all five of my closest friends seated around a table waiting for me while candles lit up the tables from the very middle of each. Well... I guess saying ALL is not quite doing it justice, but they were the friends I had known the longest since first coming to Ponyville.

"Hey, girls! Sorry if I kept you waiting. Got caught up in a chat with Spike before he went to sleep." I said the instant they turned to look at me.

"Aw, was little Spikey Wikey worried about us?" Rarity asked in a bit of a teasing sort of tone. She really does adore Spike.

"Well... Not exactly us." I replied while I took a seat between Fluttershy and Applejack. "Let's just say he heard something I was hoping he would leave alone and...it left him a bit unsettled."

"Read something? Wait... You don't mean that last little bit James wrote before Nightmare Moon put him out, right?" Rainbow Dash asked while looking and sounding more than just a bit worried. She was the only person there other than myself who had read it.

"Yeah... The tone of the writing disturbed him and I explained to him that things are all right with James now. And then I put Spike to bed and hurried on over." I explained while trying to keep a smile on my face. We were finally past all of the gloom and doom from knowing our friend had been dying recently and were trying to have a good night.

Pinkie Pie, being the hopeless optimist she is, merely laughed since she did not know what that final journal contained. "Oh, it couldn't have been that bad! James was probably just feeling really hopeful and excited that the curse was about to be lifted!"

All eyes fell upon her. And nopony was smiling. I then decided to enlighten her to the actual tone of he writing. "Pinkie... James had given up by the time he wrote that. He was expecting, and hoping, to die soon."

"Oh..." Pinkie muttered while she then bowed her head. "At least it's all over now... Even if this was all because we broke a Pinkie Promise..."

Applejack sighed and held her face in her hooves. "I still can't believe we did that... How'd we let the poor guy down this bad? I still can't wrap my head around it..."

"It was Discord, Applejack... I don't think we could've resisted him, even if we tried..." Fluttershy said quietly while trying to hide her face right behind her mane. I could feel myself feeling more and more somber as the mood darkened. As much as I did not want to think about it, it was hard to not think about all we had gone through and what we failed to do in preventing it.

Finally, Pinkie Pie suddenly spoke up with a smile. "Hey! Let's not get all gloomy again now, all right? Everything's OK now! He's gonna be fine! So let's get happy, not sappy!"

It was great to see Pinkie Pie trying to keep the mood up, and I did appreciate her efforts. But I was still being held down by doubt. And my memories of what Discord said... Rarity put it best. "I wish it were that easy, Pinkie... But...Discord was right all along."

"I know... I don't want to admit it, but... We're the ones who are responsible for what happened." I added while feeling a heavy weight settle in my heart. It was all guilt.

Fluttershy seemed as if she was trying to not look at either of us directly. "He didn't need to be there... He only came along because we wanted him to be with us and he wanted to stay with us too... But...only the Elements of Harmony were needed to deal with Discord... He wasn't supposed to even be there..."

She was right... Discord was right... James' presence was unnecessary during that crisis. We had dealt with Discord before and we could probably do it again. There was no need for the bearer of the Element of Humanity to get involved. The princesses did not even request him to come with us. And as a result... We nearly lost him. We nearly got him killed!

"Hey... Girls?" Applejack finally spoke up, drawing our attention to her. "I mean... I ain't no dimwit. I know we dragged James along inta this mess... So... I wanna make a promise with y'all. If somethin' comes up again that needs the Elements of Harmony ta fix it, let's... Let's keep James outta it. I'm scared stiff that this'll all happen again if he comes along next time..."

One by one, we reached across the table and touched our hooves together. Pinkie Pie then nodded her head and spoke quietly, "Let's make it a Pinkie Promise... Never again, right?"

"Yeah... Never again." Rainbow Dash muttered while we all bowed our heads. We nearly lost him once before. We know what that horror feels like now. And we will not repeat that mistake.

After a moment of silence, we properly returned to our seats while Pinkie Pie ten spoke up again as she seemed to be regaining her peppy smile. "OK... Well, we really shouldn't be moping around now that the worst is over. So... What should we get tonight?"

We started looking through the menu. A tasty meal would do us a lot of good in lifting our spirits. While there was a lot on the menu that caught my eye, Rarity then made quite a suggestion. "If I may make a suggestion, perhaps we should order one of these party platters."

"Well, you know what they say. Three is a crowd while anymore than that is a party. And I see six of us." Fluttershy said while starting to smile again. And that platter did look great. Definitely too much for just a couple of ponies to eat. I cannot even recall what was on it.

"Looks pretty good ta me! And I reckon tonight's a good time ta bring out the booze. Whatcha girls in the mood for? Hard cider? A couple of beers? Maybe some wine?" Applejack suggested while also looking through the drink menu that had been provided.

I could certainly see her point. We had just gotten through one of the hardest experiences of our lives, so it was definitely a time of celebration. However, Fluttershy then spoke up while waving her hoof dismissively. "Oh, I'm afraid I can't do that, Applejack. I can't drink right now."

"Can't drink?! But it's a special occasion, dear! Surely some sweet white wine is called for." Rarity then asked while I felt a powerful tension settling in my gut. Rainbow Dash was giving me the exact same look I was giving her too. We were the only ones who knew.

Fluttershy seemed far too timid to come out and explain why she could not let herself drink. Although Pinkie Pie then asked with a giggle, "Oh, I know what you'd like! What's that mixture you like with citrus and ginger again?"

However, it was then that Applejack started to give Fluttershy a funny look. And Fluttershy was blushing so hard while looking right back at her. "Wait a minute... Fluttershy, y'all don't have a couple of pies in the oven, if ya know what I mean? Do ya?"

It was then that Rarity and Pinkie Pie started to give Fluttershy some curious looks too. With a very sheepish grin that I could almost hear, Fluttershy squeaked out a reply. "Um... Just one, actually."

That hit my friends about as hard as I expected. That is to say, it hit them pretty hard! Applejack nearly fell off her stool with her hat falling right off while Pinkie Pie's jaw literally hit the table. Rarity then asked while her eye seemed to be twitching, "Wha... I mean... You just said... Are you serious?! Truly, darling?! You and dearest James are...expecting?!"

Her cheeks had to be hurting by that point. Fluttershy was grinning widely and broadly, although clearly out of nervousness. Pinkie Pie then practically started yelling while having jumped right up onto the table. "Ohmigosh! This is so amazing! Is it gonna be a filly?! Maybe a colt?! Did you mmm mmm hmm?! Mmm grmmm hmmm?!"

I have no idea what she was saying, but I had to use my magic to clamp her jaws shut to stop her from drawing too much attention. But even with her jaws clamped shut, she kept trying to talk through her closed lips. I finally had to speak up while trying to avoid drawing the attention of the other customers, "Pinkie, stop it! It's not like we want the whole town to know about it! And get off the table, you're gonna get us kicked out!"

Pinkie Pie promptly hopped down from the table while looking a bit embarrassed since her eyes were glancing about. It was then that I released my magical grasp on her. "Sorry... It's just... Oop! Not gonna say anything else! Very hush hush right now, right?"

"Uh huh... Thanks, Pinkie. But...yeah. I have a foal on the way..." Fluttershy then spoke quietly while still looking incredibly nervous. She would not stop grinning or blushing.

"Wow... So lil' Fluttershy's about to be Mama Fluttershy, huh? Well, guess that means I'm gonna have ta start swingin' by every now and then with some apple pies and fritters for the youngin's! Them foals sure can eat!" Applejack said with a chuckle while picking up her hat and placing it back on her head.

However, Rarity then seemed to glance at me and Rainbow Dash with a skeptical stare. "Well, you two are taking the news surprisingly well!"

"Uh... Heheh..." Rainbow Dash snickered while she rubbed the back of her own head. "I guess that's because we already knew."

"WHAT?! And you didn't tell us?!" Pinkie Pie practically yelled while looking noticeably annoyed.

I decided to explain things before anypony else could throw around accusations. "She wanted to wait until things had finally calmed down before spreading the news! And considering how emotionally taxing these last couple of weeks have been for all of us, I think it was very wise to hold off on spreading the word to avoid making an already bad situation even more stressful."

"Ah... I see. Well done, Fluttershy." Rarity quickly replied while gently rubbing her friend's shoulder.

"But still...! You're gonna have a foal?! This is just so... Eek, I wanna just explode, but I know I shouldn't! How long has it been?! When is it gonna be due?!" Pinkie Pie asked while trying very hard to not raise her voice.

Fluttershy seemed like she was beginning to relax a bit. "I... Well... I think it's only been a few weeks. I've still got a little over ten months to go."

For whatever reason, Rainbow Dash smirked while nudging Fluttershy's shoulder. "Ten months, huh? Plenty of time to enjoy it. I hope you're ready for when the hormones kick in. You and James are gonna be having lots of fun nights pretty soon!"

Just when it seemed that Fluttershy's blush had all but faded, it suddenly filled her face to the point of looking like a peach. The rest of us could only laugh while she began to fluster and I buried my face in my hoof. "Oh my gosh, Rainbow... Really?!"

"Hey, everypony's got their kinks! And I know one of James' is pregnant girls!" Rainbow Dash replied loudly while we could only laugh. Honestly, where did she even get that information?! Did she actually go out of her way to ask him about that?!

"Well, that's all fine and dandy, but... Well, does the pappy know 'bout this right now?" Applejack then asked while she adjusted her hat. I really hope we were not drawing too much attention to ourselves.

I decided to answer that question. "Well, he did... But seeing as how he doesn't remember a single day from after he first entered the labyrinth with us, I don't think he remembers..."

"Excellent! Then that means you can still tell him yourself, darling! I just know our dear friend will be absolutely thrilled!" Rarity cheered joyfully while giving her best friend a very supporting smile.

"Seeing as how OK with being Scoot's dad he was when she asked him, I'd say he'll be cool with it too. Still... James' is gonna be a dad for real, huh? Man, I just can't wrap my head around this!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed while scratching her head.

For whatever reason, Fluttershy was being surprisingly unexpressive about the subject by that point. She just kept her gaze turned down at the table. "I hope so..."

"Is something wrong?" I asked while looking at her. She seemed...deeply troubled. And I had a hunch that it had nothing to do with telling James that he is going to become a father in some time.

All eyes fell upon her, but she did not reply right away. Although I soon heard her quietly say, "Sorry... It's just... I need to have a long talk with him once he comes home..." She then lowered her gaze further and whispered as I saw tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks, "I just...don't want to hurt him again..."

"Don't want to..." Rarity muttered before a look of shock filled her eyes. "Fluttershy... Surely you're not considering leaving him, are you?"

At those words, Fluttershy buried her face in her arms. Muffled whimpers and sobs could be heard. Before any of us could do much, Rainbow Dash and Rarity were already on both sides of her, holding Fluttershy in their arms. Rainbow Dash spoke first. "Hey... Hey, Fluttershy. Don't go thinking he's gonna leave you now, all right? It's gonna be fine... I know you didn't stick with him through all this just to call the whole thing quits now."

"There there, now... No more tears, dear. You saw how happy he was to see you. Don't think for a minute it's all over." Rarity whispered reassuringly while tightly holding her friend tightly.

Finally, Fluttershy began to lift her face from her arms. She glanced at her two friends before looking at the rest of us. She looked so pained... "I'm sorry... Can we...please not talk about this anymore tonight? I really don't want to discuss it right now..."

I nodded in silence. So did Pinkie Pie and Applejack. Finally, Applejack lifted the drink menu again and tried to casually change the subject. "Well... Seein' as how ya can't stomach the hard stuff right now, how 'bout some sparklin' cider instead?"

Before long, we were all eating and talking and laughing again. I really do not feel that there is anything worth mentioning, although we did honor Fluttershy's request by never bringing up the subject of her pregnancy or anything regarding her current relationship with James. It was just the first time together with all of my friends in what felt like a very long time that we were all just having a good time. Well... Almost all my friends. Spike was fast asleep at home at that moment and it was a shame James could not attend. Still, there will always be next time. When we finally departed for home, we all parted ways with a smile.

I got home feeling much better. It just felt so good being in better spirits after so many consecutive days of angst and dread. My home was dark by the time I arrived. Owlowiscious was still clearly awake and greeted me once I was inside. I had to use my magic to light up my horn to see where I was going. Such a shame that the library and its loft never had electrical lighting installed. But considering that it is carved out of a living tree, it is understandable that they could only do so much without killing the poor thing.

Once I reached my bed, I found Spike still fast asleep across from me. However, when I looked at my bed, I saw it again. The last thing James ever wrote before he was sent into his own subconscious to find and destroy the curse that plagued him.

Once more, I read over its contents. It was so short, being no more than four paragraphs long. And even then, they were very brief. I felt a dull pain in my heart while reading what could have very easily been my friend's final words. The tone and brevity of his writing. The words of a man without hope. A man who had resigned himself to his doom.

Reading over the despair he had felt while being tormented by the curse forcing his most scarring memories into constantly repeating themselves at the front of his mind filled me with such remorse, but also a powerful desire. A desire to protect him. When he awoke, he remembered nothing of the hell that happened a few weeks ago. He remembered nothing of what happened while in the hospital. He was back to normal. Calm and happy and devoid of pain. And I wanted it to stay that way.

My thoughts went to the cluster of journals he wrote during his time in the hospital. And the few journals that me and my friends wrote that I had sent to the princesses to aid in them finding the source of his pain. They were all still with them. And that is where they need to stay.

Filled with resolve, I hurried back down the steps to my writing desk and pulled a scroll over to me while lighting a candle that rested nearby. I needed to speak to Princess Celestia right away.

"Dear Princess Celestia... I am sure that Nightmare Moon has returned to Canterlot with good news. James is a live and well. The curse that was poisoning him has been destroyed. And by some miracle, he remembers absolutely nothing of what happened after he began to explore the labyrinth with us. And... I must make a request. After seeing how the events that transpired affected him, I must say that...it would be for the best that he is not allowed to know what happened. He was a broken man when he awoke and had great difficulty trusting any of us at first. But now he is truly back to normal. He was happy to see us. He trusted us just like before. And I do not want that to change. So...please. Every last journal we wrote that documented what happened these last few weeks... Please keep them hidden from him. After all that happened, he deserves to be happy and I do not want to see that taken away from him. Can I ask this of you? Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

I rolled up the scroll along with that final brief journal entry James wrote and secured them with a ribbon before walking over to the nearest window and opening it. I really did not want to disturb Spike, but this message needed to be sent right away. I gently rubbed his little head and whispered, "Spike... Spike, please wake up. I need you to send this to Princess Celestia right away."

My gentle prodding did nothing to wake him up. Spike was sleeping like a log. With a sigh, I walked back down the nearby steps and placed scroll back on my desk. "I guess it can wait until tomorrow."

However, just when I turned around, I heard a sound behind me. The hoot of an owl. When I turned to look, I found Owlowiscious perched near the scroll. He then stepped over it and seemed to clutch it in his strong talons. I could tell what he was suggesting. "Owlowiscious... Do you think you could deliver that to Princess Celestia in Canterlot tonight?"

My little nocturnal assistant hooted happily and spread his wings before hovering near the window. I smiled and nodded while approaching the window. "Thank you... I'll make sure I stay awake to let you back in." With that, he was off. Owlowiscious flew out the window and was gone. When I peeked out the window that faced north in the loft, I saw him flying under the moonlight and towards Canterlot in the distance.

I closed the window and then tried to go to sleep. But... No matter what I tried, I could not in spite of how exhausted I was and still am. I just had so much on my mind. Just what a day... Especially with everything that happened in James' mind! But as I recalled that, and realized that James did not remember a thing about it, I smiled. I trotted back down to my writing desk. I gathered up a stack of paper and began to write. If James was not going to chronicle what happened during that struggle against Discord's remnants, I would. That was a time that needs to be remembered.

My quill wrote line after line as I vividly remembered everything I saw. Everything I felt. I remembered the sense of overwhelming joy when I found myself with my five closest friends as we descended towards him. When I held him in my arms. I remembered the fierce determination and anger I felt towards the abomination that was wearing our faces and speaking with our voices. The sense of awe watching myself cast spells of such a caliber that I never knew I could achieve before and watching my friends display new abilities they probably do not actually have. And the excitement that came from actually holding our own against it in battle. I was so angry and frustrated at first. But once we really started to gain the upper hoof against it, it even started to be fun! We were all there, together. Fighting together to destroy the source of our troubles. And despite its surreal abilities, we definitely had the advantage in varied abilities and numbers. It felt like we could not lose!

I must have been writing for roughly half an hour before I thought I heard a distant thumping sound. I initially dismissed it, but grew curious when I heard it again. It seemed to be coming from downstairs. Somepony was knocking on the front door.

"Who could possibly be trying to borrow a book at this hour?" I set my quill down before hurrying downstairs and trotted over to the door while whoever was there just kept knocking. "Yes, yes, I hear you..."

However, I was in for quite a surprise when I actually opened it. Standing on the other side was Pinkie Pie. And she was still wearing her nightcap. "Good evening, Twilight. I hope I didn't wake you up."

"Let me guess. Couldn't sleep?" I asked in return, to which Pinkie Pie readily nodded. "Me neither. Come on in."

I let her in without an argument before locking the door behind her. "I just had so much on my mind tonight. I mean how couldn't I after everything that went on inside James' head?! That was crazy!"

"Shhhh. Keep your voice down. You'll wake Spike up." I whispered back to her while leading her upstairs to the loft. "But I know what you mean. I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of our friends are having trouble getting to sleep too right about now."

"Yeah... Thanks for letting me in. You think it'd be OK if I bunk here tonight? Maybe I can get to sleep if I'm around friends." Pinkie Pie asked once we reached the top of the stairs. It was very dark and only the candle I had lit was the only real source of light around us.

"That sounds OK to me, Pinkie. Just don't make too much noise. We're not the only ones here, you know." I said quietly before going back over to the desk to continue writing.

I heard Pinkie Pie let out a long yawn. She must have been tired. "No problem... I'm a bit too worn out to really be my usual peppy self right now anyway..." However, I soon heard her speak from right next to my head. "What you doing?"

That actually startled me a bit, but I managed to not let out a yelp. "Huh? Oh, I'm just writing down everything I remember happening once we were there helping James take down the curse. It...just feels like something that needed to be chronicled. Although I'm sure James would've been the better writer. I can only imagine what he saw before the Elements of Harmony started to work their magic."

She seemed to glance over a few of the lines I had just written. "Mmhm! Yeah, it was awesome when you blasted that thing with a supercharged wave of magic. I didn't know you could do that!"

"You and me both, Pinkie." I said with a chuckle while my quill continued to scribble down what I remembered. However, there was a sudden belch as a green glow was cast around the room for a few seconds. When we turned around and looked up, Spike was sitting up in bed while looking rather groggy as a scroll fell from the air and landed beside his bed along with a stack of generic paper. With barely a yawn and a stretch, he turned over and went back to sleep.

"Wow. Spike's a heavy sleeper." Pinkie whispered with a giggle. However, I went ahead and used my magic to levitate the scroll and the stack of paper over to me since I knew who it had come from.

"I was almost expecting Princess Celestia to send her reply with Owlowiscious when he came home. I'm just glad Spike didn't mind it so much." I said with a relieved sigh. I then tried looking over the stack of paper to try to figure out what it was. After skimming through the pages a bit, I quickly realized what it was. "This is James' writing... And the events it mentions... I think this was the journal he finished writing just before we began searching the labyrinth."

Pinkie Pie glanced over my shoulder to see it too. "Hmmm... Yep! That's James' writing! Always using the default Times New Roman. I always liked using Comic Sans. And you always write in Book Antiqua!"

"Uh huh... Sure. Anyway, let's se what Princess Celestia had to say." I said while trying to not think too much about what Pinkie Pie was talking about.

The scroll read, "Dear Twilight, I want to thank you for bringing your concerns to my attention, although I was surprised to find one of the night watch visiting my private chambers with an owl clutching a scroll for me instead of receiving your message the usual way. Your little friend should be on his way back by the time you read this. Anyway, yes. Nightmare Moon returned to Canterlot this afternoon with the news that James' condition had stabilized and that, like you claimed, he had no recollection of the turmoil that had occurred in recent weeks. Luna and I are ever so grateful that her findings did indeed lead to his salvation. But in regards to your suggestion about all recordings and documents relating to what has happened, I must say that you may be right. For the sake of his happiness, it may be best if he is never allowed to know what occurred. Dark days have past and it is nothing short of a blessing that he does not remember. As you requested, I have secured and locked away every last journal of his and yours that were presented to me over this past week. However, I have sent the last entry he wrote before this disaster began to you as he probably still remembers writing it, which was recovered from the edge of the labyrinth by the royal guard. Please, never speak of this crisis again, especially to him. This truly has been a nightmare that is better off forgotten entirely. Although I should tell you that I have a special surprise in the works for you and your friends this Sunday. If you happen to forget, I will send you a reminder. But for now, rest easy. You have all earned some much needed rest. Sincerest wishes, Princess Celestia."

I felt a sense of relief wash over me. With those journals now locked away somewhere within the royal place itself, there was no way anypony was going to see them without the consent of the princesses. Pinkie Pie too breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew... Now he'll never know... But...it still doesn't really feel right, hiding the truth from him like this..."

"I know, Pinkie..." The guilt was still there. Even if it was for the best, I could not help feeling bad over hiding something so huge from someone I love. "I know it's wrong... He should probably know. But considering what that knowledge may do to him... He'll be happier if he doesn't find out what happened..."

"I know... I wish I could forget too." Pinkie Pie said with a sigh while her mane seemed like it was tempted to just deflate. But then she looked at me and tried to smile. "Still... At least now things can finally start to go back to normal... Right?"

I smiled too. It felt like it had been so long since we finally had peace amongst ourselves. "Yeah... Just like how they used to be..."

Pinkie Pie is just helping herself to some tea while relaxing outside on the library's top balcony while I am finishing this up right now along with my recollection of that fantastic struggle inside the depths of James' mind. I need to remember to return this journal entry of his to Fluttershy's house tomorrow. Still...while I do feel great relief that this dark chapter in our friendship has finally passed, I feel...conflicted over this. James knows nothing of what happened and is a happier person because of it. But even so, everything that he forgot DID happen. Why? What caused him to forget? Was this some sort of final act of mercy from Discord just before the end? To spare him from having to live with the scars of what he did and suffered?

I feel like I should tell him, yet I know I should not. If I tell him, I will hurt him. And even then, he may not believe me. How am I supposed to tell one the dearest friends I have ever known, a man I genuinely love, that we...failed him after vowing to protect him from Discord's wiles? How can I tell him that he...

No... I cannot bear to remember that day. Do not think about it, Twilight. How am I supposed to tell James that he ended someone's life? It was not murder... I do not want to believe it was murder... No, it was not murder. Discord survived. It... Ugh, it is just so complicated and painful to think about. I wish this never happened. But now, we need to carry this secret and keep it buried. Maybe it is the wrong thing to do, but as long as it keeps him safe and keeps our relationship strong, I think it is a worthy sacrifice.

I nearly lost him twice. I cannot bear the thought of losing him for good... We came so close to losing him today... So close...

I think this is all I want to write now. My eyes are getting really tired. I am going to check on Pinkie Pie and see if she is ready for bed too. We have a lot of catching up to do once James comes home. At least now I can finally go to sleep knowing that he will still be with us tomorrow.


End file.
